Machine element or mechanism – Control lever and linkage systems – Multiple controlled elements
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-02
2001-10-16
Bucci, David A. (Department: 3682)
Machine element or mechanism
Control lever and linkage systems
Multiple controlled elements
C074S524000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06301987
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
The present invention relates to retractable gearshift lever.
It is already known practice for the position of a gearshift lever to be adjusted to suit, for example, the build of a driver. Document discloses such a lever. The latter is therefore mounted on a plate which can move by pivoting. A pin associated with a locking lever, and an element comprising a groove, allow the lever position to be selected and allow the lever to be kept in this position.
Document for its part, relates to a vehicle anti-theft device employing a gearshift lever which is articulated about an axis parallel to the floor of the vehicle and a lock device designed to imprison said lever once it has folded down onto the floor.
The technical problem underlying the present invention is one of providing a gearshift lever which is retractable so that the obstacle that this lever forms in a cabin when the vehicle is parked up can be eliminated. The use of such a lever is envisaged particularly for heavy goods vehicles because truckers often use their cab as living quarters. For this use, the gearshift lever is an obstacle which hampers their movements.
The technical solutions to this problem could possibly be found in the aforementioned devices of the prior art. The first device has the drawback of being very bulky and not allowing full retraction. The second device discussed allows good retraction and proposes a solution with smaller bulk. However, the articulation of the lever is a source of significant play which detracts from the precision of gearshifting and from the comfort of using it.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a retractable gearshift lever which, in its deployed position, introduces no play into the control o f the gearbox of the vehicle. As a preference, this device will be small in bulk and ergonomic.
To this end, the gearshift lever that the present invention proposes is a gearshift lever that can be retracted, between a deployed position and a retracted position, including a base, a free end articulated about an axle which is roughly transversal with respect to the lever, and a device allowing the free end to be locked in its deployed position.
According to the invention, the locking device includes a sleeve which can slide with respect to a first part of the lever—the base or the free end—and which can engage, through complementary shapes, with the end of the second part—the free end or the base—while at the same time remaining in engagement with the first part, and an elastic ring which can move axially with a certain amount of play is fitted between the sleeve and the first part.
By virtue of this method of locking which involves a sleeve and an elastic ring, it is possible to eliminate the play which may be introduced by the fact of providing an articulation.
Furthermore, a lever of this kind has the advantage of requiring only a small amount of space.
The sleeve advantageously has a conical bearing surface at the end facing the first part, collaborating with a conical surface of the elastic ring.
One embodiment therefore envisages for the elastic ring to be a split ring.
One embodiment envisages for the contacting surfaces of the second part and of the sleeve, in the locked deployed position, to have a conical bearing surface.
For better guidance of the sleeve and to limit its travel, the sleeve has, for example, two diametrically opposed slots, in each of which one end of an axle which articulates the free end to the base, slides.
In this embodiment, it may be envisaged for each slot to have a shape reminiscent of a keyhole, having an oblong part of a given width and an approximately round end of a diameter greater than the width of the oblong part, and for the ends of the articulation axle to have flats, the flats sliding in the oblong part of the slots and the diameter of the axle at its ends corresponding to the diameter of the approximately round end of the slots.
For the gearshift lever according to the invention, when moved from its retracted position into the deployed position, to be held securely in the latter position without user intervention, the sleeve, or possibly the split ring, is advantageously elastically prestressed in the deployed locked position.
To make the retractable gearshift lever according to the invention more comfortable for the user, an operating rod may be provided so as to act on the sleeve from the free end of the lever. In this case, in order to avoid inadvertent unlocking, a snap-fastening arrangement is advantageously provided, to keep the operating rod in the position corresponding to the locked deployed position of the lever.
In any case, the invention will be clearly understood with the aid of the description which follows, with reference to the appended diagrammatic drawing which, by way of nonlimiting example, depicts one preferred embodiment of a retractable lever according to the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1743241 (1930-01-01), Schmidt
patent: 1908423 (1933-05-01), Hjermstad
patent: 4073199 (1978-02-01), Simons
patent: 4823635 (1989-04-01), Selby
patent: 5328285 (1994-07-01), Grubbs et al.
patent: 6029535 (2000-02-01), Kenny et al.
patent: A1-0 464 923 (1992-01-01), None
patent: 2 427 929 (1980-01-01), None
patent: 2 752 779 (1998-03-01), None
patent: 6-241302 (1998-08-01), None
Chakri Malek
Moreau Thierry
Bucci David A.
Joyce William C
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
Societe Europeenne de Fabrications Industrielles Sefi
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