Patent ID: 7536918
Filing Date: 2009-05-26
Classification: F16H

Abstract:
1. A system that determines a force-travel profile of a shifter in a vehicle having an instrument panel counsel, a windshield, and a shifter having an associated shifter shaft for a transmission, the system comprising: a shifter fixture mounted to the shifter; a hand actuation interface that operates to actuate the shifter when force is applied to the hand actuation interface by a user; a multi-dimensional force sensor (force sensor) that operates to sense forces sustained on the shifter fixture mounted to the shifter; a rigid linkage that interconnects the shifter fixture with the force sensor; a universal joint connecting two rigid linkages, one connecting the hand actuation interface and the other connecting the force sensor; a travel measurement rod for mounting position transducers; at least two transducers, a first transducer and a second transducer each mechanically mounted onto the travel measurement rod to determine position of a reference point associated with the travel measurement rod; and