Steering lock apparatus

Details Steering lock apparatus Steering lock apparatus

2002-10-30

2004-09-07

Stodola, Daniel P. (Department: 3676)

Locks

Special application

For automotive vehicles

C070S189000, C070S257000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06786069

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a steering lock apparatus for use in vehicles such as automobiles.
Among steering lock apparatuses that determine if a user is an authorized user with an electronic certificate function using an electronic key to unlock a steering lock and permit the start of the engine, there has conventionally been known one that is equipped with a knob for rotating a cylinder lock without need of a mechanical key. This type of steering lock apparatus includes one that executes electronic certification upon detection of a knob being pushed, and operates an actuator that is locking rotation of the cylinder lock upon recognition of certification, to put the cylinder lock in a rotatable state and permit unlocking of the steering lock. This steering lock apparatus is also structured to enable unlocking of the steering lock with use of a mechanical key in case of failure of the electronic key and the like.
As shown in
FIG. 17
, this steering lock apparatus
100
is provided with an approximately cylinder-shaped body
101
, and a cylinder lock
102
is attached on the front inside of the body
101
. The cylinder lock
102
is composed of a cylinder-shaped outer cylinder
103
fixed in the body
101
, a cylinder-shaped rotor
105
housed in the outer cylinder
103
so as to be rotable as well as movable in forward and backward directions (right and left direction in FIG.
17
), and a column-shaped cylinder
108
rotatably housed in the rotor
105
.
The cylinder
108
, which is the same as typical cylinder locks, has a plurality of tumblers
109
that are sunk by insertion of a mechanical key. When the mechanical key is not inserted, the tumbler
109
protruding from the cylinder
108
engages a lock groove
106
formed on the inner circumferential face of the rotor
105
, which prevents the cylinder
108
from rotating inside the rotor
105
. In a front end portion of the cylinder
108
, there is formed a brim-like portion
110
protruding like a flange, which is structured to hold the rotor
105
together with a C ring
112
attached and fixed to a rear end portion of the rotor
105
interposed between the brim-like portion
110
and the C ring
112
, by which the rotor
105
and the cylinder
108
can implement integral operation in forward and backward direction. In the front end portion of the cylinder
108
, there is a knob
113
for rotating the cylinder lock
102
without need of a mechanical key, and the knob
113
has slit-shaped internal space, through the mechanical key is insertable into the cylinder
108
.
The rear end portion of the cylinder
108
connected to a shaft
115
integrally formed with a cam
116
, like typical steering lock apparatuses. By rotation of the shaft
115
, the cam
116
operates a lock shaft
117
that unlocks an unshown steering shaft, by which the steering lock can be unlocked.
On the outer circumferential face of the rotor
105
, there is an engagement groove
107
that engages with a lock lever
121
operated by a solenoid
120
for preventing the rotor
105
from rotating. In unlocking with an electric key, the solenoid
120
operates so that engagement of the rotor
105
and the lock lever
121
is released, rotation of the knob
113
rotates the cylinder
108
and the rotor
105
together to allow unlocking of the steering lock. In unlocking with a mechanical key, upon insertion of the mechanical key and rotation thereof, only the cylinder
108
is structured to be rotated to allow unlocking of the steering lock.
Also, the steering apparatus
100
is equipped with an unshown detection means for detecting pushing of the knob
113
, and an unshown controller that operates upon detection by the detection means, executes electronic certification through exchanging signals by radio with the electronic key, and transmits an operating signal to the solenoid
120
upon recognition of certification.
To unlock the steering lock with use of an electronic key, a driver having the electronic key pushes the knob
113
. Consequently, the detection means detects the pushing operation of the knob
113
and operates the controller. Upon recognition of certification of the electronic key by the controller, the solenoid
120
is operated to pull up the lock lever
121
that engages with the engagement groove
107
, by which engagement of the lock lever
121
and the engagement groove
107
is released. This allows rotation of the rotor
105
, so that rotating operation of the knob
113
rotates the cylinder
108
, the rotor
105
and the shaft
115
to unlock the steering lock.
In the above structure, if the knob
113
is rotated when the solenoid
120
is operated and the lock lever
121
is detached from the engagement groove
107
, a lateral wall of the engagement groove
107
may come into contact with the lock lever
121
and catch the lock lever
121
, which causes a problem that the rotor
105
is not unlocked even if the solenoid
120
is operated. For solving this problem, there is an apparatus which prevents rotation of the cylinder
108
and the rotor
105
when the lock lever
121
is detached from the engagement groove
107
so as to ensure detachment of the lock lever
121
from the engagement groove
107
.
More specifically, there is formed an engagement groove
111
penetrating in the axis direction on the outer circumferential portion of the brim-like portion
110
of the cylinder
108
, and there is an engagement protruding portion
104
on the inner circumferential face of the outer cylinder
103
which fits into the engagement groove
111
and interrupts rotation of the cylinder
108
. The engagement protruding portion
104
is disposed such that engagement of the engagement groove
111
and the engagement protruding portion
104
is released when the cylinder
108
is pushed and moved to a rear position shown in FIG.
18
. This enables rotation of the cylinder
108
only in the rear position. When the knob
113
is pushed from the state before operation and the cylinder
108
being moved to the rear position, the detection means detects pushing of the knob
113
and operates the controller, and the controller finally operates the solenoid
120
so as to detach the lock lever
121
from the engagement groove
107
of the rotor
105
. This makes it possible to prevent occurrence of the above problem.
Thus, according to the structure allowing rotation of the cylinder
108
only in the rear position, unlocking with use of a mechanical key is implemented such that the mechanical key is inserted into the cylinder
108
so as to sink the tumbler
109
into the cylinder
108
, which enables rotation of the cylinder
108
against the rotor
105
. Then the cylinder
108
is moved to the rear position by pushing the cylinder
108
with the mechanical key so as to release engagement of the engagement protruding portion
104
of the cylinder outer
103
and the engagement groove
111
of the cylinder
108
, which enables rotating operation of the cylinder
108
to unlock the steering lock.
However, in the above-described type of steering lock apparatus, the cylinder needs to be moved to a rear position where rotation of the cylinder is allowed after the mechanical key is inserted. If the cylinder is not infallibly moved, rotating operation is not available even with the mechanical key being inserted, which causes a problem of failure of unlocking of the steering lock.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, in view of this problem, it is an object of the present invention to provide a steering lock apparatus in which a cylinder lock is infallibly moved to a rear position and held therein when a mechanical key has been inserted into the cylinder lock so as to prevent occurrence of operation failure and the like.
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is composed of a cylinder having a key insertion hole and becoming rotatable by insertion of the key, a rotor rotatably holding the cylinder and having an engagement groove formed on an outer circumferential portion, a body for housing the

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Steering lock apparatus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Steering lock apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Steering lock apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3189175