Zf Meritor, LLC

Michael K Humphrey

Kenneth T Picone

Patrick L Scheib

Christopher B Ross

The detent and neutral switch mechanism includes a roller detent pin attached to a roller spring. The detent pin engages contoured shift fork extensions and resists movement of the shift fork extensions when gears are shifted and creates a &ldquo;shift feel.&rdquo; A neutral switch positioned above the roller spring indicates when the transmission is in neutral. When the transmission is in neutral, the deep neutral detent notches on the shift fork extensions are aligned, lowering the detent pin and disengaging the roller spring from the position switch, indicating the transmission is in neutral and that it is safe to make a shift. When the transmission is in gear or in the process of making a shift, the detent pin engages raised in-gear notches or detent peaks, respectively, engaging the roller spring with the position switch indicating that the transmission is not in neutral.

Combined detent and neutral switch mechanism

A manually controlled transmission includes a combined detent and interlock pin mechanism. The elongated interlock pin prevents surrounding shift fork extensions from being engaged when a desired shift fork extension is selected. A recess in the interlock pin allows engagement of a shift lever with a desired shift fork extension, and opposing sides of the interlock pin engage shift finger notches in the other shift fork extensions to prevent their movement. Detent springs attached to the manually controlled transmission substantially contact opposing ends of the sliding interlock pin to provide resistance as an end of the interlock pin substantially contacts the detent spring. An anti-rotate pin positioned proximate to the interlock pin prevents rotation, but not translation, of interlock pin.

Growing community of inventors

West End, NC, United States of America

Michael K Humphrey