Patent ID: 6196078
Filing Date: 2001-03-06
Classification: B60K,F16H,Y10T

Abstract:
A shifting system comprising:an automatic transmission for a vehicle including gearing movable to a plurality of different gear positions and including an actuator rod operably coupled to the gearing and rotatable to selectively shift the gearing between the gear positions;a driver interface module adapted to receive inputs from a vehicle driver for controlling the automotive transmission and to generate shifter position signals;a control unit operably connected to the driver interface module and programmed to generate control signals in response to the shifter position signals to control shifting of the transmission; anda stepper motor unit mechanically attached to the actuator rod and electrically operably connected to the control unit, the stepper motor unit being configured to selectively rotate the actuator rod to shift the transmission in response to the control signals received from the control unit;the driver interface module includes a shifter having a shift lever movable in a first manner to release the shift lever and movable in a second manner to various angular positions corresponding to the gear positions and further having a sensor arrangement for sensing the angular positions of the shift lever, the sensor arrangement being operably connected to the control unit and being configured to output the shifter position signals to the control unit.