Patent ID: 6857335

Claim:
shift device for manipulating a vehicular automatic transmission, the device comprising: a casing; a manipulation lever, which projects from the casing, wherein the manipulation lever is rotatably supported about a first axis and a second axis perpendicular to the first axis to move among a plurality of shift positions, wherein, when the manipulation lever is selectively arranged at a predetermined shift position, the manipulation lever is manipulated to select a first mode, in which the drive range of the automatic transmission is automatically changed, or a second mode, in which the drive range of the automatic transmission is changed by manipulating the manipulation lever; a control lever arranged in the casing, wherein the control lever transmits the motion of the manipulation lever to the automatic transmission; a clutch lever arranged in the casing, wherein the clutch lever moves integrally with the control lever, the clutch lever being supported rotatably about said first axis and rotatably about a third axis perpendicular to the first axis and parallel with the second axis, and wherein, when the first mode is selected, the manipulation lever engages with the clutch lever such that the control lever moves mechanically with the manipulation lever, and when the second mode is selected, the clutch lever disengages from the manipulation lever such that the control lever does not move with the manipulation lever; a first guide portion for guiding the manipulation lever; and a second guide portion for guiding the clutch lever, wherein, when the manipulation lever is arranged at the predetermined shift position, the first guide portion and the second guide portion permit the manipulation lever to be disengaged from the clutch lever by allowing the rotation of the clutch lever about the third axis, and wherein, when the manipulation lever is arranged at positions other than the predetermined shift position, the first guide portion and the second guide portion keep the manipulation lever to be engaged with the clutch lever while allowing the rotation of the manipulation lever and the clutch lever about the first axis.