CN1075612C - Gearshift apparatus for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

A shifting device (5) has a shift lever (7), which can be moved from a main gate (11) to a manual gate (13) through a transition gate (12) to switch between automatic and manual gear shifting modes. A stopping device (20) connected to the vehicle body is included. The device (20) contains a movable part (21) for selection. When the shift lever (7) moves in the transition gate (12), the movable member (21) moves integrally with the shift lever (7). When the bar (7) moved in the main gate (11) or the manual gate (13), the movable part (21) would never move with the bar (7). The stop device (20) has a fixing mechanism for generating a fixed force to fix the shift lever (7), and when the lever (7) moves along the transition gate (12), a force is generated at either end of the gate (12). A feeling of fit.

Description

Automotive gear shifter

The present invention relates to a shifting device used in an automatic transmission for a vehicle, capable of selecting a gear stage through the same shifting operation as a manual transmission.

A shift device is a known device for use in electrically controlled automatic transmissions installed in motor vehicles, such as passenger cars. The function of this device is to keep the gear at the required position through manual operation, so as to stabilize driving on snow-covered roads, or to ensure engine braking, and to realize automatic gear shifting according to a predetermined transmission mode. . Some advanced automatic transmissions for passenger cars have shifters that perform shifting operations similar to manual transmissions. As shown in FIGS. 20A and 20B, this type of shifting device has a first gate 100 for an automatic shift mode in which multiple shift positions, such as P (Park), R (Reverse), N ( Neutral gear), D (driving) and so on are arranged in sequence along a straight line along the longitudinal direction of the car body. Moreover, the shifting device has a third gate 101 for manual shift mode, parallel to the first gate 100, and a second gate (102) connecting the middle of the gate 101 to the D position of the gate 100 . A penetrating selector lever 103 is movable in these gates 100 to 102 . The shift lever 103 is supported by shafts 105 and 106 to move along the gates 100 to 102 .

In the above speed change device, by moving the shift lever 103 from the first gate 100 through the second gate 102 to the neutral position of the third gate 101, and then moving the shift lever 103 to the speed-up position on the front side, or to the rear side deceleration position, so that the gear can be selected with the same feel as obtained with a manual transmission lever. The shifting device also has a detent mechanism 104 to maintain the shift lever 103 on the automatic or manual transmission mode side and to obtain a click feel when the shift lever 103 is shifted between the two shift modes. The snapping feeling mentioned here refers to a feeling that the driver's hand feels that the shift lever 103 is changed to the required position because the force required to operate the shift lever 103 changes when the shift lever 103 is in place.

Examples of the stopper mechanism 104 are described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-8545, European Patent No. 331,797, and US Patent No. 4,987,792. In these conventional examples, the entire detent mechanism is integrally connected to the shift lever 103 . Figure 20B shows a specific configuration of this mechanism. Referring to FIG. 20B, the lower portion of the shift lever 103 is supported by two shafts 105 and 106 so as to be rockable in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, the shift direction, the width direction of the vehicle and a selection direction. The shift lever 103 is connected with a connecting piece 107, and the connecting piece 107 is located beside the shift lever 103 and can be rocked in the selection direction and the gear shifting direction. The link 107 extends downward along the shift lever 103 . A leaf spring 108 protrudes from the lower end portion of the link 107 toward the lower end of the shift lever 103 . The tip portion of the leaf spring 108 has an upwardly convex shape, and faces the lower end of the shift lever 103 . At the lower end of the shift lever 103 , a small ball 110 is supported by the arcuate section 109 of the leaf spring 108 . Ball 110 is resiliently supported by the proximal portion of arcuate segment 109 of leaf spring 108 when shift lever 103 is in gate 100 . On the other hand, when the shift lever 103 is located in the gate 101, the ball 110 is resiliently supported by the distal end portion of the arcuate section 109 of the leaf spring 108.

The stop mechanism 104 is designed so that when the shift lever 103 is operated to move laterally, the reaction force from the leaf spring 108 caused by the small ball 110 passing through the arcuate section 109 produces a click feeling. Thus, with the leaf spring 108, the shift lever 103 is elastically supported in a position for the automatic shift mode or the manual shift mode, as indicated by a solid line or a two-dot chain line in FIG. 20B. During the shifting of the shift lever 103 to the automatic or manual shift mode (or moving from the gate 100 to the gate 101, or moving in the opposite direction), when the deflection of the leaf spring 108 changes due to the small ball 110 passing through the arc section 109, This click feeling is produced.

It is desirable that the stopper mechanism 104 of the shift device has a simple configuration and does not adversely affect the operation of the shift lever 103 . However, in the structure in which the stopper mechanism 104 is integrally connected to the shift lever 103, the link 107 which moves together with the shift lever 103 must be integral with the shift lever 103. In addition, there must be a fixing mechanism (including leaf spring 108, small ball 110, etc.) between the connecting member 107 and the shift lever 103 to hold the shift lever 103 at either end of the gate 102, that is, at the end of the gate 100 or 101. that side. Therefore, the structure of the shift lever 103 tends to become complicated. Furthermore, components of the detent mechanism 104 move together with the shift lever 103 during a shift operation in the automatic or manual shift mode. Therefore, a large operating force is required to move the shift lever 103 along the gate 100 or 101 . Therefore, the controllability of the shift lever 103 is easily deteriorated in the automatic and manual shift modes.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a shifting device for a vehicle in which a click feeling from the shift lever and a stop function of the shift lever can be ensured during switching between automatic and manual shift modes, while still simplifying shifting lever configuration, and the controllability of the gear lever in both automatic and manual shift modes has been improved.

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a vehicle gearshift device, wherein the gate device for guiding the movement of the swingable shift lever supported on the vehicle body includes a first gate with a plurality of shift positions , it includes an automatic shift position, in this position, according to the driving state of the car, the gear stage of the transmission is automatically changed; a second gate has one end connected to the first gate and the other end, and along with the second gate A gate extends in a direction different from that of the second gate; a third gate is connected to the other end of the second gate and extends in a direction different from that of the second gate. When the shift lever is in one of the shift positions in the first gate, the gear corresponding to that position is set or changed. The shifting device includes: a connecting piece, movably supported by a supporting device connected to the vehicle body, and capable of cooperating with the shift lever, so that when the shift lever moves along the second gate, it can be integrated with the shift lever move without moving with the shift lever when the shift lever moves along the first or third gate; force to secure the shift lever to one end or the other of the second gate.

According to the present invention, since the fixing force generated by the fixing means connected to the base member or the like is transmitted to the connecting member, the shift lever on one end side of the second gate is held there. When the shift lever is moved along the first gate to select one of the shift positions provided in the first gate, the shift lever moves in the first gate regardless of the link. On the other hand, when the shift lever is manipulated to move from one end of the first gate toward the other end to select one of the shift positions provided in the third gate, the shift lever moves in the second gate together with the connecting member. while moving towards the other end of the second gate. Also at the other end of the second gate, the shift lever is held in its position by the securing force generated by the securing means. During a mode change between the automatic shift mode and the manual shift mode, the formation of the fixed force creates a snap feeling. When the shift lever, which has been switched to the manual shift mode, is manipulated to move along the third gate, it moves in the third gate regardless of the link, just as in the automatic shift mode. Therefore, it is possible to secure a click feeling from the shift lever during mode changeover between automatic and manual shift modes, and to ensure the fixing function of the shift lever, while the shift lever does not have to have any fixing mechanism, and a simple shift lever can be used . The connecting rod is of separate configuration from the shift lever and is independent of the movement of the shift lever within the first or third gate. Since the fixing force from the fixing device is applied to the link, the operation of the shift lever in the automatic or manual shift mode is not affected by the gravity of the link or the like. As a result, the controllability of the gear lever in both automatic and manual shift modes is improved.

Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to ensure the snapping feeling and fixing effect of the shift lever when shifting between automatic and manual shift modes without having any fixing mechanism for the shift lever itself. As a result, the structure of the shift lever can be simplified and the reliability of the shift lever can be improved. Moreover, since the link used to transmit the fixed force has nothing to do with the movement of the shift lever moving in the first or third gate, the operation of the shift lever in the automatic or manual shift mode will not be affected by the gravity of the link or the like. Influence. Accordingly, the manipulation force of the shift lever in the automatic and manual shift modes can be reduced, thus improving the controllability of the shift lever in each mode.

Preferably, the first and third gates extend substantially parallel to each other and the second gate extends substantially at right angles to the first and third gates. In the vehicle shift device having such first and third gates extending parallel to each other, the connecting member preferably has a hole or groove extending corresponding to the direction of movement of the shift lever in the first and third gates. At the same time, the shift lever preferably includes an operating member, such as an arm, which fits in the hole or groove, and when the shift lever moves in the second gate, the connecting member moves along the wall by abutting against the hole or groove. Move to the second gate.

Moreover, in the vehicular shifting device having first and third gates extending parallel to each other, the connecting member may be formed to have a slot opening along the axial direction of the shift lever and extending along the lever between the first and third gates. The direction of movement within the third gate extends so that the shift lever is inserted into the slot. In this configuration, when the shift lever moves within the second gate, the connecting member moves along the second gate so that the shift lever abuts against the inner wall of the slot. In this vehicular shifting device having first and third gates extending parallel to each other, the connecting member having the hole or the groove for engaging the shift lever and the operating member connected to the shift lever are used in such a manner that when When the gear lever moves in the second gate, the gear lever can be made to abut against the inner wall of the hole or the slot, so that the connecting member moves along the second gate. Alternatively, the link can be made with a hole through which the shift lever passes and extends along the first and third gates, in which case only when the shift lever moves in the second gate does the shift lever rest against the first and third gates. against the inner wall of the hole so that the connector can move along the second gate. These structures can realize a highly reliable stopper function.

In order to improve the controllability of the shift lever in the manual shift mode, according to the present invention, a neutral position corresponding to the other end of the second gate is set in the third gate, and a first shift position is relative to the neutral position. The gear position is located on one side of the third gate, and a second shift position is located on the other side. At the same time, the supporting device includes a second fixing device, which can hold the shift lever in the neutral position, the first shift position or the second shift position by cooperating with a shift lever side part when the shift lever moves in the third gate. file position. According to this structure, the above-mentioned effects of the present invention can be ensured. In addition, the driver can easily recognize the position of the shift lever in the third gate by feeling in the hand, thus improving the operation of the shift lever in the manual shift mode. controllability.

And in order to reduce the operating force of the shift lever in the manual shift mode, and keep the shift lever in the neutral position ineffective, according to the present invention, the second fixing device includes a first pushing device and a second pushing device, The first push device is used to push the shift lever to the neutral position by cooperating with the shift lever side member between the neutral position and the first gear position, and the second push device is used to push the shift lever to the neutral position by cooperating with the second shift position. The shift lever is pushed toward the neutral position by cooperating with the shift lever side member between the neutral position and the neutral position. According to this structure, the above-mentioned effects of the present invention can be ensured. In addition, the moment of inertia of the shift lever in the third gate can be reduced, thereby reducing the operating force of the shift lever, and the shift in the manual shift mode can be maintained. The rod doesn't work.

In order to facilitate the connection of the shifting device to the vehicle body and the replacement of the device, according to the present invention, the supporting device is formed by a stop device installed on the shifting base, and the shifting base is connected to the vehicle body. The stop device includes a shift detection device and a mode detection device. The shift detection device can send a speed-up signal when the shift lever in the third gate moves to the first gear position, and when the shift lever moves to the second gear position A deceleration signal can be generated when the mode detection device is used to detect whether the gear lever is in the automatic shift mode or the manual shift mode according to the position of the connecting piece. According to this structure, the above-mentioned effects of the present invention can be ensured, and in addition, the shift device can be easily attached to the vehicle body or replaced, thereby improving operational efficiency. Furthermore, if the switch constituting the shift detecting means and the mode detecting means is included in the stopper, there is no possibility that the switch will be damaged during attachment of the shift device to the vehicle body.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be acquired by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the drawings, illustrate the presently preferred embodiment of the invention and, together with the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, serve to explain the principles of the invention .

Fig. 1 is the perspective view of the shifting device of the first embodiment of the present invention connected with an automatic transmission device;

Fig. 2 is a three-dimensional view of the appearance of the shifting device in Fig. 1, the shift lever of which is at position D;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the shift lever of the shifter having been moved from the D position to the neutral position of the manual shift mode;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the shift lever of the shifting device having moved from the neutral position to the speed-up position;

Figure 5 is an outline perspective view of the stop device structurally separate from the shift lever of the gear shifter;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the appearance of the stopping device in Fig. 5;

7 is a perspective view of a detailed structure of a stopper;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the stop device when the shift lever is in the D position.

9A is a perspective view of the structure of the mode switching system of the stopper;

Fig. 9B is an exploded perspective view of the mode conversion system in Fig. 9A;

10A is a perspective view of the structure of the shift conversion system of the immobilizer;

Fig. 10B is an exploded perspective view of the shift conversion system in Fig. 10A;

Figure 11 is a perspective view of the stop device when the shift lever is in the neutral position of the manual shift mode;

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the stop device when the shift lever is in the accelerating position;

13A and 13B are side views showing how a shift arm operates when the shift lever is switched from automatic shift mode to manual shift mode;

Figures 13C, 13D and 13E are front views showing the action of the shift arm in Figure 13A;

Figures 14A and 14B are cross-sectional views showing how a selectable movable member operates when the shift lever is shifted from an automatic shift mode to a manual shift mode;

14C and 14D are front views showing the action of the movable member for selection in FIG. 14A;

Figures 14E and 14F are side views showing how a selector arm operates when the shift lever in Figure 14A is moved from the neutral position to the accelerated position;

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of a stopper device constituting a main part of a second embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 16 is a perspective view of a stopper device and its surrounding structure constituting a main part of a third embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 17 is a perspective view showing the stopping device constituting the main part of the fourth embodiment of the present invention and a mode and shifting system of a module switch (module switch);

Fig. 18 is a sectional view taken along line XVIII-XVIII of Fig. 17;

Fig. 19 is a sectional view of the modular switch in Fig. 18;

Figure 20A is a plan view of a conventional gate for mode transition;

Fig. 20B is a sectional view of a conventional stopper.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 14F, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. Fig. 1 shows the outline of an electrically controlled automatic transmission to which the present invention is applied. An engine 1 shown in FIG. 1 is installed in an engine room of an automobile. The main body 2 of the automatic transmission is connected to the output shaft (not shown) of the engine 1 through a torque converter 3 . The speed change device main body 2 includes, for example, a planetary gear mechanism (not shown) housed in a transmission case, a clutch mechanism (not shown) such as a clutch for adjusting the rotational speed of parts of the planetary gear mechanism, and a clutch mechanism (not shown) for utilizing oil. The inflow and outflow of the control valve device 4 to control the clutch mechanism.

The shift device 5 of the automatic transmission is located between the driver's seat and the front seat (copilot's seat), not shown in the figure. The device 5 can select two shifting modes, namely an automatic shifting mode and a manual shifting mode for manual operation. 2, 3 and 4 show the schematic structure of the device 5. As shown in FIG. The configuration of the shift device 5 will be described below. In the following description of this embodiment, the lateral direction of the vehicle body indicated by arrows XL and XR in FIG. 1 is referred to as a selection direction, and the longitudinal direction indicated by arrows YF and YR is referred to as a shift direction.

A base plate 6 is mounted on the part of the vehicle body (not shown) next to the driver's seat, and constitutes the mounting surface of the shifting part of the vehicle. A shift lever 7 extends upward from the center of the base plate 6 . As shown in FIG. 5 , the shift lever 7 is rockably supported on the center portion of the plate 6 by a link 8 . Since the shafts 8a and 8b of the coupling member 8 intersect at right angles in the selection direction and the shift direction, respectively, the entire shift lever 7 can be rocked in both directions of the selection direction and the shift direction.

A stopper pin 7a protrudes from a vertically extending slit 7d at the lower periphery of the shift lever 7 in the vehicle width direction. Normally, the pin 7a is biased upward by a stop spring (not shown). When an unlock button 7a on the shift lever 7b is pressed, the stop pin 7a descends. An indicator plate 10 is supported above the bottom plate 6 by a support arm 9 extending upwardly from an edge portion of the plate 6 . Plate 10 is in the form of a flat plate suspended above base plate 6 . A main gate (first gate) 11 for the automatic shift mode is formed in that part of the plate 10 just above the center of the plate to the right (in the direction of arrow XR). The main gate 11 is in the form of a slot extending longitudinally along the vehicle body.

When the gate 11 has a plurality of shift positions 11a, 11b and 11c, for example, represented by P (Park), R (Reverse), N (Neutral), and D (Drive) sequentially from the front side of the vehicle body to the rear side. Position D is an automatic shift position where the gear of the automatic transmission is changed according to the driving conditions of the vehicle. A transition gate (second gate) 12 extends from the part of the main gate 11 corresponding to position D to a manual gate (third gate) 13 for manual shift mode. The transition gate 12 is in the form of a slot extending in a direction different from the direction in which the main gate 11 extends, for example the vehicle width direction. The manual gate 13 is connected to one end of the transition gate 12 . The gate 13 is in the form of a slot extending from the point of connection with the transition gate 12 in a direction different from the direction in which the gate 12 extends. More specifically, the third gate 13 is a slot extending forward and backward from the position connected to the second gate 12 and parallel to the first gate 11 . The second gate 12 extends substantially at right angles to the first and third gates 11 and 13 . The position where the third gate 13 is connected to the second gate 12 corresponds to the neutral position 13a. The end of the gate 13 on the vehicle front side of the neutral position 13a defines an upshift position (+) 13b. The end portion on the rear side of the neutral position 13a defines a deceleration position (-) 13c.

The shift lever 7 passes through the gates 11, 12 and 13 for movement. The entire shift lever can be rocked in the direction of movement within the gates 11, 12 and 13, namely in the selection direction indicated by arrows XL and XR in FIG. 1 and in the shift direction indicated by arrows YF and YR. An arc-shaped stopper plate 14 is established on the side of the base plate 6 with respect to the vehicle width direction, ie, on the right side of the shift lever 7 (in the direction of the arrow XR). Stop notches 16 for defining shift positions 11a, 11b, 11c, and 11d of the first gate 11 are formed on the lower surface of the stop plate 14, corresponding to the shift positions, respectively. The stop pin 7 a of the shift lever 7 is designed so that it can cooperate with one of the stop notches 6 when the shift lever 7 is located in the gate 11 . The shift lever 7 can be located in any one of the shift positions 11a to 11d of the main gate 11 with the stop notch 16 corresponding to the shift position.

When the shift lever 7 is in the main gate 11, it cooperates with an arm assembly (not shown) to which the shift wire 17 is connected. A line 17 extends from the automatic transmission towards the shifting device 5 . Therefore, when the shift lever 7 is moved in the gate 11, the main body 2 is manipulated. When the shift lever 7 is tilted in the vehicle width direction and moved from the main gate 11 to the manual gate 13, the stop pin 7a is disengaged from the stop notch 16 of the stop plate 14. In this way, when the shift lever 7 is tilted towards the gate 13, the automatic shift mode is eliminated.

On the side of the shift lever 7 opposite the stop plate 14, i.e. on the left-hand side (in the direction of the arrow XL) of the base plate 6, there is a support device, the preferred embodiment of which is shown in the accompanying drawings as a stop device 20. The device 20 has the function of keeping the shift lever 7 on the side of the automatic or manual shift mode, and also has the function of producing a click feeling when changing the shift mode.

As shown in the schematic diagram 5, the shifting device of the present invention also includes a movable part 21 formed separately from the shift lever 7, which is shown in the figure as a preferred embodiment of a connecting part. A fixing force is transmitted from the movable member 21 to the lower outer periphery of the shift lever 7 (more specifically, an arm member 22 above the stopper pin 7a). The movable part 21 functions as a connecting part. There is a neutral gear fixing mechanism 23 , a mode changing system 24 , a shifting changing system 25 , movable parts 21 and arm parts 22 inside the stop device 20 . The fixing mechanism 23 is used to keep the shift lever 7 in the neutral position of the manual shift mode. System 24 is used to detect the current shift mode, whether it is automatic or manual, and system 25 is used to detect the position of the shift lever 7 (upshift position 13b or deceleration position 13c) in manual shift mode. The mode change system 24 and the shift change system 25 serve as mode detection means and shift detection means, respectively.

Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 show the specific structure of the stopping device 20 having the above functions. Figures 8, 11 and 12 show the action of the stop device 20 when the shift lever 7 is operated. 9 and 10 show structural details of various parts of the stopping device 20 . Before explaining the stopper 20, the arm 22 will be described.

As shown in FIG. 5, the arm member 22 is made of, for example, a sheet metal, and its middle part is wound around the part of the outer peripheral surface of the shift lever 7 which is located directly above the stop pin 7a. The first portion 22a of the arm member 22 is vertically disposed along the axis of the shift lever 7 and extends toward the stop device 20 from a portion of the outer periphery of the shift lever 7 facing the stop device 20 . The second portion 22b of the arm member 22 is arranged horizontally at right angles to the shift lever 7, and extends rearward from that part of the outer peripheral portion of the shift lever 7 on the rear side of the vehicle. The first part 22a extending towards the device 20 functions as a shift arm, while the second part 22b on the rear side of the vehicle functions as a selector arm. The selection arm 22b is equal to an actuator arm.

Next, the stopping device 20 is described, FIG. 6 shows the appearance of the stopping device 20 , and FIG. 7 shows the internal structure of the device 20 . A box-shaped case 30 is mounted on the upper surface of the floor 6 to extend in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. The housing 30 is in the form of a box in the shape of a rectangular prism having an opening 30a on its side opposite to the shift lever 7 . A one-piece support 32 is inserted into the housing 30 through its opening 30a. The main body 33 of the stopper 20 is formed by combining the housing 30 and the holder 32 . A step 34 is thus formed on the front end portion of the holder 32 where the holder 32 inserted in the housing 30 faces the shift lever 7 . The step 34 is recessed from the side wall 30 b of the housing 30 . A rod chamber 35 is formed by a space surrounded by the step 34 and the side wall 30b of the casing 30 .

A sliding chamber 36 is formed at a rear side portion of the holder 32 where the holder 32 inserted into the housing 30 faces one side edge of the selection arm 22b. The chamber 36 extends from the end face at the insertion portion of the support 32 toward the opposite face thereof along the vehicle width direction. For example, chamber 36 is in the form of a bottomed square hole. The movable member 21 for selection is supported by the inner surface of the slide chamber 36 to slide in the selection direction of the shift lever 7 . More specifically, the proximal portion 21a of the movable member 21 is substantially in the form of a slat whose cross-section corresponds to the shape of the sliding chamber 36 . The proximal end portion 21 a of the movable member 21 is slidably inserted into the sliding chamber 36 .

The distal end portion of the selected movable member 21 protrudes toward the shift lever 7 through a square hole 37 in the side arm of the housing 30 . A penetrating portion 39 having a hole 38 is formed at the distal end of the movable member 21 . The hole 38 extends in the longitudinal direction of the gates 11 and 13 or in the moving direction of the shift lever 7 . The selection arm 22b of the arm member 22 is slidably passed through the hole 38 . The hole 38 is dimensioned such that the arm 22b can move longitudinally within the hole 38 when the shift lever is moved longitudinally within the gate 11 or 13 . Also, the hole 38 is sized so that the other side edge of the arm 22b engages the inner wall surface 38a of the hole 38 when the shift lever is moved laterally within the transition gate 12 . Therefore, when the shift lever 7 moves within the gate 12 , the entire movable member for selection 21 can move along the gate 12 in the longitudinal direction of the sliding chamber 36 . Thus, when the shift lever 7 is manipulated for longitudinal movement in automatic or manual shift mode, the movable member 21 disengages from the shift lever 7 and never follows the movement of the shift lever 7 . Only when the shift lever 7 is switched between the automatic and manual shift modes, the movable member 21 moves integrally with the shift lever 7 in the width direction (lateral direction) of the vehicle body. The selector arm 22b is long enough that the selector arm 22b remains inserted in the hole 38 when the shift lever is moved longitudinally in either the automatic shift mode or the manual shift mode. The hole 38 may be replaced by an open top slot (not shown) formed in the distal portion of the movable member 21 to extend longitudinally. In this case, the arm 22b is passed through the slot for longitudinal movement.

The movable member 21 for selection has a fixing mechanism 40 at its proximal end portion 21a. The mechanism 40 is used as a fixing device, which can generate a fixing force to fix the shift lever 7 on either end of the gate 12 . The fastening mechanism 40 has a counter piece 42 . The engaging member 42 is fitted in a recess formed on a wall surface of the proximal portion 21a of the movable member 21 surrounded by the slide chamber 36, such as one side surface of the proximal portion 21a, to protrude or retract. A compression spring 41 forces the fitting 42 out of the recess. For example, a steel ball or a pin with rounded ends can be used as this fitting 42 .

More specifically, a hole 41a is formed in one side of the movable member 21 for selection across its thickness, as shown in FIG. 9A. The hole 41a contains a fitting 42 and a compression spring 41 for pushing the fitting 42 therein. A pair of recesses 43 for receiving the fittings 42 are formed on the inner arm surface of the sliding chamber 36, respectively corresponding to two positions, when the shift lever 7 moves to either end of the gate, the fittings 42 are alternately located in these two positions place. For example, each recess 43 is in the form of a groove, preferably a vertically extending V-shaped groove. When the movable member 21 moves from one end of the gate 12 to the other end along with the gear shift lever 7, the engaging member 42 disengages from one of the recesses 43 and engages with the other. As a result, the movable member 21 is held in its position according to the position of the other recess 43, thereby generating a fixing force to fix the shift lever 7. As shown in FIG. In the case of using a small steel ball as the fitting part 42, each recess 43 can be formed by a concave spherical surface. By utilizing the change in the fixing force of the shift lever 7 caused by the entry or exit of the fitting 42 into or out of the recess 43, a shift is generated at the beginning and end of the mode changing operation (changing between the automatic shift mode and the manual shift mode). A snapping feeling.

A side of the movable part 21 used for selection and the wall surface of the opposite sliding chamber 36 are respectively provided with a pair of contact parts, namely a suitable contact part 44a and a fixed contact part 44b, for example, when the movable part 21 reaches its manual In the shift mode position, these contacts 44a and 44b are engaged to achieve electrical connection with each other. On the other hand, when the movable member 21 reaches its position for the automatic shift mode, the contacts 44a and 44b are disconnected without electrical connection. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 9B, the movable contact piece 44a is constituted by a substantially U-shaped movable contact plate 44c. Both ends of the contact plate 44c are slidably inserted into a pair of slots 44d, and the slots 44d are respectively located on one side of the movable part 21 near the fitting part 42. Between the center of the back side of the movable contact plate 44c and the side portion of the movable member 21 opposite thereto is a contact spring 44e constituted by a coil spring. The spring 44e forces the plate 44c out towards the fixed contact 44b. More specifically, a hole 44f for a spring 44e is formed on the side portion of the movable member between two slits 44d, and one end of the contact spring 44e is slidably inserted into the hole 44f. The entire spring 44e remains compressed between the movable contact plate 44c and the movable member 21 . The fixed contact 44b is connected to a substrate 44g constituted by, for example, a printed board. The base plate 44g is fixed to the wall surface portion of the slide chamber 36b corresponding to the contact plate 44c with, for example, screws 44i.

A pair of contact portions 44h are arranged on the surface of the base plate 44g, and the pair of contact portions 44b are electrically connected when they contact the movable contact plate 44c when the movable member 21 is in a position for the manual shift mode. When the movable member 21 moves to the position for the automatic shift mode, the pair of contact portions 44h are separated from the contact plate 44c and are no longer electrically connected. The base plate 44g is fitted on the wall portion of the sliding chamber 36 so as not to interfere with the movement of the movable member 21 . The position of the movable member 21 corresponding to the automatic shift mode or the manual shift mode may be detected in response to a signal indicating electrical connection or disconnection between the contacts 44a and 44b. Movable and fixed contacts 44a and 44b constitute the mode conversion system 24 for obtaining the mode conversion signal.

As shown in FIG. 5 , a neutral gear fixing mechanism 23 is installed in the rod chamber 35 . The mechanism 23 includes a pair of movable members 45a and 45b for shifting gears, each having a substantially triangular shape resembling a half sector. These movable members 45a and 45b are arranged in the rod chamber 35 to sandwich a stopper 32a (shown in FIG. 7 ) therebetween. A stopper 32 a is formed on an end face of an insertion portion of, for example, the seat 32 inside the housing 30 . The stopper 32a protrudes toward the movable members 45a and 45b at a position corresponding to the neutral position in the manual gate 13 . In other words, the movable members 45 a and 45 b for shifting are arranged along the gate 13 in the direction of movement. A pair of parallel support shafts 46 formed on the inner surface of the side wall 30b of the housing 30 are rotatably inserted in respective lower end portions of their corresponding movable members 45a and 45b. The movable members 45a and 45b are supported by the shaft 46 so as to be able to swing toward or away from the stopper 32a (in the direction of self-movement along the manual gate 13). A pair of jaws 45c and 45d protrude upward from adjacent portions of the upper ends of the movable members 45a and 45b, respectively. These jaws 45c and 45d protrude above the housing 300 through a longitudinally extending slot 30 in the top wall of the housing 30 . The longitudinal length of the slot 30c is designed so that the displacement of the jaws 45c and 45d rocking about the shaft 46 is not hindered.

Jaws 45c and 45d protruding above housing 30 are at a distance t from each other, depending on the width of stopper 32a, so that shift arm 22a can pass between them. This distance or gap t enables the arm 22a to be inserted between the jaws 45c and 45d when the shift lever 7 is moved from the transition gate 12 to the neutral position 13a in the third gate 13 .

The movable members 45a and 45b for shifting are urged toward the neutral position 13a in the manual gate 13 by the elastic force of the compression springs 47a and 47b disposed between the respective side surfaces of the movable members and the wall of the lever chamber 35 . Thus, the jaws 45c and 45d are held at the neutral position 13a, and are urged by the springs 47a and 47b from both sides, that is, from the front side and the rear side. Therefore, when the shift arm 22a is inserted between the jaws 45c and 45d of the movable members 45a and 45b for shifting, the arm 22a is elastically pushed toward the neutral position 13a, and like this, the shift lever 7 is held at on position 13a. One movable member 45a and spring 47a for shifting function as a first urging means, and the other movable member 45b and spring 47b serve as a second urging means.

When the shift lever 7 is moved from the neutral position 13a in the manual gate 13 to the speed-up position 13b or the deceleration position 13c, only the movable parts 45a and 45b for shifting on the control side are moved from The neutral position 13a is swiveled into position 13b or 13c. When the compression spring 47a or 47b is compressed at this time, a reaction force for returning the shift lever 7 to the neutral position is generated.

A pair of contact pieces, ie a movable contact piece 48a and a fixed contact piece 48b, are disposed on one side of the front movable piece 45a for shifting and on the opposite end surface of the support 32, respectively. These contacts 48a and 48b are electrically connected to each other when the movable member 45a is moved to, for example, the speed-up position 13b. When the movable member 45a returns to the neutral position 13a, the contacts 48a and 48b are disconnected and are no longer electrically connected. A movable contact 49a and a fixed contact 49b having the same conductive function as the contacts 48a and 48b are also respectively arranged on a side of the rear movable member 45b for gear shifting and an end surface of the support 32 opposite thereto. FIG. 10 shows the configuration of the movable contacts 48a and 49a and the fixed contacts 48b and 49b. Since the movable and fixed contacts 48a and 48b are identical in construction to the movable and fixed contacts 49a and 49b, respectively, only the contacts 49a and 49b will be representatively described below.

The movable contact piece 49a is constituted by a substantially U-shaped movable contact plate 55 . Both end portions of the contact plate 55 are slidably inserted into a pair of slits 56 respectively provided on the side surfaces of the movable member 45b. Between the center of the back of the movable contact plate 55 and the side surface of the movable member 45b opposed thereto is a contact spring 57 constituted by a coil spring. Spring 57 forces plate 55 to be pushed out of slot 56 . More specifically, a hole 57a for a spring 57 is formed in the side portion of the movable member 45b between the two slots 56, and one end of the contact spring 57 is slidably inserted into the hole 57a. The entire spring 57 remains compressed between the movable contact plate 55 and the movable member 45b. The fixed contact 49b is connected to, for example, a base plate 58 constituted by a printed board. The base plate 58 is fixed to the wall surface 35a of the respective side faces of the rod chamber 85 facing the movable members 45a and 45b by, for example, screws 58a.

More specifically, the contact portion 59 is arranged on the surface of the base plate 58 corresponding to the respective positions of the movable contact plate 55 reached when the shifting movable members 45a and 45b move to the upshift or decelerate position 13b or 13c. When one movable member 45a is located at the speed-up position 13b, the front movable contact plate 55 contacts the front contact portion 59 so that the front contact portions are electrically connected to each other. When the other movable member 45b is located at the deceleration position 13c, the rear contact plate 55 is in contact with the rear contact portion 59, so that the rear contact portions 39 are electrically disconnected from each other. When the movable members 45a and 45b are located at the neutral position 13a, their respective contact plates 55 are disengaged from the contact portions 59, so that the contact portions 59 are electrically disconnected from each other. The base plate 59 is buried under the wall surface 35a of the lever chamber 35 so that it does not interfere with the movement of the movable members 45a and 45b for shifting. A speed up or speed down signal is output in response to an electrically conductive signal obtained from the movable contacts 48a and 49a and the fixed contacts 48b and 49b. The movable contacts 48 a and 49 a and the fixed contacts 48 b and 49 b constitute the shift change system 25 .

As shown in Figure 7, the movable contacts 44a, 48a, and 49a and the fixed contacts 44b, 48b, and 49b are connected to an exchange by a flexible wire 50 drawn from the support 32 and a connector 50a connected to the end of the flexible wire 50. Gear control device 51 (seeing Fig. 1), it is made up of such as a microcomputer. Mode change signals and speed up and speed down signals from the movable contacts 44a, 48a and 49a and the stationary contacts 44b, 48b and 49b are processed in the control device 51 . More specifically, under the action of the control device 51, according to the position of the shift lever 7, the control mode changes between an automatic shift mode and a manual shift mode. When the shift lever 7 is at the upshift position 13b, the gear is set or changed for upshift operation. When the shift lever 7 is at the deceleration position 13c, the gear is set or changed for deceleration operation.

A locking cam 52 connected to the stop plate 14 as shown in Figure 1 has the effect of restricting the action of the shift lever 7, so that the shift lever 7 can only move from the P position 11a to other positions when the brake pedal 53 is stepped on 11b to 11d. The wire 54 is a part for transmitting the action of the pedal 53 to the cam 52 .

Next, the operation of the transmission 5 constructed in this way will be described. Assume, for example, that the shift lever 7 is in the D position 11d of the main gate 11 at one end of the transition gate 12 . In this state, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 8 , the shift lever 7 is elastically held at the D position 11d by the stopper 20 . At this time, the engaging member 42 pushed out from the movable member 21 due to the force is fitted in one of the recesses 43, and the movable member 21 for selection that has been moved to the main gate 11 is held at the above-mentioned position. When the movement of the movable member 21 is restricted in this way, a force that fixes the movable member 21 is generated. When this fixing force is transmitted to the shift lever 7 through the selection arm 22b, the shift lever 7 is fixed at one end of the transition gate 12, ie, in the main gate 11. Assume that the driver moves the shift lever 7 in the longitudinal direction of the main gate 11 in order to select any one of the other shift positions 11a to 11c other than the D position 11d. In this case, the movable member 21 for selection never moves, only the selection arm 22b slides longitudinally in the hole 38 of the penetrating portion 39 of the movable member 21 . Thus, if the shift lever 7 is manipulated longitudinally, it moves longitudinally along the gate 11 alone, while the movable member 21 does not move. If the stop pin 7a is fitted in any one of the stop notches 16 at the desired shift position by releasing the unlock knob 7c, the shift lever 7 is maintained at the desired shift position so as to implement automatic shifting. file mode.

Assume that the shift lever 7 is moved from the D position 11d to the other end side of the transition gate 12, ie to the neutral position 13a of the manual gate 13, to change the automatic shift mode to the manual shift mode. In this case, the movable member 21 for selection moves in the same direction as the shift lever 7, as shown in FIGS. 3, 11, 14B and 14D. In this way, when the shift lever 7 is operated in the above-mentioned direction, the side edge of the selection arm 22 cooperates with the inner wall surface 38a of the hole 38 on the movable member 21, so that the entire movable member 21 is pressed along the moving direction of the shift lever 7 . Accordingly, the movable member 21 for selection slides in the same direction as the direction in which the shift lever is operated, that is, enters the slide chamber 36 . When the shift lever 7 starts to move in the above direction, the fitting 42 comes out from the recess 43 on the right-hand side (XR side) and moves to the flat side of the slide chamber 36, thus reducing the need to keep the shift lever 7 fixed on the main body all the time. The force inside the gate 11.

When the fitting part 42 leaves the recess 43 in this way, the fixing force is much smaller than when the fitting part 42 is located in the recess 43 . Therefore, a click feeling can be obtained at the start of the mode changing operation. When the shift lever 7 is tilted toward the manual gate 13, as shown in FIGS. The stopper pin 7a is thereby disengaged from the stopper notch 16 . When the shift lever 7 is in the neutral position 13a, the arm 22a is ready to be received between the pair of jaws 45c and 45d projecting above the detent 20 . However, when the shift lever 7 is tilted toward the manual gate 13 and moved to the neutral position 13a, the shift arm 22a is inserted between the jaws 45c and 45d. When the shift lever 7 reaches the neutral position 13a, the fitting 42 for the selected movable member 21 goes to the recess 43 on the left-hand side (XL side). Thus, the fitting part 42 that has been retracted in the hole 41 a is pushed out and fitted into the recess 43 by the elastic force of the compression spring 41 . When the engaging member 42 fits in this concave portion 43, the movement of the movable member 21 is restrained, so that the shift lever 7 is kept at the neutral position 13a in the manual gate 13. As a result, the shift lever 7 is switched from the automatic shift mode to the manual shift mode, and the engaging member 42 restricts the movement of the movable member 21, so that a click feeling can be felt at the end of the mode changing operation. When the slot change is completed, the movable contact 44a of the movable member 21 for selection is electrically connected with the fixed contact 44b of the sliding chamber 36, as shown in FIG. 14D. Thus, a signal indicating a shift from the automatic shift mode to the manual shift mode is sent to the shift control means 51 .

In the example described below, the shift lever 7 that has been shifted to the manual shift mode by the above operation is operated to move from the neutral position 13a along the manual gate 13 . Assume that the shift lever 7 is moved toward, for example, the shift-up position 13b for a shift-up operation. In this case, the front jaw 45c cooperates with the shift arm 22a which moves forward together with the shift lever 7, as shown in Figures 4.12 and 13E. Jaws 45C rock forward about their respective axes 46 . At this time, the movable member 21 for selection is held by the fitting 42 in the position for the manual shift mode. The selection arm 22b is inserted into the hole 38 of the movable member 21 to move in the longitudinal direction (in the shift operation direction). Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 14, when the arm 22b slides in the hole 38 of the movable member 21, the shift lever 7 is allowed to move in the speed-up direction. Then, just like in the automatic shift mode, the shift lever 7 becomes movable to the upshift position in the manual gate 13 independently of the movable member 21 .

When the shift lever 7 reaches the speed-up position 13b, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13E, the movable contact 48a of the movable member 45a for shifting is electrically connected to the fixed contact of the support 32 on the front side of the lever chamber 35. 48b. Accordingly, a detection signal indicating shifting of the shift lever 7 to the upshift position 13b is sent to the shift control device 51 . Thus, the speed-up operation ends.

When the shift lever 7 is manipulated to move toward the deceleration position 13c, the shift rear movable member 45b is rocked backward by the shift arm 22a. Also in this case, the arm 22 b for selection slides in the hole 38 of the movable part 21 . Therefore, the shift lever 7 is allowed to move toward the deceleration position 13c. When the shift lever 7 reaches the deceleration position 13c, the movable contact 49a of the movable member 45b contacts the fixed contact 49b, so that a detection signal indicating that the shift lever 7 has changed to the deceleration position 13c is sent to the shift control device 51. In response to this detection signal indicative of an upshift or deceleration operation, the control means 51 changes the gear of the automatic transmission.

As described above, the stopper device 20 for mode change of the present embodiment fixes the shift lever 7 with the movable member (connecting member) 21 that is structurally separate from the shift lever 7 . According to this structure, when the shift lever 7 is switched between the automatic shift mode and the manual shift mode, a click feeling can be obtained without any fixing mechanism for the shift lever 7 itself. At the same time, the fixed function of the shift lever 7 can be maintained. In this way, the structure of the shift lever 7 can be simplified, and the reliability of the shift lever 7 can be improved accordingly. Moreover, the movable member 21 for selection, which generates a fixed force, never follows the movement of the shift lever 7 when the shift lever 7 moves longitudinally within the first or third gate 11 or 13 . Therefore, when the shift lever 7 is manipulated to move longitudinally in the automatic or manual shift mode, the shift lever 7 is not subjected to any load due to the respective weights of the movable member 21, the fitting member 42, the contact plate 44c, and the like. Therefore, the operating force of the shift lever 7 for the automatic and manual shift modes can be reduced, thus improving the controllability of the shift lever in each mode.

Particularly, in the transmission device 5 in which the main gate 11 and the manual gate 13 are arranged parallel to each other as described above, the stop device 20 includes a movable member 21 for selection having a hole 38 (or slot) through which the arm 22a of the shift lever 7 passes. Through this hole 38, the arm 22b for selection is also included, and the movable member 21 moves along the transition gate by making the arm 22b abut against the inner arm face of the hole 38 (or slot) when the shift lever 7 is moved in the gate 12. 12 moves. In this way, a highly reliable stopper operation can be realized despite a simple structure.

The gate 13 for the manual transmission mode has a neutral position 13a corresponding to the other end of the transition gate 12, and has first and second shift positions 13b and 13c before and after the neutral position 13a, respectively. Meanwhile, the shift lever 7 moving in the longitudinal direction within the manual gate 13 is held in the neutral position 13 a by the neutral fixing mechanism 23 (second fixing means) on the base plate 6 . In this way, when the shift lever 7 is not working in the gate 13, it never fails to return to the neutral position, thus improving the controllability of the shift lever 7 in the manual shift mode.

The neutral fixing mechanism 23 includes movable members 45a and 45b for shifting as first and second pushing means, respectively. The first movable member 45a pushes the shift lever 7 toward the neutral position 13a by abutting against the shift lever 7 located between the neutral position 13a and the upshift position 13b. The second movable member 45b pushes the shift lever 7 toward the neutral position 13a by abutting against the shift lever 7 located between the neutral position 13a and the deceleration position 13c. According to this structure, the moment of inertia of the shift lever 7 operated along the manual gate 13 can be reduced. In this way, the force required to operate the shift lever 7 can be reduced, and the shift lever 7 can be returned to the neutral position in the manual shift mode.

The main body of the stop device 20 contains the above-mentioned movable part 21 for selection, movable parts 45a and 45b for gear shifting, a fixed mechanism 40, a neutral gear fixed mechanism 23, a mode conversion system 24, and a shifting mechanism 25 . Therefore, various required functions for selection operation and shift operation of the shift lever 7 are concentrated on the single body 33 . With the detent device 20 arranged in this manner, only the combination of the device 20 with the shift lever 7 can achieve the desired functions of the select operation and the shift operation of the shift lever 7 . Furthermore, the device 20 has the advantage that it can be used with different types of shifting devices 5 . Furthermore, since the device 20 can be attached to the vehicle only by being fixed to the base plate 6, the shifting device 5 can be easily installed and replaced. In particular, since both the mode changing system 24 and the shift changing system 25 are housed in the stop device 20, no switch can be damaged during the connected operation of the device 20.

Fig. 15 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. According to the above embodiment, a switch such as a micro switch is used instead of the movable contact and the fixed contact described above. These switches are used to signal mode detection for automatic shift mode and manual shift mode, and also to signal upshift and downshift. More specifically, a micro switch 60 for selection is mounted on the outer surface of the case 30 by using a bracket 60a, and is used in place of the above-mentioned movable contact and fixed contact that output the mode detection signal. The switch 60 detects the movement of the shift lever 7 to one end or the other of the transition gate 12 by being actuated when the movable member 21 for selection moves in the direction of the arrow XL or XR. A pair of micro switches 62 a and 62 b for shifting gears are arranged on the outer surface of the housing 30 . These switches 62a and 62b are turned on or off when the shift lever 7 is moved from the neutral position 13a in the manual gate 13 to the upshift position 13b or the deceleration position 13c. The respective actuators 61 of the switches 62a and 62b are located on either side, ie front or rear, of a position corresponding to the gap t between the jaws 45c and 45d. This arrangement ensures the same effects as the first embodiment.

Fig. 16 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. According to this embodiment, the movable member 21 for selection is designed to slide in the direction of the arrow X when a part thereof is brought directly into contact with the selector lever 7 . More specifically, the L-shaped movable member 21 includes a first arm portion 65a inserted in the sliding chamber 36 to move in the direction of arrow X and a first arm portion 65a extending from the first arm portion 65a along the gates 11 and 13 toward the shift lever 7. The second arm portion 65b. The second arm portion 65b has a slot 66 extending along the gates 11 and 13 . The shift lever 7 passes through the slot 66 . When the shift lever 7 moves in the direction of the arrow X within the transition gate 12 , its outer peripheral surface abuts against the inner peripheral surface of the slot 66 . Accordingly, the first arm portion 65 a of the movable member 21 moves in the arrow X direction along the gate 12 . Also, with the movable member 21 for selection whose shape is determined in this way, the same effect as that of the first embodiment can be produced.

Figures 17, 18 and 19 show a fourth embodiment of the invention. According to this embodiment, a modular switch (slide switch) is used instead of the movable contact and the fixed contact. The movable member 21 for selection has a downward opening 21b at its proximal end 21a. On the lower side of the slide chamber 36 there is a modular switch 67 . As shown in FIG. 18, the switch 67 has a container 68. As shown in FIG. Stationary contact members 70 a , 70 b and 70 c are arranged on the bottom 69 of the container 68 . The contact member 72 has a contact mount 71 . A rocking contact member 72 is rockably supported by the mount 71 . Fixed member 70a is a generally open fixed contact member and fixed member 70c is a normally closed fixed contact member.

The container 68 has an operating member 73 which is movable in the direction of movement of the movable member for selection (indicated by the arrow X). The operating member 73 is integrally formed with a cylindrical operating member 73 a extending upward from the approximate center of the operating member 73 . The operator 73 a protrudes upward through an opening 74 in the top surface of the container 68 . The top of the operator 73a is inserted into the opening 21b of the movable member 21 . Since the opening 74 opens along the moving direction of the movable member 21, the operator 73a can move in this direction. The manipulator 73a has a vertical through hole 73b therein. A small ball 75 and a compression spring 76 for urging the small ball 75 toward the rocking contact member 72 are inserted in the hole 73b. The spring 76 is prevented from slipping out by thermally deforming a sealing projection 73c formed at the upper end of the operator 73a.

The rocking contact member 72 has a substantially V-shaped profile shape so that its neutral position N1, which is slightly deviated from the position it is supported by the contact mount 71, is depressed. The ball 75 presses against the V-shaped surface of the contact member from above. There is a compression spring 77 between one side of the operating member 73 along its moving direction and the side arm of the container facing the operating member 73 . The spring 77 always pushes the operating member 73 toward the neutral position N1. When the shift lever 7 is in the automatic shift mode, the operating member 73 is held at the neutral position N1 by the elastic force of the compression spring 77 . When the operating member 73 is located at the position N1, one end of the rocking contact member 70a abuts against the normally closed fixed contact member 70c, so that there is no electrical conduction between the fixed contact member 70a and the rocking contact member 72 . When the shift lever 7 was changed from the automatic shift mode to the manual shift mode, as shown by the two-dot dash line in FIG. In this case, the wall surface of the opening 21b cooperates with the operating member 73, so that the operating member 73 slides to the left-hand position L (shown in FIG. 19) against the elastic force of the compression spring 19. Accordingly, the rocking contact member 72 moves to the left, pushed by the small ball 75 . When the other end of the contact member 72 contacts the normally open fixed contact member 70a, the members 72 and 70a are electrically connected to each other. The automatic or manual shift mode of the gear lever 7 can be detected according to the connection signal or the disengagement signal from the modular switch 67 .

Fig. 17 shows a modification of the movable members 45a and 45b for shifting. There is a switch 67a similar to the modular switch 67 adjacent to the movable members 45a and 45b. When the movable members 45a and 45b are rocked in the longitudinal direction, a connection signal or a disconnection signal is generated by the switch 67a. Since the modular switch 67a according to this modification has the same construction as the switch 67 in FIGS. 18 and 19, the same reference numerals designate common parts, and descriptions of these parts are omitted. The movable members 45a and 45b and the module switch 67a in FIG. 17 send a speed-up or deceleration signal to the shift control device 51. The normally closed stationary contact member 70c may be omitted. In FIGS. 15 to 19, the same reference numerals denote parts common to the first embodiment, and descriptions of these parts are omitted.

In the shifting device of the above preferred embodiment, the first and third gates 11 and 13 are parallel to each other. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and can be applied to any other shifting device having the same function in which the gates 11 and 13 are not parallel to each other. According to the above-described embodiment, the shift lever 7 is held by the second fixing means only in the neutral position 13a of the third gate 13 for the manual shift mode. However, the shift lever 7 may also be designed to be held in a shift position other than the neutral position in the third gate 13, or held in any one of the shift position and the neutral position. The third gate 13 for the manual shift mode can be designed so that three or more shift positions can be provided therein, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-103649. Although the third gate 13 in the above-described embodiment is used for upshifting and decelerating operations, a plurality of gear steps can be arranged longitudinally on the third gate 13 so that a specific gear step can be set at each shift position.

Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broadest aspects is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and shown. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (10)

1. gearshift is used for controlling an automatic transimission that is connected in car body, comprising:

One speed change lever can joltily be bearing on the car body;

The sluice gate device, be used for guiding speed change lever to move, this sluice gate device comprises that one has first sluice gate of a plurality of shift patterns, comprise an automaitc shfit position, the shelves level of speed change gear is to change automatically according to the driving situation of automobile, it is designed to when speed change lever is positioned at a shift pattern, and is selected corresponding to the shelves level of this shift pattern; One second sluice gate has an end and a other end that is connected in first sluice gate, and extends along the direction different with the bearing of trend of first sluice gate; One the 3rd sluice gate is connected in this other end of second sluice gate, and extends along the direction different with the bearing of trend of second sluice gate, and has and be used for manually operated shift pattern;

It is characterized in that, also comprise the bearing device that is connected in car body;

A connection piece, can support movably and cooperate by bearing device with speed change lever, with convenient speed change lever when second sluice gate moves and speed change lever move with being integral, and allow speed change lever to move, and when speed change lever when first sluice gate or the 3rd sluice gate move, be limited and do not move along second sluice gate; And

Fixing device, between bearing device and link, and when speed change lever when second sluice gate moves, can produce a retention force, with an end and the other end place that speed change lever is fixed on second sluice gate.

2. gearshift as claimed in claim 1, it is characterized in that described fixing device comprises card accessory and a recess, they can be faced when speed change lever is positioned at the end of second sluice gate or the other end mutually, fixing device also comprises a spring, with recess push card accessory tomorrow.

3. gearshift as claimed in claim 1, it is characterized in that, described the 3rd sluice gate has a neutral position corresponding to the other end of second sluice gate, one is positioned at first shift pattern on distolateral of the 3rd sluice gate with respect to neutral position, and one is positioned at another second shift pattern on distolateral; Described bearing device comprises second fixing device, when speed change lever moves in the 3rd sluice gate, by with the cooperating of speed change lever, speed change lever can be remained on the special position in the position of the 3rd sluice gate.

4. shift pattern as claimed in claim 3, it is characterized in that, described second fixing device comprises first pushing device and second pushing device, first pushing device is used for by matching with speed change lever between the neutral position and first shift pattern and push speed change lever to neutral position, and second pushing device is used for by cooperating with speed change lever between the neutral position and second shift pattern and pushing speed change lever to neutral position.

5. as gearshift as described in the claim 3, it is characterized in that, described second fixing device comprises a pair of movable part that is used for gear shift, can shake along the 3rd sluice gate, also comprise spring, be used for movable part is promoted in opposite directions, described speed change lever has an arm that is used for gear shift that can be inserted between the movable part that is used for gear shift.

6. gearshift as claimed in claim 3, it is characterized in that, described bearing device comprises that a gearshift pedestal and that is connected in body is installed in the stopping device on the pedestal, stopping device comprises the gear shift sniffer, when the speed change lever in the 3rd sluice gate moves on to first shift pattern, one raising speed signal can take place, when speed change lever moves on to second shift pattern, one reduce-speed sign can take place, stopping device also comprises a mode detection device, is used for determining according to the position of link whether speed change lever is positioned at automatic shift mode or manual shift mode.

7. gearshift as claimed in claim 4, it is characterized in that, described bearing device comprises that a gearshift base and that is connected in body is installed in the stopping device on the base, stopping device comprises gear shift sniffer and mode detection device, one raising speed signal can take place when the speed change lever in the 3rd sluice gate is shifted to first shift pattern, when speed change lever moves to second shift pattern, one reduce-speed sign can take place, and the mode detection device is used for determining according to the position of link whether speed change lever is positioned at automatic shift mode or manual shift mode.

8. gearshift as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that, the described first and the 3rd sluice gate extends in parallel to each other, and described second sluice gate is basic to be extended with the first and the 3rd sluice gate with meeting at right angles.

9. gearshift as claimed in claim 8, it is characterized in that, described link is made of a movable part that is used to select, the latter is then fixed to move along second sluice gate by bearing device, movable part has one along the hole that first sluice gate extends, and described speed change lever has one and extends and be inserted in selection arm in the hole of the movable part that is used to select along first sluice gate.

10. gearshift as claimed in claim 8, it is characterized in that, described link is made of a movable part that is used to select, it has one and fixes first arm to move along second sluice gate by bearing device, movable part has the slit that extends along the first sluice gate direction, like this, speed change lever passes slit.

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