Assisting element structure for paddle shifter of vehicle

An assisting element structure for a paddle shifter of a vehicle includes: an operating body having a centrally-disposed flange, with a first and second extending portions disposed at two ends of the operating body, respectively, the flange having therein a receiving chamber which the paddle shifter is fitted in; a groove corresponding in position to the first extending portion is concavely disposed on the flange, wherein a first through hole, a second through hole and a threaded hole are disposed at two ends and a middle of the groove, respectively, and a baffle corresponding in position to an inner wall of the second extending portion is disposed on the flange; a pressing element disposed in the groove and having two ends with a first and second elastic segments corresponding in position to the first and second through holes, respectively; and a screwing component disposed in the threaded hole.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to assisting element structures for paddle shifters of vehicles and, more particularly, to an assisting element structure for a paddle shifter of a vehicle. Since a baffle and a pressing element are disposed on the inner wall of a flange of the assisting element structure, a screwing component moves the pressing element and thus moves the paddle shifter, thereby positioning the lateral edge of the paddle shifter below the baffle disposed on the flange. Hence, the paddle shifter is firmly positioned inside the flange because of dual limitations attributed to the baffle and the pressing element.

2. Description of Related Art

A paddle shifter of a vehicle is a gear shifting device mounted in place behind a steering wheel of the vehicle. Two paddle shifters are disposed on the left and right of the steering wheel to achieve acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle, respectively. However, with the paddle shifters being hidden behind the steering wheel, drivers often complain about overly short gear shifting length (especially those drivers with short fingers). Nowadays there are commercially-available assisting element-related products which extend the operating areas of the paddle shifters. Referring toFIG. 1, a commercially available assisting element A includes a flange A1penetrated by four set screws C and then presses against a paddle shifter B to position the paddle shifter B in place.

However, the conventional assisting element A in operation has drawbacks as follows:

1. To position the paddle shifter B in place firmly, the conventional assisting element A has set screws C abutting against the surface of the paddle shifter B. The set screws C are perpendicular to and in contact with the lateral surface of the paddle shifter B in order to be fastened thereto. However, the set screws C damage the surface of the paddle shifter B.

2. The conventional paddle shifter B is fastened in place, using the four set screws C which are symmetrically aligned in a front-to-rear direction. The four set screws C press against the paddle shifter B which is made of a plastic. The conventional assisting element A vibrates while the vehicle is advancing or undergoing gear shifting. Given time, the conventional assisting element A is likely to loosen.

3. The conventional paddle shifter B and the conventional assisting element A are fixed together by the set screws C. The conventional paddle shifter B, which is made of a plastic, is likely to crack at the junction of the conventional paddle shifter B and the conventional assisting element A, thereby causing the conventional assisting element A to loosen.

4. The way of fixing the conventional assisting element A to the conventional paddle shifter B by the set screws C is likely to cause damage to the contact surface of the conventional paddle shifter B. Furthermore, screwing the set screws C is laborious and time-consuming to the detriment of industrial applicability.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

It is an objective of the present disclosure to provide an assisting element structure which fixes a paddle shifter in place without damaging the surface of the paddle shifter. According to the present disclosure, since a baffle and a pressing element are disposed on the inner wall of a flange of the assisting element structure, a screwing component moves the pressing element and thus moves the paddle shifter, thereby positioning the lateral edge of the paddle shifter below the baffle disposed on the flange. Hence, the paddle shifter is firmly positioned inside the flange because of dual limitations attributed to the baffle and the pressing element.

In order to achieve the above and other objectives, the present disclosure provides an assisting element structure for a paddle shifter of a vehicle, comprising: an operating body having a centrally-disposed flange, wherein a first extending portion and a second extending portion are disposed at two ends of the operating body, respectively, the flange having therein a receiving chamber which an outer end of the paddle shifter is fitted in; a groove corresponding in position to an inner wall of the first extending portion is concavely disposed on the flange, wherein a first through hole, a second through hole and a threaded hole are disposed at two ends and a middle of the groove, respectively; a baffle corresponding in position to an inner wall of the second extending portion and disposed on the flange; a pressing element disposed in the groove of the flange and having a rod, a first elastic segment and a second elastic segment, wherein two ends of the rod are connected to the first elastic segment and the second elastic segment, respectively, wherein the first elastic segment and the second elastic segment correspond in position to the first through hole and the second through hole in the groove, respectively, wherein the first through hole and the second through hole are each penetrated by a bolt such that the first elastic segment and the second elastic segment are fixed in place inside the first through hole and the second through hole, respectively; and a screwing component disposed in the threaded hole.

In some embodiments, the flange has an opening.

In some embodiments, the screwing component has an inner end forming a conical point portion.

In some embodiments, a wrench-inserted slot is concavely disposed at an outer end of the screwing component.

In some embodiments, the first elastic segment of the pressing element is a tension spring penetrable by the bolt and screwedly fixed in the first through hole.

In some embodiments, the second elastic segment of the pressing element is a tension spring penetrable by the bolt and screwedly fixed in the second through hole.

In some embodiments, an inner end of the conical point portion of the screwing component abuts against an outer rim of the rod of the pressing element, and a center of the screwing component is higher than a center of the pressing element.

According to the present disclosure, an assisting element structure for a paddle shifter of a vehicle improves on a conventional assisting element structure by positioning the paddle shifter in place firmly without damaging the surface of the paddle shifter. Since the baffle and the pressing element are disposed on the inner wall of the flange of the assisting element structure, the screwing component moves the pressing element and thus moves the paddle shifter, thereby positioning the lateral edge of the paddle shifter below the baffle disposed on the flange. Hence, the paddle shifter is firmly positioned inside the flange because of dual limitations attributed to the baffle and the pressing element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring toFIG. 2throughFIG. 8, the present disclosure provides an assisting element structure1for a paddle shifter2of a vehicle. The assisting element structure1comprises an operating body11, a pressing element12, and a screwing component13.

The operating body11has a centrally-disposed flange111. A first extending portion112and a second extending portion113are disposed at two ends of the operating body11, respectively. The flange111has an opening114. The flange111has therein a receiving chamber115which the outer end of the paddle shifter2is fitted in. A groove116corresponding in position to the inner wall of the first extending portion112is concavely disposed on the flange111. A first through hole117, a second through hole118and a threaded hole119(shown inFIG. 2) are disposed at two ends and a middle of the groove116, respectively. A baffle110corresponding in position to the inner wall of the second extending portion113is disposed on the flange111.

The pressing element12is disposed in the groove116of the flange111. The pressing element12has a rod120, a first elastic segment121and a second elastic segment122. The two ends of the rod120are connected to the first elastic segment121and the second elastic segment122, respectively. The first elastic segment121and the second elastic segment122correspond in position to the first through hole117and the second through hole118in the groove116, respectively. The first through hole117and the second through hole118are each penetrated by a bolt3such that the first elastic segment121and the second elastic segment122are fixed in place inside the first through hole117and the second through hole118, respectively.

The screwing component13is disposed in the threaded hole119. The screwing component13has an inner end which forms a conical point portion131. A wrench-inserted slot132is concavely disposed at the outer end of the screwing component13. The inner end of the conical point portion131of the screwing component13abuts against the outer rim of the rod120of the pressing element12. The center of the screwing component13is higher than the center of the pressing element12(as shown inFIG. 8).

According to the present disclosure, since the baffle110and the pressing element12are disposed on the inner wall of the flange111of the assisting element structure1, the screwing component13moves the pressing element12and thus moves the paddle shifter2, thereby positioning the lateral edge of the paddle shifter2below the baffle110disposed on the flange111. Hence, the paddle shifter2is firmly positioned inside the flange111because of dual limitations attributed to the baffle110and the pressing element12.

According to the present disclosure, connecting the operating body11which the pressing element12and the screwing component13are disposed on to the paddle shifter2entails a user's fitting the receiving chamber115of the flange111of the operating body11around the outer end of the paddle shifter2, inserting a wrench tool (not shown) into the wrench-inserted slot132of the screwing component13, and rotating the wrench tool to cause the conical point portion131formed at the inner end of the screwing component13to abut against the outer rim of the rod120of the pressing element12. Therefore, the rod120of the pressing element12is elastically pulled and stretched by the first elastic segment121and the second elastic segment122and thereby moves out of the groove116(as shown inFIG. 7andFIG. 8.) As a result, the moving rod120of the pressing element12causes the paddle shifter2to move, thereby positioning the other edge of the paddle shifter2below the baffle110disposed on the inner wall of the flange111(as shown inFIG. 7andFIG. 8.) Therefore, the rod120of the paddle shifter2is firmly clamped and fitted inside the receiving chamber115in the flange111.

According to the present disclosure. The screwing component13and the pressing element12of the assisting element structure1enable the paddle shifter2to engage with the baffle110disposed on the inner wall of the flange111of the assisting element structure1and thus become positioned in place, so as to reduce required points of positioning the paddle shifter2, cause no damage to the surface of the paddle shifter2, and enhance the stability of the positioning of the assisting element structure1and the paddle shifter2by the elasticity of the pressing element12.

As indicated above, according to the present disclosure, an assisting element structure for a paddle shifter of a vehicle has advantages as follows:

1. According to the present disclosure, since the baffle110and the pressing element12are disposed on the inner wall of the flange111of the assisting element structure1, the screwing component13moves the pressing element12and thus moves the paddle shifter2, thereby positioning the lateral edge of the paddle shifter2below the baffle110disposed on the flange111. Hence, the paddle shifter2is firmly positioned inside the flange111because of dual limitations attributed to the baffle110and the pressing element12.

2. According to the present disclosure, not only is the lateral edge of the paddle shifter2positioned below the baffle110because the baffle110is disposed on the flange111and corresponds in position to the inner wall of the second extending portion113, but a single said screwing component13also fixes the paddle shifter2in place, thereby allowing the assisting element structure1to be connected to the paddle shifter2quickly and conveniently.

3. According to the present disclosure, not only does the groove116disposed on the inner wall of the flange111ensure that the paddle shifter2is firmly fitted inside the receiving chamber115in the flange111, but the screwing component13and the pressing element12also enable the paddle shifter2to be connected to the flange111and thus positioned in place, so as to reduce required points of positioning the paddle shifter2and enhance the stability of the positioning of the assisting element structure1and the paddle shifter2.

4. According to the present disclosure, not only does the inner end of the conical point portion131of the screwing component13abut against the outer rim of the rod120of the pressing element12, but the center of the screwing component13is also higher than the center of the rod120of the pressing element12, such that a user only needs to rotate the screwing component13and thereby allow the pressing element12to be moved and stretched elastically for achieving spatial adjustment and press against the paddle shifter2for positioning.

5. According to the present disclosure, the pressing element12positions the paddle shifter2in place by linear contact and thus causes no damage to the surface of the paddle shifter2even though the pressing element12presses against the paddle shifter2.

6. According to the present disclosure, the first elastic segment121of the pressing element12is a tension spring penetrable by the bolt3and screwedly fixed in the first through hole117, whereas the second elastic segment122of the pressing element12is a tension spring penetrable by the bolt3and screwedly fixed in the second through hole118, thereby rendering the pressing element12capable of tightening and loosening elastically to therefore restrict and provide space required for adjustment of the pressing element12.