Transmission shift control mechanism with park lock

• US 4,936,158 A
• Filed: 12/24/1987
• Issued: 06/26/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sparton Engineered Products, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sparton Corporation (Elbit Systems Limited)
• Inventors: Rempinski, Donald R., Livshits, Mikhail, Lafferty, Gerald J. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Braun, Leslie A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US07/137,759
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• Field of Search: 74/878, 74/475, 74/477, 74/483 R, 70/248, 70/254
• US Class Current: 74/473.23
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2059/0282 Lever handles with lock mechanisms, e.g. for allowing selection of reverse gear or releasing lever from park position
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/10 comprising levers
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/22 Locking of the control input devices constructional features of locking or disabling mechanisms F16H63/34
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5938 With switch
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20098 Separate actuator to disengage restrictor

Abstract

The transmission shift control mechanism includes a shift lever with a pushbutton mechanism for releasing a detent mechanism so that the shift lever can be moved from the "Park" position to other operative positions. A shift lever locking mechanism prevents movement of the shift lever from the "Park" position when the ignition lock mechanism is actuated to the "Lock" position and also prevents actuation of the ignition lock mechanism to the "Lock" position when the shift lever is in other than the "Park" position. The locking mechanism includes a pivotal locking lever, such as a bellcrank, having one arm operably connected to the push-pull cable of the vehicle ignition lock mechanism and a locking arm movable to block release of the detent mechanism upon actuation of the ignition lock mechanism to the "Lock" position with the shift lever in "Park". A locking pin is provided on the base of the shift lever mechanism and is movable along the locking arm of the locking lever to a cooperative position wherein the locking arm can pivot past the locking pin to a locking position upon actuation of the ignition lock mechanism to the "lock" position to prevent movement of the shift lever from "Park". When the shift lever is out of "Park" after unlocking the ignition mechanism, the locking pin moves to a non-cooperative position to block the locking arm and prevent actuation of the ignition mechanism to the "lock" position.

Claims

1. A transmission shift control mechanism for a vehicle having an ignition lock mechanism with a "Lock" position, comprising:

a support base for securing to a vehicle, a shift lever means disposed on the support base for pivotal movement among a "Park" position and other operative positions including a "drive" position and a "reverse" position, detent means for releasably coupling the shift lever means and support base to selectively retain said shift lever means in one of said "Park" position or other operative positions and for permitting, when actuated to decouple the shift lever means,. repositioning of said shift lever means, and a locking mechanism including a locking lever pivotally disposed on the support base and operably connected to the ignition lock mechanism for pivotal movement relative to the detent means to a locking position to prevent actuation of the detent means when the ignition lock mechanism is actuated to the "Lock" position with the shift lever means in the "Park" position, said locking lever having an arcuate surface along its length, and a locking member disposed on the shift lever means for movement in an arcuate path in engagement with the arcuate surface of said locking lever to a cooperative position with said locking lever when the shift lever means is positioned in the "Park" position where, at said cooperative position, the locking lever can pivot relative to the locking member to said locking position without disengaging therefrom upon actuation of the ignition lock mechanism to the "Lock" position and to a non-cooperative position therewith when the shift lever means is positioned in said other positions where, at said non-cooperative position, the locking member prevents pivoting of said locking lever,

whereby the locking mechanism prevents movement of the shift lever means from the "Park" position when the ignition lock mechanism is actuated to the "Lock" position and prevents actuation of the ignition lock mechanism to the "Lock" position when the shift lever means is in said other operative positions.

2. The mechanism of claim 1 wherein the support base has a detent cam plate thereon and said detent means releasably couples the shift lever to the detent cam plate.

3. The mechanism of claim 2 wherein the locking lever is pivotally disposed on the detent cam plate.

4. The mechanism of claim 1 wherein the locking lever includes an arm operably connected to said ignition lock assembly and an opposite locking arm along which said locking member moves.

5. The mechanism of claim 4 wherein the locking lever includes a pivot between said arms.

6. The mechanism of claim 4 wherein the locking arm includes an arcuate cam slot in which the locking member is received and moves between the cooperative and non-cooperative positions.

7. The mechanism of claim 6 wherein the cam slot is configured to permit the locking member to move in an arcuate path away from the pivot to a non-cooperative position when the shift lever is moved from the "Park" position to said other positions.

8. The mechanism of claim 7 wherein the cam slot is configured to permit the locking lever to pivot past the locking member to said locking position with said locking member remaining in said cam slot when the locking member and locking lever are at the cooperative position.

9. The mechanism of claim 8 wherein the cam slot includes a circular arc portion in which the locking member moves.

10. The mechanism of claim 1 wherein the locking member is disposed on a carrier member connected to the shift lever means and moves in an arcuate path therewith.

11. The mechanism of claim 10 wherein the detent means is disposed on the carrier member.

12. The mechanism of claim 10 wherein locking member moves in a circular arc path as the shift lever is pivoted.

13. The mechanism of claim 1 wherein the locking member comprises an elongate pin member extending between the carrier member and locking lever.

14. The mechanism of claim 1 wherein the detent means includes a manually operable pushbutton on the shift lever means to release the detent means.

15. The mechanism of claim 1 wherein the support base includes arcuate track means extending about an imaginary pivot axis below said support base and the shift lever means is movably disposed on the track means for said pivotal movement about said imaginary pivot axis.

16. The mechanism of claim 1 wherein said locking lever engages against said detent means when said locking lever is in said locking position.

17. A transmission shift control mechanism for a vehicle having an ignition lock mechanism with a "Lock" position comprising:

a support base for securing to a vehicle, a shift lever means disposed on the support base for pivotal movement among a "Park" position and other operative positions including a "drive" position and a "reverse" position, detent means for releasably coupling the shift lever means and support base to selectively retain said shift lever means in one of said "Park" position or other operative positions and for permitting, when actuated to decouple the shift lever means, repositioning of said shift lever means, and a locking mechanism including a locking lever pivotally disposed on the base, said locking lever having one arm operably connected to the ignition lock mechanism for pivoting the locking lever, another arm having an arcuate slot and movable relative to the detent means to a locking position to prevent actuation of the detent means and decoupling of the shift lever means when the ignition lock mechanism is actuated to the "Lock" position with the shift lever means in the "Park" position and having a pivot between said arms, and further including a locking member disposed on the shift lever means and received in the slot for movement in an arcuate path in said slot to a cooperative position with the locking lever when the shift lever means is positioned in the "Park" position where, at said cooperative position, locking lever can pivot relative to the locking member to said locking position with said locking member remaining in said slot upon actuation of the ignition lock mechanism to the "Lock" position and to a non-cooperative position with the locking lever when the shift lever means is positioned in said other positions where, at said non-cooperative position, the locking member prevents pivoting of said locking lever,

whereby the locking mechanism prevents movement of the shift lever means from the "Park" position when the ignition lock mechanism is actuated to the "Lock" position and prevents actuation of the ignition lock mechanism to the "Lock" position when the shift lever means is in said other operative positions.

18. The mechanism of claim 17 wherein the slot has a first circular arc portion in which the locking member moves when the shift lever means is positioned in said other positions and a second portion into which the locking member moves when the shift lever means is positioned at the "Park" position, said second portion being configured to permit pivoting of the locking lever therepast with said locking member remaining in said second portion.

19. The mechanism of claim 17 wherein the support base includes arcuate track means extending about an imaginary pivot axis below said support base and the shift lever means is movably disposed on the track means for said pivotal movement about said imaginary pivot axis.

20. The mechanism of claim 17 wherein said locking lever engages against said detent means when said locking lever is in said locking position.

21. A transmission shift control mechanism for a vehicle having an ignition lock mechanism with a "Lock" position comprising:

a support base for securing to a vehicle, a shift lever means pivotally disposed on the support base for pivotal movement among a "Park" position and other operative positions including a "drive" position and a "reverse" position, a detent plate secured on the support base, a detent means for operably coupling the shift lever means and detent plate when engaged therebetween to selectively retain said shift lever means in one of said "Park" position or other operative positions and movable out of engagement to permit repositioning of the shift lever means, and a locking mechanism including a locking lever pivotally disposed on the detent plate, said locking lever having one arm operably connected to the ignition lock mechanism for pivoting the locking lever, another arm having an arcuate slot and movable relative to the detent means to a locking position to prevent disengagement of the detent means when the ignition lock mechanism is actuated to the "Lock" position with the shift lever means in the "Park" position and having a pivot between said arms, and further including a pivot between said arms, and further including a locking member received in the slot and disposed on the shift lever means for movement in an arcuate path in said slot to a cooperative position with the locking lever when the shift lever means is positioned in the "Park" position where, at said cooperative position, the locking lever can pivot relative to the locking member and detent means to said locking position with said locking member remaining in said slot upon actuation of the ignition lock mechanism to the "Lock" position and to a non-cooperative position with the locking lever when the shift lever means is positioned in said other positions where, at said non-cooperative position, the locking member prevents pivoting of said locking lever,

whereby the locking mechanism prevents movement of the shift lever means from the "Park" position when the ignition lock mechanism is actuated to the "Lock" position and prevents actuation of the ignition lock mechanism to the "Lock" position when the shift lever means is in said other operative positions.

22. The mechanism of claim 21 wherein the support base includes arcuate track means extending about an imaginary pivot axis below said support base and the shift lever means is movably disposed on the track means for said pivotal movement about said imaginary pivot axis.

23. The mechanism of claim 24 wherein said locking lever engages against said detent means when said locking lever is in said locking position.