Shifter assembly having a pivot mechanism

A shifter assembly for changing gears in a vehicle transmission, said shifter assembly comprising:

• a housing;
• a shift lever pivotally mounted to said housing and movable in a first gate along a first plurality of shift paths, a second gate along a second plurality of shift paths, and a bridge gate between said first and second gates with said gates being different from each other;
• a first pivot mechanism mounted to said shift lever to permit movement of said shift lever relative to said housing about a first pivot axis within one of said gates;
• a gimbal ring having an outer surface and an inner surface defining an aperture with said gimbal ring disposed about and coupled to said shift lever with said shift lever extending through said aperture;
• and
• a second pivot mechanism mounted to said gimbal ring to permit movement of said shift lever relative to said housing about a second pivot axis within another one of said gates, said second pivot axis being spaced from said first pivot axis;
• said gimbal ring having a pair of pivot receivers recessed from said inner surface and spaced from said outer surface with each of said pivot receivers closed from said outer surface of said gimbal ring and having a receiver bearing surface, with said first pivot mechanism of said shift lever engaging each of said pivot receivers to pivotally couple said shift lever to said gimbal ring and said first pivot mechanism cooperating with said receiver bearing surfaces to allow movement of said shift lever about said first pivot axis;
• wherein said first pivot mechanism includes a pair of opposing pivot keys each having a key bearing surface with said key bearing surfaces cooperating with said receiver bearing surfaces to facilitate said movement of said shift lever about said first pivot axis;
• and
• wherein said key bearing surface and said receiver bearing surface each have a tapered profile.