Locks – Special application – For control and machine elements
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-17
2002-02-26
Browne, Lynne H. (Department: 3629)
Locks
Special application
For control and machine elements
C070S368000, C070S370000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06349579
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention concerns a motor vehicle steering column anti-theft device.
The invention concerns more particularly a steering column anti-theft device of motor vehicle of the type including a casing in which is mounted rotationally a rotor of a lock which drives rotationally a projecting part forming a cam that can cooperate with a bolt to control its movements, of the type in which a cylindrical section of the front end of said rotor fits in a rear bore of said projecting part, and of the type in which said projecting part is linked rotationally to the rotor, these two parts being immobilized axially relative to each other.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
There are several known examples of this type of anti-theft device which is most commonly used to prevent theft of vehicles, notably private cars.
Numerous perfections have been made to this type of anti-theft device, notably concerning the lock, to improve the strength of the device in response to known techniques used by vehicle thieves.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention proposes a perfection of the anti-theft device enabling the assembly of the various components in a simple and automated manner.
The invention is therefore a vehicle steering column anti-theft device of the type including a casing in which a rotationally mounted lock rotor drives rotationally a rotary projecting part forming a cam that can cooperate with a bolt to control the movements of this bolt, said rotor being of the type in which its cylindrical front end section is engaged in a rear bore of said projecting part and in which said rotor and said projecting part are immobilized rotationally and axially relative to each other, wherein the means of axial immobilization of said projecting part relative to said rotor include a restraining part in the form of a spring clip carried by said projecting part including an elastically deformable section of which one active end projects radially inwards into said rear bore to engage a notch in the peripheral surface of said front end section of said rotor, and wherein, to enable automatic assembly of these parts, the rotor includes means for automatic engagement of said active end of said restraining part in said notch of said rotor.
According to other characteristics of the invention:
The peripheral cylindrical surface of the front end section of the rotor includes an inclined ramp extending axially rearwards from the front edge of the rotor and radially outwards and cooperates with the active end of the restraining part during axial insertion of the front end section of the rotor into the rear bore of the projecting part;
The ramp is angularly aligned with the notch, and the rotor is connected rotationally to the projecting part by means of the complementary forms which engage each other axially during axial insertion of the front end section of the rotor (
16
) into the rear bore (
34
) of the projecting part (
20
).
The restraining part is a wire part of circular arc shape which is mounted on a circular radial shoulder formed in the peripheral surface of the projecting part and whose active end projects radially through an opening formed in the surface of the shoulder into the rear bore of the projecting part;
The other free end of the wire part is hook-shaped and engages a hole in the surface of the shoulder to hold the wire part in position on the shoulder;
The active end of the wire part is hairpin-shaped and of substantially radial orientation and its intermediate semicircular section (
68
) projects radially into the rear bore (
34
) of the projecting part (
20
) to engage the notch (
78
) in the rotor.
The free end of the hairpin-shaped active end is hook-shaped to allow it to be manipulated by a tool to pull the active end of the wire part out of the notch of the rotor, thereby enabling separation of the parts;
The projecting part is delimited by a substantially cylindrical peripheral surface that fits rotationally into a corresponding housing in said casing, the casing including an aperture of radial orientation which, at a certain angular position of said rotor relative to said casing, lies opposite the hook-shaped free end of the hairpin-shaped active end of the wire part, providing access for a dismantling tool.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2049742 (1936-08-01), Lowe
patent: 2348135 (1944-05-01), Jacobi
patent: 3410123 (1968-11-01), Jacobi
patent: 4633689 (1987-01-01), Wolniak et al.
patent: 4689977 (1987-09-01), Wolniak et al.
patent: 5640864 (1997-06-01), Miyamoto
patent: 5775147 (1998-07-01), Wittwer
patent: 5907963 (1999-06-01), Myers et al.
patent: 0 669 234 (1995-08-01), None
French Search Report dated Oct. 22, 1999.
Patent Abstracts of Japan vol. 1999, No. 01, Jan. 29, 1999 & JP 10 266657A (Honda Lock Mfg Co Ltd), Oct. 6, 1998.
Browne Lynne H.
Morgan&Finnegan LLP
Valeo Securite Habitacle
Walsh John B.
LandOfFree
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