Abstract:
It is an object of the invention to provide a rotary shift selecting apparatus for a vehicle capable of obtaining excellent operability while securing the liquid-proof ability. A rotary shift selecting apparatus for a vehicle comprising a base body  21  mounted to a vehicle frame, and a rotor  23  rotatably mounted to a supporting shaft  22  fixed to the base body  21  for selecting shift, wherein an annular fitting portion  24  which is coaxial of said supporting shaft  22  is formed between said base body  21  and said rotor  23,  and an annular seal material  25/26  is interposed between said fitting portion  24  and a passing-through portion of said supporting shaft  22  of said rotor  23.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a rotary shift selecting apparatus for a vehicle connected to a transmission of an engine mounted to the vehicle for changing a shift position of the transmission. 
     2. Prior Art 
     Conventionally, a three-wheeled or four-wheeled straddle type vehicle for example includes a transmission such as an automatic transmission mounted to an engine, and a shift selecting apparatus for changing a shift position of the transmission. 
     As a conventional example of a vehicle having such a shift selecting apparatus, one having a structure shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is known. 
     In these drawings, the vehicle designated with a symbol  1  is a four-wheel straddle type vehicle. 
     This vehicle  1  includes a vehicle body frame  2 , front wheels  3  mounted to opposite sides of a front portion of the vehicle body frame  2 , rear wheels  4  mounted to opposite sides of a rear portion of the vehicle body frame  2  and provided upper portions of the front portion of the vehicle body frame  2 , a steering wheel  5  for steering the front wheels  3 , a fuel tank  6  disposed behind the steering wheel  5 , a seat  7  mounted behind the fuel tank  6 , front fenders  8  provided such as to cover upper portions of the,front wheels  3 , and rear fenders  9  provided such as to cover upper portions of the rear wheels  4 . As shown in FIG. 4, brakes  10  and  11  are mounted to opposite ends of the steering wheel  5  for braking the vehicle  1 . 
     An engine  12  having a transmission (not shown) comprising an automatic transmission and the like is mounted below the fuel tank  6  and the seat  7 . A shift selecting apparatus  13  connected to the transmission is disposed on the side of the fuel tank  6 . 
     As shown in FIG. 5, the shift selecting apparatus  13  comprises a base body  14 , an operating rod  15  rotatably mounted to the base body  14  for operating the shift selecting apparatus  13 . A bellows boot  16  is mounted between the operating rod  15  and the base body  14  such as to cover a clearance therebetween. 
     The operating rod  15  is provided therein with various mechanisms for limiting the operating modes (such as reverse lock mechanism) of the operating rod  15  in some cases. In order protect these mechanisms in the operating rod  15  from water and the like, a protecting cover is mounted to the operating rod  15 , an O-ring or the like is mounted between the protecting cover and the operating rod  15  to prevent water from entering into the protecting cover. 
     In such a,conventional shift selecting apparatus  13 , since there exist the boot  16  between the operating rod  15  and the base body  14 , oscillation range of the operating rod  15  is limited. Further, when the operating rod  15  is operated, the elasticity of the boot  16  acts as resistance against the operation, and there is a problem that the operating feeling becomes firm. 
     Further, in the case of the water-proofing structure in which the operating rod  15  is provided with the protecting cover, and the O-ring is provided between the protecting cover and the operating rod  15 , not only the number of parts is increased, but also the number of assembling steps is increased. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has been accomplished in view of the above conventional problems, and it is an object of the invention to provide a rotary shift selecting apparatus for a vehicle capable of obtaining excellent operability while securing the liquid-proof ability. 
     To achieve the above object, according to claim  1  of the present invention, there is provided a rotary shift selecting apparatus for a vehicle comprising a base body mounted to a vehicle frame, and a rotor rotatably mounted to a supporting shaft fixed to the base body for selecting shift, wherein an annular fitting portion which is coaxial of the supporting shaft is formed between the base body and the rotor, and an annular seal material is interposed between the fitting portion and a passing-through portion of the supporting shaft of the rotor. 
     According to claim  2  of the invention, in the rotary shift selecting apparatus for a vehicle according to claim  1 , an operating rod is integrally mounted to a side portion of the rotor along its radial direction, a shift knob whose surface is covered with a protecting cover is mounted to a tip end of the operating rod through a predetermined length thereof, the protecting cover is formed with an insertion port to which the operating rod is inserted, the insertion port is formed at its inner face with a perimeter projection which is brought into contact under pressure with a front perimeter of an outer peripheral surface of the operating rod. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side view showing an embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of an essential portion showing the embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of a vehicle to which a conventional shift selecting apparatus is mounted. 
     FIG. 4 is a plane view of a front portion of the vehicle shown in FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 5 is a side view of the conventional shift selecting apparatus. 
     FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view of a shift knob mounted to a tip end of an operating rod according to another embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 7 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of an essential portion of a shift knob mounted to a tip end of an operating rod according to another embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     An embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. 
     In the following explanation, a main structure of the vehicle is common to the prior art shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the common portions are designated with the same symbols in the following explanation also. 
     A shift selecting apparatus of the present embodiment designated with a symbol  20  in FIG. 1 is mounted to a side of a vehicle body frame  2 , and connected to a transmission (not shown) provided in an engine  12  as in the prior art. 
     As shown in FIG. 2, this shift selecting apparatus  20  includes a base body  21  mounted to the vehicle body frame  2 , and a rotor  23  rotatably mounted to a supporting shaft  22  fixed to the base body  21  for selecting a shift. An annular fitting portion  24  which is coaxial with the supporting shaft  22  is formed between the base body  21  and the rotor  23 . An annular seal material  25  is interposed between a passing-through portion  23   a  of the supporting shaft  22  and the rotor  23 , and an annular seal material  26  is interposed between the fitting portion  24  and the rotor  23 . 
     Details of the structure will be explained next. The fitting portion  24  between the base body  21  and the rotor  23  comprises an annular projection  27  of the base body  21  formed between opposed faces of the base body  21  and the rotor  23 , and an annular projection  28  of the rotor  23  formed between opposed faces of the base body  21  and the rotor  23 . The projection  28  is superposed at a predetermined distance on an outer side of the projection  27  formed on the base body  21 . 
     The projection  27  formed on the base body  21  is formed coaxially with the supporting shaft  22  fixed to the base body  21 . The projection  28  formed on the rotor  23  is formed coaxially with the passing-through portion  23   a  of the supporting shaft  22 . With this structure, in a state in which the rotor  23  is mounted to the supporting shaft  22 , the projections  27  and  28  are fitted to each other at the predetermined distance therebetween. 
     An operating rod  29  is integrally mounted to a side of the rotor  23  along its turning radial direction. A notch  30  into which the operating rod  29  is inserted is formed in a side of the base body  21 . 
     The notch  30  is formed over the entire oscillation range of the operating rod  29 . 
     The rotor  23  is formed with a plurality of recesses  31  provided for holding the rotor  23  at a predetermined shift position. If a locking pin  32  slidably mounted to the base body  21  is resiliently fitted into one of the recesses  31  by a spring  33 , the rotor  23  is held at a selected select position. 
     The rotor  23  is connected to the transmission of the engine  12  through a wire (not shown) or the like. 
     A shift knob  41  whose surface is covered with a protecting cover  40  made of resin is mounted to a tip end of the operating rod  29 . The protecting cover  40  is formed with an insertion port  40   a  into which the operating rod  29  is inserted. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, two perimeter projections  42  are formed on an inner face of the insertion port  40   a.  The perimeter projections  42  are brought into contact under pressure with a front perimeter of an outer peripheral surface of the operating rod  29 . 
     The two perimeter projections  42  are formed at a distance from each other in a center line direction of the insertion port  40   a.    
     An interior of the shift knob  41  is formed as a metal inner  43 , operation limiting mechanisms (such as a reverse lock mechanism and the like) for the operating rod  29  are mounted in the inner  43 . 
     In the shift selecting apparatus  20  according to the present embodiment having such a structure, a shift position of the transmission is changed by operating the operating rod  29  to turn the rotor  23  around the supporting shaft  22 . 
     When such an operation is carried out, the rotor  23  slides on contact surfaces of both the seal materials  25  and  26  and is turned. 
     Therefore, when the operating rod  29  is operated, the seal materials  25  and  26  are not deformed, a resistance caused when the operating rod  29  is operated is only the sliding resistance with respect to the seal materials  25  and  26  and thus, the operating force of the operating rod  29  is reduced. Further, since the sliding resistance is constant irrespective of turning position of the rotor  23 , the turning range is not limited. 
     Further, the relative turning portion of the rotor  23  with respect to the base body  21  is sealed by the seal materials  25  and  26  and thus, water or dust does not enter the base body  21 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, in a state in which the protecting cover  40  provided for covering the surface of the shift knob  41  fitted to the tip end of the operating rod  29  mounts the shift knob  41  to the tip end of the operating rod  29 , the perimeter projection  42  is formed in the insertion port  40   a  of the protecting cover  40 . Therefore, the space between the protecting cover  40  and the operating rod  29  is sealed liquid-tightly and as a result, it is possible to obtain water-proof function for the various apparatuses disposed in the shift knob  41 . 
     Further, since the perimeter projection  42  is integrally formed together with the protecting cover  40 , it is possible to obtain the water-proof function with a simple operation without increasing the number of parts. 
     Shape, size and the like of each the constituting member shown in the above embodiment is only an example, and they can variously be changed in accordance with requirements of design. 
     As explained above, according to the rotary shift selecting apparatus for a vehicle of the invention, at the time of shift selecting operation, the rotor slides on contact surfaces of both the seal materials and is turned. Therefore, at the time of operation, both the seal materials are prevented from being deformed, a resistance caused when the operating rod is operated is only the sliding resistance with respect to both the seal materials and thus, the operating force of the operating rod is reduced. Further, since the sliding resistance is constant irrespective of turning position of the rotor, the turning range is not limited. 
     Further, the relative turning portion of the rotor with respect to the base body is sealed by the seal materials and thus, water or dust can be prevented from entering the base body. 
     Further, in a state in which the protecting cover provided for covering the surface of the shift knob fitted to the tip end of the operating rod mounts the shift knob to the tip end of the operating rod, the perimeter projection is formed in the insertion port of the protecting cover. Therefore, the space between the protecting cover and the operating rod is sealed liquid-tightly and as a result, it is possible to obtain water-proof function for the various apparatuses disposed in the shift knob. 
     Further, since the perimeter projection is integrally formed together with the protecting cover, it is possible to obtain the water-proof function with a simple operation without increasing the number of parts.