JPH10114230A - Shift lever device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve an absorption force for a force when a strong force is exerted. SOLUTION: A shift lever 12 is parted approximately at an intermediate part in an axial direction into upper and lower levers 14 and 16 and the upper and lower levers 14 and 16 are interlocked through a cylindrical coupling cylinder 28. A plurality of slits 30 approximately in a rhombic shape are formed at intervals of a given distance in a peripheral direction in the coupling cylinder 28. When an impact force in an axial direction is exerted on the shift lever 12, a narrow part 32 is plastically deformed and bent and the remaining cut part of the slit 30 is spread to the outside. This constitution the coupling cylinder 28 is shrunk axially of the shift lever 12 such that the coupling cylinder is squeezed and an impact force exerted on the shift lever 12 is absorbed.

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 having a shock absorbing structure.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG.
Is attached to a substantially inverted T-shaped retainer 104. A substantially horizontal cylindrical portion of the retainer 104 is supported by a fixed shaft 108 fixed to the bearing 106. Thereby, when the shift operation of the shift lever 102 is performed,
The retainer 104 is rotated so that a desired shift range can be selected.

However, when a strong force is applied to the shift lever 102 in the axial direction, the shift lever 102 has a weak absorbing power for this force.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and has as its object to provide a shift lever device which has an improved absorption of a strong force when the force is received.

[0005]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a shift lever capable of selecting an arbitrary shift range by a shift operation, and a shift lever provided on the shift lever that receives an impact force in an axial direction. Plastic deformation means for deforming in the axial direction of the shift lever to move the shift lever downward.

Normally, since the plastic deformation means is not deformed, an arbitrary shift range can be selected by operating the shift lever. When the shift lever receives an impact force (strong force) in the axial direction, the plastic deformation means deforms in the axial direction of the shift lever. Due to this deformation, the shift lever moves downward, and the impact force can be absorbed.

[0007] In the invention described in claim 2, the plastic deformation means is formed by a cylinder formed substantially at an intermediate portion of the shift lever and a slit notched along the axial direction of the cylinder. And a narrow portion formed as described above.

[0008] Normally, the narrow portion is straight,
When the shift lever receives an impact force in the axial direction, the narrow portion is bent outward, the cylinder body is contracted in the axial direction so as to be crushed, and the impact force can be absorbed. In this way, the cylinder is formed almost at the middle part of the shift lever, and a simple structure that cuts a slit in this cylinder and leaves a narrow part, reliably absorbing the impact force received by the shift lever can do.

[0009]

FIG. 1 shows a main part of a shift lever device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The shift lever device 10 has a shift lever 12 for a shift operation. Shift lever 12
Is divided into an upper lever 14 and a lower lever 16 at a substantially middle portion in the axial direction, and a lower end of the lower lever 16 is attached to a lever holder 18 bent at a substantially middle portion.

A pair of brackets 20 project from the lever holder 18, and the brackets 20 are mounted on a cylindrical retainer 22. The cylindrical body 21 is fixed to the upper part of the retainer 22 in a perpendicular direction by welding or the like. With the bracket 20 attached to the retainer 22,
A pin 24 is inserted through a shaft support hole 23 formed in the bracket 20 and the cylindrical body 21 so that the lever holder 18 can be rotated around the axis of the pin 24. As a result, the shift lever 12 can rotate around the pin 24 in the vehicle width direction.

Further, the fixed shaft 26 is inserted into the retainer 22, the retainer 22 is supported by the shaft, and the lever holder 18 is rotatable around the axis of the fixed shaft 26. As a result, the shift lever 12 can rotate around the fixed shaft 26 in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

A control lever (not shown) protrudes from the retainer 22, and a pin of the control lever is connected to an automatic transmission via a transmission mechanism. The operation of the shift lever 12 shifts the automatic transmission. ing.

The upper lever 14 and the lower lever 16 are
The upper lever 14, the lower lever 16, and the connecting tube 28 constitute a shift lever 12 which is connected by a cylindrical connecting tube 28. A plurality of (four in the present embodiment) slits 30 having a substantially rhombic shape are cut out at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction of the connecting cylinder 28. Slit 3
The longitudinal direction of 0 coincides with the axial direction of the connecting cylinder 28,
A substantially middle portion of the uncut portion between the adjacent slits 30 is a narrow portion 32 having a small width. Therefore, when the shift lever 12 receives a strong impact force of a predetermined value or more in the axial direction, the narrow portion 32 is plastically deformed and bent as shown in FIG. spread. Thus, the connecting cylinder 28 is contracted in the axial direction of the shift lever 12 so as to be crushed, the upper lever 14 is lowered, and the impact force received by the shift lever 12 is absorbed.

Next, the operation of the shift lever device 10 according to the present embodiment will be described. In a normal use state, as shown in FIG. 1, the narrow portion 32 of the connecting cylinder 28 is not bent, so that the user can operate the shift lever 12 to select an arbitrary shift range.

When the shift lever 12 receives a strong impact force of a predetermined value or more in the axial direction, for example, during rapid deceleration of the vehicle, the narrow portion 32 is plastically deformed and bent as shown in FIG. The remaining part spreads outward. Accordingly, the connecting cylinder 28 is contracted in the axial direction of the shift lever 12 so as to be crushed, and the impact force received by the shift lever 12 is absorbed.

The lever holder 18 is bent at a substantially intermediate portion, and the axis of the shift lever 12 deviates from the fixed shaft 26 and the retainer 22. For this reason, the shift lever 1
2 does not transmit to the fixed shaft 26 and the retainer 22.

The shape of the slit 30 is substantially rhombic as shown in this embodiment as long as the connecting cylinder 28 is deformed in the axial direction by the impact force received by the shift lever 12 and can absorb the impact force. Not limited to

The shift lever device of the present invention is not limited to the floor shift type provided on the center console of an automobile, but may be, for example, an instrument panel shift type provided on an instrument panel.

[0020]

Since the present invention has the above-described structure, when a strong force is received, this force is absorbed by the plastic deformation of the plastic deformation means, so that the absorbing power for this force is improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a shift lever device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing a state in which the shift lever device according to the embodiment of the present invention has received an impact force.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a conventional shift lever device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 shift lever device 12 shift lever 14 upper lever (shift lever) 16 lower lever (shift lever) 28 connecting cylinder (cylindrical body) 32 narrow portion

Claims (2)

[Claims] A shift lever capable of selecting an arbitrary shift range by a shift operation; and a shift lever provided on the shift lever, which is deformed in an axial direction of the shift lever when the shift lever receives an impact force in an axial direction, and moves the shift lever downward. A shift lever device comprising: plastic deformation means for moving. 2. The plastic deformation means comprises: a cylinder formed substantially at an intermediate portion of the shift lever; and a narrow portion left uncut by a slit cut along an axial direction of the cylinder. The shift lever device according to claim 1, wherein: