Patent ID: 6439014
Filing Date: 2002-08-27
Classification: B60R,F16H,Y10T

Abstract:
A shift lever device for use in a vehicle having an automatic transmission with a park setting, a key cylinder and a key interlock mechanism for restricting key rotation in at least one transmission setting when a key is inserted in the key cylinder, the shift lever device comprising:(a) a shift lever adapted for mounting in a vehicle and when mounted therein, being shiftable in longitudinal and transverse directions of the vehicle, wherein a shift location range is defined as a parking range for placing an automatic transmission in the vehicle in a park setting; (b) a connecting member having two ends, with one end being adapted for connection to a biasing member of the key interlock mechanism in the vehicle that applies a tensile force F1 to said one end; (c) a driving member connected to the other end of the connecting member, the driving member being movable to a released position and a restricted position, and when said driving member moves from the released position to the restricted position, said driving member transmits force to the key interlock mechanism in a direction for restricting key rotation via said connecting member when connected to the key interlock mechanism and when said driving member moves from the restricted position to the released position, said driving member transmits force to the key interlock mechanism via said connecting member when connected to the key interlock mechanism, in a direction for releasing restricted rotation in the key interlock mechanism; (d) an urging member mounted for urging said driving member to the restricted position when the shift lever is in a location outside of the parking range, said urging member applying a second tensile force F2 to said other end of the connecting member that is greater than tensile force F1; and (e) a pressing portion integrally provided on said driving member, which is pressed by said shift lever when the shift lever is shifted to the parking range, causing said driving member to move from the restricted position to the released position against said urging force F2 of the urging member.