JP3969969B2 - Steering lock device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a steering lock device used in a vehicle such as an automobile.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a cylinder lock cylinder in a steering lock device is automatically returned from a start position to an on position after being turned from an on position to a start position by a key operation to start an engine. The return force for automatically returning the cylinder in this way is provided by a return spring provided inside the ignition switch.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in order to prevent the cylinder lock from forming a gap as much as possible from the viewpoint of theft prevention, the tolerance between the cylinder and the cylinder outer cannot be increased. For this reason, the spring inside the ignition switch located far from the cylinder lock With this return force, the cylinder cannot be sufficiently returned and rotated, and a return failure such as the cylinder being caught by the cylinder outer during the automatic return has occurred.
[0004]
In order to eliminate this return failure, measures such as slightly changing the shape of the cylinder housing space of the cylinder outer to an ellipse have been made, but this is not sufficient, and it is not preferable from the viewpoint of strength and theft prevention. It was.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
Therefore, in order to solve the above problems, the steering lock device of the present invention is accommodated in a cylinder outer fixed to the steering lock body, and a cylinder that can be rotated to a lock position, an ACC position, an on position, and a start position,
A lock member movable to lock a steering shaft when the cylinder is in the locked position, and to unlock the steering shaft when the cylinder is in the ACC position, an on position, or a start position;
A cam that rotates integrally with the cylinder and moves the lock member from the locked position to the unlocked position against the biasing force of the biasing member by engaging with the lock member;
After the cylinder is rotated from the on position to the start position, the cam is returned and rotated through the lock member by the urging force of the urging member, and the cylinder is automatically moved from the start position to the on position. It is intended to return.
In this steering lock device, it is preferable that the cam is provided on the cylinder side with respect to the lock member.
[0006]
Further, in the scan Tearing locking device of the present invention, the return rotation of the front Symbol cylinder and biasing member for biasing at least the possibility to key withdrawal direction pushing at the ACC position, to the locked position from the ACC position of the cylinder further comprising a safety device which allows the return rotation by pushing the cylinder at the ACC position with blocking,
When the cylinder is rotated from the ON position to the start position, the cylinder rotates against the biasing force in the rotation direction of the biasing member, and then the biasing force in the rotation direction of the biasing member causes the The cylinder may be automatically returned from the start position to the on position .
In this steering lock device, it is preferable that the urging member is provided on the cylinder side from the lock member.
[0007]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 shows an overall configuration of a steering lock device 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1 (also in FIG. 3), the right side is called “front” and the left side is called “rear”.
[0008]
The steering lock device 10 includes a steering lock body 12 that is integrally formed of a metal material such as zinc or aluminum. A substantially cylindrical cylinder outer 14 is fixedly accommodated in the front end portion of the steering lock body 12. A cylindrical cylinder 16 is rotatably accommodated in the cylinder outer 14.
[0009]
A plurality of (eight in the present embodiment) plate-like tumblers 18 are arranged in the cylinder 16 in an aligned state. These tumblers 18 are normally in a state in which their end portions protrude from the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder 16 by a biasing force of a spring (not shown). At this time, the end portions are lock grooves (not shown) formed on the inner surface of the cylinder outer 14. This prevents rotation of the cylinder 16 within the cylinder outer 14. On the other hand, when a regular key is inserted from a key hole (not shown) on the front end surface of the cylinder 16, each tumbler 18 moves into the cylinder 16 against the urging force of the spring, and the end of the tumbler 18 is the cylinder. Retracted from the outer peripheral surface of 16 and the engagement with the lock groove is released, whereby the cylinder 16 is allowed to rotate within the cylinder outer 14. In this state, the cylinder 16 can be rotated to the lock position, the ACC position, the on position, and the start position.
[0010]
A camshaft 20 that rotates integrally with the cylinder 18 is connected to the rear end of the cylinder 18. A cam 22 is integrally formed on the camshaft 20. As shown in FIG. 2, the cam 22 has a protruding portion 22 a that protrudes in a substantially triangular shape, and an extended portion 22 b that extends long and has a rounded tip. The conventional cam is substantially fan-shaped and does not have the elongated portion 22b (see the cam 22a in FIG. 5).
[0011]
Below the cam 22, a slider 26 biased by a spring 24 is disposed so as to be slidable in the vertical direction. An inclined surface 26 a is formed on the upper edge of the slider 26. Further, a lock shaft 28 disposed behind the cam 22 is integrally connected to the slider 26 so that the slider 26 can move together with the slider 26. Thus, the cam 22 is provided on the cylinder 16 side from the lock shaft 28.
[0012]
When the cylinder 16 is in the locked position, the tip of the lock shaft 28 protrudes as shown in FIG. 1 and engages with a recess of a steering shaft (not shown), whereby the steering shaft is locked. On the other hand, when the cylinder 16 is rotated to the ACC position other than the lock position, the on position, or the start position, the lock shaft 28 is pushed down together with the slider 26 by the cam 22, and thereby the steering shaft is recessed to the tip of the lock shaft 28. Is released, and the steering shaft is unlocked. In this way, the slider 26 and the lock shaft 28 move together to form a lock member that locks or unlocks the steering shaft.
[0013]
A rear end portion of the camshaft 20 is connected to the ignition switch 30. Thus, when the cylinder 16 is rotated from the on position to the start position, the ignition switch 30 is actuated to start the engine.
[0014]
Next, the operation of the steering lock device 10 having the above configuration will be described.
When the user inserts the regular key and rotates the cylinder 16 from the lock position to the ACC position, the cam 22 rotates together with the camshaft 20 as shown in FIGS. The protrusion 22 a pushes down the slider 26 against the urging force of the spring 24. As a result, the lock shaft 28 that has been in the lock position for locking the steering shaft slides together with the slider 26 to the unlock position, and as a result, the tip of the lock shaft 28 is disengaged from the recess of the steering shaft and the steering shaft The lock (ie steering lock) is released.
[0015]
When the cylinder 16 is turned from the ACC position to the on position and further to the start position, the ignition switch 30 is actuated to start the engine. At this time, as shown in FIGS. 2 (c) and 2 (d), the slider 22 is further pushed down from the already unlocked position against the biasing force of the spring 24 by the extension 22b of the cam 22, and the start At the position, the extended portion 22b of the cam 22 and the inclined portion 26a of the slider 26 are in contact with each other. Thereafter, when the user removes his / her hand from the regular key, the slider 24 is pushed up by the urging force of the spring 24, whereby the cam 22 contacting the inclined portion 26a of the slider 26 returns and rotates as shown in FIG. As a result, the cylinder 16 automatically returns from the start position to the on position. Note that the upper portion of the slider 26 with which the extended portion 22b of the cam 22 abuts at the start position is an inclined portion 26a, so that the urging force of the spring 24 is efficiently transferred from the slider 26 to the cam 22 to rotate the cam 22 back. This is to make it work well.
[0016]
As described above, in the steering lock device 10 of the present embodiment, the biasing force of the spring 24 that biases the slider 26 constituting the lock member is used as the return force for the return rotation of the cylinder 16, thereby turning on from the start position. The automatic return of the cylinder 16 to the position can be reliably performed.
[0017]
Further, the spring 24 for automatically returning the cylinder 16 is not specially provided but has been conventionally used for biasing a lock member for locking the steering shaft, so the number of parts is changed. There is no cost increase.
[0018]
Further, in the steering lock device 10, since the cam 22 is provided on the cylinder 16 side from the lock shaft 28 constituting the lock member, a sufficient return force can be applied to the cylinder 16. The automatic return of the cylinder 16 to the center can be stabilized.
[0019]
Next, a steering lock device 40 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 3, the steering lock device 40 includes a 2 (two) motion safety device 42. The two-motion safety device 42 includes a two-motion plate 44 accommodated in an internal space adjacent to the cylinder 16 accommodating portion in the cylinder outer 14 and a two-motion spring that urges the two-motion plate 44 in the key insertion direction (rearward). 46, a one-way locking portion 48 provided on the rear end side of the cylinder 16, and a spring 50 disposed behind the cylinder 16 and around the camshaft 55.
[0020]
One end surface of the one-way locking portion 48 is formed as an inclined surface, and when the cylinder 16 is rotated from the lock position to the ACC position, the inclined surface of the one-way locking portion serves as the second motion plate. It is designed to engage.
[0021]
In the steering lock device 40, the camshaft 20 can be rotated integrally with the cylinder 16, and is coupled to the camshaft 20 so that the cylinder 16 can be pushed in the key insertion direction (rearward). Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, a connecting portion 16 a having a substantially oval cross section projects from the rear end portion of the cylinder 16, whereas the front end portion of the camshaft 20 has a substantially oval shape. A connecting hole 20 a having a cross section is formed, and the connecting portion 16 a of the cylinder 16 is loosely fitted in the connecting hole 20 a of the camshaft 20. With such a connecting structure, when the cylinder 16 is rotated, the camshaft 20 is also rotated integrally, and there is still a margin between the tip of the connecting portion 16a and the bottom of the connecting hole 20a in the assembled state. Therefore, the cylinder 16 can be pushed into the camshaft 20 at least in the ACC position.
[0022]
One end 50 a of the spring 50 of the two-motion safety device 42 is inserted into the camshaft 20, and the other end 50 b is located in the recess 12 a in the steering lock body 12. One side wall portion 12b of the recess 12a constitutes a stop portion of the other end 50b. The spring 50 always urges the cylinder 16 in the key pulling direction (forward).
[0023]
When the cam 22a of the steering lock device 40 does not use the urging force of the spring 24 that urges the lock members 26 and 28 as the return force of the cylinder 16 as in the steering lock device 10 of the first embodiment, Since the lock members 26 and 28 need only be in the locked position or unlocked position, they are formed in a substantially fan shape as shown in FIG. However, also in the steering lock device 40 of the second embodiment, when the urging force of the spring 24 is used for the return force of the cylinder, the shape of the cam 22a is the same as that of the cam 22 of the steering lock device 10 of the first embodiment. The shape may be used.
[0024]
Since the other structure in the steering lock device 40 is the same as that of the steering lock device 10 of the first embodiment, the same reference numerals are assigned to the same members and the description thereof is omitted.
[0025]
Next, the operation of the steering lock device 40 will be described.
When the user inserts the regular key into the cylinder 16 and rotates the cylinder 16 from the locked position to the ACC position, the one-way locking portion 48 of the cylinder 16 engages with the end of the two motion plate 44. As the motion plate 44 is pushed along the inclined surface of the one-way locking portion 48 and moves forward, the one-way locking portion 48 can cross the two-motion plate 44, thereby moving the cylinder 16 to the ACC position. Can be rotated.
[0026]
Further, as the cylinder 16 rotates from the lock position to the ACC position, the cam 22 pushes down the slider 26 as shown in FIG. As a result, the lock member including the lock shaft 28 and the slider 26 moves from the lock position to the unlock position, and the steering shaft is unlocked.
[0027]
The cylinder 16 continues to rotate from the ACC position to the on position. When rotated to the ON position, as shown in FIG. 4, the other end 50 b of the spring 50 rotated together with the cylinder 16 and the camshaft 20 comes into contact with the stopper 12 b of the cylinder outer 12. Further rotation is prevented. When the cylinder 16 is rotated from the on position to the start position against the restoring force in the torsional direction of the spring 50 (the urging force in the rotational direction), the ignition switch 30 is activated to start the engine.
[0028]
When the user releases the regular key after starting the engine in this way, the cylinder 16 automatically returns from the start position to the on position by the torsional restoring force of the spring 50.
[0029]
On the other hand, when the user stops the engine and tries to remove the regular key from the cylinder 16, the cylinder 16 in the on position is returned to the ACC position and rotated. When rotated to this ACC position, the side surface of the one-way locking portion 48 of the cylinder 16 comes into contact with the two-motion plate 44. However, since the side surface of the one-way locking portion 48 is not inclined, the two-motion plate 44 cannot be pushed away. The one-way locking portion 478 is locked to the two-motion plate 44 and the cylinder 16 The above return rotation is prevented.
[0030]
Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, the user pushes the regular key 2 in the arrow B direction at the ACC position. As a result, the cylinder 16 moves rearward and the locking of the one-way locking portion 48 with respect to the two-motion plate 44 is released, so that the cylinder 16 can be rotated back from the ACC position to the locked position.
[0031]
As described above, in the steering lock device 40 according to the second embodiment, the torsional restoring force of the spring 50 of the two-motion safety device 42 is used as the return force for the return rotation of the cylinder 16, thereby moving from the start position to the on position. The automatic return of the cylinder 16 can be reliably performed.
[0032]
Further, the spring 50 for automatically returning the cylinder 16 is not specially provided, but has been conventionally used as an urging member of the cylinder 16 in the two-motion safety device 42, so the number of parts is changed. There is no cost increase.
[0033]
Further, in the steering lock device 40, since the spring 50 is provided on the cylinder 16 side with respect to the lock shaft 28 constituting the lock member, a sufficient return force can be applied to the cylinder 16, so that the start position is turned on. The automatic return of the cylinder 16 to the center can be stabilized.
[0034]
In each of the above embodiments, the cylinder automatic return return spring provided in the ignition switch 30 can be eliminated from the prior art. However, a sufficient return force of the cylinder 16 can be obtained by using the return spring together. Can do.
[0035]
【The invention's effect】
As is apparent from the above description , according to the steering lock device of the present invention, the force of the biasing member for the lock member or the biasing member for the safety device is used as the return force for returning the cylinder. Thus, the automatic return of the cylinder from the start position to the on position can be reliably performed.
[0036]
Further, the urging member for automatically returning the cylinder is not specially provided but has been used conventionally, so the number of parts does not change and the cost is not increased.
[0037]
Further, since the cam or biasing member used for the automatic return of the cylinder is provided on the cylinder side from the lock member, a sufficient return force can be applied to the cylinder, so that the cylinder automatically moves from the start position to the on position. Restoration can be stabilized.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a steering lock device according to a first embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG.
FIG. 3 is an overall configuration diagram of a steering lock device according to a second embodiment.
4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a view showing a state in which a substantially fan-shaped cam moves a slider from a locked position to an unlocked position by rotating a cylinder.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a state when a regular key is pushed in to release the locking by the safety device.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10,40 ... Steering lock apparatus, 12 ... Steering lock body, 14 ... Cylinder outer, 16 ... Cylinder, 18 ... Tumbler, 20 ... Camshaft, 22, 22a ... Cam, 24 ... Spring (biasing member), 26 ... Slider (Lock member), 28 ... lock shaft (lock member), 30 ... ignition switch, 42 ... 2-motion safety device, 44 ... 2-motion plate, 46 ... 2-motion spring, 48 ... one-way locking part, 50 ... spring ( Biasing member).

Claims (4)

A cylinder housed in a cylinder outer fixed to the steering lock body and rotatable to a lock position, an ACC position, an on position and a start position;
A lock member movable to lock a steering shaft when the cylinder is in the locked position, and to unlock the steering shaft when the cylinder is in the ACC position, an on position, or a start position;
A cam that rotates integrally with the cylinder and moves the lock member from the locked position to the unlocked position against the biasing force of the biasing member by engaging with the lock member;
After the cylinder is rotated from the on position to the start position, the cam is returned and rotated through the lock member by the urging force of the urging member, and the cylinder is automatically moved from the start position to the on position. A steering lock device characterized by being returned.   The steering lock device according to claim 1, wherein the cam is provided on a cylinder side with respect to the lock member. In the ACC position said cylinder with a biasing member for biasing the pre-Symbol cylinder allows the key withdrawal direction pushing at least the ACC position, from the ACC position of the cylinder to prevent the return rotation to the locked position further comprising a safety device which allows the return rotation by pushing,
When the cylinder is rotated from the ON position to the start position, the cylinder rotates against the biasing force in the rotation direction of the biasing member, and then the biasing force in the rotation direction of the biasing member causes the 2. The steering lock device according to claim 1, wherein the cylinder is automatically returned from the start position to the on position.   The steering lock device according to claim 3, wherein the urging member is provided on a cylinder side with respect to the lock member.

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