Patent ID: 8117938

Claim:
A shifter comprising: a shifter base including notches defining gear shift positions and a park position; a shift lever pivoted to the base and including a pawl for selectively engaging the notches to control movement of the shift lever between at least some gear shift positions and the park position; and an actuator comprising a housing, a sliding member slidably mounted to the housing, a slide-biasing spring biasing the sliding member, a first blocking member having a home position for blocking one of the pawl and the lever in the park position and movable to a pawl -released position, a length of shape memory alloy wire attached to the housing and operably engaging the sliding member to move the sliding member against the slide-biasing spring when current is passed through the wire, and a control circuit controlling current flow to the shape memory alloy wire, the control circuit including at least one switching element in communication with the first blocking member so that the switching element changes states when the first blocking member is moved from the home position.