Classifications

• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E05—LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
  • E05B—LOCKS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; HANDCUFFS
  • E05B11/00—Devices preventing keys from being removed from the lock ; Devices preventing falling or pushing out of keys

Definitions

• the invention relates to antitheft devices for vehicle steering column.
• Such devices comprising a latch and a bolt mechanism.
• a rotation of the steering wheel causes the deployment of the bolt in a direction not parallel to the axis of the column so that it comes into engagement with the latter and prevents any maneuvering of the steering wheel.
• the mechanism retracts the bolt to unlock the column and release the steering wheel.
• the key when the vehicle is running, the key can not be extracted from the latch by a simple rotational movement of the key and the rotor in the latch stator. It is necessary to insert the key beforehand into the lock before being able to extract it. This prevents any inadvertent or malicious extraction of the key, especially because of the danger that the extraction of the key would represent when the vehicle is running. In particular, it is avoided that a child transported to a front seat of the vehicle can seize the key during transport.
• An object of the invention is to provide a simpler mechanism to assemble and less expensive to obtain these features.
• a antitheft device for a vehicle steering column which comprises a lock comprising a rotor and a stator among which one carries a pin and the other has a shaped pin receiving groove so that, from a predetermined angular position, a rotation of the rotor relative to the stator in a predetermined direction requires a prior depression of the rotor relative to the stator towards the interior of the device.
• the pin performs indexing of the relative position of the rotor in the stator in rotation and sliding.
• the pin is the cooperation of the pin with the groove that prohibits removal of the key without first driving the rotor into the stator.
• the pin may be carried by the rotor or the stator according to the embodiments.
• the groove has an abutment face for the pin, radial to an axis of rotation of the rotor and determining the angular position.
• the throat is shaped so that it is possible, without pressing the rotor beforehand, to turn it in a direction opposite to the direction of stop to reach the running position.
• the device is arranged so that an action on the rotor to rotate it in a direction opposite to the stop direction is sufficient to place it in the running position.
• the user only controls the rotation of the rotor.
• the groove cooperates with the pin to slide the rotor into the stator at the appropriate time during the movement of the rotor.
• the operation of the lock therefore remains simple for the user despite the fact that the rotor moves with different types of movements as it travels its path.
• the groove is shaped so that there is at least one angular position of the rotor in which any sliding of the rotor in the stator is impossible.
• the device comprises a return spring urging the rotor in a direction opposite to the depression.
• the groove is formed in a circumferential face of the rotor or stator.
• the pin is immobilized with respect to the sliding stator parallel to an axis of rotation of the rotor and rotating around this axis.
• the device comprises a frame, the pin being engaged with the frame rigidly immobilizing the stator relative to the frame.
• the pin ensures not only the aforementioned indexing function but also the rigid positioning of the stator relative to the frame of the device.
• the rotor has a cavity adapted to receive the pin in a position such that the pin extends into the stator without protruding from an outer face of the latter.
• This cavity allows the temporary reception of the pin for mounting the lock in the frame.
• FIGS. 3 and 4 are partial views respectively exploded perspective and side of the lock of the device of Figure 1 without the frame;
• FIG. 9 is a view on a larger scale of the rotor and the pin in the configuration of FIG. 8.
• FIGS. 1 to 4 show an antitheft device 2 for a vehicle steering column.
• the device comprises a frame 4 defining in the device two parts distant from each other, namely a locking portion 6 illustrated in the figures and a blocking portion 8 shown only in part in FIG.
• the locking portion 8 comprises in particular a not shown bolt mounted to slide relative to the frame so as to occupy two positions, namely a locking position and an unlocking position.
• the bolt engages a part of the steering column so as to prohibit the rotation of the column relative to the vehicle structure.
• the unlocking position or retracted position the bolt allows rotation of the column relative to the structure.
• the sliding direction of the bolt from one of these positions is non-parallel to the axis of rotation of the column.
• the locking portion is of a type known in itself and will not be described here in detail.
• the locking portion 6 comprises a latch 10 comprising a stator 12 and a rotor 14 received in a housing of the stator.
• the rotor 14 is rotatably mounted relative to the stator about an axis 16 of the locking portion 6. It is also slidably mounted relative to the stator along the same axis 16. The rotor is thus mounted in pivot connection sliding relative to the stator.
• the device is arranged so that, when the driver actuates the lock by means of an insert such as a key provided for this purpose to start the vehicle, the device passes the bolt unlocked position if it does not was not there already, so as to allow the maneuver of the column.
• the lock 6 comprises non-illustrated elements such as flakes movably mounted sliding in housings 18 of the rotor and the stator.
• the rotor has an internal housing 22 having an external axial mouth 23.
• the key 20 When the key 20 is inserted into the housing 22 by the mouth 23, it places the movable elements in a configuration such that they extend integrally each in the rotor and allow the rotation of the latter relative to the stator.
• unillustrated return springs place the movable elements in a position where they each extend partially in the rotor and in the stator, thus preventing any relative movement thereof.
• the stator 12 being rigidly fixed to the frame 4, in the following movement of the rotor will designate a movement of the rotor relative to the stator.
• the lock comprises a peg 24 having a symmetrical shape of revolution about an axis 26 perpendicular and radial to the axis 16.
• the peg 24 has, in this case, two respectively external outer end 28 and inner end sections 30 one of the other by an annular bead 32 extending radially projecting from the two sections.
• Each of the sections has a cylindrical outer face.
• the cylindrical face of the outer section 28 has a larger diameter than that of the inner section 30.
• the outer section 28 extends in a radial hole of the frame 4 by making a male coupling -female.
• the bead 32 and the inner portion 30 extend, for their part, in a housing 34 with symmetry of revolution of the stator 12.
• the pin 24 therefore also carries a male-female coupling with the stator. In certain positions of the stator relative to the rotor, the pin 24 can slide along the axis 26 relative to the rotor as will be seen later. However, in all other positions, this sliding is prohibited so that the pin maintains the stator 12 rigidly fixed to the frame 4.
• the housing 34 is long enough to allow this mobility of the pin relative to the stator.
• a compression spring 36 is provided which abuts at one axial end against a shoulder of the housing 34 and at the other end against the bead 32 in order to permanently urge the pin in the direction of the axis 26 and in one direction. opposite the axis 16.
• the bead 32 abuts against the frame 4, the orifice of the latter which accommodates the pin having a sufficiently small diameter to prevent the passage of the bead and the exit of the pawn, which keeps the pawn in the stator.
• the pin is immobilized relative to the stator sliding parallel to the axis 16 and rotated about this axis.
• the inner portion 30 of the pin also passes through an inner portion of the housing 34 located beyond the shoulder.
• FIG. 4 The rigid attachment of the stator 12 to the frame has been illustrated in FIG. 4.
• a crankshaft 40 of the device which is rotatably mounted relative to the frame about the axis 16, any translation of the crankshaft relative to the chassis being prohibited.
• a compression spring 42 illustrated in Figure 3, is interposed in the direction of the axis 16 between the crankshaft 40 and the rotor 14 to urge the latter in the direction of the axis 16 in a direction tending to bring it out of the stator, direction indicated by the arrow 44. It denotes by direction of depression the opposite direction which tends to drive the rotor in the stator towards the crankshaft.
• the device 2 has a groove 46 formed in this case in a cylindrical circumferential outer face 48 of the rotor 14.
• the groove has a profile "U" in a radial plane to the axis 16, the branches of the "U >> forming two flanks bearing axially against the pin 24.
• the groove receives the inner portion 30.
• the width of the groove in the direction of the axis 16 slightly exceeds the diameter of the inner portion 30 so that the position of the pin in the groove determines the position of the rotor along the axis 16.
• the groove has a generally annular shape centered on the axis 16 with the exception of a baffle 48. As long as the pin is in the annular part of the throat , the position of the rotor along the axis remains unchanged. However, as the pawn travels through the baffle, it forces the rotor to slide along the axis.
• the driver rotates the key and the rotor relative to the stator about the axis 16 in the clockwise direction illustrated by the arrow 50. It rotates the rotor at an angle of 20 ° for example .
• the groove section traversed by the pin from the position of FIG. 5 to that of FIG. 6 being an annular section, the movement of the rotor is a strict rotational movement. In other words, from one to the other of these two positions, any sliding movement of the rotor along the axis 16 is impossible.
• the peg traverses the section of the groove defined by the flanks 52 so that, under the effect of the compression spring 42, the rotor slides in the direction of the arrow 44.
• the pin finds the annular section so that the rotor reaches the stop position by a strict rotational movement.
• the maneuvers performed by the driver are therefore first a strict depression of the rotor, then a rotation of the latter. Given the shape of the groove and the presence of the spring 42, this rotation combines with sliding on part of the path of the pin in the groove.
• the bottom 60 of the groove is sufficiently high in the radial direction to prohibit any movement of the pin 24 towards the axis 16.
• this area is contiguous to the face 54 and is accessible by the pin when the rotor is in the on position.
• the rotor 14 is introduced into the stator 12 from the internal axial end 62 of the latter opposite to that contiguous to the opening 23 and the rotor is placed in the on position.
• the spring 36 and the pin 24 are then placed in the housing 34 until it enters the groove 46 and the zone 55 meets the spring 36 so that the external axial end of the pin does not protrude from the cylindrical face. 48.
• This assembly is introduced into the outer axial end of the frame 4. Once the pin arrives opposite the orifice of the frame which is intended for it, it is deployed radially under the effect of the spring 36. The rotor, the stator the pawn and the frame are then assembled.
• the groove is carried by the stator and the pin by the rotor.
• the groove could be formed on a face perpendicular to the axis 16 of the rotor or the stator and not on a circumferential face.
• the shape of the throat may also be modified.

Landscapes

• Lock And Its Accessories (AREA)
• Steering Controls (AREA)

Priority Applications (3)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=44148723

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Cited By (2)

Citations (3)

Family Cites Families (4)

• 2010
  • 2010-11-05 FR FR1004353A patent/FR2967115B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2011
  • 2011-10-28 EP EP11775992.8A patent/EP2635465B1/fr not_active Not-in-force
  • 2011-10-28 JP JP2013537084A patent/JP6366938B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2011-10-28 BR BR112013007025-0A patent/BR112013007025B1/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2011-10-28 WO PCT/EP2011/068979 patent/WO2012059424A1/fr active Application Filing

Patent Citations (3)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events