GB2359016A

GB2359016A - Tiltable front seat to prevent vehicle theft.

Info

Publication number: GB2359016A
Application number: GB0003168A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Neil Emerson Elliott; Alan Bennett; John Keith Jarvis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-02-12
Filing date: 2000-02-12
Publication date: 2001-08-15
Anticipated expiration: 2020-02-12
Also published as: GB2359016B; GB0003168D0

Abstract

In order to prevent theft of a vehicle, the front seat is movable into a position where it impedes access to the vehicle controls and only once it has reached that position is locked in place. Two methods of locking the seat are disclosed. The first method (Figure 3) comprises a lever 21, turnable by lock barrel 22, which is coupled to one or both of bolts 23 and 24. Tilting seat back 11 forward relative to squab 12 causes rotation of cam 28 into a position where bolt 23 may be displaced upwards to lock the seat back. Similarly alignment of the seat squab with a recess (30) in the seat track 15, enables bolt 24 to be displaced downwards into the recess. Thus once the seat has been moved into the required position, rotation of barrel 22 serves to simultaneously lock the seat squab to the track and lock the seat back in its forward tilted position. In the second method (Figure 9), the seat back is first tilted forward, aligning recess 121 with channel 27. Ramp 140 is fixed to the seat track and displaces spring loaded bolt 124 upwards and into engagement with recess 121 as the seat is moved forward along the track. Locking of the seat squab to the track is achieved once the bolt is urged into detent 142 under the action of the spring. To unlock the seat again, cam 144 is rotated, lowering the ramp allowing bolt 124 to be released from the detent.

Description

2359016

PREVENTION OF VEHICLE THEFT Field of the Invention

This invention relates to the prevention of vehicle theft and provides a vehicle anti-theft device which can either be incorporated in a vehicle as original equipment, or may be a kit for installation in an existing vehicle. It also concerns a method of inhibiting theft of a vehicle.

Background to the invention

The problem of vehicle theft is so extensive that a wide range of vehicle antitheft devices have been proposed. Initially door locks were all that was needed to inhibit theft, but these are now generally ineffective as thieves have developed techniques for picking most lock designs and, in the event that a lock proves effective, will enter the vehicle by breaking one of the windows.

As a consequence, much ingenuity has been exerted in providing vehicle antitheft devices which inhibit vehicles from being driven off in the event that a thief has gained access into the vehicle. Such vehicle anti-theft devices include original equipment such as steering column locks and engine inhibition systems, and accessories such as devices that can lock the gear lever, or a driving pedal, to the steering wheel. Whilst such accessories can be quite effective, a vehicle operator has to fit the vehicle anti-theft device to the vehicle each time that it is left unattended, to detach the vehicle anti-theft device whenever the vehicle is to be driven, and then has the inconvenience of having to store the loose anti-theft device inside the vehicle for future use.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention takes a fresh approach to these problems by providing a novel vehicle anti-theft device which can be fitted to a vehicle either as original equip- ment, or as a kit which is permanently fitted to the vehicle.

According to one aspect of the invention a vehicle anti-theft device comprises a vehicle seat which is movable between an operative position permitting a driver to operate driving controls of the vehicle and an inoperative position in which the seat obstructs driver access to at least one of the driving controls, and a locking device oper- able to lock the seat in its inoperative position.

The locking device is preferably secured to the seat and has a detent movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, the locking device being arranged so that the detent can only be moved to the locked position when the seat is in the inoperative position. A keyhole for the locking device is preferably positioned in an outwardly facing side of the seat squab. In this manner access to the keyhole is denied whilst the driver's door remains locked. The locking device preferably includes a locking mechanism mounted inside the seat squab.

In the case where the seat squab is mounted by runners from rails carried by a floor structure of the vehicle whereby the seat can be slid from the operative position to the inoperative position in which the seat is too close to the vehicle steering column to permit the driver to sit on the seat squab, the locking device is preferably operable to lock the seat squab, when in the inoperative position, to at least one of the rails or to the floor structure.

In the case where the seat back is hinged to the seat squab about a horizontal transverse axis to enable the seat back to be pivoted forwards towards the vehicle steering wheel until it occupies the inoperative position, the locking device may additionally, or alternatively, be operable to lock the seat back, when in the inoperative position, to the seat squab.

Alternatively, in the case where the seat squab is mounted by runners from rails carried by a floor structure of the vehicle whereby the seat can be slid towards the vehicle steering wheel, the seat back is hinged to the seat squab about a transverse horizontal axis whereby the seat back can be pivoted towards the steering wheel. and the seat back is movable to the inoperative position by appropriately sliding the seat squab and rotating the seat back, the locking device is preferably operable to lock the seat squab simultaneously to both the seat back and to at least one of the rails or to the vehicle floor.

Preferably the locking device is secured to a frame of the seat squab in a manner that cannot be dissembled whilst the seat is in the inoperative position.

Alternatively, in the case where the seat squab is mounted from a floor struc- ture of the vehicle for movement towards the vehicle steering wheel and the seat back 3 - is is hinged to the seat squab about a transverse horizontal axis for pivotal movement towards the steering wheel whereby the seat is movable to the inoperative position by combined sliding of the seat squab and rotation of the seat back, the locking device may include a bolt operative to lock the seat in the inoperative position. A bolt actuator is preferably mounted to the floor structure and is arranged to operate the bolt as the seat is moved towards the inoperative position, the bolt actuator being arranged to move an upper end of the bolt into locking engagement with the seat back to prevent movement of the seat back away from the inoperative position, the bolt actuator also being arranged to retain the lower end of the bolt to prevent movement of the seat squab away from the inoperative position, and a lock is mounted from the floor structure and is arranged to release the lower end of the bolt from the bolt actuator to permit the seat to be moved to the operative position. The bolt actuator may be a ramp mounted from the floor structure under the seat squab, the ramp being positioned to operate the bolt, and the ramp may define a detent positioned to retain the lower end of the bolt under control of the lock. The bolt is preferably mounted from the frame of the seat squab in a manner that cannot be dissembled whilst the seat is in the inoperative position.

According to a further aspect of the invention the locking device may be in the form of a kit arranged to be attached to a vehicle seat to provide such a vehicle anti- theft device.

According to another aspect of the invention, a method of inhibiting theft of a vehicle comprises moving the driving seat to a position obstructing at least one essential driving control, and locking the driving seat in that position.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The drawings diagrammatically illustrate four embodiments of the invention by way of example only, the same reference numerals being used throughout to denote equivalent components or features:

Figure 1 is a scrap vertical section through part of a vehicle showing the driving seat in its operative position:

Figure 2 is a view, similar to Figure 1, but showing the seat squab slid forwards to the fullest extent and the seat back rotated, as taught by a first embodiment of the present invention, so that the seat is in an inoperative position; Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical section through the locking device used in the 5 first embodiment, the mechanism being shown in the unlocked position; Figure 4 is equivalent to Figure 3 but shows the mechanism in the locked posi- tion; Figure 5 is a view, similar to Figure 1, but showing the seat back rotated, as taught by a second embodiment of the present invention, so that the seat is in an inop10 erative position; Figure 6 is an enlarged vertical section through the locking device used in Figure 5, the mechanism being shown in the locked position; Figure 7 is a view, similar to Figure 1, but showing the seat squab slid forward, as taught by a third embodiment of the present invention, so that the seat is in an inopis erative position; Figure 8 is an enlarged vertical section through the locking device used in Figure 7. the mechanism being shown in the locked position; Figure 9 is an enlarged vertical section through a locking device of a fourth embodiment of the invention, the mechanism being shown in the unlocked position, and Figure 10 is equivalent to Figure 9 but shows the mechanism in the locked posi- tion.

Detailed Description of the Illustrated Embodiments.

Figure 1 shows a vehicle seat 10 provided with the usual seat back 11 and seat squab 12. The vehicle seat 10 is mounted behind a fixed driving wheel 13 in a position which enables a driver to hold the steering wheel 13 and to operate unshown pedals positioned under the steering wheel in the usual manner. This position is referred herein as an "operative position" as it permits the driver to operate driving controls of the vehicle. The seats squab 12 is mounted on an unshown frame which is secured to two pairs of seat runners 14 (only one pair being shown). Each pair of seat runners 14 is slidably mounted on a respective rail 15 which extends longitudinally of the vehicle and is secured to its floor structure which is indicated schematically by reference 16. In this manner, the seat runners 14 and rails 15 permit the seat 10 to be moved, from the position illustrated in Figure 1, towards the driving wheel 13 so that the position of the seat can be adjusted longitudinally to suit the requirements of a range of drivers. Each 5 of these adjusted positions is also referred to herein as being an "operative position".

The seat back 11 is hinged to the seat squab 12 about a horizontal transverse axis defined by a hinge 17 which enables the seat back 11 to be pivoted forwards, from the position shown in Figure 1, towards the vehicle steering wheel 13. This enables the position of the seat back 11 to be adjusted to a range of positions to suit the comfort of the driver. Each of these positions is referred to herein as being an "operative position". A locking device is indicated generally by dotted line 18 and is secured to the unshown seat frame within the seat squab 12 at a position close to the hinge 17. As will be described later, the locking device 18 is designed to lock either the seat back 11 and/or the seat squab 12 in a position in which the seat back 11 obstructs driver access to at least one of the driving controls, that is the steering wheel 13 and the pedals mounted under the steering wheel. Any position in which the seat back 11 obstructs driver access is referred to herein as being an "inoperative position" of which examples are illustrated in Figures 2, 5 and 7.

Figure 2 shows the seat 10 of Figure 1 with the seat squab 12 slid forwards and the seat back 11 rotated until it overlies the steering wheel 13. In this position it is impossible for a driver to sit on the seat squab 12 to operate the driving pedals or the steering wheel 13. The seat 10 also prevents the vehicle from being driven by a person positioned to the rear of the seat back 11. The locking device 18 can be of any convenient design and can be arranged merely to lock existing seat adjustment controls, locking being effected by means of a suitable lock, for instance a locking barrel 19. or an electronically operated lock which may be arranged to be actuated by an associated electronic door lock. If the locking barrel 19 is key operated, it is preferably positioned so that access is denied to it whilst the driver's door remains locked. Furthermore, the locking device 18 is preferably secured to the unshown seat squab frame in a manner that cannot be dissembled while the seat squab 10 is in the inoperative position. In this manner, the locking of the vehicle seat 10 in an inoperative position additionally ob structs access to the locking device 18 and/or its attachments to the unshown seat squab frame.

Figures 3 and 4 illustrate one form of locking device 18, Figure 3 indicating the seat 11, 12 in an operative position whilst Figure 4 illustrates the seat 11, 12 in its inop erative position. The locking device 18 has a mounting plate 20 which is secured by unshown attachments to the unshown seat squab frame. A lever 21 is pivoted to the mounting plate 20 by a transverse shaft 22 and is arranged to operate bolts 23 and 24 via respective cross-heads 25 and 26. A guide 27 is secured to the rear of the mount ing plate 20 and serves to constrain the movement of the bolt 23 to follow a vertical path such that it will lock a cam 28 when the seat back 11 is in the position shown in Figure 4, but can be withdrawn from the cam 28, as shown in Figure 3, to permit rota tional movement of the seat back under the control of the usual seat back adjustment control which is omitted from the drawing. The cam 28 may conveniently be secured to the hinge 17 for rotation with the seat back 11. The bolt 24 is supported by a verti- cal guide 29 secured to the mounting plate 20. In this manner, the bolt 24 can be inserted into a selected slot 30 formed in the side of the rail 15, as shown in Figure 4, to lock the seat squab 12 to the floor structure 16. Instead of engaging one of the slots 30, the bolt 24 could be arranged to engage an independent abutment secured to the vehicle floor 16. From Figures 3 and 4 it will be understood that simple rotation of the lever 21 can be used to lock the seat back 11 and seat squab 12 simultaneously in a predetermined inoperative position, and can also release seat back 11 and seat squab 12 when required. To achieve this, the transverse shaft 22 can be driven directly by the locking barrel (see Figure 2), or can be actuated by any other device known in the locksmith's art. In particular, it can be rotated by an electrical actuator of the type already used for vehicle door locks, such actuator being operated by an electronic signal transmitter carried by the owner or authorised driver of the vehicle. In this case, a single electrical actuator can be used to rotate the lever 21, or the mechanism illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 can be modified by omitting the lever 21 and by providing separate electrical actuators for the bolts 23 and 24. It should particularly be noted that the hinge 17 and cam 28 diagrammatically illustrate the operation of the locking device 18.

Vehicle seats are usually built with a mechanism for permitting the seat back 11 to be rotated to an adjusted position and the locking device 18 may comprise any convenient bolt 23, or similar detent, positioned to lock the seat back 11 in an inoperative position about the hinge 17.

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate a modification of the embodiment shown in Figures 2 to 4 in which the seat 10 can be moved to an inoperative position merely by permitting the seat back 11 to rotate further towards the steering wheel 13. In this instance, there is no longer any requirement for the seat squab 12 to be locked in a forward position and the locking device 18 is modified so that it only operates the bolt 23 to lock the seat back 11 in the inoperative position. In this case, the mounting plate 20 can be shortened as it no longer needs to support the bolt 24, and the lever 21 can be simpli fied as shown.

On the other hand, when the seat 10 can be moved into an inoperative position purely by sliding the seat squab 12 forwards, as illustrated in Figures 7 and 8, the lock ing device 18 can be modified so that it only actuates the bolt 24 to lock the seat 10 to the rail 15 in the inoperative position. As shown in Figure 8, the mounting plate 20 and the lever 21 are simplified by the omission of the bolt 23.

An alternative form of mechanism is illustrated in Figures 9 and 10 and it applies to a vehicle seat which is movable to the inoperative position, as illustrated in Figure 2, by combined rotation of the seat back 11 towards the steering wheel and sliding of the seat squab 12 in the same direction. Although the same reference numerals have been used in Figures 9 and 10 to denote equivalent features, the locking mechanism is quite different as a single bolt 120 is used to lock both the seat back 11 and seat squab 12.

Instead of using a cam, the seat back hinge 17 is provided with a radial bore 121 and rotates in a housing 122 which is secured to the unshown seat squab frame. The single bolt 120 is mounted for vertical axial movement by the guide 27 which is secured to the housing 122 and the guide 29 which is secured to the unshown seat squab frame.

When the seat back 11 is upright, as illustrated in Figure 9, the radial bore is misaligned with the single bolt 120 and the locking mechanism is inoperative. However, rotation of the seat back towards the inoperative position eventually results in the radial bore 121 aligning with the upper end 123 of the single bolt 120 as shown in Figure 10.

A compression coil spring 130 reacts, through a washer 131 and a diametral pin 132 to bias the single bolt 120 to the withdrawn position illustrated in Figure 9.

A ramp 140 is formed of sheet metal and has a hinge 141 of which the spindle is firmly secured to the floor structure 16. The ramp 140 also defines a cletent 142 of which the vertical position is controlled by an eccentric pin 143 driven by a shaft 144 which is rotatably mounted in an unshown structure firmly secured to the vehicle floor structure 16.

In operation, rotation of the seat back 11 aligns the radial bore 121 with the upper end 123 of the bolt 120 which is held withdrawn by the action of the compres sion coil spring 130. Combined movement of the seat back 11 and seat squab 12 to wards the steering wheel results in the lower end 124 of the single bolt 120 engaging the upwardly facing upper surface of the ramp 140, thereby pressing the bolt 120 up wards, against the spring 130, and into the radial bore 121. This action locks the seat back 11 in the position shown in Figure 10. Further movement of the seat squab 12 draws the lower end 124 of the single bolt 20 into a position aligned with the detent 142. The action of the spring 130 forces the lower end 124 of the bolt 120 into en gagement with the detent 142, thereby locking the seat squab 12 to the vehicle floor 16. In this manner, a single bolt 120 serves to lock both the seat back 11 and seat squab 12 in the inoperative position as shown in Figure 10. Withdrawal of the lower end 124 of the single bolt 120 from the detent 142 is prevented by the eccentric pin 143 as shown in Figure 10. However, rotation of the shaft 144, as indicated by arrow A in Figure 10, lowers the ramp 140 to a position in which the lower end 124 of the single bolt 120 can be released from the ramp 140, thereby allowing the seat squab 12 to be moved away from the steering wheel. This movement also permits the single bolt to move downwards under the force exerted by spring 130. It should be noted that initial pulling of the seat back 11, towards the operative position, causes the upper end 123 of the single bolt 120 to be held by the radial bore 121. This stops the spring 130 from moving the bolt 120 downwards until after its lower end 124 has been re- moved from the detent 142, and the backward pressure on the seat back 11 is reduced. The position of the eccentric pin 143 is regulated by an unshown lock which is arranged momentarily to rotate the shaft 144 until the eccentric pin 143 is moved to the lower position shown in Figure 10, thereby enabling the seat to be moved to the operative position. Release of this lock then causes the eccentric pin 143 to return to the position shown in Figure 9, thereby re-setting the ramp 140.

Although the invention has been described with reference to a single locking device 18 located on one side of a vehicle seat. it is of course possible to provide a pair of the locking devices 18 arranged one on each side of the vehicle seat.

From Figures 3, 4, 6 and 8 it will be noted that the mounting plate 20 is shown as being formed integral with one of the seat runners 14. Although this feature helps to prevent detachment of the mounting plate 20 from the unshown seat squab frame, the mounting plate 20 may, if desired, be formed separate from the seat runner 14 and have separate mountings to the unshown seat squab frame.

Claims

1. A vehicle anti-theft device comprising a vehicle seat which is movable between an operative position permitting a driver to operate driving controls of the vehicle and an inoperative position in which the seat back obstructs driver access to at least one of the driving controls, and the seat is provided with a locking device which is operable to lock the seat in its operative position.

2. A vehicle anti-theft device, according to Claim 1, in which the locking device is secured to the seat and has a detent movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, and the locking device is arranged so that the detent can only be 10 moved to the locked position when the seat is in the inoperative position.

3. A vehicle anti-theft device, according to Claim 2, including a keyhole positioned in an outwardly facing side of the seat squab.

4. A vehicle anti-theft device, according to Claim 2 or 3, in which the locking device includes a locking mechanism mounted inside the seat squab.

5. A vehicle anti-theft device, according to any preceding claim, in which the seat squab is mounted by runners from rails carried by a floor structure of the vehicle whereby the seat can be slid from the operative position to the inoperative position in which the seat back is too close to the vehicle steering wheel to permit a driver to sit on the seat squab, and the locking device is operable to lock the seat squab, when in the inoperative position, to at least one of the rails or to the floor structure.

6. A vehicle anti-theft device, according to any preceding claim. in which the seat back is hinged to the seat squab about a horizontal transverse axis to enable the seat back to can be pivoted forwards towards the vehicle steering wheel until it occupies the inoperative position, and the locking device is operable to lock the seat back, when in the inoperative position, to the seat squab.

7. A vehicle anti-theft device, according to any of Claims 1 to 4, in which the seat squab is mounted by runners from rails carried by a floor structure of the vehicle whereby the seat can be slid towards the vehicle steering wheel, the seat back is hinged to the seat squab about a transverse horizontal axis whereby the seat back can be pivoted towards the vehicle steering wheel, and the seat back can be moved to the inoperative position by appropriately sliding the seat squab and rotating the seat back, and the locking device is operable to lock the seat squab simultaneously to both the seat back and to at least one of the rails or to the floor structure.

8. A vehicle anti-theft device, according to any preceding claim, in which the locking device is secured to a frame of the seat squab in a manner that cannot be dissembled whilst the seat is in the inoperative position.

9. A vehicle anti-theft device, according to Claim 1, in which the seat squab is mounted from a floor structure of the vehicle for movement towards the vehicle steering wheel and the seat back is hinged to the seat squab about a transverse horizontal axis for pivotal movement towards the steering wheel whereby the seat is movable to the inoperative position by combined sliding of the seat squab and rotation of the seat back, and the locking device includes a bolt operative to lock the seat in the inoperative position.

10. A vehicle anti-theft device, according to Claim 9, in which the bolt actuator is mounted to the floor structure and is arranged to operate the bolt as the seat is moved towards the inoperative position, the bolt actuator being arranged to move an upper end of the bolt into locking engagement with the seat back to prevent movement of the seat back away from the inoperative position, the bolt actuator also being arranged to retain the lower end of the bolt to prevent movement of the seat squab away from the inoperative position, and a lock is mounted from the floor structure and is arranged to release the lower end of the bolt from the bolt actuator to permit the seat to be moved to the operative position.

11. A vehicle anti-theft device, according to Claim 10, in which the bolt actuator is a ramp mounted from the floor structure under the seat squab, the ramp being posi- tioned to operate the bolt, and the ramp defining a detent positioned to retain the lower end of the bolt under control of the lock.

12. A vehicle anti-theft device, according to any of Claims 9 to 11, in which the bolt is mounted from the frame of the seat squab in a manner that cannot be dissembled whilst the seat is in the inoperative position.

13. A vehicle anti-theft device substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

14. A locking device in the form of a kit arranged to be attached to a vehicle seat to provide a vehicle anti-theft device according to any preceding claim.

15. A method of inhibiting theft of a vehicle comprising moving the driving seat to a position obstructing at least one essential driving control, and locking the driving seat in that position.