Movable shift console

Abstract

A movable gear shift console assembly positioned in the driving compartment of a vehicle and movably coupled to a seat portion of a driver seat in the vehicle driving compartment. The movable gear shift console assembly includes a pair of pivot arms that are pivotally connected at outer ends to the seat portion, such that the outer ends of the pivot arms pivot about vertical pivot axes. The inner ends of the pivot arms are connected to a shift console. The shift console includes a gear shifter operatively connected to a vehicle's transmission, and a housing structure partially surrounding and protecting the gear shifter. The shift console is movable relative to the driver seat between a forward, operating position for use while driving the vehicle, and a rear, stored position for storing the shift console rearwardly adjacent to the driver seat. In the rear, stored position, the shift console is substantially tucked in adjacent to the driver seat and permits substantially unobstructed movement of a person between the driver and passenger seats. An actuator is connected to at least one of the pivot arms and is coupled to the pneumatic system of the vehicle, and the air cylinder moves between an extended position and a retracted position so as to pull or push the pivot arms and move the shift console between the forward, operating and rear, stored positions.