Operating apparatus for automatic transmission

An operating apparatus for mounting in an instrument panel of a wheeled vehicle and for controlling a transmission of the wheeled vehicle, comprising:

• a detent plate (4) mounted behind an instrument panel of a vehicle and having an elongated detent gate(41) with at least one detent (41a) formed in said detent gate;
• a first pivot pin (151) mounted on said detent plate (4) at a position displaced from said detent gate (41);
• an upwardly extending select lever(11) mounted on said first pivot pin (151) and pivotable with respect to said detent plate about said first pivot pin;
• wherein the dentent is located between the pivot pin and a lower portion of said select lever;
• an operating lever (6) extending through an opening in an instrument panel of a vehicle and comprising an operating portion extending out of an instrument panel for access by a driver of the vehicle and a working portion extending behind an instrument panel of a vehicle, said working portion of said operating lever being supported by said select lever (11) and extending transverse to said select lever;
• a position member (23) mounted on said working portion of said operating lever and extending through said detent gate(41) of said detent plate and selectively engaging said detent(41a) of said detent gate;
• wherein the operating portion of the operating lever(6) extends from the instrument panel for access by a driver of the vehicle and the position member(23) moves through the detent gate (41) of the detent plate(4) and about the detent(41a) in response to the manipulation of the operating lever (6) by a driver of the vehicle.

An operating apparatus for an automatic transmission for positioning behind an instrument panel of a vehicle, comprising:

• a detent plate (4) for positioning behind an instrument panel, said detent plate having a plurality of detents formed as an uneven shape;
• a first rotation supporting point (151) provided on the detent plate (4);
• a select lever (11) rotatably mounted on said detent plate (4) through said first rotation supporting point (151);
• wherein the detents are located between the rotation supporting point (151) and a lower select lever;
• an operating lever (6) extending through the instrument panel, said operating lever comprising an operating portion extending toward a driver's seat (DS) of the vehicle and a working portion said working portion being supported by an upper portion of the select lever (11) such that the working portion is oriented at an angle with respect to the upper portion of the select lever;
• a position member (23) provided on the working portion of the operating lever (6), the position member (23) selectively engaging with a recess portion of the detent plate (4),
• the operating lever adapted to extend through an instrument panel (IP) located in front of a driver's seat (DS);
• the working portion extending from said detent plate and projecting through and from the instrument panel (IP) toward the driver's seat (DS), thereby locating the operating portion out of the instrument panel (IP);
• and
• the operating portion turned upwardly with respect to said working portion for placement adjacent the instrument panel of a vehicle.