Locking apparatus for shift lever
First Claim
1. A locking apparatus for a shift lever provided for operating an automatic transmission of a vehicle to allow an operation of said shift lever under particular conditions, comprising:
- (a) a key rotor rotatable between a lock position and an operating position for running said vehicle by a key operation performed by a seat occupant;
(b) a shift lever shiftable between a driving position for placing said automatic transmission in a vehicle driving state and a non-driving position for placing said automatic transmission in a vehicle non-driving state by said occupant;
(c) detent means disposed on said shift lever for movement between an inhibiting position and a releasing position, said detent means being moved to said inhibiting position to inhibit the shifting of said shift lever from said non-driving position to said driving position at times when said shift lever is shifted from said driving position to said non-driving position, and said detent means permitting the shifting of said shift lever to said driving position at times when said detent means is moved from said inhibiting position to said releasing position under the operation of said seat occupant;
(d) a lock member rotatable coaxially with said key rotor and operated by the rotary operation of said key rotor; and
(e) interlocking means interposed between said detent means on said shift lever and said lock member, and having one end disposed adjacent to said lock member for movement in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of said key rotor, said interlocking means being placed in a first state wherein said one end projects into a locus of movement of said lock member to restrict a range of movement of said lock member at times when said shift lever is shifted to said driving position, inhibiting said key rotor from rotating to said lock position, and the projection of said one end into the locus of movement of said lock member being inhibited at times when said key rotor is located in said lock position, said interlocking means being maintained in a second state until said key rotor is moved to said operating position where said detent means is held in said inhibiting position for preventing said shift lever from being moved to said driving position at times when said shift lever is shifted to said non-driving position, whereby said shift lever is held in said non-driving position when a key is in said lock position whereas the rotation of said key to said lock position is inhibited in said driving position of said shift lever.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A locking apparatus for a shift lever provided for operating an automatic transmission, where if the shift lever is not located in a non-driving position such as a "P" range, a key rotor cannot be rotated to a lock position and, if the key rotor is not rotated from the lock position to an operating position, the shift lever cannot be moved from the non-driving position. An extension is interlocked with a detent pin which serves to hold the shift lever in the non-driving position. The extension is arranged to move along the axis of the key rotor in interlocked relationship with the movement of the detent pin and to move into and away from the locus of movement of a lock portion which is rotated together with the key rotor. When the extension is moved into the locus, the extension inhibits both the movement of the key rotor to the lock position and the shifting of the shift lever from the non-driving position to another position.
21 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A locking apparatus for a shift lever provided for operating an automatic transmission of a vehicle to allow an operation of said shift lever under particular conditions, comprising:
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(a) a key rotor rotatable between a lock position and an operating position for running said vehicle by a key operation performed by a seat occupant; (b) a shift lever shiftable between a driving position for placing said automatic transmission in a vehicle driving state and a non-driving position for placing said automatic transmission in a vehicle non-driving state by said occupant; (c) detent means disposed on said shift lever for movement between an inhibiting position and a releasing position, said detent means being moved to said inhibiting position to inhibit the shifting of said shift lever from said non-driving position to said driving position at times when said shift lever is shifted from said driving position to said non-driving position, and said detent means permitting the shifting of said shift lever to said driving position at times when said detent means is moved from said inhibiting position to said releasing position under the operation of said seat occupant; (d) a lock member rotatable coaxially with said key rotor and operated by the rotary operation of said key rotor; and (e) interlocking means interposed between said detent means on said shift lever and said lock member, and having one end disposed adjacent to said lock member for movement in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of said key rotor, said interlocking means being placed in a first state wherein said one end projects into a locus of movement of said lock member to restrict a range of movement of said lock member at times when said shift lever is shifted to said driving position, inhibiting said key rotor from rotating to said lock position, and the projection of said one end into the locus of movement of said lock member being inhibited at times when said key rotor is located in said lock position, said interlocking means being maintained in a second state until said key rotor is moved to said operating position where said detent means is held in said inhibiting position for preventing said shift lever from being moved to said driving position at times when said shift lever is shifted to said non-driving position, whereby said shift lever is held in said non-driving position when a key is in said lock position whereas the rotation of said key to said lock position is inhibited in said driving position of said shift lever. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A locking apparatus for use with a shift lever, comprising:
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a key rotor rotatably disposed in a housing and arranged such that a key is able to be inserted into and pulled out of said key rotor at a lock position, the pulling of said key being prevented when rotating said key rotor from said lock position to an operating position under the rotary operation of said key; a shift lever arranged to enable selection of any one of a plurality of positions under a rotary operation of said shift lever; lever locking means arranged to be in a locked state for non-rotatably locking said shift lever when shifting said shift lever to a particular non-driving position, and arranged to be in an unlocked state except when shifting said shift lever to said particular non-driving position; a shaft disposed in said housing and arranged to be rotatable integrally with said key rotor; a lock portion formed to project from the shaft in the radial direction; and an extension coupled to said lever locking means by a coupling member and disposed to project toward said shaft, said extension being arranged to move in the axial direction of said shaft, moving into and away from the locus of movement of said lock portion; whereby, at times when said lever locking means is unlocked and is moved to a first position, said extension is located in said locus of rotation of said lock portion to inhibit said key rotor from rotating from said operating position to said lock position;
when said lever locking means is locked and said lock lever is moved to a second position, said extension is located out of said locus of rotation of said lock portion to allow the rotation of said key rotor from said operating position to said lock position; and
when said key rotor is rotated to said lock position, one side of said key rotor is rotated to said lock position, one side of said lock portion being located in opposition to said extension to inhibit the movement of said lock lever from said second position to said first position so that said lever locking means is locked. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A locking apparatus for a shift lever comprising:
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a key rotor rotatably disposed in a housing and arranged such that a key is able to be inserted into and pulled out of said key rotor at a lock position, the pulling of said key being prevented at times when said key rotor has been rotated from said lock position to an operating position under the rotary operation of said key; a shift lever arranged to enable selection of any one among a plurality of positions under a rotary operation of said shift lever; lever locking means arranged to be in a locked state for non-rotatably locking said shift lever when shifting said shift lever to a particular non-driving position, and arranged to be in an unlocked state except when shifting said shift lever to said particular non-driving position; a shaft disposed in said housing and arranged to be rotatable with said key rotor; a lock portion formed to project from the shaft in the radial direction; and an extension coupled to said lever locking means by a coupling member and disposed to project toward said shaft, said extension being arranged to move in the axial direction of said shaft, moving into and away from the locus of movement of said lock portion; whereby, at times when said lever locking means is unlocked and is moved to a first position, said extension is located in said locus of rotation of said lock portion to inhibit the rotation of said key rotor from said operating position to said lock position;
at times when said lever locking means is locked and said lock lever is moved to a second position, said extension is located out of said locus of rotation of said lock portion to allow the rotation of said key rotor from said operating to said lock position; and
at times when said key rotor is rotated to said lock position, one side of said lock portion is located in opposition to said extension to inhibit the movement of said lock lever from said second position to said first position so that said lever locking means is locked.
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Specification