Actuator Assembly And Transmission Comprising An Actuator Assembly

1 . An actuator assembly for actuating components of a transmission, the actuator assembly comprising:

a support;

at least one shift actuator connected to the support, the shift actuator including a rail selector to move the rail selector between a plurality of positions along a shift axis defined by the shift actuator; and

a selector actuator connected to the support and movable between a first position and a second position along a select axis;

wherein the rail selector is coupled to the select actuator such that movement of the select actuator between the first position and the second position rotates the rail selector from a first radial position to a second radial position.

2 . The actuator assembly of claim 1 , wherein the rail selector includes a first arm and a second arm, the first arm being coupled to receive the select actuator and the second arm extending in a different direction than the first arm.

3 . The actuator assembly of claim 2 , wherein the first arm and the second arm are fixed relative to each other and arranged at a fixed angle relative to the shift axis.

4 . The actuator assembly of claim 2 , wherein the selector actuator includes a shaft with a detent to receive the first arm of the rail selector, wherein the first arm engages the detent to couple the rail select to the select actuator

5 . The actuator assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one shift actuator is further defined as a first shift actuator and a second shift actuator, the first shift actuator including a first rail selector and the second shift actuator including a second rail selector.

6 . The actuator assembly of claim 5 , wherein the first shift actuator and the second shift actuator each include a rotatable shaft attached to the first rail selector and the second rail selector, respectively.

7 . The actuator assembly of claim 6 , wherein the selector actuator receives a portion of each of the first rail selector and the second rail selector such that the selector actuator rotates the first rail selector and the second rail selector between the first radial position and the second radial position.

8 . The actuator assembly of claim 4 , wherein the first arm of the rail selector has a first width corresponding to a stroke length of the shift actuator such that the first arm is maintained in the detent of the shaft of the select actuator as the shift actuator moves between the plurality of positions along the shift axis.

9 . The actuator assembly of claim 2 , wherein the second arm of the rail selector includes an inner rail interface located on a first surface and an outer rail interface located on a second surface, the outer rail interface extending further from the shift axis than the inner rail interface.

10 . The actuator assembly of claim 1 , wherein the select axis is transverse to the shift axis.

11 . A transmission system comprising:

a gearbox comprising:

a first rail and a second rail disposed longitudinally within the gearbox, each of the first rail and second rail configured to move between a plurality of positions longitudinally, the first rail defining a first rail axis, and the second rail defining a second rail axis;

a first shift fork located along the first rail and a second shift fork located along the second rail, each of the first shift fork and second shift fork is configured to engage and disengage at least one gear;

an actuator assembly to move each of the first shift fork and second shift fork between the plurality of positions longitudinally, the actuator assembly removably coupled with the gearbox, the actuator assembly comprising:

a support;

at least one shift actuator connected to the support, the shift actuator including a rail selector, the shift actuator being configured to move the rail selector between a plurality of positions along a shift axis defined by the shift actuator; and

a select actuator connected to the support and transverse to the at least one shift actuator, the select actuator received by the rail selector and moves between a first position and a second position along a select axis defined by the select actuator;

wherein the select actuator moves from the first position to the second position rotating the rail selector about the axis defined by the shift actuator from a first radial position contacting the first rail to a second radial position contacting the second rail;

wherein the first shift fork on the first rail is moved between a plurality of positions along the first rail axis when the rail selector is contacting the first rail and the shift actuator is actuated, and the second shift fork on the second rail is moved between a plurality of positions along the second rail axis when the rail selector is contacting the second rail and the shift actuator is actuated.

12 . The transmission system of claim 11 further comprising a control system in communication with the actuator assembly.

13 . The transmission system of claim 12 , wherein the actuator assembly further comprises a fluid distribution system, the fluid distribution system being configured to receive input signals from the control system and one or more fluid sources.

14 . The transmission system of claim 13 , wherein the fluid source is compressed air.

15 . The transmission system of claim 11 , wherein the gearbox further includes a third rail and a fourth rail, and the at least one shift actuator is a first shift actuator with a first rail selector and a second shift actuator with a second rail selector.

16 . The transmission system of claim 15 , wherein the first shift actuator and the second shift actuator each include a rotatable shaft attached to their respective rail selector.

17 . The transmission system of claim 16 , wherein the select actuator receives a portion of the first rail selector and a portion of the second rail selector such that the select actuator rotates the first rail selector and the second rail selector between the first radial position and the second radial position.

18 . The transmission system of claim 17 , wherein the second rail selector contacts a third rail when the select actuator is in the first position, the third rail defining a third rail axis, and a fourth rail when the select actuator is in the second position, the fourth rail defining a fourth rail axis.

19 . The transmission system of claim 18 , wherein the first shift actuator and the second shift actuator are configured to move their respective rail selectors between the plurality of positions, moving the shift forks between the plurality of positions.

20 . An actuator assembly driven by a fluid configured to move a plurality of shift forks between a plurality of positions longitudinally, the actuator assembly comprising:

a support;

a first shift actuator and a second shift actuator connected to the support, each of the shift actuators including a rail selector, each of the first shift actuator and the second shift actuators being configured to move each of the rail selectors between a plurality of positions along a first shift axis defined by the first shift actuator and a second shift axis defined by the second shift actuator, respectively; and

a select actuator connected to the support and configured to be received by the rail selector; the select actuator is configured to move between a first position and a second position along a select axis defined by the select actuator;

wherein the select actuator moves from the first position to the second position rotating the first rail selector about the first shift axis and the second rail selector about the second shift axis from a first radial position to a second radial position;

wherein the first rail selector is configured to interface with a first rail axis in the first radial position and a second rail axis in the second radial position, and the second rail selector is configured to interface with a third rail axis in the first radial position and a fourth rail axis in the second radial position.