Patent ID: 6300868
Filing Date: 2001-10-09
Classification: B60Q,F16H

Abstract:
A vehicle automatic transmission safety system comprising:a first member for moving a locking pawl into engagement with a groove between teeth on a parking gear, said first member having a latching recess therein, said first member having a latched position wherein said locking pawl is free of engagement with said parking gear and a released position wherein said locking pawl is in engagement with a groove between teeth on said parking gear;a second member having an extended position adapted to releaseably engage the latching recess in said first member to maintain said first member in its latched position, said second member having a retracted position allowing said first member to move to its released position;a first solenoid for moving said second member to its retracted position thereby freeing said first member for movement into its released position wherein said locking pawl engages a groove between teeth on said parking gear;a first switch connected to a source of power and to said first solenoid, said first switch being closed by placing a shift lever in park whereby, when said shift lever is placed in park, said first solenoid is actuated to retract said second member to allow said first member to move said locking pawl into engagement in a groove in said parking gear; anda normally closed first seat switch being moved to the open position by the driver's weight connected with said source of power and said first solenoid in parallel with said first switch, whereby said first solenoid is actuated by said seat switch to retract said second member thereby releasing said first member to move said locking pawl into engagement in a groove between teeth on said parking gear if the driver leaves his normal driving position without first placing the shift lever in park.