Patent ID: 7137499

Claim:
An apparatus for shifting an automatic transmission having a shift position select lever to selectively shift the transmission to one of a plurality of different transmission shift positions, said apparatus comprising: a steering column positionable in a passenger compartment of a vehicle; a switch mountable in the passenger compartment of the vehicle and operable to emit a first signal representative of a desired change with respect to a transmission shift position; a motor to generate a moving force; a linkage associated with said motor to transmit said moving force from said motor to a shift lever of a transmission of the vehicle; a sensor responsive to a current transmission shift position for emitting a second signal; a controller responsive to said switch and said sensor for selectively controlling said motor to engage in response to said first and second signals; and characterized by said motor being mounted on said steering column of the vehicle; wherein said motor includes a rotatable member and said linkage further comprises a drive portion defined on said rotatable member and a securing member selectively operable to move in response to rotation of said rotatable member; wherein said linkage further comprises a link member having a first and second ends and a pivot point defined between said first and second ends, wherein at least a portion of said securing member is moveably positioned between said first end and said pivot point, wherein said link member rotates in response to movement of said securing member between said first end and said pivot point.