GB2523223B

GB2523223B - Steering lock device

Info

Publication number: GB2523223B
Application number: GB1420521.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Sugihara Satoshi
Original assignee: U Shin Ltd
Current assignee: U Shin Ltd
Priority date: 2013-11-27
Filing date: 2014-11-19
Publication date: 2019-11-27
Anticipated expiration: 2034-11-19
Also published as: JP6251024B2; JP2015101270A; GB2523223A; GB201420521D0

Description

STEERING LOCK DEVICE

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a steering lock device configured to lock rotation of a steering wheel of a parked vehicle . 2. Description of the Related Art

As a protection against theft, a vehicle is provided with a steering lock device configured to lock rotation of its steering wheel while parked. The steering lock device has a metallic housing body which houses therein: a lock member capable of engaging with and disengaging from a steering shaft; a key cylinder capable of turning operation when a key is inserted thereto; and a drive mechanism configured to cause the lock member to engage with or disengage from the steering shaft according to the turning operation of the key cylinder.

Such a steering lock device is in possible danger of being unlocked by someone who wants to steel the vehicle, by breaking and opening a hole in the housing body and manipulating the lock member housed in the housing body.

To protect against such an unlawful act, measures taken conventionally include thickening the wall of the housing body or providing a cover along the inner surface of the housing body as proposed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2006-219036.

However, if the wall of the housing body is thickened or a cover is provided along the inner surface of the housing body as conventionally done as a countermeasure against the unlawful act, weight and cost increase.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been made in view of the above problem, and has an objective of providing a steering lock device offering high antitheft performance with a simple structure, without increasing weight and cost.

To achieve the above objective, a first aspect of the present invention provides a steering lock device comprising: a lock member configured to engage with a steering shaft to hinder the steering shaft from rotating; a drive mechanism configured to cause the lock member to engage with or disengage from the steering shaft; and a housing body housing therein the lock member and the drive mechanism, wherein the lock member is provided with an engaged portion having indentations and protrusions, and the housing body is provided with an engagement portion on an inner surface of the housing body at a position facing the engaged portion, the engagement portion having indentations and protrusions and being capable of engaging with the engaged portion. A second aspect of the present invention provides the steering lock device according to claim 1, wherein the engaged portion is provided in one side surface of the lock member located on a lateral side relative to a moving direction of the lock member, and also in another side surface of the lock member which is different from the one side surface, and the engagement portion is provided on the inner surface of the housing body at each of positions facing the respective engaged portions. A third aspect of the present invention provides the steering lock device according to any one of the first and second aspects, wherein the lock member includes: a lock bolt configured to directly engage with and disengage from the steering shaft; and a slider connected to the lock bolt and operated by the drive mechanism, and the engaged portion is provided to the slider.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when someone trying to steal the vehicle hits, for example, the housing body with a hammer or the like, the housing body deforms, and the engagement portion formed on the inner surface of the housing body engages with the engaged portion provided to the lock member. Thus, the lock member becomes unable to move relative to the housing body, and therefore the lock member in the lock position cannot move to the unlock position while the vehicle is parked. Hence, even if the housing body receives too much external force by a hammer or the like, the steering lock state is maintained, disabling the rotation operation (steering operation) of the steering wheel. Hence, antitheft performance of the vehicle is increased.

Further, for example, even if someone tries to unlawfully operate the lock member through a hole opened by hitting the housing body, the housing body deforms during the hole opening process, and the engagement portion provided near the hole in the housing body engages with the engaged portion of the lock member to hinder the lock member from moving. Thus, the lock member cannot be operated through the hole opened in the housing body to bring the steering shaft out of the steering lock state. Hence, antitheft performance of the vehicle is increased.

The advantageous effects described above can be obtained with a simple configuration: the engaged portion provided to the lock member and the engagement portion provided on the inner surface of the housing body. There is no need to thicken the wall of the housing body or to provide a cover along the inner surface of the housing body as conventionally done. Thus, the weight and cost of the steering lock device do not increase.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the engaged portions are provided in different side surfaces of the lock member. Thus, even if impact is given from various directions corresponding to the side surfaces of the lock member provided with the engaged portions, the lock member can be fixed to the housing body and kept in the lock position so that the steering shaft maintains to be in the steering lock state. Hence, antitheft performance of the vehicle can be increased even more.

If, as in the third aspect of the present invention, the lock member is constituted by the lock bolt configured to directly engage with the steering shaft and the slider connected to the lock bolt, the lock bolt configured to directly engage with the steering shaft needs to have high strength. For this reason, the lock bolt is often formed by, for example, cutting a member made of iron or the like. To manufacture the lock bolt through cutting work, the indentations and protrusions of the engaged portions need to be formed one by one through the cutting work. In the third aspect of the present invention, the engaged portions are provided in the slider which does not need to be as strong as the lock bolt. Thus, if the slider is made by, for example, zinc die-casting or the like, indentations and protrusions for the engaged portions are formed in a die, which enables low-cost formation of the indentations and protrusions of the slider, which in turn contributes to low manufacturing cost for the steering lock device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a side view of a steering lock device according to the present invention without a lid.

Fig. 2 is a front view of the steering lock device according to the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line A-A in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a lock member of the steering lock device according to the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a housing body of the steering lock device according to the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a first gear of the steering lock device according to the present invention.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a second gear of the steering lock device according to the present invention.

MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the present invention is described below based on the drawings attached hereto.

Fig. 1 is a side view of a steering lock device according to the present invention without a lid, Fig. 2 is a front view of the steering lock device, Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line A-A in Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a lock member, Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a housing body, Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a first gear, and Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a second gear. (Configuration of the Steering Lock Device)

First, the configuration of a steering lock device 1 according to the present invention is described. The steering lock device 1 is configured to lock and unlock rotation of a steering wheel (not shown) in conjunction with turning operation of a key for starting or stopping the engine, and to switch the power status of the vehicle. The steering lock device 1 includes a metallic housing body 2 fixed to a cylindrical steering column (not shown) being a member on the vehicle body side.

As shown in Figs . 1, 2, and 5, the housing body 2 includes : a rectangular-container-shaped main portion 2A, one of whose side portions is open as a rectangular opening portion 2a; a lock-bolt storage portion 2B extending upright integrally from the main portion 2A; and a horizontal, cylindrical cylinder-lock installation portion 2C connected integrally with the main portion 2A. As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, a semi-cylindrical attachment portion 2b is integrally formed at an upper end of the lock-bolt storage portion 2B of the housing body 2. An attachment flange 2D is integrally formed on each side of the attachment portion 2b. Each attachment flange 2D has a screw hole 2c (see Fig. 3) formed therein.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 5, a thin, rectangular operation hole 2d vertically penetrates the center of the lock-bolt storage portion 2B of the housing body 2, and a lock bolt 3 is inserted through and housed in this operation hole 2d such that the lock bolt 3 is movable up and down. The steering column (not shown) is fitted in the attachment portion 2b integrally formed at the upper end of the lock-bolt storage portion 2B of the housing body 2, and the steering lock device 1 is attached to the steering column with a bracket (not shown) as follows. Specifically, the bracket (not shown) is placed over the attachment portion 2b, and attached to the attachment portion 2b by inserting screws (not shown) into the bracket and then into the screw holes 2c of the attachment flanges 2D formed on both sides of the attachment portion 2b. Thus, the steering lock device 1 is attached to the steering column with the steering column being sandwiched by the steering lock device 1 and the bracket.

Although not shown, a rotatable steering shaft is inserted into the steering column, and the steering shaft has an engagement groove, having a rectangular cross section, formed in part of the outer circumference thereof. The steering wheel is coupled to an upper end of the steering shaft, and an input shaft of a steering gear box constituting a steering mechanism is connected to a lower end of the steering shaft.

The lock bolt 3 can move (up and down) between a lock position, shown in Figs. 1 to 3, where the lock bolt 3 engages with the engagement groove of the steering shaft and an unlock position where the lock bolt 3 disengages from the engagement groove of the steering shaft. As shown in Fig. 4, the lock bolt 3 has, at a side portion of its lower end portion, a connection recess portion 3a into which fits a connection portion 8a of a slider 8 to be described later.

As shown in Fig. 1, a cylinder lock 4 is installed in the cylinder-lock installation portion 2C of the housing body 2. The cylinder lock 4 includes a cylindrical holder 5 fixed to the housing body 2 and a key cylinder 6 turnably housed in the holder 5. Although not shown, multiple engagement grooves which are long in an axial direction (lateral direction in Fig. 1) are formed in the inner periphery of the holder 5, andmultiple tumblers are provided at appropriate intervals in the key cylinder 6, the tumblers emerging radially to selectively engage with the engagement grooves of the holder 5. As shown in Fig. 2, a flat, rectangular key insertion hole 6a is formed in the center of the key cylinder 6, and a key (not shown) is to be inserted into this key insertion hole 6a. The holder 5 has texts written on an end surface thereof exposed to the outside, the texts surrounding the key insertion hole 6a. The texts indicate the power status of the vehicle according to the turning position of the key inserted in the key insertion hole 6a, and are namely "LOCK", "ACC", "ON", and "START".

As shown in Fig. 5, bosses 2E are integrally formed at two diagonal locations inside the main portion 2A of the housing body 2, and a screw hole 2e is formed in each boss 2E. The opening portion 2a opened in the main portion 2A of the housing body 2 is closed by a metallic lid 7 (see Fig. 3) fitted into and fixed to the inner peripheral edge of the opening portion 2a. This lid 7 is attached to the main portion 2A by screwing screws (not shown) into the screw holes 2e formed inside the main portion 2A.

As shown in Fig. 5, two block-shaped first-gear retention portions 2F and two block-shaped camshaft retention portions 2G are each formed in the center portion of the inside of the main portion 2A of the housing body 2 (on the center axis of the cylinder-lock installation portion 2C) with an appropriate distance therebetween in a front-rear direction. In addition, two second-gear retention portions 2H are formed with an appropriate vertical distance therebetween in a direction orthogonal to the direction in which the first-gear retention portions 2F and the camshaft retention portions 2G inside the main portion 2A are arranged (the front-rear direction) (the orthogonal direction being the vertical direction orthogonal to the center axis of the cylinder-lock installation portion 2C) .

Although not shown, the lid 7 has first-gear retention portions, camshaft retention portions, and second-gear retention portions similarly formed on the inner surface of the lid 7 at locations corresponding to the first-gear retention portions 2F, the camshaft retention portions 2G, and the second-gear retention portions 2H.

As shown in Fig. 4, the lock bolt 3 and the slider 8 which is connected to the lower end portion of the lock bolt 3 constitute a lock member 9 which plays a function of locking or unlocking turning operation of the steering shaft by moving up or down so that a tip portion of the lock bolt 3 engages with or disengages from the engagement groove of the steering shaft. The slider 8 is connected to the lower end portion of the lock bolt 3 when the horizontal connection portion 8a formed in the upper end portion of the slider 8 is fitted into the connection recess portion 3a formed in the lower end portion of the lock bolt 3. A groove-shape engagement recess portion 8b is formed in the lower end portion of the slider 8, and a cam portion 10a of a camshaft 10 to be described later engages with this engagement recess portion 8b (see Fig. 3) .

In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 4, the slider 8 of the lock member 9 has uneven engaged portions 8c formed on two adjacent side surfaces of upper and lower portions the slider 8 (one surface located on a lateral side relative to the moving direction of the slider 8 and another side surface different from the one side surface) . In addition, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the housing body 2 has uneven engagement portions 2g formed on the inner surface of the housing body 2 at two locations facing the engaged portions 8c of the slider 8. The engagement portions 2g can engage with the engaged portions 8c of the slider 8 . Under a normal circumstance (when no unlawful destruction as described later is acted) , the engagement portions 2g of the housing body 2 are not in engagement with the engaged portions 8c of the slider 8, and in this state, the lock member 9 can freely move (up and down).

As shown in Fig. 1, the main portion 2A of the housing body 2 has the following items housed inside: the slider 8 constituting the lock member 9 together with the lock bolt 3; the camshaft 10 constituting a drive mechanism for moving the lock member 9 (up or down) to the lock position or to the unlock position according to turning operation of the key cylinder 6; a lock-bolt spring 11 configured to bias the lock member 9 upward (to the lock position) ; a camshaft spring 12 configured to bias the camshaft 10 frontward (rightward in Fig. 1); and a first gear 13 and a second gear 14 meshing with each other. The first gear 13 and the second gear 14 are formed of bevel gears. The slider 8 constituting the lock member 9 is, as described above, connected at its upper end portion to the lower end portion of the lock bolt 3, and the cam portion 10a formed integrally with the tip portion of the camshaft 10 engages with the engagement recess portion 8b formed in the lower end portion of the slider 8 (see Fig. 3) .

The camshaft 10 are rotatably supported at its axially end portions by the camshaft retention portions 2G (see Fig. 5) provided in the main portion 2A of the housing body 2 and the similar camshaft retention portions (not shown) formed on the inner surface of the lid 7. The first gear 13 is coupled to an outer periphery of a front end portion of the camshaft 10 as shown in Fig. 1. The first gear 13 has a rotary shaft 13A rotatably supported at its axial ends by the first-gear retention portions 2F (see Fig. 5) on the housing body 2 side and the similar first-gear retention portions (not shown) formed on the lid 7 side. The first gear 13 is biased rearward by a first-gear spring 15 so as not to be shaky. Thus, the first gear 13 is restricted in its axial position, and cannot move in the axial direction.

The second gear 14 has a rotary shaft 14A rotatably supported at its end portions by the second-gear retention portions 2H (see Fig. 5) on the housing body 2 side and the second-gear retention portions (not shown) formed on the lid 7 side. As shown in Fig. 1, the rotary shaft 14A of the second gear 14 penetrates the main portion 2A of the housing body 2, and the lower end portion of the rotary shaft 14A is connected to an ignition switch 16 installed in a cylindrical ignition-switch installation portion 2f which has a cutout portion and is formed integrally with the main portion 2A of the housing body 2 such that the ignition-switch installation portion 2f protrudes downward from the main portion 2A. The second gear 14 is biased toward the first gear 13 (upward) by a second-gear spring 17 so that shakiness may not be present between the first gear 13 and the second gear 14. The ignition switch 16 is a rotary-operation switch for switching the power status of the vehicle. When the key inserted into the key insertion hole 6a of the key cylinder 6 is turned to the "START" portion past the "ACC" and "ON" positions shown in Fig. 2, power is supplied from a battery (not shown) to a starter motor (not shown) to start the starter motor, and the engine (not shown) is thereby started.

As shown in Fig. 6, a fan-shaped gear portion (sector gear) 13a and a spring retention portion 13b are formed in the first gear 13, and a non-circular connection hole 13c is formed in the rotary shaft 13A. A connection portion 6b formed in a rear end portion of the key cylinder 6 is fitted into the connection hole 13c of the rotary shaft 13A, as shown in Fig. 1. Thus, the camshaft 10 is connected to the key cylinder 6 via the first gear 13, and turning operation of the key cylinder 6 is transmitted to the camshaft 10 via the first gear 13, causing the camshaft 10 and the first gear 13 to turn. Further, as shown in Fig. 7, a fan-shaped gear portion (sector gear) 14a and a spring retention portion 14b are formed in the second gear 14. (Operation of the Steering Lock Device)

Next, a description is given of unlock operation and lock operation of the steering lock device 1 configured as above, as well as operation performed when the steering lock device 1 is unlawfully destroyed. 1) Unlock Operation:

The vehicle is parked, the lock bolt 3 of the lock member 9 is at the lock position, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, where the tip portion of the lock bolt 3 engages with the engagement groove of the steering shaft (not shown) to lock rotation of the steering shaft (steering lock state). In the steering lock state, when a driver inserts the key (not shown) into the key insertion hole 6a of the key cylinder 6 in the "LOCK" position, the multiple tumblers (not shown) provided to the key cylinder 6 move (retreat), disengaging from the engagement grooves (not shown) of the holder 5. Thus, turning operation of the key is enabled.

In the above state, when the driver turns the key clockwise, the rotation is transmitted from the key cylinder 6 to the camshaft 10 via the first gear 13, and the cam portion 10a formed integrally with the camshaft 10 rotates. Then, the slider 8 provided with the engagement recess portion 8b engaging with the cam portion 10a is pushed down against the bias force of the lock-bolt spring 11, and the lock bolt 3 connected to the slider 8 is also pushed down. Thus, the entire lock member 9 moves down, so that the lock bolt 3 moves from the lock position to the unlock position. When the lock bolt 3 moves to the unlock position in this way, the lock bolt 3 disengages from the engagement groove of the steering shaft to bring the steering shaft out of the steering lock state. Thus, turning operation of the steering shaft (the steering wheel) (steering operation) is enabled.

In addition, when the camshaft 10 rotates together with the first gear 13, the rotation is also transmitted to the ignition switch 16 via the second gear 14 to switch the ignition switch 16. When the key is turned to the "START" position shown in Fig. 2, the power state of the vehicle is switched to start the starter motor, starting the engine (not shown). 2) Lock Operation:

When the key inserted in the key insertion hole 6a of the key cylinder 6 is turned counterclockwise with the lock bolt 3 of the lock member 9 being in the unlock position, the rotation is transmitted to the camshaft 10 via the first gear 13, and the cam portion 10a formed integrally with the camshaft 10 rotates. Then, the slider 8 provided with the engagement recess portion 8b engaging with the cam portion 10a moves up due to the upward bias force of the lock-bolt spring 11, and the lock bolt 3 connected to the slider 8 also moves up to the lock position as shown in Figs. 1 to 3. Thus, the tip portion of the lock bolt 3 engages with the engagement groove of the steering shaft to lock the rotation of the steering shaft (the steering wheel), disabling the steering operation. Hence, theft of the parked vehicle is prevented.

In addition, when the first gear 13 rotates reversely together with the camshaft 10, the rotation is also transmitted to the ignition switch 16 via the second gear 14. Thus, the ignition switch 16 is switched to the opposite direction. 3) When Unlawfully Destroyed:

When someone trying to steal the vehicle hits the outer surface of, for example, a portion corresponding to any of the engagement portion 2g of the housing body 2 with a hammer or the like, that portion of the housing body 2 deforms inward, and the engagement portion 2g formed on the inner surface of the housing body 2 engages with the engaged portion 8c formed in the slider 8. Thus, the lock member 9 becomes unable to move relative to the housing body 2, and therefore the lock member 9 in the lock position cannot move to the unlock position while the vehicle is parked. Hence, even if the housing body 2 receives too much external force by a hammer or the like, the steering lock state is maintained, disabling the rotation operation (steering operation) of the steering wheel. Hence, antitheft performance of the vehicle is increased.

Further, for example, even if someone tries to unlawfully operate the lock member 9 through a hole opened by hitting the housing body 2, the housing body 2 deforms during the hole opening process, and the engagement portion 2g provided near the hole in the housing body 2 engages with the engaged portion 8c of the slider 8 to hinder the lockmember 9 from moving. Thus, the lock member 9 cannot be operated through the hole opened in the housing body 2 to bring the steering shaft out of the steering lock state. Hence, antitheft performance of the vehicle is increased.

The advantageous effects described above can be obtained with a simple configuration: the engaged portions 8c provided to the slider 8 and the engagement portions 2g provided on the inner surface of the housing body 2 . There is no need to thicken the wall of the housing body 2 or to provide a cover along the inner surface of the housing body 2 as conventionally done. Thus, the weight and cost of the steering lock device 1 do not increase .

Moreover, in this embodiment, the engaged portions 8c are provided in different side surfaces of the slider 8 (two adjacent side surfaces) . Thus, even if impact is given from various directions corresponding to the side surfaces of the slider 8 provided with the engaged portions 8c, the lock member 9 can be fixed to the housing body 2 and kept in the lock position so that the steering shaft maintains to be in the steering lock state. Hence, antitheft performance of the vehicle can be increased even more.

If, as in this embodiment, the lock member 9 is constituted by the lock bolt 3 configured to directly engage with the engagement groove of the steering shaft and the slider 8 connected to the lock bolt 3, the lock bolt 3 configured to directly engage with the engagement groove of the steering shaft needs to have high strength. For this reason, the lock bolt 3 is often formed by, for example, cutting a member made of iron or the like. To manufacture the lock bolt 3 through cutting work, the indentations and protrusions of the engaged portions need to be formed one by one through the cutting work. In the present invention, the engaged portions 8c are provided in the slider 8 which does not need to be as strong as the lock bolt 3. Thus, if the slider 8 is made by, for example, zinc die-casting or the like, indentations and protrusions for the engaged portions 8c are formed in a die, which enables low-cost formation of the indentations and protrusions of the slider 8, which in turn contributes to low manufacturing cost for the steering lock device 1.

As is apparent from above, the steering lock device 1 according to the present invention can offer an advantageous effect of increasing antitheft performance with a simple configuration, without increasing weight or cost.

Although the drive mechanism for moving the lock member 9 is constituted by the manual cylinder lock 4 and the camshaft 10 in this embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the drive mechanism may be constituted by an electric motor and a camshaft driven by the electric motor.

Although the engagement portions 2g are provided on the inner surface of the housing body 2 in this embodiment, the engagement portions 2g may be provided on the inner surface of the lid 7 (which is part of the housing body 2) if the steering lock device 1 is configured such that the lock member 9 is located near the lid 7 . Further, the engaged portions 8c may be provided to the lock bolt 3.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A steering lock device comprising: a lock member configured to engage with a steering shaft to hinder the steering shaft from rotating; a drive mechanism configured to cause the lock member to engage with or disengage from the steering shaft; and a housing body housing therein the lock member and the drive mechanism, wherein the lock member is provided with an engaged portion having indentations and protrusions, and the housing body is provided with an engagement portion on an inner surface of the housing body at a position facing the engaged portion, the engagement portion having indentations and protrusions and being capable of engaging with the engaged portion.

2. The steering lock device according to claim 1, wherein the engaged portion is provided in one side surface of the lock member located on a lateral side relative to a moving direction of the lock member, and also in another side surface of the lock member which is different from the one side surface, and the engagement portion is provided on the inner surface of the housing body at each of positions facing the respective engaged portions.

3. The steering lock device according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the lock member includes a lock bolt configured to directly engage with and disengage from the steering shaft, and a slider connected to the lock bolt and operated by the drive mechanism, and the engaged portion is provided to the slider.