JPS629073B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a steering lock that prevents theft of an automobile by locking the steering shaft by removing the key, and particularly relates to a highly safe two-operation type steering lock.

While driving a car, the engine may be stopped to save fuel when going downhill, etc. In such cases, the driver may unconsciously return the key to the lock position, which is extremely dangerous. be.

For this reason, in the past, for example,
A two-operation type steering lock as shown in the publication has been proposed. That is, this steering lock incorporates a cam rotated by a key cylinder into the housing of the steering lock, and places the tip of a manual operation member that can be pressed with a finger within the range of motion of the cam, so that the key cylinder can be rotated at any time. Once the key cylinder is advanced, the key cylinder cannot be returned to the lock position unless the manual operation member is operated at the same time. Therefore, in this steering lock, the key cylinder cannot be returned to the locked position unless the manual operation member is pressed and the key is rotated at the same time, thereby improving safety. However, some dual-operation type steering locks can be returned to the locked position by pulling the manual operation member, and if such two types of steering locks come on the market, it will be difficult to get used to operating one of them. If a person operates a steering lock with another structure as described above, they may feel confused about operating the manual operation member, and especially if they are in a hurry, they may leave the car without removing the key, causing the theft prevention function to fail. There is also the possibility that the steering lock provided for this purpose may become meaningless.

In view of the above-mentioned conventional situation, the present invention provides a method for manually operating a cam by controlling a follower of a cam by pushing or pulling a manual operating member that is biased toward a neutral position. To propose a two-operation type steering lock in which a key cylinder cannot be returned to a locked position unless a member and a key are operated at the same time.

Hereinafter, details of one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, a cap 2 formed in a double cylindrical shape is fixed to one end 1b of the head of a steering lock housing 1 whose base 1a is fixed to a steering column A. A key cylinder 3 is assembled into the inner cylinder of the cap 2, that is, a cylinder housing 2a concentric with the head of the housing 1, prior to assembly with the housing 1. A key slot 5 is formed at the outer end 3a of the key cylinder 3 exposed to the outside from the center hole 4 of the cap 2, and the key slot 5 receives the tip of the key K shown by the imaginary line.
It is rotated by a predetermined key K inserted from the inside.

A circumferential cam 6 of the present invention, a semicircular lifting cam 7, and a joint pawl 8 are integrally formed at the inner end of the key cylinder 3, which are adjacent to each other in the length direction of the key cylinder 3. This joint claw 8 extends into the other end 1c of the head of the housing 1 through a communication hole 10 of a partition wall 9 that partitions the inside of the head of the housing 1, and is attached to the other end 1c of the head with a mounting screw (not shown). It is connected to a fixed ignition switch 11 and transmits the rotation of the key cylinder 3 to the ignition switch 11.

Meanwhile, a through hole 12 is bored in the base 1a of the housing 1, and a slidable locking bolt 13 for locking the collar C of the steering shaft B is located in the through hole 12. A pin 15 is attached to the lower end of the hanger 14 which is moved up and down by the rotor 7 at the inner end of the locking bolt 13.
is combined with The hanger 14 is biased toward the steering shaft by a hanger spring 17 interposed between the hanger 14 and the lid 16. A locking bolt 13 is attached to the side of the hanger 14, and when the hanger 14 is retracted, it engages with a latch 20, which will be described later. A notch 18 is formed as shown in FIG.

A latch 20 is incorporated into the head of the housing 1, which can swing around a floating pin 19 in the middle. One end 20a of the latch 20 pressed by the latch spring 21 is connected to the outer end 3 of the key cylinder 3 so that insertion of the key K can be sensed.
a, and the other end 20 of the latch 20
b faces within the range of movement of the notch 18 of the hanger 14. Therefore, by inserting the key K, the latch 20 becomes in a state where it can be engaged with the notch 18, and by rotating the key K toward the start position, the locking bolt 13 hanger 14 is pulled in by the lifting cam 7, and the latch 20 is engaged with the notch 18. Other end 20b
The notch 18 is engaged, and the locking bolt 13 is held in a retracted state in which the steering shaft B is not locked. Furthermore, when the key K is pulled out from the key cylinder 3 at the lock position, the latch 20 is rotated clockwise in the figure about the pin 19 by the latch spring 21, so that the other end 20b of the latch engages with the notch 18. is released, and the locking bolt 13 and hanger 14 biased by the hanger spring 17 protrude and the steering shaft B is locked.

According to the present invention, a small hole 23 opened toward the circumferential surface of the circumferential cam 6 is formed in the partition wall 22 of the housing 1 corresponding to the circumferential cam 6. A follower 25 pressed toward the circumferential cam 6 by a compression spring 24 is positioned so as to be freely retractable. Further, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a circumferential cam 6 with which the tip end 25a of the follower 25 comes into sliding contact.
A peak portion 6a is formed in which the follower 25 is pushed up when the circumferential cam 6 is in an advanced state corresponding to the position immediately before the off position of the key cylinder 3 from the lock position. That is, FIG. 3 shows the case where the circumferential cam 6 is in the lock position, and FIG. 4 shows the case where the circumferential cam 6 is advanced in the direction of the arrow from the position shown in the third figure and is in the off position. . As is clear from a comparison of the two figures, in the OFF position shown in FIG. 4, the tip end 25a of the follower 25 is received into the trough 6b via the slope 6c formed on the circumferential cam 6. This trough 6b has a tension length L corresponding to the key cylinder 3 from the off position to the start position.

On the other hand, according to the present invention, the inner end portion 27a of the manual operation member 27 extending in the substantially horizontal direction can slide in the direction of the arrow It is located like this. The manual operating member 27, which is prevented from falling out of the upper space 26 by closing the lid 16, has a knob 28 at its outer end and can be slid in any direction by holding the knob 28. At the inner end of the manual operation member 27,
Two escape holes 29 are provided on the surface facing the small hole 23.
a, 29b are formed. These escape holes 29
a, 29b correspond to the small hole 23 when the manual operation member 27 is slid to either movable end, and the follower 25
The rear end portion 25b of the is received.

Further, in order to hold the manual operating member 27 in the neutral position shown in FIG. , the biasing spring 32 held between the pair of protrusions 31a and 31b on the corresponding surfaces of the manual operation member 27 is attached to these spring receivers 3.
Accepted by 0a, 30b.

Note that the manual operation member 27 is connected to the key cylinder 3.
It is clear that it may be extended in a direction parallel to . Moreover, the peak portion 6a and the valley portion 6b in the peripheral cam 6
The connection portion with the follower 25 does not need to be an inclined surface as long as the tip of the follower 25 is a tapered surface as in the above embodiment.

Next, the actual manual operation of the steering lock in the above embodiment will be explained. First, when the key cylinder 3 is in the lock position, the locking bolt 13 locks the collar C of the steering shaft B as shown in the first figure, and the follower 25 locks the collar C of the steering shaft B as shown in the third figure. The manual operation member 27 is prevented from returning by the follower 25 which engages with the peak 6a of the manual operation member 27. Therefore, when the key cylinder 3 is rotated from the lock position to the off position by the key K, the hanger 14 is pulled up by the pull-up cam 7, and the locking bolt 13 is removed from the collar C of the steering shaft B. Steering operation becomes possible.

When the circumferential cam 6 reaches the off position shown in the fourth figure due to the subsequent rotation of the circumferential cam 6 in the direction of the arrow S, the tip 25a of the follower 25 comes off the peak 6a of the circumferential cam 6. The manual operating member 27 is freed and returns to the neutral position by the force of the biasing spring 32. Therefore, when the follower 25 aligns with the trough 6b of the circumferential cam 6, the key cylinder 3
is in a state where it can be rotated to any position within the range from the off position to the start position. In this case, even if an attempt is made to return the key cylinder 3 from the off position to the lock position, the follower 25 engages with the inclined surface 6c, so it is impossible to return the key cylinder 3 to the lock position only by key operation.

To remove the key K from the steering lock, such as when parking, return the key K to the OFF position and then press or pull the manual operating member 27 to align the escape hole 29a or 29b with the follower 25. while pressing the arrow T toward the lock position.
Just turn it in the direction. That is, as a result of these operations, the follower 25 is pushed up by the inclined surface 6c of the circumferential cam 6, the key cylinder 3 is returned to the locked position without any hindrance, and the key K can be pulled out from the key cylinder 3. I can do it.

As is clear from the above description, the present invention not only provides a highly safe two-operation type steering lock, but also provides a convenient steering lock that can be operated by either pulling or pushing the manual operation member. Can be provided.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the steering lock according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the - line in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the - line in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is in the off position. Figure 3 similar to Figure 5 in
The figure is an enlarged exploded perspective view of the main parts of the steering lock. B... Steering shaft, K... Key, 1
... Housing, 3 ... Key cylinder, 6 ... Circumferential cam, 25 ... Follower, 27 ... Manual operation member, 29a, 29 ... Relief hole, 32 ... Biasing spring.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a steering lock in which a key cylinder rotated by a key, a pull-up cam that operates a locking bolt, and an ignition switch are assembled in a housing, a member that rotates together with the key cylinder has a cam protrusion. A follower forming a cam and biased by a spring so as to be in constant contact with the cam is slidably provided in the housing, and within a range of movement of the follower while being biased toward a neutral position. What is claimed is: 1. A steering lock characterized in that a manual operation member is provided which prevents movement of a follower when it is in a neutral position and allows movement of a follower when manually operated at movable ends on both sides of the neutral position.