VEHICLE SHIFT MODULE ASSEMBLY
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. In addition, the swing arm is capable of both rotational and rocking movement about a common pivot point.
This is a continuation application of Ser. No. 12/187,047 filed Aug. 6, 2008, currently pending, entitled, “Vehicle Shift Module Assembly” for which priority is claimed to the extent allowed by law and which is incorporated herein by reference
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates to a shift module assembly having an interlock prohibiting movement of a vehicle's shifting arm and transmission out of a park position until the vehicle brake is depressed and the ignition system is turned on, and prevents removal of the ignition key unless the gear shift selector arm is in the park position. The interlock is located on the shift module directly adjacent the swing arm controlling the condition of the transmission.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONSafety mechanisms which prohibit vehicles from moving when the operator is not in control of the vehicle are very important. Often times, these safety mechanisms are overly complicated and require many electronic and mechanical moving parts. It is also difficult to incorporate these safety mechanisms into existing modular and compact vehicle components. This creates a problem because of the tendency for overly complicated and widely dispersed mechanical parts that require maintenance or fail completely.
Therefore, it is necessary for these safety mechanisms to be as simple and effective as possible. However, presently available devices do not deploy a control mechanism attached directly to the shift module that applies a positive mechanical stop mechanism against the shift swing arm, thus physically preventing movement of the swing arm out of the park position until the brake foot pedal is depressed and the ignition key is in the “on” position. Also, previous devices utilize cumbersome non-integral mechanisms that prevent removal of the ignition key when the manual shift lever is in one of the other vehicle operating positions, such as drive, neutral or reverse. In addition, previous shift module devices can be physically forced out of the park position, thereby jeopardizing the safety of the vehicle. These prior devices are also difficult to install on existing vehicles, and to repair, and involve the cooperative function of several parts attached to diverse and distant parts of the vehicle. In addition, a safety solenoid interlock that keeps a vehicle in a park condition until the brake pedal is depressed must be sturdy enough to withstand years of constant use, and be simple enough to require little or no maintenance. The shift module disclosed herein packages the shifting and brake release functions all in one, small, integrated compact unit which has minimal moving parts.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention provides a safety solenoid shaft positive interlock mounted directly adjacent a shift module swing arm that maintains a vehicle shift lever in the park position until the brake pedal is depressed. At the same time, the shift module assembly is simple in construction and operation, and requires little or no maintenance.
A mounting bracket allows the shift module assembly and its solenoid locking mechanism to be mounted directly to the steering column of the vehicle as an integral compact unit. The shift module assembly allows regular operator manual shifting between park, drive, reverse, and neutral, and communicates the operator's request to the vehicle's transmission through a bishop head pin attached to a transmission shift control rod. The shift module assembly includes a solenoid armature shaft movable to a position in contact with a swing arm of the shift module assembly, precluding movement of the shifting lever out of the park position until the vehicle ignition is on and the brake pedal is depressed by the operator. This provides a compact unit that prevents accidental shifting into neutral drive or reverse while the vehicle transmission is in the park condition. The shift lever is physically locked in place by an solenoid armature shaft mounted on the same mounting bracket as the swing arm, and the armature shaft retracts when the brake pedal is depressed. A further safety mechanism in the shift module is a switch integral with the solenoid housing, which switch is actuated by the shift lever to keep the vehicle's ignition key from being removed unless the vehicle is in the park condition. Another unique feature of the present invention is the configuration of the swing arm of the shift module assembly that causes the swing arm to break off from the shift module assembly if an operator attempts to use excessive force to move the shift lever out of park without first depressing the brake pedal.
Certain examples of the present invention are illustrated by the accompanying figures. It should be understood that the figures are not necessarily to scale and that details that are not necessary for an understanding of the invention or that render other details difficult to perceive may be omitted. It should be understood as well that the invention is not necessarily limited to the particular examples illustrated herein.
Referring to
The end 30 of swing arm 14 opposite end 26 includes an adjustable diameter aperture 32 that is adapted to receive and hold end 34 of manually operated shift lever. 36 (
Referring to
As seen in
Referring to
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The end of pivot bolt 16 opposite threaded portion 88 comprises a relatively thick shaft 94 having a hemispherical end 96. As seen in
Referring to
Referring to
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Referring to
When fully assembled for operation, as seen in
As stated previously, solenoid assembly 106 is bolted to mounting bracket 12 by solenoid housing mounting brackets 107, 109 (
To operate the transmission shift module 10, assembled as described above, the vehicle operator manually manipulates shift lever 36 to select the desired transmission gear condition. When it is desired to place the vehicle transmission in a drive condition, or one of several forward drive conditions, shift lever 36 is placed in a selected position shown by indicators visible in the cab of the vehicle, as is known in the art. As lever 36 is moved between one or more of the drive conditions, or into a neutral position, swing arm 14 rotates about pivot bolt 16, and surface 49 of gate contact flange 48 (
To place the vehicle and the transmission in the park condition, and prevent movement of the wheels of the vehicle, the shift lever 36 is manipulated to rotate swing arm 14 slightly further, and the swing arm is simultaneously manipulated in a rocking motion such that surface 49 of gate contact flange 48 slides onto ramp surface 76 and then onto flat surface 77 of gate plate 28. Further rotation of swing arm 14 about pivot bolt 16 places shift module 10 in the park position, wherein gate contact flange 48 has dropped off of flat surface 77 and has moved in the direction indicated by arrow 148 in
When in the park position as described, support bracket 52 of swing arm 14 extends through wide opening 62, as underside surface 49 of flange 48 engages flat surface 74 of gate plate 28, and locking and switch actuator assembly 50 simultaneously extends through wide opening 62 of connecting bracket 12 and into chamber 122 of solenoid housing 112 (FIGS. 4,5). As seen in
To remove swing arm 14 from the park position shown in
If the vehicle loses all electrical power, armature 110 will be in its default, or extended position shown in
The shift module 10 provides another safety feature that prevents manipulation of the shift module out of the park position when the ignition is off, or the ignition is on but the brake pedal is not depressed. As seen in
The foregoing description of an illustrated embodiment of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. The description was selected to best explain the principles of the invention and practical application of these principles to enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention not be limited by the specification, but be defined by the claims set forth below.
Claims
1. 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, comprising:
- a moveable swing arm adapted to selectively control the condition of the vehicle transmission;
- said swing arm adapted to be in a park position when said vehicle transmission is in said park condition;
- said swing arm being locked in an immobile position by a solenoid operated armature shaft when said swing arm is placed in said park position, said armature shaft in direct contact with said swing arm when said swing arm is in said locked position;
- said armature shaft adapted to release said swing arm from said locked position upon actuation of said vehicle ignition system and depression of said vehicle brake pedal.
2. The shift module assembly of claim 1, wherein:
- said swing arm is adapted to be maintained in said locked position in one of said conditions when said vehicle ignition system is in an off position, and when said vehicle ignition system is in an on position and said vehicle brake pedal is not depressed.
3. The shift module assembly of claim 1, wherein: said swing arm is adapted to be released from movement when said vehicle ignition system is in an on condition and said vehicle brake pedal is depressed.
4. The shift module assembly of claim 1, further comprising:
- a mounting bracket adapted to mount the shift module to a stationary portion of the vehicle;
- the swing arm pivotally mounted for movement relative to said mounting bracket, said swing arm capable of rotational movement and rocking movement relative to said mounting bracket.
5. (canceled)
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10. (canceled)
11. (canceled)
12. (canceled)
13. (canceled)
14. (canceled)
15. (canceled)
16. (canceled)
17. The shift module assembly of claim 1, wherein:
- said swing arm is connected to a manually operable shift lever adapted to move said swing arm into and out of said park condition of said vehicle transmission.
18. (canceled)
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20. (canceled)
21. The shift module assembly of claim 1, wherein:
- said stationary portion of said vehicle is the steering column of the vehicle.
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25. (canceled)
26. 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 comprising:
- a mounting bracket adapted to be attached to a stationary portion of said vehicle;
- a movable swing arm pivotally mounted to said mounting bracket, said swing arm adapted to selectively control the condition of the vehicle transmission;
- the swing arm capable of both rotational movement and rocking movement relative to said mounting bracket.
27. The shift module assembly of claim 26, wherein;
- said swing arm moves in a rocking motion to enable the swing arm to move the vehicle transmission out of the park condition.
28. (canceled)
29. (canceled)
30. (canceled)
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 7, 2010
Publication Date: Jun 9, 2011
Inventors: Wayne Avers (Northville, MI), Steven Waldie (Brighton, MI), Greg Scout (Temperance, MI), Dan McCluskey (Harrison Township, MI), Jeff Adelmann (Livonia, MI), Joe Carano (South Lyon, MI)
Application Number: 12/962,549
International Classification: F16H 59/02 (20060101);