Patent ID: 7326148
Filing Date: 2008-02-05
Classification: F16H,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A shifter mechanism for a motor vehicle comprising, in combination: a shifter lever movable along a shift path between a plurality of gear positions including a park position; a park switch providing a signal indicating when the shifter lever is out of the park position; wherein the park switch is on when the shifter lever is not in the park position; a lock assembly including an electric actuator movable between a locking position wherein the shifter lever is locked in one of the plurality of gear positions and an unlocking position wherein the shifter lever is movable along the shift path between the plurality of gear positions; a manually-actuated interlock switch providing a signal indicating the vehicle operator desires to move the shifter lever between the plurality of gear positions; a controller operably connected to the park switch to receive the signal from the park switch, operably connected to the interlock switch to receive the signal from the interlock switch, and operably connected to the electric actuator to selectively actuate the electric actuator; wherein the controller is adapted to receive an input signal from a vehicle ignition switch indicating whether a vehicle ignition is on and an input signal from a vehicle brake switch indicating whether a vehicle brake pedal is pressed; wherein the controller moves the actuator to the unlocking position when the input signal from the vehicle ignition switch indicates the vehicle ignition is on, the input signal from the vehicle brake switch indicates that the vehicle brake pedal is pressed, and the signal from the interlock switch indicates that the vehicle operator has actuated the interlock switch; and wherein the controller moves the actuator to the unlocking position when the signal from the park switch indicates that the shifter lever is not in the park position and the input signal from the interlock switch indicates that the vehicle operator has actuated the interlock switch.