ITPS950015A1 - PEDAL LOCK ANTI-THEFT DEVICE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES AND / OR INDUSTRIAL VEHICLES - Google Patents

Abstract

Pedal locking anti-theft device, for motor vehicle and / or industrial vehicle, suitable for locking at least one pedal, comprising a telescopic, coaxial and mutually movable upper tubular rod (12) and a lower tubular rod (13), the upper tubular rod ( 12) presenting at the top mutually locking means of the tubular rods, (12, 13) temporarily activated, and at the bottom at least a rigid hook (16) protruding laterally, substantially orthogonal to the axis of the upper tubular rod (12), with at the end an angled section (116) facing downwards, said rigid hook (16) presenting in association with the upper tubular rod (12) and inside said, a straight cam profile (17), the lower tubular rod ( 13) cooperating with axially adjustable support means (18), and in an intermediate position with at least one articulated hook (19) having a closed seat (119), said at least one articulated hook (19) presenting a lowered unlocking position (19a) and a vertical plurality of locking positions (19b) in which it is in direct cooperation with the relative rigid hook (16) to define at least a seat (22) for housing and locking the lever (11) of the at least pedal, said at least one articulated hook (19) having inside the lower tubular rod (13) striking elements (23) cooperating during locking with the cam profile (17) when the upper tubular rod (12) is lowered.

Description

Description of the invention having as title:

"PEDAL LOCK ANTI-THEFT DEVICE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES AND / 0 INDUSTRIAL VEHICLES"

FIELD OF APPLICATION

The present invention relates to an anti-theft pedal lock device for motor vehicles and / or industrial vehicles as expressed in the main claim.

The pedal lock anti-theft device according to the invention is used to lock at least one pedal of the pedal unit of a motor vehicle in a safe and rapid manner.

The anti-theft device according to the invention is applied to any type of motor vehicle, be it a car or a commercial vehicle such as a van or truck, regardless of the make and model.

The anti-theft device according to the invention is applied both to motor vehicles with manual gearbox and to vehicles with automatic gearbox.

Numerous anti-theft devices for motor vehicles are known which block at least one pedal of said vehicle.

One type of anti-theft device comprises a telescopic rod with terminal hooks to be inserted under a pedal and on the steering wheel, said telescopic rod being locked longitudinally by means of a lock.

Said device is not very safe as tests have shown that the steering wheel can be cut, with suitable tools, in a very short time, thus freeing the pedal board.

Furthermore, the steering wheel is not always perfectly locked due to the large play allowed by the rigid hook.

Furthermore, these hooks can scratch or damage the steering wheel.

Other anti-theft devices are known which block two pedals, namely the brake pedal and the clutch pedal, but which require difficult, laborious and inconvenient manual operations both in the closing and opening and removal phases of the device which make it very little to use. practical. From document FR-A-2.625 .962 an anti-theft device is known comprising a box-like element having notches with which the levers of the pedals cooperate which are blocked there by a locking rod, suitably shaped, sliding in an orthogonal direction to said notches .

Said box-like element also has a foot which can be adjusted in height which cooperates with its free end on the bottom of the vehicle to lock the device against the levers of said pedals.

This device is impractical to use, requires manual operations to be suitable for the various types of vehicles and does not lock the pedal levers safely, as the size of the seats defined by the notches and the locking rod are considerably larger than the pedal levers.

From document IT-A-1.149 .007 an anti-theft pedal locking device is known comprising an inverted U-shaped fork carried by a tubular support oriented upwards and equipped at the upper end with a safety lock, a locking bracket carried by an articulated bar sliding inside said support cooperating with said lock so as to lock the levers of the pedals between the bracket itself and the fork when this is placed astride the said levers.

This device cannot be applied to all vehicles as the height of the U-fork is not adjustable and therefore cannot be adapted to the position of the pedal levers, said position being variable depending on the model or make of the vehicle.

Furthermore, for its operation, said device requires the user to reach the pedal area with his hands to bring the locking bracket from the lower unlocking position to the upper locking position with awkward and uncomfortable maneuvers.

Again, the device according to 1ΊΤ-Α-1.149.007 is bulky and difficult to accommodate when in the non-use position.

From document WO 90/05653 a pedal lock is known comprising two tubular support elements coaxial and sliding one into the other, the lower one having a fixed lateral bracket which cooperates with the lower part of the pedal, and the upper one presenting a lateral curved element which cooperates with the fixed lateral bracket to block said pedal.

Said device is not very practical to use and the locking / unlocking operations are inconvenient, long and laborious.

Document FR-A-2 .586.38 4 illustrates an anti-theft pedal lock device fixedly mounted on the vehicle and comprising a profile whose lower end abuts the bottom of the vehicle and whose upper end has a safety lock.

Said section has two fixed side brackets, arranged on opposite sides and open at the bottom, in which the brake and clutch pedal levers slide, said brackets being temporally closed by two cams having an unlocking position inside the section and a locking position. external to the profile.

Said cams are operated by a slider which is axially movable inside the section and operated by the safety lock means.

Said device has the problem of having to be made in a considerable number of models in order to be adapted to different types of vehicles since both the height of the pedals and their wheelbase can vary from one model to another.

Furthermore, in said device, the brackets must be of a very precise shape in order to be able to adapt and effectively lock the levers of the pedals.

Furthermore, in order to move into the locking position, the cams move in a direction substantially orthogonal to the direction of oscillation of the arms associated with the pedals, thus preventing said brackets from rigidly tightening and locking said levers against said brackets.

Furthermore, in said device, the side brackets do not cooperate directly with the locking cams which are moved only to close the opening of the brackets at the bottom, said solution does not guarantee absolute safety as it is possible to free the pedals simply by folding the end part. of said cams.

Document IT-A-MI92A002933 illustrates an anti-theft pedal locking device comprising caliper means capable of engaging with the levers of the pedals, respectively of the brake and clutch, of a motor vehicle, said caliper means being associated with a support bar and with an axially movable drive bar mounted within the support bar.

The actuation rod is movable from an unlocking position to a locking position in which it respectively controls the opening and closing of the pincer means which cooperate with the levers of the pedals to be locked.

Said device also has elastic return means which elastically hold the actuation rod in the unlocking position and safety lock means which lock the said actuation rod in the locking position.

In said device, the actuation rod is axially movable inside the support bar and is associated with a sleeve which moves axially externally to said support bar.

Furthermore, in said device, the gripper means are of the double type and are hinged integrally to the support bar.

In said solution, the pincer means are operated by a pair of actuation levers associated, on the one hand, with the actuation rod and, on the other hand, with the pincer means themselves.

Furthermore, the support bar is not adjustable in length and therefore the anti-theft device cannot be adapted to all models of motor vehicles, since the position of the clamp means is not adjustable according to the height of the pedals, thus not ensuring a mounting. and a secure locking of the device on the bottom of the vehicle.

To obviate the drawbacks of the known art and to obtain other and further advantages, the present applicant has studied, tested and implemented the present invention.

EXPOSURE OF THE FOUND

The present invention is expressed and characterized in the main claim.

The secondary claims set out variants to the main solution idea.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide an anti-theft pedal lock device for motor vehicles, advantageously but not exclusively for commercial vehicles, which is simple, effective and safe at the same time.

The anti-theft device according to the invention can be adapted to any type of motor vehicle with a very simple and rapid operation.

The anti-theft device according to the invention is easy to handle both for its installation and for its removal.

In a first formulation of the invention, the anti-theft device according to the invention is used to block a single pedal of the motor vehicle.

In a second formulation, the invention allows two pedals of the vehicle to be locked simultaneously.

The device according to the invention allows any pedal to be locked regardless of its characteristics such as height of the pedal from the bottom of the motor vehicle, shape and dimensions of the pedal lever, distance between the pedal levers. The anti-theft device according to the invention comprises two telescopic tubular rods, coaxial and mutually movable, and more particularly an upper external tubular rod and a lower internal tubular rod.

The inner lower tubular rod is mounted at least partially sliding inside the outer upper tubular rod, but rotatably locked thereon.

The device according to the invention has locking means integral with the upper part of the upper outer rod and associated with the lower inner rod which lock the mutual longitudinal position between said tubular rods, respectively upper and lower.

Said locking means are associated with lock means for their deactivation.

The anti-theft device according to the invention has axially adjustable support foot means at the bottom which allow the anti-theft device to be adapted to the various types of vehicle.

In a first embodiment, said support foot means cooperate axially and directly with the internal tubular rod.

In a second embodiment, advantageously used on commercial vehicles in which a greater adjustment stroke of the pedal locking device is required, said support foot means are associated with an auxiliary tubular rod integrally associated and extending parallel to the internal tubular rod.

Said lower inner tubular rod has in an intermediate position at least one articulated hook, oscillating between a lowered unlocking position and a raised locking position in which it is substantially orthogonal to said lower tubular rod.

In the embodiment used to simultaneously lock the levers of two pedals, said inner lower tubular rod has two articulated hooks, arranged diametrically opposite.

Said at least one articulated hook has abutment elements for its activation and its displacement from the unlocking position to the locking position.

The external upper rod has at least one rigid hook substantially orthogonal to the axis of the rod and having a cam profile in cooperation with said rod.

In the invention, said articulated hooks associated with the lower internal tubular rod are in a number coordinated with the number of rigid hooks associated with the upper external tubular rod and positioned in correspondence with said and on the same vertical plane.

In the device according to the invention, the locking of the lever (s) takes place by lowering the outer upper rod until the cam profile of the rigid hook cooperates with the abutment elements of the corresponding articulated hook.

Said cooperation brings the relative articulated hook into the raised locking position in which the corresponding pedal lever is blocked at the top by the relative rigid hook and at the bottom by the corresponding articulated hook. In this way, the lever (s) of the pedals is blocked so as not to allow any movement thereof since the said hooks are brought into contact, or substantially into contact, with the corresponding lever.

In the device according to the invention, the articulated hook and the corresponding rigid hook are shaped so as to mutually interfere with the ends so as to avoid possible tampering with them.

In the device according to the invention, the cam profile has a first lower portion with an invitation and a second upper portion parallel to the abutment means, so as to define a vertical plurality of locking positions as a function of the thickness of the pedal lever.

More particularly, during the initial lowering stroke of the upper tubular rod, the first section of the cam profile cooperates with the abutment element of the relative articulated hook and brings the latter from the lowered unlocking position to the raised locking position, substantially parallel to the rigid hook to define a closed seat for containing the pedal lever.

Then, during the further lowering stroke of the external upper tubular rod, the articulated hook remains fixed in the locking position and the rigid hook is lowered, reducing the height of the containment seat until the rigid hook is brought into contact, or substantially in contact with the upper part of the pedal lever, locking it.

This allows safe locking of the pedal regardless of the thickness of the pedal levers, said thickness varying considerably according to the type of motor vehicle to which the device according to the invention is to be applied.

ILLUSTRATION OF DRAWINGS

The attached figures are provided by way of non-limiting example and illustrate some preferential embodiments of the invention. In the tables we have that:

- fig. 1 is a partially sectioned front view of a first embodiment of the anti-theft device according to the invention in the unlocking position;

- fig. 2 shows the anti-theft device of fig. 1 in the locked position;

- figs. 3a to 3c show detail B of the device of fig. 2 in some of the possible different locking positions;

- fig. 4 shows a partially sectioned front view of a second embodiment of the anti-theft device according to the invention in the locking position;

- fig. 5 shows a side view according to A of the anti-theft device of fig. 4;

- fig. 6 shows a variant of detail B of the anti-theft device of fig. 2 in the locked position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

With reference to the attached figures, the reference number 10 generally indicates an anti-theft pedal lock device for motor vehicles according to the invention.

The anti-theft device 10 according to the invention is used to lock at least one lever 11 of a pedal, not shown here, of the motor vehicle so as to prevent its movement.

The anti-theft device 10 according to the invention is applied both to vehicles with manual gearbox and to vehicles with automatic gearbox.

According to a particular embodiment schematically illustrated in fig. 6, the anti-theft device 10 according to the invention for vehicles with mechanical gearbox allows the levers 11 of two pedals to be locked simultaneously.

In the case of vehicles with automatic transmission, the device according to the invention is applied to the lever 11 of the brake pedal.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the anti-theft device 10 according to the invention allows locking of a lever 11 and therefore is advantageously, but not exclusively, used with automatic gearbox vehicles.

In the present case, the device 10 comprises an upper tubular rod 12 telescopically associated with a lower tubular rod 13 on which it slides longitudinally, the upper tubular rod 12 being placed externally to the lower tubular rod 13 and being rotatably locked with respect to said 13.

The upper tubular rod 12 has a handle 14 at the top, in which is housed a safety lock 15 which can be operated by means of a suitable key, and below a rigid hook 16 projecting laterally and extending substantially orthogonally to said upper tubular rod 12.

Said rigid hook 16 has the associated part inside the upper tubular rod 12 shaped with a straight cam profile 17, facing downwards, parallel to the longitudinal axis of the device 10 and whose function will be clarified in the following description.

In the present case, said rigid hook 16 slides in a longitudinal slot 29 present in the lower tubular rod 13 and is fixed to the upper tubular rod 12 by a clamp 30 and by rivets 31.

In the present case, said longitudinal slot 29 also acts as anti-rotation means between the upper tubular rod 12 and the lower tubular rod 13.

The lower tubular rod 13 has at its bottom support foot means 18, of the adjustable type, and in an intermediate position, substantially coincident with the lower end of stroke of the upper tubular rod 12, an articulated hook 19, hinged to a pin 20 associated with a clamp 21 integral with the lower tubular rod 13.

Said articulated hook 19 has a first unlocking position 19a (fig. 1) lowered and a second locking position 19b {fig. 2) in which it is substantially orthogonal to the axis of the device 10.

Said articulated hook 19 has, at the end associated with the lower tubular rod 13 and inside said 13, abutment elements 23 with which the cam profile 17 associated with the rigid hook 16 cooperates during the lowering of said upper tubular rod 12.

In this way, the lowering of the upper tubular rod 12 and the consequent cooperation of the cam profile 17 with the abutment elements 23, determines the rotation of the articulated hook 19 around the pin 20, thus bringing it into the locking position 19b.

In the locking position 19b, the articulated hook 19 and the rigid hook 16 define a housing seat 22 in which the pedal lever 11 is locked, both above and below.

In the device according to the invention, the abutment elements 23 have at least a first inclined section 23a, which acts as a guide, and a second straight section 23b, parallel to the cam element 17.

More particularly, the first section of the lowering stroke of the upper tubular rod 12 causes the rotation of the articulated hook 19 which moves into the locking position 19b until the seat 22 is closed, while the second section of the lowering stroke of the tubular rod upper 12 determines the reduction of the height of said seat 22 until the lever 11 is completely blocked.

In this way it is possible to adopt the device 10 according to the invention on all vehicles regardless of the thickness of said levers 11. By way of example, figs. 3a, 3b and 3c illustrate three of said locking positions 19b in which the height of the seat 22 varies, continuously or in steps, to adapt to the thickness of the pedal lever 11 and always guarantee a safe locking of said lever 11.

In this case, the rigid hook 16 has a curved portion 116 at the end which cooperates with a closed seat 119 terminally associated with the articulated hook 19 so as to define a more effective and safe locking of the lever 11.

In the illustrated device 10, the lower tubular rod 13 has the female threaded lower terminal portion 113 with which the male threaded stem 25 of the support foot means 18 which rests on the bottom of the motor vehicle cooperates.

Said supporting foot means 18 comprise locking means 26 which are activated, by means of the adjustment screw 28, once the length of the device 10 has been adjusted according to the type of vehicle.

The device 10 according to the invention comprises return spring means 24 which automatically return the upper tubular rod 12 to the raised position, and therefore the anti-theft device 10 to the unlocking position, when the safety lock means 15 are deactivated.

Figs. 4 and 5 show an anti-theft device 110 in which the support foot means 18 can be adjusted in a wide range of positions according to the particular requirements.

Said device 110 is advantageously applied to commercial vehicles, such as vans or trucks, in which the lever 11 of the pedals is considerably raised with respect to the base on which the foot 18 of the device 110 rests.

In this case, the device 110 provides an auxiliary tubular rod 32 integrally associated and extending parallel to the lower tubular rod 13.

In this way the adjustment stroke of the support foot means 18 is considerably increased and the male threaded shank 25 does not interfere with the abutment elements 23 of the articulated hooks 19, since said threaded shank 25 and said abutment elements 23 they cooperate respectively with the auxiliary tubular rod 32 and with the lower tubular rod 13.

In the present case, said auxiliary tubular rod 32 cooperates at the top with a tubular guide rod 27, parallel and integral with the upper tubular rod 12, in which said 32 slides during the locking / unlocking operations of the device 110 according to the invention.

In the present case, said tubular guide rod 27 is associated by means of two bands 33 to said upper tubular rod 12.

Fig. 6 refers to an anti-theft device 210 for the simultaneous locking of two levers 11. In this case, the fixed hook 216 is double and symmetrical, presenting two angled portions 116 at the ends and in a median position a cam profile 117 symmetrical and coaxial to the rods upper tubular 12 and lower 13.

Each angled portion 116 of the double fixed hook 216 cooperates with a relative articulated hook 19, said articulated hooks 19 being associated with the lower tubular rod 13 in diametrically opposite positions and coordinated with said fixed hooks 16.

Claims (1)

CLAIMS 1 - Pedal lock anti-theft device, for motor vehicle and / or industrial vehicle, able to block at least one pedal, comprising an upper tubular rod (12) and a lower tubular rod (13) that are telescopic, coaxial and mutually movable, the tubular rod upper (12) presenting at the top means for reciprocal locking of the tubular rods (12, 13) which can be activated temporarily, and below at least one rigid hook (16) projecting laterally, substantially orthogonal to the axis of the upper tubular rod (12), with at the an angled portion (116) facing downwards, characterized in that said rigid hook (16) has, in association with the upper tubular rod (12) and inside said, a straight cam profile (17), 'lower tubular rod (13) cooperating at the bottom with support foot means (18), axially adjustable, and in an intermediate position with at least one articulated hook (19) having a closed seat (119) at the end, called a the at least one articulated hook (19) having a lowered unlocking position (19a) and a vertical plurality of locking positions (19b) in which it is in direct cooperation with the relative rigid hook (16) to define at least one seat (22) for housing and locking of the lever (11) of the at least one pedal, said at least one articulated hook (19) having inside the lower tubular rod (13) abutment elements (23) cooperating in the locking phase with the cam profile (17) when the upper tubular rod (12) is lowered. 2 - Anti-theft device as per Claim 1, characterized in that the abutment elements (23) of the at least one articulated hook (19) have a first lead-in section (23a) and a second straight section (23b) which in the locking (19b) is substantially parallel to the cam element (17) and to the longitudinal axis of the device (10), each locking position (19b) defining a seat (22) for housing and locking the lever (11) having a defined and differentiated height. 3 - Anti-theft device as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the support foot means (18) are directly and axially associated with the lower tubular rod (13). 4 - Anti-theft device as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the support foot means {18} are associated with an auxiliary tubular rod {32} integral and parallel to the lower tubular rod (13) and cooperating with a 'tubular guide rod (27) integral with the upper tubular rod (12). 5 - Anti-theft device as in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it adopts the contents referred to in the description. 6 - Anti-theft device as in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it adopts the contents of the figures,