Safe Gear Box for Electrical Steering Column Lock

• US 20090007612A1
• Filed: 11/02/2005
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: U-Shin Deutschland Zugangssysteme Gmbh (MinebeaMitsumi Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Sicherheitssysteme GmbH
• Inventors: Starken, Harald, Laval, Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 7,856,858 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 70/271
• 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 70/5664 Latching bolt
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7028 Electric

Abstract

The invention relates to a steering lock for locking the steering spindle (2) of a motor vehicle steering system comprising a blocking element (5) displaceable in the direction of the longitudinal axis (3) thereof from a locking to an unlocking position by means of an electromechanical drive (6) and is maintainable in said unlocking position by a spring-loaded securing element (7) in the form of a lever. In order to enable the securing element (7) to maintain the blocking element (5) in the unlocking position thereof in a simple manner even when the electromechanical drive (6) generating the displacement of said blocking element (5) is embodied in the form of a worm drive, a worm gear (10) representing a first control contour (12) is used and a first cam (11) for displacing the blocking element to the unlocking position is mounted on said worm gear. A second cam (19) for actuating the securing element (7) supportedly mounted on the fist control contour (12) or on a second separate control contour (62) is also arranged on the worm gear (10) in such a way that prior to the displacement of the blocking element (5) from the unlocking position to the locking position, the securing element (7) being in the rest position is pivoted or displaced in the released position and, only afterwards, the first control contour (12), enables the blocking element (5) to be displaced to the locking position.

Claims

1. A steering lock for locking the steering spindle of a motor vehicle steering system, the steering lock comprising:

a) a blocking element which can be displaced in the direction of its longitudinal axis, is actuable from a locking position into an unlocking position by means of an electromechanical drive and, in the unlocking position, is securable by a securing element which is in the form of a lever and can be displaced from a rest position into a release position or can be pivoted about a pivot axis fixed on the housing;

b) wherein for displacement of the blocking element, the latter is supported, by at least a first cam, on a first control contour of a driving wheel of the electromechanical drive, with the axis of rotation of the driving wheel being arranged perpendicularly with respect to the longitudinal axis of the blocking element;

c) wherein the securing element is connected to a second cam which is likewise arranged in a supportable manner on a control contour connected to the driving wheel, with the control contour which is assigned to the securing element having a profile which is selected in such a manner that, after the electromechanical drive is activated in order to displace the blocking element from an unlocking position into the locking position, the securing element is first pivoted or displaced from its rest position into its release position and only subsequently is a movement of the blocking element into the locked position possible.

2. The steering lock as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pivot axis of the securing element is arranged parallel to the axis of rotation of the driving wheel.

3. The steering lock as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second cam of the securing element is arranged in supportable manner on the first control contour of the driving wheel, which control contour is assigned to the blocking element.

4. The steering lock as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second cam of the securing element is arranged in a supportable manner on a second control contour arranged separately from the first control contour.

5. The steering lock as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first control contour and the second control contour are arranged on the opposite sides of the driving wheel.

6. The steering lock as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first control contour of the driving wheel has two curved sections, the first curved section being at a constant radial distance from the axis of rotation of the driving wheel and the second curved section having a profile which slopes away from the first curved section toward the axis of rotation of the driving wheel, and in that the radial distance of the first curved section is selected in such a manner that, when the first cam is supported on this curved section, the blocking element has reached its unlocking position, and in that the length of this curved section is selected in such a manner that, during the locking operation, the first cam is supported on the curved section until the second cam has pivoted the securing element from its rest position into its release position.

7. The steering lock as claimed in claim 6, wherein the second curved section extends into the immediate vicinity of the axis of rotation of the driving wheel.

8. The steering lock as claimed in claim 4, wherein;

the first control contour of the driving wheel has two curved sections, the first curved section being at a constant radial distance from the axis of rotation of the driving wheel and the second curved section having a profile which slopes away from the first curved section toward the axis of rotation of the driving wheel, and in that the radial distance of the first curved section is selected in such a manner that, when the first cam is supported on this curved section, the blocking element has reached its unlocking position, and in that the length of this curved section is selected in such a manner that, during the locking operation, the first cam is supported on the curved section until the second cam has pivoted the securing element from its rest position into its release position;

the second control contour of the driving wheel has a second curved section which is designed in such a manner that, when the second cam is supported on this curved section, the securing element is pivoted from its rest position into its release position.

9. The steering lock as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the first control contour of the driving wheel has two curved sections, the first curved section being at a constant radial distance from the axis of rotation of the driving wheel and the second curved section having a profile which slopes away from the first curved section toward the axis of rotation of the driving wheel, and in that the radial distance of the first curved section is selected in such a manner that, when the first cam is supported on this curved section, the blocking element has reached its unlocking position, and in that the length of this curved section is selected in such a manner that, during the locking operation, the first cam is supported on the curved section until the second cam has pivoted the securing element from its rest position into its release position;

the securing element comprises, at its one end, a blocking part which is formed by an essentially L-shaped limb, and in that the blocking part can be pivoted under a step-shaped projection of the blocking element in order to secure the blocking element in its unlocking position.

10. The steering lock as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the first control contour of the driving wheel has two curved sections, the first curved section being at a constant radial distance from the axis of rotation of the driving wheel and the second curved section having a profile which slopes away from the first curved section toward the axis of rotation of the driving wheel, and in that the radial distance of the first curved section is selected in such a manner that, when the first cam is supported on this curved section, the blocking element has reached its unlocking position, and in that the length of this curved section is selected in such a manner that, during the locking operation, the first cam is supported on the curved section until the second cam has pivoted the securing element from its rest position into its release position;

the blocking element has a bolt-shaped lower part and an essentially bow-shaped upper part adjoining the lower part, with at least a partial region of that arm of the upper part which lies opposite the bolt-shaped lower part being designed as a first cam.

11. The steering lock as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the first control contour of the driving wheel has two curved sections, the first curved section being at a constant radial distance from the axis of rotation of the driving wheel and the second curved section having a profile which slopes away from the first curved section toward the axis of rotation of the driving wheel, and in that the radial distance of the first curved section is selected in such a manner that, when the first cam is supported on this curved section, the blocking element has reached its unlocking position, and in that the length of this curved section is selected in such a manner that, during the locking operation, the first cam is supported on the curved section until the second cam has pivoted the securing element from its rest position into its release position;

the driving wheel is a toothed wheel of the electromechanical drive.

12. The steering lock as claimed in claim 11, wherein:

the first control contour of the driving wheel has two curved sections, the first curved section being at a constant radial distance from the axis of rotation of the driving wheel and the second curved section having a profile which slopes away from the first curved section toward the axis of rotation of the driving wheel, and in that the radial distance of the first curved section is selected in such a manner that, when the first cam is supported on this curved section, the blocking element has reached its unlocking position, and in that the length of this curved section is selected in such a manner that, during the locking operation, the first cam is supported on the curved section until the second cam has pivoted the securing element from its rest position into its release position;

the toothed wheel is the worm wheel of a worm wheel drive.

13. The steering lock as claimed in claim 2 wherein the second cam of the securing element is arranged in supportable manner on the first control contour of the driving wheel, which control contour is assigned to the blocking element.

14. The steering lock as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second cam of the securing element is arranged in a supportable manner on a second control contour arranged separately from the first control contour.

15. The steering lock as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first control contour of the driving wheel has two curved sections, the first curved section being at a constant radial distance from the axis of rotation of the driving wheel and the second curved section having a profile which slopes away from the first curved section toward the axis of rotation of the driving wheel, and in that the radial distance of the first curved section is selected in such a manner that, when the first cam is supported on this curved section, the blocking element has reached its unlocking position, and in that the length of this curved section is selected in such a manner that, during the locking operation, the first cam is supported on the curved section until the second cam has pivoted the securing element from its rest position into its release position.

16. The steering lock as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first control contour of the driving wheel has two curved sections, the first curved section being at a constant radial distance from the axis of rotation of the driving wheel and the second curved section having a profile which slopes away from the first curved section toward the axis of rotation of the driving wheel, and in that the radial distance of the first curved section is selected in such a manner that, when the first cam is supported on this curved section, the blocking element has reached its unlocking position, and in that the length of this curved section is selected in such a manner that, during the locking operation, the first cam is supported on the curved section until the second cam has pivoted the securing element from its rest position into its release position.

17. The steering lock as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first control contour of the driving wheel has two curved sections, the first curved section being at a constant radial distance from the axis of rotation of the driving wheel and the second curved section having a profile which slopes away from the first curved section toward the axis of rotation of the driving wheel, and in that the radial distance of the first curved section is selected in such a manner that, when the first cam is supported on this curved section, the blocking element has reached its unlocking position, and in that the length of this curved section is selected in such a manner that, during the locking operation, the first cam is supported on the curved section until the second cam has pivoted the securing element from its rest position into its release position.

18. The steering lock as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first control contour of the driving wheel has two curved sections, the first curved section being at a constant radial distance from the axis of rotation of the driving wheel and the second curved section having a profile which slopes away from the first curved section toward the axis of rotation of the driving wheel, and in that the radial distance of the first curved section is selected in such a manner that, when the first cam is supported on this curved section, the blocking element has reached its unlocking position, and in that the length of this curved section is selected in such a manner that, during the locking operation, the first cam is supported on the curved section until the second cam has pivoted the securing element from its rest position into its release position.