Machine element or mechanism – Control lever and linkage systems – Elements
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-18
2001-06-05
Bucci, David A. (Department: 3682)
Machine element or mechanism
Control lever and linkage systems
Elements
C074S525000, C403S004000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06240802
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to an arrangement of the kind for manually altering the mutual position setting of a first part and a second part of a two-part gear lever mounted articulatedly in a vehicle, where the first part is an upper lever element and the second part is a lower lever element articulatedly connected to the upper lever element by means of a link which incorporates a first articulating device fixed to the lower end of the upper lever element and articulatedly connected to a upper end of the lower lever element, while a locking arrangement operative between the lever elements normally prevents mutual pivoting of the lever elements in the link. Such an arrangement makes it possible to alter the mutual position of the gear lever elements which constitute a two-part gear lever.
STATE OF THE ART
Two-part gear levers consisting of a first gear lever element and a second gear lever element joined to the first are already known and may on a truck, for example, consist of an upper lever element which has its lower end articulatedly connected to the upper end of a lower lever element. The two lever elements are then normally fixed (i.e. positionally locked) relative to one another by means of a locking arrangement or locking mechanism situated between them which, in its activated locking position, prevents mutual movement between the lever elements which together constitute the gear lever. The whole of the gear lever thus composed of the two lever elements is usually mounted movably in the vehicle either in a special lever stand under the floor of the driving cab or in an element connected to the gearbox housing. This movable mounting of the whole gear lever is usually situated in the region of the lower lever element and allows pivoting of the gear lever about two perpendicular geometrical axes so that the driver can operate the gear lever both in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and in its transverse direction in order to select desired gear changes.
Such a gear lever design is previously known from, for example, Swedish patent specification 8103461-3. However, the latter concerns a gear lever arrangement particularly intended for cab-over-engine trucks in which it has to be possible for the driving cab to be tilted forwards so that the engine and gearbox (which are situated under the driving cab) become accessible for servicing/repair. This entails the problem that the gear lever constitutes an obstacle to tilting the driving cab forwards unless special constructional solutions are adopted. According to that patent specification, the gear lever therefore takes the form of a two-part design whereby the two lever elements are mutually fixed by means of a locking mechanism operative between them. The locking function of this locking mechanism can nevertheless be neutralised when tilting the cab forwards, so that the upper lever element can at the same time also be lowered forward. To this end, the locking mechanism has a disengaging device which, during the tilting operation, is acted upon, by a special element fastened to the cab, whereby the locking function of the locking mechanism is neutralized.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
The design of the working environment in a vehicle when being by a driver has in recent years come to attract increasing attention. This does of course apply particularly to the environment in the driving cab of a utility vehicle such as a truck, since the environment in such a driving cab constitutes the workplace in which the driver often spends a number of hours per period of work.
There are numerous reasons for attaching ever increasing importance to achieving as good a working environment as possible in utility vehicles. One important reason is of course traffic safety, since a driver working in a good driving cab environment is known to be a substantially better driver than a driver in a bad cab environment. It is therefore important that the driving cab be properly sound-insulated and that the air temperature in the cab can be maintained at a pleasant level. It is also very important that the driver sits comfortably in the driving seat so that he does not suffer from “body fatigue” even during long periods of driving. A great deal of effort has therefore been devoted to making driving seats in trucks as comfortable as possible, including by all kinds of seat setting facilities and electronic setting memories which are very practical where the same vehicle is used by various drivers. Ergonomic thinking applies, however, not only to driving seat design but also to, for example, the design and location of instruments and various kinds of controls and buttons (switches).
The present invention is primarily focused on problems pertaining to the placing and location of the gear lever in the lateral direction relative to the driver/driving seat and, in this context, particularly the location of the gripping part of the gear lever (gear lever knob) in the initial situation before gear change, i.e. the basic setting position (neutral position). Drivers who differ in physique, arm length, shoulder width etc. have the right to expect the gear lever to be nevertheless located in an optimum manner relative to the driving seat, and this demand for settability cannot be met by merely altering the seat setting, since a change in the location of the seat relative to the gear lever may result in correct setting of the seat being impaired or made impossible relative to, for example, the pedals.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In an arrangement of the kind indicated in the introduction, the abovementioned problems can be solved by the arrangement wherein the first articulating device is a guide sleeve which has a cylindrical aperture running through it and is mounted for rotation on the second articulating device consisting of a bearing bushing unit which is mounted on, and for mutual rotation with, a supporting spindle which extends through the bearing bushing unit via a cylindrical hole which is situated in the latter and whose central axis forms an acute angle with the central axis of the aperture running through the guide sleeve, which supporting spindle is fitted in a holder fastened in the upper end of the lower lever element.
A distinguishing feature of such an arrangement is that the first articulating device is a guide sleeve which has a cylindrical aperture running through it and is mounted for rotation on the second articulating device, which takes the form of a bearing bushing unit mounted on, and for joint rotation with, a supporting spindle which extends through the bearing bushing unit via a cylindrical hole situated in the latter. At the same time, this cylindrical hole in the bearing bushing unit extends through the bearing bushing unit in such a way that the central axis of the hole forms an acute angle with the central axis of the aperture running through the guide sleeve, and the supporting spindle supporting the bearing bushing unit for joint rotation with the latter is fitted in a holder which is fastened in the upper end of the lower lever element.
On a two-part gear lever provided with an arrangement according to the invention, the position of the gripping part of the gear lever (the gear lever knob) can thus be adjusted in the transverse direction of the vehicle, i.e. in a lateral direction relative to the driving seat, by rotating the bearing bushing unit which is mounted obliquely (eccentrically) on, and for joint rotation with, the supporting spindle and also acts as an eccentric bushing unit. Rotation of the bushing unit in the holder is purely by rotation of the supporting spindle, thereby altering the position of the upper lever element in the lateral direction. The outer locations for this lateral change in position of the upper end of the gear lever are reached at the outer limits of a maximum 180° range of angle of rotation.
Further developments and preferred embodiments of the arrangement are described as follows A preferred embodiment of the bearing bushing unit whereby the latter comprises a pair of mutually opposite be
Bucci David A.
Kim Chong H.
Ostrolenk Faber Gerb & Soffen, LLP
Scania CV Aktiebolag (publ)
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