Machine element or mechanism – Control lever and linkage systems – Elements
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-25
2001-06-05
Green, Mary Ann (Department: 3682)
Machine element or mechanism
Control lever and linkage systems
Elements
C074S547000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06240803
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a gear change mechanism of the kind used in a truck and particularly relates to the gear shift lever for the mechanism.
STATE OF THE ART
Trucks are used to meet a wide variety of transport requirements. On short journeys the truck often functions purely as a workplace, but on long journeys it is not merely a workplace but also a sleeping place and a place for recreation and relaxation between periods of work. Accordingly, trucks intended for long-distance transport are provided with a bed behind the seats and, in some cases, with highly movable seats which, when shifted towards the truck's instrument panel, increase the driver's maneuvering space in the cab between the bed and the rear seats. In some trucks the bed is arranged above the seats. In such vehicles a large space is created between the rear of the seats and the rear wall of the cab when the seats are shifted towards the instrument panel.
As the vehicle driver is most often alone in the cab during long-distance runs, a known practice is to remove the passenger seat and replace it with a simpler seat on the passenger side. This seat is most often fitted relatively far back in the vehicle so as to create a relatively large space between it and the instrument panel. As the interior of a truck cab is relatively cramped, it is difficult for the driver to move from the driving seat to the bed situated behind the seats or, where applicable, to the relatively large clear area between the rear of the seats and the rear wall of the vehicle. It is also difficult for him to move from the driving side to the clear space on the passenger side.
Said problem is particularly obvious in so called forward-built vehicles in which the cab is situated above the vehicle's engine. In such designs, the engine often protrudes into the cab between the driving side and the passenger side. The engine is covered by a noise-damping engine cover. A gear lever is usually arranged in a mounting which is fastened to the cab and situated in the engine cover. The gear lever is further connected to at least one movement-transmitting device arranged to transmit gear change movements to the vehicle's gearbox. Driver mobility in this type of vehicle is hindered by the fact that the gear lever extends into the cab and limits his freedom of movement. For the driver to make his way to the bed or any of the clear spaces, he therefore most often has to climb out of the vehicle and then climb back in behind the seats or on the passenger side. This procedure is of course tiresome and inconvenient, particularly in bad weather or the like.
Said problem may arise in vehicle types other than trucks. In buses and mobile homes, freedom of movement may be limited by the gear lever, and even in passenger cars it may be necessary to move easily between the driving seat and the passenger seat and vice versa.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to make it easier for the driver to move about in the interior of a vehicle. To this end, the invention is distinguished by a gear lever movable in the interior space of the vehicle, the gear lever being raisable to an upraised use condition and lowerable, a locking mechanism for locking the gear lever upraised upright and a disengaging device which is manually operated to act upon the locking mechanism and free the gear lever for being lowered.
The gear lever incorporates a disengageable locking mechanism which makes it possible to lower the gear lever from its substantially vertical position of use to a position in which it does not limit driver mobility in the cab. When the gear lever has been lowered, the driver can easily climb over the engine cover to clear areas in the cab or to the bed. In an advantageous application of the invention, the lowered gear lever abuts against the support, which may be a panel in the interior of the vehicle or a cover covering the vehicle engine or the like. In a further advantageous application of the invention, the gear lever is pivotable into a recess in the panel or cover, thereby obviating any kind of hindrance by the gear lever to the driver's mobility in the vehicle.
REFERENCES:
patent: 455728 (1891-07-01), Norton
patent: 1743241 (1930-01-01), Schmidt
patent: 3620099 (1971-11-01), Stotz
patent: 4073199 (1978-02-01), Simons
patent: 4281526 (1981-08-01), Lipscchutz
patent: 4823635 (1989-04-01), Selby
patent: 5328285 (1994-07-01), Grubbs et al.
patent: 6029535 (2000-02-01), Kenny et al.
patent: 286957 (1990-11-01), None
patent: 6241302 (1994-08-01), None
Melander Ingemar
Miller Lars
Nord Claes-Göran
Sjostrom Staffan
Green Mary Ann
Ostrolenk Faber Gerb & Soffen, LLP
Scania CV Aktiebolag (publ)
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