Column shift lever device

• US 5,025,678 A
• Filed: 08/29/1989
• Issued: 06/25/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mannoh Kogyo Co., Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mannoh Kogyo Co., Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Shinpo, Yoshiharu, Akiyama, Motoharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Herrmann, Allan D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Levi, Benjamin
• Application Number:
  US07/399,964
• Time in Patent Office: 665 Days
• Field of Search: 74/473 SW, 74/475, 74/476, 74/477, 74/483 K, 192/4 A, 180/315, 180/334, 180/336, 180/78
• US Class Current: 74/473.31
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 20/06 mounted on steering column or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/10 comprising levers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20146 Control lever on steering column
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2025 Rod blocks actuation of rotary member

Abstract

A column shift lever device operatively connected to an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle and supported by a steering column which has a tiltable upper portion supporting a steering wheel. The column shift lever device includes a shift lever; a tubular control shaft having at least one axially extending elongate hole formed therethrough; an inner shaft accomodated within the tubular control shaft, which has a fastener member protruding therefrom through the above-indicated at least one elongate hole, so that the inner shaft is axially movable relative to and rotatable with the control shaft; a stationary cylindrical outer casing for rotatably supporting the control shaft at a portion thereof below the tiltable upper portion; a detent device having a detent pin for locking the shift lever in one of a plurality of shift positions corresponding to a plurality of operating positions of the automatic transmission. The detent means includes a detent support sleeve which supports the detent pin and which is connected to the inner shaft through the fastener member. The column shift lever further includes a splined engaging device provided between an outer circumference of the control shaft and an inner circumference of the detent support sleeve, for permitting a relative axial movement and a concurrent rotation of the control shaft and the detent support sleeve.

Claims

1. A column shift lever device operatively connected to an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle and supported by a steering column which has a tiltable upper portion supporting a steering wheel, said column shift lever device comprising:

a shift lever which is manipulated by a vehicle driver so as to place the automatic transmission in one of a plurality of operating positions;

a tubular control shaft having an upper end to which said shift lever is connected, said tubular control shaft having at least one axially extending elongate hold formed therethrough;

an inner shaft accommodated within said tubular control shaft, said inner shaft having a fastener member protruding therefrom through said at least one elongate hole, so that said inner shaft is axially movable relative to and rotatable with said control shaft;

a stationary cylindrical outer casing disposed around said control shaft is coaxial relationship therewith, for rotatably supporting said control shaft at a portion thereof below said tiltable upper portion;

detent means having a detent pin for locking said shift lever in one of a plurality of shift positions corresponding to said operating positions of the automatic transmission, said detent means including a detent support sleeve which supports said detent pin and which is connected to said inner shaft through said fastener member;

splined engaging means provided between an outer circumference of said control shaft and an inner circumference of said detent support sleeve, for permitting a relative axial movement and a concurrent rotation of said control shaft and said detent support sleeve and

a bracket secured to said cylindrical outer casing and said steering column, for fixing said control shaft to the steering column.

2. A column shift lever device according to claim 1, further comprising an outer sleeve fixedly fitted on said outer circumference of said control shaft and having axial splines formed over an outer circumferential surface thereof.

3. A column shift lever device according to claim 2, wherein said outer sleeve has at least one axially extending elongate hold through which said fastener member extends for connection to said detent support sleeve of said detent means.

4. A column shift lever device operatively connected to an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle and supported by a steering column which has a tiltable upper portion supporting a steering wheel, said column shift lever device comprising:

a shift lever which is manipulated by a vehicle driver so as to place the automatic transmission in one of a plurality of operating positions;

a tubular control shaft having an upper end to which said shift lever is connected, said tubular control shaft having at least one axially extending elongate hole formed therethrough;

an inner shaft accommodated within said tubular control shaft, said inner shaft having a fastener member protruding therefrom through said at least one elongate hold, so that said inner shaft is axially movable relative to and rotatable with said control shaft;

a stationary cylindrical outer casing disposed around said control shaft in coaxial relationship therewith, for rotatably supporting said control shaft at a portion thereof below said tiltable upper portion;

detent means having a detent pin for locking said shift lever in one of a plurality of shift positions corresponding to said operating positions of the automatic transmission, said detent means including a detent support sleeve which supports said detent pin and which is connected to said inner shaft through said fastener member; and

splined engaging means provided between an outer circumference of said control shaft and an inner circumference of said detent support sleeve, for permitting a relative axial movement and a concurrent rotation of said control shaft and said detent support sleeve,

an outer sleeve fixedly fitted on said outer circumference of said control shaft and having axial splines formed over an outer circumferential surface thereof,

wherein said splined engaging means consists of said axial splines of said outer sleeve and corresponding keyways formed in an inner circumferential surface of said detent support sleeve, said axial splines engaging said keyways so that the detent support sleeve is axially slidable on the outer sleeve.

5. A column shift lever device operatively connected to an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle and supported by a steering column which has a tiltable upper portion supporting a steering wheel, said column shift lever device comprising:

a shift lever which is manipulated by a vehicle driver so as to place the automatic transmission in one of a plurality of operating positions;

a tubular control shaft having an upper end to which said shift lever is connected, said tubular control shaft having at least one axially extending elongate hole formed therethrough;

an inner shaft accommodated within said tubular control shaft, said inner shaft having a fastener member protruding therefrom through said at least one elongate hold, so that said inner shaft is axially movable relative to and rotatable with said control shaft;

a stationary cylindrical outer casing disposed around said control shaft in coaxial relationship therewith, for rotatably supporting said control shaft at a portion thereof below said tiltable upper portion;

detent means having a detent pin for locking said shift lever is one of a plurality of shift positions corresponding to said operating positions of the automatic transmission, said detent means including a detent support sleeve which supports said detent pin and which is connected to said inner shaft through said fastener member; and

splined engaging means provided between an outer circumference of said control shaft and an inner circumference of said detent support sleeve for permitting a relative axial movement and a concurrent rotation of said control shaft and said detent support sleeve,

wherein said detent means further includes a stationary detent plate having a plurality of notches which correspond to said operating positions of the automatic transmission, said detent pin engaging one of said plurality of notches so as to establish a corresponding one of the operating positions of the automatic transmission, and wherein said detent plate is secured to said cylindrical outer casing, while said detent support sleeve is rotatable and axially movable with said inner shaft.

6. A column shift lever device operatively connected to an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle and supported by a steering column which has a tiltable upper portion supporting a steering wheel, said column shift lever device comprising:

a shift lever which is manipulated by a vehicle driver so as to place the automatic transmission in one of a plurality of operating positions;

a tubular control shaft having an upper end to which said shift lever is connected, said tubular control shaft having at least one axially extending elongate hold formed therethrough;

an inner shaft accommodated within said tubular control shaft, said inner shaft having a fastener member protruding therefrom through said at least one elongate hole, so that said inner shaft is axially movable relative to and rotatable with said control shaft;

a stationary cylindrical outer casing disposed around said control shaft in coaxial relationship therewith, for rotatably supporting said control shaft at a portion thereof below said tiltable upper portion;

detent means having a detent pin for locking said shift lever in one of a plurality of shift positions corresponding to said operating positions of the automatic transmission, said detent means including a detent support sleeve which supports said detent pin and which is connected to said inner shaft through said fastener member; and

splined engaging means provided between an outer circumference of said control shaft and an inner circumference of said detent support sleeve for permitting a relative axial movement and a concurrent rotation of said control shaft and said detent support sleeve,

wherein said operating positions of the automatic transmission has a parking position, a reverse drive position, a neutral position, and a plurality of forward drive positions,

further comprising a safety lock device operable when the automatic transmission is placed in said parking position while a brake pedal of the vehicle is placed in a released position, said safety lock device including a pin which is engageable with a groove formed in an outer circumferential surface of said inner shaft.

7. A column shift lever device operatively connected to an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle and supported by a steering column which has a tiltable upper portion supporting a steering wheel, said column shift lever device comprising:

a shift lever which is manipulated by a vehicle driver so as to place the automatic transmission in one of a plurality of operating positions;

a tubular control shaft having an upper end to which said shift lever is connected, said tubular control shaft having at least one axially extending elongate hole formed therethrough;

an inner shaft accommodated within said tubular control shaft, said inner shaft having a fastener member protruding therefrom through said at least one elongate hole, so that said inner shaft is axially movable relative to and rotatable with said control shaft;

a stationary cylindrical outer casing disposed around said control shaft in coaxial relationship therewith, for rotatably supporting said control shaft at a portion thereof below said tiltable upper portion;

detent means having a detent pin for locking said shift lever in one of a plurality of shift positions corresponding to said operating positions of the automatic transmission, said detent means including a detent support sleeve which supports said detent pin and which is connected to said inner shaft through said fastener member;

splined engaging means provided between an outer circumference of said control shaft and an inner circumference of said detent support sleeve for permitting a relative axial movement and a concurrent rotation of said control shaft and said detent support sleeve; and

a return spring for biasing said inner shaft, wherein said detent means has a locking position for locking said shaft lever and a release position, said return spring biasing said inner shaft in a direction from said release position toward said locking position.