Manual transmission shifter assembly with reverse inhibitor
AssigneeNew Venture Gear, Inc.
InventorGeorge A. Parsons
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A shifter assembly is disclosed for use with a manually-operated multiple-speed ratio transmission. The shifter assembly includes a tower housing fixed to the transmission casing, and a shift lever operably coupled to the gearshift mechanism housed within the transmission casing and which is supported for movement within the housing under the control of a vehicle operator. A shift inhibitor device is located within the housing and is operable for inhibiting movement of the shift lever from the highest forward gear position into the reverse gear position. In addition, the shift inhibitor device is also adapted to guide the shift lever into a "Neutral" position.
Claims11
A shifter assembly of the type operably coupled to a gearshift mechanism for permitting a vehicle operator to selectively shift between a plurality of ratio gear positions of a multi-speed manual transmission, comprising:
- a housing secured to the transmission, said housing having a planar surface radially extending internal therefrom;
- a shift lever supported for movement from said housing and having a first end coupled to the gearshift mechanism and a second end under the control of the vehicle operator for causing movement of the gearshift mechanism among various ratio gear positions, said shift lever having a predetermined portion adjacent to said planar surface of said housing but said planar surface not totally surrounding said predetermined portion of said shift lever;
- and
- shift inhibitor means for inhibiting movement of said shift lever from a first ratio gear position to a second ratio gear position along a shift plane defined by said first and second ratio gear positions, said shift inhibitor means including a cam member supported from said planar surface of said housing for pivotable movement with respect to a home position, said cam member having first cam surface means for causing movement of said cam member in a first direction from said home position in response to engagement with said shift lever for permitting movement of said shift lever to either of said first and second ratio gear positions, and second cam surface means for causing movement of said cam member in a second direction from said home position in response to movement of said shift lever from said first gear ratio position toward said second ratio gear position, said shift inhibitor means further including stop means engageable with said cam member in response to movement thereof in said second direction for preventing movement of said shift lever into said second ratio gear position;
- and
- biasing means for urging said cam member to return to said home position when said shift lever is in any of the ratio gear positions.
A shifter assembly of the type operably coupled to a gearshift mechanism for permitting a vehicle operator to selectively shift between a plurality of ratio gear positions of a multi-speed manual transmission, comprising:
- a housing secured to a casing which houses said transmission, said housing having a planar surface radially extending internal therefrom;
- a shift lever supported for movement from said housing and having a first end coupled to the gearshift mechanism and a second end under the control of the vehicle operator for causing movement of the gearshift mechanism among various ratio gear positions, said shift lever having a predetermined portion adjacent to said planar surface of said housing but said planar surface not totally surrounding said predetermined portion of said shift lever;
- a shift inhibitor preventing movement of said shift lever from a fifth gear position to a reverse gear position along a shift plane defined by said fifth and reverse gear positions, said shift inhibitor being supported from said planar surface of said housing and having a substantially horizontal orientation for preventive movement in a substantially horizontal plane therealong with respect to a home position, said shift inhibitor having a preselected portion engaging said shift lever and preventing said shift lever from traveling therepast into said reverse gear position, said shift inhibitor further urging said shift lever toward a neutral plane when said shift lever is moved from said fifth gear by said vehicle operator;
- and
- at least one spring urging said shift inhibitor to return to said home position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.