GB2351763A

GB2351763A - Vehicle steering lock device

Info

Publication number: GB2351763A
Application number: GB0008542A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Claudio Fissolo
Original assignee: TRW Automotive Italia SRL
Current assignee: ZF Automotive Italia SRL
Priority date: 1999-04-07
Filing date: 2000-04-06
Publication date: 2001-01-10
Anticipated expiration: 2020-04-06
Also published as: GB0008542D0; ITTO990264A1; FR2793750B1; IT1308437B1; FR2793750A1; DE10017483B4; DE10017483A1; GB2351763B

Abstract

A vehicle steering lock device (1) having a connecting structure (2) connected to a fixed frame (3); a supporting body (4) for supporting an angular locking member (18) connected to the supporting body (4) to slide between a forward lock position preventing rotation of a steering shaft (7), and a withdrawn position permitting free rotation of the steering shaft (7); and a releasable connecting device for connecting the supporting body (4) to the connecting structure (2); the releasable connecting device having at least one screw-nut screw assembly (5) in turn having a tightening screw (10); and an angular retaining assembly (17) for angularly retaining the screw (10) with respect to the supporting body (4), and which is only releasable when the locking member (18) is in the withdrawn position.

Description

1 2351763 VEHICLE STEERING LOCK DEVICE The present invention relates to a

vehicle steering lock device.

To angularly lock a steering shaft rotating inside a supporting structure, a steering lock device is used comprising a guide connected to the supporting structure, and a slide-type locking body, which is fitted to the guide to slide in a direction crosswise to the steering shaft, and is moved by an actuating assembly between a forward position angularly locking the shaft, anda withdrawn rest position permitting free rotation of the shaft.

The guide is connected to the supporting structure by various connecting devices, most of which are designed, on the one hand, to ensure stable connection of the slide, and, on the -other, to make disassembly by thieves of the steering lock device from the supporting structure as complex and time-consuming as possible, so as to deter theft of the vehicle.

Though widely used, known connecting devices are far from satisfactory, by also complicating disassembly of 2 the steering lock device by authorized personnel - e.g. in the event of repair - even to the extent of one or more components of the connecting device frequently being damaged, thus increasing disassembly and assembly time 5 and cost.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a steering lock device designed to solve the aforementioned problems in a straightforward, low-cost manner, and which, at the same time, is cheap and easy to produce.

According to the present invention, there is provided a vehicle steering lock device comprising a supporting body; an angular locking member fitted to said supporting body to slide between a forward lock position preventing rotation of a steering shaft, and a withdrawn position permitting free rotation of the steering shaft; and connecting means for connecting said supporting body to a connecting structure; characterized in that said connecting means comprise at least one screw-nut screw assembly in turn comprising a tightening screw; and angular retaining means for angularly retaining said screw with respect to said supporting body, and which are only releasable when said locking member is in said withdrawn position.

Preferably, the screw comprises a seat, and said angular retaining means comprise a retaining member movable between a retaining position engaging said seat and resting against said locking member, and a release 3 position releasing said seat and permitting free rotation of the screw.

This therefore provides for a straightforward, lowcost steering lock device, which solves the problems posed by the known state of the art by enabling nondestructive disassembly of the device solely by the owner of the vehicle or by authorized personnel.

A non-limiting embodiment of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a section of a preferred embodiment of the steering lock device according to the present invention; Figure 2 shois the same section as in Figure 1, with a detail of Figure 1 in a different operating position.

Number 1 in the accompanying drawings indicates as a whole a steering lock device comprising a connecting structure 2 connected integrally to a fixed supporting frame 3 (shown partly); a supporting body 4; and a screw- nut screw assembly 5 for connecting supporting body 4 to connecting structure 2.

More specifically, connecting structure 2 comprises a tubular body 6 partly surrounding a steering shaft 7; and two diametrical ly- opposite radial portions 8a and 8b projecting from tubular body 6. Portion 8a has a hole 9 through which extends a screw 10 of screw-nut screw assembly 5.

Screw 10 comprises an end portion 11, in turn 4 comprising a break-off head 12 and an outer flange 13 resting on portion 8a; and a threaded shank 14, which engages a threaded hole 15 formed in body 4 coaxially with hole 9, and has an outer circumferential groove 16. 5 Supporting body 4 houses a pin 17 for angularly retaining screw 10 with respect to supporting body 4; and a projection 18 for angularly locking steering shaft 7 with respect to fixed frame 3. More specifically, pin 17 slides back and forth inside a cylindrical cavity 19 extending perpendicularly to screw 10 and engaged partly by the portion of screw lo having circumferential groove 16, and comprises a shank 20 and a rounded head 21 engaging circumferential groove 16.

By means of a known actuating assembly (not shown), projection 18 is moved back and forth - inside a respective guide channel 22 perpendicular to cylindrical cavity 19 and in a direction parallel to the axis A of screw 10 and perpendicular to pin 17 - between a forward lock position (Figure 1) in which a trapezoidal end 23 of projection 18 engages a respective seat 24 formed in shaft 7, and a withdrawn position (Figure 2) in which trapezoidal end 23 releases seat 24, and an opening 25 in projection 18 is aligned with shank 20 to receive a free end portion of shank 20.

Shank 20 of pin 17 is wound with a preloaded spring 26 having a first end 27 resting against a shoulder 28 of cavity 19, and a second end 29 resting against head 21.

Supporting body 4 and connecting structure 2 are further connected to each other by a fast-fit connecting assembly comprising a hook-shaped appendix 30 integral with supporting body 4 and extending through an opening 31 formed in radial portion 8b.

To assemble the device, structure 2 is first connected firmly in known manner to frame 3. Maintaining projection 18 in the withdrawn position, supporting body 4 is then connected to connecting structure 2 by inserting appendix 30 through opening 31, and is then rotated into contact with radial portions 8a and 8b. Pin 17 fitted with spring 26 is then inserted inside cavity 19 and, in opposition to spring 26 and working from the outside through the inlet 32 of cavity 19, is pushed into the withdrawn release position, shown by the dash line in Figure 2, in which the end portion of shank 20 engages opening 25 in projection 18.

Maintaining pin 17 in the release position, screw 10 is fitted through the hole in portion 8a and screwed down until outer flange 13 rests on portion 8a, circumferential groove 16 is located inside cavity 19, and head 12 breaks off. At which point, pin 17 is released and is pushed forward by spring 26 so that head 21 engages circumferential groove 16 to angularly retain screw 10 with respect to body 4 (Figure 1), and the end portion of shank 20 releases opening 25 to enable projection 18 to be moved into the forward lock position.

When projection 18 is in the forward position, 6 opening 25 is shifted with respect to shank 20 (Figure 1), which therefore rests directly on projection 18, thus preventing pin 17 from moving into the release position.

When the steering lock device is engaged, i.e. with projection 18 in the forward position, it is therefore impossible to remove screw 10 and detach supporting body 4 from body 6.

On the other hand, disassembly of the device with the consent of the owner of the vehicle is extremely straightforward. That is, working from the outside with the steering lock device released, pin 17 can be moved into the release position in opposition to spring 26, and screw 10 removed using outer flange 13 of screw 10, so as to detach hook-shaped appenaix 30 from radial portion 8b.

Clearly, changes may be made to the steering lock

Claims

device as described herein without, however, departing from the scope of

the accompanying Claims.

For example, a number of screw-nut screw assemblies, similar to or differing from the one described by way of example, may be provided; the pin may be replaced with another member movable between said retaining and release positions; and body 4 may be connected to body 6 differently from the manner described.

7 CLAIMS 1) A vehicle steering lock device comprising a supporting body; an angular locking member fitted to said supporting body and movable between a forward lock position preventing rotation of a steering shaft, and a withdrawn position permitting tree rotation of the steering shaft; and connecting means for connecting said supporting body to a connecting structure; characterized in that said connecting means comprise at least one screw-nut screw assembly in turn comprising a tightening screw; and axial retaining means for angularly retaining said screw with respect to said supporting body; said axial retaining means only being releasalle when said locking member is in said withdrawn position.

2) A steering lock device as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that said screw comprises a seat; and in that said axial retaining means comprise a retaining member movable between a retaining position engaging said seat and resting against said locking member, and a release position releasing said seat and permitting free rotation of the screw.

3) A steering lock device as claimed in Claim 2, characterized in that said locking member comprises an opening, and said retaining member engages said opening when in said release position.

4) A steering lock device as claimed in Claim 2 or 3, characterized in that said supporting body comprises a 8 cavity for housing said retaining member; said cavity communicating externally through an inlet; and said retaining member being movable into the release position working from the outside through said inlet. 5 5) A steering lock device as claimed in Claim 4, characterized in that said retaining member comprises a pin extending crosswise to said screw and movable axially between said retaining and release positions. 6) A steering lock device as claimed in Claim 4 or 5, characterized in that said axial retaining means also comprise elastic thrust means for pushing said retaining member into said seat.

7) A steering lock device as claimed in Claim 6, characterized in that said elastic thrust means comprise a spring wound about said pin and forced between the pin and a shoulder of said cavity.

8) A steering lock device as claimed in one of Claims 4 to 7, characterized in that said screw extends across said inlet; and in that said seat is defined by an outer circumferential groove extending at said inlet.

9) A steering lock device as claimed in one of the foregoing Claims, characterized in that said screw comprises an outer flange resting on said connecting structure. and a break-off actuating head.

10) A steering lock device as claimed in one of the foregoing Claims, characterized in that said connecting means also comprise fast-fit connecting means interposed between said supporting body and said connecting 9 structure.

11. A steering lock device as claimed in claim 10, characterised in that said fast-fit connecting means comprise a hook-shaped appendix carried by said supporting body.

12. A steering lock device, substantially as described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.

13. A tamper-resistant case for a lock assembly having a bolt movable between a locked and an unlocked position, the case comprising:

a first casing part having a through hole; a second casing part having a passage alignable with said through hole; and a headed fastener having a shank insertable through said through hole to engage the passage; characterized in that the shank of the fastener includes an axially-facing abutment surface facing towards the head; the second casing part includes a locking element resiliently biased towards a first position, in which the locking element extends into the passage and is engageable with the abutment surface of the fastener shank, and movable to a second position in which the locking element does not extend into the passage; and the case includes means to prevent the locking element from moving to its second position when the bolt of the lock assembly is in its locked position.