Machine element or mechanism – Control lever and linkage systems – Multiple controlled elements
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-11
2002-05-28
Fenstermacher, David (Department: 3682)
Machine element or mechanism
Control lever and linkage systems
Multiple controlled elements
C074S335000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06393932
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to a shift lever device which is mounted to a vehicle for changing shift ranges in a transmission.
2. Description of the Related Art:
As a device for changing a plurality of shift ranges set in an automatic transmission of a vehicle, there is provided a shift lever device in which a shift lever, which is mechanically connected to the automatic transmission, is operated (is pivoted) select to a shift range corresponding to a pivot position (a shift position).
Among such shift lever devices, there is a so-called straight type shift lever device in which a shift lever pivots only about an axis whose direction corresponds substantially to a vehicle transverse direction (hereinafter, an operation of a shift lever about an axis which corresponds substantially to a vehicle transverse direction is referred to as a “shift operation”). There is also provided a shift lever device in which a shift lever pivots about an axis whose direction is substantially the vehicle longitudinal direction to change shift ranges further, from one end portion of a range of the above-described shift operation (hereinafter, an operation of the shift lever about an axis which corresponds substantially to the vehicle longitudinal direction is referred to as a “select operation”). In this type of shift lever device, the shift lever is moved substantially in a reversed L-shape, as seen from above. Thus, hereinafter, for convenience, this shift lever device is referred to as a “reversed substantially L-shape shift lever device” in order to distinguish it from the straight type shift lever device.
In the reversed substantially L-shape shift lever device, a shift lever and an automatic transmission are directly or indirectly connected with each other via mechanical connecting means such as wires or the like. For shift operations, the automatic transmission is operated by changes of an amount of displacement of the connecting means in accordance with changes in position of the shift lever. For a select operations, for the benefit of the automatic transmission, a microswitch is used to electrically detect a select operation of the shift lever. In accordance with results of detection, a control device such as a computer or the like operates the automatic transmission.
However, in general, the above-mentioned microswitch is expensive and the cost of the whole shift lever device may be high. Also, in addition to space required for the shift lever device, space for mounting the microswitch is needed. As a result, the device becomes larger.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the aforementioned facts, an object of the present invention is to provide a compact and inexpensive shift lever device in which whether or not a select operation has been carried out can be reliably detected.
In the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a shift lever device for use with a transmission for selecting a transmission shift range, the device comprising: a slider which is moved from a reference position to a first detection position by one of a shift operation of the shift lever to a first operation position which is at an one end portion of a range of shift operation of the shift lever, which the one end portion is opposite an other end portion of the range of shift operation, at which the other end portion the range of shift operation communicates with a range of select operation, and a shift lever action at the first operation position; a slider operating device moving to a position one of whereat the slider operating device can abut the slider or the slider operating device abuts the slider, by one of a shift operation of the shift lever to a second operation position, which is at a side of the other end portion from the first operation portion of the range of shift operation, and a shift lever action at the second operating position, and causing to move the slider via the reference position to a second detection position, by one of a select operation of the shift lever to a third operation position which is at an end portion of the range of select operation, which end portion is at a side of the range of select operation opposite to a side thereof at which the range of select operation communicated with the range of shift operation, and a shift lever action in accordance with the select operation; and a slider position detection device which detects movement of the slider to the reference positions, the first detection position and the second detection position; wherein the reference position is positioned between the first detection position and the second detection position.
In accordance with the first aspect of the present invention, firstly, when the shift lever is shift-operated to the first operation position in the shift operation range, the slider is moved from the reference position to the first detection position by the abovementioned shift operation or by a shift lever operation at the first operation position. That the slider has been moved to the first detection position is detected by the slider position detecting device. Thus, it is detected that the shift lever has been shift-operated to the first operation position.
Next, when the shift lever is shift-operated from the first operation position to the second operation position, which is at the side of intersecting portion of the shift operation range and the select operation range from the first operation position in the shift operation range, the slider operating device abuts the slider or moves to a position at which the slider operating device can abut the slider. In this state, when the shift lever is moved to the third operation position, which is the end portion of the select operation range that is opposite to the intersecting portion of the shift operation range and the select operation range, in accordance with the select operation of the shift lever, the slider operating device moves the slider from the reference position to the second detection position by moving the slider in a direction which is different from the direction from the reference position to the first detection position. That the slider has moved to the second detection position is detected by the slider position detecting device. As a result, it is detected that the shift lever has been shift-operated to the third operation position.
In this way, in the first aspect of the present invention, whether or not the shift lever has been select-operated to the third operation position by the slider position detecting device for detecting whether or not the shift lever has been shift-operated to the first operation position. Thus, costs can be extremely inexpensive.
Especially, there has been conventionally used a detecting mechanism for detecting whether or not a shift lever is positioned at a parking position, which is an operation position of the shift lever corresponding to a parking range in which wheels of a vehicle are locked, because such a detecting mechanism is necessary as part of a shift lock mechanism that locks the shift lever at the parking position. Thus, when the first aspect of the present invention is set up such that the first operation position is the parking position, it is possible to detect that the shift lever is moved to the third operation position using a part of the structure that is necessary for the shift lock mechanism. As a result, costs required for the shift lever device can be further reduced.
In the second aspect of the present invention, the shift lever device in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention further comprises: a detent member which moves with the shift lever in accordance with the shift operation and the select operation of the shift lever, which is displaced relative to the shift lever from a restriction position to a restriction releasing position in a longitudinal direction of the shift lever by a predetermined releasing operation, and which engages with the slider one of directly or indirectly in a state in which the shift l
Matsushita Teruhisa
Michihiro Tatsuya
Nishimura Yuusaku
Nogami Toshiki
Seki Yoshiyuki
Cole Thomas W.
Fenstermacher David
Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
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