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:
Sep. 11, 2001
Filed:
Dec. 02, 1997
Masaya Nishimura, Aichi-ken, JP;
Kazuhiro Sato, Aichi-ken, JP;
Masaki Fujita, Aichi-ken, JP;
Yoshitaka Watanabe, Aichi-ken, JP;
Hitoshi Kanazawa, Aichi-ken, JP;
Noriyasu Shamoto, Aichi-ken, JP;
Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho, Aichi-ken, JP;
Abstract
A shift lever device includes a shift lever which allows selection of an arbitrary shift range by shift operation and which is rotatably supported by a structure that breaks when an axial impact force above a preselected magnitude is applied to the shift lever. The breakage of the supporting structure allows safer absorption of an impact force applied to the shift lever. The breakable supporting structure may take the form of a portion of a thin portion of a circular wall forming a bearing that rotatably supports the shift lever, or a frangible pin or bracket that pivotably supports the shift lever.