Multi-directional operating device and vehicle shift apparatus using the multi-directional operating device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10088036-B2
Application number	US-201615203454-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 6, 2016
Priority date	Jul 6, 2015
Publication date	Oct 2, 2018
Grant date	Oct 2, 2018

Abstract

A multi-directional operating device includes an operating member, a support body, movable members, a pair of movable magnetic members, a facing magnetic member, stopper portions, a drive member, and a cam member. One of the drive member and the cam member has a guide surface having a first projection, and another of the drive member and the cam member has a sliding surface having a second projection. When the operating member is inclined in a first direction, one of the movable magnetic members is inclined, and inclination of another movable magnetic member is stopped by one of the stopper portions. When the operating member is inclined in a second direction, the first projection and the second projection are moved beyond projecting portions of each other and slide on each other. This multi-directional operating device is preferably applied to a vehicle shift apparatus.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A multi-directional operating device comprising:
an operating member that is inclined from a reference position by being subjected to an operation performed by an operator;
a support body that supports the operating member so as to allow the operating member to be inclined from the reference position;
a plurality of stopper portions that respectively correspond to a plurality of positions which are provided in the multi-directional operating device and at which the operating member subjected to an inclination operation from a reference position performed by the operator is positioned;
a plurality of movable members inclined from the reference position together with the operating member;
at least one pair of movable magnetic members that face each other, that are each provided in a corresponding one of the plurality of movable members, and that comprise a soft magnetic material;
a facing magnetic member that is disposed between the at least one pair of movable magnetic members and that comprise a permanent magnet;
a drive member provided in at least one of the plurality of movable members and one of the at least one pair of the movable magnetic members and that is rotated as the operating member is inclined from the reference position; and
a cam member provided in the support body so as to face one side of the drive member,
wherein one of the drive member and the cam member that face each other has a guide surface having a first projection having a projection shape, another of the drive member and the cam member has a sliding surface having a second projection having a projection shape, and the guide surface and the sliding surface slide on each other,
wherein, when the operating member is at the reference position, the at least one pair of movable magnetic members are attracted to each other and the guide surface and the sliding surface are in contact with each other due to attracting forces of the at least one pair of movable magnetic members,
wherein, when the operating member is inclined in a first direction from the reference position so as to be positioned at any one of positions in the first direction out of the plurality of positions, one of the at least one pair of movable magnetic members is inclined from the reference position and inclination of another of the at least one pair of movable magnetic members is stopped by a corresponding one of the plurality of stopper portions, and
wherein, when the operating member is inclined from the reference position in a second direction intersecting the first direction so as to be positioned at any one of positions in the second direction out of the plurality of positions, the first projection of the guide surface and the second projection of the sliding surface are moved beyond projecting portions of each other and slide on each other.

2. The multi-directional operating device according to claim 1 , wherein the support body includes:
an inclination shaft that allows the operating member to be inclined from the reference position in the first direction,
wherein the operating member includes:
a rod-shaped operating shaft, and
a base portion that extends in a plane through which a shaft axis of the operating shaft penetrates,

wherein the base portion is rotated about the inclination shaft as a shaft axis,
wherein the base portion includes:
a first pressure portion and a second pressure portion provided on respective sides of the operating shaft with the inclination shaft interposed therebetween,

wherein the plurality of movable members include:
a first movable member facing the first pressure portion,
a second movable member facing the second pressure portion,
a third movable member, and
a fourth movable member,

wherein the at least one pair of movable magnetic members include:
a first movable magnetic member provided in the first movable member,
a second movable magnetic member provided in the second movable member,
a third movable magnetic member paired with the first movable magnetic member, and
a fourth movable magnetic member paired with the second movable magnetic member,

wherein the third movable member is provided with the third movable magnetic member and the fourth movable member is provided with the fourth movable magnetic member,
wherein, when the operating member is subjected to the inclination operation toward one side in the first direction, the first pressure portion that is inclined from the reference position in an inclination operation direction of the base portion presses the first movable member that faces the first pressure portion, the first movable magnetic member provided in the first movable member is inclined from the reference position, a corresponding one of the plurality of stopper portions stops inclination of the third movable magnetic member, and the first movable magnetic member and the third movable magnetic member are separated from each other, and
wherein, when the inclination operation toward the one side is further continued, the second pressure portion presses the second movable member that faces the second pressure portion, the second movable magnetic member provided in the second movable member is inclined from the reference position, a corresponding one of the plurality of stopper portions stops inclination of the fourth movable magnetic member, and the second movable magnetic member and the fourth movable magnetic member are separated from each other.

3. The multi-directional operating device according to claim 2 ,
wherein the base portion includes:
a third pressure portion that faces the third movable member, and
a fourth pressure portion that faces the fourth movable member,

wherein the third pressure portion and the fourth pressure portion are provided on respective sides of the operating shaft with the inclination shaft interposed therebetween,
wherein, when the operating member is subjected to the inclination operation toward another side in the first direction, the third pressure portion that is inclined from the reference position in an inclination operation direction of the base portion presses the third movable member that faces the third pressure portion, the third movable magnetic member provided in the third movable member is inclined from the reference position, a corresponding one of the plurality of stopper portions stops inclination of the first movable magnetic member, and the first movable magnetic member and the third movable magnetic member are separated from each other, and
wherein, when the inclination operation toward the other side is further continued, the fourth pressure portion presses the fourth movable member that faces the fourth pressure portion, the fourth movable magnetic member provided in the fourth movable member is inclined from the reference position, a corresponding one of the plurality of stopper portions stops inclination of the second movable magnetic member, and the second movable magnetic member and the fourth movable magnetic member are separated from each other.

4. The multi-directional operating device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a guide projection that is moved as the operating member is inclined from the reference position,
wherein a guide portion is provided so as to be, when the operating member is inclined from the reference position in the second direction, brought into contact with the guide projection, thereby an amount of a movement of the guide projection that is equal to or more than a specified amount is regulated.

5. The multi-directional operating device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the plurality of movable members comprise a soft magnetic material and integrally formed with the at least one pair of movable magnetic members.

6. The multi-directional oper

Assignees

• Alps Electric Co Ltd

Inventors

• Uenomachi Takashi
• Sato Keisuke

Classifications

• G05G5/04

  Stops for limiting movement of members, e.g. adjustable stop (G05G5/03, G05G5/05, G05G5/28 take precedence) · CPC title

• F16H59/10

  comprising levers · CPC title

• F16H59/0204

  for automatic transmissions with means for range selection and manual shifting, e.g. range selector with tiptronic · CPC title

• F16H2061/243

  Cams or detent arrays for guiding and providing feel · CPC title

• B60Y2410/132

  Magnetic, e.g. permanent magnets · CPC title