Rotary shifter with noise damping for a motor vehicle transmission

Abstract

A rotary shifter with noise damping for a motor vehicle transmission is disclosed. The present invention relates to a shifter (1) for a vehicle transmission, the shifter (1) comprising: a support surface (3), a shift selector (4) mounted on the support surface (3) and rotatable about an axis (X), wherein the shift selector (4) is provided with at least one wavy surface (5), the wavy surface (5) having alternating valleys and peaks to define stable and unstable regions of the wavy surface (5), wherein the wavy surface (5) rotates together with the shift selector (4), a damping member (10) is made of an elastic material and is arranged to slide on the wavy surface (5) when the shift selector (4) rotates about the axis (X), and wherein the damping member (10) is biased towards the axis (X) against the wavy surface (5). The rotary shifter provides a low friction and noise elimination mechanism for suppressing the noise generated during shifting.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention generally relates to a shifter for shifting a vehicle transmission, thereby providing a shift feedback feeling function to a driver.

[0002] An object of the present invention is to provide a rotary shifter including a low-friction and noise elimination mechanism that suppresses noise generated during shifting. Background Art

[0003] A motor vehicle transmission (whether a manual transmission or an automatic transmission) includes a gear actuator (such as a dial-type rotatable knob or a lever-type control lever that can be used to select a shift position corresponding to different transmission gears). The gear actuator actuates a gearbox and generally has the form of a rotatable drum or rod, and has a spring-biased plunger that is arranged to slide on a wavy surface when a shift mechanism moves, thereby selecting a shift position and simultaneously providing a shift feeling to a driver.

[0004] U.S. Patent Applications US7661334 A1 and US2017 / 0159808 A1 describe examples of such a shift mechanism, including a spring-biased plunger that slides on a wavy surface when a shift lever moves to select a shift position and provide a shift feeling.

[0005] A major drawback of the prior art solutions is that when a shift plunger or roller reaches a stable position defined by the wavy surface, the plunger or roller impacts the wavy surface, thereby generating an annoying noise.

[0006] In use, a shift plunger moves along the wavy surface, and the plunger is pressed against the wavy surface by a spring while shifting between different shift positions defined by such a wavy surface. During actuation of the shift lever, an annoying noise is usually generated when the shift plunger moves, and once the shift position is selected, the shift plunger returns to the stable position, thereby generating a noise when the shift lever returns to the stable position due to the plunger impacting the wavy surface. The generated noise may be perceived from inside the vehicle, causing discomfort to a driver and passengers while the vehicle is in motion.

[0007] Some solutions for reducing noise have been proposed, and these solutions are generally based on sound insulation members provided on the wavy surface. For example, PCT Publication WO2015185280 describes a shift mechanism for an automatic transmission in a motor vehicle, the shift mechanism including a wavy surface on which a shift plunger operates to select a shift position corresponding to different transmission gears, wherein the wavy surface is made of a material having different degrees of elasticity.

[0008] However, since noise is still generated, these solutions are not entirely satisfactory. In addition, the shift plunger must overcome a large amount of friction and gripping force generated by the sound deadening member on the wavy surface. This is because when the shift plunger moves from one shift position to another shift position, a part of the shift plunger is always in contact with the sound deadening member.

[0009] Another known solution is based on a leaf spring, one end of which has a roller that rolls on the wavy surface, while the other end is attached to the housing. Since the leaf spring has to be fixed to the housing and space is required to implement this solution, these solutions increase the complexity of the manufacturing process. In addition, in the case of low force feedback, the leaf spring may buckle due to its size, resulting in an unstable position of the leaf spring and thus a feeling of free movement.

[0010] Accordingly, there is a need for a shift mechanism for a motor vehicle transmission that avoids or at least significantly reduces noise generation and is at the same time capable of being manufactured in a cost-effective manner. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The present invention relates to a shifter for a vehicle transmission, wherein the shifter includes a shift selector that includes at least one wavy surface, and a noise damping member that is biased (preferably via a rod) onto the wavy surface. With this configuration, a conventional plunger is replaced by a rod, and the wavy surface may be the moving member (instead of the noise damping member) to keep the damping member in a fixed position (except for the balancing movement of the damping member following the undulating profile of the wavy surface).

[0012] Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention relates to a shifter for a vehicle transmission, wherein the shifter includes a support surface and a shift selector that is rotatably mounted on the support surface and capable of rotating about an axis (X). The shift selector is provided with at least one wavy surface or undulating surface that has alternating valleys (concave regions) and peaks (convex regions), thereby defining stable and unstable positions for a noise damping member to provide a shift feel for the driver. When the shift selector rotates about the axis (X), the damping member made of an elastic material is arranged to slide or roll on the wavy surface. The damping member is biased towards the wavy surface in a direction towards the axis (X).

[0013] The stable position is defined by the troughs of the undulating surface and is the area in the undulating surface where the damping member resides and remains in the troughs, in such a way that the troughs hold the damping member against the biasing force applied to the damping member. The stable position corresponds to the gear position command (such as drive gear, reverse gear, etc.). The unstable position is the area on the undulating surface where the biasing force applied to the damping member will force the shift selector to rotate towards the above-mentioned stable position. Generally, the crests or convex regions of the undulating surface conform to these unstable regions, but there are also some troughs (depending on their inclination or curvature) that can define the unstable regions.

[0014] In addition, the shifter further includes at least one rod that is rotatable relative to the axis (Y) and is preferably mounted on a support surface. The rod is biased towards the undulating surface by a biasing device (such as a spring member attached to the support surface), and thus, the damping member is also biased towards the undulating surface. For example, the spring member may include a leaf spring, a compression spring, a torsion spring, or a wire spring, and the spring member is configured to bias the rod towards the corresponding undulating surface.

[0015] Preferably, the axis (X) and the axis (Y) are parallel to each other. The rod is biased towards the undulating surface in a direction transverse to the axis (X) and towards the axis (X) (preferably orthogonally). Since the spring member can be mounted on the support surface from the same direction as the rod and the shift selector, this structure facilitates the assembly of the shifter during manufacturing (especially during the automatic assembly process).

[0016] In addition, the undulating surface is arranged to rotate in a plane orthogonal to the axis (X).

[0017] The damping member is made of a suitable soft material, such as rubber or silicone resin, in order to absorb or at least reduce impacts and vibrations to avoid generating noise. The rod is arranged and constructed in the following manner: when the shift selector rotates about the axis (X), the damping member slides on the undulating surface. For this purpose, preferably, each rod includes a roller rotatably mounted on the rod, and the damping member is coupled to the roller such that when the undulating surface rotates, the damping member rolls on the corresponding undulating surface, thereby avoiding generating noise and avoiding friction between the rod and the undulating surface when the rod transitions from one trough to an adjacent trough.

[0018] Preferably, the axis of rotation of the roller is also parallel to the axes (X, Y).

[0019] In a preferred embodiment, the shift selector is a knob (or cam) having a cylindrical body that includes at least a first corrugated surface and a second corrugated surface that are diametrically opposed relative to an axis (X). The first and second corrugated surfaces extend circumferentially about the axis (X) and rotate with the knob. In this embodiment, the shifter further includes a first lever and a second lever that are pivotable about axes (Y) and (Y'), respectively, and are biased against the first and second corrugated surfaces, respectively, and preferably biased in opposite directions toward the axis (X). The two axes (Y, Y') are parallel to the axis (X).

[0020] In other preferred embodiments, as described above, the shifter has three or four corrugated surfaces that include their respective damping members and biasing means.

[0021] When the shift selector rotates about the axis (X), the damping members of the first and second levers slide along the corrugated surfaces, respectively.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment, at least one corrugated surface has at least one track or wall that extends along the entire corrugated surface of the peaks and valleys (or only along certain portions of the peaks and valleys). Preferably, the wall extends only along the unstable regions of the corrugated surface, and the stable regions are without walls. The damping member is mounted on a roller that is assembled to the lever, and the wall, roller, and damping member are configured such that, in the unstable regions of the corrugated surface, the roller can roll on the wall to space the damping member from the corrugated surface. In the stable regions without walls, the damping member rolls directly on the corrugated surface.

[0023] Preferably, the height of the wall can be variable such that the curvature defined by the free end of the wall matches the curvature of the corrugated surface region without the wall. In this way, the damping member and / or the roller will slide or roll on a continuous curved surface without steps.

[0024] The profile surfaces have the same shape, but they are in reverse positions relative to each other, i.e., the valleys are in positions diametrically opposite with respect to the axis (X).

[0025] In another preferred embodiment, the shift selector is a lever arm orthogonally arranged relative to the axis (X) and includes only one corrugated surface.

[0026] In a preferred embodiment, each lever is a separate body, preferably made of solid plastic material, so that buckling does not occur during use. The pivot axis (Y) and the noise damping member are at opposite ends of the lever.

[0027] As an alternative to the rod, a flexible metal strip is used that is joined at one end to the support surface. For example, this can be done by providing a U-shaped flexible metal strip having a central arm and two side arms, where the metal strip is attached to the support surface at its central arm and the side arms press the damping member against the wavy surface.

[0028] Preferably, each side arm includes a roller rotatably mounted, and the damping member is joined to the roller such that when the wavy surface rotates, the damping member rolls on the corresponding wavy surface, thereby avoiding noise generation when the rod transitions from one wave trough to an adjacent wave trough.

[0029] The shift lever also includes an outer housing that encloses the support surface, the rod, and a portion of the shift selector. A portion of the shift selector projects out of the housing for manual actuation by the driver. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] Preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the drawings, in which:

[0031] Figure 1A and Figure 1B show two perspective views of a shift lever implemented as a dial knob according to the present invention, where Figure 1A the embodiment of includes a leaf spring as the spring member, while Figure 1B the embodiment of includes a wire spring as the spring member.

[0032] Figure 2A and Figure 2B show Figure 1A and Figure 1B two perspective views of the shift selector of.

[0033] Figures 3A and 3B show Figure 1A and Figure 1B two perspective views of the rod of, Figure 3C shows a perspective view of an alternative design of the rod.

[0034] Figure 4A 、 Figure 4B 、 Figure 4C and Figure 4D show in top view the shift lever of the embodiments of Figure 1A and Figure 1B in four different angular positions ( Figure 4A 、 Figure 4B 、 Figure 4C and Figure 4D ), which four different angular positions correspond to two stable positions or gear command positions ( Figure 4B 、 Figure 4C ) and two unstable positions ( Figure 4A 、 Figure 4D ). In the unstable positions, the shift selector (4) will be forced to move to a stable position.

[0035] Figure 5A 、 Figure 5B 、 Figure 5C and Figure 5D illustrate another preferred embodiment similar to the embodiment of Figure 1A and Figure 1B but including a slotted corrugated surface. Figure 5A shows a perspective view of a part of the assembly; Figure 5B shows an enlarged detail of the damping member sliding on the corrugated surface and the rod longitudinally sectioned; Figure 5C is a perspective view of the shift selector; and Figure 5D is a top view of the assembly.

[0036] Figure 6A shows a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention, where the rod is replaced by a flexible metal strip; Figure 6B is a perspective view of the separate metal strip.

[0037] Figure 7 shows a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a shifter implemented as a rod arm or joystick according to the present invention.

[0038] Figure 8 shows a perspective view of a dial-type rotatable knob that includes Figure 1A 、 Figure 1B 、 Figure 2A 、 Figure 2B 、Figure 3A, Figure 3B, Figure 4A 、 Figure 4B 、 Figure 4C 、 Figure 4D 、 Figure 5A 、 Figure 5B 、 Figure 5C 、 Figure 5D 、 Figure 6A 、 Figure 6B the shifters in Detailed Embodiment

[0039] Figure 1A shows a preferred embodiment of the shifter 1 of the present invention, and the shifter 1 includes a base 2 that defines a support surface 3, and a shift selector 4 that is mounted on the support surface 3 and is rotatable about an axis X. The shift selector 4 is provided with a first corrugated surface 5 and a second corrugated surface 5', and the first corrugated surface 5 and the second corrugated surface 5' are attached to the selector 4 and are configured as a undulating profile that has alternating valleys V and peaks P to define stable and unstable positions or regions. In this embodiment, two central valleys define the stable position of the shifter, and this stable position corresponds to Figure 4B 、 Figure 4C the two positions in

[0040] In this preferred embodiment, the bearing surface 3 is flat or includes a flat area, but may also have other shapes.

[0041] The undulating surfaces 5, 5' are opposite to each other in the diametrical direction with respect to the axis X and are capable of rotating together with the shift selector 4. The undulating surfaces 5, 5' have the same shape and are in opposite positions relative to each other such that the valleys of the undulating surfaces 5, 5' are in diametrically opposite positions, as is clearly visible in Figures 4A to 4D ...

[0042] The shifter 1 includes a first lever 6 and a second lever 6' which are pivotable relative to the axis Y and the axis Y' respectively and are arranged and configured to contact the first undulating surface 5 and the second undulating surface 5' respectively. In the case of the embodiment of Figure 1A ... ( Figure 1A including a first leaf spring 7 and a second leaf spring 7' whose ends are attached to the bearing surface 3 and are arranged to push the respective levers 6, 6' towards the axis X in a direction orthogonal to the axis X), the levers 6, 6' are biased towards the respective undulating surfaces 5, 5' by a first elastic member and a second elastic member. As shown more clearly in sequence in Figures 4A to 4D ... the leaf springs 7, 7' are arranged to apply forces to the respective levers 6, 6' in opposite directions and towards the axis X.

[0043] As shown in the figure, the axis X and the axis Y are parallel to each other, and the undulating surfaces 5, 5' extend circumferentially around the axis X and are capable of rotating in a plane transverse to the axis X. As shown in the figure, assuming that the bearing surface 3 is generally flat or includes a flat area, the undulating surface 5 is orthogonal to the flat overall structure or flat area of the bearing surface 3. In other words, each undulating surface 5, 5' is elongated and is arranged such that the axis passing through and across the undulating surfaces 5, 5' is parallel to the axis X.

[0044] Four attachment fittings 8 for attaching the ends of the first leaf spring 7 and the second leaf spring 7' are mounted on the bearing surface 3 in such a way that their positions can be changed relative to the levers, so that the positions of the leaf springs 7, 7' can be adjusted to apply more or less force to the respective levers 6, 6' according to each application.

[0045] As Figure 2A and Figure 2B shown, the shift selector 4 has the form of a knob which has a cylindrical body, and walls 12, 12' are attached to the body in a way that extends or protrudes radially from the cylindrical shift selector 4. Preferably, the wall 12 extends radially from the shift selector 4 and is transverse to the axis X. The undulating surfaces 5, 5' are formed at the free edges of the walls 12, 12'.

[0046] The rod 6 is shown in more detail in FIGS. 3A and 3B, and the rod 6 is formed as a solid elongated body having at one end a hole 15 for receiving a shaft defining an axis Y, and a circular opening 11 is formed near the other end. The rod 6 has a cavity 16 for allowing the wall 12 to pass through when the shift selector 4 rotates, in particular as Figure 5B 、 Figure 5D and Figure 7 shown.

[0047] At least two stoppers 13 (4 stoppers in this embodiment) are mounted at specific fixed positions on the support surface 3 to set two end positions of the rotational movement of the shift selector 4 by contact with the walls 12, 12', as Figures 4A to 4D shown more clearly in sequence in. In Figure 4B and Figure 4C the stable positions, the rollers 9, 9' are received and held in diametrically opposite valleys.

[0048] Each rod 6, 6' includes rollers 9, 9' rotatably coupled to one end of the rod, and noise damping members composed of O-ring rubbers 10, 10' are mounted around the respective rollers 9, 9'. For example, for ease of installation, the rollers 9, 9' can be snapped into the respective circular openings 11 formed near one end of each rod 6, 6'.

[0049] As shown, the arrangement and construction of the rods are such that when the shift selector 4 rotates about the axis X, the O-ring rubbers 10, 10' can roll on the respective corrugated surfaces 5, 5'.

[0050] Figure 3C shows an alternative design of the rod 6, which is implemented as a bent body having at one end a hole 15 for receiving a shaft defining an axis Y, and also defining a cavity 16. A fixed noise damping member 17 is provided at the other end of the rod, but in this case there are no rollers and the noise damping member 17 is fixed. This alternative design is preferred when the required force feedback is low and the friction and wear are low, so that the resulting noise is also low.

[0051] Figure 1B The embodiment of Figure 1A is the same as that of

[0052] Figures 5A to 5D except that the leaf springs 7, 7' are replaced by a U-shaped wire 14, which is attached to the support surface 3 by its central arm 14a, and the two side arms 14b, 14c of the U-shaped wire 14 are respectively on the rods 6, 6' and serve as elastic members for pushing the rods 6, 6' towards the shift selector 4. Providing a single wire as the spring member makes the assembly process more convenient. Figure 1Ais the same as the embodiment in, but the corrugated surfaces 5, 5' have at least one (preferably, a pair) of walls or tracks 18 that project from the corrugated surfaces 5, 5' and extend only along the unstable regions of the corrugated surfaces 5, 5' (i.e., the regions where the damping member 10 will not stay in a fixed position but will be forced to move to a stable position). These unstable regions are the crests of the corrugated surface, i.e., the convex regions of the corrugated surface, and also the two troughs near the ends of the corrugated surface. The stable regions in this embodiment are defined by the two troughs at the central regions of the corrugated surfaces 5, 5'.

[0053] It should be noted that especially in Figure 5B and Figure 5D the height of the wall 18 is variable such that the curvature defined by the free end of the wall 18 matches the curvature of the region of the corrugated surfaces 5, 5' without the wall. That is, the height of the wall 18 gradually decreases towards the stable regions of the corrugated surfaces 5, 5' and is zero in those stable regions. In this way, the damping member and / or the roller will slide or roll on a continuous curved surface without steps.

[0054] In this preferred embodiment, the damping member is a ring 10, but other shapes (i.e., solid or tubular cylinders) are also part of the present invention. The ring 10 is mounted on the rollers 9, 9' that are assembled to the rods 6, 6', and the walls 18, the rollers 9, 9' and the ring are constructed in such a way that the rollers 9, 9' roll on the edges of the walls 18, and when the roller 9 rolls to the crest of the wall 18, the ring 10 is spaced apart from the corrugated surfaces 5, 5', i.e., the ring 10 does not contact the corrugated surfaces 5, 5' at the unstable regions (in this case, at the crests). In addition, the ring 10 rolls onto the corrugated surfaces 5, 5', and when the rollers 9, 9' roll on the stable regions (in this case, the central troughs), the rollers 9, 9' are spaced apart from the corrugated surfaces 5, 5'. Therefore, the ring 10 contacts the corrugated surfaces 5, 5' only at the stable positions (in this case, at some troughs), and thus, pressure is applied to the damper member only at the stable positions (at the central troughs), while no pressure is applied when the damper is at the crests where the force is greater. This construction increases the working accuracy and the lifespan of the damper.

[0055] In other preferred embodiments of the present invention, a cylinder or a drum made of an elastic material (such as rubber) that can rotate on the corrugated surface is used to replace the roller with an annular damping material. In this case, for example, the roller 9 shown in FIG. 3B will be used alone (without the ring), and the roller 9 is made of an elastic material.

[0056] In Figure 6A and Figure 6B the embodiments of Figure 1AThe rod is replaced by at least one flexible metal strip 19, one end of the at least one flexible metal strip 19 being fixed to the support surface 3 and a damping member being fitted at the free end. Preferably, the damping member is a ring 10 mounted to a roller 9 which is in turn rotatably mounted to the end of the metal strip. In this way, in the absence of a rod, the damping member 10 is directly biased against the corrugated surfaces 5, 5' by the flexible metal strip 19. Preferably, the flexible metal strip 19 has a U-shaped configuration having a central arm 19a and two side arms 19b, 19c, wherein the central arm 19a is attached to the support surface 3 and wherein the side arms 19b, 19c bias the damping members 10, 10' against the respective corrugated surfaces 5, 5'.

[0057] In Figure 7 an alternative embodiment, the shift selector 4 is a lever arm arranged orthogonally with respect to the axis X. In this embodiment, only one corrugated surface 5, one rod 6 and one spring member 7 work together in the same manner as defined above Figure 1A 、 Figure 1B .

[0058] As Figure 8 shown, in a practical embodiment, the shifter 1 includes an outer housing 20 and a part of the support surface 3, the rods 6, 6' and the shift selector 4 being enclosed within the housing 20. A part of the shift selector 4 projects out of the housing in the form of a knob to facilitate the operation of the shift selector 4.

[0059] Other preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in the appended dependent claims and in various combinations of these claims.

Claims

1. A shifter (1) for a vehicle transmission, the shifter comprising: Support surface (3); A shift selector (4) mounted on the support surface (3) and capable of rotating about a first axis (X), wherein the shift selector (4) is provided with at least one wavy surface having alternating valleys and peaks to define stable and unstable regions of the wavy surface, wherein the shift selector (4) is in the form of a knob having a cylindrical body, and walls (12, 12') are attached to the cylindrical body in a manner radially extending or protruding from the cylindrical shift selector (4), wherein the wavy surface is formed at the free edge of the walls (12, 12'), and wherein the wavy surface is capable of rotating together with the shift selector (4); A damping member (10) made of an elastic material and arranged to slide on the wavy surface when the shift selector (4) rotates about the first axis (X), and wherein the damping member (10) is biased towards the first axis (X) to the wavy surface.

2. The shifter according to claim 1, the shifter further comprising at least one lever, the at least one lever being pivotable relative to a second axis (Y), wherein, The damping member (10) is mounted on the rod, and wherein the rod is arranged and configured such that when the shift selector (4) rotates about the first axis (X), the damping member (10) can slide or roll on the wavy surface, and wherein the rod is biased to the wavy surface.

3. The shifter according to claim 2, wherein, The wavy surface extends circumferentially about the first axis (X) and is arranged to rotate in a plane orthogonal to the first axis (X), and wherein the rod is biased to the wavy surface in a direction transverse to the first axis (X).

4. The shifter according to any one of claims 2 to 3, wherein, The first axis (X) and the second axis (Y) are substantially parallel to each other.

5. The shifter according to claim 1, wherein, The cylindrical body includes at least a first wavy surface and a second wavy surface diametrically opposite with respect to the first axis (X), and wherein the shift selector (4) further includes a first rod and a second rod that can pivot about respective second axes and are respectively biased to the first wavy surface and the second wavy surface, and wherein when the shift selector (4) rotates about the first axis (X), the damping members of the first rod and the second rod can slide or roll on the first wavy surface and the second wavy surface respectively.

6. The shifter according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The shift selector (4) is a lever arm orthogonally arranged with respect to the first axis (X).

7. The shifter according to claim 2, the shifter further comprising at least one roller, the at least one roller being rotatably mounted to the lever, and wherein, The damping member is coupled with the roller such that when the wavy surface rotates, the damping member can roll on the corresponding wavy surface.

8. The shifter according to claim 7, the shifter further comprising at least one spring member (7, 7'), the at least one spring member (7, 7') being attached to the support surface (3) and configured to bias the lever towards the corresponding wavy surface, and wherein, The spring members (7, 7') are leaf springs, compression springs, torsion springs or wire springs.

9. The shifter according to claim 5, wherein, The first rod and / or the second rod are biased towards the first axis (X) in opposite directions by respective spring members (7, 7') of the first rod and / or the second rod.

10. The shifter according to claim 2, wherein, Each of the at least one rod has a cavity (16), and wherein the corrugated surface is formed at the edge of the wall (12, 12') attached to the shift selector (4), and wherein the rod and the corresponding corrugated surface are arranged such that when the corrugated surface rotates, the corrugated surface can move within the cavity (16) of the rod.

11. The shifter according to any one of claims 1 to 3, the shifter further comprising a flexible metal strip (19), one end of the flexible metal strip (19) being fixed to the support surface (3) and the other end being provided with the damping member (10), and biasing the damping member (10) towards the wavy surface.

12. The shifter according to claim 11, wherein, The flexible metal strip (19) has a U-shaped configuration having a central arm (19a) and two side arms (19b, 19c), wherein the central arm (19a) is attached to the support surface (3), and wherein the side arms (19b, 19c) bias the respective damping members towards the first axis (X) in opposite directions to the respective corrugated surfaces.

13. The shifter according to claim 7 or 8, wherein,The corrugated surface has at least one wall (18) that projects from the corrugated surface and extends over the unstable region of the corrugated surface, or over the unstable and stable regions of the corrugated surface, and wherein the at least one wall (18) and the damping member (10) are configured such that the roller can roll on the at least one wall (18), and when the roller rolls onto the at least one wall (18), the damping member (10) is spaced from the corrugated surface, and the damping member (10) rolls directly on the corrugated surface over the wall-free region of the corrugated surface.

14. The shift lever according to claim 13, wherein, The height of the at least one wall (18) is variable such that the curvature defined by the free end of the at least one wall matches the curvature of the wall-free region of the corrugated surface such that the damping member (10) can slide or roll on a continuous curved surface.

15. The shift lever according to claim 2, wherein, The rod is arcuate, and the damping member (10) is a fixed surface mounted on the free end of the rod.

16. The shift lever according to claim 13, wherein, The damping member (10) is an O-ring mounted on a roller assembled to the rod, or a rotatable cylinder assembled to the rod and made of an elastic material.

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