AU646310B2

AU646310B2 - Steering wheel lock device

Info

Publication number: AU646310B2
Application number: AU88295/91A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Noriyuki Suzuki
Original assignee: Tokai Rika Co Ltd
Current assignee: Tokai Rika Co Ltd
Priority date: 1990-11-30
Filing date: 1991-11-29
Publication date: 1994-02-17
Anticipated expiration: 2011-11-29
Also published as: JP2517040Y2; JPH0484067U; AU8829591A

Description

i 64 S F Ref: 198363

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

-c" ft 9 oo 0 a 0 0 4 00 4D 0 00 0 04 0 1 4 0 00 0 St 0 o 0 0 S 4 so 4e o Name and Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho 1, Aza Noda, Oaza Toyota Oguchi-cho Niwa-gun Aichi

JAPAN

Noriyuki Suzuki Spruson Ferguson, Patent Attorneys Level 33 St Martins Tower, 31 Market Street Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia Steering Wheel Lock Device The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- 5845/4 j ~r-lr~~u~-P1 STEERING WHEEL LOCK DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a steering wheel lock device of a so-called two-stage operation type in which when a key rotor in an operative position is pressed by a key, the key rotor can be turned into a lock position.

In a steering whee3l lock device of this type, a projection is formed on an inner periphery of a rotor case, and a regulating projection is formed on an outer periphery of a key rotor housed in the rotor case. Provided near the 0 *ib, regulating projection is a groove relative to which this 0 f, projection can slidingly move. When the key rotor is to be 14 0 '1 turned from an operative position the position ACC or the position ON) to a lock position the position LOCK), the regulating projection of the key rotor abuts against the projection of the rotor case to thereby prevent the key rotor from angular movement to the position LOCK, if 0 0 the rotor key is not pressed or pushed in and then is turned.

On the other hand, if the key rotor is pressed in and then is jj turned, this limitation is released to allow the key rotor to [i 20 be turned to the position LOCK (This construction is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Application No. 63-74359).

In the above construction, when the key rotor angularily moves between the position LOCK and the position 1 2 ACC, the projection on the rotor case always passes along the same path relative to the key rotor. Therefore, when the key rotor is to be turned from the position LOCK toward the position ACC, the key rotor is automatically moved in the direction of the pressing-in despite the fact that the key is not pressed in. This causes a feeling of uneasiness.

Summary of the Invention Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a steering wheel lock device in which a key rotor can be turned without a feeling of uneasiness, and the operability is improved.

According to the present invention, there is provided a steering wheel lock device comprising: a rotor case; a key rotor slidably mounted in said rotor case for angular movement in a circumferential direction and also for axial movement and adapted to be turned between a lock position and an operative position by a key inserted into said key rotor, said key rotor being allowed to move in its axial direction by pressing operation of the key; i n o e I

SI

115€5 IN:LIBMM00047:LMM 3 a regulating member having a distal end portion in contact with an outer peripheral surface of said key rotor, said distal end portion sliding relative to the outer peripheral surface of said key rotor in associated with the rotation of saii ':ey rotor; a regulating projection formed on the outer peripheral su., of said key rotor in such a manner that; when said key rotor is turned from the lock po,.:on to the operative position with said key rotor kept in a non-pressed condition, said distal end portion cf said regulating member passes past said regulating projection relative thereto, thereby allc wing rotation of said key rotor toward the operative position without axial movement of said key rotor; and when said key rotor is turned from the operative position to the lock position with said key rotor kept in a non-pressed condition, said regulating projection is engaged with the distal end portion of said regulating member, thereby preventing said key rotor from turning to the lock position; and t ti I j 1 1 IN:\LIBMM]00047:LMM 1 4 a bypass passage provided in the outer peripheral surface of said key rotor so as to bypass said regulating projection in such a manner that, when said key rotor is pressed in the operative position, said distal end portion of said regulating member is introduced into said bypass passage relative thereto, so that the engagement of said distal end portion with said regulating projection is released, thereby allowing to turn said key rotor toward the lock position.

Brief Description of the Drawings Figs. 1 to 9 show one preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an important portion; Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the important portion; Fig. 3 is a front-elevational view; Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of Fig. 1; ft t ft it f ft ft f I~t f t.

f tIt I CL B~ki~

I

L'

FL 6, nr~l 1"4 IN:~LleMMlbo~~P~i~l'MM I Figs. 5 to 9 are views explanatory of the operation, showing different conditions of the operation, respectively; and Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing a modified form of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 9.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, a key rotor 1 has a key insertion hole 2, and is housed in a rotor case 3 for angular movement in a circumferential direction and also for axial movement. The key rotor 1 is normally urged in an axially outward drection direction of arrow A) by a V compression spring (not shown). When the key rotor 1 is in a i5 lock position position LOCK), a key 4 can be inserted into and withdrawn from the key insertion hole 2. The key rotor 1 can be turned by the key 4 sequentially from the position LOCK toward operative positions \CC, ON and START.

a 0 0 a In the operative positions, the key 4 can not be inserted and 0G20:o withdrawn. As is well known, although not shown in the drawings, at the inner side of the key rotor 1, there is l provided a cam angularly movable in unison with the key rotor p, 1 so as to move a lock member for locking and unlocking a steering, and also there is provided an ignition switch which is operated upon angular movement of the key rotor 1.

5 A regulating member 5 of a generally L-shape is pivotally mounted at one end on the rotor case 3 by a pin 6, and is urged by a coil spring 7 in such a manner that its distal end portion 5a is brought into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the key rotor 1. When the key rotor 1 is turned, the distal end portion 5a slidingly moves relative to the outer peripheral surface of the key rotor 1.

A regulating projection 8 is formed on that portion of the outer peripheral surface of the key rotor 1 where the distal end portion 5a of the regulating member 5 slidingly moves. As shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the regulating projection 8 has a slanting surface 8a at one side in the circumferential direction, and also has a perpendicular surface 8b at the other side. A first recess 9 is provided adjacent to the slanting surface 8a of the regulating St* projection 8, and is continuous with the slanting surface 8a.

A second recess 10 is provided adjacent to the perpendicular surface 8b. A bypass passage 11 is formed in the outer 0 G peripheral surface of the key rotor 1 in bypassing relation I to the regulating projection 8. The bypass passage 11 is I o*o 1 greater in height than the first and second recesses 9 and 10, and is continuous with the first recess 9 via a ,t perpendicular surface lla, and is continuous with the second recess 10 via a slanting surface llb. When the key rotor is t t in the position LOCK and is not p.essed in, the distal end 6 i portion 5a of the regulating member 5 is received in the 'I first recess 9, as shown in Fig. The operation of the above construction will now be described.

The key 4 is inserted into the key hole 2 of the key rotor 1 held in the position LOCK, and then the key rotor 1 is turned by the key 4 in a direction of arrow B without pressing the key rotor 1, so that the distal end portion of the regulating meimber 5 moves from the first recess 9 and slides relative to the slanting surface 8a of the regulating Srojection 8 (see Fig. When the key rotor 1 is turned to 'the position ACC, the distal end portion 5a of the regulating i member 5 passes past the regulating projection 8 and drops into the second recess 10. When the key rotor 1 is turned to 15 the position START via the position ON, the engine is ji started, and upon release of the hand from the key 4, the key rotor 1 is automatically returned to the position ON, and the distal end portion 5a of the regulating member 5 remains i stopped at the central portion of the second recess 10 (see i 20 Fig. At this time, when the key rotor 1 is turned to the operative positions (the position ACC to the position START), the lock member is moved by the cam (not shown) moved in unison with the key rotor 1, and the locking of the steering is released by this lock member.

When tho key rotor 1 is turned from the position ON (Fig. 8y toward the position LOCK (that is, in a direction 7 opposite to the direction of arrow B) without pressing the key rotor 1, the perpendicular surface 8b of the regulating projection 8 is engaged with the distal end portion 5a of the regulating member 5 upon angular movement of the key rotor 1 as far as the position ACC (see Fig. Therefore, in this condition, the key rotor 1 can not be turned to the position LOCK. Therefore, when the key rotor 1 is turned as far as the position ACC, the key rotor 1 is pressed by the key 4 to be moved in a direction opposite to the direction of arrow A, so that the distal end portion 5a of the regulating member intrudes from the second recess 10 into the bypass passage 11 via the slanting surface llb (see Fig. Then, in this condition, the key rotor 1 is turned in the direction ft S opposite to the direction of arrow B, so that the distal end 1.,9 portion 5a of the regulating member 5 moves into the first S recess 9 through the bypass passage 11 and the perpendicular surface 1la. Thus, the key rotor 1 can be turned as far as the position LOCK. When the key rotor 1 is turned to the o position LOCK, the key 4 can be withdrawn from the key o o0 020* insertion hole 2, and upon withdrawal of the key 4, the o~o j steering is held in a locked condition.

In the above-described embodiment, when the ke r rotor O i 1 is to be turned from the position LOCK to the operative 4' 4 position, the distal end portion 5a of the regulating member 5 slides along a path indicated by a dot-and-dash arrow C in Fig. 1 so as to pass past the regulating projection 8. When 8 11 the key rotor 1 is to be turned from the position ACC to the position LOCK, the distal end portion 5a of the regulating member 5 slides along a path indicated by a dots-and-dash arrow D in Fig. 1 which path passes through the bypass passage 11, so as to bypass the regulating projection 8.

Therefore, the path cf sliding movement of the distal end portion 5a rf the regulating member 5 for angularly moving the kej rotor 1 from the position LOCK to the operative position is different from the path for angularly moving the key rotor 1 from the operative position to the position LOCK.

Particularly when the key rotor 1 is to be turned from the o positicro LOCK to the operative position, the key rotor is not 0a0 moved in the axial direction, and therefore there does not 0o0 o occur a feeling of uneasiness in contrast with the construction in which the key rotor 1 is automatically moved o 0 in the direction of pressing. Therefore, the operability is improved.

0 0000 soo 0 0 "0 000'% 0 0 0 0 0 1 0; 2) 80 0 0 Particularly in the above embodiment, the perpendicular surface lla is provided between the first recess 9 and the bypass passage 11, and therefore even when it is intended to press the key rotor 1 held in the position LOCK, the perpendicular surface lla abuts against the distal end portion 5a of the x-gulating member 5, so that the key rotor 1 held in the position LOCK can not be pressed.

Fig. 10 shows a modified form of the present invention. In this case, a regulating member 12 has a rod- 9 -i i like shape, and is mounted on the rotor case 3 for movement i radially of the key rotor 1, and is urged by a compression coil spring 13 in such a manner that its distal end portion 12a is abutted against the outer peripheral surface of the key rotor i. This construction also achieves similar effects as attained with the above embodiment.

As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, the path of sliding movement of the distal end portion of the regulating member for angularly moving the key rotor from the lock position to the operative position is different from the path for angularly moving the key rotor from the operative position to the lock position.

Particularly when the key rotor is to be turned from the lock position to the operative position, the key rotor Joes not move in the axial direction, and "ierefore there does not occur a feeling of uneasiness in contrast with the construction in which the key rotor is automatically moved in 1 the direction of pressing. Therefore, the operability is improved.

ttLt Ii t 10

Claims

2. A steering wheel ree- device according to claim 1, wherein said regulating member comprises a L-shaped lever mounted on said rotor case.
3. A steering wheel .reekdevice according to claim 1, wherein said regulating member comprises a rod mounted on Lcna C pA.fA -L c \ong o' <ccAV said rotor case for movement radially of said key rotor.
4. A steering wheel iroc device according to claim 1, wherein said regulating projection has: a first slanting surface at one side in the circumferential direction; and a first perpendicular surface at the other side \n+-he ci rmfee.\A recA-Vo n \oct A steering wheel s~eek-device according to claim 4, further comprising: a first recessed portion provided adjacent to and continuous with said first slanting surface; and 12 'I r-r a second recessed portion provided adjacent 6 to and continuous with said first perpendicular surface. locK 1 6. A steering wheel ee-kdevice according to claim 3reoer 2 f, wherein said bypass passage is -gzter in height than said 3 first and second recessed portions, one end portion of said 4 bypass passage is continuous with said first recessed portion via a second perpendicular surface, and the other end portion 6 of said bypass passage is continuous with said second 7 recessed portion via a second slanting surface. Joctr 1 7. A steering wheel -eek-device according to claim S 2 1, wherein said regulating projection has a top portion, and 3 said bypass passage is lower in height than said top portion S 4 of said regulating projection. DATED this TWENTY SEVENTH day of NOVEMBER 1991 Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho Patent Attorneys for the Applicant SPRUSON FERGUSON 13 Steering Wheel Lock Device Abstract of the Disclosure i A steering wheel lock device comprises: a rotor case a key Srotor a regulating member having a distal end portion; a regulating projection and a bypass passage According to the present inven'ion, the path of sliding movement of the distal end portion for angularly moving the key rotor from the lock position to the operative position is different from the path for angularly moving the key rotor from the operative position to the lock position. Particularly, when the key rotor is to be turned from the lock position to the operative position, the key does not move in the axial direction. Therefore, the operability is improved. Figure 1 ~a II I) Iif' I 13I I ALB:5065D