GB2294303A

GB2294303A - Gear lever cable operating mechanism

Info

Publication number: GB2294303A
Application number: GB9520114A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paolo Paparoni
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-10-19
Filing date: 1995-10-03
Publication date: 1996-04-24
Anticipated expiration: 2015-10-03
Also published as: JPH08128530A; PL177493B1; JP2997192B2; ES2121523A1; ES2121523B1; FR2725943A1; ITTO950576A1; PL310988A1; ITTO950576A0; DE19526995B4; GB2294303B; GB9520114D0; DE19526995A1; KR100367882B1; KR960014720A; CN1124365A; FR2725943B1; CN1101954C; BR7401842U; IT1276482B1

Abstract

A cylindrical cover 16, preferably metallic, which receives the gear lever 6 and surrounds a round head 14, around which the cover may pivot to activate two cables controlling selection and engagement movements of gearing. The round head 14 is mounted on a first pin 13 having dual frustroconical surfaces and which is mounted on a fixed bracket 10. An L-shaped bell-crank lever is pivotably mounted on a second pin 18 mounted on the cylindrical cover 16. A selection cable is attached to the other end of the L-shaped bell-crank lever and an engagement cable is attached to the gear lever 6. There is preferably a preselector and positioner 20 beneath the cylindrical head 16 to stop lever backlash. <IMAGE>

Description

1.

2294303 1 GEAR CABLE OPERATING MECHANISM The present invention concerns gear selector assemblies, and particularly deals with a cable driven automotive gear lever joint mechanism. The present device includes a movable assembly composed of a preferably metallic cover which receives the gear lever and surrounds a fixed spherical head, around which the cover may articulate to drive the coupling cable and the selection cable.

Automotive gear selector joint mechanisms are quite well known in general wherein a spherical head is joined to the gear lever, this spherical head being mounted to move inside a case specially conceived over a metallic crib. in this version, it is the spherical head itself that articulates for the gear lever operation and, consequently, for the gear coupling cable operation.

In these conventional arrangements, the spherical head is incorporated into a small metallic pin having on its end a smaller metallic or plastic sphere, situated close to an Y shaped gear selection cable actuating arm.

In the aforementioned version, the movable assembly is produced from a large diameter metallic rod, which must be machined to produce both the referred spheres. This generates a considerable loss of material, as well as involving an expensive and time-consuming machining process. Moreover, it is necessary to produce a case acting as a site for the metallic or plastic sphere, which is also difficult and expensive.

In a second conventional construction, the metallic pin incorporating the smaller metallic sphere is welded or fixed, with weakening, to the lever, the plastic sphere being, for example, injected into this assembly. In this version there are serious problem for the maintenance of the assembly's alignment, besides the use of weldog, which may cause weakening at welded points. 1 In a third construction, a calibrated shaft receives a spherical polished steel roller fixed, on both sides, and a second, smaller, roller also fixed. This configuration is extremely complex and specific to certain gear types, requiring complex and difficult mechanical operations.

2 A fourth construction comprises a set of orthogonal pins and plugs, welded or fixed among themselves, on which the alignment among the parts appears almost always to cause difficult problems.

To overcome these and other inconveniences, the present invention seeks to provide a metallic gear support on which is assembled a support where it is the round heads and the cylindrical cover which move instead of said round head.

According to the present invention, there is provided a gear cable operating mechanism consisting of a metallic support plate 1 through which the coupling cable 4 and the selection cable 5 pass, the former extending as far as a gear lever 6, where it is pivotally coupled, and the latter extending to an U-shaped arm 7, and wherein a support bracket 8 is fixed on the support plate 1, said support bracket 8 having a flange 10 which receives a metallic pin 12, whose head 13 is slightly conical in opposite directions, the head 13 being surrounded by a spherical head 14 on which a cylindrical cover 16 which receives the gear lever 6 is mounted for pivoting movement, the cylindrical cover 16 supporting a second pin 10 extending radially of the spherical head 14, the free end of which is pivotally joined to end of a first limb of an V-shaped arm 7 pivotally mounted to the support bracket 8 about an axis 19a parallel to that of the pin 12, the end of the second limb of the U-shaped arm 7 being attached to the selection cable 5.

In the referred support there is disposed a transverse pin which bears on one side, on a flange formed by the support bracket itself and, on the opposite side, it forms a conic head in opposite directions, externally involved by a round head of larger diameter, providing the main coupling movement, through a cylindrical cover which is mounted on the said assembly, while a second pin with a smaller spherical head provided the secondary coupling responsible for the selection movement.

The referred metallic cover supports the gear lever, said gear lever receiving the gear coupling cable, which gear, to be articulated, requires the angular movement of said cover round the larger diameter fixed metallic sphere. This aspect considerably simplifies the construction of the assembly, eliminating labour and materials.

3 On the other hand, when the mentioned metallic cover movement occurs, the pin coupled to it, which incorporates the smaller diameter metallic sphere shall also be moved, therefore driving the metallic arm for the gear selection cable operation.

Another aspect to be pointed out is that, in this configuration, the industrial manufacturing process is accelerated, due to the elimination of labour and loss of materials in machining processes. This is because, in the conventional models, the axis composing the movable assembly requires machining in order to obtain the bigger and smaller spheres, starting from a large diameter cylindrical bar. In this embodiment only the smaller metallic sphere is incorporated to the pin, which simplifies, accelerates and cheapens the process considerably.

The present model stands out, also, in that it allows a movable assembly where the gear lever activates the coupling cable beneath the metallic support, to provide for reversal of the cable actuation direction relative to the lever actuation direction.

Downward extension of the gear lever also makes it possible to apply a gear pre-selector in order to control the maximum travel of coupling and the neutral point, thus eliminating the always existing backlash, in smaller or bigger degree, in all selector mechanisms, and transmitting to the user a feeling of higher accuracy and activation response.

Besides these advantages, the present invention seeks to enhance the mechanical safety of the assembly as a whole, specially by dispensing with welds and by the elimination of alignment problems.

Consequently, there is also the significant decrease of the vibrations of the drivetrain transmitted through the cables, thus avoiding miscellaneous expenses.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be explained in detail, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in whicl:

Figure 1 is a general perspective view of a first embodiment of a gear cable operating mechanism, with the support, the movable assembly and the coupling and gear selection cables partly visible; 4 Figure 2 is a sectional view of the movable assembly, with the gear lever, in the plane A-A of Figure 1, and; Figure 3 is a sectional view similar to Figure 2 showing a second embodiment of a gear cable operating mechanism wherein cable activation effected below the assembly.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, the selector consists of a metallic support plate 1 supporting the assembly, having a peripheral upstanding rim 2 and an obliquely upwardly extending front part 3 through which the coupling cable 4 and the selection cable 5 pass.

A support bracket 8 is fixed on the support plate 1 by means of screws 9, the support bracket 8 having a flange 10 which receives a metallic pin 12, whose head 13 is slightly conical in opposite directions. The pin 12 extends generally transversely and horizontally, substantially parallel to the plane of the support plate 1. The pin 12 is fixed in a vertically extending slot in the flange 10 of bracket 8 by means of a nut and locknut 11.

The head 13 of pin 12 is surrounded by a spherical head 14, of larger diameter, which composes the main wedge, responsible for the coupling movement, which may be made of any suitable material, including resistant plastics. A pair of substantially hemispherical sockets 15 bear on the outside of the round head 14, the sockets 15 being held in a cylindrical cover 16, from which the gear lever 6 extends radially.

Extending parallel to the axis of pin 12 is a pivot axis 19a, to which is mounted an U-shaped arm 7. A horizontally extending portion of the 'L'shaped arm 7 extends toward the axis of pin 12, and an upstanding portion thereof extends away from the support plate 1.

The coupling cable 4 extends in alignment with the gear lever 6, to which it is pivotally coupled. The selection cable 5 extends in the plane of the U-shaped arm 7, and is pivotally coupled to the free qnd of the upstanding portion thereof. I At the end of the cylindrical cover 16 remote from flange 10 is a mounting 17 which supports a pin 18 projecting axially in the direction away from the cylindrical cover 16. Pin 18 carries at its free end a smaller round head 19, this smaller head 19 being received in a spherical is socket at the end of the horizontally extending portion of the U-shaped arm 7. The V-shaped arm 7 is pivotally mounted on the support bracket 8 to pivot about axis 1 ga.

As will be appreciated, in the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2, movement of the gear lever 6 in forward and rearward directions will cause the cable 4 to be pushed and pulled, respectively, as the cylindrical cover rotates about the axis of pin 12. Likewise, sideways movement of the gear lever 6 to the left as seen in Figure 2 will cause the head 19 of pin 18 to be lifted, thus lifting the horizontally extending portion of the U-shaped arm 7. The V-shaped arm 7 will rotate about the axis 19a, causing the upstanding portion of the U-shaped arm 7 to pull on cable 5. In the same way, a sideways movement of the gear lever 6 in the opposite sense will cause cable 5 to be pushed.

In an alternative version, shown in Figure 3, the support bracket 8, which partially extends beneath the support plate 1, has an opening through which a downward extension of the gear lever 6 may extend. By fixing a cable to this downward extension of the gear lever 6, the cable may be pulled back by a forward movement of the upper part of the gear lever 6, i.e. the cable is activated in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the lever.

Another feature of the embodiment shown in Figure 2, consists of a preselector and guidance element 20, which consists of a stub shaft extending down from the cylindrical cover 16 and having a guidance element 20 which, thorough the pressure exercised by a helicoidal spring 21 against a concave spherical plate concentric with the sphere 14, limits the backlash existing in higher or lower degree in the gear lever 6, transmitting to the user a feeling of higher accuracy.

Therefore, the present model is outstanding due to the fact that it is the cylindrical cover 16 that moves for the gear activation, and pot the round head, as usual in the conventional gears. 1 The referred metallic cover 16 receives the gear lever fixation 6, the latter receiving the gear coupling cable, which, to be articulated requires the angle movement of said cover around the largest diameter metallic sphere, this sphere being fixed. This configuration considerably simplifies the assembly, eliminating labour and materials.

6 On the other hand, upon lateral movement of the mentioned metallic cover 16, the pin joined to it 18, which incorporates the smaller diameter metallic sphere 19, shall also be moved, therefore activating the Ushaped arm for the gear selection cable operation.

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Claims

1. A gear cable operating mechanism consisting of a metallic support plate (1) through which the coupling cable (4) and the selection cable (5) pass, the former extending as far as a gear lever (6), where ft is pivotally coupled, and the latter extending to an U-shaped arm (7), and wherein a support bracket (8) is fixed an the support plate (1), said support bracket (8) having a flange (10) which receives a metallic pin (12), whose head (13) is slightly conical in opposite directions, the head (13) being surrounded by a spherical head (14) on which a cylindrical cover (16) which receives the gear lever (6) is mounted for pivoting movement, the cylindrical cover (16) supporting a second pin (10) extending radially of the spherical head (14), the free end of which is pivotally joined to end of a first limb of an U-shaped arm (7) pivotally mounted to the support bracket (8) about an axis (1 9a) parallel to that of the pin (12), the end of the second limb of the U- shaped arm (7) being attached to the selection cable (5).

2. A gear cable operating mechanism, according to claim 1, wherein the support bracket (8) extends beneath the support plate (1), and the gear lever (6) extends through an opening in the support bracket (8) and the support plate (1), the arrangement being such that the cable is activated in a direction opposite to the lever (6) activation direction.

3. A gear cable operating mechanism, according to claim 1, a steering pre-seiector and positioner (20), is provided beneath the cylindrical head (16) so as to limit the backlash existing in the lever (6).

4. A gear cable operating mechanism, substantially as described herein, with reference to Figures 1 and 2 or Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.

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