Patent ID: 7293480
Filing Date: 2007-11-13
Classification: F16H,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A shifting device, comprising: a housing; a shift lever supported by the housing, wherein the shift lever is movable along a first manipulation axis in a first direction and in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and further along, at least, a second manipulation axis in a third direction and in a fourth direction opposite to the third direction, for selecting one of a plurality of shift positions along each of the manipulation axes, where the first and second manipulation axes are non-parallel; a non-contact position detecting mechanism capable of detecting said different shift positions of the shift lever along each of the manipulation axes, wherein the position detecting mechanism is formed as a single unit and includes a plurality of detecting devices and a single detection objective device, wherein the relative positions between the detecting devices and the detection objective device are variable, wherein the position detecting mechanism detects the selected shift position according to the relative positions; and a moving mechanism, wherein, according to movement of the shift lever, the moving mechanism moves at least one of the group of the detecting devices and the detection objective device at least along a first movement axis and a second movement axis, the first and second movement axes are non-parallel, wherein the moving mechanism includes a first holder and a second holder, wherein the first holder accommodates one of the group of the detecting devices and the detection objective device and allows the accommodated devices or device to move relative to the first holder along the first movement axis, and wherein the second holder accommodates the first holder and allows the first holder to move relative to the second holder along the second movement axis.