Patent ID: 7469614

Claim:
A shifter mechanism comprising, in combination: a base; a shifter lever pivotably mounted to the base and movable along a shift path; a detent profile defining a plurality of gear positions, a pawl movable between a locking position wherein the pawl engages the detent profile to lock the shifter lever in one of the plurality of gear positions against movement along the shift path when an operator applies a force to the shift lever to move the shift lever along the shift path and an unlocking position wherein the pawl disengages the detent profile so that the shifter lever is movable along the shift path between the plurality of gear positions when an operator applies a force to the shift lever to move the shift lever along the shift path; a detent lever pivotably mounted to the base and secured to the pawl so that the pawl pivots with the detent lever between the locking position and the unlocking position; a linear actuator operatively coupled to the pawl to selectively move the pawl from the locking position to the unlocking position; wherein the linear actuator is secured to the base and has a pin extendable along a linear path and extending through a slot in the detent lever to enable linear motion of the pin to pivot the detent lever relative to the base between the locking position and the unlocking position; wherein the pawl includes a roller that engages the detent profile when the pawl is in the locking position to lock the shifter lever in one of the plurality of gear positions against movement along the shift path when an operator applies a force to the shift lever to move the shift lever along the shift path; a secondary detent profile defining a plurality of gear positions; wherein each of the detent profile and the secondary detent profile is secured to the shifter lever to move pivot relative to the base with the shifter lever as the shifter lever moves along the shift path; an engagement head contacting the secondary detent profile to provide frictional resistance to movement of the shifter lever along the shift path; and a spring member resiliently maintaining the engagement head in contact with the secondary detent profile as the secondary detent profile pivots relative to the base with the shifter lever as the shifter lever moves along the shift path.