Patent ID: 6877390

Claim:
A vehicle shift range changeover mechanism comprising: a shift range selecting mechanism; a drive mechanism that operates in response to operation of the shift range selecting mechanism: a shift range operator that changes shift range with driving force from the drive mechanism; a range control shaft, defining a rotational axis and transferring the driving force from the drive mechanism to the shift range operator; a detent lever connected to said range control shaft in a manner prohibiting relative rotation therebetween, said detent lever being rotatably driven by said drive mechanism; a case; a detecting mechanism, that detects rotational position of said range control shaft, including a first portion mounted directly on the range control shaft for rotation therewith and a second portion mounted on said case, said first portion of said detecting mechanism being spaced from said detent lever on said rotational axis: wherein said first portion of the detecting mechanism is connected to an end of the range control shaft by a notch provided in said end of the range control shaft or in said first portion of said detecting mechanism, and an extension that mates with the notch provided on the other of said range control shaft and said first portion of said detecting mechanism, and wherein the notch defines opposing inner engaging surfaces thereof, and the extension defines opposing outer surfaces; and further comprising: a spring plate with a substantially U-shaped cross-section disposed between the inner surfaces of the notch and the outer surfaces of the extension.