US 11,781,644 B2
Selector assembly having an internal ball joint and detent mechanism
Kirk Ypma, Rockford, MI (US); Dapeng Xu, Shanghai (CN); Shavin Zhang, Shanghai (CN); and Rorbin Luo, Shanghai (CN)
Assigned to GHSP, Inc., Holland, MI (US)
Filed by GHSP, Inc., Holland, MI (US)
Filed on Jul. 22, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/870,935.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/224,980, filed on Jul. 23, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0023298 A1, Jan. 26, 2023
Int. Cl. F16H 59/02 (2006.01); F16H 59/10 (2006.01)
CPC F16H 59/0278 (2013.01) [F16H 59/105 (2013.01); F16H 2059/0269 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A selector assembly comprising:
a housing having a spherical cavity and a detent cavity that form a continuous selector cavity; and
a selector that slidably operates within the continuous selector cavity and about a center point of the spherical cavity, the selector comprising:
a spheroid member that is contained within the spherical cavity and slidably engages a guide surface that defines the spherical cavity;
a first pivot having a first rotational axis that extends through the center point of the spherical cavity;
a second pivot having a second rotational axis that extends through the center point of the spherical cavity; and
a detent pin that is biased toward a detent surface of the detent cavity and slidably engages the detent surface to define a plurality of selector positions of the selector.