Patent ID: 6518525
Filing Date: 2003-02-11
Classification: F16H,H01H

Abstract:
Gear recognition switch apparatus for use in vehicular transmissions comprisinga housing having a bottom wall formed with an elongated channel therein along a longitudinal direction, the bottom wall having a platform surface on either side of the channel and having sidewalls extending upwardly from the bottom wall to form an actuator seat, an actuator received on the actuator seat, the actuator having a base wall and a manual valve coupling portion extending downwardly through the channel, the actuator formed with flexible portions which form an interference fit in the actuator seat with the actuator slidable along the platform surfaces in the longitudinal direction between first and second extremities of said elongated channel, said base wall of the actuator having opposed first and second ends in the longitudinal direction and opposed first and second sides in a lateral direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal direction in which a flexible portion is formed by a longitudinally extending isolation slot formed in the base wall adjacent the first side thereof forming a flexible beam, said flexible beam having a protrusion thereon extending laterally outwardly, a movable contact assembly disposed on top of the base wall, the movable contact assembly having at least one movable contact arm biased away from the base wall of the actuator, and a stationary contact board received over the movable contact assembly and attached to the housing, the stationary contact board having at least one stationary contact path with an electrically conductive segment selectively positioned in a portion of the contact path, the at least one movable contact arm biased into engagement with the at least one stationary contact path.