Vehicle running range switching device

A vehicle running range switching device for switching among a plurality of running ranges of a vehicle transmission, from one of the running ranges to a running range selected by a vehicle driver, responsive to an electric signal, said vehicle running range switching device comprising:

• a range selection unit for use by the vehicle driver to generate the electric signal;
• a motor which outputs rotary motion controlled responsive to the electric signal from the range selection unit;
• a conversion mechanism for converting rotary motion of the motor to linear motion, wherein the conversion mechanism is a ball screw including a ball screw shaft rotated by the motor, a ball nut driven by the ball screw shaft so as to move axially with respect thereto and balls interposed between the ball screw shaft and the ball nut;
• an intermediate mechanism engaged with and pivoting with linear motion of the ball nut, for converting linear motion obtained by the conversion mechanism to swinging motion;
• a range switching member, which is movable across a plurality of selection regions corresponding to the plurality of running ranges and which is switched, by the swinging motion, to a specific selection region corresponding to the running range selected by the driver;
• and
• a detent mechanism for holding the range switching member in the specific selection region.