Shift-lever position indicating device for automatic power transmission

Claim 2

A shift-lever position indicating device for indicating selected positions of a shift lever of an automatic power transmission system wherein said shift lever is pivotally movable to a plurality of positions including a parking-gear position, comprising a casing structure formed with an elongated slot for permitting the shift lever to move therethrough, the casing structure having an illuminating chamber defined therein, a light source located within said illuminating chamber and operative to emit light in the illuminating chamber, said casing structure including an indicator plate carrying thereon a mark indicative of said parking-gear position of said shift lever and a series of marks respectively indicative of the remaining positions of the shift lever, said indicator plate having a light pervious portion located in conjunction with the mark indicative of the parking-gear position of the shift lever and light pervious portions located respectively in conjunction with the marks indicative of said remaining positions of the shift lever, the light pervious portions located in conjunction with the marks indicative of said remaining positions of the shift lever being arranged in a predetermined relationship in said indicator plate and the light pervious portion located in conjunction with the mark indicative of the parking-gear position of the shift lever being located unconformably to said relationship with respect to the remaining light pervious portions such that said remaining portions are disposed in a line and said and said light pervious portion located in conjunction with the mark indicative of the parking-gear position of the shift lever is offset from said line, and a pointer element secured to said shift lever and movable in said illuminating chamber, the pointer element having a first light pervious portion movable between said light source and said light pervious portion located in conjunction with the mark indicative of the parking-gear position of the shift lever and a second light pervious portion movable between said light source and said remaining light pervious portions, the first and second light pervious portions differing in color from each other.

Claim 3

The shift-lever position indicating device as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said marks are in the form of letters or numbers, and the light pervious portion located in conjunction with the mark indicative of the parking-gear position of the shift lever differs in configuration from said letters or numbers and from each of the remaining light pervious portions of said indicator plate.

Claim 4

The shift-lever position indicating device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the light pervious portion located in conjunction with the mark indicative of the parking-gear position of the shift lever is larger in measurement than each of the remaining light pervious portions of said indicator plate.

Claim 5

A shift-lever position indicating device for indicating selected positions of a shift lever of an automatic power transmission system wherein said shift lever is pivotally movable to a plurality of positions including a parking-gear position, comprising a casing structure formed with an elongated slot for permitting the shift lever to move therethrough, the casing structure having an illuminating chamber defined therein, a light source located within said illuminating chamber and operative to emit light in the illuminating chamber, said casing structure including an indicator plate carrying thereon a mark indicative of said parking-gear position of said shift lever and a series of marks respectively indicative of the remaining positions of the shift lever said indicator plate having a light pervious portion located in conjunction with the mark indicative of the parking-gear position of the shift lever and light pervious portions located respectively in conjunction with the marks indicative of said remaining positions of the shift lever, each of said marks being in the form of letters or numbers, and the light pervious portion located in conjunction with the mark indicative of the parking-gear position of the shift lever differing in configuration from said letters or numbers and from each of the remaining light pervious portions of said indicator plate, the light pervious portions located in conjunction with the marks indicative of said remaining positions of the shift lever being arranged in a predetermined relationship in said indicator plate and the light pervious portion located in conjunction with the mark indicative of the parking-gear position of the shift lever being located unconformably to said relationship with respect to the remaining light pervious portions such that said remaining portions are disposed in a line and said light pervious portion located in conjunction with the mark indicative of the parking-gear position of the shift lever is offset from said line, and a pointer element secured to said shift lever and movable in said illuminating chamber, the pointer element having a first light pervious portion movable between said light source and said light pervious portion located in conjunction with the mark indicative of the parking-gear position of the shift lever and a second light pervious portion movable between said light source and said remaining light pervious portions, the first and second light pervious portions differing in color from each other.

Claim 6

A shift-lever position indicating device for indicating selected positions of a shift lever of an automatic power transmission system wherein said shift lever is pivotally movable to a plurality of positions including a parking-gear position, comprising a casing structure formed with an elongated slot for permitting the shift lever to move therethrough, the casing structure having an illuminating chamber defined therein, a light source located within said illuminating chamber and operative to emit light in the illuminating chamber, said casing structure including an indicator plate carrying thereon a mark indicative of said parking-gear position of said shift lever and a series of marks respectively indicative of the remaining positions of the shift lever said indicator plate having a light pervious portion located in conjunction with the mark indicative of the parking-gear position of the shift lever and light pervious portions located respectively in conjunction with the marks indicative of said remaining positions of the shift lever, each of said marks being in the form of letters or numbers, and the light pervious portion located in conjunction with the mark indicative of the parking-gear position of the shift lever differing in configuration from said letters or numbers and from each of the remaining light pervious portions of said indicator plate, the light pervious portions located in conjunction with the marks indicative of said remaining positions of the shift lever being arranged in a predetermined relationship in said indicator plate and the light pervious portion located in conjunction with the mark indicative of the parking-gear position of the shift lever being located unconformably to said relationship with respect to the remaining light pervious portions such that said remaining portions are disposed in a line and said light pervious portion located in conjunction with the mark indicative of the parking-gear position of the shift lever is offset from said line, and a pointer element secured to said shift lever and movable in said illuminating chamber, the pointer element having a first light pervious portion movable between said light source and said light pervious portion located in conjunction with the mark indicative of the parking-gear position of the shift lever and a second light pervious portion movable between said light source and said remaining light pervious portions, the first and second light pervious portions differing in color from each other.

Claim 7

A shift-lever position indicating device for indicating selected positions of a shift lever of an automatic power transmission system wherein said shift lever is pivotally movable to a plurality of positions including a parking-gear position, comprising a casing structure formed with an elongated slot for permitting the shift lever to move therethrough, the casing structure having an illuminating chamber defined therein, a light source located within said illuminating chamber and operative to emit light in the illuminating chamber, said casing structure including an indicator plate carrying thereon a mark indicative of said parking-gear position of said shift lever and a series of marks respectively indicative of the remaining positions of the shift lever, said indicator plate having a light pervious portion located in conjunction with the mark indicative of the parking-gear position of the shift lever and light pervious portions located respectively in conjunction with the marks indicative of said remaining positions of the shift lever, the light pervious portions located in conjunction with the marks indicative of said remaining positions of the shift lever being arranged in a predetermined relationship in said indicator plate and the light pervious portion located in conjunction with the mark indicative of the parking-gear position of the shift lever being located uncomfortably to said relationship with respect to the remaining light pervious portions such that said remaining portions are disposed in a line and said light pervious portion located in conjunction with the mark indicative of the parking-gear position of the shift lever is offset from said line, said shift lever being pivotally movable about the center axis of a shaft such that said lever moves through said plurality of positions in a direction parallel to said line in which said remaining portions are disposed, and a pointer element secured to said shift lever and movable in said illuminating chamber, the pointer element having a first light pervious portion movable between said light source and said light pervious portion located in conjunction with the mark indicative of the parking-gear position of the shift lever and a second light pervious portion movable between said light source and said remaining light pervious portions, the first and second light pervious portions differing in color from each other.

Claim 8

A shift-lever position indicating device for indicating selected positions of a shift lever of an automatic power transmission system wherein said shift lever is pivotally movable to a plurality of positions including a parking-gear position, comprising a casing structure formed with an elongated slot for permitting the shift lever to move therethrough, the casing structure having an illuminating chamber defined therein, a light source located within said illuminating chamber and operative to emit light in the illuminating chamber, said casing structure including an indicator plate carrying thereon a mark indicative of said parking-gear position of said shift lever and a series of marks respectively indicative of the remaining positions of the shift lever, said indicator plate having a light pervious portion located in conjunction with the mark indicative of the parking-gear position of the shift lever and light pervious portions located respectively in conjunction with the marks indicative of said remaining positions of the shift lever, the light pervious portions located in conjunction with the marks indicative of said remaining positions of the shift lever being arranged in a predetermined relationship in said indicator plate and the light pervious portion located in conjunction with the mark indicative of the parking-gear position of the shift lever being located uncomfortably to said relationship with respect to the remaining light pervious portions such that said remaining portions are disposed in a line and said light pervious portion located in conjunction with the mark indicative of the parking-gear position of the shift lever is offset from said line, said shift lever being pivotally movable about the center axis of a shaft such that said lever moves through said plurality of positions in a direction parallel to said line in which said remaining portions are disposed, and a pointer element secured to said shift lever and movable in said illuminating chamber, the pointer element having a first light pervious portion movable between said light source and said light pervious portion located in conjunction with the mark indicative of the parking-gear position of the shift lever and a second light pervious portion movable between said light source and said remaining light pervious portions, the first and second light pervious portions differing in color from each other.

Claim 9

The shift-lever position indicating device as set forth in claim 5, wherein each of said marks are in the form of letters or numbers, and the light pervious portion located in conjunction with the mark indicative of the parking-gear position of the shift lever differs in configuration from said letters or numbers and from each of the remaining light pervious portions of said indicator plate.

Claim 10

The shift-lever position indicating device as set forth in claim 5, wherein the light pervious portion located in conjunction with the mark indicative of the parking-gear position of the shift lever is larger in measurement than each of the remaining light pervious portions of said indicator plate.

Claim 11

A shift-lever position indicating device for indicating selected positions of a shift lever of an automatic power transmission system wherein said shift lever is pivotally movable to a plurality of positions including a parking-gear position, comprising a casing structure formed with an elongated slot for permitting the shift lever to move therethrough, the casing structure having an illuminating chamber defined therein, a light source located within said illuminating chamber and operative to emit light in the illuminating chamber, said casing structure including an indicator plate carrying thereon a mark indicative of said parking-gear position of said shift lever and a series of marks respectively indicative of the remaining positions of the shift lever, said indicator plate having a light pervious portion located in conjunction with the mark indicative of the parking-gear position of the shift lever and light pervious portions located respectively in conjunction with the marks indicative of said remaining positions of the shift lever, each of said marks being in the form of letters or numbers, and the light pervious portion located in conjunction with the mark indicative of the parking-gear position of the shift lever differing in configuration from said letters or numbers and from each of the remaining light pervious portions of said indicator plate, the light pervious portions located in conjunction with the marks indicative of said remaining positions of the shift lever being arranged in a predetermined relationship in said indicator plate and the light pervious portion located in conjunction with the mark indicative of the parking gear position of the shift lever being located unconformably to said relationship with respect to the reamining light pervious portions such that said remaining portions are disposed in a line and said light pervious portion located in conjunction with the mark indicative of the parking-gear position of the shift lever is offset from said line, said shift lever being pivotally movable about the center axis of a shaft such that said lever moves through said plurality of positions in a direction parallel to said line in which said remaining portions are disposed, and a pointer element secured to said shaft lever and movable in said illuminating chamber, the pointer element having a first light pervious portion movable between said light source and said light pervious portion located in conjunction with the mark indicative of the parking-gear position of the shift lever and a second light pervious portion movable between said light source and said remaining light pervious portions, the first and second light pervious portions differing in color from each other.

Claim 12

A shift-lever position indicating device for indicating selected positions of a shift lever of an automatic power transmission system wherein said shift lever is pivotally movable to a plurality of positions including a parking-gear position, comprising a casing structure formed with an elongated slot for permitting the shift lever to move therethrough, the casing structure having an illuminating chamber defined therein, a light source located within said illuminating chamber and operative to emit light in the illuminating chamber, said casing structure including an indicator plate carrying thereon a mark indicative of said parking-gear position of said shift lever and a series of marks respectively indicative of the remaining positions of the shift lever, said indicator plate having a light pervious portion located in conjunction with the mark indicative of the parking-gear position of the shift lever and light pervious portions located respectively in conjunction with the marks indicative of said remaining positions of the shift lever, each of said marks being in the form of letters or numbers, and the light pervious portion located in conjunction with the mark indicative of the parking-gear position of the shift lever differing in configuration from said letters or numbers and from each of the remaining light pervious portions of said indicator plate, the light pervious portions located in conjunction with the marks indicative of said remaining positions of the shift lever being arranged in a predetermined relationship in said indicator plate and the light pervious portion located in conjunction with the mark indicative of the parking gear position of the shift lever being located unconformably to said relationship with respect to the reamining light pervious portions such that said remaining portions are disposed in a line and said light pervious portion located in conjunction with the mark indicative of the parking-gear position of the shift lever is offset from said line, said shift lever being pivotally movable about the center axis of a shaft such that said lever moves through said plurality of positions in a direction parallel to said line in which said remaining portions are disposed, and a pointer element secured to said shaft lever and movable in said illuminating chamber, the pointer element having a first light pervious portion movable between said light source and said light pervious portion located in conjunction with the mark indicative of the parking-gear position of the shift lever and a second light pervious portion movable between said light source and said remaining light pervious portions, the first and second light pervious portions differing in color from each other.