Shift selector lever device

• US 6,644,142 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2001
• Issued: 11/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Company LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Junge, Dieter, Ey, Peter Von
• Primary Examiner(s): Bucci, David A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH, JULIE KNECHT
• Application Number:
  US09/841,317
• Publication Number:
  US 20010042418A1
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• Field of Search: 744/731.8, 744/732.5, 744/733.3, 744/732.7, 744/732.8, 743/35
• US Class Current: 74/473.25
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2059/0239 Up- and down-shift or range or mode selection by repeated movement mechanical step by step selection devices F16H63/14
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/242 Mechanical shift gates or similar guiding means during selection and shifting
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/0204 for automatic transmissions with means for range selection and manual shifting, e.g. range selector with tiptronic
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/24 Providing feel, e.g. to enable selection
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20067 Control convertible between automatic and manual operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2011 with detent, recess, notch, or groove
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20159 Control lever movable through plural planes

Abstract

In a selector lever device, for an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle, with a selector lever, which is fixed in a selector lever support seat and is guided in a gate structure including at least one gate branch wherein it is held in a home position by a detent unit, the selection lever is supported so that it can be swivelled from the home position about at least one swivel axis for actuating the detent structure providing for a one-touch function. The detent unit has a selector lever seat separate from the first selector lever engagement lever seat, by way of which the detent unit is operatively connected to the selector lever.

Claims

1. A shift selector lever device for a transmission of a motor vehicle, comprising a shift gate with a main gate aisle and a branch gate aisle extending at an end of said main gate aisle transversely in opposite directions from said main gate aisle and a selector lever supported on a selector lever support seat, so as to be movable along said main gate aisle and also in a direction transverse to said main gate aisle, when disposed in said branch gate aisle, and a detent unit pivotally supported at said end of said main gate aisle and having a selector lever engagement seat spaced from said selector lever support seat for engaging said selector lever when said selector lever is moved to said end of said main gate aisle so that said detent unit is operatively connected to said selector lever for actuating said detent unit when said selector lever is pivoted from a home position in said main gate aisle sidewardly in opposite directions for providing a touch actuation function, a return spring structure for returning said selector lever to said home position after being moved sidewardly for said touch actuation function and a separate detent spring unit with a detent piston for independently returning said detent unit to an equilibrium position following a deflection of the selector lever from said home position and a component forming a detent contour arranged so as to be engaged by said detent unit and being displaceable for adjustment according the home position of said shift lever.

2. The selector lever device according to claim 1, wherein said detent spring unit and said return spring unit are of adjustable design such that the home position defined by the detent unit and said equilibrium position of the return spring unit of the detent unit can be adjusted in relation to one another.

3. The selector lever device according to claim 1, wherein said detent piston of said detent spring unit includes a roller in engagement with said detent contour.

4. The selector lever device according to claim 3, wherein said return spring of said return spring unit acts on said selector lever seat of said detent unit.

5. The selector lever device according to claim 1, wherein a shift lever position sensor unit including at least one photoelectric light barrier by means of which a swivel position of the selector lever can be detected is incorporated in said detent unit.

6. The selector lever device according to claim 5, wherein said sensor unit is at least in part integrally formed with the selector lever engagement seat of said detent unit.

7. The selector lever device according to claim 1, wherein in the axial direction of the selector lever the selector lever engagement seat of the detent unit is at a greater distance from the swivel axis of said selector lever than the selector lever support seat.

8. The selector lever device according to claim 1, wherein said selector lever engagement seat is part of said detent unit which is pivotably supported on a shaft.