Machine element or mechanism – Control lever and linkage systems – Multiple controlled elements
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-02
2001-02-27
Bonck, Rodney H. (Department: 3681)
Machine element or mechanism
Control lever and linkage systems
Multiple controlled elements
C074S4710XY, C074S473330
Reexamination Certificate
active
06192771
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This application claims the priority of German application 198 05 510.2, filed in Germany on Feb. 11, 1998, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The present invention relates to an operating system for a vehicle transmission having a shifting lever which, for the shifting between gear ratios, is movably mounted on vehicle-body-fixed vehicle part of a motor vehicle, so as to be swivelled in one shifting channel respectively about a shifting axle essentially in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and, for selecting between different shifting channels, is swivellable in By at least one selecting channel about a selecting axle substantially in a transverse direction of the vehicle, and which, by way of a motion transmission, is connected with at least one transmission control shaft of the vehicle transmission.
A vehicle transmission case is linked to the motion transmission and, in a projection onto a shifting plane, consists of at least one parallelogram guide made of four bars, one bar being fixedly connected with the shifting lever, and, during a shifting and/or selecting movement of the shifting lever, three bars being changed in their position and a fourth bar maintaining its position which, on its one end, is swivellably mounted in the shifting plane on a vehicle-body-fixed vehicle part and, on its other end, can be rotated in all directions by means of a third bar of the parallelogram guide by way of a ball joint and is movably connected with the vehicle transmission case by a supporting rod by at least so many degrees of freedom that any spatial movement of the vehicle transmission case is possible without causing reaction forces in the motion transmission. The bar of the parallelogram guide maintains its position which is fixedly connected with the shifting lever, and the other three bars of the parallelogram guide are changed in their position, wherein the other end of the fourth bar is linked to the supporting rod by way of another ball joint.
DE 196 32 859 A1 describes an operating system for a motor vehicle transmission having a shifting lever which, for the shifting between gear ratios, is movably mounted on a motor vehicle, in particular, can be swivelled in one shifting channel respectively about a shifting axle essentially in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and, for selecting between different shifting channels, can be swivelled in at least one selecting channel about a selecting axle essentially in the transverse direction of the vehicle.
By way of a motion transmission, the known shifting lever is connected with at least one transmission control shaft of the vehicle transmission, a vehicle transmission case being linked to the motion transmission. Also, the shifting lever is mounted on a vehicle part fixed to the vehicle body and, in a projection onto a shifting plane, the motion transmission consists of at least one parallelogram guide consisting of four bars. One bar is fixedly connected with the shifting lever, and during a shifting and/or selecting movement of the shifting lever, three bars are changed in their position and one bar maintains its position. On its one end, this bar is swivellably mounted in the shifting plane on a vehicle-body-fixed vehicle part and, on its other end, is movably connected with the vehicle transmission case by at least so many degrees of freedom that any spatial movement of the vehicle transmission case is possible without causing reaction forces in the motion transmission. That bar maintains its position which is fixedly connected with the shifting lever and the other three bars are changed in their position.
In this known case, the three bars of the parallelogram guide, which are changed in their position during a shifting and/or selecting movement of the shifting lever, in a projection onto the shifting plane, are formed of a first bar between the shifting axle and at least a first connection joint to a coupling element, of at least a second bar between the first connection joint and at least a second connection joint to a connection element, and of a third bar between the second connection joint and a third connection joint to a fourth bar. The fourth bar is that bar of the parallelogram guide which maintains its position during a shifting and/or selecting movement of the shifting lever. The first bar is formed by the shifting lever, the second bar is formed by the coupling element, and the third bar is formed by the connection element.
The fourth bar is swivellably linked about a fastening axle on its one end to a vehicle-body-fixed vehicle part and, on its other end, can rotatably in all directions about the third connection joint be mounted on the connection element. From its other end, the connection to the vehicle transmission case is established by a supporting rod, and the connection element is mounted on the fourth bar by way of a third ball joint.
This known operating system has the advantage that the shifting lever maintains its position while the vehicle transmission can move in any spatial direction. Thus, vibrations of the transmission are also effectively intercepted in front of the manual shifting lever. The disadvantages are, however, a high-expenditure construction and a costly manufacturing which are the result of the fact that the fourth bar, which maintains its position, consists of an upper holding element part and a lower holding element part and both holding element parts are connected by a joint such that they are rotatable with respect to one another about a longitudinal holding element axle. The supporting rod leading to the vehicle transmission case is swivellably mounted on the fourth bar and the swivel axis extends through the center point of the third ball joint.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to produce the fourth bar, which maintains its position, and its connection to the vehicle transmission case and to the third bar of the parallelogram guide in a simpler manner so that the motion transmission can be manufactured at lower cost.
According to the invention, this object has been achieved by providing that the other end of the fourth bar is linked to the supporting rod by another ball joint.
This arrangement has the advantage that the connection of the fourth bar to the vehicle transmission case and to the third bar of the parallelogram guide has a simpler configuration and, as a result, the motion transmission can be produced at lower cost.
A still simpler configuration and, therefore, an even lower-cost production of the operating system is advantageously achieved in the additional embodiments of the present invention.
This is specifically true, if the connection of the other end of the fourth bar with the supporting rod and with the third bar of the parallelogram guide is constructed as a double ball joint, such that all mutually connected parts can be swivelled in all directions about the same rotational center point.
The same is true if the other end of the fourth bar is constructed as a holding ring, in which a ball of the additional ball joint or of the ball joint is rotatably held. This ball, which is provided with a recess, is constructed as a hollow ball and an additional ball of the ball joint or of the additional ball joint is rotatably held in this recess.
This is also true if the fourth bar is swivellably linked about a fastening axle on its one end linked to a vehicle-body-fixed vehicle part and is rotatably about the third connection joint in all directions on its other end mounted on the connection element, and if at least one element, particularly the shifting lever and/or the bars of the motion transmission, consists of a plastic material.
In further advantageous embodiments of the invention, the haptic aspects of the operating system are influenced in a targeted manner, whereby a secure shifting feeling is achieved for the driver which avoids insecurities during the shifting as well as any wrong shifting.
In one advantageous embodiment, the haptic as
Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
Bonck Rodney H.
Evenson, McKeown, Edwards & Lenahan P.L.L.C.
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