NAME OF THE APPLICANT: PRICOL LIMITED

PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION NO. 2227/CHE/2013 DATED MAY 21, 2013

GEAR POSITION SENSING IN GEAR SHIFTER BY USING INFRARED SENSOR FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to gear selector rod sensing arrangement for automobiles. More particularly, the present invention relates to transmission gear selector rod sensing arrangement by non contact type sensing using infrared sensors.

BACKGROUND ART

In typical automotive design, a vehicle is provided with a transmission that couples the output of the vehicle's engine/drive motor to the drive wheels of the vehicle. Commonly, the transmission is actually coupled to the prime mover through gearings, which is in turn used to drive the wheels. Transmissions may be of either manual or automatic. In manual transmission the driver of the vehicle manually shifts through the gears of the transmission. In automatic transmission, the transmission is programmed to shift on its own based on vehicle speed, engine speed, or other monitored characteristics. The transmission typically has a series of internal gears that may be brought together in various combinations to achieve the desired direction of travel, as well as the desired drive ratio. Each of these transmissions is typically equipped with several selectable gears. For example automatic transmission will typically have a "Park", "Neutral", and "Reverse" gear, as well as a primary "Drive" gear. The gear changes are brought about by moving a gear selector rod located in the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The gear selector rod is designed to be moved through the series of available gears. Normally, the gear selector rod is provided with detents or similar means that release ably restrain the gear selector rod in each gear. Thus, once the gear selector rod is placed in "Drive", for example, it will remain there until moved by the operator.

NAME OF THE APPLICANT: PRICOL LIMITED

PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION NO. 2227/CHE/2013 DATED MAY 21, 2013

The gear selector rod is typically coupled to one end of a connecting means which may be for example a cable. The other end of connecting means is connected to the transmission. As the gear selector rod is moved through the selectable gears, the connecting means causes a corresponding movement of an actuator or other device on the transmission, thereby placing the transmission into the selected gear. In modern vehicles a gear indicator is associated with the gear selector rod, such that the driver is able to visually confirm the gear selection. The gear indicator may use a pointing device, change color, become illuminated, or otherwise operate to indicate what gear has been selected with the gear selector rod. The detent or other restraining means operates in conjunction with the gear indicator to ensure that the gear selector remains aligned with the proper gear indication. It is known in the art, the position sensor provides digital and analog output indications of the sensed position of a manually operated transmission gear shift rod.

One such known arrangement being micro switches actuated by corresponding cam like projections which are radially arranged on a hub like member, wherein the hub like member is rigidly mounted on the gear shift rod such that its axis is coaxial to the fulcrum axis of the gear shift rod. When electrical contacts are used to sense the position of the gear shift rod, it has been found that electrical contacts in the drive position are most susceptible to corrosion, pitting and general deterioration because of the high use occurrence. When corrosion or pitting occurs, it is possible that the sequence of contacts, if read digitally, will provide erroneous codes. This may cause an associated transmission controller or a display device to provide erroneous information to either the transmission or the driver.

NAME OF THE APPLICANT: PRICOL LIMITED

PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION NO. 2227/CHE/2013 DATED MAY 21, 2013

US6629473 titled "Shift lever device" relates to a shift device including a shift lever, a shift position detecting sensor. The shift lever is manually moved in at least two directions from a pre-determined position by a user. The shift position detecting sensor detects a shift position of the shift lever and generates a shift position signal corresponding to the detected shift position. EP1219866 titled "Device to detect selected vehicle travel direction" relates to a device which enables the selected direction of travel of an automobile vehicle to be determined, depending on the gear engaged in a mechanical gearbox of the vehicle, from the position of a gear shift lever, said device comprising an infrared beam emitter and a receiver of the infrared beam emitted by the emitter. CN202381677 titled "Automobile gear shifting device achieved by utilizing infrared technology" relates to an automobile gear shifting device achieved by utilizing infrared technology, which comprises a gear moving control mechanism used for generating different gear states of a selector, a detection circuit used for detecting the different gear states generated by the gear moving control mechanism Ongoing developments are taking place to sense the position of the gear shift rod and it is found that infrared sensor based sensing arrangement could be conveniently employed to have more reliability and durability since the above sensing arrangement being non contact in nature.

NAME OF THE APPLICANT: PRICOL LIMITED

PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION NO. 2227/CHE/2013 DATED MAY 21, 2013

OBJECTS OF INVENTION

One or more of the problems of the conventional prior art may be overcome by various embodiments of the present invention. It is the primary object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for gear position sensing in gear shifter by using infrared sensor. The apparatus comprises of: gear shifter rod; bracket; blade; electronic circuit box; printed circuit board (PCB); and one or more infra red sensors. It is another object of the present invention, wherein the blade comprises a flat portion and is rigidly fitted to the gear shifter rod such that while shifting of the gear, the flat portion of the blade passes between two wall portions of the infra red sensors comprising an emitter and receiver which are mounted on the printed circuit board. The movement of the blade attached to the gear shifter rod intercepts the infra red sensors. It is another object of the present invention, wherein the interception of the infra red sensor produces a signal corresponding to the gear engagement, which is processed by an electronic circuit and the current gear position and the output is fed to an indicating device mounted on the dash board of the vehicle.

NAME OF THE APPLICANT: PRICOL LIMITED

PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION NO. 2227/CHE/2013 DATED MAY 21, 2013

It is another object of the present invention, wherein the electronic circuit box is provided to house the electronic circuit and the printed circuit board (PCB). It is another object of the present invention, wherein the infra red sensors are soldered to the PCB at a pre-determined radius corresponding to radial movement of the blade attached to the gear shifter rod.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Accordingly there is provided an apparatus for gear position sensing in gear shifter comprising: gear shifter rod; bracket; blade; electronic circuit box; printed circuit board (PCB); and one or more infra red sensor; wherein the bracket houses the gear shifter rod, wherein the PCB comprising the infra red sensor of pre-determined number and an electronic circuit is mounted in the electronic circuit box, wherein the infra red sensor comprises a first and a second wall which are arranged approximately parallel to each other defining a pre-determined distance in between them to accommodate an emitter and receiver, which are arranged each in one of the walls, wherein the blade comprising a flat portion capable of passing between the emitter and receiver of the infra red sensor is rigidly fitted to the gear shifter rod,

NAME OF THE APPLICANT: PRICOL LIMITED

PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION NO. 2227/CHE/2013 DATED MAY 21, 2013

wherein the movement of the blade attached to the gear shifter rod occupy its position in-between the emitter and the receiver of the corresponding infrared sensor to activate a signal, and wherein the activated signal is processed by the electronic circuit to generate an output signal which is used as an input to display device located in dash board of vehicle to indicate the selected gear position. According to another aspect of the invention the blade is made of steel and is rigidly fitted to the gear shifter rod by welding. According to another aspect of the invention the infra red sensors are mounted and soldered on the PCB at a pre-determined radius and at a pre-defined spacing between them and routed to take output which is fed to the indicating device. According to another aspect of the invention the electronic circuit box comprising the PCB is fitted to the bracket. According to another aspect of the invention the infrared sensors are in 'ON" status whenever ignition switch of the vehicle is in 'ON' position.

According to another aspect of the invention the side wall of the electronic circuit box is provided with an opening for passage of the blade fitted to the gear shifter rod. According to another aspect of the invention the gear shifter rod is provided with a gear shifter handle with markings of the gear positions.

NAME OF THE APPLICANT: PRICOL LIMITED

PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION NO. 2227/CHE/2013 DATED MAY 21, 2013

The details for the invention, its aspect and advantages are explained hereunder in greater details in relation to non-limiting exemplary illustration as per the accompanying figures as detailed hereunder.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1: schematically illustrates an apparatus for gear position sensing in gear shifter by using infrared sensor according to the present invention.

Figure 2: schematically illustrates the blade attached to gear shifter rod positioned within one of the infra red sensors according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION WITH REFERENCE TO THE ACCOMPANYING FIGURES

It is known in the art that gear changes are brought about by moving a gear shifter rod located through the series of available gears. Normally, the gear shifter rod is provided with detents or similar means that release ably restrain the gear selector rod in each gear. Thus, once the gear shifter rod in the passenger compartment of the vehicle is placed in a particular gear, it will remain there until moved by the operator. In order to indicate the gear selection by way of a indication in the dash board of the vehicle the apparatus according to the present invention use non contact type sensing arrangement by utilizing the infrared sensors. Referring to the accompanying Figure 1, the gear shifter rod [1] is provided with a gear shifter handle [2] with markings of the gear positions and is disposed inside a bracket [3]. The gear shifter rod [1] is pivoted at a pivot axis [4] to facilitate the movement of the gear

NAME OF THE APPLICANT: PRICOL LIMITED

PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION NO. 2227/CHE/2013 DATED MAY 21, 2013

shifter rod [1] in a first radial direction and in a second radial direction in order to select the desired gear from time to time during the different phase of driving of the vehicle. As shown in Figure 2, a blade [5] of pre-determined thickness is rigidly fitted to the gear shifter rod [ 1 ] at pre-determined location so as to produce a pre-determined radial movement when the gear shifter rod [1] is moved about its pivot axis. The blade [5] comprises a flat portion and is made of a steel sheet, for example. The blade [5] is rigidly fitted to the gear shifter rod [1], for example, by welding. The printed circuit board (PCB) [6] comprising infra red sensor [7] of pre- determined number and an electronic circuit is mounted in an electronic circuit box [8], which is fitted to the bracket [3] as shown in Figurel. The infra red sensors [7] are mounted on the PCB [6] at a pre determined radius and at a pre-defined spacing between them and soldered to the PCB [6]. Means are provided in the electronic circuit for energizing of the infrared sensors [7] such that infrared sensors [7] are in 'ON" status whenever ignition switch of the vehicle is in 'ON' position. The infrared sensor [7] comprises a first and a second wall which are arranged approximately parallel to each other defining a pre-determined distance in between them to allow the free movement of the blade [5].

Referring to the accompanying Figure 2, the infra red sensor [7] comprises an emitter [7a] and receiver [7b] which are arranged each in one of the walls, for example while the emitter [7a] is arranged in the first wall of the infrared sensor [7], the receiver [7b] is arranged in the second wall. The side wall of the electronic circuit box [8] is provided with an opening for passage of the blade [5] fitted to the gear shifter rod [1]. The infrared sensors [7] which are arranged at a pre-determined radius ensure the free passage of the blade [5] attached to the

NAME OF THE APPLICANT: PRICOL LIMITED

PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION NO. 2227/CHE/2013 DATED MAY 21, 2013

gear shifter rod [1] in between the emitter [7a] and the receiver [7b]. When the gear shifter rod [1] is moved in the first radial direction or in the second radial direction in order to select the desired gear, the blade [5] occupy its position in-between the emitter [7a] and the receiver [7b] of the corresponding infrared element [7] and a signal is activated. The signal is input to the electronic circuit and suitable output signal is generated. The output signal so generated is used as an input to the display device located in the dash board of the vehicle to indicate the gear position in a desired manner according to the design of the indicating device.

NAME OF THE APPLICANT: PRICOL LIMITED

PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION NO. 2227/CHE/2013 DATED MAY 21, 2013

WE CLAIM:

1. An apparatus for gear position sensing in gear shifter comprising: gear shifter rod [1]; bracket [3]; blade [5]; electronic circuit box [8]; printed circuit board (PCB) [6]; and one or more infra red sensor [7]; wherein the bracket [3] houses the gear shifter rod [1], wherein the PCB [6] comprising the infra red sensor [7] of pre-determined number and an electronic circuit is mounted in the electronic circuit box [8], wherein the infra red sensor [7] comprises a first and a second wall which are arranged approximately parallel to each other defining a pre-determined distance in between them to accommodate an emitter [7a] and receiver [7b], which are arranged each in one of the walls, wherein the blade [5] comprising a flat portion capable of passing between the emitter [7a] and receiver [7b] of the infra red sensor [7] is rigidly fitted to the gear shifter rod [1], wherein the movement of the blade [5] attached to the gear shifter rod [1] occupy its position in-between the emitter [7a] and the receiver [7b] of the corresponding infrared sensor [7] to activate a signal, and wherein the activated signal is processed by the electronic circuit to generate an output signal which is used as an input to display device located in dash board of vehicle to indicate the selected gear position.

NAME OF THE APPLICANT: PRICOL LIMITED

PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION NO. 2227/CHE/2013 DATED MAY 21, 2013

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the blade [5] is made of steel and is rigidly fitted to the gear shifter rod [1] by welding.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the infra red sensors [7] are mounted and soldered on the PCB [6] at a pre-determined radius and at a pre-defined spacing between them and routed to take output which is fed to the indicating device.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit box [8] comprising the PCB [6] is fitted to the bracket [3].

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the infrared sensors [7] are in 'ON" status whenever ignition switch of the vehicle is in 'ON' position.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein side wall of the electronic circuit box [8] is provided with an opening for passage of the blade [5] fitted to the gear shifter rod [1].

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gear shifter rod [1] is provided with a gear shifter handle [2] with markings of the gear positions.