GB2269430A

GB2269430A - Transmission operating device particularly for cable operated transmissions

Info

Publication number: GB2269430A
Application number: GB9221548A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Junji Kuwata
Original assignee: Nippon Cable System Inc
Current assignee: Nippon Cable System Inc
Priority date: 1992-08-05
Filing date: 1992-10-14
Publication date: 1994-02-09
Anticipated expiration: 2012-10-14
Also published as: GB9221548D0; JPH0655951A; GB2269430B; FR2694615A1; FR2694615B1

Abstract

A transmission operating device comprises a frame 1 having a box-like-shaped holding part 19 located in a back side thereof, a selecting shaft both ends of which are supported on the holding part 19 so as to he rotatable around a first axis I and having a first arm 23 and a ring-like-shaped part so as to form a window portion, and a shifting shaft both ends of which are supported on an inner peripheral surface of the ring-like-shaped part of the selecting shaft 20 so as to be rotatable around a second axis II and having a change lever and a second arm 24. The first and second axes cross at an oblique angle. A selecting cable 3 is rotatably connected with the first arm 23 and a shifting cable 4 is rotatably connected with the second arm 24. <IMAGE>

Description

TRANSMISSION OPERATING DEVICE The present invention relates to a transmission operating device, and more particularly, to a device for operating transmission that a push-pull control cable (hereinafter referred to as a cable) is employed as means for transmitting operational forces.

Nowadays, a cable-type device for operating transmission (hereinafter referred to as a device) has been employed as a means for remotely operating a transmission of a front-wheel-drive small automobile having a front engine, a rear-wheel-drive bus or truck having a front engine, a rear-wheel-drive bus or truck having a rear engine, and the like. There are advantages in the device that it is light and low-cost, and that position of installing the device can be relatively freely selected.

In the device, as shown in Fig. 8, rods 51, 52 connected with two cables (not shown) are arranged such that the rods are paralleled each other. Moreover, the rods 51, 52 are respectively operated by a single change lever 53 respectively.

That is to say, selecting operation of a transmission is performed by pushing/pulling the rod 51 for selecting in the fore-and-back direction. The pushing/pulling operation is performed by inclining a change lever 53 in the right and left directions (in the direction of arrow P or arrow Q). And moreover, shifting operation of the transmission is performed by pushing/pulling the rod 52 for shifting in the fore-andback directions. The pushing/pulling operation is performed by inclining the change lever 53 in the foreand-back directions (in the direction of arrow R or arrow S).

In the device shown in Fig. 8, the change lever 53 is connected with a frame via a ball joint 54.

Furthermore, a pair of rods 51, 52 are slidably guided by means of guide pipes 55, 56, each of which has a base portion rotatably connected with a cable cap (not shown in the drawing) fixed to the frame (not shown in the drawing). A control cable for shifting is connected with the change lever 53 via one of rods 52, and a control cable for selecting is connected with a first arm 58 of a bell crank 57 via another rod 51.

The bell crank 57 is rotatably connected with the frame, and a second arm 59 of the bell crank 57 is connected with a shaft 61 so that the bell crank 57 can be rotated and can be allowed to move in the axial direction without moving the shaft 61. The shaft 61 is connected with a ball member 60 of a ball joint 54 of the change lever 53.

Generally, in case that two control cables arranged parallel to each other are pushed or pulled by inclining a change lever, extending in the direction perpendicular to the control cables, in the directions of fore, back, right or left, the following problem arises. That is to say, the control cable can be directly pushed or pulled when the change lever is operated in the direction of extending of the control cable, i.e. in the fore or back direction (in the direction of arrow R or arrow S in Fig. 8). However, when the change lever is operated in the right or left direction (in the direction of arrow P or arrow Q in Fig. 8), the direction of operational force must be changed by means of a mechanism for changing direction, such as the bell crank 57 or the like.

Accordingly a construction becomes complicated and large, moreover, higher working accuracy and materials having smaller coefficient of friction are required in order to reduce a resistance of sliding.

Therefore, production cost rises higher.

An object of the present invention is to resolve the above described problems, and to provide a transmission operating device that a construction is very simple, a loss of transmitting force is small, and moreover, production cost is low.

According to the present invention, there is provided a transmission operating device comprising: (a) a frame having a box-like-shaped holding part located in a back side; (b) a selecting operating member and a shifting operating member which are provided on the frame so as to extend in fore-and-back direction of the frame, and are arranged substantially parallel to each other; (c) a selecting shaft, both ends of which are supported on the holding part so as to be rotatable around a first axis crossing obliquely with a plane perpendicular to an axis extending in the fore-and-back direction; said selecting shaft having a first connecting member formed on a part thereof and a ring-like-shaped part so as to form a window portion; (d) a shifting shaft, both ends of which are supported on an inner peripheral surface of the ring-like-shaped part so as to be rotatable around a second axis extending in right-and-left direction and crossing obliquely with the first axis; said shifting shaft having a second connecting member formed on a part thereof; (e) a change lever projected vertically on the shift shaft; (f) the selecting - operating member having a free end rotatably connected with the first connecting member; and (g) the shifting operating member having a free end rotatably connected with the second connecting member; The above-mentioned first axis can be in a position obtained by rotating the lateral axis of the frame around the vertical axis (i.e. rotating in the horizontal plane), or another position obtained by rotating the fore-and-back axis of the frame around the lateral axis.

That is to say, in the present invention, the first -- axis is required to diagonally cross with a plane perpendicular to the fore-and-back axis.

It is preferable that the above-mentioned first connecting member is crossed with the first axis with substantially rectangular angle and is located in a plane substantially perpendicular to the fore-and-back axis, and the second connecting member is crossed with the second axis with substantially rectangular angle and is located in a plane substantially perpendicular to the fore-and-back axis.

The above-mentioned selecting operating member (and shifting operating member) preferably comprises a pipe having an end region connected to the fore end of the frame by means of a spherical coupling, and a rod inserted into the pipe. An end of the rod is connected to a control cable for selecting operation (the control cable for shifting operation).

Further, it is preferable that the abovementioned first axis is crossed with the second axis with an inclination of 35 to 55 degrees. Especially 45 degrees are more preferable.

And besides, the expressions about directions concerning the frame mentioned in Claims, such as the fore-and-back direction, the right and left direction, the fore-and-back axis, the vertical axis, and the like are simply used in order to describe relations of arrangement between elements. Therefore, the abovementioned expressions do not relate to each direction of an automobile. For instance, the fore-and-back direction of the frame can be accorded to the right-andleft direction of an automobile.

In the transmission operating device mentioned above, when the change lever is inclined in the rightand-left directions (selecting operation), a rotation around the first axis of the selecting shaft and a rotation around the second axis of the shifting shaft are composed, thereby the change lever is inclined in the right-and-left direction. Thus, when the selecting shaft rotates around the first axis, the first connecting member pivots around the first axis. At the time, a displacement of the first connecting member of the fore or back direction is effectively worked on the selecting operating member, and then, a selecting operation is performed. And besides, a displacement of the selecting operating member of the right or left direction or the upward or downward direction does not have effect on the selecting operation.

Further, the inclining operation of the change lever is accompanied with a rotational movement in the right-and-left direction. However, a displacement of the fore-and-back direction of the shifting operating member due to the inclining operation of the change lever does not substantially arise. Therefore, the effective operation in the above-mentioned direction is not performed, and after all, only the selecting operation is effectively performed.

Further, when an operator intends to incline the change lever in the fore or back direction (shifting operation), the shifting shaft is rotated around the second axis, and only the second connecting member swings in the fore-and-back direction, thereby the shifting operating member is pushed or pulled in the fore-and-back direction.

In the case, selecting shaft is not rotated around the first axis. Therefore, the first connecting member does not swing also. For this reason, the selecting operating member is not pushed or pulled.

When the shifting operation is performed after selecting operation, the second axis is inclined in the fore-and-back direction such that the second axis is shifted (or moved) from a plane crossing with the foreand-back axis (fore-and-back axis) perpendicularly.

However, since the angle between the second axis and the plane is slight, the difference has no effect on shifting operation.

In the present invention, the device does not require any bell crank or the like as mentioned above, since movement of the change lever in the right or left direction is transformed into movement in the fore or back direction by means of the selecting shaft which is inclined to the control cable.

Fig. 1 is a partially cut away perspective view showing an embodiment of the transmission operating device of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a plan view showing a movement of the change lever and the cable during the selecting operation of the device of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a plan view showing a movement of the change lever and the cable during the selecting operaiton of the device of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a plan view showing a movement of the change lever and the cable during the shifting operation of the device of Fig. 1, Fig. 6 is a plan view showing a movement of the change lever and the cable during the shifting operation of the device of Fig. 1, Fig. 7 is a skelton view showing another embodiment of the selecting shaft of the device of the present invention; and Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing a conventional transmission operating device.

The device according to the present invention is explained below - with reference to the drawings.

In a transmission operating device shown in Figs. 1 and 2, numeral 1 is a frame for installing which is tightly mounted on the tunnel-like-shaped-case" or the like between a driver 's seat and a navigator s seat.

The frame 1 has a wall 2 at the fore side thereof. The wall 2 is provided with a control cable for - selecting operation 3 and a control cable for shifting operation 4. Each end of the control cables 3, 4 is arranged so as to extend approximately in the foreand-back direction of the frame 1. The control cable for selecting 3 and the control cable for shifting 4 have conduits 5, 6 respectively. Further, the conduits 5, 6 are fixed on the above-mentioned wall 2 by means of cable caps 7, 8 and the like.

As shown in Fig. 2, the cable cap 7, 8 has a socket portion 9, 10 at an end thereof. Each guide pipe 11, 12 is formed with a ball portion 13, 14 at an end thereof, and the ball portion 13, 14 is rotatably received in the socket portion 9, 10 like a ball joint. Each end region of rod 15, 16 is inserted into the guide pipe 11, 12 so that the rod 15, 16 is axially slidable and can be rotated around the axis thereof.

Each end of the rod is fixed to an end of an inner cable (or inner core) of the above-mentioned control cable for selecting and the control cable for shifting so as to be in the same axis.

And besides, a selecting operating member mentioned in Claim comprises the cable cap 7, the guide pipe 11 and the rod 15 in the shown embodiment. An operating member for shifting comprises the cable cap 8, the guide pipe 12 and the rod 16.

In the opposite side of the wall 2 of the frame 1, a box-like-shaped holding part 19 for retaining a selecting shaft 20, a shifting shaft 21 and a change lever 22 and the like which are mentioned hereinafter are provided in such a manner as to be inclined approximately 45 deg relative to the fore-and-back axis (the direction wherein the cable 3, 4 is arranged) of the frame 1 in the horizontal plane. Since the holding part 19 has a box like shape, the holding part 19 is prevented from bending or damaging by repeatedly operating the change lever 22 so that the holding part 19 can contribute to prevent operators from wrong operation and improve a durability.

In the holding part 19, both ends (both end portions of a line passing near the center of a window like shaped portion) of the selecting shaft 20 are supported on an inner peripheral surface of the holding part 19 so that the selecting shaft having a ring like shape to form a window can be rotated. A rotating axis of the selecting shaft 20 is hereinafter referred to as a first axis I.

In the window like shaped space 20a of the selecting shaft 20, the shift shaft 21 is rotatably supported so as to be inclined approximately 45 deg relative to the rotating axis of the selecting shaft 20.

Accordingly, the shifting shaft 21 is arranged so as to be approximately perpendicular to the direction wherein the cable 3, 4 is arranged. A rotating axis of the shifting shaft 21 is hereinafter referred to as a second axis II.

The change lever 22 is secured to the shifting shaft 21 in approximately the center thereof and extends upwardly so that the change lever 22 can be inclined about the second axis.

The selecting shaft 20 is provided with a first arm so as to project downwardly, and shifting shaft is provided with a second arm 24 (referring to Fig. 1) so as to project downwardly. Besides, it is not limited to such a construction of the embodiment wherein the shifting shaft 21, the change lever 22 and the second arm 24 are integrally formed.

The shifting shaft 21, the change lever 22 and the second arm 24 can be produced separately, thereafter the change lever 22 and the second arm 24 may be mounted on the shifting shaft 21.

A free end of the first arm 23 is rotatably connected with an end portion of the rod 15 of the selecting operating member by means of a ball joint or the like, and a free end of the second arm 24 is rotatably connected with an end portion of the rod 16 of the shifting operating member by means of the ball joint or the like.

Next, an operation of the device constructed as mentioned above is explained.

Firstly, selecting operation in the direction of arrow A and arrow B (in the right-and-left directions) shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is explained.

The important thing in the present invention is that the change lever can be inclined in the right-andleft directions in order to select due to a composite rotation of a rotation around the first axis I of the selecting shaft 20 and another rotation around the second axis II of the shifting shaft 21, in spite of having no rotational axis extending in the fore-and-back direction in which the control cable extends, and therefore, the rotation around the first axis I is transformed into movement in the fore and back direction of the first arm 23.

When the change lever 22 is inclined in the direction of arrow A from a neutral state (neutral position) shown in Fig. 3, the change lever 22 comes to be in the state illustrated in solid line in Fig. 4.

That is, the inclination in the of the change lever 22 direction of arrow A is accompanied with a rotation of the selecting shaft 20 around the first axis (the rotation in the direction of arrow E). Thereby, the first arm 23 projected on the selecting shaft 20 swings in the composite direction of arrow B direction and arrow D direction The inner cable 17 of the selecting cable 3 is pulled in the direction of arrow F due to the component in the arrow D direction of the swing movement of the first arm 23.

As mentioned hereinbefore, the selecting shaft 20 is rotated in the direction of arrow E, the change lever 22 comes to be essentially in the position illustrated in two-dot chain line. However, the change lever 22 comes to a position illustrated in solid line caused by a movement in the direction of arrow A in accordance with a will of the operators by means of a gate --or the like formed into z H" like shape. Therefore, the inclination of the change lever 22 in the direction of arrow A is accompanied with rotating movement of the shifting shaft 21 around the second axis II (rotation in the direction of arrow G) at the same time. However, the second arm 24 projected on the shifting shaft swings only in the right-and-left direction (in the direction of arrow B). For this reason, the inner cable 18 of the shifting cable 4 is neither pushed nor pulled.

Thus, only the inner cable 17 of the selecting cable 3 is pulled in the direction of arrow F and the inner cable 18 of the shifting cable 4 is not substantially moved.

Besides, even if the change lever 22 is inclined in the right-and-left direction (in the direction of arrow B), the rotation of the selecting shaft 20 and the rotation of the shifting shaft 21 are composed so that only the inner cable 17 of the selecting cable 3 is pushed in the direction of arrow J and the inner cable 18 of the shifting cable 4 is not substantially moved.

For example, the change lever 22 is inclined 7 to 10 deg in the direction of arrow A, rotating angle of the selecting shaft 20 around the first axis I is 10 to 14.5 deg and rotating angle of the shifting shaft 21 around the second axis II is 7 to 10 deg.

Next, shifting operation wherein the change lever 21 in Fig. 1 is inclined in the direction of arrow C or arrow D is explained.

When the change leger 22 is inclined in the direction of arrow C from the neutral position or the position inclined in ' the direction of arrow A or arrow B, the change lever 22 is rotated around the shifting shaft 21 as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 with two-dot chain line. For this reason, the second arm projected on the shifting shaft 21 swings in the reverse direction (arrow D direction) as illustrated in two-dot chain line in Figs. 5 and 6. Thereby, the inner cable 18 of the shifting cable 4 is pulled in the direction of arrow K by way of the rod 16 which is connected with the second arm 24. Then, since the change lever 22 is rotated only around the second axis II, the selecting shaft 20 is not rorated. Therefore, during the shifting operation, the selecting rod 15 and the inner cable 17 of the selecting cable 3 are not substantially pushed or pulled.

When the change lever is inclined in the direction of arrow D in Figs. 5 and 6, only the inner cable 18 of the shifting cable 4 is pushed in the direction of arrow L and the inner cable 17 of the selecting cable 3 is not substantially moved. Thus, shifting operation is performed.

In the apparatus showing in Figs. 1 and 2, the first axis I is crossed with the second axis II with having a crossing angle of 45 deg. Generally the crossing angle can be selected in the range of 35 to 55 deg.

Further in the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the first axis I is set in the position inclined in the right or left direction (arrow Sl and arrow S2 direction in Fig. 7) from fore-and-back direction in the horizontal plane (a plane perpendicualr to the up and down axis (Z-Z axis in Fig. 7)). As shown in Fig. 7, the first axis I may be set in such a position ascended in the fore part (arrow S3) or descended in the fore part (arrow S4) from the fore-and-back direction in the vertical plane including Y-Y axis.

Further such a direction that the both of the directions are combined each other, e.g. "Si + S3" or US2 + S4" can be employed.

In short, the first axis is merely required to have a component of the fore-and-back direction in order that a selecting operation can be performed, and any direction crossing with a plane perpendicular to the fore-and-back axis (Y-Y axis) with certain angle can be employed, and even if the first axis might points in any direction, the same operation can be effected.

And besides, the first connecting member, to which the selecting operation member is connected, is merely required to be located in a plane crossing with the fore-and-back axis and to be crossed with the first axis. However, if the connecting member is located in a plane substantially perpendicular to the first axis and further in a plane crossing with the fore-and-back axis with right angle, a component of the direction of the fore-and-back axis becomes maximum in a selecting operation and therefore, the operation is effective.

And besides, in every cases the second axis II should be parallel to the right-and-left axis (X-X axis).

Furthermore, in the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the change lever 22 and the first arm 23 are positioned away from an intersection between the first axis and the second axis. However, the change lever 22 and the first arm 23 are not limited to be located in the position The change lever and the first arm may be in the direct line including the intersection. Thus, there is such an advantage that the movement of the inner cable 18 of the shifting cable 4 in the right and left direction caused by the selecting operation can be minimized.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the first arm 23 is located in the under side of the selecting shaft 20. The first arm 23 can be located in the upper of the selecting shaft 20. Furthermore, in the embodiment shown in Fig. 6, the first arm 23 can be projected in either the right or left direction.

The apparatus in accordance with the present invention, the selecting shaft is made to form a ring like shape. For this reason, the shifting shaft is strongly supported on the frame. The holding part of the frame is made to form a box like shape so that the change lever, the shafts, and the like are strongly supported and durability is emproved.

Since in the device of - the present invention the bell crank is not interposed, a construction is very simple so that an appearance is compact and a production cost is low.

Though several embodiments of the invention are described above, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and various changes and modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A transmission operating device comprising: (a) a frame having a box-like-shaped holding part located in a back side; (b) a selecting operating member and a shifting operating member which are provided on the frame so as to extend in fore-and-back direction of the frame, and are arranged substantially parallel to each other; (c) a selecting shaft, both ends of which are supported on the holding part so as to be rotatable around a first axis crossing obliquely with a plane perpendicular to an axis extending in the fore-and-back direction; said selecting shaft having a first connecting member formed on a part thereof and a ring-like-shaped part so as to form a window portion; (d) a shifting shaft, both ends of which are supported on an inner peripheral surface of the ring-like-shaped part so as to be rotatable around a second axis extending in right-and-left direction and crossing obliquely with the first axis said shifting shaft having a second connecting member formed on a part thereof; (e) a change lever projected vertically on the shift shaft; (f) the selecting operating member having a free end rotatably connected with the first connecting member; and (g) the shifting operating member having a free end rotatably connected with the second connecting member;

2.The device of Claim 1, wherein the first axis is located on a position obtained by rotating a right-and-left axis of the frame around an vertical axis thereof with a certain angle.

3. The device of Claim 1, wherein the first axis is located on a position obtained by rotating the fore-and-back axis of the frame around a right-and-left axis thereof with a certain angle.

4. The device of Claim 1, wherein the first connecting member is crossed with the first axis with substantially rectangular angle and is located in a plane substantially perpendicular to the fore-and-back axis, and the second connecting member is crossed with the second axis with substantially rectangular angle and is locaed in a plane substantially perpendicular to the fore-and-back.

5. The device of Claim 1, wherein each of the selecting operation member and the shifting operation member respectively comprises a guide pipe having an end connected to a fore side of the frame by means of a spherical joint and a rod having an end region being slidably inserted into said pipe, wherein another end of said rod is respectively connected to a control cable.

6. The device of Claim 2, wherein the first axis is crossed with the second axis with an angle of 35 to 55 degrees.

7. The device of Claim 6, wherein the first axis is crossed with the second axis substantially with an angle of 45 degrees.

8. A transmission operating device substantially as illustrated herein by reference to any one of the Figures.