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. 07, 1998
Filed:
May. 16, 1996
Edward F O'Brien, West Warwick, RI (US);
Gary A Baker, North Scituate, RI (US);
Carleton M Cobb, III, East Walpole, MA (US);
Texas Instruments Incorporated, Dallas, TX (US);
Abstract
An electric switch system (10) for use with a motor vehicle transmission has a movable contact assembly (22) mounted on the detent lever (12) linked to the manual valve assembly and a stationary contact assembly (18) mounted in an open housing (16) disposed over one face surface of the detent lever and in facing relation therewith. The housing has a plurality of L-shaped attachment projections (24a, 24b, 24c) each with a leg (24d, 24e, 24f) which, when the switch system is assembled, extends over the opposite face surface (12c) of the detent lever. A locking projection (24g) of the housing is received in a cut-out (12g) of the detent lever when the attachment projections are out of alignment with the detent lever and has a leg (24h) which extends over the opposite face surface (12c) of the detent lever when the housing (16) is rotated relative to the detent lever so that the attachment projections are in alignment with the detent lever. The housing has a pair of prongs (16d) which receive the roller (26) of the roller/spring assembly (28) to maintain the housing in a fixed angular position. An optional removable lock member (34) is shown to maintain the switch system components in a fixed position prior to installation in a transmission. A modified high current embodiment has a stationary contact assembly (18') with pairs of rails (18c') which lift respective movable contact elements (22a') to break a respective electric circuit at selected angular positions of the detent lever.