Transmission control lever having cruise and engine brake control

• US 5,315,900 A
• Filed: 12/17/1992
• Issued: 05/31/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Eaton Corp. (Wisconsin) (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Eaton Corp. (Wisconsin) (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Teeter, Terry E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wright, Dirk
• Application Number:
  US07/991,937
• Time in Patent Office: 530 Days
• Field of Search: 74/879, 192/4 A, 192/4 C, 180/333, 180/336
• US Class Current: 477/165
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/00 Vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed, i.e. preventing speed from exceeding an arbitrarily established velocity or maintaining speed at a particular velocity, as selected by the vehicle operator fittings acting on two or more sub-units B60W30/14; speedometers G01P; systems or devices for controlling speed in general G05D13/00 ; in traffic anti-collision system for road vehicles G08G1/16
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/10 including control of change-speed gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/196 acting within the driveline, e.g. retarders
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2059/0286 with range or splitter selector on selector lever
• 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 61/21 Providing engine brake control
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2009/066 having switches mounted on a control handle, e.g. gear shift lever

Abstract

A motor vehicle transmission control lever (2) is provided that carries switch means for controlling a system for braking the vehicle'"'"'s engine or in combination: (i) switch means for controlling a cruise control system and (ii) switch means for controlling a system for braking the vehicle'"'"'s engine. The switch means for controlling the cruise control system and the engine braking system are preferably mounted on a housing (10) secured to a handle or knob (6) that is secured to transmission control lever (2) for convenient operation by the operator.

Claims

1. In a motor vehicle having an engine and a manually operable transmission control lever, in combination;

(i) switch means carried by the lever for operating a cruise control system and, (ii) switch means carried by the lever for controlling a system for braking the engine.

2. The transmission control lever of claim 1 wherein the cruise control system includes switch means for accelerating vehicle speed.

3. The transmission control lever of claim 1 or 2 wherein the cruise control system includes switch means for decelerating vehicle speed.