Electronic vehicle theft preventive device

• US 20040027239A1
• Filed: 06/06/2003
• Published: 02/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Inventors: Hayashi, Masaki, Yoshino, Masaki, Shamoto, Hirokazu, Nagae, Toshihiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,049,931 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.61
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/02142 comprising externally controlled safety devices for preventing locking during vehicle running condition
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/02153 comprising a locking member radially and linearly moved towards the steering column
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5956 Steering mechanism with switch

Abstract

A steering wheel locking apparatus having high reliability. A steering lock apparatus (1) includes a lock pin (21) engaged with a steering wheel (5), a motor (23) for moving the lock pin, and an ECU (31) for controlling the motor. A switch (61) is arranged in a first power supply line (81) for supplying the motor with current. When supplying an electrical component with current, the switch breaks the first power supply line.

Claims

1. An electronic anti-theft apparatus (1) for preventing theft of a vehicle, the electronic anti-theft apparatus being characterized by:

a locking means (21) for selectively locking a movable component (5) that is operated when the vehicle is being driven;

an actuator (23) for moving the locking means; and

a control circuit (31) for controlling the actuator, the control circuit including a first power supply line (81) for supplying the actuator with current for moving the movable component, a second power supply line (82) for supplying an electrical component of the vehicle with current to activate the electrical component, and a switching device (61;

91;

41) for breaking the first power supply line when the vehicle is started.

2. The electronic anti-theft apparatus according to claim 1, further characterized by a lock position detection switch (38) connected in parallel to the switching device, wherein the lock position detection switch is opened when locking with the locking means is released, and is closed when the locking means locks the movable component.

3. The electronic anti-theft apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, further characterized by a first contact pair (71a, 71b) arranged in the first power supply line and a second contact pair (72a, 72b) arranged in the second power supply line, wherein the switching device switches between a first position connecting the first contact pair and a second position connecting the second contact pair.

4. The electronic anti-theft apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, further characterized by a first contact pair (71a and 71b) arranged in the first power supply line, wherein the switching device is a relay including a movable terminal (92) selectively connecting the first contact pair and an attraction element (93) for attracting the movable terminal to disconnect the first contact pair when current flows through the second power supply line.

5. The electronic anti-theft apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, further characterized by a first contact pair (71a and 71b) arranged in the first power supply line and selectively connected by the switching device, wherein the switching device mechanically switches the second power supply line to a connected state when the first contact pair is disconnected.

6. The electronic anti-theft apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the second power supply line includes a first branch line (82a) for supplying the electrical component with current and a second branch line (82b) for supplying the attraction element with excitation current.

7. The electronic anti-theft apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the switching device is an electrical switching device (41) that is electrically turned ON and OFF, and the control circuit further includes a drive circuit for driving the electrical switching device, the drive circuit driving the switching device to open the first power supply line when receiving an ignition signal, which is generated when the vehicle is started, a drive permission signal, which is generated by the control device, and driving the switching device to close the first power supply line when the vehicle is stopped.

8. An electronic anti-theft apparatus (1) for preventing the theft of a vehicle, the electronic anti-theft apparatus being characterized by:

a locking means (21) for selectively locking a movable component (5) that is operated when the vehicle is being driven;

an actuator (23) for moving the locking means;

a control circuit (31) for controlling the actuator, wherein the control device supplies the actuator with current to actuate the actuator when the lock member locks the movable component and when releasing the locking;

a first power supply line (81) for supplying the actuator with current; and

a switching device (61;

91;

41) arranged in the first power supply line for breaking the first power supply line when the locking of the locking means is released and when the vehicle is started.

9. The electronic anti-theft apparatus according to claim 8, further characterized by a second power supply line (82) for supplying an electric component of the vehicle with current to activate the electrical component, wherein the second power supply line is broken by the switching device when the first power supply line is connected by the switching device, and is connected when the first power supply line is broken.

10. The electronic anti-theft apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the switching device closes the first power supply line when the vehicle is stopped and opens the first power supply line when the vehicle is being driven.

11. The electronic anti-theft apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the switching device is manually operated by a user.

12. The electronic anti-theft apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the switching device electrically opens the first power supply line when the vehicle is being driven.

13. The electronic anti-theft apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the switching device closes the second power supply line and opens the first power supply line when the vehicle is being driven.

14. The electronic anti-theft apparatus according to claim 8, further characterized by a verification device (37) connected to the control device for communicating with a portable device recording an ID code that indicates an authorized owner of the vehicle to determine whether the ID code is correct, wherein the control device releases the locking with the locking means when the ID code is correct.

15. The electronic anti-theft apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the movable component is a steering shaft.