Abstract: A lock release apparatus includes a gear shift lever assembly including a gear shift lever having a plurality of positions including a parking position, and a detent mechanism shiftable into a detent position wherein said gear shift lever is allowed to move out of the parking position. A lock bushing is supported on the gear shift lever, and has a lock position in which the detent mechanism is prevented from shifting into the detent position and a lock release position in which the detent mechanism is allowed to shift into the detent position. A manual lock release rod is accommodated in a casing secured to the gear shift lever. A screw is fitted into an opening of the casing to prevent an access to the manual lock release, and covered by a lid. The screw is engaged with and disengaged from the opening by using a tool.

Abstract: A shift device for an automatic transmission of an automobile includes an indicator box affixed to the automobile floor. The indicator box has, in part, a wavy surface and a shift lever which is moved back and forth about an axle by an operator of the automobile. A spring-biased check ball is resiliently held in contact with the wavy surface of the indicator box, and is moved back and forth with respect to the axle in correspondence with motion of the shift lever. The position of the shift lever is regulated by the wavy surface of the indicator box and an indicator is visually provided, so that the shift lever stops accurately at positions of the indicator without needing adjustment during assembly of the selected shift device in a manufacturing assembly line.

Abstract: A shift-lock device has a locking member associated with a projection member to engage with the locking member for establishing locking engagement. One of the locking member and the projection member is rigidly connected to a selector of an automatic power transmission and the other is rigidly secured to a stationary member in the vehicular body. The locking member is normally and resiliently biased toward locking direction for establishing locking engagement with the projection member. The locking member is associated with a lock release actuator which is electrically operable and active for a predetermined period only when a predetermined safety condition is established.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a shift position indicating device for use with a shift lever. The device comprises a plastic case; a light conductive structure including a horizontal wall and a vertical wall which are integrally connected with each other, the horizontal wall having an indicating outer surface on which first and second groups of projections are integrally formed, the vertical wall having a rounded cut formed in a lower edge thereof, the light conductive structure being substantially embedded within a wall of the plastic case having the indicating outer surface of the horizontal wall exposed to the outside of the plastic case and having the lower edge of the vertical wall exposed to an interior of the plastic case; a pointer located within the plastic case below the horizontal wall of the light conductive structure, the pointer being movable with the shift lever; and a light source installed in the plastic case near the rounded cut of the verical wall.

Abstract: A shift lever control device is disclosed which comprises a pivot structure for permitting a shift lever to pivot in both first and second directions which are perpendicular to each other; a bracket which is pivotal together with the shift lever in the first direction and has a mounting portion; a cam plate rotatably mounted on the mounting portion and engaged with the shift lever so that when the shift lever pivots in the second direction, the cam plate is rotated on the mounting portion; a check structure for making the rotational movement of the cam plate in a snap action manner; a structure defining a cam surface on a periphery of the cam plate; and a single switch having a sensor pin which slidably contacts with the cam surface of the cam plate, so that the switch selectively assumes ON and OFF conditions in response to the rotational movement of the cam plate.

Abstract: A shift lever control device is disclosed. A cranked guide slot is defined along which a shift lever is slidably moved. The guide slot includes at least one elongate part and a shorter terminal part which extends in a given direction perpendicular to the elongate part. The shift lever is pivotal in a universal direction and biased in a direction opposite to the given direction. A pivot latch member is located near a joint portion between the elongate part and the shorter terminal part of the guide slot. The pivot latch member has a guide recess formed therein and is pivotal between a first given position wherein an enclosed space is defined by the shorter terminal part of the cranked guide slot and the guide recess of the pivot latch member and a second given position wherein the guide recess of the latch member is open to the elongate part of the cranked guide slot.

Abstract: In an automatic transmission shift control device, a rocking lever and a second biasing unit are provided for holding a selector lever in a shiftable condition when the selector lever is in one of the gear positions other than a parking position. A first biasing unit is provided for holding the selector lever in a locked condition when the selector lever is in the parking position. A solenoid is provided for releasing the selector lever from a locked condition when energized. The solenoid is energized only when a brake pedal is fully depressed under a condition where an ignition key is in an "ON" position and the selector lever is in the park position.

Abstract: To reduce the longitudinal dimension of a multirange shift lever device for an automatic transmission, a guide plate is formed with a shift lever guide slot extending in both longitudinal and lateral directions of the vehicle, the shift lever pivotal motion in the longitudinal direction is directly transmitted via a pivotal motion transmitting mechanism (e.g. shaft) linked with the shift lever and that in the lateral direction is converted into the longitudinal direction pivotal motion by a pivotal motion converting mechanism (e.g. cam groove) linked with the shift lever.

Abstract: A shift lever unit is disclosed, which comprises a shift lever; a housing of plastic having an upper cover portion, the upper cover portion being formed with a slot through which the shift lever passes; a position mark plate of transparent plastic mounted on the upper cover portion, the position mark plate having a plurality of position marks on an upper surface thereof; a light blocking layer covering the upper surface of the position mark plate except the positions where the position marks are located; a light source installed in the housing; a light conductive member of transparent plastic, the light conductive member including a horizontal part whose leading end is formed with a first light reflecting surface and located behind the position mark plate, a vertical part which is formed with a rounded recess from which the light rays from the light source enter the vertical part, and a jointed part at which the horizontal and vertical parts are jointed, the jointed part being formed with a second light refle