Automatic transmission shifter assembly with integrated ignition actuator

An automatic transmission shifter assembly for controlling the gear setting of a motor vehicle transmission having at least park, neutral and drive gear settings, comprising:

• a shift lever support configured for attachment to a vehicle, the shift lever support comprising a unitary molded plastic housing component having longitudinally and laterally extending segments including at least
• a pair of laterally spaced segments with a shift lever throw-space therebetween, and
• an ignition key socket segment;
• a shift lever pivot pin extending at least between the pair of laterally spaced segments;
• a shift lever pivotally mounted to the shift lever pivot pin to shift between a plurality of gear shift positions including at least, in any order, PARK, NEUTRAL and DRIVE positions corresponding to park, neutral and drive transmission settings, respectively, the shift lever comprising a shift lever shaft and a pivot structure attached at a lower end of the shift lever shaft, at least a portion of the shift lever shaft and pivot structure being positioned in the shift lever throw-space;
• a brake transmission system interlock mounted to the unitary molded plastic housing component and comprising a solenoid and a shift lever control member controllable by actuation of the solenoid in at least one of:
• a shift lever block position in which the shift lever control member is positioned to block the shift lever from moving out of the PARK position, and
• a shift lever unblock position in which the shift lever control member is not positioned to block the shift lever from moving out of the park position;
• an electronic ignition switch mounted to the unitary molded plastic housing component and having at least an ON condition corresponding to a vehicle's power system running, a LOCK condition corresponding to a vehicle's power system not running, and an IGNITION condition corresponding to ignition of a vehicle's power system;
• an ignition key socket mounted to the ignition key socket segment, configured to receive a key and with a key received therein is rotatable between at least a LOCK position, an ON position and an IGNITION position to control the condition of the electronic ignition switch between the LOCK condition, the ON condition and the IGNITION condition, respectively;
• and
• an ignition key interlock mounted to the unitary molded plastic housing component and comprising a key interlock lever controllable by movement of the ignition key socket to move between at least:
• a block position in which a key interlock lever is positioned to block the brake transmission system interlock from the shift lever unblock position, and
• an unblock position in which a key interlock lever is not positioned to block the brake transmission system interlock from the shift lever unblock position.