Engine starter circuit for automotive vehicle with automatic transmission
First Claim
1. An engine starter circuit for an automotive vehicle with an automatic transmission including a shift lever, which comprises:
- (a) a starter switch;
(b) an inhibitor switch including in parallel;
(1) a park-position detection switch adapted to be closed when the automatic transmission is shifted into the part position;
(2) a neutral-position detection switch adapted to be closed when the automatic transmission is shifted into the neutral position, said inhibitor switch being connected in series with said starter switch;
(c) a redundant park-position detection switch for detecting directly the park position of the shift lever, said redundant park-position detection switch being actuated by the shift lever and being closed when the shift lever is shifted into the park position, said redundant park-position detection switch being connected in series with said starter switch and said park-position detection switch in said inhibitor switch; and
(d) a starter motor for starting the engine, said starter motor being energized only in two cases which are when all of said starter switch, said park-position detection switch, and said redundant park position detection switch are closed and when both said starter switch and said neutral-position detection switch are closed.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An engine starter circuit for an automotive vehicle provided with an automatic transmission such that an engine can be started only when the gear selector lever is in the park or neutral position, in particular, only when the gear selector lever is securely shifted into the park position. The engine starter circuit according to the present invention comprises a redundant park-position detection switch in addition to an engine-starter switch and an inhibitor switch including a park-position detection switch and a neutral-position detection switch, so that the pseudo-parking position caused by a mechanical play in a linkage mechanism can be reduced, with more reliable detection of the park position. The redundant park-position detection switch is a pin-actuated or a body-actuated selector microswitch positioned with respect to the gear selector lever of the automatic transmission and so constructed as to reduce the mechanical play inherent in the detection of park-position.
-
Citations
6 Claims
-
1. An engine starter circuit for an automotive vehicle with an automatic transmission including a shift lever, which comprises:
-
(a) a starter switch; (b) an inhibitor switch including in parallel; (1) a park-position detection switch adapted to be closed when the automatic transmission is shifted into the part position; (2) a neutral-position detection switch adapted to be closed when the automatic transmission is shifted into the neutral position, said inhibitor switch being connected in series with said starter switch; (c) a redundant park-position detection switch for detecting directly the park position of the shift lever, said redundant park-position detection switch being actuated by the shift lever and being closed when the shift lever is shifted into the park position, said redundant park-position detection switch being connected in series with said starter switch and said park-position detection switch in said inhibitor switch; and (d) a starter motor for starting the engine, said starter motor being energized only in two cases which are when all of said starter switch, said park-position detection switch, and said redundant park position detection switch are closed and when both said starter switch and said neutral-position detection switch are closed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
Specification