Delphi Corp. will be offering heavy-duty transmission interface technologies designed specifically for commercial vehicles.
The company says its electronic pushbutton interface and lever interface can be customized to meet a manufacturer?s specific requirements.
Both Delphi?s pushbutton and lever designs provide crisp, consistent actuation. The units are fully sealed to protect them from severe operating environments and are of a durable lightweight construction. The package size, mounting, graphics, display and lighting can also be adapted per customer specifications. Both units utilize a vacuum fluorescent display (VFD) instead of a liquid crystal display (LCD). A VFD functions better than a LCD in extreme temperature and lighting environments.
Designed specifically for increased reliability, both units build on a switch technology originating from Duraswitch. The switch mechanisms chosen for this product have been tested up to a million cycles according to typical automotive testing specifications, the company said. Delphi?s implementation of the Duraswitch PushGate technology was able to meet the rigorous conditions required by this application.
The electronics of both the pushbutton and lever technologies can be customized to suit different mechanical packages. Digital information, such as the vehicle?s shifting mode and diagnostics, is communicated between the interface devices and transmission control module through a CAN Bus interface. In addition, Delphi?s lever interface design uses an optical (non-contact) gear position sensing technology, thereby increasing the system?s reliability by eliminating physical wear. There is also flexibility on the number and spacing of gear positions designed into the lever module itself.
Delphi?s pushbutton and lever transmission interface designs are expected to be available for commercial vehicle applications as early as 2004.