AU726985B3

AU726985B3 - Locking structure for manual shift levers

Info

Publication number: AU726985B3
Application number: AU24206/00A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Chun-Chang Lee
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-03-30
Filing date: 2000-03-30
Publication date: 2000-11-30
Anticipated expiration: 2006-03-30

Description

S&F Ref: 502240

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 PETTY PATENT SPECIFICATION

ORIGINAL

Name and Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: Chun-Chang Lee No. 8, Alley 5, Lane 16 Kweiyang St.

Thaishan Village Taipei Hsien Taiwan Chun-Chang Lee Spruson Ferguson St Martins Tower 31 Market Street Sydney NSW 2000 Locking Structure for Manual Shift Levers The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- IP Australia

CD

Documents received on: 3 0 MAR 2000 D Batch No: 5843c TITLE: LOCKING STRUCTURE FOR MANUAL SHIFT LEVERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is related to a manual shift lever locking structure, and especially to a locking structure applied on a manual shift lever. Wherein, a knob on the shift lever can move up and down relatively to the axle of the shift lever, then the lock in the knob can be locked and can fix the knob and the axle of the shift lever in a relative position to each other. Thereafter, a restraining element provided under the knob is used to restrain the knob and the axle of the shift lever from movement, and an effect of theft proofing is attained.

2. Description of the Prior Art Conventional theft-proof devices used presently are dividedmainly into the electronic type and the mechanical type. In activating of an electronic type device, the storage batteries for it are always turned on; thereby consumption of electric energy is astonishingly large. It is often that the energy of the storage batteries for such a device is exhausted to induce the result of inability of activating a car. Hence the effect of theft proofing is doubtful. Therefore, most owners of cars prefer the mechanical type theft-proof devices. Wherein, locks are arranged to fit the appropriate structures of shift levers to give effects of theft proofing. By the problem of heaviness as well as inconvenience of locking and unlocking of existing large theft-proof devices, most car owners use the smaller theft-proof devices added in shift levers which are more convenient for use.

Theft-proof devices for shift levers are provided mainly for the purpose of fixing a shift lever and preventing thieves from moving the shift lever. In such a conventional theft-proof device, a base is required to weld to the body of a car for mounting a lock.

Then a U shaped rod loops the shift lever and is secured on the lock to lock the shift lever.

Such a theft-proof device for a shift lever is supposed to cooperate with a U shaped rod. The weight of the U shaped rod (shall be made of steel with high strength) and the lock head (being of the same material as that of the U shaped rod) is so large that a user will feel very heavy in operation.

The lightest shift lever locks used on cars presently are those locks provided directly in the heads of shift levers. There are various locks provided in the heads of the shift levers in the markets, they get the objection of theft-proofing taking advantage of the fact that the shifting push-button on a shift lever head can not be down pressed for shifting when a lock is locked. However, such locks provided in the heads of shift levers can only be used for automatic gear shifting although they are convenient in operation.

They are not suitable for various manual shift levers in the markets. Thereby, car owners still can just get the object of theft proofing depending on the heavy and inconvenient stick-like locks.

Object of the Invention It is an object of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate some of the disadvantages of the prior art, or at least to provide a useful alternative.

Summary of the Invention There is described herein a manual shift lever locking structure comprising: a knob having an outer barrel provided on the top of a shift lever axle and being adapted to sliding up and down relatively to said shift lever axle; a restraining element provided under said shift lever axle, when said knob slides down, said restraining element is engaged with said knob to restrain said shift lever axle from moving and shifting; and a lock provided on said knob to limit the relative positions of said knob and said shift lever axle when said knob is engaged with said restraining element in a locking state.

Therefore, the present invention, at least in a preferred embodiment provides a I, rui~ gLi ULLU[U for manual shift levers, and especially to a locking structure used on a r----manual shift lever. Wherein, a knob on [1IA:\DayLib\LIBDD]02791 .doc:AVS the shift lever can move up and down relatively to the axle of the latter, then the lock in the knob can be locked and can fix the knob and the axle of the shift lever in a relative position to each other. Thereafter, a restraining element provided under the knob is used to restrain the knob and the axle of the shift- lever from movement, and an effect of theft proofing is attained.

Brief Description of the Drawings A preferred form of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is an analytic perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing an unlocking state of a lock member of an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 3 and 4 are schematic sectional views showing the actions from the unlocking to the locking states; Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing the locking state of a lock member; Fig. 6 and 7 are schematic sectional views showing the unlocking state of the first embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the locking state of the first embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing the second embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing the third embodiment of the present invention; [I:\DayLib\LIBDD]02791.doc:AVS Fig. 11 is a schematic sectional showing the locking state of the third embodiment of the present invention; .Fig. 12 is another schematic sectional showing the locking state of the third embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 13 is a perspective view showing the fourth embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 14 is schematic sectional showing the locking state of the fourth embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 15 is another schematic sectional showing the locking state of the fourth embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 16 is a perspective view showing the fifth embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 17 is another perspective view showing the fifth embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 18 is a schematic sectional showing the locking state of the fifth embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 19 is a schematic sectional showing the sixth embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 20 is a schematic sectional showing the locking state of the sixth embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to Fig. 1, the manual shift lever locking structure of the present invention is comprised of a shift lever axle 10, a limiting barrel 20, an inner barrel 30, a lock 40, a first spring 50, a second spring 60, a positioning bead 70, an outer barrel 80 and a restraining element 90. Wherein: The shift lever axle 10 is provided thereon with a recessed neck 11, and is provided thereon with a pin hole 12 for insertion of a pin 13.

The limiting barrel 20 is slipped over the shift lever axle 10 and is provided thereon with an L shaped guide slot 21 in cooperation with the abovementioned pin 13.

The inner barrel 30 is provided on the lateral surface thereof with a through hole 31, the top end thereof is provided with a protruding tenon 32.

The lock 40 is provided on the bottom of the lock core thereof with a driving piece 41 in cooperation with the abovementioned tenon 32.

The first spring 50 is provided between the shift lever axle 10 and the limiting barrel 20. One end thereof is fixed on the shift lever axle while the other end is fixedon the bottomedge of the limiting barrel 20, thereby, a pushing force and a twisting force can be generated between the shift lever axle 10 and the limiting barrel The second spring 60 having smaller spring force than the first spring 50 is provided between the inner barrel 30 and the lock 40. One end thereof is fixed on the inner barrel 30, while the other end is fixed on the lock 40, thereby, a twisting force can be generated between the inner barrel 30 and the lock The positioning bead 70 is provided in the through hole 31 of the inner barrel 30. The diameter of the positioning bead 70 is slightly larger than the thickness of the wall of the inner barrel 30. When the positioning bead 70 is placed in the through hole 31, it always exposed to the inside (or outside) of inner surface (or outer surface) of the inner barrel The outer barrel 80 is provided on the top thereof with a knob 82 and is slipped over and can slide up and down relatively to the shift lever axle 10, the limiting barrel 20, the inner barrel 30 and the lock 40, and is coveredwith theknob82 (as shown inFig. Theouter barrel is combined with the lock 40, and is provided thereon with a bead-receiving groove 81 meeting the insertion path of the positioning bead The restraining element 90 is fixed on the root portion of the shift lever axle 10, and is provided with a restraining hole 91 for the outer barrel As shown in Fig. 2 which shows an unlocking state, the first spring forces the inner barrel 30, the lock 40, and the outer barrel 80 to move outwardly relatively to the shift lever axle 10, wherein, the limiting barrel 20 is subjected to the twisting force of the first spring to make the pin 13 move to the rightmost location in the transverse slot portion of the L shaped guide slot 21 on the limiting barrel while the positioning bead 70 is exposed to the outside of the outer wall of the inner barrel 30 and is embedded in the bead-receiving groove 81 of the outer barrel 80. At this time, the knob 82 can be easi ly moved for shifting (referring to Fig. 6 and 7).

As shown in Fig. 3 and 4, when the outer barrel 80 is rotated relatively to the shift lever axle 10, the pin 13 will be moved to the intercrossing location between the transverse and vertical slot portions of the L shaped guide slot 21. Then the outer barrel 80 can be pressed down together with the limiting barrel 20, the inner barrel and the lock 40, until the positioning bead 70 gets in the recessed neck 11. Now the inner barrel 30 is driven by twisting force of the second spring 60 to have the positioning bead 70 embedded in the recessed neck 11 and being rotated.

And as shown in Fig. 5, wherein the inner barrel 30 is rotated, the positioning bead 70 will leave the bead-receiving groove 81. At this time, theouter barrel 80 togetherwith the limiting barrel 20, the inner barrel 30 and the lock 40 are fixed relatively to the shift lever axle in regarding to their position relation, so that the outer barrel 80 engaging in the restraining hole 91 of the restraining element can prohibit the knob 82 from moving (referring toFig. and the effect of theft-proofing can be attained.

When a key is rotated in the lock 40, the driving piece 41 and the tenon 32 move to rotate the inner barrel 30, so that the positioning bead 70 moves in the recessed neck 11 till a position aligning with the bead-receiving groove 81, by the fact that the spring force of the first spring 50 is larger than that of the second spring 60, the positioning bead 70 will leave the recessed neck 11 and will be embedded in the bead-receiving groove 81 by the twisting and pushing force of the first spring 50. Thereby, the outer barrel 80 together with the limiting barrel the inner barrel 30 and the lock 40 are moved upwardly and rotated to get back to their unlocking positions (as shown in Fig. 2).

As shown in Fig. 9, the restraining element 90 of the present invention is a base of the shift lever mechanism, the restraining hole 91 is provided at any position in a guide slot 92 on the base. When the outer barrel 80 is pressed down and secured in the restraining hole 91, 7 it is engaged with and restrained by the restraining hole 91, so that the knob 82 cannot move, and the same object of theft proofing is attained.

As shown in Fig. 10, the restraining element 90 can be provided with apairof slide rails 94, a slide plate 93 is provided on the slide rails 94 to do relative sliding thereon. The slide plate 93 is provided thereon with a slot 95 to provide adequate space to allow swaying of the knob 82. The restraining hole 91 is provided in the slot 95 and can limit the swaying stroke of the outer barrel 80 when the knob 82 (together with the outer barrel 80) is pressed down and secured in the restraining hole 91. So that the knob 82 cannot move (as shown in Fig. 11 and 12), and the same object of theft proofing is attained.

As shown inFig. 13, the restraining element 90 can be provided with a swaying plate 93' which can sway relatively to the restraining element 90. The swaying plate 93' is provided thereon with a slot 95 to provide adequate space to allow swaying of the knob 82. The restraining hole 91 is provided in the slot 95 and can limit the swaying stroke of the outer barrel 80 when the knob 82 (together with the outer barrel is pressed down and secured in the restraining hole 91. So that the knob 82 cannot move (as shown in Fig. 14 and 15), and the same object of theft proofing is attained.

A soft pad 96 can be provided in the abovementioned slot 95 and restraining hole 91 to prevent the outer barrel 80 or the shift lever axle 10 from damage of friction by direct contact with the slot 95 or the restraining hole 91.

As shown in Fig. 16 and 17, the knob 82 of the present invention is provided on the bottom thereof with an engaging groove 83, and a tenon 97 is provided on the restraining element 90 in cooperation with the engaging groove 83. When the knob 82 is pressed down and secured, it cannot move by engagement of the engaging groove 83 with the tenon 97.

And the object of theft proofing is attained. Further as shown in Fig.

18, the engaging groove 83 can be provided in a protruding block 98 provided on the lateral bottom wall of the knob 82, and the same object of theft proofing is attained.

As shown in Fig. 19 and 20, the knob 82 is provided near the bottom thereof with an engaging hook 84 in cooperation with the restraining hole 91 of the restraining element 90. When the knob 82 is pressed down and secured, the engaging hook 84 can insert into the restraining hole 91. So that the knob 82 cannot move, and the same object of theft proofing is attained.

The manual shift lever locking structure of the present invention is a design merging a theft-proof lock structure into a manual shift lever mechanism. Whereby, a car owner can press the knob of the shift lever when in using the theft-proof lock to get the locking state and to make the shift lever unable to move, and the effect of theft proofing is attained. This not only gets rid of the defect of inconvenience in operation of a conventional manual shift lever, but even also keeps the effect of theft proofing when a thief breaks the shift lever axle with a saw or by knocking. Thereby, the practical function of the lock can be improved.

The lock structures disclosed above are the examples of the present invention, wherein, locking is effected when the knobof the shift lever is pressed down and rotated. Difference among the embodiments resides only in changing the structure of lock to make difference in operation.

All the changes and other changes without departing from the feature and spiri t of the present invention fall within the scope of the latter.

Having thus described my invention which is novel in structure and improved in convenience of operation, what I claim as new and desire to be secured by Letters Patent are:

Claims

1. A manual shift lever locking structure comprising: a knob having an outer barrel provided on the top of a shift lever axle and being adapted to sliding up and down relatively to said shift lever axle; a restraining element provided under said shift lever axle, when said knob slides down, said restraining element is engaged with said knob to restrain said shift lever axle from moving and shifting; and a lock provided on said knob to limit the relative positions of said knob and said shift lever axle when said knob is engaged with said restraining element in a locking state.

2. A manual shift lever locking structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein, said structure is comprised of a shift lever axle, a limiting barrel, an inner barrel, a lock, a first spring, a second spring, a positioning bead and said outer barrel, wherein: said shift lever axle is provided thereon with a recessed neck, and is provided thereon with a pin hole for insertion of a pin; said limiting barrel is slipped over said shift lever axle and is provided thereon with an L shaped guide slot in cooperation with said pin; said inner barrel is provided on the lateral surface thereof with a through hole, the top end thereof is provided with a protruding tenon; said lock is provided on the bottom of the lock core thereof with a driving piece in cooperation with said tenon; said first spring is provided between said shift lever axle and said limiting barrel, thereby, a pushing force and a twisting force is generated between said shift lever axle and said limiting barrel; said second spring which has smaller spring force than said first spring is provided between said inner barrel and said lock, thereby, a twisting force is generated between said inner barrel and said lock; said positioning bead is provided in said through hole of said inner barrel, the diameter of said positioning bead is slightly larger than the thickness of the wall of said inner barrel, when said positioning bead is placed in said through hole, it always exposed to the inside (or outside) of the inner surface (or outer surface) of said inner barrel; said outer barrel is slipped over said shift lever axle, said limiting barrel, said inner barrel and said lock, and is covered with said knob; said outer barrel is combined with said lock, and is provided thereon with a bead-receiving groove meeting the insertion path of said positioning bead; when said outer barrel is rotated relatively to said shift lever axle and is pressed down until said positioning bead gets in said recessed neck, said inner barrel is driven by said second spring to have said positioning bead left said bead-receiving groove to get in said recessed neck and abut against the inner wall of said outer barrel; at this time, said outer barrel together with said limiting barrel, said inner barrel and said lock are fixed relatively to said shift lever axle in regarding to their position relation, when a key is rotated in said lock, said positioning bead moves 12 in said recessed neck till a position aligning with said bead-receiving groove, by the pushing and twisting force of said first spring, said positioning bead leaves said recessed neck and is embedded in said bead-receiving groove, thereby, said outer barrel together with said limiting barrel, said inner barrel and said lock are moved upwardly and rotated to get back to their unlocking positions.

3. A manual shift lever locking structure as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein, said restraining element is provided with a swaying plate which sways relatively to said restraining element, said swaying plate is provided thereon with a slot to provide adequate space to allow swaying of said knob, said restraining hole is provided in said slot and limits the swaying stroke of said outer barrel when said knob (together with said outer barrel) is pressed down and secured in said restraining hole, so that said knob does not move. Dated 27 September, 2000 Chun-Chang Lee Patent Attorneys for the Applicant/Nominated Person SPRUSON FERGUSON [RALIBDD]2796.dc:AVS