US Patent 7272988 Shift knob

A shift knob (1) for a gearshift lever (3) of an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle has a locking bar (5) guided axially in the gearshift lever (3) and a release button (2) which can be actuated manually for actuating the locking bar (5) in relation to the gearshift lever (3). The release button (2) is arranged in the shift knob (1) at the top end of the gearshift lever (3). The release button (2) is connected to the shift knob (1) by means of at least one lever arm (16) via a mounting site (17). The length of the lever arm (16) of the release button (2) is selected such in relation to the path traveled by the release button (2) during the actuation that the release button (2) performs an essentially linear movement.