Flat spring biased shifter

A shifter for an automotive transmission comprising:

• an elongate, pivotable shift stick having an upper end and a lower end, said upper end being manually actuatable and said lower end having means for changing the drive ratio of the transmission when said shift stick is pivoted;
• a base for mounting said shifter on the transmission;
• a spherical socket disposed on one of said base and said shift stick;
• a spherical ball section disposed on the other of said base and said shift stick, said ball section being received in said socket for pivotally mounting said shift stick on said base;
• at least one washer-like spring having an aperture therein through which said lower end of said shift stick extends, said at least one washer-like spring being normally planar in an unstressed condition but being resiliently compressible into a curvilinear cross-sectional shape;
• means for retaining said at least one washer-like spring on said base;
• means associated with said shift stick for engaging said at least one washer-like spring to resiliently flex said at least one washer-like spring as said shift stick is moved from a predetermined position thus causing said at least one washer-like spring to spring bias said shift stick to return to the predetermined position;
• said means for retaining including means for pretensioning said at least one washer-like spring into a pretensioned but stable curvilinear cross-sectional shape when said shift stick is in said predetermined position;
• said means for pretensioning including a first and a second tensioning member, said first tensioning member engaging said at least one washer-like spring along an axis bisecting said at least one washer-like spring into halves, said second tensioning member engaging each of said at least one washer-like spring halves in a direction in opposition to said first tensioning member, said first and second tensioning members pretensioning said at least one washer-like spring by forming said at least one washer-like spring into a bowed condition in said curvilinear cross-sectional shape;
• and
• said means for engaging said at least one washer-like spring including a rocking shaft secured to said shift stick, said rocking shaft including ends lying on opposing sides of said axis, said rocking shaft being adapted to individually engage one or the other of said at least one washer-like spring halves as said shift stick is moved from said predetermined position in a direction away from said axis.

A shifter for an automotive transmission comprising:

• an elongate, pivotable shift stick having an upper end and a lower end, said upper end being manually actuatable and said lower end having means for changing the drive ratio of the transmission when said shift stick is pivoted;
• a base for mounting said shifter on the transmission;
• a spherical socket disposed on one of said base and said shift stick;
• a spherical ball section disposed on the other of said base and said shift stick, said ball section being received in said socket for pivotally mounting said shift stick on said base;
• at least one washer-like spring having an aperture therein through which said lower end of said shift stick extends, said at least one washer-like spring being normally planar in an unstressed condition but being resiliently compressible into a curvilinear cross-sectional shape;
• means for retaining said at least one washer-like spring on said base;
• means associated with said shift stick for engaging said at least one washer-like spring to resiliently flex said at least one washer-like spring as said shift stick is moved from a predetermined position thus causing said at least one washer-like spring to spring bias said shift stick to return to the predetermined position;
• said spherical socket is disposed on said base, and said ball section being disposed on said shift stick;
• and
• said means for engaging said at least one washer-like spring including a rocking shaft secured to said shift stick, and said ball section includes a channel for receiving said rocking shaft.

A shifter for an automotive transmission comprising:

• en elongate, pivotable shift stick having an upper end and a lower end, said upper end being manually actuatable and said lower end having means for changing the drive ratio of the transmission when said shift stick is pivoted;
• a base for mounting said shifter on the transmission;
• a spherical socket disposed on one of said base and said shift stick;
• a spherical ball section disposed on the other of said base and said shift stick, said ball section being received in said socket for pivotally mounting said shift stick on said base;
• at least one washer-like spring having an aperture therein through which said lower end of said shift stick extends, said at least one washer-like spring being normally planar in an unstressed condition but being resiliently compressible into a curvilinear cross-sectional shape;
• means for retaining said at least one washer-like spring on said base;
• means associated with said shift stick for engaging said at least one washer-like spring to resiliently flex said at least one washer-like spring as said shift stick is moved from a predetermined position thus causing said at least one washer-like spring to spring bias said shift stick to return to the predetermined position;
• and
• said base including an insert, said insert forming said spherical socket and further including a curvilinear surface for receiving said at least one washer-like spring, said base further includes a cover attached to said insert, said cover including a protruding member pressing said at least one washer-like spring against said curvilinear surface to pretension said at least one washer-like spring.

A shifter for an automotive transmission comprising:

• an elongate, pivotable shift stick having an upper nd and a lower end, said upper end being manually actuatable and said lower end having means for changing the drive ratio of the transmission when said shift stick is pivoted;
• a base for mounting said shifter on the transmission;
• a spherical socket disposed on one of said base and said shift stick;
• a spherical ball section disposed on the other of said base and said shift stick, said ball section being received in said socket for pivotally mounting said shift stick on said base;
• at least one washer-like spring having an aperture therein through which said lower end of said shift stick extends, said at least one washer-like spring being normally planar in an unstressed condition but being resiliently compressible into a curvilinear cross-sectional shape;
• means for retaining said at least one washer-like spring on said base;
• means associated with said shift stick for engaging said at least one washer-like spring to resiliently flex said at least one washer-like spring as said shift stick is moved from a predetermined position thus causing said at least one washer-like spring to spring bias said shift stick to return to the predetermined position;
• and
• said base including a molded insert, said insert forming said spherical socket and further including a curvilinear surface for receiving said at least one washer-like spring.

A drop-in shifter for an automotive transmission comprising:

• an elongated, pivotable shift stick having an upper end and a lower end, said upper end being manually actuatable and said lower end having a lever adapted for insertion in an automotive transmission for changing the drive ratio of the transmission when said shift stick is pivoted;
• a base adapted for mounting said shifter on the transmission;
• means for pivotally mounting said shift stick on said base for movement about first and second axes orthogonal to each other, said means including a channel;
• a rocking shaft disposed on said shift stick having first and second ends extending from said shift stick, said first and second ends extending into said channel for stabilizing said pivotable shift stick for pivotal movement about said first and second orthogonal axes;
• at least one washer-like spring having an aperture therein through which said lower end of said shift stick extends, said at least one washer-like spring being normally planar when in an unstressed condition but being compressible into a pretensioned curvilinear cross-sectional shape along said first axis;
• means for retaining said at least one washer-like spring on said base;
• means for compressing said at least one washer-like spring into said pretensioned curvilinear cross-sectional shape along said first axis;
• and
• means associated with said shift stick for engaging said at least one washer-like spring to flex said at least one washer-like spring along said second axis orthogonal to said first axis as said shift stick is moved from a predetermined position about said first axis so as to spring bias said shift stick to return to the predetermined position.

A shifter for an automotive transmission comprising:

• an elongate, pivotable shift stick having an upper end and a lower end, said upper end being manually actuatable and said lower end having a lever adapted for insertion in an automotive transmission for changing the drive ratio of the transmission when said shift stick is pivoted;
• a base adapted for mounting said shifter on the transmission;
• a spherical socket disposed on said base;
• a spherical ball section disposed on said shift stick, said ball section being located between said upper end and said lever, and being received in said socket for pivotally mounting said shift stick ion said base, said lever extending through said ball section and said socket into the transmission;
• a channel extending through said socket;
• a rocking shaft disposed on said shift stick having first and second ends extending from said shift stick, said first and second ends extending into said channel for stabilizing said pivotable shift stick for pivotal movement about first and second orthogonal axes;
• at least one washer-like spring having an aperture therein through which said lower end of said shift stick extends, said washer-like spring being normally planar when in an unstressed condition but being compressible into a curvilinear cross-sectional shape;
• means for retaining said spring on said base;
• means associated with said shift stick for engaging said at least one washer-like spring to flex said at least one washer-like spring as said shift stick is moved from a predetermined position so as to spring bias said shift stick to return to the predetermined position;
• and
• said means for retaining said at least one washer-like spring including means for pretensioning said at least one washer-like spring into a first curvilinear cross-sectional shape as installed when said shift stick is in said predetermined position, said at least one washer-like spring being resiliently flexible into a plurality of different curvilinear cross-sectional shapes of greater curvature when said shift stick is moved from said predetermined position.

A shifter for an automotive transmission comprising:

• an elongate, pivotable shift stick having an upper end and a lower end, said upper end being manually actuatable and said lower end having a lever adapted for insertion in an automotive transmission for changing the drive ratio of the transmission when said shift stick is pivoted;
• a base adapted for mounting said shifter on the transmission;
• a spherical socket disposed on said base;
• a spherical ball section disposed on said shift stick, said ball section being located between said upper end and said lever, and being received in said socket for pivotally mounting said shift stick on said base, said lever extending through said ball section and said socket into the transmission;
• a channel extending through said socket;
• a rocking shaft disposed on said shift stick having first and second ends extending from said shift stick, said first and second ends extending into said channel for stabilizing said pivotable shift stick for pivotal movement about first and second orthogonal axes;
• at least one washer-like spring having an aperture therein through which said lower end of said shift stick extends, said washer-like spring being normally planar when in an unstressed condition but being compressible into a curvilinear cross-sectional shape;
• means for retaining said spring on said base;
• means associated with said shift stick for engaging said washer-like spring to flex said washer-like spring as said shift stick is moved from a predetermined position so as to spring bias said shift stick to return to the predetermined position;
• and
• said base including a molded insert, said insert forming said spherical socket and further including a curvilinear surface for receiving said at least one washer-like spring.

A shifter for an automotive transmission comprising:

• an elongate, pivotable shift stick having an upper end and a lower end, said upper end being manually actuatable and said lower end having a lever adapted for insertion in an automotive transmission for changing the drive ratio of the transmission when said shift stick is pivoted;
• a base adapted for mounting said shifter on the transmission;
• a spherical socket disposed on said base;
• a spherical ball section disposed on said shift stick, said ball section being located between said upper end and said lever, and being received in said socket for pivotally mounting said shift stick on said base, said lever extending through said ball section and said socket into the transmission;
• a channel extending through said socket;
• a rocking shaft disposed on said shift stick having first and second ends extending from said shift stick, said first and second ends extending into said channel for stabilizing said pivotable shift stick for pivotal movement about first and second orthogonal axes;
• at least one washer-like spring having an aperture therein through which said lower end of said shift stick extends, said washer-like spring being normally planar when in an unstressed condition but being compressible into a curvilinear cross-sectional shape;
• means for retaining said spring on said base;
• means associated with said shift stick for engaging said washer-like spring to flex said washer-like spring as said shift stick is moved from a predetermined position so as to spring bias said shift stick to return to the predetermined position;
• and
• one of said means for retaining and said means for engaging defining an off-center lien of deflection on said at least one washer-like spring so that said at least one washer-like spring provides a differential biasing force on said shift stick when said shift stick is moved.

A method for biasing a shift stick pivotally mounted to a base to a predetermined position on the base comprising:

• providing the shifter including the base and the shift stick pivotally mounted to the base;
• providing at least one flat washer-like spring that is planar when in an unstressed free-state condition;
• retaining the at least one flat washer-like spring on the base in a pretensioned condition so that ht eat least one flat washer-like spring takes on a first curvilinear shape, said first curvilinear shape being arcuately-shaped when viewed in a first direction and being comprised of a plurality of linear segments extending parallel said first direction, said at least one washer-like spring being divided into opposing halves that are resiliently flexed from the planar condition;
• providing a spring engaging member on the shift stick, the spring engaging member including opposing ends each positioned to engage a corresponding one of the spring halves;
• engaging one of the spring halves with the corresponding spring engaging member as the shift stick is moved from the predetermined position so that the at least one washer-like spring is flexed to a second curvilinear shape of greater curvature than the first curvilinear shape, whereby the spring halves and the base generate an unbalanced force on the spring engaging member to bias the shift stick to return to the predetermined position.