JP2008195097A - Steering lock device of vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a steering lock device of a vehicle capable of attaining sure engagement releasing of a locking member from an engaged part without continuing an unnecessary increase of driving voltage to be supplied to an electric actuator or excessively extending supply time of the driving voltage. <P>SOLUTION: In this steering lock device, a driving control device 7 is provided with a driving circuit 8 for driving an electric motor 6 and a control unit 9 for variably controlling the driving voltage V to be supplied to the electric motor 6 via the driving circuit 8, and a current value detection circuit 10 for detecting a driving current value I of the electric motor 6 is provided. The control unit 9 increases the driving voltage V when the driving current value I detected by the current value detection circuit 10 is a prescribed current value I1 or more in which the electric motor 6 becomes an overload state as compared with time when the driving current value I is the prescribed current value I1 or less, when a steering shaft 2 of a lock state is switched to an unlock state. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  According to the present invention, a steering member is selectively switched between a locked state and an unlocked state by drivingly engaging and disengaging a lock member with an electric actuator with respect to an engaged portion that rotates together with a steering shaft of a vehicle. The present invention relates to a locking device.

  In a vehicle such as an automobile, an engaged part that rotates together with the steering shaft, a lock member that engages / disengages the engaged part and selectively switches the steering shaft between a locked state and an unlocked state, and engages / disengages the lock member An antitheft steering lock device (see, for example, Patent Document 1) including an electric actuator for driving and a drive control unit for driving and controlling the electric actuator is well known.

  Here, for example, a push button type engine starter that starts the engine without using a general mechanical key is well known, and in a steering lock system including such an engine starter and the steering lock device, When the engine control unit connected to the vehicle-mounted unit of the keyless entry device receives a predetermined engine start command, the engine is started after the steering lock device is switched to the unlocked steering shaft in the unlocked state. It is configured.

In the steering lock device, usually, the engaged portion is formed of an engagement recess opening outward in the radial direction of the steering shaft, and the lock member is driven to move in the radial direction by the electric actuator and is engaged with and disengaged from the engagement recess. Is done.
JP 2005-313773 A

  In the steering lock device, when the steering shaft is in a locked state, when the turning force acts on the steering shaft and the lock member engaged with the engaged portion is twisted, the lock member is covered. When the engagement portion is strongly engaged, when the locked steering shaft is switched to the unlocked state, the lock member is pulled out from the engaged portion even if the lock member is driven by the electric actuator. There is a possibility that the engagement cannot be released.

  Therefore, when driving the electric actuator, it is conceivable to set the drive voltage supplied to the electric actuator high in advance, and to set the supply time of this drive voltage long in advance. There arises a problem that the electric actuator is liable to be damaged or broken due to heat generation and the like, and the deterioration of the electric actuator is easily promoted.

  It is an object of the present invention to reliably disengage the lock member from the engaged portion when switching the locked steering shaft to the unlocked state, and this keeps the drive voltage supplied to the electric actuator unnecessarily high. It is another object of the present invention to provide a steering lock device for a vehicle that can be achieved without excessively extending the drive voltage supply time (unlock time).

  According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a steering lock device for a vehicle, wherein the lock member selectively engages / disengages with an engaged portion that rotates together with the steering shaft of the vehicle to switch the steering shaft between a locked state and an unlocked state. In a vehicle steering lock device including an electric actuator for engaging and disengaging the electric actuator and a drive control means for driving and controlling the electric actuator, the drive control means includes a drive circuit for driving the electric actuator, and the drive Voltage control means for variably controlling the drive voltage supplied to the electric actuator via a circuit, and provided with a current value detection means for detecting the drive current value of the electric actuator, the voltage control means is a steering in a locked state When the shaft is switched to the unlocked state, it is detected by the current value detecting means. Drive current value, and wherein the increasing the driving voltage than when less than a predetermined current value when the electric actuator is not less than a predetermined current value to be overloaded.

  In this vehicle steering lock device, the lock member is engaged with the engaged portion, the steering shaft is locked, the lock member is disengaged from the engaged portion, and the steering shaft is unlocked. Become. The electric actuator is driven and controlled by the drive control means, and the lock member is engaged with and disengaged from the engaged portion by the electric actuator. In this drive control means, the drive voltage supplied to the electric actuator is variably controlled by the voltage control means via a drive circuit for driving the electric actuator.

  Here, when the locked steering shaft is switched to the unlocked state, when the lock member is strongly engaged with the engaged portion, the lock member is engaged with the engaged portion even if the electric actuator is driven. If the engagement is not released or it is difficult to release the engagement, the electric actuator is overloaded, and the drive current value of the electric actuator increases.

  Therefore, when the current value detection means detects the drive current value of the electric actuator and switches the locked steering shaft to the unlocked state, the drive current value detected by the current value detection means by the voltage control means is the electric actuator. The driving voltage is increased when the current is equal to or higher than a predetermined current value at which the load is overloaded than when the current is lower than the predetermined current value. When the steering member is strongly engaged with the engaged part when the steering shaft is in the locked state by setting the driving voltage supplied when the current value is equal to or higher than the normal driving voltage. However, the lock member is reliably released from the engaged portion.

Here, the following configuration can be adopted as a dependent claim of claim 1.
The electric actuator comprises an electric motor (claim 2). The voltage control means increases the drive voltage when a state where the drive current value detected by the current value detection means is equal to or greater than a predetermined current value continues for a certain period of time (Claim 3). The voltage control means stops the supply of the drive voltage after a set time from the start of supply of the drive voltage.

  According to the vehicle steering lock device of the first aspect, the lock member is engaged and disengaged by the electric actuator with respect to the engaged portion that rotates together with the steering shaft, and the steering shaft is brought into the locked state and the unlocked state. In particular, the drive control means for driving and controlling the electric actuator variably controls the drive circuit for driving the electric actuator and the drive voltage supplied to the electric actuator via this drive circuit. Current value detecting means for detecting the drive current value of the electric actuator, and the voltage control means is detected by the current value detecting means when switching the locked steering shaft to the unlocked state. When the drive current value is equal to or greater than the predetermined current value at which the electric actuator is overloaded, Increasing the driving voltage than in the less than the value.

  Therefore, when the lock member is strongly engaged with the engaged portion, the drive current value detected by the current value detection means is equal to or greater than the predetermined current value. The member can be quickly and reliably disengaged from the engaged portion, and therefore the operation reliability can be improved. Moreover, when the lock member is not strongly engaged with the engaged portion, the drive current value detected by the current value detection means becomes less than the predetermined current value, so the electric actuator is driven at a low high output, Even if the lock member can be disengaged from the engaged part and the electric actuator is driven at a high output, the drive current value detected by the current value detection means is immediately supplied to the electric actuator as soon as it falls below the predetermined current value. Therefore, the effect of reliably releasing the lock member from the engaged portion can be achieved without unnecessarily increasing the drive voltage supplied to the electric actuator. It is possible to suppress the occurrence of damage, failure, and deterioration of the electric actuator due to.

  According to the steering lock device for a vehicle of the second aspect, since the electric actuator is an electric motor, the driving voltage for reliably engaging / disengaging the lock member with respect to the engaged portion by the electric motor and supplying the electric motor to the electric motor is provided. By raising the value, the output of the electric motor can be reliably raised.

  According to the vehicle steering lock device of the third aspect, the voltage control means increases the drive voltage when a state where the drive current value detected by the current value detection means is equal to or greater than a predetermined current value continues for a certain period of time. Therefore, when the driving current value is temporarily not equal to a predetermined current value or when the electric actuator starts driving, or when the lock member is strongly engaged with the engaged portion, the driving current value However, when the lock member shifts to the disengaged state from the engaged portion before the state continues for a certain time, the drive current value becomes less than the predetermined current value. It is possible to prevent the voltage from being raised unnecessarily.

  According to the vehicle steering lock device of the fourth aspect, the voltage control means stops the supply of the drive voltage after a set time from the start of the supply of the drive voltage, so the supply time of the drive voltage supplied to the electric actuator It is possible to prevent the (unlocking time) from becoming excessively long, and to more reliably suppress the damage caused by heat generation of the electric actuator, the occurrence of a failure, and the promotion of the deterioration of the electric actuator.

  In the vehicle steering lock device of the present invention, the lock member is engaged and disengaged by the electric actuator with respect to the engaged portion that rotates together with the steering shaft, and the steering shaft is selectively set to the locked state or the unlocked state. A drive control means for driving and controlling the electric actuator, a drive circuit for driving the electric actuator, and a voltage control means for variably controlling the drive voltage supplied to the electric actuator via the drive circuit; It is equipped with.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a steering lock device 1 for a vehicle is engaged with and disengaged from an engaged portion 3 that rotates together with a steering shaft 2 of a vehicle steering system, and the steering shaft 2 is selectively set to a locked state or an unlocked state. A lock member 4 for switching to the engagement member, an engagement / disengagement drive mechanism 5 having an electric motor 6 that is an electric actuator for engaging and disengaging the lock member 4, a drive control device 7 that is a drive control means for controlling the drive of the electric motor 6, and an electric motor And a current value detection circuit 10 which is a current value detection means for detecting a drive current value I of the motor 6.

  The engaged portion 3 is composed of one or a plurality of engaging recesses 3 opened to the outer periphery of the steering shaft 2 in the radial direction. The lock member 4 is driven to move in the radial direction by the engagement / disengagement drive mechanism 5 and is engaged. The engagement member 3 is engaged and disengaged, the lock member 4 is engaged with the engaged portion 3, the steering shaft 2 is locked, the lock member 4 is disengaged from the engaged portion 3, and the steering shaft 2 is unlocked. The engagement / disengagement drive mechanism 5 may have a mechanism such as a gear that transmits the output of the electric motor 6 to the lock member 4.

  The drive control device 7 is a drive circuit 8 (driver 8) for driving the electric motor 6, and a voltage for controlling the drive circuit 8 and variably controlling the drive voltage V supplied to the electric motor 6 via the drive circuit 8. And a control unit 9 as control means. Electric power is supplied to the drive circuit 8 from the battery 15, and electric power is supplied from the drive circuit 8 to the electric motor 6. The current value I detected by the current value detection circuit 10 is input to the control unit 9.

  The control unit 9 includes a CPU 9a, a ROM 9b, and a RAM 9c. For example, although not illustrated, the control unit 9 is electrically connected to the vehicle-mounted unit of the keyless entry device, and is connected to the vehicle-mounted unit of the keyless entry device. When a predetermined engine start command (for example, operation of a push button switch) is received, an unlock command is output to the control unit 9, and the control unit 9 receives the unlock command and engages the lock member 4 The drive control is performed via the drive circuit 8 and the engagement / disengagement drive mechanism 5 so as to release the engagement from the part 3, and the keyless entry device detects that the steering shaft 2 is switched from the unlocked state to the locked state, Start the engine.

  Here, the control unit 9 is electrically connected to the display device 16, and is configured to be able to control the display device 16 directly or indirectly. The display device 16 includes, for example, a display lamp dedicated to the steering lock device 1, a display common to the steering lock device 1 and other devices, and the like.

  As shown in FIGS. 2-1, 3-1, and 4-1, when the steering shaft 2 in the locked state is switched to the unlocked state, that is, when the lock member 4 is disengaged from the engaged portion 3. When the drive control device 7 controls the drive of the electric motor 6, first, a normal drive voltage V1 (for example, V1 = 5V) is first supplied to the electric motor 6, and the output of the electric motor 6 is set to a normal output at the start of driving. To.

  Here, FIGS. 2-1, 3-1 and 4-1 show the drive voltage V supplied to the electric motor 6 by the drive control device 7, and FIGS. 2-2, 3-2 and 4- 2 indicates the drive current value I of the electric motor 6 detected by the current value detection circuit 10. FIGS. 2A and 2B show the case where the electric motor 6 is driven from the state where the lock member 4 is not strongly engaged with the engaged portion 3. These show the case where the electric motor 6 is driven from the state in which the lock member 4 is strongly engaged with the engaged portion 3.

  Here, when the lock member 4 is strongly engaged with the engaged portion 3, the lock member 4 is engaged even when the electric motor 6 is driven at a normal drive voltage V1 (for example, V1 = 5V). When the engagement is not released from the joint portion 3 or is difficult to release, the electric motor 6 is overloaded, but as a drive current value of the electric motor 6, a predetermined current at which the electric motor 6 is overloaded. The value I1 (for example, I1 = 8A) is set in advance experimentally, for example.

  As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, in a state where the lock member 4 is not strongly engaged with the engaged portion 3, first, when the drive voltage V <b> 1 is supplied to the electric motor 6, the current value detection circuit 10. The detected drive current value I becomes less than a predetermined current value I1 (for example, 1A), and in this state, when a set time Te (for example, Te = 2 seconds) elapses from the start of supplying the drive voltage V1 to the electric motor 6. Then, the electric motor 6 is stopped from being supplied with the driving voltage V1.

  As shown in FIGS. 3-1, 2 and FIGS. 4-1, 2, in a state where the lock member 4 is strongly engaged with the engaged portion 3, first, when the drive voltage V1 is supplied to the electric motor 6. The drive current value I detected by the current value detection circuit 10 becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined current value I1 (for example, 10A), and this state is maintained for a certain time T1 (for example, from the start of supplying the drive voltage V1 to the electric motor 6). , T1 = 0.3 seconds), then, the drive voltage V2 (for example, V2 = 12V) higher than the drive voltage V1 is supplied to the electric motor 6, and the output of the electric motor 6 is made higher than the normal output. To do. Here, the drive current value I of the electric motor 6 is, for example, about 20A.

  Next, as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the drive current value I detected by the current value detection circuit 10 becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined current value I1, and in this state, the drive voltage V1 is supplied to the electric motor 6. When the set time Te has elapsed since the start, the electric motor 6 is stopped from supplying the drive voltage V2, and there is a high possibility that the lock member 4 will not be disengaged from the engaged portion 3 during that time.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the drive current value I detected by the current value detection circuit 10 becomes equal to or greater than the predetermined current value I1, and thereafter, the supply of the drive voltage V1 to the electric motor 6 is started. If the drive current value I detected by the current value detection circuit 10 becomes less than the predetermined current value I1 before the set time Te elapses, the drive voltage V1 is then supplied to the electric motor 6 and the output of the electric motor 6 is output. When the set time Te has elapsed from the start of supplying the drive voltage V1 to the electric motor 6 when the output is normal, the supply of the drive voltage V1 to the electric motor 6 is stopped while the lock member 4 is engaged from the engaged portion 3. The possibility of canceling is increased.

  The control executed by the control unit 9 for realizing the above operation is as shown in the flowchart of FIG. That is, when this control is started, the timer t is first started (S1), then the drive circuit 8 is controlled to supply the drive voltage V1 to the electric motor 6 (S2), and then The drive current value I detected by the current value detection circuit 10 is read (S3).

  Next, it is determined whether or not the drive current value I read in S3 is equal to or greater than the predetermined current value I1 (S4). If S4; No, the drive voltage V1 is continuously supplied to the electric motor 6 (S5), and then T = Te is determined (S6). If S6; No, the process returns to S5 and the drive voltage V supplied to the electric motor 6 is maintained at the drive voltage V1, and if S6; Yes, the drive is performed. The circuit 8 is controlled, the supply of the drive voltage V to the electric motor 6 is stopped (S11), and the process ends.

  On the other hand, if S4; Yes, it is determined whether or not t = T1 (S7). If S7; No, the process returns to S2. If S4; Yes, the drive voltage V supplied to the electric motor 6 is When the drive voltage V1 is maintained and S7; Yes, the drive circuit 8 is controlled and the drive voltage V2 is supplied to the electric motor 6 (S8). Next, it is determined whether or not t = Te (S9). If S9; No, the process returns to S4. If S4; Yes, S7; Yes, the drive voltage V supplied to the electric motor 6 is driven. The voltage V2 is maintained.

  Thereafter, when S9 is Yes, an alarm (failure display) is given by the display device 16 (S10), and then the drive circuit 8 is controlled to stop the supply of the drive voltage V to the electric motor 6. (S11), the process ends. Thereafter, when S9; No, when S4; No, the drive circuit 8 is controlled to supply the drive voltage V1 to the electric motor 6 (S5), and then it is determined whether t = Te. If (S6), S6; Yes, the drive circuit 8 is controlled, the supply of the drive voltage V to the electric motor 6 is stopped (S11), and the process ends.

  According to the steering lock device 1 described above, the drive control device 7 that drives and controls the electric motor 6 supplies the drive circuit 8 for driving the electric motor 6 and the electric motor 6 via the drive circuit 8. A control unit 9 that variably controls the drive voltage V, and a current value detection circuit 10 that detects the drive current value I of the electric motor 6 is provided. The control unit 9 puts the locked steering shaft 2 into the unlocked state. At the time of switching, when the drive current value I detected by the current value detection circuit 10 is greater than or equal to the predetermined current value I1 at which the electric motor 6 is overloaded, the drive voltage V is changed from V1 as compared to when it is less than the predetermined current value I1. Raise to V2.

  Therefore, when the lock member 4 is strongly engaged with the engaged portion 3, the drive current value I detected by the current value detection circuit 10 is equal to or greater than the predetermined current value I1, and therefore the electric motor 6 is output at high power. And the locking member 4 can be reliably and quickly disengaged from the engaged portion 3, so that the operation reliability can be improved. Here, the output of the electric motor 6 is reliably increased by reliably driving the lock member 4 to and from the engaged portion 3 by the electric motor 6 and increasing the drive voltage V supplied to the electric motor 6. Can be made.

  In addition, when the lock member 4 is not strongly engaged with the engaged portion 3, the drive current value I detected by the current value detection circuit 10 is less than the predetermined current value I1, and therefore the electric motor 6 is output at a low output. The lock member 4 can be disengaged from the engaged portion 3 and the electric motor 3 is driven at a high output, and then the drive current value I detected by the current value detection circuit 10 is a predetermined current. As soon as the value is less than I1, the drive voltage V supplied to the electric motor 6 is reduced from V2 to V1, so that the effect of reliably releasing the lock member 4 from the engaged portion 3 is supplied to the electric motor 6. This can be achieved without continuously increasing the driving voltage V unnecessarily.

  Furthermore, since the control unit 9 stops the supply of the drive voltage V after a set time Te from the start of the supply of the drive voltage V1, the same effect can be obtained by supplying the drive voltage V supplied to the electric motor 6 (unlocking). (Time) can be achieved without excessively long time, and therefore damage due to heat generation or the like of the electric motor 6, occurrence of failure, and promotion of deterioration of the electric motor 6 can be reliably suppressed.

  Further, the control unit 9 increases the drive voltage V when the state where the drive current value I detected by the current value detection circuit 10 is equal to or greater than the predetermined current value I1 continues for a predetermined time T1, so that FIG. As indicated by the phantom line, when the drive current value I is not stable and temporarily exceeds the predetermined current I1 value, such as when the electric motor 6 starts to be driven, or when the lock member 4 strongly When engaged, the drive current value I becomes equal to or greater than the predetermined current value I1, but the lock member 4 shifts from the engaged portion 3 to the disengaged state before the state continues for a certain period of time. Since the drive current value I is less than the predetermined current value I1, it is possible to prevent the drive voltage V from being raised unnecessarily.

  Note that T1, Te, V1, and V2 can be changed as appropriate. Various electric actuators such as a solenoid actuator can be applied instead of the electric motor 6, and various structures can be applied to the engaged portion 3, the lock member 4, and the engagement / disengagement drive mechanism 5. Further, the current value detection circuit 10 may be incorporated in the drive circuit 7, and various current value detection means for detecting the drive current value I of the electric motor 6 can be employed instead of the current value detection circuit 10. . In addition, various modifications can be added without departing from the spirit of the present invention. The present invention is suitable for vehicles such as automobiles, but can be applied to various vehicles such as other motorcycles.

It is a block diagram of a steering lock device. It is a time chart of the operation | movement which a drive control apparatus performs. It is a time chart which shows the drive current value of an electric motor. It is a time chart of the operation | movement which a drive control apparatus performs. It is a time chart which shows the drive current value of an electric motor. It is a time chart of the operation | movement which a drive control apparatus performs. It is a time chart which shows the drive current value of an electric motor. It is a flowchart of the process which a control unit performs.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Steering lock apparatus 2 Steering shaft 3 Engagement part 4 Lock member 6 Electric motor 7 Drive control apparatus 8 Drive circuit 9 Control unit 10 Current value detection circuit

Claims (4)

A lock member that selectively engages and disengages a steering shaft with a steering shaft of a vehicle to selectively switch the steering shaft between a locked state and an unlocked state; an electric actuator that engages and disengages the lock member; In a steering lock device for a vehicle provided with drive control means for driving and controlling an actuator,
The drive control means includes a drive circuit for driving the electric actuator, and a voltage control means for variably controlling a drive voltage supplied to the electric actuator via the drive circuit,
Providing a current value detecting means for detecting a drive current value of the electric actuator;
When switching the steering shaft in the locked state to the unlocked state, the voltage control means has a predetermined current when the drive current value detected by the current value detecting means is equal to or higher than a predetermined current value at which the electric actuator is overloaded. A steering lock device for a vehicle, wherein the drive voltage is increased more than when the value is less than the value.   The vehicle steering lock device according to claim 1, wherein the electric actuator includes an electric motor.   The voltage control means increases the drive voltage when a state where the drive current value detected by the current value detection means is equal to or greater than a predetermined current value continues for a predetermined time. A steering lock device for a vehicle according to claim.   4. The vehicle steering lock device according to claim 1, wherein the voltage control unit stops supply of the drive voltage after a set time from the start of supply of the drive voltage. 5.