Patent ID: 9664276
Date: 2017-05-30
CPC Classifications: F16F,F16H,Y10T

Claim:
1. An electronic shifter assembly for a shift-by-wire transmission, comprising: a base; a shift lever assembly including a pivot base having a coupling member; a detent system including a biasing member and a detent member associated with the shift lever assembly, the biasing member biasing the detent member into engagement with a cam member coupled to the base; and a clutch system including a flexible clutch member and a bearing area having a tapered bearing surface, the bearing area defined by the base and configured to receive the coupling member with the flexible clutch member coupled thereto to pivotably couple the shift lever assembly to the base such that the flexible clutch member extends partially around the coupling member with an inner surface of the flexible clutch member bearing on the coupling member and an outer surface of the flexible clutch member engaging and reacting against the tapered bearing surface; wherein the detent system is configured to apply a downward force onto the coupling member thereby causing corresponding downward movement of flexible clutch member relative to a decreasing diameter of the tapered bearing surface such that an inner diameter of the flexible clutch member is reduced thereby applying increased frictional force on the coupling member so as to cause increased frictional resistance to pivotal movement of the shift lever assembly and provide tuned frictional damping of the shift lever assembly during movement thereof proportional with a biasing force of the biasing member.