Wire-based transmission shifter with integrated electrical switch control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10907729-B2
Application number	US-201916280712-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 20, 2019
Priority date	Feb 20, 2018
Publication date	Feb 2, 2021
Grant date	Feb 2, 2021

Abstract

A transmission shifter includes a base defining P, R, N, D gear positions; four electrical dome switches associated with each of the P, R, N, D gear positions, and analog and digital circuits operably connected to the electrical switches, respectively, and associated with the P, R, N, D gear positions. The dome switches are arranged in different patterns in each of the different gear positions, and in combination with pushbutton actuators operate with different actuator motions and with different closure distances and forces to cause reliable ad confirmed intentional actuation, including redundancy. The switches are operably connected to analog and digital circuits, which provides additional functional advantage, reliability, and certainty of intentional operation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A transmission shifter for a vehicle, comprising:
a base defining Park, Reverse, Neutral, and Drive gear positions;
at least two separate Park electrical switches mounted on the base and associated with the Park gear position;
a Park gear selector component associated with the Park gear position and configured to actuate both of the Park electrical switches upon manipulation of the Park gear selector component;
at least two separate Reverse electrical switches mounted on the base and associated with the Reverse gear position;
a Reverse gear selector component associated with the Reverse gear position and configured to actuate both of the Reverse electrical switches upon manipulation of the Reverse gear selector component;
at least two separate Neutral electrical switches mounted on the base and associated with the Neutral gear position;
a Neutral gear selector component associated with the Neutral gear position and configured to actuate both of the Neutral electrical switches upon manipulation of the Neutral gear selector component;
at least two separate Drive electrical switches mounted on the base and associated with the Drive gear position; and
a Drive gear selector component associated with the Drive gear position and configured to actuate both of the Drive electrical switches upon manipulation of the Drive gear selector component,
wherein the at least two separate Park, Reverse, Neutral, and Drive electrical switches each includes a first dome electrical switch and a second dome electrical switch, all of the first and second dome electrical switches being constructed to close at different times during movement of the associated Park, Reverse, Neutral, and Drive gear selector components.

2. The transmission shifter as defined in claim 1 , wherein the Reverse gear selector component comprises a primary plunger that moves horizontally and a secondary plunger that moves downward as the primary plunger moves horizontally in a rearward direction, wherein the secondary plunger actuates both of the Reverse electrical switches upon moving downward.

3. The transmission shifter as defined in claim 2 , wherein the Drive gear selector is supported in the base so as to move downward at an angle relative to a vertical axis when manipulated.

4. The transmission shifter as defined in claim 3 , wherein the Park gear selector is supported in the base so as to move downward in a direction parallel to the vertical axis when manipulated.

5. The transmission shifter as defined in claim 4 , wherein the Neutral gear selector is supported in the base so as to move downward in a direction parallel to the vertical axis when manipulated.

6. The transmission shifter as defined in claim 1 , wherein the Drive gear selector is supported in the base so as to move downward at an angle relative to a vertical axis when manipulated.

7. The transmission shifter as defined in claim 1 , wherein the Park gear selector is supported in the base so as to move downward in a direction parallel to a vertical axis when manipulated.

8. The transmission shifter as defined in claim 1 and further comprising:
Park, Reverse, Neutral, and Drive circuits operably connected to the electrical switches, respectively, and associated with the Park, Reverse, Neutral, and Drive gear positions respectively;
wherein at least one of the electrical switches for each of the Park, Reverse, Neutral, and Drive gear positions is configured to output an analog signal to a respective one of the Park, Reverse, Neutral, and Drive circuits; and
wherein at least one other of the electrical switches for each of the Park, Reverse, Neutral, and Drive gear positions is configured to output a digital signal to a respective one of the Park, Reverse, Neutral, and Drive circuits.

Assignees

• Ghsp Inc

Inventors

• Sage Ian Patrick
• Kortge Gary Douglas
• Burghgraef Todd Michael

Classifications

• H01H13/84

  characterised by ergonomic functions, e.g. for miniature keyboards; characterised by operational sensory functions, e.g. sound feedback (legends H01H13/83) · CPC title

• H01H13/807

  characterised by the spatial arrangement of the contact sites, e.g. superimposed sites · CPC title

• F16H2059/026

  Details or special features of the selector casing or lever support · CPC title

• F16H59/12 Primary

  comprising push button devices · CPC title

• H01H2300/02

  Application transmission, e.g. for sensing the position of a gear selector or automatic transmission · CPC title