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:
Dec. 01, 1992
Filed:
Dec. 03, 1991
Charles Osborn, Spring Lake, MI (US);
Grand Haven Stamped Products, Div. of JSJ Corporation, Grand Haven, MI (US);
Abstract
A locking mechanism and system for a vehicle shifter in which the shifting lever is locked in a park lock position until the brakes of the automotive vehicle are applied and/or the steering lockout mechanism located in the steering column of the vehicle is released by the ignition key of the vehicle. In one embodiment of the invention the pawl of the shifting lever is restrained by a lockout arm through which the brake mechanism and the lockout cable extending to the steering column are connected. In another embodiment, the lockout cable is eliminated by providing two electrical control modules operatively connected to the brake mechanism and the ignition key switch which controls the steering lockout mechanism. These two modules are connected in a unique circuit so that the shifting lever cannot be shifted out of park to other gear positions until the brake is applied and the steering lockout mechanism is released by the ignition key switch. This system prevents the return of the ignition switch to the lock position until the shifting lever is in the park position. In other embodiments of this invention, a manual apparatus is provided for retracting the lock pin of a control module to unlocked position. In still another embodiment, a structure is provided for overriding the extension of the lockout pin of a control module by exerting a greater than normal force on the shifting lever.