Shifting device for vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9816604-B2
Application number	US-201514635731-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 2, 2015
Priority date	Mar 14, 2014
Publication date	Nov 14, 2017
Grant date	Nov 14, 2017

Abstract

A shifting device for a vehicle includes a rotary operating member and a base member. The rotary operating member includes a rotary shaft. The base member has a bearing surface around a bearing hole. The rotary shaft is fitted in the bearing hole, and the bearing surface receives an outer circumferential surface of the rotary shaft. A pair of flat surfaces are provided on the outer circumferential surface of the rotary shaft. The pair of flat surfaces are configured such that one flat surface of the pair of flat surfaces is located between a pair of circumferential end edges of the bearing surface, within a predetermined rotating angle range of the rotary operating member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A shifting device for a vehicle, the shifting device comprising:
a shift lever for the vehicle;
a rotary operating member (i) connected to the shift lever, (ii) including a rotary shaft that extends in a direction of a rotational axis, the rotary shaft having a columnar shape, and (iii) being rotatable about the rotational axis within an operating angle of the shift lever; and
a base member including a support wall having a bearing hole, a bearing surface being around the bearing hole, the bearing surface having a partially cylindrical shape, the rotary shaft being fitted in the bearing hole, and the bearing surface receiving an outer circumferential surface of the rotary shaft, wherein:
the support wall includes a pair of guide walls that have lengths different from each other and that are opposed to each other at an interval that is smaller than a diameter of the rotary shaft,
the guide walls are continuous with the bearing surface,
the guide walls define an elongated guide hole,
a pair of flat surfaces that are parallel to each other are on the outer circumferential surface of the rotary shaft,
an interval of the pair of flat surfaces is smaller than the interval of the pair of guide walls, and
one flat surface of the pair of flat surfaces is smaller than the other flat surface and is located between a pair of circumferential end edges of the bearing surface, within the operating angle of the shift lever, and
a distance between the one flat surface and the rotational axis is larger than a distance between the other flat surface and the rotational axis.

2. The shifting device according to claim 1 , wherein
at least one of the guide walls includes a pointed protrusion that protrudes in a circumferential direction of the bearing surface, from a corresponding one of a pair of opening ends of the bearing surface.

3. The shifting device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the pair of guide walls include mutually parallel portions; and
the rotational axis is located closer to the other flat surface of the pair of flat surfaces than a center line between the guide walls.

4. The shifting device according to claim 1 , wherein the entire one flat surface of the pair of flat surfaces is located between the pair of circumferential end edges of the bearing surface.

5. The shifting device according to claim 1 , wherein the length of the one flat surface of the pair of flat surfaces is less than the interval of the pair of guide walls.

6. The shifting device according to claim 1 , wherein the one flat surface of the pair of flat surfaces and the other flat surface are opposed to each other and are on opposite sides of the rotational axis.

7. The shifting device according to claim 1 , wherein the one flat surface of the pair of flat surfaces and the other flat surface are each intersected by a single plane that is perpendicular to the rotational axis.

8. The shifting device according to claim 1 , wherein the guide walls and the bearing surface constitute part of a closed perimeter that is formed by the support wall and that surrounds the bearing hole and the elongated guide hole.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd
• Tokai Rika Co Ltd
• Tsuda Ind Co Ltd
• Mannoh Ind Co Ltd

Inventors

• Okumoto Ryuichi
• Kobayashi Masaki
• Takeuchi Yasunori
• Nishikawa Naotaka
• Yoshida Makoto

Classifications

• Y10T74/20165

  Spherical mount [e.g., ball and socket] · CPC title

• F16H59/0278

  Constructional features of the selector lever, e.g. grip parts, mounting or manufacturing · CPC title

• F16H59/10 Primary

  comprising levers · CPC title

• F16H59/0213 Primary

  with sealing means, e.g. against entry of dust · CPC title

• F16H2059/0269

  Ball joints or spherical bearings for supporting the lever · CPC title