# US 8,464,602 B2 · Gear shift fork for shifting a transmission

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 8,464,602 B2
- Document ID: US8464602B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 10/516,121
- Filed: 2003-05-24
- Published: 2005-09-15
- Granted: 2013-06-18
- Earliest claimed: 2002-05-31
- Assignees: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
- Applicants: Uwe Beer; Michael Drabek
- Inventors: Uwe Beer; Michael Drabek
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8464602B2

## CPC

- F16H 63/32: Gear shift yokes, {e.g. shift forks}
- F16H 2063/325: {Rocker or swiveling forks, i.e. the forks are pivoted in the gear case when moving the sleeve}
- Y10T 74/19251: Control mechanism
- Y10T 74/20177: Particular element [e.g., shift fork, template, etc.]
- Y10T 74/20183: Shift fork structure
- F16H: GEARING
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A shifting rocker (2) for a transmission comprises two arms (4, 6), between which a mount for a sliding sleeve is provided. The shifting rocker (2) is mounted in a transmission housing at two bearing points (20, 22) such that it can pivot. Further, a lever arm (16) is positioned on the shifting rocker (2), via which force is applied to the shifting rocker (2) for the purpose of pivoting the shifting rocker (2) about the bearing points (20, 22). The lever arm (16) is positioned on the shifting rocker (2) in the area (24) between the two bearing points (20, 22).

## Claims

### Claim 1

A shifting rocker (2), for a transmission, comprising:
a first arm (4) having a first sliding sleeve mount (8) and an integral second arm (6) having an opposed second sliding sleeve mount (12), the first sliding sleeve mount (8) and the second sliding sleeve mount (12) being coaxially aligned with one another to define a first pivot axis (14) pivotally supporting a sliding sleeve therebetween;
a lever arm (16) being directly coupled to and formed integral with the shifting rocker (2), the lever arm (16) supporting a first bearing point (20), and the second arm (6) supporting a second bearing point (22) and together the first bearing point (20) and the second bearing point (22) define a second pivot axis (18) which facilitates pivoting movement of the shifting rocker (2) about the second pivot axis (18);
the first pivot axis (14) being substantially parallel to the second pivot axis (18);
a first end of the lever arm (16) being coupled to the shifting rocker (2) at a location remote from the first and the second pivot axis (14, 18) and the lever arm (16) extending from the shifting rocker (2), along and adjacent but spaced from the first arm (4), to a location between the first pivot axis (14) and the second pivot axis (18);
the first sliding sleeve mount (8) and the opposed second sliding sleeve mount (12) each have a laterally inwardly facing surface, and the lever arm (16) being connected to the shifting rocker (2) in an area located laterally between the inwardly facing surfaces;
a second end of the lever arm (16), remote from the first end of the lever arm (16), including a pin (28), both the pin (28) and the second end of the lever arm (16) being located between the first pivot axis (14) and the second pivot axis (18), and a shifting force being applied to the pin (28) for pivoting the shifting rocker (2) about the second pivot axis (18), and the pin (28) extending generally parallel the first and the second pivot axes (14, 18); and
the first bearing point (20) being supported along the lever arm (16) at a location which is spaced from the coupling of the lever arm (16) to the shifting rocker (2) and also spaced from the pin (28) supported by the second end of the lever arm (16), and at least a remote portion of the pin (28) being laterally displaced from the second sliding sleeve mount (12) by a greater distance than both a lateral displacement of a remote end of the first arm (4) from the second sliding sleeve mount (12) and a lateral displacement of a remote end of the first bearing point (20) from the second sliding sleeve mount (12).

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The shifting rocker (2) according to claim 1, wherein the lever arm (16) is connected to the shifting rocker (2) in the area (24) located between the first bearing point (20) and the second bearing point (22) with the second pivot axis (18) located between the first pivot axis (14) and the connection of the lever arm (16) to the shifting rocker (2).

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The shifting rocker (2) according to claim 1, wherein the lever arm (16) extends from the shifting rocker (2) and spans the second pivot axis (18).

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The shifting rocker (2) according to claim 1, wherein the first end of the lever arm (16) is integrally coupled to the shifting rocker (2) on a side of the second pivot axis that is remote from the first pivot axis (14).

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The shifting rocker (2) according to claim 1, wherein the lever arm (16) is located between the pin (28) and the shifting rocker (2) and the pin (28) extends from the lever arm (16) away from the shifting rocker (2).

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The shifting rocker (2) according to claim 1, wherein the first sliding sleeve mount (8) and the second sliding sleeve mount (12) face one another, and
the lever arm (16), the second arm (6) and the first arm (4) are located between the first bearing point (20) and the second bearing point (22) and the first and the second bearing points (20, 22) both face outwardly away from the shifting rocker (2).

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The shifting rocker (2) according to claim 1, wherein the lever arm (16) is connected to the shifting rocker (2) at an intermediate location which is axially located between the first sliding sleeve mount (8) and the second sliding sleeve mount (12).

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The shifting rocker (2) according to claim 1, wherein the pin (28) and the first and the second bearing points (20, 22) are formed integral and unitary with the shift rocker (2), and
the first bearing point (20) extends from the lever arm (16) away from the shift rocker while the second bearing point (22) extends from both the first bearing point (20) and the shift rocker (1).

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The shifting rocker (2) according to claim 1, wherein at least a remote portion of the pin (28) is laterally displaced from the second sliding sleeve mount by a greater distance than both a lateral displacement of a every portion of the first arm from the second sliding sleeve mount and a lateral displacement of every portion of the first bearing point from the second sliding sleeve mount (12).

### Claim 10

A shifting rocker (2), for a transmission, consisting of:
a first arm (4) having a sliding sleeve mount (8) and an integral second arm (6) having an opposed sliding sleeve mount (12), the sliding sleeve mount (8) and the opposed sliding sleeve mount (12) facing and being coaxially aligned with one another to define a first pivot axis (14) pivotally supporting a sliding sleeve therebetween;
a lever arm (16) being directly coupled to and formed integral with the shifting rocker (2) such that the lever arm (16) is rigidly, immovably fixed with respect to the shifting rocker (2), the lever arm (16) supporting a first bearing point (20), and the second arm (6) supporting a second bearing point (22) and the first bearing point (20) and the second bearing point (22) together define a second pivot axis (18) which facilitates pivoting movement of the shifting rocker (2) about the second pivot axis (18) via the first and second bearing points (20, 22) with the lever arm (16) and the first and the second arms (4, 6) being located between the first bearing point (20) and the second bearing point (22);
the first pivot axis (14) being substantially parallel to the second pivot axis (18);
the first sliding sleeve mount (8) and the opposed second sliding sleeve mount (12) each have a laterally inwardly facing surface, and the lever arm (16) being connected to the shifting rocker (2) in an area located laterally between the inwardly facing surfaces and the lever arm (16) terminating at a location between the first pivot axis (14) and the second pivot axis (18);
the second end of the lever arm (16) supports a pin (28) and both the pin (28) and the second end of the lever arm (16) are located between the first pivot axis (14) and the second pivot axis (18) so as to facilitate providing a shifting force to be applied to the pin (28) for pivoting the shifting rocker (2) about the second pivot axis (18);
a first end of the lever arm (16) terminates at and is connected to the shifting rocker (2) in an area (26) located between the two pivot points (20, 22) with the second pivot axis (18) being located between the first pivot axis (14) and the connection of the lever arm (16) to the shifting rocker (2), and the pin (28) extending generally parallel the first and the second pivot axes (14, 18); and
the first bearing point (20) being supported along the lever arm (16) at a location which is spaced from the connection of the lever arm (16) to the shifting rocker (2) and also spaced from the pin (28) supported by the second end of the lever arm (16), and at least a remote portion of the pin (28) being laterally displaced from the second sliding sleeve mount (12), generally parallel to both the first and second pivot axes (14, 18), by a greater distance than both a lateral displacement of a remote end of the first arm (4) from the second sliding sleeve mount (12) and a lateral displacement of a remote end of the first bearing point (20) from the second sliding sleeve mount (12).

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The shifting rocker (2) according to claim 10, wherein the lever arm (16) extends from the shifting rocker (2) and spans the second pivot axis (18).

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The shifting rocker (2) according to claim 10, wherein a first end of the lever arm (16) is integrally coupled to the shifting rocker (2) on a side of the second pivot axis that is remote from the first pivot axis (14).

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The shifting rocker (2) according to claim 10, wherein the lever arm (16) is located between the pin (28) and the shifting rocker (2) and the pin (28) extends from the lever arm (16) away from the shifting rocker (2).

### Claim 14

A shifting rocker (2), for a transmission, consisting of:
first and second arms (4, 6), the first arm (4) being integral with an end of a bridge and the second arm (6) being integral with an opposite end of the bridge, the first and the second arms (4, 6) extending away from the bridge to form an essentially U-shaped member;
an end of the first arm (4), remote from the bridge having a first sliding sleeve mount (8) and the second arm (6) comprising a second sliding sleeve mount (12), remote from the bridge, and a second bearing point (22), adjacent the bridge, the first sliding sleeve mount (8) and the second sliding sleeve mount (12) being coaxially aligned with one another to define a first pivot axis (14);
a lever arm (16) comprising a first end, a second end and a first bearing point (20) which is located along the lever arm (16) between the first and the second ends of the lever arm (16), the first bearing point (20) and the second bearing point (22) being coaxially aligned with each other to define a second pivot axis (18);
the first pivot axis (14) being parallel to the second pivot axis (18) and the lever arm (16) extending closely along but spaced from the first arm (4) so that the first arm (4) is located between the lever arm (16) and the second arm (6);
the first end of the lever arm (16) being integrally coupled to the bridge remote from the second pivot axis (18) and the lever arm (16) extends adjacent the first arm (4) such that the second end of the lever arm (16) is located between the first pivot axis (14) and the second pivot axis (18);
the first sliding sleeve mount (8) and the opposed second sliding sleeve mount 12 each have a laterally inwardly facing surface, and the lever arm 16 being connected to the shifting rocker (2) in an area located laterally between the inwardly facing surfaces;
the second end of the lever arm (16) comprises a pin (28) to which a shifting force is applied to facilitate pivoting of the shifting rocker (2) about the second pivot axis (18), the lever arm (16) being located between the pin (28) and the shifting rocker (2) and the pin (28) extending from the lever arm (16) directly away from the shifting rocker (2), and the pin (28) extending generally parallel the first and the second pivot axes (14, 18); and
the first bearing point (20) being supported along the lever arm (16) at a location which is spaced from the coupling of the lever arm (16) to the bridge and also spaced from the pin (28) supported by the second end of the lever arm (16), and at least a portion of the pin (28) having a greater lateral displacement from the second sliding sleeve mount (12) than any portion of either the first arm (4) or the first bearing point (20) have from the second sliding sleeve mount (12), and the direction of lateral displacement being parallel to both the first and second pivot axes (14, 18).

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The shifting rocker (2) according to claim 14, wherein the lever arm (16) extends from the bridge and spans the second pivot axis (18).

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The shifting rocker (2) according to claim 14, wherein the shifting rocker (2) pivots about the second pivot axis (18) and the first end of the lever arm (16) is integrally coupled to the shifting rocker (2) on a side of the second pivot axis that is remote from the first pivot axis (14).