Shift lever device

Details Shift lever device Shift lever device

2001-08-31

2003-05-27

Knight, Anthony (Department: 3676)

Locks

Special application

For automotive vehicles

C070S245000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06568228

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a shift lever device for shifting a transmission of a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
A general vehicle is provided with, for example, a so-called steering lock mechanism as an anti-theft device. In the steering lock mechanism, for example, a steering wheel is fixed to a steering shaft, the steering shaft is accommodated within a steering post, and a mating concave portion is formed in the steering shaft. Further, a lock body is assembled with the steering post, and is disposed in a vicinity of the steering post. A key cylinder, into which an ignition key is inserted, is accommodated in the lock body. A lock bar is provided between the key cylinder and the steering shaft. In this steering lock mechanism, when the ignition key is rotated to a “LOCK” position, the lock bar mates to the mating concave portion of the steering shaft. In this way, rotation of the steering wheel is impeded.
Further, a shift lever device of a transmission is provided within the vehicle passenger compartment in the vehicle. A key interlock mechanism is provided as a safety device. The key interlock mechanism is structured such that, if the lever is not positioned at a specified shift position (e.g., the “P” shift position), the ignition key cannot be pulled out from the key cylinder (the ignition key cannot be rotated to the “LOCK” position).
However, in a vehicle such as that described above, because the steering lock mechanism is provided as an anti-theft device, the mating concave portion of the steering shaft and the lock bar and the like are needed. Thus, problems arise in that the steering post and the steering shaft become complex mechanisms, and the weight and cost thereof increase.
Further, the shift lever device and the lock body are provided at positions which are separated from one another. Thus, in order to provide the key interlock mechanism which is the safety device of the shift lever device, rotation of the ignition key must be impeded electrically by a solenoid or the like, or rotation of the ignition key must be impeded mechanically by a cable or the like. Thus, a problem arises in that setting of the key interlock mechanism is troublesome.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the aforementioned, an object of the present invention is to provide a shift lever device in which a steering post and a steering shaft are made simpler, lighter-weight and lower cost, and to provide a shift lever device in which setting of a key interlock mechanism is easy.
A first aspect of the present invention is a shift lever device which is provided within a vehicle passenger compartment and which is formed integrally with a lock body which accommodates a key cylinder into which an ignition key is inserted, the shift lever device comprising: (a) a lever which is provided within the vehicle passenger compartment so as to be freely swiveled for shifting a transmission; (b) a lock plate which swivels as the lever is operated for shifting; (c) a cam which is provided at the key cylinder, and which rotates integrally with rotation of the ignition key, and which opposes the lock plate when the ignition key is positioned at a lock position; and (d) a lock bar which is provided between the cam and the lock plate, and which, in a state in which the lever is positioned at a specified shift position, is moved by the cam toward the lock plate and enabled to impede swivel of the lock plate, and, in a state in which the lever is not positioned at the specified shift position, is impeded by the lock plate from being moved toward the lock plate by the cam and is enabled to retain rotation of the cam.
The above-described shift lever device is formed integrally with the lock body provided within the vehicle passenger compartment. The key cylinder, into which the ignition key is inserted, is accommodated in the lock body.
The lock plate swivels as the lever is shifted. The cam provided at the key cylinder rotates integrally with the rotation of the ignition key, and opposes the lock plate when the ignition key is positioned at the “LOCK” position. Further, the lock bar is provided between the cam and the lock plate.
The shift lever device is provided with the shift lock mechanism. When the ignition key is rotated to the “LOCK” position in a state in which the lever is positioned at a specified shift position, the lock bar is moved toward the lock plate by the cam. In this way, swivel of the lock plate is impeded by the lock bar, and thus the lever cannot be shifted from the specified shift position.
On the other hand, in a state in which the lever is positioned at the specified shift position, if the ignition key is rotated to a position other than the “LOCK” position, the lock bar is moved toward the cam as the cam rotates. In this way, the swivel of the lock plate is not impeded by the lock bar, and thus the lever can be shifted from the specified shift position.
Accordingly, in accordance with the shift lock mechanism, the lever cannot be shifted from the specified shift position unless the ignition key is rotated to a position other than the “LOCK” position. Thus, the shift lock mechanism can be used as an anti-theft device.
The shift lever device is provided with the key interlock mechanism. In a state in which the lever is not positioned at a specified shift position, even if an attempt is made to rotate the ignition key to the “LOCK” position, movement by the cam of the lock bar toward the lock plate is impeded by the lock plate. In this way, the lock bar retains the rotation of the cam, and the ignition key cannot be rotated to the “LOCK” position. As a result, the ignition key cannot be pulled out from the key cylinder.
On the other hand, when the lever is shifted to the specified shift position, the movement by the cam of the lock bar toward the lock plate is not impeded by the lock plate. In this way, the retention of the rotation of the cam by the lock bar is cancelled, the ignition key can be rotated to the “LOCK” position, and the ignition key can be pulled out from the key cylinder.
Accordingly, in accordance with the key interlock mechanism, the ignition key cannot be pulled out from the key cylinder if the lever is not positioned at the specified shift position.
In this way, by forming the lock body integrally with the shift lever device, the shift lock mechanism is used as an anti-theft device, and the conventional steering lock mechanism can be done away with. According to the present invention, the steering post and the steering shaft can thereby be made simpler, lighter-weight, and lower cost.
Moreover, by forming the lock body integrally with the shift lever device, the conventional solenoid, cable, and the like are no longer needed, and the key interlock mechanism can be provided easily.
A second aspect of the present invention is a shift lever device which is provided within a vehicle passenger compartment and which is formed integrally with a starting operation portion which starts an engine by a predetermined operation being carried out in a state in which a key member provided in a vehicle is disposed within the vehicle passenger compartment, the shift lever device comprising: a lever which is provided within the vehicle passenger compartment so as to be freely swiveled for shifting a transmission; and a shift lock mechanism which does not permit shifting operation of the lever from a specified shift position unless at least the key member is disposed within the vehicle passenger compartment.
This shift lever device is formed integrally with the starting operation portion provided within the vehicle passenger compartment. In a state in which a key member provided in a vehicle is disposed within the vehicle passenger compartment, by carrying out a predetermined operation with respect to the starting operation portion, the engine is started.
The shift lever device is provided with a shift lock mechanism. The lever cannot be shifted from the specified shift position unless at least the key member is disp

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