Locks – Special application – For automotive vehicles
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-01
2002-05-28
Browne, Lynne H. (Department: 3629)
Locks
Special application
For automotive vehicles
C070S386000, C070S201000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06393881
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a manual shift lever lock structure used to restrain the shift lever from being pushed into a gear position randomly by engagement provided between the shift lever and a seat of the shift lever; and especially to a manual shift lever lock structure with which the lock can be directly provided on the manual shift lever without changing the elements of the shift lever.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional theft-proof devices, in addition to being in need of the theft-proofing function provided on door locks or power door locks of cars to prevent stealing the articles and activating the circuits in the cars, need the function of, by cooperation of other theft-proof locks, avoiding stealing of cars easily by driving away after destroying the door locks or power door locks. Generally, in normal driving of a car, a gear shifting mechanism shifts the gears of the car to a position to be driven by a transmission shaft to have the car driven by its own power. If the shift lever of the car is locked to prevent it from being shifted into a gear position, the engine of the car (even it is running) cannot make the car move. This can make it difficult for a to steal the car and provides more powerful measures to prevent the car from being stolen.
A lock with a U shaped rod is available in the markets presently; it can loop the shift lever and can restrain the shift lever. However, the U shaped rod is a locking member inserted from outside, the lock is separated from the shift lever, thus is subjected to destruction without damaging the shift lever and is unable to provide an effective theft-proofing function. Furthermore, when a user is to open the lock, the U shaped rod must be pulled and inserted for several times, thus inconvenience of use is induced; and even the U shaped rod may get lost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, the primary object of the manual shift lever lock structure of the present invention is to provide a slide sleeve capable of engaging with the seat of the shift lever and being slipped over a first hollow pipe of the shift lever; thus the shift lever is restrained from being pushed into a gear position randomly, and the car cannot be normally driven and an effective theft-proofing function is obtained. When an operator wants to lock the shift lever, he can just pull down the slide sleeve to slip into a hole on the seat for the shift lever; on the contrary, when he wants to release locking of the shift lever, he can just open the lock cylinder to render it automatically skip out of the shift lever seat, then engagement between the slide sleeve and the shift lever can thus be relieved. In this way, opening and locking of the lock can be simpler and more convenient.
Another object of the manual shift lever lock structure of the present invention is to combine the lock structure with the main body structure of the shift lever to more effectively prevent the lock from destruction, thus the theft-proofing function of the lock can be elevated.
Another object of the manual shift lever lock structure of the present invention is to extend and form an insertion rod on the wall of the slide sleeve, and an insertion hole is formed on the shift lever seat, by insertion engagement of the insertion rod in the shift lever seat, the shift lever is engaged by the shift lever seat. The lock structure can suit any shift lever seat of various types.
The present invention will be apparent in its detailed structure, features and functions after reading the detailed description of the preferred embodiment thereof in reference to the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4901544 (1990-02-01), Jang
patent: 5473918 (1995-12-01), Hixon
patent: 5596894 (1997-01-01), Lee
patent: 6098431 (2000-08-01), Li
patent: 6116370 (2000-09-01), Puigbo
patent: 3702479 (1987-06-01), None
Bacon & Thomas PLLC
Tung Chu International Inc.
Walsh John B.
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