Machine element or mechanism – Control lever and linkage systems – Elements
Reexamination Certificate
2001-10-11
2003-12-16
Hannon, Thomas R. (Department: 3682)
Machine element or mechanism
Control lever and linkage systems
Elements
Reexamination Certificate
active
06662678
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to shift devices, and, more particularly, to shift devices for automatic transmissions of vehicles.
Generally, an automatic transmission of a vehicle is connected to a shift device. The shift device includes a lever manipulated by a driver to shift the transmission.
FIGS. 1
to
3
show a prior art shift device
71
. The shift device
71
includes a shift lever
74
(see FIG.
2
), which is manipulated by a driver, a base
72
, and a housing
73
. The base
72
is secured to a vehicle body and the housing
73
accommodates a lower portion of the lever
74
.
As shown in
FIGS. 1 and 3
, the housing
73
is secured to the base
72
with a bolt
75
and a nut
76
. A pair of bearing pieces
77
a
,
77
b
project downward from the bottom of the base
72
. The bearing pieces
77
a
,
77
b
include shaft holes
78
a
,
78
b
, respectively. The shaft holes
78
a
,
78
b
support a shaft
80
. A C-ring
79
is fitted around the distal end of the shaft
80
.
As shown in
FIGS. 2 and 3
, the shaft
80
rotationally supports a sleeve
81
. The sleeve
81
includes a cable connector
81
a
that projects upward from the sleeve
81
. The cable connector
81
a
has a cylindrical projection, which is parallel with the axis of the sleeve
81
. The projection rotationally supports a wire
82
a
of a control cable
82
. Movement of the shift lever
74
is transmitted to an automatic transmission (not shown) through the wire
82
a
. The sleeve
81
includes a pin connector
81
b
that projects downward from the sleeve
81
. The pin connector
81
b
has a pin hole
81
c
, which is perpendicular to the axis of the sleeve
81
.
The pin hole
81
c
rotationally supports a rotary shaft
84
. A C-ring
83
is fitted around the distal end of the rotary shaft
84
. The shift lever
74
has a yoke at its base, which includes a pair of yoke members. One yoke member is located between the pin connector
81
b
and the proximal end of the rotary shaft
84
, and the other is located between the pin connector
81
b
and the C-ring
83
. This structure enables the shift lever
74
to pivot with respect to the rotary shaft
84
and the shaft
80
.
The shift lever
74
includes a shift rod
74
a
. A shift knob is attached to the distal end of the shift rod
74
a
. A distal portion of the shift rod
74
a
projects upward from the housing
73
through a guide groove
85
.
As shown in
FIG. 1
, the guide groove
85
is formed in an upper wall of the housing
73
. The guide groove
85
guides movement of the shift rod
74
a.
A positioner
73
a
is formed along an inner wall of the housing
73
. The positioner
73
a
includes a plurality of convex and concave portions that alternate with one another. The positioner
73
a
is located at one side of the guide groove
85
.
The shift lever
74
has a movable pin holder
86
for holding a movable pin
88
and a spring
87
. The spring
87
urges the movable pin
88
toward the positioner
73
a
such that the distal end of the movable pin
88
abuts against the positioner
73
a
. If the shift lever
74
is manipulated, the movable pin
88
moves along the positioner
73
a
in accordance with the shape of the positioner
73
a
. The movable pin
88
and the positioner
73
a
form a first positioning mechanism for positioning the shift lever
74
in a fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle.
A second positioner
90
and a second movable pin (not shown) laterally position the shift lever
74
. The second positioner
90
is located separate from the first positioner
73
a.
A cable holder
89
is formed at the front end of the base
72
to hold the control cable
82
.
In the shift device
71
, the housing
73
and the base
72
are formed separately in independent molds. Further, the shift lever
74
is formed separately from the sleeve
81
. Also, in addition to the sleeve
81
that connects the shift lever
74
to the shaft
80
, the shift device
71
employs the C-ring
79
to prevent the shaft
80
from escaping from the bearing pieces
77
a
,
77
b
. In other words, a relatively large number of components support the shift lever
74
. This complicates the manufacturing process of the shift device
71
and increases the manufacturing costs.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-334167 describes a shift device that has an electric device such as a shift locking solenoid. The solenoid is mounted on the base. Thus, if liquid enters the interior of the shift device, the electric device is exposed to the liquid, which can damage the electric device.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is a first objective of the present invention to provide an inexpensive shift device with fewer parts.
It is a second objective of the present invention to provide a shift device that protects an electric device installed in the shift device from liquid.
To achieve the foregoing and other objectives and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, the invention provides a shift device for shifting an automatic transmission of a vehicle. The shift device includes a shift lever and a case. The shift lever is moved among a plurality of shift positions. The case receives a lower portion of the shift lever. The case includes a housing and a base. The housing accommodates the lower portion of the shift lever and has a guide hole that guides the movement of the shift lever. The base is formed integrally with the housing and is attached to the vehicle.
A further perspective of the present invention is a shift device for shifting an automatic transmission of a vehicle. The shift device includes a shift lever, a cable connector, a case, and a positioning mechanism. The shift lever is moved among a plurality of shift positions. The cable connector is connected to a control cable that transmits the movement of the control cable to the automatic transmission. The cable connector is formed integrally with the shift lever. The case receives a proximal portion of the shift lever and the cable connector. The positioning mechanism permits the shift lever to be manipulated accurately. The positioning mechanism includes a positioning surface located in the case and a positioning component located in the shift lever. The positioning surface includes a plurality of concave portions. The positioning component is pressed against the positioning surface.
A further perspective of the present invention is a base for a shift device with an electric component. The base is secured to a vehicle body. The base includes an accommodating portion. The accommodating portion is formed integrally with the base for accommodating the electric component. The accommodating portion includes a top plate that covers at least an upper portion of the electric component. The electric component is secured to the top plate.
A further perspective of the present invention is a support structure for rotationally supporting a shift lever that shifts an automatic transmission of a vehicle. A case receives a proximal portion of the shift lever. The support structure includes a support shaft, an engagement piece, and first and second bearing pieces. The support shaft has a distal end and a proximal end and is connected to a proximal end of the shift lever. The engagement piece is formed integrally with the support shaft and projects radially from the support shaft. The first and second bearing pieces are located in the case and rotationally support the support shaft. At least one bearing piece has a slit for accommodating the engagement piece and an attachment hole connected to the slit. A step is formed between the slit and the attachment hole. The engagement piece moves in the slit when the support shaft rotates around the axis of the support shaft. The support shaft becomes inseparable from the first and second bearing pieces through the attachment hole when the engagement piece engages with the step at a predetermined engagement position in the slit. The support shaft becomes separable from the first and second bearing pieces through the attachment hole when the eng
Crompton Seager & Tufte LLC
Hannon Thomas R.
Johnson Vicky A.
Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho
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