Patent ID: 8397894

Claim:
An apparatus for locking a shift lever of an automatic transmission in a vehicle, comprising: a shift lock cam including a position converting member and being connected with a brake pedal wherein the shift lock cam is pivotally coupled to a shift lever housing and elastically supported by a first elastic member; and a shift lock release lever that is pivotally coupled to the shift lever housing and elastically supported by a second elastic member, wherein one end of the shift lock release lever is selectively coupled to a shift lever body and the other end of the shift lock release lever is eccentrically coupled to the position converting member of the shift lock cam; wherein the first elastic member provides an elastic force to the shift lock cam in opposite direction of the shift lever body; wherein the second elastic member provides an elastic force to the shift lock release lever toward the shift lock cam; wherein the position converting member includes a first portion, a second portion and a connection portion, the first portion being configured to be disposed higher than the connection portion when the brake pedal is not applied but the second portion being configured to be disposed higher than the connection portion when the brake pedal is applied; wherein the second portion is disposed in rearward direction of the connecting portion toward the shift lever body and the first portion is disposed opposite the second portion with respect to the connecting portion; wherein the connection portion is coupled to the brake pedal; wherein the shift lock cam includes a cable connection protrusion that protrudes from a lateral surface thereof to be coupled to the brake pedal, the cable connection protrusion forming the connection portion; wherein the cable connection protrusion is coupled to the brake pedal by a shift lock cable; and wherein the position converting member is configured to be recessed in a track shape on the other lateral surface of the shift lock cam, the position converting member including: a lower guide surface and an upper guide surface, wherein one end of the lower guide surface and one end of the upper guide surface are connected to each other to form the first portion; and a connecting surface connecting the other end of the upper guide surface with the other end of the lower guide surface, wherein a joint connecting the other end of the lower guide surface and the connecting surface forms the second portion.