Patent ID: 7523683

Claim:
A shift lever mechanism comprising: a housing including a retaining cup; a lever having a longitudinal axis, said lever being at least partially disposed within said housing; a pivoting member in operational communication with said lever being adapted to facilitate pivoting of said lever into a plurality positions; and a lever position indication member indicating a disposal of said lever in at least one said positions, said lever position indication member being actuated by said pivoting member, wherein the pivoting member includes a generally spherical outer surface portion, the retaining cup includes a generally spherical inner surface portion, the inner surface portion guides along at least a portion of the outer surface portion as the lever pivots generally about a pivot center relative to the housing, wherein the lever position indication member selectively contacts a portion of the pivoting member that extends radially outward from the pivot center, and wherein the lever position indication member selectively intersects an axis of rotation of the lever.