JP3426981B2 - AT shift lever device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a shift lever device for an automatic transmission (hereinafter referred to as AT) for passenger cars.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional AT shift lever device is shown in FIG.
As shown in, a shaft 1a is rotatably attached to the lower part of the base plate (base body) 10,
The shift lever 1 is rotatably attached to the middle portion of the shaft 1a by a pin 1b. That is, the shift lever 1 is attached to the base plate 10 by the shaft 1a and the pin 1b and is rotatable in two directions. The rotation shaft 2a of the link 2 is rotatably supported by the vertical middle portion of the base plate 10.
The link 2 is arranged so as to be slidably contactable with the shift lever 1, and is rotated around the axis of the shaft 2 a by the sliding contact with the shift lever 1. The free end (the end opposite to the shaft 2a) side of the link 2 is connected to a detection switch (not shown) for detecting the shift position of the shift lever 1 to detect the rotational position of the link 2. Thus, a part of the plurality of positions of the shift lever 1 is detected. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 (A-A cross section in FIG. 4), a hole 2b is provided at an intermediate portion in the longitudinal direction of the link 2, and both end arms of the torsion spring 3 are inserted and engaged in the hole 2b. is doing. The coil portion of the torsion spring 3 is a cylindrical flange 10a of the base plate 10.
Is supported by the outer peripheral surface of the base plate 10, and is held by a spring pressing portion 4 which is separate from the base plate 10 so as not to slip out in the axial direction of rotation of the link (direction orthogonal to the side wall of the base plate 10). The spring retainer 4 is made of synthetic resin, and the integrally formed pawl 4a is fixed to the base plate 10 by being inserted into the cylindrical flange 10a of the base plate 10 and engaging with the inner surface of the base plate 10. Both ends of the torsion spring 3 are formed separately from the base plate 10 and
It is supported by a pair of bosses 5 made of an elastic body fixed to 0, and defines the position (neutral position) of the link 2 when it is not in sliding contact with the shift lever 1. And
When the link 2 pivots to a position other than the neutral position and one of the two end arms of the torsion spring 3 separates from the boss 5, the biasing force of the torsion spring 3 tries to return the arm of the torsion spring 3 to the position where it hits the boss 5. The force for returning the link 2 to the neutral position is always applied.

[0003]

The conventional AT shift lever device described above has the following drawbacks. Since a spring holding member and a boss member are required, the number of parts is large. Since the neutral position of the link is positioned by the torsion spring that engages with the link at the intermediate position in the longitudinal direction of the link, if there is a positioning error, it will be amplified at the end of the link, and the link position accuracy will deteriorate. The return force of the link to the neutral position is also small. A tapping sound is generated by the contact between the torsion spring and the boss. If the boss is made of an elastic material to reduce the hitting sound, the boss cannot be integrally formed with the base plate made of hard resin. The first object of the present invention is to solve the conventional drawbacks.
The object is to improve the positioning accuracy of the neutral position of the link in order to reduce the cost by reducing the number of parts and the assembling man-hours and to solve the conventional drawbacks. A second object of the present invention is to increase the restoring force of the link to the neutral position in order to solve the conventional drawbacks. Third of the present invention
The purpose of is to reduce the hitting sound of the spring and the stopper and the spring and the link in order to solve the conventional drawbacks.

[0004]

The present invention for solving the above problems is as follows. (1) A base plate, a shift lever, a link, and a torsion spring. The base plate has a hole. The shift lever is rotatably supported by the base plate. It is arranged in the base plate and has one end rotatably supported by the base plate so as to be rotatable around a link rotation axis and the other end which is a free end of rotation, and rotates in association with the rotation of the shift lever. The torsion spring has a coil portion and a pair of arms extending from both ends of the coil portion, and an end portion of the arm opposite to the coil portion has a hole formed in the base plate. An AT shift lever device, which is inserted and extends into the base plate and is connected to the link, wherein an AT shift lever device is provided on an outer surface of the base plate from the outer surface. A boss projecting in a direction orthogonal to each other is integrally formed, and a spring pressing portion projecting substantially parallel to the outer surface of the base plate is integrally formed on the boss, and the link has a free rotation end. A vertical protrusion extending in the vertical direction is formed at or near the same, the torsion spring is supported by the boss of the base plate by the coil portion, and a pair of arms of the torsion spring is formed from the coil portion to the link rotation shaft. The pair of arms extend in a direction further away from each other, and the ends of the pair of arms opposite to the coil portions are engaged with the vertical projections of the link, and the base plate is provided with the torsion when the link is in the neutral position. An AT shift lever device, wherein a stopper is formed at a position where the spring arm abuts. (2) The AT shift lever device according to (1), wherein the pair of arms of the torsion spring intersect with each other. (3) The AT shift lever device according to (1), wherein a resin tube is fitted in the arm of the torsion spring.

In the above apparatus (1), since the boss for holding the coil portion of the torsion spring and the spring pressing portion for pushing the coil portion are integrally formed on the base plate, the pressing member for the torsion spring is not required, and the conventional structure is eliminated. Compared with this, the number of parts is reduced. Further, since the arm of the torsion spring holds the link in the neutral position and abuts on the stopper formed on the base plate at or near the free end side of the link,
The neutral position of the link is positioned at the tip of the link, and the positioning accuracy is improved as compared with the case of positioning at the link intermediate position. In the device (2), the biasing force for returning the link to the neutral position is easily increased by intersecting the arms of the torsion springs. In the device of (3), since the resin tube is fitted in the arm of the torsion spring, the position of the shift lever is changed and the arm of the torsion spring is generated when the link returns to the neutral position. Base plate,
And the hitting sound of the arm and the link is reduced.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In FIGS. 1 to 3, the same or similar components as those of a conventional device are designated by the same reference numerals as those in FIGS. That is, with respect to the base plate 10, the shaft 1a, the link 2, and the link rotating shaft 2a, the parts of the embodiment of the present invention and the parts of the conventional device have the same or similar configurations, and therefore the description of the conventional device will be applied mutatis mutandis. To do. The apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a shift lever 1 provided on a base plate 10 so as to be swingable in two directions, and a shift lever 1 disposed in the base plate 10 in the vertical direction about the center of the base plate 10 in the vertical direction about a link rotation shaft 2a. A link 2 rotatably provided so as to be slidably contactable with the shift lever 1, and a link 2 that holds the link 2 in a neutral position.
Is provided with a torsion spring 3 which applies a biasing force to the link 2 in a direction to return the link 2 to the neutral position when the link 2 is rotated from the neutral position. In association with the shift change of the shift lever 1, the link 2 rotates up and down around the link rotation shaft 2a.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the base plate 10 has a bottom wall and a pair of side walls standing upright from both sides of the bottom wall. On a portion of the outer surface of one side wall of the base plate 10 corresponding to the vicinity of the intermediate portion in the longitudinal direction of the link 2,
A columnar boss 53 is provided so as to project outward in a direction orthogonal to the side wall of the base plate 10. At the tip of the boss 53, a spring pressing portion 54 is formed integrally with the boss 53 on a part of the outer circumference of the boss 53. The spring retainer 54 projects from a part of the tip of the boss 53 in the direction of the link rotation shaft 2a. Further, in the side wall of the side wall of the base plate 10 on the side where the boss 53 is provided, a hole 55 extending in an up-down arc shape is formed at a position corresponding to the free end of rotation of the link 2.

Among the edge portions of the substantially arc-shaped hole 55 formed in the base plate 10, the edge portion on the side far from the link rotation shaft 2a protrudes toward the link rotation shaft 2a at the center portion in the arc longitudinal direction. The stopper 57 is formed integrally with the base plate 10. The upper and lower surfaces of the stopper 57 are located between the portions of the pair of arms 3b of the torsion spring 3 that are inserted through the substantially arcuate holes 55 provided in the side wall of the base plate 10. The upper and lower surfaces of the stopper 57 are stopper surfaces 57a and 57b that stop the arm 3b of the torsion spring 3 from further moving when it hits.

A rotary shaft 2a is integrally formed with the link 2, and is supported by the base plate 10 so as to be rotatable around the axis of the rotary shaft 2a. In the link 2, a pair of vertical protrusions 51 and 52 extending upward and downward from the link 2 are provided integrally with the link 2 in the vicinity of the tip end on the free end side of rotation.

The torsion spring 3 has a coil portion 3a.
And a pair of arms 3b connected to both ends of the coil portion 3a. The coil portion 3 a of the torsion spring 3 has a boss 5 formed on the side wall of the base plate 10.
3 is fitted on the outer peripheral surface. The coil portion 3a has a boss 53
The spring pressing portion 54 is pressed so that the spring pressing portion 54 does not come off from the boss 53. Torsion spring 3
The pair of arms 3b extends from the coil portion 3a toward the free end side of the link 2 (the direction away from the link rotation shaft 2a).

A pair of arms 3 of the torsion spring 3
Since b is connected to both ends of the coil portion 3a, they are offset from each other in the link rotation axis direction (direction orthogonal to the side wall of the base plate 10) and do not interfere with each other. The pair of arms 3b intersect with each other in the front view of FIG. 1 while extending in a direction away from the link rotation shaft 2a. However, at this intersecting position, the pair of arms 3b are offset from each other in the direction orthogonal to the side wall of the base plate and therefore do not interfere with each other. Then, at a position closer to the free end of link rotation from the intersecting portion, one arm bends into the rotation plane of the other arm, and from that point onward, a pair of arms moves through the hole 55 of the base plate 10 within the same rotation plane. Extends toward. The pair of arms 3b is bent at a substantially right angle toward the inner side of the base plate 10 in the direction of the rotation axis of the link 2 (direction orthogonal to the side wall of the base plate 10) at a portion near the tip from the intersecting portion, and the pair of arms 3b are attached to the side wall of the base plate 10. It extends into the base plate 10 through a substantially arcuate hole 55 provided, and is bent toward the link rotation shaft 2a after passing through the link 2 portion. From this bent portion 56, it is bent toward the link rotation shaft 2a. It ends with a short extension. The arm 3b is hooked on the vertical projections 51 and 52 of the link 2 at and around the bent portion 56.

As shown in FIG. 3, the arm 3b of the torsion spring 3 is closer to the free end of the arm 3b at a position closer to the tip of the arm than at the intersecting position and near the position where the hole 55 provided in the base plate 10 is inserted. A tube 20 made of resin (for example, rubber) is fitted to the tip of the tube. Since the portion of the arm 3b where the tube 20 is fitted is bent, the tube 20 is hard to come off from the arm 3b, and it is not necessary to apply heat or the like to shrink the tube 20 and fix it to the arm 3b. .

When the shift lever 1 is positioned in the neutral range (link neutral position), one of the two arms 3b of the torsion spring 3 has a stopper surface 57a,
57b, one of the two arms 3b of the torsion spring 3 contacts the other of the stopper surfaces 57a, 57b, and tries to hold the link 2 in the neutral position. Then, the stopper surfaces 57a, 57b of the arm 3b
The tube 20 is fitted to the part that hits the upper part and the part that hits the vertical protrusions 51 and 52 so as to buffer the tapping sound.

Next, the operation will be described. First, a procedure for assembling the torsion spring 3 to the base plate 10 and the link 2 will be described. On the boss 53 formed integrally with the base plate 10, the spring pressing portion 54 is provided with the boss 5.
Since it is provided so as to project from the link rotation shaft 2a side toward the link rotation shaft 2a, a portion of the coil portion 3a close to the link rotation shaft 2a with respect to the boss 53 axis is close to the outer surface of the side wall of the base plate 10 and the coil portion 3a. Link to the boss 53 axis center of
After the coil portion 3a is fitted to the boss 53 and the coil portion 3a is placed in an inclined state in which the portion close to the free end is away from the outer surface of the side wall of the base plate 10, the coil portion 3a is hooked on the spring pressing portion 54. Then, the arm 3b is parallel to the side wall of the base plate 10.

Then, with the boss 53 fitted in the coil portion 3a, the tips of the pair of arms 3b extending toward the free end side of the link 2 are attached to the vertical projections 51, 52 of the link 2.
The torsion spring 3 is assembled by hooking it on. A pair of arms 3 of the torsion spring 3
b engages with the vertical protrusions 51 and 52 of the link 2 and at the same time, abuts on the stopper 57 in the assembled state (neutral state). In this neutral state, the link rotation shaft 2 of the link 2
The link 2 is biased by the torsion spring 3 at or near the free end away from a, and the link 57 is positioned at the link neutral position by the stopper 57 near the tip of the arm 3b. The positioning accuracy of the neutral position of the link 2 is improved as compared with the biasing of the torsion spring 3 in the vicinity of the intermediate portion in the longitudinal direction of 2 and the positioning of the link 2.

Next, the case where the shift lever 1 is shift-changed from the neutral range (link neutral position) will be described. When the shift lever 1 is shifted to a range other than the neutral range (link neutral position), the link 2 interlocks with it and pivots up and down from the neutral position about the link pivot shaft 2a, so that the torsion spring 3 is rotated. One of the arms 3b moves away from the stopper surface. At the same time, a restoring force is generated in the torsion spring 3 so that the arm on the side away from the stopper surface approaches the stopper surface, and the link 2 is rotationally biased toward the neutral position. Therefore, when the link 2 is disengaged from the neutral position, the link 2 is constantly urged by the torsion spring 3 toward the neutral position. By shifting the shift lever 1 to the neutral range (link neutral position), the link 2 is returned to the neutral position by the bias of the torsion spring 3. By intersecting the pair of arms 3b of the torsion spring 3 with each other, the biasing force for returning the link 2 of the torsion spring 3 to the neutral position becomes strong, and the restoring force to the neutral position when deviated from the neutral position is improved. This has the same effect as above in the reverse range, drive range, and low range.

Further, in the AT shift lever device of the embodiment of the present invention, since the boss 53, the spring pressing portion 54 and the stopper 57 are integrally formed on the base plate 10, it is different from the base plate 10 which is necessary for the conventional device. The body stopper 4 and the boss 5 are removed, and the number of parts is reduced. Also, torsion spring 3
When the two arms 3b hit the stopper surfaces 57a and 57b formed on the base plate 10,
It is reduced because the tube 20 is fitted in b.

[0018]

According to the AT shift lever device of the first aspect of the present invention, since the boss for holding the coil portion of the torsion spring is integrally formed on the base plate, the number of parts can be reduced as compared with the prior art. Further, since the arm of the torsion spring supports the link and abuts on the stopper formed on the base plate at or near the free end of the link, the link positioning accuracy is improved. According to the AT shift lever device of the second aspect, the force for returning the link to the neutral position can be easily increased by intersecting the arms of the torsion spring. According to the AT shift lever device of the third aspect, since the resin tube is fitted to the arm of the torsion spring, when the link returns to the neutral position, the arm of the torsion spring and the base plate, and the arm and the link hit the arm. The tapping sound can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of an AT shift lever device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a cross-sectional view of the device of FIG. 1 taken along the line BB.

3 is a perspective view of the device of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a conventional AT shift lever device.

5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 shift lever 2 links 3 torsion spring 3a coil part 3b arm 10 base plate 20 tubes 51, 52 protrusions 53 Boss 54 Spring retainer 55 holes 57 Stopper

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) Reference JP-A-50-50547 (JP, A) JP-A-7-19335 (JP, A) JP-A-9-4702 (JP, A) JP-A-9- 112666 (JP, A) Actual opening 61-112426 (JP, U) Actual opening 62-67831 (JP, U) Actual opening 63-1219 (JP, U) Actual opening Flat 6-14612 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) F16H 59/00-61/12 F16H 61/16-61/24 F16H 63/40-63/48 B60K 20/00-20/08 G05G 1 / 00-25/04

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A base plate, a shift lever, a link, and a torsion spring, wherein the base plate has a hole, and the shift lever is rotatably supported by the base plate. Is disposed in the base plate and has one end rotatably supported by the base plate so as to be rotatable about a link rotation axis and the other end which is a free end of rotation, and is interlocked with the rotation of the shift lever. The torsion spring has a coil portion and a pair of arms extending from both ends of the coil portion, and an end portion of the arm opposite to the coil portion is provided on the base plate. An AT shift lever device, which extends through the hole into the base plate and is connected to the link, wherein an outer surface of the base plate is provided. A boss protruding in a direction orthogonal to the outer surface is integrally formed, and a spring retainer protruding substantially parallel to the outer surface of the base plate is integrally formed on the boss. A vertical protrusion extending in the vertical direction is formed at or near the free end, the torsion spring is supported by the boss of the base plate at the coil portion, and a pair of arms of the torsion spring are connected to the link portion from the coil portion. Extending in a direction away from the moving shaft, the ends of the pair of arms on the opposite side to the coil portion are engaged with the vertical projections of the link, and the base plate is in a state where the link is in the neutral position. The AT is characterized in that a stopper is formed at a position where the arm of the torsion spring abuts.
Shift lever device. 2. The AT shift lever device according to claim 1, wherein a pair of arms of the torsion spring intersect with each other. 3. The AT shift lever device according to claim 1, wherein a resin tube is fitted to the arm of the torsion spring.