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. 24, 1994
Filed:
Dec. 14, 1992
Bruce E Olmsted, Fruitport, MI (US);
Stanley A Tjapkes, Fruitport, MI (US);
Grand Haven Stamped Products Company, Div. of JSJ Corporation, Grand Haven, MI (US);
Abstract
A drop-in type shifter is provided for an automotive transmission, the shifter employing one or more washer-like flat springs for spring biasing a shift stick to a predetermined position on the shifter and actuatable for changing the drive ratio of the transmission when the shift stick is pivoted. A base is adapted for mounting the shifter on the transmission. A spherical socket is disposed on the base, and a spherical ball is disposed on the shift stick, the shift stick being received in the ball for pivotally mounting the shift stick on the base. One or more flat washer-like springs are provided having an aperture through which the upper end of the shift stick extends, the washer-like spring being normally planar in an unstressed condition but being compressible into a curvilinear predetermined cross-sectional shape as installed. A rocking shaft on the shift stick includes opposing ends engaging the washer-like springs to resiliently flex the washer-like springs into an increasing curvilinear cross-sectional shape as the shift stick is moved away from a predetermined neutral position so as to spring bias the shift stick to return to the predetermined position.