Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16H—GEARING
  • F16H63/00—Control outputs from the control unit to change-speed- or reversing-gearings for conveying rotary motion or to other devices than the final output mechanism
  • F16H63/40—Control outputs from the control unit to change-speed- or reversing-gearings for conveying rotary motion or to other devices than the final output mechanism comprising signals other than signals for actuating the final output mechanisms
  • F16H63/42—Ratio indicator devices
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16H—GEARING
  • F16H63/00—Control outputs from the control unit to change-speed- or reversing-gearings for conveying rotary motion or to other devices than the final output mechanism
  • F16H63/40—Control outputs from the control unit to change-speed- or reversing-gearings for conveying rotary motion or to other devices than the final output mechanism comprising signals other than signals for actuating the final output mechanisms
  • F16H63/42—Ratio indicator devices
  • F16H2063/423—Range indicators for automatic transmissions, e.g. showing selected range or mode
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16H—GEARING
  • F16H59/00—Control inputs to control units of change-speed- or reversing-gearings for conveying rotary motion
  • F16H59/02—Selector apparatus
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16H—GEARING
  • F16H59/00—Control inputs to control units of change-speed- or reversing-gearings for conveying rotary motion
  • F16H59/02—Selector apparatus
  • F16H59/08—Range selector apparatus
  • F16H59/10—Range selector apparatus comprising levers
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T74/00—Machine element or mechanism
  • Y10T74/20—Control lever and linkage systems
  • Y10T74/20012—Multiple controlled elements
  • Y10T74/20018—Transmission control
  • Y10T74/2014—Manually operated selector [e.g., remotely controlled device, lever, push button, rotary dial, etc.]

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a selector with an associated display operative to show a selection mode.
• the invention relates particularly, although not exclusively, to an automotive automatic transmission selector.
• the selector With a conventional mechanical transmission the selector is moved to a position corresponding to the desired mode of operation and each position is labelled according to the associated mode, for example as P R N D 3 2 l to denote the lever positions for the selection of park, reverse, neutral, drive and various lock out positions where the number designates the highest permissible operating ratio of the transmission.
• a driver can therefore easily see where to position the lever to select a desired mode of operation and can tel! the selected mode at a glance.
• the label indicating the selected mode i.e. that which the selector lever is adjacent
• the mechanical operation of the selector is independent of the mechanical operation of the transmission variations in selector operation have become possible.
• One existing arrangement is a mono-stable selector lever.
• the lever is biassed towards a stable return position but can be displaced in opposite directions from the return position to select a desired mode of operation by sequentially indexing up or down a sequence of available modes. Because the mono-stable lever itself always returns to the same rest position it is not possible, unlike with multi-stable levers, to indicate a selected mode by the position of the selector lever.
• a selector which may be displaced from a return position to make a selection from a number of available possibilities and then returned to the return position, the selector comprising a display operative to display an indication of a current selection at a position adjacent the return position of the selector.
• the selector is adjacent an indication of the chosen selection, rather than of any possible other selection.
• the display is operative to display an indication of a plurality or all of the available selections together and the position of the indications is moved relative to the return position of the selector as a selection is made so that an indication of the chosen selection is displayed adjacent the return position.
• the display may comprise an electronic or electrical display and in particular may comprise a display screen. Any suitable electrical or electronic display may be used for example an LCD, TFT or OLED display.
• the display may be illuminated.
• the display may be mechanical in which case ii may comprise a member, such as a strip or ribbon, bearing indications of available selections which is arranged to move on operation of the selector so that the chosen selection is displayed adjacent the return position of the selector.
• a selector which may be displaced from a return position to make a selection from a number of available possibilities and then returned to the return position, the selector comprising a display adjacent the selector indicating the available possibilities from which a selection can be made and arranged to highlight the current selection.
• the selector may be an automatic transmission selector.
• the selector is operable to select a mode of operation of the transmission from a range of available modes. These modes may include park, reverse, neutral and drive and one or more additional modes of operation.
• the display may be operable to indicate the selected mode of operation by display of a letter, numeral, or other symbol or indicia.
• the display may be illuminated.
• the display may be arranged so that only an indication of the chosen selection is illuminated. Alternatively illumination of the indication of the chosen selection may be altered, such as by changing its colour, in order to highlight the chosen selection.
• the selector may be a lever.
• the selector may be operable from a return position to sequentially index the chosen selection from a sequence of available selections.
• the selector may be operable to two selection positions to index the chosen selection up and down within a sequence of available selections.
• the selector may be mounted within a linear gate,
• the display may be elongate.
• Figures IA-E shows a number of views of a conventional type of automotive automatic transmission selector lever arrangement
• Figures 2A-E shows a number of views of an automotive automatic transmission selector lever arrangement according to the invention
• Figures 3A-E shows a number of views of another automotive automatic transmission selector lever arrangement according to the invention.
• Figures IA to IE show a conventional multi-stable automatic transmission selection lever arrangement.
• the arrangement comprises a lever 1 which is movable between a plurality of positions within a linear gate 2.
• a sequence of letters in this case P R N D S, indicating the mode of transmission operation which is selected by moving the lever 1 to a position adjacent the letter.
• the letters stand for park, reverse, neutral, drive and sport respectively. The letters remain in a fixed relationship relative to the gate.
• the lever 1 is moved to a position adjacent a particular letter in order to select a desired mode of operation of the gearbox the letter adjacent which the lever is placed illuminates.
• Figures IA to IE respectively show the lever 1 in each of its possible operational positions. This arrangement Is well known.
• FIGS 2A to 2E show a mono-stable automatic transmission selector lever arrangement according to the invention.
• This arrangement comprises a lever 1 operable in a linear gate 2 adjacent which are provided letters indicating the available modes of operation which can be selected, with the letter indicating the current selection illuminating.
• the lever 1 of this arrangement is biased to a central return position in which it lies adjacent the letter N.
• a user displaces the lever 1 forwards or backwards within the gate against a return spring or other resiliently biased member, and then releases the lever allowing it to return to the return position. This causes the operating mode to be indexed one step up or down the available options.
• FIG. 2A park mode is selected.
• a user displaces the lever 1 backwards, that is towards the letters D and S away from the letter N, and releases the lever allowing it to return to the return position.
• This causes the transmission to select reverse mode and the letter R adjacent the gate 2 is illuminated.
• Figures 2A to 2E show selection of each available mode of operation. In each mode it will be noted that the lever 1 remains in the return position adjacent the letter N.
• Figures 3A to 3E illustrate another automatic transmission selector lever arrangement according to the invention.
• the lever is mono-stable type and returns to a central return position on release.
• Transmission mode selection is achieved by displacing the lever against a resilient bias either forwards or backwards within the gate 2 to index the selected mode of operation sequentially from the available modes.
• the displayed letters 3 move relative to the gate 2 so that the letter denoting the selected mode of operation lies adjacent the return position of the lever 1 so that the lever, when it returns to the return position, always lies adjacent the letter denoting the selected mode of operation.
• the letter denoting the selected mode of operation is illuminated or otherwise highlighted. This provides additional clarity as regards the selected mode as compared to the arrangement of Figures 2A-E.
• the arrangement combines the flexibility of a mono-stable operation with the clarity of indication of current selection provided by the multi-stable arrangement such as illustrated in Figures IA to IE.
• the moving letters 3 may be provided by any convenient means.
• an electronic display screen is provided adjacent the gate 2 such as an LCD, TFT or OLED display.
• the display is effected mechanically with physical movement of a strip or ribbon bearing the letters.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Control Of Transmission Device (AREA)
• Arrangement Or Mounting Of Control Devices For Change-Speed Gearing (AREA)
• Arrangement And Mounting Of Devices That Control Transmission Of Motive Force (AREA)

Priority Applications (4)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=40750092

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Families Citing this family (3)

Citations (5)

Family Cites Families (13)

• 2009
  • 2009-04-03 GB GBGB0905843.9A patent/GB0905843D0/en not_active Ceased
• 2010
  • 2010-03-31 WO PCT/GB2010/050568 patent/WO2010112932A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2010-03-31 EP EP10718657.9A patent/EP2414705B1/en active Active
  • 2010-03-31 CN CN2010800142638A patent/CN102365478A/zh active Pending
  • 2010-03-31 US US13/259,417 patent/US20120017715A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2010-03-31 JP JP2012502807A patent/JP2012522682A/ja active Pending

Patent Citations (5)

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