Machine element or mechanism – Control lever and linkage systems – Elements
Reexamination Certificate
1997-03-06
2001-02-06
Green, Mary Ann (Department: 3682)
Machine element or mechanism
Control lever and linkage systems
Elements
Reexamination Certificate
active
06182530
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a shift lever device for a shifting operation of a speed change gear of a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
One general type shift lever device for a shifting operation of an automatic speed change gear of a vehicle is arranged on a floor of the vehicle, as illustrated in
FIG. 11
, so that a shift lever
10
can be operated in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle to be shifted to a selected shifting position.
In this general type shift lever device, a base portion of the shift lever
10
is commonly covered with a shift lever housing. The shift lever housing is generally arranged in a console panel
17
in the interior of the vehicle, with embedded therein, and is provided with a panel lowered in position with respect to the console panel and having at its top surface an elongate slot-like aperture
14
extending over a shifting range of the shift lever
10
. In the aperture
14
a slide cover
16
having a through bore is slidably fitted and a shaft portion of the shift lever
10
is inserted in the through bore of the slide cover
16
, so that, when the shift lever
10
is operated to shift to a selected shifting position, the slide cover
16
is slid together with the shift lever to allow the aperture
14
of the panel to be always closed, so as to conceal internal equipment from outside.
This conventional type shift lever device is located at a bottom center part of the instrument panel
18
. An area around this part of the instrument panel is suitable for placing a canned drink or the like, and also a drawer type, drinking water pan
19
is sometimes provided at an area above that area, so that drinking water or the like may sometimes happen to drip down on the console panel
17
. In this case, the dripped drinking water is easy to stay in a recessed part of the console panel
17
lowered in position with respect of the same, and accordingly, cleaning the recessed part requires much time and labor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To eliminate or minimize the above described disadvantage involved in the prior art, the present invention has been made. It is the object of the present invention to provide a novel shift lever device which is so constructed that even when liquid such as drinking water or the like is dripped down on the shift lever device, the internal equipment can be kept from getting wet in the dripped liquid.
According to the first aspect of the invention, there is provided a shift lever device for a shifting operation of a speed change gear of a vehicle comprising:
a housing for covering a lower part of a shift lever, the housing having a top surface;
a projecting portion(s), provided on the top surface of the housing with projecting therefrom to rise up like a rib, for guiding liquid dripped down on the top surface of the housing; and
a groove portion formed by the projecting portion partially cut out or a groove portion at which a drain is formed between two projecting portions.
The shift lever device thus constructed enables the liquid dripped down on the top surface of the housing on the interior side of the vehicle to be guided by the projecting portion(s) to a place where internal equipment is kept from getting wet in the liquid drained from the groove portion.
According to the second aspect of the invention, there ore is provided a shift lever device for a shifting operation of a speed change gear of a vehicle which comprises:
a housing for covering a lower part of a shift lever, the housing having a side wall; and
a drain formed at the side wall of the housing, the drain being formed into a groove opening at the top so that when liquid is drained onto an outer surface of the housing, the drained liquid can be guided to a place where internal equipment is kept from getting wet in the drained liquid.
The shift lever device thus constructed can provide the result that even when the liquid dripped down on the top surface of the housing on the interior side of the vehicle is flown over the side wall, the liquid will be flown into the drain and then is discharged to a place where the internal equipment is kept from getting wet in the liquid drained through the drain.
According to the third aspect of the invention, there is provided a shift lever device for a shifting operation of a speed change gear of a vehicle which comprises:
a housing for covering a lower part of a shift lever, the housing having a side wall having an aperture confronting an electrical component, a mechanism vulnerable to moisture, or the like; and
a liquid guard roof overhanging from an upper edge of the aperture of the side wall of the housing.
The shift lever device thus constructed can provide the result that even when the liquid dripped down on the top surface of the housing on the interior side of the vehicle is flown round to the side wall, the dripped liquid can be flown over the liquid guard roof to prevent the electrical component, a mechanism vulnerable to moisture, or the like disposed under the liquid guard roof from getting wet in the drained liquid.
Further, according to the fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a shift lever device for a shifting operation of a speed change gear of a vehicle comprising:
a housing for covering a lower part of a shift lever, the housing including an aperture in which a shift lever is so loosely inserted as to be swingable, a bearing portion for swingably supporting a slide cover for covering the aperture of the housing, an inner wall, and a side wall;
a liquid escaping portion for allowing liquid to be escaped therefrom, the liquid escaping portion being provided at the bearing portion of the housing;
a liquid receiving gutter provided at the inner wall of the housing so that liquid drained from the liquid escaping portion can be received; and
a drainage hole, communicating with the liquid receiving gutter and passing through the side wall of the housing, for guiding the liquid to an outside place where interior equipment is kept from getting wet in the liquid drained.
The shift lever device thus constructed can provide the result that the liquid dripped down on the slide cover lowered in position from top surface of the housing on the interior side of the vehicle is flown from the liquid escaping portion into the receiving gutter at the inside of the housing and then is led to the outside of the housing, passing through the drainage hole, so that the drained liquid is flown out in a direction in which no internal equipment is provided.
As described above, the shift lever device according to the invention can provide an advantage that even if liquid such as drinking water or the like is dripped down on the shift lever device, the interior equipment can be prevented from getting wet in the liquid.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown by way of illustrative example.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3285093 (1966-11-01), Sellmeyer
patent: 4964359 (1990-10-01), Richmond
patent: 5680799 (1997-10-01), Nukatsuka et al.
patent: 5855182 (1999-01-01), Kline et al.
patent: 5189073 (1993-07-01), None
patent: 835557 (1996-02-01), None
British Search Report for corresponding British appliction GB 9704687.4, May 1997.
Hattori Kanehiro
Tomida Shigetoshi
Cole Thomas W.
Green Mary Ann
Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
Nixon & Peabody LLP
LandOfFree
Shift lever device does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Shift lever device, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Shift lever device will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2600308