Machine element or mechanism – Control lever and linkage systems – Elements
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-27
2001-07-17
Bucci, David A. (Department: 3682)
Machine element or mechanism
Control lever and linkage systems
Elements
C074S531000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06260436
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This application claims the priority of 198 44 275.0, filed Sep. 26, 1998, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The present invention relates to a locking device for a selector that can be used, for example, for locking a selector lever in vehicles.
The latching forces to be transmitted by latching elements can reach comparatively high values, because the selector lever is latched with the aid of the latching element to prevent misuse and possibly even vehicle theft. Thus, for example, with a latching force of 300 N on the selector lever, forces in the vicinity of 1500 N are developed on the latching element. It is already known from DE 196 41 706 C1, for example, that a solenoid provided with a return spring can engage a latching cam integral with a housing with a latching link fastened to the selector lever in order to latch the selector lever.
In addition, a locking device for a selector lever is described in EP 0 519 208 A1, in which a locking member mounted on the selector lever can be engaged at specified selector lever positions by depressions in a latching element, in this known embodiment a rotatable pawl. An angular lever mounted integrally with a housing is provided for moving the pawl. One end of the lever is connected with a solenoid and the other end has a roller abutting the pawl. The flanks of the depression are made steep to produce an engaging force on the selector lever with the selector lever latched, with only a small force component in the rotational direction of the pawl. Thereby these forces can easily be supported on a housing by the angular lever. In the ideal case, the solenoid does not have to accept any latching forces at all, but in any event only slight latching forces. Its principal task consists in bringing the angular lever into and out of engagement with the pawl, and this must be possible even when the selector lever is subjected to a force.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to improve a locking device for a selector with regard to its operating safety.
This object has been achieved according to the present invention by providing that a first element for supporting the pivotably mounted latching element in a first position and a second element for pivoting the latching element into a second position are provided on the latching lever.
Advantageously, the latching element is supported shapewise against the housing in its first position by the latching lever, so that the latching element and hence the locking member can only move as a result of deformation of the latching lever. In this manner, even very high forces acting on the locking device can be accepted. This is especially true of forces which, if no shapewise support is provided for the latching element, can lead to an oscillating excitation of the latching element and thus eventually to an opening of the locking device. The second element provided on the latching lever for pivoting the latching element into its second position ensures that when the locking device is unlocked by pivoting the latching lever, the latching element is brought into its second position when the first element no longer supports the latching element.
Thus, to form the first element on the latching lever, the element is configured as a supporting lever that cooperates with a matching effective surface on the latching element. The supporting lever and the effective surface are aligned with respect to one another so that a force on the latching element acts in the direction to be latched, in other words to an increase in the application force of the supporting lever on the effective surface. The effective surface can be, for example, a recess on the latching element which is engaged by one end of the supporting lever. This and/or the supporting lever can also be provided with a roller to reduce frictional forces.
Preferably the latching element has two latching pawls that cooperate with the locking member. To receive the latching pawls, projections and/or recesses are provided on the locking member. The first latching pawl then acts in the resting position on the locking device and locks a select or lever provided on the selector, in, for example, its “P” position. The second latching pawl operates in a second (operating) position of the locking device and prevents actuation of the above selector lever, for example from the “N” position to the “R” position.
To actuate the latching lever and hence to actuate the locking device as a whole, preferably an outside force is applied to the locking lever by a solenoid. The introduction of the outside force into the latching lever is preferably to take place in such manner that the latching lever, following the application of the outside force, is moved initially with a high force and limited travel out of its spring-loaded resting position and then as the supporting lever pivots out of the effective surface on the latching element, is moved with a considerable travel and reduced actuating force. Such a force curve preferably can be achieved by the effective direction of the introduction of the outside force into the latching lever varying over the pivoting movement.
Although a long lever arm is provided at the beginning of the actuation of the latching lever, after the supporting lever is released this lever arm can be reduced in favor of a longer travel. The change in the lever arm preferably can be achieved by a suitable configuration of a surface used to introduce the outside force into the latching lever. A lever transmission can also be used, alternatively, to introduce the outside force into the latching lever. The particular advantage of this configuration is that, with a travel that is limited for applying the outside force—as is the case for example, with a solenoid—, unlocking the locking device even under load and also to ensuring a reliable outward pivoting of the latching element are possible.
Finally, the projections and recesses provided on the latching element are configured such that the supporting lever does not engage the latching lever outside the position of the locking member to be locked (for example, the position “P” of the selector lever). With this advantageous measure, the latching element can only be supported in the provided position of the locking member and thus assurance is provided that the latching element remains movable in these other positions.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4603905 (1986-08-01), Stucki
patent: 4926688 (1990-05-01), Murasaki
patent: 5133222 (1992-07-01), Hansson
patent: 5293763 (1994-03-01), Asano et al.
patent: 5924540 (1999-07-01), Kim
patent: 5950782 (1999-09-01), Brauns et al.
patent: 19641706C1 (1998-03-01), None
patent: 0519208A1 (1992-12-01), None
patent: 655 570 (1995-05-01), None
patent: 748 958 (1996-12-01), None
Sander Endmund
Weiss Paul
Bucci David A.
Crowell & Moring , L.L.P.
Daimler-Chrysler AG
Johnson Vicky A.
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