Shift device for vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9683655-B2
Application number	US-201314405838-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 29, 2013
Priority date	Jun 8, 2012
Publication date	Jun 20, 2017
Grant date	Jun 20, 2017

Abstract

A shift device for a vehicle has a D-switch operation unit corresponding to a drive range, an N-switch operation unit corresponding to a neutral range, an R-switch operation unit corresponding to a reverse range, and a P-switch operation unit corresponding to a parking range. The R-switch operation unit is operated toward the back in the front-back direction of the vehicle to select the reverse range, and the switch operation units other than the R-switch operation unit are pressed downward from above to select respective ranges. The direction of operation of the R-switch operation unit is set to differ from the directions of operation of the other switch operation units when selecting a range other than the reverse range.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A shift device for a vehicle, having selection options including at least a drive option, a neutral option , and a reverse option, and provided to enable each option to be switched based on operation of switch operation units by a driver with each of the selection options associated with a corresponding switch operation unit of the switch operation units, wherein
the switch operation units comprises: a D-switch operation unit corresponding to the drive option; an N-switch operation unit corresponding to the neutral option; and an R-switch operation unit corresponding to the reverse option ,
a direction of operation of the R-switch operation unit when selecting the reverse option is in a direction which faces in a front-back direction of the vehicle and is different from a direction of operation of the D-switch operation unit when selecting the drive option,
each of the switch operation units has a push button.

2. The shift device for a vehicle, according to claim 1 , wherein each of the switch operation units is provided so that the direction of operation of the R-switch operation unit when selecting the reverse option is set to be in a direction nearly perpendicular to the directions of operation of the switch operation units other than the R-switch operation unit when selecting a option other than the reverse option, or so that each other's directions of operation intersect such that an angle between the each other's directions of operation is a right angle or more.

3. The shift device for a vehicle, according to claim 1 , wherein the R-switch operation unit is operated toward a back direction with respect to the front-back direction of the vehicle to select the reverse range.

4. The shift device for a vehicle, according to claim 1 , wherein
the directions of operation of the switch operation units other than the R-switch operation unit are in a direction away from the driver, and
the direction of operation of the R-switch operation unit is in a direction toward the driver side.

5. The shift device for a vehicle, according to claim 1 , further comprising a panel face which is arranged on a vehicle body and on which each of the switch operation units is arranged, wherein
in the panel face, a face on which the R-switch operation unit is arranged, and a face on which the D-switch operation unit is arranged, are arranged toward directions facing each other and slope relative to a face on which the N-switch operation unit is arranged.

6. The shift device for a vehicle, according to claim 1 , further comprising a panel face which is arranged on a vehicle body and on which each of the switch operation units is arranged, wherein
the switch operation units other than the R-switch operation unit are arranged on a surface of the panel face;
the panel face has a recessed portion which is recessed from the surface toward the inside; and
the R-switch operation unit is arranged between a bottom surface forming the recessed portion and the surface.

7. The shift device for a vehicle, according to claim 6 , wherein
each of the switch operation units is constituted by a push button;
the switch operation units further comprises a P-switch operation unit corresponding to a parking option;
the P-switch operation unit, the R-switch operation unit, the N-switch operation unit and the D-switch operation unit are arranged in this order on the panel face along a front-back direction of the vehicle;
the step portion is provided on the N-switch operation unit side of the recessed portion; and
the recessed portion has a sloped face which slopes from the P-switch operation unit toward the R-switch operation unit.

8. The shift device for a vehicle, according to claim 7 , wherein
an operation face of the R-switch operation unit when selecting the reverse option is provided on a longitudinal wall of the push button, which faces the sloped face, and
when the panel face is viewed in section, the operation face is set to be in a direction in which a distance from a virtual vertical plane in contact with an upside ridge line of the longitudinal wall gradually increases from an upside of the longitudinal wall toward a downside thereof.

9. The shift device for a vehicle, according to claim 1 , further comprising a panel face which is arranged on a vehicle body and on which each of the switch operation units is arranged, wherein
in the panel face, a face on which the R-switch operation unit is arranged, and a face on which the D-switch operation unit is arranged, are arranged toward directions facing each other.

10. The shift device for a vehicle, according to claim 1 , further comprising a panel face which is arranged on a vehicle body and on which each of the switch operation units is arranged, wherein
in the panel face, a face on which the R-switch operation unit is arranged, or a face on which the D-switch operation unit is arranged, slopes relative to a face on which the N-switch operation unit is arranged.

11. A shift device for a vehicle, having selection options including at least a drive option and a reverse option, and provided to enable each option to be switched based on operation of switch operation units by a driver with each of the selection options associated with a corresponding switch operation unit of the switch operation units, wherein
the switch operation units comprises: a D-switch operation unit corresponding to the drive option; and an R-switch operation unit corresponding to the reverse option, and
the shift device comprises a panel face which is arranged on a vehicle body and on which each of the switch operation units is arranged, wherein
at least a part of an operation face of the R-switch operation unit is arranged on an inner side of the panel face farther than an operation face of each of switch operation units other than the R-switch operation unit, and
the R-switch operation unit is arranged on a bottom surface of the panel face.

12. A shift device for a vehicle, having selection options including at least a drive option, a neutral option and a reverse option, and provided to enable each option to be switched based on operation of switch operation units by a driver with each of the selection options associated with a corresponding switch operation unit of the switching operation units, wherein
each of the switch operation units is constituted by a push button,
the switch operation units comprises: a D-switch operation unit corresponding to the drive option; an N-switch operation unit corresponding to the neutral option; and an R-switch operation unit corresponding to the reverse option, and
a first line, corresponding to a direction of operation of the R-switch operation unit intersects a second line, corresponding to a direction of operation of the N-switch operation unit.

13. The shift device for a vehicle, according to claim 12 ,
further comprising a parking option, wherein
the switch operation units comprises a P-switch operation unit corresponding to the parking option, and
the P-switch operation unit is arranged farther away from the R-switch operation unit than the N-switch operation unit.

14. The shift device for a vehicle, according to claim 12 , wherein
a character representing each of switch operation units other than the R-switch operation unit is provided on an operation face of each of the switch operation units, and
a character representing the R-switch operation unit is provided at a position away from an operation face of the R-switch operation unit.

15. A shift device for a vehicle, having selection options including at least a drive opti

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ishino Toru
• Mihashi Osamu

Classifications

• F16H59/12 Primary

  comprising push button devices · CPC title

• F16H2059/026

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

• Y10T74/2014

  Manually operated selector [e.g., remotely controlled device, lever, push button, rotary dial, etc.] · CPC title

• F16H2061/185

  Means, e.g. catches or interlocks, for preventing unintended shift into reverse gear · CPC title