Vehicle park/lock mechanism

A vehicle transmission shifter for a vehicle having a vehicle condition responsive means responsive to a first condition and a second condition of said vehicle, said vehicle transmission shifter having a locking member for preventing the shifting of said transmission shifter from park position to another gear position when the first condition of the vehicle exists, comprising:

• a shifting lever movable from a park position to at least one other gear position;
• a detent member associated with said shifting lever for releasably holding said lever in said park position;
• an actuator for releasing said shifting lever for movement to said other gear position;
• an electrically operated control module including said locking member movable between a locked position to an unlocked position, said control module being controlled by the first and second condition of the vehicle in which said vehicle transmission shifter is mounted whereby when the vehicle is in the first condition, said locking member is urged to said locked position and when the vehicle is in the second condition, said locking ember is urged to the unlocked position;
• said control module including an electrical coil capable of being in an energized or de-energized state and an actuator member movable in response to energization of said coil, the improvement comprising:
• a toggle joint operatively connecting said actuator member to said locking member;
• a metal core proximate said electrical coil and said actuator member;
• and
• said actuator member having a magnetic force associated therewith so as to be attracted to said metal core when said coil is in one of said de-energized or energized state to urge said locking member to locked position and repelled when in the other of said de-energized or energized state to urge said locked member to the unlocked position.

A vehicle transmission shifter for a vehicle having a vehicle condition responsive means responsive to a first condition and a second condition of said vehicle, said vehicle transmission shifter having a locking member for preventing the shifting of said transmission shifter from park position to another gear position when the first condition of the vehicle exists, comprising:

• a shifting lever movable from a park position to at least one other gear position;
• a detent member associated with said shifting lever for releasably holding said lever in said park position;
• an actuator means for releasing said shifting lever for movement to said other gear position;
• an electrically operated control module including said locking member movable along a line between a locked position to an unlocked position, said control module being controlled by the first and second condition of the vehicle in which said vehicle transmission shifter is mounted whereby when the vehicle is in the first condition, said locking member is urged along said line in a first direction to said locked position and when the vehicle is in the second condition, said locking member is urged along said line in a second direction opposite to said one direction to the unlocked position;
• the improvement comprising:
• said control module including mechanical advantage means for exerting forces on said locking member along said line in either of said first or second directions;
• and an actuator member operatively connected to said mechanical advantage means for exerting a force on said mechanical advantage means in a direction orthogonal to said first and second directions;
• a magnetic force associated with said actuator members;
• said magnetic force adapted to exert on said actuator member a magnetic attracting and repelling force;
• and
• one of said magnetic attracting or retracting force causing said locking member to move and be held in a locked position and the other of said magnetic attracting or retracting force causing said locking member to be moved to an unlocked position.

In a vehicle transmission shifter mechanism for a vehicle having a brake, said vehicle transmission shifter mechanism having a brake/park/lock mechanism for preventing the shifting of said transmission shifter from park position to another gear position unless the brakes of the vehicle are applied;

• a shifting lever movable from a park position to at least one other gear position;
• a detent element associated with said shifting lever for releasably holding said lever in said park position;
• an actuator for releasing said shifting lever for movement to said other gear position;
• an electrically operated control module including a pin movable between a locked position to an unlocked position, said control module being controlled by a driver applying the brakes of the vehicle in which said vehicle transmission shifter mechanism is mounted whereby when the brakes are not applied, said pin is urged to said locked position and when the brakes are applied, said pin is urged to the unlocked position;
• said control module including an electrical coil capable of being in an energized or de-energized state and an actuator member movable in response to energization of said coil, the improvement comprising:
• a toggle joint operatively connecting said actuator member to said pin.

A vehicle transmission shifter for a vehicle having a vehicle condition responsive means responsive to a first condition and a second condition of said vehicle, said vehicle transmission shifter having a locking member for preventing the shifting of said transmission shifter from park position to another gear position when the first condition of the vehicle exists, comprising:

• a shifting lever movable from a park position to at least one other gear position;
• a detent element associated with said shifting lever for releasably holding said lever in said park position;
• an actuator for releasing said shifting lever for movement to said other gear position;
• an electrically operated control module including said locking member movable along a line between a locked position to an unlocked position, said control module being controlled by the first and second condition of the vehicle in which said vehicle transmission shifter is mounted whereby when the vehicle is in the first condition, said locking member is urged along said line in a first direction to said locked position and when the vehicle is in the second condition, said locking member is urged along said line in a second direction opposite to said one direction to the unlocked position;
• the improvement comprising:
• said control module including mechanical advantage means for exerting forces on said locking member along said line in either of said first or second directions;
• and an actuator member operatively connected to said mechanical advantage means for exerting a force on said mechanical advantage means in a direction orthogonal to said first and second directions, said force exerted by said mechanical advantage means on said locking member along said line is substantially greater than the force exerted by said actuator member on said mechanical advantage means.