Measuring and testing – Simulating operating condition – Marine
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-06
2001-11-06
McCall, Eric S. (Department: 2855)
Measuring and testing
Simulating operating condition
Marine
Reexamination Certificate
active
06311552
ABSTRACT:
This invention relates to a gear position sensor for providing an indication as to which gear ratio is currently engaged in a change speed mechanism of a motor vehicle.
Typically a motor vehicle change-speed mechanism has a plurality of gear ratios which are mutually exclusively engageable so that at any instant only one of the ratios can be engaged and these ratios are selected by a selection member which is moved both linearly and rotationally to engage each ratio.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a gear position sensor which will enable the operative ratio of such a change speed mechanism to be readily sensed.
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a gear position sensor arrangement to indicate which one of a plurality of gear ratios has been engaged in a change speed mechanism, the arrangement comprising an indicating formation which is operatively connected with a portion of a ratio selector mechanism of the change speed mechanism which moves in a first linear sense and in a second rotary sense during selection of each gear ratio, and a sensing formation in the form of a cam surface which is moved in a third linear sense as a result of the movement of the indicating formation in said first and second senses to provide an indication as to the currently engaged gear ratio of the change speed mechanism.
In a preferred construction the sensing formation is in the form of a cam and moves a linear sensing probe of an associated electrical position sensor to provide the indication of the engaged gear ratio.
The cam may simply bear against the sensing probe or may be connected to the probe by a snap or other connection.
The cam may be linearly slideable in said third sense within a housing which extends through an aperture in the casing of the selector mechanism and which also supports the associated electrical position sensor.
Conveniently the cam and housing within which the cam linearly slides may have cooperating formations which prevent rotation of the cam within the housing.
Preferably the housing includes a mounting flange which is secured to the outside of the casing of the selector mechanism.
The cam and housing may conveniently be formed from plastics material.
In an alternative construction the electrical position sensor may have a portion which extends into said casing and from which the sensing probe projects, the cam having a hollow tubular portion which slides linearly in a telescoping manner in said third sense over the outside of part of said portion of the electrical position sensor which projects in to the casing.
Preferably the portion of the electrical position sensor and the telescoping tubular portion have interengaging formations which prevent relative rotation. Again these telescoping components may be formed from plastics material.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4712420 (1987-12-01), Johansson et al.
patent: 5307013 (1994-04-01), Santos et al.
patent: 5716301 (1998-02-01), Wild et al.
patent: 5809835 (1998-09-01), Beim et al.
patent: 2 707 360 A1 (1995-01-01), None
patent: 2311 570 A (1997-10-01), None
patent: 91 11638 A (1991-08-01), None
Darby & Darby
Luk Leamington Limited
McCall Eric S.
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