The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 05, 1987
Filed:
Nov. 08, 1985
Donald C Schultz, Toledo, OH (US);
Dana Corporation, Toledo, OH (US);
Abstract
A shift lever tower assembly includes a spherical inner bearing with a central aperture formed therein for attachment to the shift lever, a spherical intermediate bearing having a hollow interior and inwardly extending projections for cooperating with slots formed in the outer surface of the inner bearing, and an outer bearing having a hollow interior with slots formed therein for cooperating with outwardly extending projections formed on the exterior of the intermediate bearing. The slots and projections are spaced such that the slot/projection combination of the inner and intermediate bearings limits movement of the shift lever in the fore and aft direction and the slot/projection combination of the intermediate and outer bearings limits shift lever movement to the side to side direction. The bearings are enclosed by a housing having slots formed on an interior thereof cooperating with outwardly extending projections formed on the outer bearing to prevent movement of the shift lever and bearing assembly in any direction other than the desired directions. The bearings can be formed of a thermoplastic material to increase shifting efficiency.