# US 2017/0321798 A1 · Gearshift device for a vehicle transmission and method for determining a selector lever position in a gearshift device for a vehicle transmission > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0321798 A1 - Document ID: US20170321798A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/535,192 - Filed: 2015-11-10 - Published: 2017-11-09 - Earliest claimed: 2014-12-12 - Assignees: ZF Friedrichshafen AG - Applicants: ZF Friedrichshafen AG - Inventors: Vitali Fribus; Alexander Kirilenko; Karsten Straßburg; Sascha Tränkner; Ludger Rake - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170321798A1 ## CPC - F16H 59/044: {consisting of electrical switches or sensors} - F16H 59/0204: {for automatic transmissions with means for range selection and manual shifting, e.g. range selector with tiptronic} - F16H 59/105: {consisting of electrical switches or sensors} - F16H 61/0213: {characterised by the method for generating shift signals} - G01B 11/14: for measuring distance or clearance between spaced objects or spaced apertures (G01B11/26 takes precedence; rangefinders G01C3/00) - G01D 5/26: characterised by optical transfer means, i.e. using infrared, visible, or ultraviolet light - G05G 1/04: Controlling members for hand actuation by pivoting movement, e.g. levers - F16H 2059/026: {Details or special features of the selector casing or lever support} - F16H: GEARING - G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS - G01D: MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G05G: CONTROL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS INSOFAR AS CHARACTERISED BY MECHANICAL FEATURES ONLY ("Bowden" or like mechanisms F16C1/10; gearings or mechanisms not peculiar to this purpose F16H; speed changing or reversing mechanisms for gearings conveying rotary motion F16H59/00 - F16H63/00) ## Abstract The disclosure relates to a shifting device for a vehicle transmission. The shifting device comprises a gearshift lever for selecting a transmission setting of the vehicle transmission, wherein the gearshift lever can move along at least one first shift gate and one second shift gate, a marking element mechanically coupled to the gearshift lever, having at least one first marking line dedicated to the first shift gate and one second marking line dedicated to the second shift gate, a guide assembly, which is configured to guide the marking element along the first marking line to a detection position when the gearshift lever is moved along the first shift gate, and to move the marking element along the second marking line to the detection position when the gearshift lever is moved along the second shift gate, and lastly, a detection device, which is disposed at the detection position and is configured to create a movement signal representing a movement of the first marking line and/or the second marking line in relation to the detection position, in order to determine a position of the gearshift lever in the first shift gate and/or the second shift gate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A shifting device for a vehicle transmission, the shifting device comprising: a gearshift lever for selecting a transmission setting, wherein the gearshift lever can move along a first shift gate and one second shift gate; a marking element mechanically coupled to the gearshift lever, having a first marking line dedicated to the first shift gate and one second marking line dedicated to the second shift gate; a guide assembly configured to guide the marking element to a detection position along the first marking line when the gearshift lever is moved along the first shift gate, and guide the marking element to the detection position along the second marking line when the gearshift lever is moved along the second shift gate; and a detection device disposed at the detection position and configured to create a movement signal representing a movement of the first marking line or the second marking line in relation to the detection position in order to determine a position of the gearshift lever in the first shift gate or the second shift gate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The shifting device according to claim 1, further comprising an evaluation device, which is configured to determine a speed of the movement of the first marking line or the second marking line on the basis of the movement signal, to determine a distance traveled on the first marking line or the second marking line as a function of the speed, and to determine the position of the gearshift lever in the first shift gate or the second shift gate as a function of the distance. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The shifting device according to claim 1, wherein the first marking line has numerous different markings for marking predetermined positions of the gearshift lever in the first shift gate, and the second marking line has numerous different markings for marking predetermined positions of the gearshift lever in the second shift gate, wherein the detection device is configured to create the movement signal on the basis of the markings on the first marking line, and on the basis of the markings on the second marking line. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The shifting device according to claim 3, wherein the first marking line has numerous spacing lines of different lengths for marking a respective spacing between the markings on the first marking line, and the second marking line has numerous spacing lines of different lengths for marking a respective spacing between the markings on the second marking line, wherein the detection device is configured to also create the movement signal on the basis of the spacing lines on the first marking line and the spacing lines on the second marking line. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The shifting device according to claim 4, wherein the first marking line has a first middle position marking for marking a middle position of the gearshift lever in the first shift gate, and the second marking line has a second middle position marking for marking a middle position of the gearshift lever in the second shift gate, wherein a respective length of the spacing lines on the first marking line represents a respective spacing of the spacing line to the first middle position marking, and a respective length of the spacing lines on the second marking line represents a respective spacing of the spacing line to the second middle position marking. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The shifting device according to claim 1, wherein the gearshift lever is disposed such that it can move along a changing gate in order to change between the first shift gate and the second shift gate, wherein the marking element has a third middle position marking dedicated to the changing gate, wherein the guide assembly is configured to guide the marking element to the detection position along the third marking line when the gearshift lever is moved along the changing gate, and wherein the detection device is configured to create a movement signal representing a movement of the third marking line in relation to the detection position, in order to determine a position of the gearshift lever in the changing gate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The shifting device according to claim 6, wherein the third marking line is substantially oriented perpendicular to the first marking line and to the second marking line. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The shifting device according to claim 1, further comprising a housing base part, a housing insert disposed in the housing base part, and a crosspiece, which is pivotably disposed in the housing insert, in order to move the gearshift lever between the first shift gate and the second shift gate, wherein the gearshift lever is pivotably disposed in the crosspiece, in order to be moved along the first shift gate and the second shift gate, and wherein the crosspiece is mechanically coupled to the guide assembly, in order to change a position of the guide assembly in relation to the detection position when the gearshift lever is moved between the first shift gate and the second shift gate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The shifting device according to claim 1, wherein a main plane of extension of the marking element is disposed substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the gearshift lever. ### Claim 10 A method for determining a gearshift lever position in a shifting device for a vehicle transmission, wherein the shifting device has a gearshift lever for selecting a transmission setting, a marking element mechanically coupled to the gearshift lever, a guide assembly, and a detection device disposed at the detection position, wherein the gearshift lever can move along a first shift gate and a second shift gate, and the marking element has a first marking line dedicated to the first shift gate and a second marking line dedicated to the second shift gate, wherein the method comprises the following steps: guiding the marking element to the detection position by the guide assembly, wherein the marking element is guided along the first marking line when the gearshift lever is moved along the first shift gate, and is guided along the second marking line when the gearshift lever is moved along the second shift gate; and creation of a movement signal representing a movement of the first marking line or the second marking line in relation to the detection position by the detection device, in order to determine a position of the gearshift lever in the first shift gate or the second shift gate. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A system comprising a computer mouse sensor system as the detection device in a shifting device according to claim 1. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The shifting device according to claim 1, wherein the first marking line has numerous different markings for marking predetermined positions of the gearshift lever in the first shift gate, and the second marking line has numerous different markings for marking predetermined positions of the gearshift lever in the second shift gate, wherein the detection device is configured to create the movement signal on the basis of the markings on the first marking line, or on the basis of the markings on the second marking line. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The shifting device according to claim 12, wherein the first marking line has numerous spacing lines of different lengths for marking a respective spacing between the markings on the first marking line, and the second marking line has numerous spacing lines of different lengths for marking a respective spacing between the markings on the second marking line, wherein the detection device is configured to also create the movement signal on the basis of the spacing lines on the first marking line or the spacing lines on the second marking line. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The shifting device according to claim 13, wherein the first marking line has a first middle position marking for marking a middle position of the gearshift lever in the first shift gate, and the second marking line has a second middle position marking for marking a middle position of the gearshift lever in the second shift gate, wherein a respective length of the spacing lines on the first marking line represents a respective spacing of the spacing line to the first middle position marking, or a respective length of the spacing lines on the second marking line represents a respective spacing of the spacing line to the second middle position marking. ### Claim 15 (depends on 6) The shifting device according to claim 6, wherein the third marking line is substantially oriented perpendicular to the first marking line or to the second marking line. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The shifting device according to claim 1, further comprising a housing base part, a housing insert disposed in the housing base part, and a crosspiece, which is pivotably disposed in the housing insert, in order to move the gearshift lever between the first shift gate and the second shift gate, wherein the gearshift lever is pivotably disposed in the crosspiece, in order to be moved along the first shift gate or the second shift gate, and wherein the crosspiece is mechanically coupled to the guide assembly, in order to change a position of the guide assembly in relation to the detection position when the gearshift lever is moved between the first shift gate and the second shift gate. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising determining a distance traveled on the first marking line as a function of a speed of a movement of the first marking line, wherein the speed of the movement of the first marking line is determined on the basis of the movement signal. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising determining the position of the gearshift lever in the first shift gate as a function of the distance traveled on the first marking line. ### Claim 19 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising determining a distance traveled on the second marking line as a function of a speed of a movement of the second marking line, wherein the speed of the movement of the second marking line is determined on the basis of the movement signal. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising determining the position of the gearshift lever in the second shift gate as a function of the distance traveled on the second marking line.