GB2316154A

GB2316154A - Hand-brake lever with an integrated gear selection handle

Info

Publication number: GB2316154A
Application number: GB9716148A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Helmut Kruger
Original assignee: Volkswagen AG
Current assignee: Volkswagen AG
Priority date: 1996-08-09
Filing date: 1997-08-01
Publication date: 1998-02-18
Anticipated expiration: 2017-08-01
Also published as: FR2752209B1; GB9716148D0; GB2316154B; JPH1086690A; FR2752209A1; DE19632254C1

Abstract

An actuating device for a hand-brake and an automatic transmission, or a transmission which can be actuated with power assistance, comprises a pivotably mounted hand-brake lever 10 upon which is mounted a gear selection handle 12, thus saving space and enabling ergonomic positioning of the device within a vehicle. Gear selection can be made by rotating the handle 12 about its longitudinal axis 14 to a position in which a spring-loaded ball 34 engages in a groove 35. An electronically actuable lock 20 on the handle 12 may be used to prevent gear selection. A light 30 may be integrated in the handle 12 or in a hand-brake release button 18 to illuminate a gear display 42.

Description

2316154

DESCRIPTION FLAM-BRAKE LEVER WITH AN INTEGRATED GEAR SELECTION

The present invention relates to a hand-brake lever with an integrated gear selection.

More particularly the present invention relates to an actuating device for a hand-brake and a selector mechanism for an automatic transmission or an automated transmission, of a motor vehicle, having a lever, which is mounted so as to be pivotable at one end, and a handle arranged on the lever, the pivoting function actuating the hand brake.

Owing to construction conditions, customary arrangements for separate operating devices for the hand-brake and gear selector lever, do not permit an ergonomically correct side-by-side arrangement of the actuating functions of the hand-brake and transmission. These functions therefore have to be placed one behind the other. This means that small operators (about 5% of all operators) have difficult reaching the handbrake, not to mention being able to operate it with sufficient strength, when the driver's seat of the motor vehicle has been moved forward appropriately. Large operators, such as for example the so-called 1190-05 man", can only reach the fifth gear by bending forwards when the seat has been moved back.

A combined transmission and hand-brake control is proposed, for example, in EP 0 209 431, which has a common hand-brake lever for the selection and shifting of the gears and for engaging the hand brake. A manual transmission is usually actuated by pivoting the lever forwards, backwards and sidewards. A safety arrangement which can be controlled by an additional handle releases a pivoting movement of the lever for actuating the hand-brake.

A selector lever for actuating a manual transmission is proposed in DE-C729 325, which is provided additionally with a tension device. The tension device is located in the selector lever and actuates the hand- brake by means of a cable pull. For this purpose, the tension device is arranged so that it can be pulled axially out of the selector lever, and the cable pull is configured to be flexible in a transmission region between the selector lever and the connection to the body.

These arrangements have the disadvantage that they are complex in terms of design and in each case require their own room for movement for the actuating lever to operate the functions of hand-brake and transmission. There is therefore no free choice of the installation location. Furthermore, a safeguard is required to avoid inadvertent actuation of the hand-brake when shifting gears of the transmission.

The aim of the present invention is to therefore provide an actuating device of the above mentioned type, which is of simple construction and requires little pivoting space for the actuation of the two functions of hand-brake and gear selection.

According to the present invention, there is provided an actuating device for a hand-brake and an automatic transmission, or a transmission which can be actuated with power assistance, of a motor vehicle, comprising a lever which is, in use, mounted so as to be pivotable at one end region thereof, and a handle arranged on the lever,_pivotal movement of the lever actuating the hand-brake, the handle being configured to be rotatable about its longitudinal axis with this rotational movement being capable of actuating the gears or driving positions of the transmission.

According to the present invention, provision is made for the handle to be configured to be rotatable about its longitudinal axis, the driving position or the gear of the automatic transmission being actuated by means of this rotational movement. This device can be arranged in an ergonomically favourable manner, for example between the currently known positions of the gear selector lever and the hand-brake. Furthermore, only the actuation of the hand-brake requires specific room for pivoting the lever. The installation location is thus freely selectable within a wide range.

By virtue of the fact that the longitudinal axes of the lever and handle are parallel, a spacesaving arrangement is achieved in a particularly advantageous manner.

A particularly simple construction with uncomplicated assembly is achieved by the fact that the lever is a hand-brake lever with an engagement device, a handle and an actuating knob for the engagement device, the handle being configured to be rotatable about its longitudinal axis for the selection of the gear or the driving position of the automatic transmission.

An integrated lock to prevent the vehicle from being driven away advantageously increases the safety of operation of the arrangement.

For a particularly ergonomic design, with the hand-brake disengaged, the handle is arranged at an angle of between zero to about 45 degrees to a longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle, or the plane of a seat of an operator.

The present invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 shows a side view of a preferred embodiment of an actuating device constructed according to the present invention; Fig. 2 shows an enlarged side view of the preferred embodiment of the actuating device of Figure 1; and Fig. 3 shows a top view in an enlarged illustration of the preferred embodiment of the actuating device of Figure 1.

Figure I shows a preferred embodiment of an operating device constructed according to the present invention. A lever 10 is mounted so as to be pivotable at a pivot 26. At one end region 40, the lever 10 is connected to a cable-pull device 28 for a hand-brake. Pivoting of the lever 10 actuates the cable-pull device 28 and thus the hand-brake. Of course, instead of the cable pull 40, the use of an actuating linkage or the like is also possible.

When pivoting the lever 10, an engagement mechanism 16 engages in such a way that the lever automatically remains or is retained in the pivoted state, in which the hand-brake is engaged. Disengagement of the handbrake is effected by the engagement device 16 being released by pressing an actuating knob 18, the lever 10 then being pivotable back into its starting position. The hand brake is then disengaged.

To operate an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle, the lever 10 is provided with a handle 12 which is configured to be rotatable about a longitudinal axis 14 of the handle. By turning the handle 12, the automatic transmission is actuated, i.e.

a gear or a driving position is selected.

Since the handle 12 rotates about its own axis and, in the present embodiment, the longitudinal axis of the handle 12 coincides with the longitudinal axis of the lever 10, no additional pivoting room is requires for actuating the gear selection or the automatic transmission. Furthermore the lever 10 with the handle 12 can be arranged in an ergonomically optimum position.

This is achieved, inter alia,, also by the provision of an angle 24 between the handle 12 and a longitudinal axis 22 of the motor vehicle, of between zero to about 45 degrees when setting the lever 10 with the handbrake disengaged. Both the gear selection and the hand-brake can thus be actuated in an ergonomically optimum manner.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged explanatory view of the lever 10 from which a recess 32 for a locking pin 33 of an electrically actuable lock 20 can be seen, the lock 20 being an automatic shift lock for preventing the vehicle from being driven away and being also integrated in the handle 12. When the vehicle is started, the lock 20 is disengaged by actuating pressure on the brake pedal. Gear selection is only possible after this has been done.

Furthermore, the lever has a lighting device 30 for a gear display 42, which is preferably arranged -7at the end of the lever 10 pointing to the actuating knob 18. Electric cables 36,38 lead from the lighting device 30 and the lock 20 which prevents, driving away, to an electrical connection (not illustrated). Moreover, there are located in the region of the selector handle 12 switching contacts and signal lines (not illustrated), with the aid of which the selected gear of driving position of the transmission is forwarded to a transmission control device which is known per se.

A gear adjustment 34 serves to adjust the rotational handle 12 and preferably consists of a spring-loaded ball which engages in an internal engagement groove 35 in the handle 12.

Figure 3 shows a top view and a further enlargement of a top part of the operating device according to the present invention. The lighting device 30 can be seen clearly and is integrated in the lever 10 or alternatively in the knob 18. A gear display 42 provides information on the currently selected gear or the currently selected driving position. The handle 12 is rotatable in the directions of the arrow 44 for the selection of an appropriate gear or an appropriate driving position.

-1 "' ' ' '--- P

Claims

-8 CLAIMS

1. An actuating device for a hand-brake and an automatic transmission, or a transmission which can be actuated with power assistance, of a motor vehicle, comprising a lever which is, in use, mounted so as to be pivotable at one end region thereof, and a handle arranged on the lever, pivotal movement of the lever actuating the hand-brake, the handle being configured to be rotatable about its longitudinal axis with this rotational movement being capable of actuating the gears or driving positions of the transmission.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, in which the longitudinal axes of the lever and the handle are parallel.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which the lever is a hand-brake lever with an engagement device with an actuating knob being provided for operating the engagement device.

4. A device as claimed in any one or more of the preceding claims, in which.a lock is integrated in the device, to prevent the vehicle from being driven away.

5. A device as claimed in any one or more of the preceding claims, in which an illuminatable gear or driving-position display is arranged at the end of the handle pointing to the actuating knob for the hand- brake.

6. A device as claimed in any one or more of the preceding claims, in which the device is constructed so that with the handbrake in a disengaged position, the handle is arranged at an angle of between zero to about 45 degrees, to a longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle or a seat plane of an operator.

7. An actuating device for a hand-brake and an automatic transmission, or a transmission which can be actuated with power assistance, constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.