Automotive Products, Inc.

Automotive Products (usa), Inc.

David F Salzmann

Keith V Leigh-Monstevens

Edward L Tury

David C Peterson

John G Vander Poorte

A switch mounted on the push rod of a master cylinder assembly and controlling in sequence several switches such, for example, as a cruise control switch, an electronic fuel injection switch, and a start interlock switch. The switch includes a hollow housing defining a central chamber through which the push rod passes and a plunger assembly carried by the push rod and mounted for axial movement within the chamber. The plunger assembly includes a primary plunger and a secondary plunger carried by and movable axially relative to the primary plunger. The initial portion of the forward movement of the push rod allows incremental forward movement of the secondary plunger to actuate a first series of switches whereafter the push rod moves further forwardly without either plunger whereafter the push rod engages the primary plunger to move the plunger assembly forwardly to actuate a further switch. The lost or relative movement between the push rod and the plunger assembly allows the switch housing to be significantly shortened and thereby allows the switch to be utilized on relatively short push rods.

Hydraulic master cylinder switch

This invention is an electrical control apparatus for control of an automatic transmission in a motor vehicle. The electrical control apparatus includes an operator input device for generating a desired transmission state signal, an encoder for generating a present transmission state signal from the position of a mode select shaft on the transmission, and a logic control unit developing signals enabling a motor controller circuit to control operation of a motor which changes the state of the automatic transmission. The motor controller circuit is disposed remotely from the logic control unit, preferably in a power module which also includes the motor, and the encoder. This location of the motor controller circuit advantageously reduces the need for a high current wire harness, improves the dynamic braking efficiency, enhances serviceability, reduces the size of the part of the apparatus which must be mounted in the crowded instrument panel and reduces the effect of noise on the logic control unit.

Electrical control apparatus for control of an automatic transmission

An electric shift apparatus for use with a motor vehicle having an automatic transmission. The apparatus includes a power module adapted to be mounted on the housing of the transmission proximate the transmission mode select lever and the transmission kick-down lever and a control module adapted to be mounted in the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The power module includes an electric motor assembly drivingly connected to the free end of the mode select lever and a solenoid drivingly connected to the free end of the kick-down lever. The control module includes a plurality of push button members corresponding respectively to the transmission shift positions. An encoder device carried by the motor assembly of the power module provides a constant coded signal indicating the instantaneous position of the transmission mode select lever and this coded signal is compared by comparator means in the logic of the control unit with the selected shift position. The comparator means generates a signal to the motor assembly to move the mode select lever in a direction to achieve the selected shift position and stops the motor assembly when the encoder signal received from the power module matches the selected shift position indicating that the selected shift position has been achieved.

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South Lyon, MI, United States of America

David F Salzmann