Illuminated position indicator for a control shift lever

Claim 2

An illuminated indicator for selectively indicating the respective operative positions of a movably mounted shift lever, comprising: (a) a bracket mounting said shift lever for selective swinging movements about an axis of rotation to its respective operative positions; (b) wall means at one side of said bracket providing a substantially closed compartment adjacent one end of said axis of rotation, said compartment having one wall formed with an elongated window opening facing generally towards the outer end of said shift lever and having its longitudinal axis in substantially parallel relation to the plane of swinging movement of the shift lever, and another wall between said compartment and said bracket having an arcuate opening therein; (c) an elongated dial of light transmitting material positioned in said window opening, said dial having longitudinally spaced indicia thereon corresponding to the respective positions of the shift lever; (d) a light source within said compartment fixedly mounted on a wall opposite said dial providing a general illumination of said dial and the indicia thereon; (e) optical means within said compartment positioned between said light source and said dial for concentrating a portion of the rays from said source into a beam of a size to provide a distinguishing spot illumination of a single indicium; and (f) a support for said optical means extending through said arcuate opening and being connected to said lever so as to shift said optical means and said distinguishing spot illumination from one indicium to another in accordance with the respective positions of said shift lever.

Claim 3

An indicator according to claim 1, in which said optical means for concentrating rays from said source into a beam includes a lens structure, and said support comprises a second bracket having one end connected with the lens structure and its other end connected with said shift lever.

Claim 4

An indicator according to claim 2, in which the dial is of a rectilinear flat configuration and the lens structure is moved in a curved path below the dial having a center of curvature coincident with the pivotal axis of the shift lever.

Claim 5

An indicator according to claim 2, in which said second bracket and lens are integrally formed of a plastic material.

Claim 6

An indicator according to claim 2, in which said light source includes an externally removable lamp and receptacle releasably connected with the compartment wall at a position below the lens.

Claim 7

An indicator according to claim 2, in which the lens is tinted so that the indicium illuminated by said beam will be of a distinctive color.

Claim 8

An indicator according to claim 2, in which said lens is conformed to project a beam of substantially circular transverse section onto said dial.

Claim 9

An indicator according to claim 2, in which said lens is conformed to project a beam of substantially rectangular transverse section onto said dial.

Claim 10

An indicator according to claim 2, in which the lens is conformed to project a converging beam onto said dial.

Claim 11

An indicator according to claim 2, in which the lens is conformed to project a diverging beam onto said dial.

Claim 12

An indicator according to claim 2, in which the lens is plano-convex.

Claim 13

An indicator according to claim 2, in which the lens is convex-convex.

Claim 14

An indicator for selectively and distinctively indicating the respective operative positions of a movably mounted control shift lever, comprising the combination of: (a) a housing structure having a top closure; (b) a control shift lever having an inner end pivoted within said housing, said lever having a portion extending to the exterior of the housing through an elongated slot in said top closure and being selectively movable in said slot to said respective operative positions; (c) an elongated dial of longitudinally straight configuration mounted in said top closure in adjacent substantially parallel relation to said slot, said dial having longitudinally spaced light transmitting indicia thereon corresponding to the respective positions of said shift lever, and being visible from the housing exterior; (d) means in said housing for selectively changing the viewable appearance of said indicia in accordance with the movement of said shift lever from one operative position to another, said means including an element supported for movement along the underside of said dial, said element having a color differing from that of the indicia and being of a size to outline a single indicium; and (e) linkage means connecting said element with said lever operable to move said element in a substantially rectilinear path, said linkage means comprising: a first link member having one end supported on a fixed pivot positioned intermediate the dial ends and closely adjacent therebelow; an elongated second link member pivotally connected intermediate its ends to the other end of said first link and having one end mounting said element positioned adjacently below said dial; a sliding connection between the other end of said second link and said housing; and a driving connection with said shift lever operative to swing said first link on its fixed pivot in response to movements of the shift lever.

Claim 15

An indicator for selectively and distinctively indicating the respective operative positions of a movably mounted control shift lever, comprising the combination of: (a) a housing structure having a top closure; (b) a control shift lever having an inner end pivoted within said housing, said lever having a portion extending to the exterior of the housing through an elongated slot in said top closure and being selectively movable in said slot to said respective operative positions; (c) an elongated dial of longitudinally straight configuration mounted in said top closure in adjacent substantially parallel relation to said slot, said dial having longitudinally spaced light transmitting indicia thereon corresponding to the respective positions of said shift lever, and being visible from the housing exterior; (d) means in said housing for selectively changing the viewable appearance of said indicia in accordance with the movement of said shift lever from one operative position to another, said means including an element supported for movement along the underside of said dial, said element having a color differing from that of the indicia and being of a size to outline a single indicium; and (e) linkage means connecting said element with said lever operable to move said element in a substantially rectilinear path, said linkage means comprising: a first link member having one end supported on a fixed pivot positioned intermediate the dial ends and closely adjacent therebelow; an elongated second link member pivotally connected intermediate its ends to the other end of said first link and having one end mounting said element positioned adjacently below said dial; a sliding connection between the other end of said second link and said housing; and a driving connection with said shift lever operative to swing said first link on its fixed pivot in response to movements of the shift lever.

Claim 16

An indicator according to claim 13, in which said sliding connection comprises a fixed pivot on said housing positioned perpendicularly below the fixed pivot of said first link; and a longitudinally extending slot on said second link for slidingly receiving said fixed pivot.

Claim 17

An indicator according to claim 13, in which said driving connection comprises a pin carried by said shift lever movable in an arcuate path; and a longitudinally extending slot on said second link for slidingly receiving said pin.

Claim 18

An indicator according to claim 13, in which an underlying elongate translucent background forming member is supported in spaced relation below said dial, and said element is movable in a path between said dial and said background member.

Claim 19

An indicator according to claim 16, which includes a light source in said housing positioned below said element and the background member, whereby rays emanating from said source will pass through said background member to provide general illumination of the dial indicia, and through said element to distinctively distinguish the indicium corresponding to the position of the shift lever.