Solenoid system for, for example, a brake/shift interlock for vehicular transmission control

In combination, a solenoid and a connecting, substantially inelastic line;

• said solenoid including
• a housing having an end wall with an opening through it,
• a solenoid coil assembly fixedly positioned in said housing and having a hollow core,
• a solenoid plunger having an end adjacent to said end wall and being axially movable in the hollow core of said coil assembly toward and away from said end wall, said solenoid plunger having a stepped, axial opening through it, with said connecting line extending through said axial opening in said plunger and through the opening in said end wall and having a laterally extended element engaging the stepped portion of said axial opening, causing said connecting lie and said plunger to move in unison as said plunger moves toward said end wall due to the stepped engagement between said laterally extended element and said plunger, said plunger being in interfacing engagement with said connecting line for reciprocation in unison relative to said solenoid housing, and
• a spring member located between said end wall and said step portion biasing said plunger and said laterally extended element away from said end wall.

In combination, a solenoid and a connecting, substantially inelastic line;

• said solenoid including
• a housing,
• a coil assembly fixedly positioned in said housing and having a hollow core,
• a plunger axially movable in the hollow core of said coil assembly, said plunger having a stepped, axial opening through it with said connecting line extending through said axial opening in said plunger and having a laterally extended element engaging the stepped portion of said axial opening, causing said connecting line and said plunger to move in unison due to the stepped engagement between said laterally extended element and said plunger, said plunger being in interfacing engagement with said connecting line for reciprocation in unison relative to said solenoid housing, said substantially inelastic line being a cable, and said laterally extended element being a mushroom-shaped button member affixed to said cable.

In combination, a solenoid and a connecting, substantially inelastic line;

• said solenoid including
• a housing having an end wall with an opening through it,
• a solenoid coil assembly fixedly positioned in said housing and having a hollow core,
• a solenoid plunger having an end adjacent to said end wall and being axially movable in the hollow core of said coil assembly toward and way from said end wall, said solenoid plunger having a stepped, axial opening through it, with said connecting line extending through said axial opening in said plunger and through the opening in said end wall and having a laterally extended element engaging the stepped portion of said axial opening, causing said connecting line and said plunger to move in unison as said plunger moves toward said end wall due to the stepped engagement between said laterally extended element and said plunger, said plunger being in interfacing engagement with said connecting line for reciprocation in unison relative to said solenoid housing, said plunger being positioned and constituted with respect to said solenoid coil assembly to cause it to move away from said end wall when said solenoid coil assembly is energized.

A method of manufacturing a solenoid actuating device which applies a tensioning force through a substantially inelastic connecting line on a member to be acutated, for example, a brake/interlock member, which solenoid actuating device includes

• a solenoid having a housing with a solenoid coil assembly with a hollow core with an axially movable, solenoid plunger located in the hollow core with the solenoid having an overall axial opening through it, and
• a substantially inelastic connecting line which is to extend through the overall axial opening and be engaged with the plunger for some common movement with the plunger in unison, comprising the following steps:
• (a) utilizing a solenoid design having
• an overall axial opening through it from end to end with a relatively larger lateral dimension at its end distal to the plunger and a relatively smaller lateral dimension at its other end, with the plunger itself having an axial opening through it forming part of the overall axial opening through the solenoid, but having a relatively smaller lateral dimension in comparison to said larger lateral dimension somewhere along its length forming a seat, the overall axial opening from the seat to the distal end of the solenoid having at least the relatively larger lateral dimension of said plunger, and
• a spring member located between said plunger and the other, smaller lateral dimensioned of said axial opening providing at least part of said tensioning force;
• (b) completely assembling together the solenoid, including the spring member, coil assembly, plunger and housing with the overall axial opening through the solenoid and the axial opening through the plunger being in-line, with the spring member being positioned between said plunger and said other end of the solenoid, and with the smaller lateral dimension of the seat being exposed to the exterior of the solenoid by the larger dimension being present from the distal end of the solenoid all the way to the seat;
• (c) utilizing a substantially inelastic member having a laterally extended member affixed to the line and having a relatively short length in the axial extent of the connecting line, the laterally extended member having a lateral dimension greater than the relatively smaller lateral dimension of the seat but effectively less than said relatively larger lateral dimension;
• and
• (d) after step "b" inserting the connecting line through the overall axial opening of the solenoid from the distal end of the solenoid, allowing the laterally extended member to contact and interfacingly engage the seat of the solenoid plunger.