Shifter assembly with decoupling mechanism

A shifter assembly that includes a base and a shift lever pivotal relative to the base along a straight shift path. A cable mount is linked to the shift lever and a cable is attached to the cable mount. A clutch is linked with the shift lever and cable mount. The clutch selectively transmits motion of the shift lever to the cable mount for a first travel position and decouples the cable mount from the shift lever at a second travel position.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to shifter assemblies and with more particularity to shifter assemblies including a decoupling mechanism.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Typically shifter mechanisms are linked with a transmission cable to adjust gears within the transmission as a shifter is moved between various positions. In alternative shifter designs a shifter may be linked to a sensor such that various movements of a shift lever may be detected by an electronic system and change the transmission gear in response to movement of the shift lever. There are also shifters in the art that include a shift gate having a cross body or cross car slot that allows for the shifter to move laterally such that a driver of the vehicle may toggle an automatic transmission in a manual fashion.

However, many vehicles utilize a shift gate that is straight and does not include a lateral or cross car slot allowing a driver to manually adjust a drive gear of the vehicle. There is therefore a need in the art for a shifter assembly that includes a decoupling mechanism that disconnects a shift lever from a transmission cable in a straight gate design. There is also a need in the art for a shifter assembly that includes a clutch that selectively transmits motion of the shift lever to a cable over various travel positions of a shift lever.

Additionally, electronic shifters are also known in the art, however such shifters may need the addition of a cable for various applications when placing a vehicle into a park position. There is therefore a need in the art for a shifter assembly that may accommodate such requirements.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect there is disclosed a shifter assembly that includes a base and a shift lever pivotal relative to the base along a straight shift path. A cable mount is linked to the shift lever and a cable is attached to the cable mount. A clutch is linked with the shift lever and cable mount. The clutch selectively transmits motion of the shift lever to the cable mount for a first travel position and decouples the cable mount from the shift lever at a second travel position.

In another aspect there is disclosed a shifter assembly that includes a base and a shift lever pivotal relative to the base. A cable mount is linked to the shift lever. A torsion lock mechanism is linked with the shift lever and cable mount. The torsion lock mechanism selectively transmits motion of the shift lever to the cable mount for a first travel position and decouples the cable mount from the shift lever at a second travel position.

In a further aspect, there is disclosed a shift lever assembly pivotal relative to the base along a straight shift path. The shift path includes a park position and a drive position. A cable mount assembly is linked to the shift lever. The shift lever transmits motion to the cable mount assembly when moving to the park position and decouples from the cable mount when moving along the straight travel path to the drive position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the various figures, there is shown a shifter assembly10that includes a base12and shift lever or shift lever assembly14pivotal relative to the base12. In one aspect, the shift lever14is pivotal relative to the base12along a straight shift path16, as best seen inFIG. 9. A cable mount18is linked to the shift lever14and a cable20is attached to the cable mount18. A clutch22is linked with the shift lever14and cable mount18. The clutch22selectively transmits motion of the shift lever14to the cable mount18for a first travel position and decouples the cable mount18from the shift lever14at a second travel position. The first and second positions may be set according to various design parameters of the shifter assembly.

Referring toFIG. 1, there is shown an exploded perspective view of the shifter assembly10including a pivot hub24attached to the shift lever14and disposed within the cable mount18. A sleeve26may be connected about the pivot hub24. In one aspect, the sleeve26may be press fit onto the pivot hub24. The sleeve26may include ribs28that are positioned within notches30on the pivot hub24providing an anti-rotation feature. As described above, the sleeve26may be press fit or otherwise attached onto the pivot hub24. Additionally, the sleeve26may be over molded or otherwise formed on the pivot hub24. In another aspect, the pivot hub24may be formed as a part of the shift lever14.

Again referring toFIG. 1, the shifter assembly10may include a spring32disposed about the sleeve26and positioned within the cable mount18. The spring32may include a first end34that is attached to the cable mount18and a free end36that is not coupled to the cable mount and may extend outside of the cable mount18. In one aspect, the free end36of the spring32may engage a kick out structure38that is included on the base12. The kick out structure38may be a bracket or other structure attached to the base12or may be a molded structure formed with the base12. Engagement of the free end36with the kick out structure38will be described in more detail below.

As described above, the clutch22may be a torsion lock mechanism40that is linked with the shift lever14and cable mount18. The torsion lock mechanism40selectively transmits motion of the shift lever14to the cable mount18in the first travel position and decouples the cable mount18from the shift lever14in the second travel position. As described above, the torsion lock mechanism40may include a spring32attached at one end34to the cable mount18and having a free end36positioned outside of the cable mount18. As shown inFIGS. 3 and 4, the spring32may be disposed within a cavity42formed in the cable mount18and is positioned about the sleeve26connected to the pivot hub24. In one aspect, the spring32has a frictional fit with the sleeve26such that motion of the shift lever14is transferred to the cable mount18in the first travel position.

In the second travel position the free end36of the spring32contacts the kick out structure or decoupler38and expands the spring32out of engagement with the sleeve26decoupling the shift lever14from the cable mount18. The position of the decoupling may be set at various travel positions of the shift lever as a design may require.

In one aspect, as best shown inFIG. 8, the pivot hub24includes a boss or coupler44formed thereon that engages the cable mount18and transmits motion from the shift lever14to the cable mount18when the shift lever14is moved from the second travel position to the first travel position.

Referring toFIGS. 5-8, the operation of the shifter assembly10will be described as a shift lever14pivots about the base12along a shift path from park to reverse to drive and back to a park position. Referring toFIG. 5, the shifter assembly10is shown in a park position. As can be seen inFIG. 5, a cable20is attached to the cable mount18which is linked to the shift lever14by a clutch22or torsion lock mechanism40. The cable mount18is journaled with the pivot hub24by a rod or pin46that passes through the cable mount18and pivot hub24. The free end36of the spring32does not contact the kick out structure38or decoupler such that pivotal motion of the shift lever14is transferred through the pivot hub24and spring32to the cable mount18which in turn applies a rotary or pivoting motion to the cable20.

As the shift lever14is moved to a reverse position or another position based on alternate designs, as shown inFIG. 6, the free end36of the spring32contacts the kick out structure38such that the spring32expands out of engagement with the sleeve26decoupling the shift lever14from the cable mount18.

Referring toFIG. 7, the shift lever14is in a drive position such that movement of the shift lever14does not move the cable mount18or cable20as the spring32is expanded out of engagement with the sleeve26decoupling the shift lever14from the cable mount18. In this position, the shift lever14may be moved between various drive positions such that an electronic sensor or drive-by-wire system can control various drive gears of the transmission without movement of the cable mount18and cable20.

Referring toFIG. 8, there is shown a view of the shifter assembly10including the cable mount18and pivot hub24.FIG. 8details a position of the cable mount18and pivot hub24as a driver returns the shift lever14from a drive position to a park position. As can be seen in the figure, the pivot hub24includes a boss44or coupler formed thereon that engages the cable mount18and transmits motion from the shift lever14to the cable mount18when the shift lever14is moved from the drive position toward the park position. In this manner, lever movements are transferred through the pivot hub24into the cable mount18which in turn carries the cable mount18forward back into a park position. The spring32in this position rotates such that the free end36is moved out of contact with the kick out structure38and frictionally engages the sleeve26.

The invention has been described in an illustrative manner. It is to be understood that the terminology which has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than limitation. Many modifications and variations of the invention are possible in light of the above teachings. Therefore, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described.