Gear selector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10704683-B2
Application number	US-201515329094-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 31, 2015
Priority date	Jul 31, 2014
Publication date	Jul 7, 2020
Grant date	Jul 7, 2020

Abstract

A gear selector comprising a gate pattern and a gear lever arranged to be moveable within the gate pattern, the gate pattern comprising: a high range gate sub-pattern comprising one or more high range gear planes for moving the gear lever into to select a high range gear; a low range gate sub-pattern comprising one or more low range gear planes for moving the gear lever into to select a low range gear; a neutral plane extending transversely with respect to the high and low range gear planes; and a force profile arranged to urge the gear lever when in the neutral plane toward a resting position in one of the one or more high range gear planes, the force profile comprising a first interference arranged to divide the high range gate sub-pattern from the low range gate sub-pattern, wherein the gear lever is moveable past the first interference from the high range gate sub-pattern to the low range gate sub-pattern when a first predefined action is performed by an operator moving the gear lever.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A gear selector comprising a gate pattern and a gear lever arranged to be moveable within the gate pattern by an operator, the gate pattern comprising:
a high range gate sub-pattern comprising two or more high range gear planes, wherein the gear lever is positionable in one of the two or more high range gear planes to select a high range gear;
a low range gate sub-pattern comprising a low range gear plane, wherein the gear lever is positionable in the low range gear plane to select a low range gear;
a neutral plane extending transversely with respect to the gear planes;
a biasing means arranged to urge the gear lever when in the neutral plane toward a resting position, wherein the resting position is in the neutral plane and one of the two or more high range gear planes, and wherein the gear lever is moveable by the operator against the biasing means through application of a predetermined force to the gear lever; and
a first interference positioned in the neutral plane and arranged to divide the high range gate sub-pattern from the low range gate sub-pattern, wherein the first interference comprises an interference member and a spring, the spring urging the interference member into a first position where the interference member interferes with movement of the gear lever within the neutral plane from the high range gate sub-pattern into the low range gate sub-pattern, the spring allowing the gear lever to move within the neutral plane past the first interference from the high range gate sub-pattern to the low range gate sub-pattern when a first predefined action is performed by the operator, the spring urging the interference member into a second position where the interference member interferes with movement of the gear lever within the neutral plane from the low range gate sub-pattern into the high range gate sub-pattern subsequent to the first predefined action being performed by the operator, wherein a force of the biasing means to urge the gear lever toward the resting position is insufficient to move the gear lever past the interference member in the second position, the spring allowing the gear lever to move within the neutral plane from the low range gate sub-pattern into the high range gate sub-pattern when the operator performs a second predefined action.

2. A gear selector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the gate pattern comprises a reverse gate sub-pattern comprising a reverse gear plane wherein the gear lever is positionable in the reverse gear plane to select a reverse gear;
the neutral plane extends transversely to the reverse gear plane;
a second interference is arranged to divide the high or low range gate sub-pattern from the reverse gate sub-pattern; and
the gear lever is moveable within the neutral plane past the second interference from the high or low range gate sub-pattern to the reverse gate sub-pattern when a third predefined action is performed by the operator moving the gear lever.

3. A gear selector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second predefined action comprises the operator exerting a predefined force on the gear lever in a direction to urge the gear lever past the first interference toward the high range gate sub-pattern.

4. A gear selector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first predefined action comprises the operator exerting a predefined force on the gear lever in a direction to urge the gear lever past the first interference toward the low range gate sub-pattern, said predefined force being greater than a force required to move the gear selector from said resting position within said neutral plane of the high range gate sub-pattern against the biasing means.

5. A gear selector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first interference is rendered ineffective to inhibit the gear lever returning to the resting position when the gear lever:
is received against the interference member on a low range gate sub-pattern side of the interference member while the interference member is in the second position;
is moved into a gear plane intersecting the neutral plane at a location of the interference member such that the spring moves the interference member from the second position into the first position; and
returns to the neutral plane.

6. A gear selector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first interference is rendered effective again to inhibit movement of the gear lever into the low range sub-pattern after the gear lever has returned to the high range gate sub-pattern from the low range gate sub-pattern.

7. A gear selector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first interference is positioned on an intersection between one of the high range gear planes and the neutral plane, the one of the high range gear planes being adjacent to the low range gear plane, wherein the first interference is rendered ineffective when the gear lever is in the adjacent low range gear plane and is moved into a gear in the adjacent low range gear plane.

8. A gear selector as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the low range gate sub-pattern is positioned between the high range gate sub-pattern and the reverse gate sub-pattern.

9. A gear selector as claimed in claim 1 , comprising a low-range indicator arranged to indicate when the gear lever is in the low range gate sub-pattern.

10. A gear selector as claimed in claim 1 , comprising a gear indicator for each of the high and low range gears, wherein:
the gear indicators for the low range gears are highlighted to an operator when the gear lever is in the low range gate sub-pattern; and
the gear indicators for the high range gears are highlighted to the operator when the gear lever is in the high range gate sub-pattern.

11. A gear selector as claimed in claim 10 , comprising at least one light source for highlighting the highlighted gear indicators.

12. A vehicle comprising a gear selector as claimed in claim 1 .

13. A gear selector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the spring is received in a well and the interference member is at least partially outside of the well when the interference member is in the first position.

14. A gear selector as claimed in claim 13 , wherein one side of the well is closer to the low range gate sub-pattern and the interference member is situated next to the one side of the well in the first position.

15. A gear selector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the interference member comprises a ball.

16. A gear selector as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the ball is supported on an end of the spring.

Assignees

• Jaguar Land Rover Ltd

Inventors

• Spooner John
• Osborn Russell
• Mullane Steve

Classifications

• F16H59/04 Primary

  Ratio selector apparatus · CPC title

• F16H61/702

  using electric or electrohydraulic control means · CPC title

• F16H2061/245

  Ramp contours for generating force threshold, e.g. cams or pushers for generating additional resistance for a reverse path · CPC title

• F16H2059/0295

  with mechanisms to return lever to neutral or datum position, e.g. by return springs · CPC title

• F16H61/24

  Providing feel, e.g. to enable selection · CPC title