JPS6336586Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a shift knob switch suitable for operating a clutch in conjunction with a shift operation of a transmission in a vehicle equipped with a clutch and a transmission, such as an automobile.

For example, in automobiles, a clutch is disposed between the engine and the transmission, and when the transmission is operated to shift gears, that is, to shift the shift lever, the clutch is first released, but generally the shift lever is is operated manually, and the clutch is operated by stepping on a clutch pedal. However, such a configuration has the drawback that the driver has to perform manual operation and foot operation simultaneously and in conjunction with each other, making the operation cumbersome and tiring.

The present invention was developed in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to electrically determine whether or not the shift lever is being shifted and the direction of shift, and to link the clutch with the shift operation to automatically connect and release the clutch. This is suitable for facilitating driving operations and reducing driver fatigue, and is suitable for determining whether the shift knob is neutral with respect to the shift lever, and determining whether the shift knob is swung relative to the shift lever. To provide a shift knob switch which can also determine the direction of rocking when the shift knob is turned.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Reference numeral 1 denotes a shift lever (not shown) for performing a gear change operation of a transmission, which is swingably installed on the transmission case so as to be located, for example, on the left side of the driver's seat. It is as shown in the figure. That is, on the forward direction side of the automobile, 1st speed, 3rd speed, and parking P positions are provided at predetermined intervals in the left-right direction of the automobile, and on the backward direction side of the automobile, 2nd speed,
4th gear and reverse R positions are provided, 1
The speed and second speed, the third and fourth speed, and the parking and reverse positions are opposed to each other in the longitudinal direction, and a neutral N position is provided between the third and fourth speeds. Then, a selection operation is performed by swinging the shift lever 1 from neutral N to the left and right, that is, in the directions of arrows V and W. After the selection operation, it is pushed forward, that is, in the direction of arrow X, or backward, that is, in the direction of arrow Y. The configuration is such that it can be shifted to an arbitrary position depending on the movement of the gear, and is not particularly different from the gear shifting operation in a conventionally well-known transmission. Reference numeral 2 denotes a base member made of plastic, for example, which is fitted into the upper end of the shift lever 1 and prevented from coming out with a pin 3, and first and second fixed contact pieces 4 and 5 are wound in a rectangular shape around the upper end of this base member. has been done.
Reference numerals 6 and 7 indicate first movable contact pieces made of leaf springs whose lower ends are inserted and fixed into support holes 2a provided in the base member 2, and these are provided at the front and rear sides of the base member 2, respectively. and is always in contact with the first fixed contact piece 4 due to its own spring force. 8 and 9 are second movable contact pieces made of leaf springs whose lower ends are fixed to the base member 2 in the same manner as the first movable contact pieces 6 and 7, and the second movable contact piece 8 is attached to the base member. 2, and the second movable contact piece 9 faces the rear of the first movable contact piece 7, sandwiching the base member 2 between them. The movable contact pieces 8, 9 are always opposed to the second stationary contact piece 5 in a spaced manner by their own spring force. Thus, the first switch A is constituted by the first fixed contact piece 4 and the first movable contact pieces 6 and 7,
A second switch B is constituted by the second fixed contact piece 5 and the second movable contact piece 9, and the second fixed contact piece 5
and the third switch C by the second movable contact piece 8.
is configured. Now, 10 is a shift knob made of synthetic resin, for example, and this includes a main body part 10a and a lid part 10 fixed to the upper surface of the main body part 10a with screws 11.
b, but the main body portion 10a and the lid portion 10b may be bonded or integrally formed. The lower end portion of the main body portion 10a is supported on the base member 2 via a shaft pin 12 so as to be swingable in the front-rear direction, which is the shift direction of the shift lever 1, that is, to be rotatable in the directions of arrows X and Y.
Reference numeral 13 denotes an adjustment mechanism for maintaining the shift knob 10 in a neutral state when not operated, that is, for operating the switch only when a load of a predetermined value or more is applied to the knob 10. This mechanism is formed at the upper end of the base member 2. The coil spring 14 and ball 15 inserted into the hole 2b, and the convex portion 1 at the center of the lower surface of the lid portion 10b.
0c and a concave portion 10d formed such that the ball 15 comes into contact with the ball 15. 10 and 10
Denoted at f are stoppers protruding in the longitudinal direction of the convex portion 10c, which face the upper end of the base member 2 at a predetermined distance when the shift knob 10 is in the neutral state, and these stoppers 10e and 10f regulate the rotation range of the shift knob 10. Then, the first
When the shift knob 10 is in the neutral state, the movable contact pieces 6 and 7 face the convex portion 10c with a slight gap in their upper ends, and the second movable contact pieces 8 and 9 face the middle part thereof. is in contact with the inner surface of the main body portion 10a. In addition, 16 is an O wound around the base member 2.
A ring is interposed between the lower end inner peripheral portion of the main body portion 10a of the shift knob 10.

Now, when the shift lever 1 is rotated in the direction of arrow V or W, a select arm (not shown) provided on the transmission is rotated, and when the shift lever 1 is rotated in the direction of arrow X or Y, a select arm (not shown) provided on the transmission is rotated. The shift arm can be rotated. 17 is a stroke switch provided in the transmission case, which includes a movable contact piece 18 that moves in the directions of arrows R and S in conjunction with the rotation operation of the shift lever 1 in the directions of arrows X and Y; A fixed contact piece 19 that is always in sliding contact with the contact piece 18, and fixed contact pieces 20 and 21 that can come into contact with the movable contact piece 18 are provided opposite to both ends of the fixed contact piece 19, and when the shift lever 1 is in neutral position. When placed in the N position, the movable contact piece 18 is in sliding contact with the substantially central portion of the fixed contact piece 19. and,
The fixed contact pieces 20 and 21 operate in the range of 80% to 100% of the shift stroke when the shift lever 1 is rotated from neutral (N or N ₁ , N ₂ located on the left and right of it) in the direction of arrow X or Y. The movable contact piece 18 is brought into contact with the movable contact piece 18. The fixed contact pieces 19, 20 and the movable contact piece 18 constitute a first position detection switch D, and the fixed contact pieces 19, 21
and the second position detection switch E by the movable contact piece 18.
is configured. In FIG. 5, 22 is a solenoid valve as an electromagnetic device for operating the clutch by a driving source such as hydraulic pressure or a vacuum source. When the solenoid valve 22 is energized, the clutch is connected, and the solenoid valve 22 is de-energized. When this happens, the clutch will be released. 23 is a battery, 24 is an ignition switch, and each contact piece of the above-mentioned first to third switches A to C and first and second position detection switches D and E and each of the above-mentioned electric components are connected. They are connected as shown in FIG. It is also possible to operate the solenoid valve 22 via a relay to reduce the contact capacity of each switch and improve reliability. That is, as will become clearer when referring to the block diagram shown in FIG. 6, a series circuit of a second switch B and a first position detection switch D is connected to the first switch A in parallel, and a A series circuit of a switch C and a second position detection switch E is connected in parallel, and a group of these switches is connected in series to a solenoid valve 22.

Next, the operation of this embodiment configured as above will be explained. First, if the shift lever 1 is located in neutral N, the ignition switch 24 is turned on and the engine is running, and the shift knob 10 is not touched, then the shift knob 10 is in the neutral position of the adjustment mechanism 13. Due to the action of the coil spring 14 and the ball 15, the first movable contact pieces 6 and 7 are in contact with the first fixed contact piece 4, and the second movable contact pieces 8 and 9 are in a neutral state.
are spaced apart from the second fixed contact piece 5, that is, the first
switch A is turned on, and the second and third switches are turned off. On the other hand, since the shift lever 1 is located in neutral N, the movable contact piece 18 provided on the stroke switch 17 is moved to the fixed contact piece 19.
The first and second position detection switches D and E are both turned off. That is, in this state, the solenoid valve 22 is energized via the first switch A, and the clutch is therefore connected. When shifting to 1st gear from a state where the shift lever 1 is in the position , grip the shift knob 10 with your hand and swing the shift lever 1 in the direction of arrow V until it is in the N ₁ position. The shift knob 10 is pushed in the direction of the arrow X, and as the shift knob 10 is pushed, the shift knob 10 rotates around the shaft pin 12 in the direction of the arrow X, and the stopper 10e comes into contact with the base member 2. present. Then, by rotating the shift knob 10 in the direction of arrow X, the first movable contact piece 6 is separated from the first fixed contact piece 4 by the convex portion 10c, and the first switch A is turned off. At the same time, the second movable contact piece 9 is brought into contact with the second fixed contact piece 5, and the second switch B is turned on.
is turned on, but shift lever 1 is in neutral.
During 80% of the shift stroke from N ₁ to 1st gear, on the neutral N ₁ side, the first position detection switch D connected in series with this second switch B is off, so the shift knob 10 is When pressed, the solenoid valve 22 is immediately de-energized and the clutch is opened. On the other hand, by pushing the shift knob 10, the shift lever 1 moves to the arrow
When it is rotated in the direction, the movable contact piece 18 of the stroke switch 17 is moved in the direction of the arrow R according to the amount of rotation, which exceeds 80% of the shift stroke from neutral _N1 to 1st speed. Then, the first position detection switch D is turned on, and the solenoid valve 22 is energized via the second switch B and the first position detection switch D, so that the clutch is reconnected. By the way, when shifting the shift lever 1 from neutral N to any one of 1st to 4th speeds, a synchronizer consisting of a synchronizer ring inside the transmission acts during the shift stroke, causing the gears to mesh with each other. These actions take place during clutch release, and the clutch is re-engaged as described above (at the end of 80% of the shift stroke). ) has a configuration in which the gears substantially end meshing with each other. On the other hand, when the operation for shifting the shift lever 1 to the first gear is completed and the hand is released from the shift knob 10, the coil spring 14 of the articulation mechanism 13 moves the shift knob 10 back to the neutral state. Since the second switch B is turned off and the first switch A is turned on in its place, the solenoid valve 22 continues to be energized through the first switch A, so that the clutch remains connected. Next, when the shift knob 10 is pulled in the direction of arrow Y in order to shift from 1st to 2nd gear, the shift knob 10 rotates in the direction of arrow Y around the shaft pin 12 as a result of the pulling operation. 10
f is in contact with the base member 2. and,
When the shift knob 10 is rotated in the direction of arrow Y, the first movable contact piece 7 is separated from the first fixed contact piece 4 by the convex portion 10c, and the first switch A is moved.
is turned off, the second movable contact piece 8 is brought into contact with the second fixed contact piece 5, and the third switch C is turned on. Therefore, in this state, the first position detection switch D is on, but the second position detection switch E is off, so the solenoid valve 22
is immediately disconnected and the clutch is released. Then, when the shift lever 1 is rotated from 1st gear to 2nd gear and exceeds 20% of the stroke from 1st gear to neutral N ₁ , the first position detection switch D is first turned off, and from neutral N ₁ to 2 When the shift stroke reaches 80%, the second position detection switch E is turned on. Then, the solenoid valve 22 is energized again via this second position detection switch and the aforementioned third switch C, and the clutch is reconnected. Here, as mentioned above, the shift operation from 1st gear to 2nd gear is performed while the clutch is released, and when the shift operation to 2nd gear is completed and the shift knob 10 is released, the shift knob 10 is shifted to the neutral position. The third switch C is turned off and the first switch A is turned on again, so that the solenoid valve 22 is energized through the first switch A as described above, and the clutch remains connected. It is something to do. Next, in order to shift from 2nd speed to 3rd speed, operate the shift lever 1 in the direction of arrow X using the shift knob 10, turn it once to neutral _N1 ,
After that, shift lever 1 is operated in the direction of arrow W to position it in neutral N, and then operated in the direction of arrow X, but first shift from 2nd gear to neutral.
When shift knob 10 is pushed in the direction of arrow X to operate N ₁ , first switch A is turned off and second switch B is turned on instead, but first position detection switch D is turned off. As a result, the solenoid valve 22 is immediately de-energized and the clutch is opened, so that the shift lever 1 changes from 2nd gear to neutral N ₁ with the clutch open.
will be returned to. On the other hand, when shifting from neutral N to 3rd speed, the on/off of the first and second switches A and B and the first position detection switch D is controlled in the same way as when shifting to 1st speed.
The clutch is released and engaged as before. In addition, when shifting from 3rd to 4th speed, the above-mentioned 1
The clutch is engaged and released in the same manner as when shifting from 1st gear to 2nd gear. Also, when shifting to Park P or Reverse R, move shift lever 1 from neutral N to N ₂ and press arrow W.
After rotating the switches in the direction of the The position sensing switches D and E are turned on and off to automatically release and connect the clutch.

As is clear from the above description, the present invention provides a shift knob which is always kept at a neutral position and is swung in the shift direction relative to the shift lever during shifting, and has first and second fixing knobs fixed to the shift lever. A contact piece is provided, and when the shift knob is in a neutral state, each contact piece contacts the first fixed contact piece, and when the shift knob is swung, only one of them is separated depending on the direction of the swing, forming a pair. A first movable contact piece is provided, and when the shift knob is in a neutral state, each moves away from and faces the second fixed contact piece. Since the structure includes a pair of second movable contact pieces connected to the second fixed contact piece, it is difficult to determine whether the shift knob is neutral with respect to the shift lever, that is, whether or not the shift lever is being shifted. is the first
This is electrically determined by the fixed contact piece and the pair of first movable contact pieces, and when the shift knob is swung relative to the shift lever 1, the direction of the swiveling, that is, the shift direction is the second one. This can be electrically determined by a pair of second movable contacts, one of which contacts the fixed contact piece depending on the shift direction, and for this purpose, the clutch is automatically connected in conjunction with the shift operation. It is possible to provide a shift knob switch that is suitable for facilitating driving operations and reducing driver fatigue by releasing the shift knob.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 1 and 2 are longitudinal sectional views seen from different directions;
3 is a top view, FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a shift pattern of the transmission, FIG. 5 is an electric circuit diagram, and FIG. 6 is a block diagram. In the drawings, 1 is a shift lever, 2 is a base member (shift lever), 4 is a first fixed contact piece, and 5 is a second
, 6 and 7 are first movable contact pieces, 8 and 9 are second movable contact pieces, 10 is a shift knob, 17 is a stroke switch, and 22 is a solenoid valve (electromagnetic device).

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] a shift knob that is provided so as to be swingable back and forth with respect to the shift lever, is pivoted in the shift direction with respect to the shift lever during shifting, and is always returned to a neutral position; and a first shift knob that is provided on the shift lever.
and a second fixed contact piece, which respectively contacts the first fixed contact piece when the shift knob is in a neutral state, and when the shift knob is swung, only one of them contacts the first fixed contact piece depending on the direction of the swiveling. A pair of first movable contact pieces are spaced apart from a fixed contact piece, and when the shift knob is in a neutral state, the movable contact pieces are spaced apart and opposed to the second fixed contact pieces, respectively, and when the shift knob is swung, A shift knob switch comprising a pair of second movable contact pieces, only one of which contacts the second fixed contact piece depending on the swing direction.