Locks – Special application – For control and machine elements
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-17
2001-05-22
Gall, Lloyd A. (Department: 3627)
Locks
Special application
For control and machine elements
C070S252000, C464S057000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06233986
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a steering lock apparatus having an operating portion for carrying out locking and unlocking operations, and an actuator portion for locking and unlocking a steering shaft, in which the operating portion and the actuator portion are provided separately from each other.
2. Related Art
A steering lock apparatus was heretofore formed so that a portion of a key cylinder device operated by a key and a portion of a lock mechanism for locking a steering shaft were integrated with each other into one unit so as to be mechanically interlocked with each other.
The general structure of the steering lock apparatus was as follows. A cam member and a locking lever are provided between a key rotor of the key cylinder device and the portion of the lock mechanism for locking the steering shaft. The cam member rotates together with the key rotor. The cam member extends to the lock mechanism portion so as to be concentric with the key rotor. The locking lever operates in response to insertion and extraction of the key. Further, a lock member moved by the cam member is provided in the lock mechanism portion so as to be urged to move toward a lock position by a spring member.
In the aforementioned configuration, when the key inserted in the key rotor is located in an “ACC” position or in an “ON” position, the lock member is moved to an unlock position by the cam member and held in the unlock position by the locking lever. When the key is rotated from the “ACC” position to a “LOCK” position, the cam member's hold for the lock member is released by the rotation of the cam member. When the key is then extracted in the “LOCK” position, the locking lever's hold for the lock member is released. With the release of the locking lever's hold, the lock member is moved to a lock position by the urging force of the spring member. As a result, the lock member is fitted into a groove of the steering shaft, so that locking is performed.
When the extracted key is inserted in the key rotor in the “LOCK” position and then rotated to an operating position (“ACC”, “ON” or “START” position), the lock member is moved to the unlock position against the spring force of the spring member by the cam member and held in the unlock position by the locking lever.
In the aforementioned configuration, however, the key cylinder device portion and the lock mechanism portion for locking the steering shaft were integrated with each other into one unit so as to be mechanically interlocked with each other. Accordingly, if the key cylinder device portion was provided on an instrument panel in front of a driver seat, restrictions might be placed on the strength and setting position of the lock mechanism portion because the lock mechanism portion was located in front of the driver's knees.
As a countermeasure to this problem, the following idea is considered. An operating portion operated by a key and an actuator portion such as a lock mechanism, or the like, may be separated from each other. When a lock member in the lock mechanism is moved to a lock position by a spring member and a key is inserted and rotated to the “ACC” position (that is, when steering is to be unlocked), this condition is detected, for example, by a detection means, or the like, so that a drive means such as a motor, or the like, is driven on the basis of the detection signal to move the lock member to an unlock position.
Incidentally, when so-called handle torque acts on the lock member in the condition that the lock member is fitted into the lock groove of the steering shaft, the degree of the aforementioned fitting may be severe so that the lock member may not move toward an unlock position at all though the motor is switched on. In this case, the lock member can come out of the lock groove if the motor is switched on again after a handle is moved slightly to release handle torque. There is, however, a disadvantage that the motor is locked first. Furthermore, there is a trouble that the motor must be started twice. There is a guess that this trouble leads to reduction of the life in use of the motor.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
The present invention is designed in consideration of the aforementioned circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a steering lock apparatus in which an operating portion and an actuator portion are provided separately from each other so that the degree of freedom in the arrangement of the operating portion and the actuator portion can be enhanced and in which a lock member can be operated without locking an electric drive means and without starting the electric drive means by a plurality of times even in the case where the lock member is made inoperative by handle torque when unlocking is performed.
In order to achieve the above object, according to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a steering lock apparatus comprising:
an operating portion for carrying out locking and unlocking operations; and
an actuator portion provided separately from the operating portion for locking and unlocking a steering shaft in connection with an operation of the operating portion;
the actuator portion including:
a lock member provided so as to be able to reciprocate between a lock position for locking the steering shaft and an unlock position for unlocking the steering shaft;
an electric drive means controlled in accordance with the operation of the operating portion; and
a lock control mechanism having a driven body provided so as to be rotated reversibly by the electric drive means, a cam member provided so as to be able to rotate reversibly relative to the driven body, and an unlock spring member constituted by a torsion coiled spring provided between the driven body and the cam member, wherein: the cam member rotates reversibly in the same direction as the driven body through the unlock spring member on the basis of the reversible rotation of the driven body to thereby move the lock member to either one of the lock and unlock positions; and when the electric drive means is controlled by an unlocking operation in the condition that handle torque acts on the lock member located in the lock position, the lock control mechanism makes spring force of the unlock spring member accumulated with absorption of the rotational displacement of the driven body to thereby cause the spring force to act on the lock member to make the lock member move to the unlock position through the cam member.
With the aforementioned configuration, the operating portion and the actuator portion are separated from each other. Accordingly, the degree of freedom in the arrangement of the operating portion and the actuator portion is enhanced. For example, the operating portion can be arranged on an instrument panel and the actuator portion can be arranged in a foot portion in a driver seat.
When, for example, the operating portion in the aforementioned configuration is subjected to an unlocking operation in the condition that the lock member moves to the lock position to lock the steering shaft, the electric drive means makes an unlocking operation. In an ordinary state in which handle torque does not act on the lock member, the driven body, the unlock spring member and the cam member in the lock control mechanism are rotated in one direction by the unlocking operation of the electric drive means. As a result, the lock member is moved to an unlock position by the cam member, so that the steering shaft is unlocked.
When the operating portion is subjected to a locking operation in the condition that the steering shaft is unlocked, the electric drive means makes a locking operation. In this case, the driven body, the unlock spring member and the cam member in the lock control mechanism are rotated in a direction reverse to the aforementioned direction by the locking operation of the electric drive means. As a result, the lock member is moved to a lock position, so that the steering shaft is locked.
When handle torque acts on the lock member in the conditi
Kita Sadato
Suzuki Noriyuki
Gall Lloyd A.
Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki
Morgan & Lewis & Bockius, LLP
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