DE102017010496B4 - Shift lever bellow - Google Patents

Abstract

Gearshift lever bellows (12) for a motor vehicle with a manual transmission (5), comprising a sleeve (13) which has a frame (16) at its lower end in the installed position and an opening (18) at its upper end for passing through a gearshift lever (2), and in which the sleeve has on the inside in the region of this opening at least one eyelet (19', 19") for receiving a fixing band (21) for fixing the upper end of the sleeve to the gearshift lever.

Description

The invention relates to a gearshift lever bellows for a motor vehicle with a manual transmission, in particular a manual 6-speed transmission.

Vehicles with an internal combustion engine and associated manual transmission typically have an external gearshift mechanism, the gearshift lever protruding from an opening in the center console area and surrounded by a bellows, the gearshift lever bellows (sometimes also called a folding bellows or gearshift sack). The gearshift lever bellows are designed to prevent the opening area from becoming dirty and to allow all the necessary movements of the gearshift lever while maintaining a visually appealing appearance.

The state of the art is the EP 0 315 128 A1 , the DE 41 013 26 A1 and further EN 29 40 012 A1 , DE 20 2004 006 371 U1 , the WO 2017/001 736 A1 , the JP 2003-320 863 A , the DE 296 15 147 U1 , the FR 2 840 699 A1 as well as the JP H09-30277 A known.

An object of an embodiment of the invention is to provide a shift lever bellows which can be obtained in satisfactory quality with reduced effort in development, as well as an associated external shift actuation.

The solution to this problem is given by the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments result from the features of the dependent claims.

One embodiment consists of a gearshift lever bellows for a motor vehicle, in particular a passenger car or a light commercial vehicle, with a manual transmission, for example a manual, automatic or automated manual transmission or a shift-by-wire system and in particular a manual 6-speed transmission, also with an H-shift pattern.

The gearshift gaiter comprises a sleeve made of a flexible material, e.g. an elastomer and possibly with an artificial leather look, which completely surrounds or covers the gearshift lever. The sleeve can be one piece or consist of several segments, e.g. 3 segments that are connected to one another and, for example, sewn together.

In relation to the installation position in the vehicle, the gearshift lever bellows has a frame at the lower end, preferably made of a rigid material, e.g. plastic such as polypropylene. It is advisable to form the frame as one piece with the sleeve, for example to provide for the sleeve to be connected to the frame, e.g. by spot welding, stapling, gluing or clamping.

Furthermore, the gearshift lever bellows has an opening at the upper end relative to the installation position in the vehicle, through which the gearshift lever can be passed during assembly or, conversely, the gearshift lever can be threaded into the opening in the gearshift lever bellows and the gearshift lever bellows can then be moved axially downwards. An end position is reached in this assembly by a groove and/or a thickening. The groove and/or thickening lie on the outer surface of the gearshift lever (or its sliding sleeve, see below), in sections or all the way around the outer surface when the axial position is constant. If there is a thickening, this can be flat or flange-shaped, at least towards the top, or more ring-shaped or bead-shaped, at least towards the bottom. In all cases, the gearshift lever bellows is prevented from slipping downwards.

In addition, the cuff has at least one eyelet on the inside in the area of the opening for receiving a fixing strap to fix the upper end of the cuff to the gear lever. During the assembly process, when the above-mentioned end position is reached, the fixing strap is used to fix the vertical position of the said upper end, among other things, by wrapping the fixing strap around the gear lever on its outer surface and at the same time squeezing the cuff material.

In a gearshift gaiter of the type mentioned, the vertical position of the opening is precisely defined in conjunction with the first thickening and/or the groove. In addition, due to the squeezing, the position of the opening in a plane perpendicular to the gearshift axis is defined more precisely, as is the position with respect to the rotation axis of the gearshift lever. All three effects result in smaller tolerances. This means that the overall dimensions of the gearshift gaiter can be defined more easily or with less effort, so that the coordination effort is reduced.

The gearshift lever bellows shown above also facilitates the design of a robust and durable gearshift lever bellows that does not jam in the opening area of the external gearshift mechanism or rub against components located there.

One embodiment of the gearshift lever bellows has at least one inner eyelet which is made in one piece with the sleeve, e.g. as an attached shaped ear, which can be easily achieved with a cuff made up of segments by punching or cutting out (if necessary using a laser) the segments. Compared to existing systems, this only requires an adapted punching tool or reprogramming of the cutting blade or laser. In another embodiment, the eyelet is a separate eyelet that is firmly connected to the cuff, for example by sewing it to the cuff material or is created by a material-locking connection such as gluing. In the latter case, the eyelet material can be chosen more freely, but an additional work step is required to connect the inside of the cuff and the eyelet.

In principle, the sleeve can be made in one piece, but better results and less adjustment effort are achieved with another embodiment in which the sleeve consists of several segments that are connected to one another. In this case, each segment has at least one eyelet, whether made in one piece or as a separate eyelet as described above. Alternatively, not every segment has to have an eyelet; for example, only every second segment can have an eyelet in the circumferential direction. If three segments are selected, the eyelets can be arranged every 120° around the gear lever or rotation axis; the geometry of the segments must be specified and the lengths of the three seams must be specified in order to develop a gear lever bellows of satisfactory quality.

In this context, the fixing band allows the gearshift gaiter position to be determined more precisely in relation to the rotation axis of the gearshift gaiter. For optical reasons, it is preferred that the lower end of one of the three seams ends exactly in the middle of the rear frame part of the gearshift gaiter that runs in the transverse direction of the vehicle, since even a small deviation from this central arrangement is immediately and usually negatively perceived by the customer. By twisting the fixing band and the sleeve material during assembly, this central position can be ensured more permanently than before due to the high crushing force.

The gearshift gaiter can also have an elastic band on its inside, which is attached and sewn on with its upper end below the at least one eyelet and thus at the outermost end of the cuff material. The lower end is then attached in the area of the frame, either to the cuff (e.g. by sewing again) or directly to the frame via thermal welding, spot welding or by clipping to the frame. The elastic band helps to protect the cuff from damage caused by the actuation mechanism. In addition, jamming of the gearshift gaiter can be better avoided, which could otherwise lead to significant malfunctions.

Designs of the gearshift lever bellows have a cable tie, a cord, a wire or a metal clamp as a fixing strap.

A further aspect of the invention relates to an external gearshift mechanism for a manual transmission of a motor vehicle, for example with a manual 6-speed transmission, including an H-shift pattern. It is preferred to use a gearshift lever of this type with a sliding sleeve, with which the reverse gear is released by pushing it up.

The external switching mechanism comprises a switching lever according to one of the above-mentioned embodiments, through whose opening the switching lever is guided. The external switching mechanism also has a fixing band with which the sleeve is fixed to the switching lever or the switching knob.

This design ensures a precise position of the opening along the longitudinal axis of the gear lever with the above-mentioned advantages in ensuring functionality of the external gearshift actuation and attractive design.

One embodiment provides for a sliding sleeve, sometimes also called a tension sleeve, which is pushed onto the gear lever and to which the cuff is fixed in position.

Further embodiments provide that the position is fixed by a first thickening and/or by a groove of the shift lever or the sliding sleeve.

The fixing band ensures that the sleeve fits tightly to the gear lever in the opening area, radially or laterally. This firstly ensures that the opening is positioned precisely along the longitudinal axis of the gear lever, with the aforementioned advantages of ensuring the functionality of the external gearshift mechanism and an attractive design. The opening cannot slip downwards due to the first thickening, alternatively or cumulatively due to a groove in which the fixing band is positioned. This prevents the customer from having to visit the workshop due to accidental slipping, thus increasing customer satisfaction.

The above-mentioned embodiments of the external switching actuation, which have a first thickening, can also provide that above the first thickening there is a second thickening. The second thickening is therefore arranged above the first thickening, forming a groove in between, in particular a circumferential groove. The fixing band is placed in this.

Further above, i.e. above the first or, if present, above the second thickening, a pull ring can then be provided, which, when pushed up, releases a lock so that the driver can engage reverse gear.

• 1 eine externe Schaltbetätigung zum Schalten der Gänge eines manuellen Getriebes, bei dem der Schalthebel ohne Schalthebelbalg gezeigt ist;
• 2: eine Schiebehülse des Schalthebels;
• 3: eine Ausführungsform eines Schalthebelbalgs, von außen her gesehen;
• 4: ein Teil einer Ausführungsform eines Schalthebelbalgs, von innen her gesehen;
• 5: ein Segment einer Manschette mit angeformten Ösen;

The invention will now be explained in more detail using an embodiment example based on the figures, which are to be understood as examples and in which the same reference symbols designate the same objects. It shows:

• 1 an external shift mechanism for shifting the gears of a manual transmission, in which the shift lever is shown without a shift lever bellows;
• 2 : a sliding sleeve of the gearshift lever;
• 3 : an embodiment of a gearshift lever bellows, seen from the outside;
• 4 : a part of an embodiment of a gearshift lever bellows, seen from the inside;
• 5 : a segment of a cuff with moulded eyelets;

1 shows an external shift mechanism 1 with a cylindrical shift lever 2, which has a shift knob 3 on its upper end. By operating the shift lever 2 along the specified shift and selection gates of the H-shift diagram, shift cables 4' or selection cables 4'' are moved, actuate the internal shift mechanism 6 protruding into the manual 6-speed transmission 5 and lead to the engagement of a new gear.

2 shows a detail of the gearshift lever 2 in the form of a sliding sleeve 8. This has a first, ring-shaped thickening 7 and a second thickening 9 arranged above it, also in the shape of a ring, so that there is a circumferential groove 10 between the two thickenings 7, 9. Above the second thickening 9 there is a pull ring 24. To engage a reverse gear, the driver's index and middle fingers usually reach under the pull ring 24 and push the sliding sleeve 8 upwards.

In the motor vehicle not shown, the external switch control 1 is installed in the center console between the two front seats, with its actuation mechanism 11 being controlled by a 3 shown gearshift lever bellows 12 is protected from dirt. The gearshift lever bellows 12 has a sleeve 13 tapering from bottom to top, made of an elastomer with a synthetic leather appearance, which consists of three segments 14', 14'' and 14''' sewn together. The lower seam 15 of the sleeve 13 is connected all the way around by spot welding to a rigid rectangular frame 16 made of plastic, which is covered at the top by a cover frame 16a.

As from 3 The three seams 17', 17'' and 17''', by which the segments 14', 14'' and 14''' are connected to one another, can be seen to run upwards to an opening 18 through which the gearshift lever 2 is pushed. The opening is formed by turning the upper part of the segments 14', 14'' and 14''' inwards.

The aforementioned turning inside out illustrates 4 , in which only a single segment 14' is shown for reasons of clarity (the frame 16 would thus be at the top at this point in the assembly), so that only a part of the sleeve 13 is shown. The inside of the segment 14' has two eyelets 19', 19" in the form of two molded ears 20', 20", through which a fixing band 21 in the form of a cable tie 22 is guided. The cable tie 22 squeezes the sleeve material in the groove 10 between the first bead 7 and the second bead 9. The fixing of the sleeve 13 or the opening 18 by the cable tie 22 leads to a well-defined length of the seams 17', 17'' and 17''' between the first bead 7 and the frame 16. The better dimensional accuracy of the seams 17', 17'' and 17''' makes the choice of the specific seam lengths and other dimensions during coordination easier and leads to a faster result. Furthermore, the tight fit of the sleeve material on the outer surface of the gear lever 2 made possible by the cable tie 22 prevents the opening 18 from slipping down over the first bead 7, so that this solution leads to fewer customer complaints. The more precise position fixation of the opening 18 also ensures a constant starting position of the sleeve and the seam lengths for any coordinated rubber bands 23 in order to guarantee the best possible protection of the sleeve material from the actuation mechanism.

As an alternative to the cable tie 22, a flexible and possibly textile band or cord (not shown) can be used, which is knotted, a wire or a metal clamp. Furthermore, the sleeve can be fixed in position not only on the actual gear lever, but also on the gear knob, especially if a gear lever without a sliding sleeve is used, preferably in a groove embedded in the gear knob. If desired, the groove can be covered with a decorative panel in this case, so that the embedded A design element is also provided by the groove for position fixation.

List of reference symbols

1

external switching operation

2

Gear lever

3

Gear knob

4'

Switch cable

4"

Dial-up cable

5

transmission

6

internal switching operation

7

first thickening

8th

Sliding sleeve

9

second thickening

10

Groove

11

Actuation mechanics

12

Shift lever bellow

13

cuff

14'

segment

14"

segment

14'''

segment

15

hem

16

Frame

16a

Frame

17'

seam

17"

seam

17'''

seam

18

opening

19'

eyelet

19"

eyelet

20'

Ear

20"

Ear

21

Fixing tape

22

cable ties

23

Elastic band

24

Pull ring

Claims (11)

Gearshift lever bellows (12) for a motor vehicle with a manual transmission (5), comprising a sleeve (13) which has a frame (16) at its lower end in the installed position and an opening (18) at its upper end for passing through a gearshift lever (2), and in which the sleeve has on the inside in the region of this opening at least one eyelet (19', 19") for receiving a fixing band (21) for fixing the upper end of the sleeve to the gearshift lever. Shift lever bellows after Claim 1 , in which the eyelet is selected as an ear (20', 20") formed integrally with the cuff. Shift lever bellows after Claim 1 in which the eyelet is firmly connected to the cuff, in particular glued or sewn. Gear lever bellows according to one of the Claims 1 until 3 , in which the cuff is constructed from three segments (14', 14'', 14''') sewn together and each segment has at least one eyelet. Gear lever bellows according to one of the Claims 1 until 4 , in which the fixing band is designed as a cable tie (22), as a cord or as a metal clamp which is guided through the at least one eyelet. Gear lever bellows according to one of the Claims 1 until 5 , in which at least one elastic band (23) is provided on the inside, the upper end of which is fixed below the at least one eyelet on the cuff. External gearshift mechanism (1) for a manual transmission (5) of a motor vehicle, comprising a gearshift lever (2) and a gearshift lever bellows (12) according to one of the Claims 1 until 6 , through whose opening (18) the gearshift lever is passed and with a fixing band (21) with which the cuff is fixed in position on the gearshift lever. External switching operation after Claim 7 , with a sliding sleeve (8) pushed onto the gear lever, to which the cuff is fixed in position. External switching operation after Claim 7 or 8th , in which the position is fixed by a first thickening (7) or a groove (10) of the shift lever. External switching operation after Claim 7 or 8th , in which the position is fixed by a first thickening (7) or a groove (10) of the sliding sleeve. External switching operation after Claim 9 or 10 , in which a second thickening (9) is provided above the first thickening (7) and the fixing band holds the gearshift lever bellows (12) in a Groove (10) fixed in position between the first thickening (7) and the second thickening (9).

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