Shifter with gear position indicator
AssigneeGrand Haven Stamped Products
InventorsScott D. Wilde, Robert A. DeJonge
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A shifter for controlling a vehicle transmission includes a base and a shift lever movably mounted to the base for movement between a plurality of gear positions. At least one of the gear positions comprises a PARK/NEUTRAL position having a PARK and a NEUTRAL control feature. The shifter includes an input device configured to switch between PARK and NEUTRAL upon actuation of the input device by an operator. An indicator on the shift lever indicates if the transmission is in PARK or NEUTRAL.
Claims33
A shifter for controlling a vehicle transmission, comprising:
- a base;
- a shift lever movably mounted to the base for movement between a plurality of gear positions, at least one of the gear positions comprising a PARK/NEUTRAL position having a PARK and a NEUTRAL control feature;
- an input device configured to switch between PARK and NEUTRAL upon actuation of the input device by an operator;
- and
- an indicator on the shift lever indicates if the transmission is in PARK or NEUTRAL.
A shifter for vehicle transmissions, comprising:
- a base;
- a shift member movably mounted to the base for movement between DRIVE, PARK/NEUTRAL, and REVERSE gear positions;
- a pawl selectively restricting movement of the shift member between the gear positions;
- a first input device on the shift member that can be manipulated by an operator to control actuation of the pawl;
- and
- a second input device on the shift member to control shifting between PARK and NEUTRAL when the shift member is in the PARK/NEUTRAL gear position.
A shifter for controlling the transmission of a vehicle, comprising:
- a floor console having a base;
- a shift lever movably mounted to the base, the shift lever being movable between a DRIVE gear position, a combined PARK/NEUTRAL gear position, and a REVERSE gear position, but the shift lever not being movable to a separate PARK gear position;
- and
- an input device operably connected to the shift lever for shifting between a PARK gear position and a NEUTRAL gear position while the shift lever itself remains in the combined PARK/NEUTRAL gear position.
A shifter for controlling the transmission of a vehicle, comprising:
- a floor console having a base;
- a shift lever movably mounted to the base, the shift lever movable between DRIVE, PARK/NEUTRAL, and REVERSE gear positions;
- and wherein:
- the shift lever has a knob with an indicator on the knob providing an indication of the gear position of the transmission;
- and
- an input device on the knob that shifts between the PARK and NEUTRAL positions when the shift lever is in the PARK/NEUTRAL gear position.
A shifter for controlling a transmission, comprising:
- a base;
- a shift member movably mounted to the base, the shift member being movable to a plurality of gear positions for control of a transmission and including a pawl for controlling movement between the gear positions;
- an indicator on the shift member having a visual display indicating what gear the transmission is in;
- and
- a pawl control button on the shift member for controlling movement of the pawl;
- the shift member including a grip with an enlarged top end surface having the pawl control button therein and the indicator therein adjacent the pawl control button, with position of the pawl control button and the indicator allowing the pawl control button and the indicator to both be seen simultaneously from a position generally over the shift member.
A shifter for controlling a transmission wherein:
- a base;
- a shift member movably mounted to the base, the shift member being movable to a plurality of gear positions for control of a transmission;
- an indicator on the shift member having a visual display indicating what gear the transmission is in;
- the shift member comprises a lever movable along a shift lane having a plurality of gear positions;
- at least one of the gear positions comprises a PARK/NEUTRAL position;
- and including:
- an input device configured to switch between PARK and NEUTRAL upon actuation of the input device by an operator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.