Patent ID: 8327732

Claim:
An actuating device for selecting a control stage of a shift-by-wire gear shifting transmission, the actuating device comprising: a selector lever ( 1 ) being pivotable, about a pivot point ( 5 ), between a plurality of stable selector settings (P, R, N, D) including at least one stable drive position and a stable parking lock position, the selector lever ( 1 ) having a spring loaded catch mechanism ( 3 ) that communicates with a contoured surface to provide tactile response to the pivot position of the selector lever ( 1 ), the selector lever ( 1 ) further having a locking cam ( 12 ); a locking rocker ( 6 ) being pivotally coupled to an end of a pivoting lever ( 9 ) to pivot between a locked position and an unlocked position, the locking rocker ( 6 ) having a first end ( 11 ) with a locking contour that, when in the locked position, is engagable with the locking cam ( 12 ) of the selector lever ( 1 ), and an opposite second end ( 13 ) with a locking contour that is engagable with an emergency release ( 14 ); a control wire ( 7 ) comprising a lock hook ( 18 ) which pivots to releasably engage a lock lug ( 19 ) of the pivoting lever ( 9 ), between the end of the pivoting lever ( 9 ) coupled to the locking rocker ( 6 ) and a remote end of the pivoting lever ( 6 ) that is pivotally coupled to a housing ( 4 ), such that operation of the transmission actuator ( 8 ) biases the pivoting lever ( 9 ) and the locking rocker ( 6 ) into the locked position to lock the selector lever ( 1 ) in the parking lock position; and an unlocking actuator ( 15 ) communicating with the locking rocker ( 6 ) for biasing the locking rocker ( 6 ) from the locked position to the unlocked position thereby releasing the selector lever ( 1 ) from the parking lock position.