Shift switching device
AssigneesToyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho
InventorsDaisuke Kato, Hideaki Hayakawa, Haruyuki Kodera, Kazumi Endo, Yusuke Nakade, Atsushi Kamada
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A shift device is provided with a shift lever, a parking switch, and a neutral switch. A transmission is switched to a range, in which the transmission of driving force to driving wheels of a vehicle is started, by the shift lever being operated in two or more directions from a home position and arriving at a specific position. The transmission is switched to a range, in which the transmission of driving force to the driving wheels of the vehicle is interrupted, by the parking switch and the neutral switch being operated in one direction.
Claims11
A shift switching device that outputs a signal for switching shift modes in a transmission of a vehicle in accordance with operation of an operation lever and a switch that are operated in different manners, wherein the shift switching device:
- outputs a signal for switching the shift mode to a drive mode or a reverse mode when recognizing that the operation lever has been operated in a plurality of directions from the home position to a drive position or a reverse position, and automatically returns to the home position when the operation lever is released from an operation force applied to the operation lever;
- includes a parking switch and a neutral switch as the switch;
- outputs a signal for switching the shift mode to a parking mode when recognizing that the parking switch has been operated in fewer directions than the plurality of directions;
- and
- outputs a signal for switching the shift mode to a neutral mode when recognizing that the neutral switch has been operated in fewer directions than the plurality of directions.
A shift switching device for use with a vehicle including a drive wheel, wherein the shift switching device outputs a signal for switching shift modes of a transmission operated in a plurality of modes including a mode for cutting transmission of power to the drive wheel and a mode for transmitting power to the drive wheel, the shift switching device comprising:
- a shift panel including a gate provided with a plurality of mode designation positions;
- a shift lever movable along the gate, wherein the shift lever automatically returns to the home position when operation force applied to the shift lever is released;
- and
- a push type operation member separated from the shift lever and associated with the mode that cuts the transmission of power to the drive wheel;
- wherein the plurality of mode designation positions of the gate include a drive start designation position selected when starting the transmission of power to the drive wheel to which power is not being transmitted, the drive start designation position is located at a position that the shift lever reaches when moved from the home position in two or more directions, and the push type operation member includes a parking switch and a neutral switch.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.