SHIFT LEVER FOR A VEHICLE WITH AN INTEGRATED OPERATING ELEMENT

• US 20140090504A1
• Filed: 09/16/2013
• Published: 04/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: HUTH, Johannes
• Application Number:
  US14/027,822
• Publication Number:
  US 20140090504A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 74/473.19
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/02 Selector apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/0217 with electric switches or sensors not for gear or range selection, e.g. for controlling auxiliary devices for gear selection F16H59/044; for range selection F16H59/105
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/0278 Constructional features of the selector lever, e.g. grip parts, mounting or manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20073 Control of plural mechanisms [e.g., control of transmission and control of 4 - wheel drive]

Abstract

A shift lever for a vehicle with an integrated operating element for selecting and adjusting functions of the vehicle. The shift lever includes, but is not limited to a shift lever portion with the function of a shift lever knob has an operating element, which is pivot-moveably connected to a shift lever rod via a pivot joint, the pivot joint being designed for pivoting the shift lever knob relative to the shift lever rod in at least one pivot plane, and a sensor for generating a sensor signal which is dependent on the angular position of the shift lever knob in the pivot plane relative to the shift lever rod and which determines the selected function, is provided. A motor vehicle is also provided with this shift lever.

Claims

1. A shift lever for a vehicle with an integrated operating element for selecting and adjusting a function of the vehicle, comprising:

a shift lever portion with the function of a shift lever knob as operating element;

a shift lever rod pivot-moveably connected to the shift lever portion via a pivot joint, wherein the pivot joint is configured to pivot the shift lever portion with the function of a shift lever knob relative to the shift lever rod in pivot plane; and

a sensor that is configured to generate a sensor signal that is at least partially dependent on an angle position of the shift lever portion with the function of the shift lever knob in the pivot plane relative to the shift lever rod, and that determines a selected function.

2. The shift lever according to claim 1, further comprising a fixing element having a first position that provides a pivoting of the shift lever portion with the function of the shift lever knob relative to the shift lever rod and in a second position fix the shift lever portion with the function of the shift lever knob in a second position that is predetermined relative to the shift lever rod.

3. The shift lever according to claim 2, further comprising a connecting sleeve a the fixing element that is axially displaceable on the shift lever rod, which is configured to enclose in the second position at adjacent end regions of the shift lever rod and of the shift lever portion with the function of the shift lever knob in a predetermined position.

4. The shift lever according to claim 2, further comprising a connecting mandrel as the fixing element that is axially displaceable in the shift lever rod, which configured to rigidly connect in the second position the shift lever rod to the shift lever portion with the function of the shift lever knob in a predetermined position.

5. The shift lever according to claim 2, further comprising an operating switch in a region of the shift lever portion with the function of the shift lever knob that is configured upon actuation to bring about a displacement of the fixing element from the first position into the second position.

6. The shift lever according to claim 1, wherein the pivot joint is configured to pivot the shift lever portion with the function of the shift lever knob in two pivot planes.

7. The shift lever according to claim 1, wherein the pivot joint is a ball joint.

8. The shift lever according to claim 7, wherein the shift lever portion with the function of the shift lever knob forming the ball joint comprises a joint ball that is received by a spherical shell formed in the shift lever rod.

9. The shift lever according to claim 8,

wherein the joint ball is connected via a ball pin to the shift lever portion with the function of the shift lever knob;

and

wherein the spherical shell of the shift lever rod is configured to enclose the joint ball and the ball pin.

10. The shift lever according to claim 9, wherein the sensor is arranged in a region of the spherical shell enclosing the ball pin.

11. The shift lever claim 1, further comprising a selector operating switch arranged on the shift lever portion with the function of the shift lever knob that is configured to carrying out a switching function with respect to the selected function.

12. (canceled)