Motor vehicle shift handle attachment

The present invention relates to shift handles used in motor vehicles whereby a driver effects shifting. More particularly, the present invention relates to a snap-fit attachment system between the shift handle and shift shaft of an automatic transmission.

As seen at FIGS. 1 and 2 , a floor-mounted automatic transmission shift shaft 10 has a shift handle 12 attached at the distal end thereof. A shift release button 14 is movably connected with the shift handle 12 , which includes a linkage (not shown) which passes through a hollow passage of the shift shaft and enables the shift shaft to be moved with respect to one or more selected shift positions, as for example out of “park”.

FIG. 2 exemplifies a typical prior art attachment 16 of the shift handle 12 to the shift shaft 10 . In this exemplification, a threaded fastener 18 (as for example a set screw) passes through a hole in the shift handle and threads into a threaded bore in the shift shaft. One reason a threaded fastener is used in the prior art for attachment is to eliminate any driver perceivable play (i.e., squirm, looseness, or lash) of the shift handle with respect to the shift shaft, particularly parallel to, and rotationally about, the shift shaft axis A. Problematically, prior art attachments of the shift handle to the shift shaft involve loose components and manual build steps, as well as need for cosmetic fascia 20 .

Accordingly, what remains needed in the art is an attachment system for shift handles with respect to shift shafts which avoids the problems of the prior art, yet ensures a lack of play between the shift handle and the shift shaft and further provides assured attachment retention which allows for non-destructive removal and replacement of the shift handle with respect to the shift shaft.

The present invention is a is a snap-fit attachment system for shift handles with respect to shift shafts which avoids the problems of the prior art, yet ensures a lack of play between the shift handle and the shift shaft and further provides assured attachment retention which allows for non-destructive removal and replacement of the shift handle with respect to the shift shaft.

The snap-fit attachment system according to the present invention is characterized by cooperative engagement between a distal end portion of the shift shaft, a shift handle core of a shift handle and a clip.

The distal end portion of the shift shaft has a notch oriented transversely to the shift shaft axis, at least one, preferably a diametrically opposed pair, of cut-outs oriented parallel to the shift shaft axis, and an externally disposed non-circularly shaped head, preferably of a polygonal shape.

The shift handle core has a central bore passing therethrough which is shaped complementary to the distal end portion of the shift shaft so as to snuggly receive therein the distal end portion of the shift shaft. In this regard, at least one rib is formed at the central bore which is oriented parallel to the axis of the central bore, one rib being received into each cut-out of the shift shaft. In this regard further, the central bore has a head seat which is shaped complementary to the non-circularly shaped head of the shift shaft so that the shift handle core cannot rotate with respect to the shift shaft when the shift shaft is received seatingly into the central bore. The shift handle core further has a slot oriented transversely with respect to the axis of the central bore, wherein when the shift shaft is received seatingly into the central bore, the slot aligns with the notch of the shift shaft. Any suitable connection between the shift handle core and a shift handle may be provided.

The clip is resilient and shaped to externally engird the shift handle core, having a generally straight engagement portion which is sized to seat into the aligned slot and notch so as to thereby resiliently retain (by interference) the shift shaft inside the central bore of the shift handle core.

In operation, the clip engirds the shift handle core, wherein the engagement portion thereof is seated into the slot. A shift handle is an integral part of, or is assembled onto, the shift handle core. The central bore is aligned with the shift shaft and the shift shaft is received into the central bore, whereupon the notch aligns with the slot, and the engagement portion of the clip snappingly seats also with respect to the notch. At his moment, the non-circular head of the shift shaft abuts the complementary surface of the head seat of the central bore, and further an end of each rib abuts, respectively, a blind terminus of each cut-out. Any linkage of a shift release button passes through the central bore and of the hollow passage of the shift shaft.

There is no motor vehicle operator discernable play between the shift shaft and the shift handle: parallel to the shift shaft axis, the clip resiliently holds the ribs of the shift handle core firmly in abutment with the blind terminus of the cut-outs; and rotationally about the axis of the shift shaft, the non-circularly shaped head of the shift shaft snuggly abuts the complementarily shaped head seat of the central bore.

In the event, the shift handle needs to be removed from the shift shaft, a technician simply pulls on the shift handle parallel to the shift shaft axis sufficiently to resiliently release the clip from engagement at the notch. Since the engagement portion of the clip will still be seated in the slot, the shift handle may be pushed back onto the shift shaft and the engagement portion will again snappingly be received into the notch when the notch aligns with the slot.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a snap-fit attachment system for shift handles with respect to shift shafts which avoids the problems of the prior art, yet ensures a lack of play between the shift handle and the shift shaft and further provides assured attachment retention which allows for non-destructive removal and replacement of the shift handle with respect to the shift shaft.

This and additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become clearer from the following specification of a preferred embodiment.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shift lever and shift handle attached thereto according to the prior art.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 , wherein now a fascia component is removed to show the prior art attachment between the shift shaft and shift handle.

FIG. 3 is a partly sectional side view of the snap-fit attachment system according to the present invention, wherein a shift handle is shown operationally in phantom.

FIG. 3A is a partly sectional view seen along line 3 A- 3 A of FIG. 3 .

FIG. 3B is a sectional view seen along line 3 B- 3 B of FIG. 3 .

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a distal end portion of a shift shaft according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the distal end portion of the shift of FIG. 4 .

FIG. 6 is a side view seen along line 6 - 6 of FIG. 5 .

FIG. 7 is an end view seen along line 7 - 7 of FIG. 6 .

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of a shift handle core according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a bottom elevational view seen along line 9 - 9 of FIG. 8 .

FIG. 10 is a sectional view seen along line 10 - 10 of FIG. 9 .

FIG. 11 is a sectional view seen along line 11 - 11 of FIG. 9 .

FIG. 12 is a sectional view seen along line 12 - 12 of FIG. 10 .

FIG. 13 is a top plan view of a clip according to the present invention.

Referring now to the Drawing, FIGS. 3 through 13 depict various aspects of a snap-fit attachment system 100 for snappingly attaching a shift handle 102 to a shift shaft 104 without assemblage via loose pieces, wherein there is a lack of play between the shift handle and the shift shaft and wherein the shift handle is non-destructibly removable and replaceable with respect to the shift shaft.

As shown at FIGS. 3 through 7 , the distal end portion 104 a of the shift shaft 104 has a notch 106 formed therein oriented transversely to the shift shaft axis A s . It is preferred that the notch 106 not communicate with the hollow passage 106 b within the shift shaft 104 , as best shown at FIG. 3A . A diametrically opposed pair of cut-outs 108 a , 108 b is formed in the shift shaft extending from the shaft end 104 c of the shift shaft in the form of an open mouth 108 d to a blind terminus 108 c . Each cut out 108 a , 108 b is oriented parallel to the shift shaft axis A s (see FIG. 4 ). It is to be noted that more or less than two cut-outs may be provided, although a pair of mutually diametrically opposed cut-outs is preferred.

Adjacent the shaft end 104 c of the shift shaft 104 is formed head 110 of non-circular shape, preferably a polygon defined by a plurality of faces 110 a , it being noted that other non-circular shapes may be provided in lieu of a polygonal shape (which is preferred), as for example an elliptical shape. A most preferred polygon for the head 110 is a hexagon, wherein each of the cut-outs 108 a , 108 b bisects a respective face 110 a of the head 110 (see FIG. 3B ). It is preferred to provide beveling 112 between the head 110 and the shaft end 104 c of the shift shaft 104 .

As shown at FIGS. 3 through 3B and 8 through 12 , a shift handle core 120 has a central bore 122 passing entirely therethrough. The central bore 122 has a shape which is complementary to the distal end portion 104 a of the shift shaft 104 . As best understood by simultaneous reference to FIGS. 3 , 3 B, 7 and 12 , the head 110 is complementarily reproduced at a head seat 124 of the central bore 122 (see particularly FIG. 3B ), whereby when the distal end portion 104 a of the shift shaft 104 is received into the central bore there is a snug fit relationship therebetween, particularly a flat abutting relationship between the faces 110 a of the head 110 and the faces 124 a of the head seat 124 such that the shift handle core is thereby held rotatably stationary with respect to the shift shaft.

A pair of diametrically opposed ribs 126 a , 126 b is formed in the central bore, wherein there is one rib for each cut-out, respectively. Each rib 126 a , 126 b , is oriented parallel to the bore axis A b of the central bore 122 (see FIG. 11 ). Each rib 126 a , 126 b is received, respectively, into each cut-out 108 a , 108 b , wherein there is one rib for each cut out, respectively.

The shift handle core 120 has a slot 128 which cuts therethrough so as to communicate with the central bore 122 , wherein the slot is oriented transversely with respect to the axis A b of the central bore. The notch 106 of the shift shaft 104 and the slot 128 of the shift handle core 120 are mutually located such that when the distal end portion 104 a of the shift shaft is received seatingly into the central bore, the slot aligns with the notch.

An annular flange 130 is located adjacent the head seat 124 . Although the end 104 d of the shift shaft 104 may abut the annular flange 130 so as to serve an axial locating function between the shift shaft and the shift handle core, this is not preferred. It is preferred for axial location between the shift shaft and the shift handle core to be provided by the ends 126 c of the ribs 126 a , 126 b abutting the blind terminus 108 c of the cut-outs 108 a , 108 b , wherein it is this axial location whereat and whereby the notch aligns with the slot when the distal end portion 104 a of the shift shaft is seatingly received in the central bore 122 .

The shift handle core 120 is either integrally formed with the shift handle 102 , or the shift handle is assembled thereonto. The shape of the shift handle core can be any shape to facilitate interconnection with the shift handle, as for example alluded to merely by way of exemplification by break-away 134 .

A resilient clip 140 , shown at FIGS. 3 , 3 A and 13 , externally engirds the shift handle core 120 , wherein the clip has a generally straight engagement portion 142 which is sized to seat into the aligned slot 128 and notch 106 so as to thereby interferingly retain the distal end portion 104 a of the shift shaft in resiliently fixed axial position with respect to the shift handle core 120 .

In operation, the clip 140 is placed engirdly upon the shift handle core, wherein the engagement portion 140 thereof is seated into the slot 106 . A shift handle 102 is either integrally formed with or assembled onto the shift handle core. The central bore 122 is aligned with the shift shaft 104 and the distal end portion 104 a thereof is received into the central bore and the ribs pass into the cut-outs via the open mouths 108 d . Upon seating, the notch aligns with the slot, and the engagement portion of the clip seats also with respect to the notch. At his moment, the non-circular head 124 of the shift shaft abuts the complementary surface of the head seat of the central bore, and further an end 126 c of each rib 126 a , 126 b abuts, respectively, the blind terminus 108 c of each cut-out 108 a , 108 b . Any linkage 160 of a shift release button 162 of the shift handle passes through the central bore and of the hollow passage of the shift shaft.

There is no play between the shift shaft and the shift handle to discernable to the driver in that: 1) parallel to the shift shaft axis A s , the clip holds the ribs of the shift handle core firmly in resiliently biased abutment with the blind terminus of the cut-outs; and 2) rotationally about the axis of the shift shaft, the non-circularly shaped head of the shaft snuggly abuts the complementarily shaped head seat of the central bore.

In the event, the shift handle needs to be removed from the shift shaft, a technician simply pulls on the shift handle parallel to the shift shaft axis sufficiently to resiliently release the clip from engagement at the notch. Since the engagement portion of the clip will still be seated in the slot, the shift handle may be pushed back onto the shift shaft and the engagement portion will again snappingly be received into the notch when the notch aligns with the slot.

To those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains, the above-described preferred embodiment may be subject to change or modification. Such change or modification can be carried out without departing from the scope of the invention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.