Shift fork actuation assembly

1. An actuation assembly, comprising:

an actuator shaft;

a shift shaft;

a shift fork connected to at least a portion of said shift shaft;

a lever member connected to at least a portion of said shift shaft and pivotably connected to at least a portion of said actuator shaft;

one or more first stopper members and/or one or more second stopper members;

one or more sleeve members disposed around at least a portion of said one or more first stopper members and/or said one or more second stopper members;

wherein said one or more sleeve members have a thickness needed to limit movement of said lever member and allow a sliding collar to selectively transition between a first position, a second position and/or a third position; and

an actuation mechanism selectively transitioning said sliding collar between said first position, said second position, and/or said third position.

2. The actuation assembly of claim 1 , wherein said actuation mechanism is a pneumatic actuator, a hydraulic actuator or a linear actuator.

3. The actuation assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of said actuator shaft is axially off-set from and extends substantially transverse to or substantially perpendicular to at least a portion of said shift shaft.

4. The actuation assembly of claim 1 , wherein said lever member has a first end portion and a second end portion;

wherein at least a portion of said first end portion of said lever member is connected to at least a portion of said shift shaft; and

wherein at least a portion of said second end portion of said lever member is pivotably received within at least a portion of a lever member receiving portion extending inward into at least a portion of said actuator shaft.

5. The actuation assembly of claim 4 , wherein at least a portion of said second end portion of said lever member has an area of increased material thickness having a substantially circular shape.

6. The actuation assembly of claim 1 , wherein said shift fork and/or said lever member are integrally formed as part of said shift shaft, or wherein said shift fork and/or said lever may be separate components that are selectively attachable and/or detachable to and/or from each other.

7. The actuation assembly of claim 1 , wherein said sliding collar has one or more engagement portions that are selectively engagable with at least a portion of said shift fork.

8. The actuation assembly of claim 7 , wherein said one or more engagement portions of said sliding collar are one or more grooves circumferentially extending along at least a portion of an outer surface thereof;

wherein said one or more grooves in said outer surface of said sliding collar are of a size and shape to receive and/or retain at least a portion of said shift fork therein; and

wherein said shift fork selectively transitions said sliding collar between said first position, said second position and/or said third position.

9. The actuation assembly of claim 7 , wherein said shift fork has one or more engagement portions that are engagable with at least a portion of said one or more engagement portions of said sliding collar.

10. The actuation assembly of claim 9 , wherein said one or more engagement portions of said shift fork are integrally formed as part of said shift fork or rotationally connected to at least a portion of said shift fork.

11. The actuation assembly of claim 1 ,

wherein said one or more first stopper members, said one or more second stopper members, and/or said one or more sleeve members provide a positive stop preventing said lever member from moving beyond a pre-determined amount.

12. The actuation assembly of claim 1 , wherein said body portion of said one or more first and/or second stopper members have a thickness needed to aid in selectively transition a sliding collar between a first position, a second position and/or a third position.

13. The actuation assembly of claim 1 , wherein said one or more first and/or second stopper members are integrally formed as part of a housing or said one or more first and/or second stopper members are selectively attachable and/or detachable to and/or from said housing; and/or

wherein a housing has one or more second openings providing access to said one or more first stopper members, said one or more second stopper members and/or said one or more sleeves.

14. The actuation of claim 13 , wherein one or more second covers are selectively attachable and/or detachable to and/or from said housing in order to seal off and/or provide access to said one or more first stopper members, said one or more second stopper members and/or said one or more sleeves through said one or more second openings in said housing.

15. The actuation assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a sensor assembly having one or more first sensor members and/or one or more second sensor members; and

wherein a control unit is connected to said one or more first sensors and/or one or more second sensors and is operably configured to determine said position of said actuator shaft and/or a sliding collar.

16. The actuation assembly of claim 1 , wherein said actuation mechanism drives said actuator shaft linearly to pivot said lever member which in turn rotates said shift shaft and said shift fork.