Patent ID: 7926382

Claim:
A structure for setting a different number of gear positions for an automatic transmission having a shift lever and a plurality of gear positions selectable with the shift lever, the structure comprising: a transmission case selectable among a first transmission case and a second transmission case, the first transmission case having a first case-side stopper surface at a first abutting position that sets a first number of gear positions and the second transmission case having a second case-side stopper surface at a second abutting position that sets a second number of gear positions, the second number of gear positions being at least one less than the first number of gear positions; a manual plate formed with a plurality of notches at an edge thereof and rotatably mountable in either of the first or second transmission case so that the manual plate is rotatable in response to a movement of the shift lever; and a check member for holding the manual plate in position, wherein the manual plate has at least first and second plate-side stopper surfaces, wherein the first plate-side stopper surface of the manual plate abuts the first case-side stopper surface at the first abutting position to limit a rotational range of the manual plate in a first direction to set the first number of gear positions selectable with the shift lever when the transmission case is the first transmission case, wherein the second plate-side stopper surface of the manual plate abuts the second case-side stopper surface at the second abutting position to limit the rotational range of the manual plate in the first direction to set the second number of gear positions selectable with the shift lever when the transmission case is the second transmission case, wherein the check member engages one of the notches when the first plate-side stopper surface abuts the first case-side stopper surface at the first abutting position, wherein the check member engages a different one of the notches when the second plate-side stopper surface abuts the second case-side stopper surface at the second abutting position, and wherein the first abutting position is positioned differently from the second abutting position to enable the manual plate to be rotated further in the first direction when the first number of gear positions is set to be selectable than when the second number of gear positions is set to be selectable, so that the check member engages the one notch when the manual plate is rotated further in the first direction than when the check member engages the different one notch, wherein the first and second plate-side stopper surfaces are angled to each other, and the second abutting position is configured to inhibit the manual plate from rotating further in the first direction to inhibit the check member from engaging the one notch when the second plate-side stopper surface abuts the second case-side stopper surface.