Shift Element Interlock Patents (Class 74/473.24)
  • Patent number: 11598416
    Abstract: An interlocking device for a transmission is provided, where the transmission includes a pivotable first shift fork for selectively engaging a first gear and a slidable second shift fork for selectively engaging a second gear. The interlocking device includes a pivot arm pivotable between a first position and a second position, and having a first end and a second end. The first end includes a first interacting portion that interacts with a first locking member of the first shift fork. The second end includes a second interacting portion that interacts with a second locking member of the second shift fork. In the first position, pivoting movement of the first shift fork is prevented and relative sliding movement of the second shift fork is allowed, and in the second position, relative pivoting movement of the first shift fork is allowed and relative sliding movement of the second shift fork may be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Volvo Truck Corporation
    Inventors: Marcus Persson, Klas Bergström, Niklas Dyverfors
  • Patent number: 10808768
    Abstract: Linear actuator mechanisms (100) for vehicle disconnect/connect systems having a stationary guide rod (122); a shift fork (118) the stationary guide rod extends therethough; a drive nut (110); a drive screw (120) extending through the drive nut; a first spring plate (114), a second spring plate (116), and a compression spring (112) positioned between a radially extending portion of the first spring plate and a radially extending portion of the second spring plate. A second radially extending portion of the first spring plate and a second radially extending portion of the second spring plate are in contact with the drive nut on axially opposite sides of the drive nut. The first and second spring plates are moveable axially along the stationary guide rod by the drive nut to compress the compression spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Dana Automotive Systems Group, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Z. Creech, Krishna Kumar, William F. Waltz, Robert A. Wright
  • Patent number: 10746260
    Abstract: A dual clutch transmission may include a first input shaft having a plurality of odd stage driving gears; a second input shaft disposed to have a concentric shaft with the first input shaft and including a plurality of even stage driving gears; an output shaft; a counter shaft disposed parallel to the first input shaft, the second input shaft, and the output shaft to continuously transfer power to the output shaft and including odd stage driven gears engaged with the odd stage driving gears and even stage driven gears engaged with the even stage driving gears; a plurality of synchronous devices; a plurality of shift forks coupled to the plurality of synchronous devices; and one shift rail provided to commonly guide a linear sliding of the plurality of shift forks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corp.
    Inventors: Sun Sung Kwon, Soon Ki Eo, Yeo Hyeon Gwon
  • Patent number: 10704681
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a gear actuator for a double clutch transmission, which includes a power module (100), including odd and even-numbered stage select solenoids and shift motors, a controller directly connected to them, and select levers connected to select rods of the select solenoids, shift modules (200) for transmitting the rotational forces of the shift motors to a control shaft assembly (300), the control shaft assembly (300) for transmitting the operating force of the power module (100) to a shift lug, and a body housing (400) having the power module (100), the shift modules (200), and the control shaft assembly (300) installed therein. Accordingly, the gear actuator can have a more compact structure and be easily assembled by modularization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Hyundai Dymos Incorporated
    Inventors: Man Bok Lee, Won Kim, Mi Ae Oh
  • Patent number: 10465792
    Abstract: A shifting device (2) for an automatic gearbox of a motor vehicle has a housing (4) and a selector lever (6) for selecting a gear stage which selector lever is guided in the housing (4). The shifting device (2) has an automatic shift gate (18) and a sequential shift gate (20), and the housing (4) has fasteners (projections and recesses) (10.2, 10.3, 10.4, 10.5) for fixing the shifting device (2) in the motor vehicle. The housing (4) can be fixed in a first position for right hand driving and in a second position which is rotated by 180 degrees relative to the first position for left hand driving. The fasteners are arranged point-symmetrically in order to rotate the shifting device (2) by 180 degrees, with the result that the respective fastening points coincide with the original fastening points after the rotation and the fasteners are fixed on in each case the same motor vehicle-side fastening points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Küster Holding GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Schmidt, Martin Blücher
  • Patent number: 10428941
    Abstract: A drive member selection mechanism is described, including at least one drive member and at least two selector members, wherein the drive member includes a first and second face, and further includes, on each face, at least one projection, and the selector members include, on at least one face thereof, at least one complementary projection arranged to selectively engage with a projection of a drive member, the arrangement being such that the projection(s) of a selector member and the projection(s) of the first face of a drive member may be drivingly engaged in a first torque connection and the projection(s) of a selector member and the projection(s) of the second face of a drive member may be drivingly engaged in a second torque connection, wherein the second torque connection is opposed to the first torque connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: QINETIQ LIMITED
    Inventor: Robert William Thompson
  • Patent number: 10372295
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method, carried out by one or more processors, for managing serviceability modes in a data center. In an embodiment, the method comprises the steps of receiving a serviceability mode selection for a component in a data center, wherein the serviceability mode correlates to information presented by one or more components in the data center; assigning a scheme for one or more LEDs on the component based, at least in part, on the received serviceability mode selection; and determining to activate the one or more LEDs on the component based at least on the assigned scheme.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Santosh Devale, Vishal Kulkarni, Venkatesh Sainath
  • Patent number: 10344849
    Abstract: A selector for an automatically operated gearbox is provided and includes: a casing; a control member mounted within the casing in an oscillating manner around a first axis of rotation, the control member being movable through a plurality of operative positions associated to respective operating conditions of the gearbox; a prevention device of the selection of an undesired operative position of the selector, wherein the prevention device includes a rocker mounted within the casing in a rotatable manner around a second axis of rotation; the rocker being operable in rotation around the second axis of rotation by an actuator member between a resting position and a working position in which it is configured to inhibit the selection of the undesired operative position. The prevention device is configured for enabling, in certain conditions, selection of the undesired operative position even when it is currently inhibited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: FCA Italy S.p.A.
    Inventors: Francesco Cimmino, Marco Montaldo, Francesco Contessa, Valter Eugenio Maggiora, Vincenzo Nuara
  • Patent number: 9869386
    Abstract: A shift control method of an electronic shift lever may include detecting a collision of a vehicle when the vehicle is in an ignition-on state, detecting a shift range of the electronic shift lever, and preventing shifting by interrupting delivery of a signal for changing the shift range to a transmission, when the signal for changing the shift range is detected within a predetermined time after the detection of the collision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Han Gil Park, Yang Rae Cho
  • Patent number: 9651139
    Abstract: Disclosed is an automatic transmission shifter which comprises a shifter body, and a shift lever. The shifter body comprises a housing having a gate, and a lever contact noise-preventing element. The shift lever comprises a lever shaft and a locking piece. The lever contact noise-preventing element comprises a shaft contact noise-preventing portion configured to prevent contact noise between the lever shaft penetrating the gate and the shifter body, and a locking piece contact noise-preventing portion integrally formed with the shaft contact noise-preventing portion and configured to prevent contact noise between the locking piece and the shifter body. The housing and the lever contact noise-preventing element are formed by a double molding process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: DELTA KOGYO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ichiro Yamamoto, Yuji Shiwa, Yuya Ishihara
  • Patent number: 9587739
    Abstract: An interlock mechanism includes a shift-and-select shaft a first fork, a second fork, a first inner lever, a second inner lever, an interlock member coaxially arranged around an outer circumference of the shift-and-select shaft while being allowed to rotate together with the shift-and-select shaft in the rotation direction as a unit and not allowed to be displaced in the axial direction, a first engagement portion formed on the first fork, a second engagement portion formed to project from the second fork, a first engaged portion formed to project from the inter lock member and engaged with the first engagement portion while the interlock member is positioned at a second rotation position and a second engaged portion formed on the interlock member and engaged with the second engagement portion while the interlock member is positioned at a first rotation position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: AISIN AI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaya Ichikawa, Hideya Osawa, Hirotoshi Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20150135878
    Abstract: A shifting apparatus for a vehicle may include a lever position guide that is provided inside a gear lever box at which a gear lever is located, and has a reference position and multiple gear positions connected to the reference position, an elastic part engaged to the gear lever and the gear lever box and configured to return the gear lever to the reference position when the gear lever deviates from the reference position and thus is located at any one of the multiple gear positions, and a controller that shifts a gear range according to a preset shifting order when the gear lever moves between the reference position and the multiple gear positions, and shifts the gear range to a preset gear range when the gear lever is located at any one of the multiple gear positions for a longer time than a setting time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Han Gil Park, Ki Young Song, Chang Hyun Lee, Yang Rae Cho
  • Publication number: 20150122068
    Abstract: A neutral locking system and method for a vehicle includes a park release shaft and a neutral locking tool. The park release shaft is operatively connected to a transmission of the vehicle such that rotation of the park release shaft in a first rotatable direction places the transmission in a neutral state. The neutral locking includes a fixture element and a rotatable element rotatably received within the fixture element. The rotatable element has one end configured to nonrotatably and removably couple to the park release shaft such that rotation of the rotatable element within the fixture element rotates the park release shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2013
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Applicant: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Marcus E. Hopkins
  • Publication number: 20150101437
    Abstract: A shift lever assembly for an automatic transmission vehicle may include a shift lever installed rotatably front/rearward and left/rightward with respect to a shift lever housing through a ball joint, a cable bracket disposed on a front of the shift lever and connected to the shift lever housing to be moved front/rearward with respect to the shift lever housing, and a cable connection protrusion is provided on a tip end of the cable bracket to connect with a shift cable, and an engaging lever disposed on the front of the shift lever for connecting the shift lever and the cable bracket. The shift lever assembly can have a reduced size and prevent formation the shaking angle of the shift cable, and accordingly, improve the power transmission efficiency and a transmission efficiency of the shift cable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Applicants: Kia Motors Corporation, Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Deok Ki KIM, Myung Lyul NA, Min Keun KWON, Won Jin JEONG
  • Patent number: 8943922
    Abstract: A shift rail interlock system is disclosed for a transmission assembly having a gear unit with a plurality of selectable gear ratios. The interlock system includes three shift rails that are each movable to select between respective gear ranges. Two of the shift rails cooperate to define a plane. The third shift rail is a creeper rail located in a position that is out of the plane defined by the first and second shift rails. The interlock system includes a creeper interlock that is moveable between lock and release positions, which respectively prevent and permit movement of the creeper rail. The interlock system also includes a range rail interlock that is moveable between two different lock and release positions. The range rail interlock is coupled to the creeper interlock such that when one of the range rails or the creeper rail is in the engaged position, the others are in their respective locked out positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Aaron D. Wikner, Thomas G. Ore
  • Publication number: 20150000451
    Abstract: Disclosed is an automatic transmission shifter which comprises: a shifter body; a shift lever; a control switch unit for controlling the shift lever; and a switch-unit holding member holding the control switch unit. The switch-unit holding member is attached to the shifter body. The control switch unit has a shifter body-based positioning portion configured to be positioned with respect to the shifter body during an operation of attaching the switch-unit holding member to the shifter body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Ichiro Yamamoto, Yuji Shiwa, Keita Nishimo
  • Patent number: 8919218
    Abstract: The automatic transmission system includes a shift lever for changing stages by a user, a shift-lock device for fixing or releasing the shift lever, and a control unit including a shift control logic changing the stages of the transmission in accordance with the stage changed by the shift lever and a shift-lock control logic controlling the shift-lock device by stages for an initial time and a maintenance time after the initial time from when the stages may be changed such that the shift lever may be fixed, in order to shift-lock the shifted shift lever when the stages may be changed by the shift control logic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Sungil Lee, Hangil Park, Changhyun Lee
  • Patent number: 8857558
    Abstract: A zero-turn-radius mower includes a chassis, a pair of drive wheels for supporting the chassis above a ground surface, an engine, and a pair of transmissions or other drive mechanism for driving the drive wheels. A manually-moveable brake lever enables an operator to selectively brake the drive wheels and a manually-moveable bypass lever enables the operator to selectively engage bypass functions of the transmissions. The brake lever and the bypass lever are mechanically coupled such that engaging the brake lever causes the bypass lever to be engaged with the brake lever, but engaging the bypass lever does not cause the brake lever to be engaged. The brake lever and the bypass lever each including a locking mechanism that retains the respective lever in an engaged position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Swisher Acquisition, Inc.
    Inventor: Aaron Samuel Poe
  • Publication number: 20140216196
    Abstract: A non-contact shift lock apparatus that includes a coil and a plunger in a housing. More specifically, the plunger moves downward in the housing when power is supplied to the coil. A shift lever locks when the plunger moves downward and unlocks when the plunger moves upward. Further, when power is supplied to the coil, the plunger is magnetized by a magnetic field and a magnetic force focus is formed at the plunger where a magnetic force is concentrated. The plunger is moved downward by magnetic force balance between a center of the magnetic field generated by the coil and the magnetic force focus, so that the position where the plunger moves downward to is determined by the position where the magnetic force focus is formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2013
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Inventors: Jee-Hyuck Choi, Yang-Rae Cho, Dong-Sik Jeong
  • Patent number: 8770057
    Abstract: The mechanism for emergency release of a parking lock of an automatic transmission. The mechanism comprises and is connected, in a rotationally fixed manner, with the selector shaft (1) of the shifting device of the transmission. A lever (2), which is positioned facing the transmission housing (3), at the side of the shifting device, can be activated by an unlocking tool (5) that is inserted from the outside through an opening (4) in the transmission housing (3) to release the parking lock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Christian Ruhl
  • Publication number: 20140165766
    Abstract: An inhibitor mechanism may include at least one first primary interlocking element and at least one second primary interlocking element each configured to selectively engage with a shift rail in at least one cavity of the shift rail to inhibit the axial movement of the respective shift rail. The inhibitor mechanism may also include at least one secondary interlocking element in contact with the at least one first primary interlocking element, and may be configured to selectively engage with another shift rail in the at least one cavity to inhibit the axial movement of that shift rail. Only one of the primary interlocking elements and the at least one secondary interlocking element may be movable to outside of the at least one cavity of the respective shift rail at one time such that only that respective shift rail is movable in the axial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Inventor: Carlos Fontana
  • Publication number: 20140116177
    Abstract: The invention relates to a gearshifting device (1), which is intended for a transmission and comprises a selector lever (2) that can be moved in such a manner that different shift positions (P, R, N, D, S, M+, M?) can be selected in at least two gearshift gates (3, 4) and that it is possible to shift between one of the gearshift gates (3, 4) and the at least one other gearshift gate (4, 3), and comprises at least one lock (5), which is used to block the traversing path of the selector lever (2) with respect to one of the gearshift gates (3, 4), in order to shift from one of the shift positions (P, R, N, D, S) into another of the shift positions (P, R, N, D, S).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2014
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: ECS Engineered Control Systems AG
    Inventor: Wolfgang Pätzold
  • Patent number: 8590414
    Abstract: A shift lever for an automatic transmission improves a shift manipulating feeling and simultaneously reduce a rattling noise by preventing noise generated due to contact with a rod after manipulating a push button. The shift lever for the automatic transmission may include a rod movably provided inside the shift lever in its longitudinal direction, a push button vertically provided to the rod, an operating portion provided between the push button and the rod, and having a supporting portion at which an installation hole is formed and a slant portion, and a damping unit coupled to the installation hole, and provided between the rod portion and the supporting portion to absorb and reduce vibration of a power train transferred through the rod and vibration due to a road surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Ean Soo Cho, Joon Young Park
  • Publication number: 20130291675
    Abstract: Disclosed is a shift lever for a transmission of a motor vehicle, wherein the shift lever comprises a blocking device, which can be brought from a blocking position into a release position via an active element arranged on an actuating device, wherein the active element comprises an engagement lug, which can be engaged in a latching hook arranged on the blocking device, wherein the active element is supported at the back on a rear wall located opposite the latching hook.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Inventors: Hans-Juergen BURGER, Sven FLORENZ
  • Patent number: 8438942
    Abstract: A vehicle transmission comprises a locking mechanism selectively preventing an at least one shift drum disposed on a shift drum shaft from rotating. The locking mechanism is movable between a first position and a second position. When in the first position, the locking mechanism prevents the at least one shift drum from rotating in the first direction to engage a first locked position. When in the second position, the locking mechanism prevents the at least one shift drum from rotating in the second direction to engage a second locked position. The second locked position is sequentially before the first locked position in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: BRP-Powertrain GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Johann Wilflinger, Patrick Raffelsberger, Robert Wagner, Andre Gilbert, Jean-Philippe Houle
  • Publication number: 20130074632
    Abstract: A shifting device comprises a selector lever movable relative to a fixed part and selector lever lock for preventing the lever from being moved when in a locking position (P) in which a vehicle transmission is blocked. The lock comprises a slider coupled with lever configured to slide through the fixed part from the locking position (P) to an unlocking position (R, N, D) in which vehicle transmission is unblocked. The slider may comprise one or more stop such that the slider can only be displaced through the fixed part or otherwise allowed to be rotated about an axis for changing into any of the unlocking positions (R, N, D).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2012
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: FICO TRIAD, S. A.
    Inventor: Javier MORENO COLOM
  • Patent number: 8397881
    Abstract: A parking brake apparatus may include a parking brake actuator that has a housing that is fixed to a transmission case and a piston including a piston rod, wherein the piston is mounted in the housing to reciprocate along the housing, a lever pivotally coupled to the transmission case, wherein one end portion of the lever is pivotally connected to the piston rod, a sprag rod that is pivotally connected to the other end portion of the lever, and an operational elastic member that is disposed around a rotary shaft of the lever and elastically supports the lever in one rotational direction against the transmission case, wherein the rotary shaft is rotatably coupled to the transmission case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Wooyeol Kim
  • Patent number: 8347752
    Abstract: An actuating device for transmitting shift commands to an automatic gearbox of a motor vehicle. The actuating device comprises a selector lever which is movable in a selector lane between an automatic shift lane and a sequential shift lane, a shift carriage for transmitting the shift commands to a gearbox transmission element, a separating device for separating the force transmission between the selector lever and the shift carriage, and a locking device for blocking the selector lever in at least one selector lever position. The locking device is set up to block the shift carriage. The shift carriage can be blocked not only in the shift-lock positions but also in the position of the shift carriage which corresponds to the selector lane position of the selector lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Carsten Weifels
  • Patent number: 8327729
    Abstract: A shift drive mechanism for a multi-speed transmission in which a shift rod can be stably maintained at a desired fixed position without the need for an intermittent drive mechanism and which is small in size and low in cost. The shift drive mechanism for a multi-speed transmission includes a shift guide groove G formed in a shift drum so as to guide a shift pin moved in the axial direction together with the shift rod. Each of gear speed groove portions Gs is formed at axial-direction positions determined on a gear speed basis and directing the shift pin only to the circumferential direction or not moving the shift pin in the axial direction attendant on turning of the shift drum is set to be longer than the distance the shift drum travels idly from the moment of stop of driving of a shift actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinya Matsumoto, Osamu Nishioka
  • Patent number: 8240229
    Abstract: In a shift lever device, when the shift lever is operated from a position C to a position N, a pusher slides along a select sliding region of an indexing section due to biasing force. In the indexing section, an anchor is formed at positions over the entire range of the select sliding region by a secondary resin penetrating completely into a through hole in a primary resin. Therefore, lifting of the secondary resin relative to the primary resin can be suppressed during molding of the secondary resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
    Inventor: Daisuke Matsuba
  • Patent number: 8230757
    Abstract: A lever lockout assembly includes a pair of lever supports and a pair of slide supports mounted on a housing. A lever member is rotatably supported by the lever supports. The lever member has a pair of arms separated by a notch. A lockout slide is slidably supported by the slide supports. The lockout slide has a ridge portion and a recess portion. The lockout slide is slidable to a lockout position wherein the ridge portion is received by the notch and the ridge is engagable with the arms to prevent rotation of the lever member. The lockout slide is also slidable to an unlocked position wherein the recess portion is aligned with the notch and the arms are rotatable through the recess portion. A handle projects from an end of the lockout slide. The lockout slide is a rigid bar with a polygonal cross-sectional shape. An edge of the bar forming the ridge portion. The lockout slide includes a pair of detent recess formed in a surface thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Magdalena Janina Nocko, Dean Arden Boyce, Christopher David Finck
  • Publication number: 20120079907
    Abstract: A shift rail interlock system for a transmission assembly having a gear unit with a plurality of selectable gear ratios. The interlock system includes three shift rails that are each movable to select between respective gear ranges. Two of the shift rails cooperated to define a plane. The third shift rail is a creeper rail located in a position that is out of the plane defined by the first and second shift rails. The interlock system includes a creeper interlock that is moveable between lock and release positions, which respective prevent and permit movement of the creeper rail. The interlock system also includes range rail interlock that moveable between two different lock and release positions. The range rail interlock is coupled to the creeper interlock such that when one of the range rails or the creeper rail is in the engaged position, the others are in their respective locked out positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2008
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Inventors: Aaron D Wikner, Thomas G. Ore
  • Publication number: 20120079906
    Abstract: A vehicle transmission comprises a locking mechanism selectively preventing an at least one shift drum disposed on a shift drum shaft from rotating. The locking mechanism is movable between a first position and a second position. When in the first position, the locking mechanism prevents the at least one shift drum from rotating in the first direction to engage a first locked position. When in the second position, the locking mechanism prevents the at least one shift drum from rotating in the second direction to engage a second locked position. The second locked position is sequentially before the first locked position in the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: BRP-POWERTRAIN GMBH & CO KG
    Inventors: Johann WILFLINGER, Patrick RAFFELSBERGER, Robert WAGNER, Andre GILBERT, Jean-Philippe HOULE
  • Publication number: 20120060635
    Abstract: A modular shift device for an automatic transmission having a first module adapted for pushbutton operation of the transmission's safety lockout, and a second module that when coupled to the first module, modifies operation of the transmission's safety lockout to that of shift shaft tilting and eliminates the pushbutton.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Inventor: Lawrence Andrew Hoffman
  • Publication number: 20110197697
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a vehicle shifter assembly having a retainer ring between a housing and an instrument panel or console. The retainer ring includes a fluid diverter system configured to guide fluid away from predetermined shifter assembly component(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2010
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Inventors: Donald Morrissett, Robert E. Meyer
  • Publication number: 20110132126
    Abstract: A shift module assembly for controlling the movement of a vehicle transmission out of a park condition responsive to a condition of the ignition system of the vehicle and responsive to a position of the vehicle brake pedal includes a moveable swing arm adapted to selectively control the condition of the vehicle transmission. The swing arm is in a park position when the vehicle transmission is in the park condition. The swing arm is locked in an immobile position by a solenoid operated armature shaft when the swing arm is placed in the park position. The armature shaft is in direct contact with said swing arm when said swing arm is in the locked position. The armature shaft releases the swing arm from the locked position upon actuation of the vehicle ignition system and depression of the vehicle brake pedal. The swing arm includes a stress line that will cause the swing arm to break along the stress line before the swing arm is moved out of the park position if excessive force is applied to the swing arm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2010
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Inventors: Wayne Avers, Steven Waldie, Greg Scout, Dan McCluskey, Jeff Adelmann, Joe Carano
  • Publication number: 20110126658
    Abstract: In a gear shaft mechanism is provided that includes, but is not limited to a gear stick passing through slots in a plate to operate a shifter mechanism to move control cables, The gear stick is not pivotally mounted and performs only translational movements. The shaft is fixed to a bar member that is constrained to slide in a first direction relative to a frame member and the frame member is arranged to slide relative to a fixed support in a second direction. The second direction is substantially perpendicular to the first direction. A first pivot is arranged to slide on the bar member and the mechanism further includes, but is not limited to a two-armed lever pivoted at the junction of its arms to a second pivot fixed to said fixed support, a first arm of the lever being pivotally connected to the first pivot. The control cables are respectively connected to a second arm of the lever and the frame member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventor: Marten WITTORF
  • Patent number: 7921746
    Abstract: An actuating device (1) for a technical system, especially for selecting gears of a shift-by-wire speed-change gear includes an actuating element (2) with at least two shift positions and a locking device (8). The locking device (8) has at least one actuator (7) driven with auxiliary energy and is used to reduce the shifting path of the actuating element (2) or to lock the actuating element (2). The actuator (7) has at least three different shifting states to make it possible to embody the necessary locking functions of the actuating lever with a reduced number of actuators and hence with a comparatively low design effort. Space, weight and costs can thus be saved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Andreas Giefer, Jörg Meyer
  • Patent number: 7913583
    Abstract: A transmission gear selector including a pivotal shift lever with a grip portion and an attachment structure that is operably coupled to an automatic transmission for shifting the transmission. A locking member pivots with the shift lever and is moveably engageable with an engagement surface that defines a park position detent. When the locking member is engaged with the park position detent, the shift lever cannot be moved out of the park position. The mechanical linkage includes a driver-operated member which, when actuated, causes the mechanical linkage assembly to bias the locking member out of engagement with the park position detent. A solenoid disposed within the grip portion is coupled with the mechanical linkage assembly and includes a plunger that can prevent the mechanical linkage from biasing the locking member out of the park position detent. An installation method for a gear selector is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Inventors: Tamara J. Reppuhn, Jason N. Wright, Bernard J. Emmendorfer, Frank R. Keipert, Richard P. Nash, Michael C. Vermeersch
  • Patent number: 7832303
    Abstract: An automatic transmission includes a gear lever mounted at the interior of a vehicle, a manual control lever connected to the gear lever via a gear cable, a position detecting unit for detecting the position of the manual control lever when a gear-shifting operation is performed, and a position fixing unit disposed between the manual control lever and the position detecting unit for fixing the manual control lever at an assembly reference position. The manual control lever is fixed at the assembly reference position by the position fixing unit. As a result, the manual control lever is not directly fixed to the position detecting unit, and therefore, there is no necessity for moving the position detecting unit. Consequently, interference between the manual control lever and other components is prevented, and the manual control lever is easily assembled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Hyuk Bin Kwon
  • Publication number: 20100269620
    Abstract: A parking brake apparatus may include a parking brake actuator that has a housing that is fixed to a transmission case and a piston including a piston rod, wherein the piston is mounted in the housing to reciprocate along the housing, a lever pivotally coupled to the transmission case, wherein one end portion of the lever is pivotally connected to the piston rod, a sprag rod that is pivotally connected to the other end portion of the lever, and an operational elastic member that is disposed around a rotary shaft of the lever and elastically supports the lever in one rotational direction against the transmission case, wherein the rotary shaft is rotatably coupled to the transmission case.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2009
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Applicant: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Wooyeol KIM
  • Publication number: 20100242658
    Abstract: The invention relates to a gearshifting device (1; 100; 200), which is intended for a transmission and comprises a selector lever (2) that can be moved in such a manner that different shift positions (P, R, N, D, S, M+, M?) can be selected in at least two gearshift gates (3, 4) and that it is possible to shift between one of the gearshift gates (3, 4) and the at least one other gearshift gate (4, 3), and comprises at least one lock (5), which is used to block the traversing path of the selector lever (2) with respect to one of the gearshift gates (3, 4), in order to shift from one of the shift positions (P, R, N, D, S) into another of the shift positions (P, R, N, D, S).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: ECS Engineered Control Systems AG
    Inventor: Wolfgang Pätzold
  • Publication number: 20100242657
    Abstract: A dual clutch transmission includes: shift rail members having shift lug portions and performing, by actuating shift fork members, a shifting-in operation and a shifting-out operation; a shift select member having an arm portion and, after selecting the shift lug portion of the shift rail member corresponding to a target forward gear stage by moving the arm portion in a select direction, operating the shift rail member by moving the arm portion to perform the shifting-in operation or the shifting-out operation of the target forward gear stage. A movement direction of the arm portion for the shifting-in operation of a higher forward gear stage next higher than one of the forward gear stages except for the highest gear stage and the lowest gear stage is opposite to a movement direction of the arm portion for the shifting-in operation of a lower forward gear stage next lower than the one of the forward gear stages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Inventors: Masanori SHINTANI, Hiroshi Nozaki
  • Patent number: 7793562
    Abstract: Transmissions in which the mechanical gear shift arrangements are replaced by electro-hydraulic operated shift mechanisms that have to be able to be neutralised positively to ensure a proper operation. An arrangement and method are provided to determine the position of the shift rail so a shift can be made only if the conditions are right. To prevent engagement of two shift members at the same time and consequent damage in case of electronic failure, mechanical safety features such as detents are included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc
    Inventors: Jeffrey F. Birkel, Stuart J. Walker
  • Publication number: 20100218634
    Abstract: A shift drive mechanism for a multi-speed transmission in which a shift rod can be stably maintained at a desired fixed position without the need for an intermittent drive mechanism and which is small in size and low in cost. The shift drive mechanism for a multi-speed transmission includes a shift guide groove G formed in a shift drum so as to guide a shift pin moved in the axial direction together with the shift rod. Each of gear speed groove portions Gs is formed at axial-direction positions determined on a gear speed basis and directing the shift pin only to the circumferential direction or not moving the shift pin in the axial direction attendant on turning of the shift drum is set to be longer than the distance the shift drum travels idly from the moment of stop of driving of a shift actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2009
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinya MATUSMOTO, Osamu Nishioka
  • Publication number: 20100212447
    Abstract: A shifting device is provided for a vehicle transmission with a selector lever pivotable within a shifting device housing about at least one axis of rotation for selecting gears defined within the vehicle transmission. A shift position of the selector lever is assigned to at least one gear. A locking device for the individual shift positions of the selector lever can be released as a function of given general data of the state of motor vehicle components such as the pedal mechanism and the engine. The locking device has a locking element displaceable by the selector lever analogously to the individual shift positions of the selector lever. The locking element has a plurality of locking devices, which correspond to the individual shift positions and which can be brought into a locking position and an unlocking position by at least one actuating device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2006
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Inventors: Andreas Giefer, Jörg Meyer
  • Publication number: 20100186531
    Abstract: A cover structure of an actuator is provided in which a case of the actuator, which houses a conversion mechanism that converts input energy to mechanical motion, has a metal cover fastening portion and a cover member to which a metal fastening part that is fastened to the cover fastening portion is integrally attached. The cover member is formed by a metal cover portion and a resin cover portion. The metal cover portion has a center portion that covers part of the conversion mechanism, and an extended portion that extends from the center portion to the area near the metal fastening part so as to oppose the cover fastening portion. In this way, a vehicular power transmitting apparatus that discourages theft is provided by realizing an actuator with a strong cover fastening structure by making the fastening portion of the actuator be able to withstand intentionally inflicted damage without its weight being increased much.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2008
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takeshi Miyagawa, Takanao Sugiura, Mamoru Moriyama
  • Publication number: 20100186532
    Abstract: A gearshift interlock is provided including a first shift block operatively associated with at least one first synchronized gear. The first shift block has a detent and is movable between neutral and actuated positions. A second shift block is operatively associated with at least one second synchronized gear. The second shift block has a detent and is movable between neutral and actuated positions. A lockout member is provided wherein movement of one of the shift blocks from its neutral position toward its actuated position causes the shift block to urge the lockout member to engage the detent of the other one of the shift blocks. At least an outer surface of the lockout member has a hardness within a predetermined range, and each of the first and second shift blocks is hardened so as to impart a hardness within the predetermined range to at least a portion of the shift block.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Inventor: Brian K. Stefina
  • Patent number: 7762154
    Abstract: A synchromesh automatic transmission includes a lug lock portion which is engaged with a shift lug separately from a shift finger and enables a shift fork to be controlled so as to be located at a neutral position, a shift selector mechanism which achieves a target shift stage by engaging the shift finger with the shift lug of the shift fork corresponding to the target shift stage and displacing this shift fork in a shift direction, and an interlock mechanism which controls a shift fork that is different from the target shift stage so as to be located at a neutral position by displacing the lug lock portion following movement of the shift finger in a selection direction and engaging this lug lock portion with the shift lug of the shift fork that is different from the target shift stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Mitsubishi Jidosha Engineering Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Murakami, Hiroki Yamaura, Katsuhiro Komori, Koji Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 7749135
    Abstract: The interlock system includes a shaft that defines a longitudinal axis which the shaft rotates about during transmission shift operations. A transmission shift lever is coupled to the shaft, and an inhibitor pin is coupled to the ignition switch by a cable. The inhibitor pin engages the transmission shift lever to prevent shift operations when the ignition switch is in the off position. The inhibitor pin disengages the transmission shift lever when the ignition switch is positioned in the accessory position or a start/run position. The shaft includes a recess into which the inhibitor pin extends when the shaft is in the neutral or drive position to permit disconnection of the accessory circuit by moving the ignition switch to a mid position (between the off position and the accessory position) without placing the shaft in the park position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael C. Vermeersch, Gregory P. Ruth