Automobile paddle shifters locking device and system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8996261-B2
Application number	US-201213660961-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 25, 2012
Priority date	Oct 25, 2012
Publication date	Mar 31, 2015
Grant date	Mar 31, 2015

Abstract

A system for activating and deactivating a gear change in a vehicle. The system including a steering wheel, first and second paddle shifters coupled to the steering wheel or column, a switch having an activate state and a deactivate state and coupled to the steering wheel, a center console, an instrument panel, or an integrated display, and a locking mechanism connected to the first and second paddle shifters to inhibit movement or functioning of the first and second paddle shifters when the switch is in the deactivate state and to allow movement or functioning of the first and second paddle shifters when the switch is in the activate state as a stand-alone lock out method or integrated with an electronic lock out method.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for activating and deactivating a gear change in a vehicle, the system comprising:
a steering wheel;
a first paddle shifter and a second paddle shifter coupled to the steering wheel;
a switch having an activate state configured to enable operation of the first paddle shifter and the second paddle shifter and a deactivate state configured to disable operation of the first paddle shifter and the second paddle shifter; and
a display configured to display an indication that the operation of the first paddle shifter and the second paddle shifter is disabled when the switch is in the deactivate state.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a locking mechanism coupled to at least one of the first paddle shifter and the second paddle shifter and configured to inhibit movement of the first paddle shifter and the second paddle shifter.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein a warning is generated in response to at least one of a push or a pull of at least one of the first paddle shifter or the second paddle shifter when the switch is in the deactivate state.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the warning is at least one of visual, audio or haptic.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the switch is an electrical switch and wherein movement of the first paddle shifter and the second paddle shifter toggles the switch between the activate state and the deactivate state.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the movement of the first paddle shifter and the second paddle shifter is to a second position that is deeper or closer to the steering wheel than a first position.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the movement is at least one of both the first paddle shifter and the second paddle shifter pushed together, both the first paddle shifter and the second paddle shifter pulled together, a movement by at least one of the first paddle shifter or the second paddle shifter upwards relative to the plane of the face of paddle shifter, a movement by at least one of the first paddle shifter or the second paddle shifter downwards relative to the plane of the face of paddle shifter, or a twisting movement by at least one of the first paddle shifter or the second paddle shifter.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the switch is a physical switch located on at least one of a steering column, the steering wheel, the first paddle shifter, the second paddle shifter, a center console, or an instrument panel.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the switch is a virtual switch displayed on a graphical user interface.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein pushing or pulling the first paddle shifter or the second paddle shifter when the switch is in the deactivated state results in no gear change of the vehicle's transmission.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the deactivate state is reset to an activate state through at least one of toggling the switch, a timer expiring, turning off the vehicle, turning on the vehicle, placing the vehicle in reverse, or placing the vehicle in neutral.

12. A method for deactivating a paddle shifter gear change in a vehicle, the method comprising:
toggling a switch having an activate state configured to enable operation of a first paddle shifter and a second paddle shifter and a deactivate state configured to disable operation of the first paddle shifter and the second paddle shifter; and
engaging a locking mechanism coupled to at least one of the first paddle shifter or the second paddle shifter to inhibit movement of the first paddle shifter and the second paddle shifter.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising displaying, via a display, an indication of at least one of the activate state or the deactivate. state of the switch.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising enacting a warning in response to at least one of pushing or pulling at least one of the first paddle shifter or the second paddle shifter when the switch is in the deactivate state.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the warning is at least one of visual, audio or haptic.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the switch is an electrical switch and wherein movement of the first paddle shifter and the second paddle shifter toggles the switch and operation of the first paddle shifter and the second paddle shifter between the activate state and the deactivate state.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the movement of the first paddle shifter and the second paddle shifter is at least one of a positioning of a detent mechanism to a second position that is deeper or closer to a steering wheel than a first position of the detent mechanism.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the movement is at least one of both the first paddle shifter and the second paddle shifter pushed together, both the first paddle shifter and the second paddle shifter pulled together, a movement by at least one of the first paddle shifter or the second paddle shifter upwards relative to the plane of the face of paddle shifter, a movement by at least one of the first paddle shifter or the second paddle shifter downwards relative to the plane of the face of the paddle shifter, or a twisting movement by at least one of the first paddle shifter or the second paddle shifter.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the switch is a physical switch located on at least one of a steering column, a steering wheel, the first paddle shifter, the second paddle shifter, a center console, or an instrument panel,

20. The method of claim 12 , wherein the switch is a virtual switch displayed on a graphical user interface,

21. The method of claim 12 , wherein the deactivate state is reset to an activate state through at least one of toggling the switch, a timer expiring, turning off the vehicle, turning on the vehicle, placing the vehicle in reverse, or placing the vehicle in neutral or park.

22. A system for activating and deactivating a gear change in a vehicle, the system comprising:
a steering wheel;
a first paddle shifter and a second paddle shifter coupled to the steering wheel;
a switch having an activate state configured to enable operation of the first paddle shifter and the second paddle shifter and a deactivate state configured to disable operation of the first paddle shifter and the second paddle shifter; and
a locking mechanism coupled to at least one of the first paddle shifter or the second paddle shifter and configured to inhibit movement of the first paddle shifter or the second paddle shifter.

23. A system for activating and deactivating a gear change in a vehicle, the system comprising:
a steering wheel;
a first paddle shifter and a second paddle shifter coupled to the steering wheel; and
a switch having an activate state configured to enable operation of the first paddle shifter and the second paddle shifter and a deactivate state configured to disable operation of the first paddle shifter and the second paddle shifter, wherein a warning is generated in response to at least one of a push or a pull of at least one of the first paddle shifter or the second paddle shifter when the s itch is in the deactivated state.

24. The system of claim 23 , wherein the warning is at least one of visual, audio or haptic.

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America

Inventors

• Sata Andrew

Classifications

• F16H59/02 Primary

  Selector apparatus · CPC title

• Y10T74/20146

  Control lever on steering column · CPC title

• B60K20/06 Primary

  mounted on steering column or the like · CPC title

• F16H2059/0221

  for selecting modes, e.g. sport, normal, economy · CPC title

• F16H2059/0247

  with lever or paddle behind steering wheel · CPC title