MINIATURIZED TRANSMISSION SHIFTER

摘要

An apparatus is provided for shifting a vehicle transmission. The apparatus includes a miniaturized shifter having a base and having an elongated shift lever subassembly rotatably mounted on the base for movement between a plurality of gear positions. The shift lever subassembly is rotatable about an axis of rotation that extends parallel a length of the shift lever subassembly. A detent device includes an irregular surface defining gear positions on the base, and further includes a pawl on the shift lever subassembly that operably engages the irregular surface to prevent undesired rotational movement of the shift lever subassembly between at least some of the gear positions until the pawl is disengaged from the irregular surface. A feel positioner is also provided on the apparatus and includes an undulated surface separate from the irregular surface on the base, and further includes a spring-biased protrusion on the shift lever subassembly. The undulated surface has depressions accurately aligned with each of the gear positions and opposing ramps inclined toward a center of each depression. The spring-biased protrusion operably engages the undulated surface to provide a feel to a vehicle driver as the vehicle driver shifts the shift lever subassembly between gear positions, and further the arrangement is configured to bias the shift lever subassembly toward a center of each gear position. The arrangement requires that the shift lever subassembly must be manipulated by a vehicle operator both telescopingly and rotationally to select different ones of the gear positions. The apparatus further includes an ignition switch interlocked to the shifter to control removing the ignition key and to control moving the shifter until predetermined vehicle conditions are met, and further includes a vehicle electrical control circuit connected to an electromechanical device for selectively engaging the shifter to also control moving the shifter until predetermined vehicle conditions are met.