CN108506470B

CN108506470B - Telescopic gear shift knob of pole dress

Info

Publication number: CN108506470B
Application number: CN201810154960.1A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 杰森·基南; 安吉洛·帕特里克·巴斯蒂亚内利
Original assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLC
Current assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLC
Priority date: 2017-02-24
Filing date: 2018-02-23
Publication date: 2021-12-21
Anticipated expiration: 2038-02-23
Also published as: CN108506470A; DE102018103951A1

Abstract

A lever-mounted telescopic shift knob is disclosed. A shift knob having a telescoping structure includes a knob and a housing that are secured together for axial and pivotal movement relative to each other within a limited range of either direction. The knob and the housing are axially moved relative to each other to shift from the other position to the park position. The inner and outer members pivot relative to each other to shift between a reverse position, a neutral position, and a forward position. The knob is connected to the piston by a shaft, and the piston moves in a cavity defined by the housing.

Description

Telescopic gear shift knob of pole dress

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a shift knob attached to a steering column by a rod for electronically shifting a vehicle transmission.

Background

Conventional shift lever control typically follows a pattern of park-reverse-neutral-forward-low (hereinafter "PRNDL") shift sequences. In this sequence, the parking position is a position located counterclockwise of the reverse position, and the shifter may easily be excessively rotated to the parking position when an attempt is made to shift into the reverse. In order to change from the forward gear position to the park gear position, the selector must be moved through the reverse gear position and the neutral position. With prior art mechanical shift links, the spacing between shift positions reduces the likelihood of mis-positioning the shift lever. However, with electronic knob shift lever controls, the spacing between the rotational positions increases the likelihood of the knob being positioned incorrectly.

The rotational movement about the axis of rotation for selecting the park position by some prior art shift knobs is the same as the rotational movement for placing the knob in the reverse, neutral or forward position. It is difficult to tactually feel that the parking position has been selected. The only way to verify the transmission status is to look at the illuminated indicator on the knob or to look at an auxiliary instrument display on the dashboard.

There is a need for a robust shift lever control device for trucks that is ergonomically designed to prevent accidental shifting into park, particularly when used for snow removal and for other tasks that require repeated shifting between forward and reverse. Accidental shifting into park can cause excessive stress on the transmission and cause the vehicle occupants to feel an undesirable impact.

The present disclosure is directed to solving the above problems and other problems summarized below.

Disclosure of Invention

The disclosed shift knob features a telescoping structure that includes a knob and a housing that are telescopically assembled together. The knob and the housing move axially and pivot circumferentially relative to each other within a limited range. The knob and the housing are axially moved relative to each other to shift from the other position to the park position. The inner and outer members pivot circumferentially (clockwise and counterclockwise) relative to each other about a pivot axis of the knob to shift between reverse, neutral, and forward positions.

The disclosed shift knob provides a unique tactile feel and distinct axial movement when moving into and out of park to more clearly indicate to the driver that the transmission is in park. This arrangement precludes or minimizes accidental shifting into park. In addition, the shifter may be moved directly into park from reverse, neutral, or forward if the vehicle is already stopped and the brake is applied as required by vehicle safety standards.

According to other aspects of the present disclosure, the shift knob may further include a position indicator attached to one of the knob and the housing and a plurality of shift position indicia disposed on the other of the knob and the housing. The knob and the housing move axially relative to each other to move in and out of the park gear. The knob and the housing pivot relative to each other to shift between a reverse state position, a neutral state position, and a forward state position. A manual shift switch mechanism may be provided on one of the inner and outer members for shifting between different drive gear ratios.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the shift knob may be attached to a shaft, which in turn is attached to the piston. The housing is connected to the steering column by a rod. The housing defines a cavity adapted to receive the piston. A cylindrical bore is defined by the housing, extends from the cavity to a distal end of the housing, and is adapted to receive a shaft that connects the shift knob to the piston.

In accordance with other aspects of the present disclosure, a shift knob is disclosed that includes a follower disposed on one of the knob and the housing and a guide disposed on the other of the knob and the housing, the guide engaged by the follower to limit pivotal and axial movement relative to each other. A manual shift switch mechanism may be provided on one of the knob and the housing for selectively shifting between different drive gear ratios.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a shifter is disclosed, the shifter comprising: a body defining an internal cavity and an axial opening extending from the internal cavity to one side of the body. The knob assembly includes a knob and a piston connected by a shaft. The piston is disposed inside the internal cavity, the shaft is disposed in the axial opening, and the knob is disposed outside the body. The track and follower operate to guide movement of the knob assembly relative to the body. The follower moves within the track to allow the knob assembly to pivot about the axis and move along the axis. The set of electrical contacts and the contactor are operable to change transmission selection when the contactor is in contact with one of a set of electrical contacts, each electrical contact corresponding to one of a plurality of shift positions.

The set of electrical contacts includes a forward gear contact, a neutral contact, a reverse contact, and a park contact. The forward, neutral and reverse contacts are circumferentially aligned, and the park contact is axially offset and circumferentially centered with respect to the forward and reverse contacts.

The knob may be pivoted in one rotational direction to move into forward gear and in the opposite rotational direction to move into reverse gear. The knob is moved in an axial direction towards the body of the shifter to move into the parking gear.

A manual shift switch may be provided on the knob, the manual shift switch being accessible when the knob is moved axially away from the body.

The above and other aspects of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a partial front view of a steering wheel manufactured according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, with a shift knob in a park position.

FIG. 2 is a partial front view of a steering wheel manufactured in accordance with the embodiment of FIG. 1, with the shift knob in a neutral position.

Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the shift knob of the embodiment of fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the manual shift switch assembly portion of fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the shift knob of fig. 3 shown partially assembled.

Fig. 6A-6D show a series of front views of an alternative embodiment of a shift knob.

Detailed Description

The illustrated embodiments are disclosed with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are intended to be merely exemplary, and that embodiments may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Specific structural and functional details disclosed are not to be interpreted as limiting, but as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to practice the disclosed concepts.

Referring to fig. 1 and 2, a steering wheel 10 having a shift knob assembly 12 is shown. The knob 14 is shown in fig. 1 in a park position, wherein the knob 14 is moved to the left as shown or toward the center of the steering wheel 10. The knob 14 is shown in a neutral position in fig. 2, wherein the knob is moved to the right or axially outward relative to the center of the steering wheel 10. The knob 14 is pivoted clockwise from the position shown in fig. 2 to shift to the forward gear position. The knob 14 is pivoted counterclockwise from the position shown in fig. 2 to a reverse position. In contrast to the parking position shown in fig. 1, the knob 14 is moved to the right in the neutral position, the forward position, or the reverse position.

The shift knob assembly 12 includes a knob 14, the knob 14 being oriented to be grasped by the driver for changing to select a gear. As shown in fig. 1, the shift knob assembly 12 is shown with an indicator 15, the indicator 15 being adjacent a marker corresponding to a neutral transmission state. The indicator 15 may be rotated forward or in a clockwise direction to the D or forward gear indicia. Conversely, the knob 14 may be pivoted rearward or counterclockwise to the indicia R to select reverse. In fig. 1, the indicator 15 is adjacent to the neutral marker and the knob is moved axially to the left. In the axially displaced position, the knob 14 is pressed towards the left in fig. 1 and is in the park position. In fig. 2, the knob 14 is moved axially to the right and the gear selector is in neutral.

Referring to fig. 3, the shift knob assembly 12 is shown to include a knob 14 and a first housing portion 16 and a second housing portion 18. The shaft 20 is fitted into the axial bore 22. The axial bore 22 is defined in part by the first housing portion 16 and in part by the second housing portion 18. Shaft 20 is connected to piston 24. The piston 24 is moved by manipulating the knob 14, and the piston 24 may be pivotally and axially moved. The pivoting or axial movement of the knob is communicated to the piston 24 through the shaft 20. The piston 24 is disposed within a cavity 25 defined by the first housing portion 16 and the second housing portion 18.

The shift knob assembly 12 is attached to the second housing portion 18 in a fixed relationship.

The marker ring 28 is fitted over the first housing portion 16 and the second housing portion 18 and includes an axial extension 30. The marker rings include letters D, N, R and P corresponding to the transmission selector positions (forward, neutral, reverse, and park).

The switch contact ring 34 fits in fixed relation inside the first housing portion 16 and the second housing portion 18, while the shaft 20 is pivotally and axially movable relative to the switch contact ring 34.

The switch contact ring 34 includes a plurality of switch contacts 36A-36C, the switch contacts 36A-36C being contacted or otherwise actuated by a switch actuator 38 disposed on the shaft 20. The switch actuator 38 may be a ferromagnetic portion of the shaft 20 that closes the microswitch contacts, which are magnetically attracted to the ferromagnetic portion comprising the switch actuator 38.

A knob connector 40 is disposed on a distal end 42 of the shaft 20. The knob connector 40 is fixedly attached to the knob 14 by fasteners, adhesives, or other fixed connection mechanisms. A piston connector 44 is provided on an inner end 46 of the shaft 20, the piston connector 44 being adapted to be received in a rectangular opening 48 provided in the piston 24.

A rod connector 50 is provided on the distal end of the rod 26 and is adapted to be received in an opening 52 provided in an inner end wall 54 of the second housing portion 18.

The guide rails 56 are provided as grooves or recesses in the wall of the second housing part 18 defining the cavity 25. A follower 58 is fitted to the piston 24 and is adapted to follow the guide 56. Follower 58 and guide 56 limit axial and pivotal movement of piston 24. The guide rails include rails extending from the park position in the portion of the guide rails 56 closest to the inner end wall 54 of the second housing portion 18. The lowermost track allows the piston to move between forward and park; the intermediate track allows the piston to move between park and neutral; while the uppermost rail allows the shifter to be moved between reverse and park. The vertical track of the guide rail extends between forward, neutral and reverse gears and allows shifting from forward gear through neutral to reverse gear and vice versa by moving the knob 14 axially away from the steering column.

Referring to fig. 5, the shift knob assembly 12 is shown partially assembled and partially disassembled. The rod 26 is shown with the rod connector 50 separated from the rod receiving opening 52. The first housing portion 16 is shown to include a recess 32. The knob 14 and the marker ring 28 including the axial extension 30 are shown separated from the shift knob assembly 12. The knob connector 40 disposed on the shaft 20 at the distal end 42 of the shaft 20 is shown in fig. 5 in a position to be attached to a recess 70 inside the knob 14.

Referring to fig. 4 and 5, the manual shift switch holder 60 is shown to include a plurality of switch receivers 62 adapted to receive a plurality of microswitches 64. Each switch receiving portion 62 is adapted to receive a microswitch 64. A plurality of buttons 66 are operatively connected to the first housing portion 16. The push button 66 is accessible only when the knob 14 (shown in fig. 5) is moved axially out of park toward the distal end of the shift knob assembly 12. The manual shift switch holder 60 and the push button 66 are used to manually change the gear ratio selected by the transmission (not shown).

Referring to fig. 6A-6D, an alternative embodiment of the shift knob 80 is shown in four different positions. The shift knob 80 includes an inner member 82 that telescopically receives an outer member 84. A follower 86 is attached to the inner member 82 and a guide 88 is provided on the outer member 84. The position mark 90 is provided on the outer member 84 in the form of the letter PRND. The outer member 84 also includes a plurality of ribs 92. The ribs 92 are provided to facilitate grasping the shift knob 80 and moving the shift knob 80 in the sequence shown in fig. 6A-6D.

In fig. 6A, the follower 86 is disposed in the guide adjacent to the mark P. In this position, as shown by the arrow on the right side of fig. 6A, shift knob 80 is moved axially to the left and outer member 84 is telescopically received on inner member 82.

In fig. 6B, the follower 86 is shown disposed adjacent the N position marker 90 and the transmission is in a neutral state. As indicated by the arrow on the right side of fig. 6B, shift knob 80 is moved axially to the right.

In fig. 6C, the follower 86 is disposed at the upper end, adjacent to position marker 90 "R", which indicates that the transmission has been commanded by the gear selector to shift into reverse. The arrow on the right side of the shift knob 80 indicates that the knob is rotated counterclockwise to shift from neutral to the reverse position.

Referring to fig. 6D, the shift knob 80 is shown as: the follower 86 is disposed within the guide 88 adjacent to the "D" position marker 90. The arrow on the right side of fig. 6D indicates that the knob is rotated clockwise to shift from reverse or neutral to forward.

The guide 88 limits pivotal movement of the shift knob between the reverse position, the neutral position, and the forward position. This arrangement provides the advantage of reducing the chance of accidental shifting into park as the knob is rotated between the reverse, neutral and forward positions.

The shift knob is intended for use with a "shift-by-wire" transmission shift mechanism and the electrical contacts of the microswitch would be arranged similar to those between the inner member 82 and the outer member 84 shown in the embodiment of fig. 1-5. These contacts close one at a time as the knob moves between park, reverse, neutral, and forward.

The embodiments described above are specific examples and do not describe all possible forms of the disclosure. Features of the illustrated embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the disclosed concept. The words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation. The scope of the claims is broader than the specifically disclosed embodiments and also includes modifications to the illustrated embodiments.

Claims

1. A shift knob assembly comprising:

a knob connected to the piston through a shaft;

a housing defining a cavity to receive a piston and a bore to receive the shaft;

a guide and follower disposed on one of the piston and the cavity to control movement of the piston, wherein the knob moves the piston axially in a first direction to move into a park position and axially in a second direction opposite the first direction to move out of the park position, and the knob pivots to shift between a reverse position, a neutral position, and a forward position; and

a manual shift switch retainer disposed on the housing and adapted to receive a plurality of microswitches and a push button operatively connected to the microswitches for manually shifting between different drive ratios by contact with one of the plurality of microswitches, wherein the push button is covered by the knob when the knob is moved into a park position and the push button is selectively accessible when the knob is moved axially in a second direction.

2. The shift knob assembly of claim 1, wherein:

a follower disposed on one of the piston and the cavity; and

a guide is disposed on the other of the piston and the cavity, the guide being engaged by the follower to limit radial and axial movement of the inner and outer members relative to each other.

3. A shifter, comprising:

a body defining an internal cavity and an axial opening extending from the internal cavity to one side of the body;

a knob assembly including a handle and a piston connected by a shaft, wherein the piston is disposed inside the interior cavity, the shaft is disposed in the axial opening, and the handle is disposed outside the body;

a track and a follower for guiding movement of the piston relative to the body, wherein the follower moves within the track to pivot about an axis to shift between a forward position, a reverse position, and a neutral position, and wherein the follower moves axially within the track to move into a park position, and wherein the follower is prevented from moving into the park position when pivoted about the axis within the track; and

a set of electrical contacts disposed on a switch contact ring attached to the body, each electrical contact corresponding to one of a plurality of shift positions, and a contactor that changes transmission selection when the contactor is in contact with one of the set of electrical contacts,

wherein the set of electrical contacts includes a forward contact, a neutral contact, and a reverse contact, wherein the forward contact and the reverse contact are circumferentially aligned on the switch contact ring.

4. The shifter of claim 3 wherein the lever pivots in one rotational direction to move into the forward gear position and pivots in an opposite rotational direction to move into the reverse gear position.

5. The shifter of claim 3 wherein the lever is moved in an axial direction toward the body to move into the park position.

6. The shifter of claim 3 further comprising:

and a manual shift switch disposed on the manual shift switch holder, wherein the manual shift switch is covered by the handle when the handle is moved into the parking position, and the manual shift switch is accessible when the handle is moved axially away from the main body.

7. The shifter of claim 3 wherein the main body includes a first housing portion and a second housing portion.

8. The shifter of claim 7 further comprising:

and a marking ring mounted on the first housing portion and the second housing portion.