Patent ID: 8786275

Claim:
A transmission gear position sensor for a transmission of a type having a rotatable transmission selector shaft, the gear position sensor comprising: a housing defining an enclosed volume and supporting a first and second conductive element extending from a first location accessible outside of the enclosed volume for electrical connection to a connector harness to a second location within the enclosed volume; a rotating carrier fitting within the enclosed volume receiving the rotatable transmission selector shaft to rotate therewith about an axis; an insulating substrate having a first face holding conductors arcuate about the axis and including resistors bridging adjacent coaxial ones of the arcuate conductors to provide different resistances between the arcuate conductors; a first and second flexing conductive wiper positioned within the housing to engage and electrically connect to the adjacent coaxial ones of the arcuate conductors throughout a range of rotation of the insulating substrate with respect to the first and second flexing conductive wipers; wherein one of the first and second flexing conductive wipers and the insulating substrate is attached to the rotating carrier so that the insulating substrate rotates with respect to the first and second flexing conductive wipers so that rotation of the rotating carrier changes an electrical resistance across the first and second conductive elements.