Other

Allied Corporation

John G VanderPoorte

Keith V Leigh-Monstevens

David C Peterson

Peter H Tsang

Tung Liu

Joseph P Coyle

Brian D Mabee

Edward L Tury

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 shaft and a control module adapted to be mounted in the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The power module includes an electric motor driving a speed reduction unit and the lower exposed end of the output shaft of the speed reduction unit is adapted to be drivingly coupled to the exposed upper end of the mode select shaft of the automatic transmission. A manual override is provided so that, in the event of a total loss of vehicle electric power, the transmission may be moved manually to any desired position to facilitate emergency servicing of the vehicle. A pointer mounted on an exposed end of the output shaft of the speed reduction unit coacts with indicia provided on the housing of the speed reduction unit to provide a constant visual indication of the instantaneous position of the transmission to assist in the manual override function.

Electric shift apparatus with manual override

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 shaft and a control module adapted to be mounted in the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The power module includes an electric motor driving a speed reduction unit and the lower exposed end of the output shaft of the reduction unit is adapted to be drivingly coupled to the exposed upper end of the mode select shaft of the automatic transmission. The control module includes a plurality of push button members corresponding respectively to the transmission shift positions. An encoder wheel positioned in the housing of the speed reduction unit provides a constant coded signal indicating the instantaneous position of the transmission mode select shaft 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 shaft 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.

Electric shift apparatus

A method of manufacturing a friction article wherein a fiber material (14) having a continuous and substantially uniform three dimensional matrix which is filled with a slurry (24) made up of fillers, friction modifiers, a reinforcing material and a liquid binder. The filled fiber material is conveyed to a dryer (32) where the volatile solution is evaporated leaving the fillers, friction modifiers, reinforcing material and binder. The filled fiber material (14) is thereafter placed in an oven (50) where a compressive force is applied thereto while the binder is cured to define a second matrix which holds the fillers, friction modifiers, and reinforcing material in the three dimensional matrix.

Method of manufacturing a friction article

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St. Clair Shores, MI, United States of America

John G VanderPoorte