Shift lever vibration isolation assembly

• US 7,886,628 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2008
• Issued: 02/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James M Burns Sr (James M Burns)
• Original Assignee: James M Burns Sr (James M Burns)
• Inventors: Burns, James M. Sr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ridley; Richard W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Boes; Terence
• Application Number:
  US12/006,913
• Publication Number:
  US 20080163715A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,135 Days
• Field of Search: 744/731, 744/732.9, 745/44, 745/48, 745/23, 745/43, 744/732.7, 744/733.4, 267/140.5, 267/141.2, 2671413-1415, 403/49, 464/89, 248/580, 248/608, 248/599
• US Class Current: 74/473.29
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/0208 with means for suppression of vibrations or reduction of noise
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20134 having vibration damper
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2014 Manually operated selector [e.g., remotely controlled device, lever, push button, rotary dial, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20738 Extension
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20762 Shaft connections

Abstract

A shift lever assembly designed to isolate vibrations including an outer can having a bore and an outer wall, an inner can disposed within the bore, a vibration absorbing material positioned within the bore and around the inner can; and a sleeve extending from the outer wall of the outer can. The method of making the shift lever assembly includes positioning an outer can having a bore and an attached sleeve in a mold, positioning an inner can in the mold, within the bore of the outer can, injecting a vibration absorbing material into the mold, thereby filling the space within the bore of the outer can around the inner can, and allowing the vibration absorbing material to cure, thereby securing the inner can within the outer can.

Claims

1. A shift lever assembly comprising an outer can having a bore;

an inner can disposed within said bore of said outer can;

a vibration absorbing material positioned entirely within said bore of said outer can and around said inner can; and

a sleeve attached to an outer wall of said outer can and spaced from said inner can and said vibration absorbing material;

said inner can including at least one stop extending outwardly therefrom;

a gap between said outer can and said stop, and said stop being attached to said inner can by at least one tack weld.

2. The shift lever assembly of claim 1, said vibration absorbing material being an elastomer.

3. The shift lever assembly of claim 1, said sleeve being welded to said outer can.

4. The shift lever assembly of claim 1, said stop extending outwardly such that it does not contact said outer can.

5. The shift lever assembly of claim 1, said outer can having two ends, and at least one of said ends being curved inward to secure said vibration absorbing material therein.

6. The shift lever assembly of claim 1, said outer can and said inner can being cylindrical in shape with said inner can being positioned coaxially within said outer can.

7. The shift lever assembly of claim 1, said vibration absorbing material being chemically bonded to said outer can and said inner can and not in contact with the sleeve.

8. The shift lever assembly of claim 1, said sleeve having a bore therein adapted to receive a shift lever.