Interrelated power delivery controls – including engine control – Transmission control – Engine starting interlock
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-02
2001-05-15
Marmor, Charles A (Department: 3681)
Interrelated power delivery controls, including engine control
Transmission control
Engine starting interlock
Reexamination Certificate
active
06231476
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a park-lock assembly for unlocking and locking a key in an ignition switch when a transmission is in a park and non-park position.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Park-lock systems have been used to ensure that a vehicle is in park before a driver removes the key from the ignition switch and leaves the vehicle. To this end, prior art transmission shifting devices have incorporated mechanical linkages to interconnect the shifter assembly and the ignition switch. One end of the mechanical linkage is connected to the shifter assembly and an opposite end is connected to the ignition switch. When the shifter assembly is moved into park, the drifter assembly end moves thereby moving the ignition switch end which coacts with the ignition switch to release the key therefrom. When the shifter assembly is moved out of park, the mechanical linkage coacts with the ignition switch to retain the key therein.
As known in the art, console shifter assemblies have utilized shifters that have a pawl that is disposed within a gate defining a shift pattern. Prior art park-lock systems have utilized a cam-like follower that rotates about a pivot to coact with the pawl and move the mechanical linkage. One such device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,197,356 to Kobayashi et al. issued Mar. 30, 1993. The Kobayashi cam-like follower, and similar prior art rotating followers, utilizes many moving parts that interact with one another and create hysteresis in the cable, which causes undesired park-lock assembly operation. Therefore, what is needed is a park-lock follower with a simplified design that provides improved operation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION AND ADVANTAGES
The present invention provides a park-lock assembly for unlocking and locking a key in an ignition switch when a transmission is in a park and non-park position, respectively. The assembly has a base and a gate supported thereon with a park stepped region which corresponds to the transmission being in the park position and a plurality of non-park stepped regions. A shift lever is movably supported by the base and has a transversely extending pawl movable between the stepped regions when the shift lever is moved. A conduit has a first end supported by the base and a second end for connection to the ignition switch. A core element having opposing ends is movably supported by the conduit for transmitting motion between the first and second ends of the conduit. The assembly is characterized by including a follower attached to one of the opposing ends at the first end and supported by the base adjacent to the park stepped region for rectilinear movement along an axis. The follower is moved to an unlocked position in response to the pawl being moved to the park stepped region for unlocking the key in the ignition switch. The follower is moved to a locked position in response to the pawl being moved to one of the non-park stepped regions for locking the key in the ignition switch.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a follower that moves linearly thereby eliminating the hysteresis in the mechanical linkage of the prior art cam-like followers. Further, the present invention provides a simple design that is easily installed onto the shifter assembly.
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Irish Allen G.
Reasoner Michael V.
Sherman David J.
Howard & Howard
Marmor Charles A
Pang Roger
Teleflex Incorporated
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