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:
Apr. 18, 1995
Filed:
Dec. 01, 1993
David J Easton, Cedar Falls, IA (US);
Howard T Uehle, Cedar Falls, IA (US);
Deere & Company, Moline, IL (US);
Abstract
A lever assembly includes a lever pivotally coupled to a housing for movement in a fore-and-aft direction and in a transverse direction. A guide plate is fixed to an end of the housing and has a guide slot which receives the lever. The guide slot has a fore-and-aft extending main slot. The guide slot also has first, second and third fore-and-aft extending sub-slots spaced apart from the main slot. Each of the sub-slots is connected with the main slot by a transverse extending connecting slot. A sector member is pivotally mounted between the housing and the lever. A first magnet is mounted on the lever. A second magnet is mounted on the sector member. Hall effect sensors are mounted on the housing. The sector member, the magnets and the Hall effect sensors cooperate so that signals are generated representing the position of the lever within the guide slot. A lever return spring is biased to urge the lever towards an aft end of the main slot. A transverse return spring is biased to urge the lever towards the sector member. A centering spring is biased to urge the sector member towards a centered position. Detent mechanisms operate to releasably maintain the lever within the sub-slots.