Vehicle steering lock with audible signal

• US 5,365,215 A
• Filed: 01/21/1993
• Issued: 11/15/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Winner International Royalty LLC
• Original Assignee: Winner International LLC
• Inventors: Rutkowski, John, Voiculescu, Danut, Carlo, Louis D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peng, John K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pope, Daryl C.
• Application Number:
  US08/007,270
• Time in Patent Office: 663 Days
• Field of Search: 340/426, 340/425.5, 340/429, 340/457, 340/691, 340/692, 340/693, 70/14, 70/205, 292/147
• US Class Current: 340/426.31
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/0225 using a rod locked on the steering wheel rim B60R25/0221 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1001 Alarm systems associated with another car fitting or mechanism, e.g. door lock or knob, pedals features related to the general power supply B60R25/1018

Abstract

An anti-theft device for attachment to a steering wheel of a vehicle and comprising telescoping components relatively displaceable between extended and retracted positions respectively corresponding to use and storage positions for the device is provided with an electric circuit which is activated in the stored position of the device and issues an audible signal to remind the operator of the vehicle to attach the device to the vehicle steering wheel when the operator leaves the vehicle. The electric circuit includes a vibration sensor for sensing vibration of the device such as when the vehicle motor is running or the vehicle is moving along a roadway. When the vehicle is parked and the motor turned off, whereby there is no vibration of the device, an audible signal is issued, such as a digitized voice message for example, to remind the operator to install the device before leaving the vehicle.

Claims

1. In a vehicle anti-theft device mountable in a vehicle to limit rotation of a vehicle steering wheel and comprising first and second attachment means displaceable relative to one another between mounting and storage positions, the improvement comprising:

vibration responsive electric circuit means on said device for producing an audible signal when said attachment means are in said storage position, said circuit means including means for sensing vibration of said device and producing a control signal indicative of no vibration of said device, audio signal generating means, and means to transmit said control signal to said signal generating means to generate an audible sound in response to said control signal.

2. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein said means to transmit said control signal includes timing means for delaying transmission of said control signal to said audio signal generating means to delay generation of said audible sound for a predetermined period of time.

3. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein said means to generate an audible sound includes means to issue a digitized voice message.

4. In a vehicle anti-theft device mountable in a vehicle to limit rotation of the vehicle steering wheel and comprising first and second attachment means displaceable relative to one another between mounting and storage positions, in which said device is respectively connected to and disconnected from said steering wheel, the improvement comprising:

vibration responsive electric circuit means on said device for producing an audible signal when said attachment means are in said storage position, said circuit means including switch means, and switch actuator means on one of said first and second attachment means for closing said switch means and said circuit means when said attachment means are in said storage position and for opening said switch means and said circuit means when said attachment means are displaced from said storage position towards said mounting position thereof.

5. The improvement according to claim 4, wherein said device includes tubular body means having opposite ends, said one of said first and second attachment means being slidably received in one of said opposite ends and having an inner end displaceable between inner and outer positions relative to the other of said opposite ends, said circuit means being between said other of said opposite ends and said inner end of said one of said first and second attachment means, and said inner end of said one of said first and second attachment means providing said switch actuator means.

6. In a vehicle anti-theft device mountable in a vehicle to limit rotation of the vehicle steering wheel and comprising first and second attachment means displaceable relative to one another between mounting and storage positions, the improvement comprising:

vibration responsive electric circuit means on said device for producing an audible signal when said attachment means are in said storage position, said device including tubular body means, said circuit means being in said tubular body means, means including one of said attachment means for respectively opening and closing said circuit means when said attachment means are in said mounting and storage positions, said circuit means including means for sensing vibration of said device and producing a control signal indicative of no vibration of said device, audio signal generation means, and means to transmit said control signal to said signal generating means to generate an audible sound in response to said control signal.

7. The improvement according to claim 6, wherein said means for transmitting said control signal includes timing means for delaying transmission of said control signal to said audio signal generating means to delay generation of said audible sound for a predetermined period of time.

8. The improvement according to claim 7, wherein said audible sound has a selected time period, and said timing means transmits said control signal to said signal generating means for said selected time period.

9. The improvement according to claim 8, wherein said means to generate said audible sound includes means to issue a digitized voice message.

10. In a vehicle anti-theft device mountable in a vehicle to limit rotation of the vehicle steering wheel and comprising first and second attachment means displaceable relative to one another between mounting and storage positions, in which said device is respectively connected to and disconnected from said steering wheel, the improvement comprising:

vibration responsive electric circuit means on said device for producing an audible signal when said attachment means are in said storage position, said circuit means including means for sensing vibration of said device and producing a control signal indicative of no vibration of said device, audio signal generating means, means including timing means for transmitting said control signal to said signal generating means to generate an audible sound in response to said control signal, and said timing means transmitting said control signal to said signal generating means for a predetermined time period.

11. The improvement according to claim 10, and means including said timing means for delaying transmission of said control signal to said signal generating means to delay generation of said audible sound for a given time.

12. In a vehicle anti-theft device secured to the steering wheel of a vehicle to limit rotation thereof and comprising tubular housing means having opposite ends and supporting first attachment means, and second attachment means including rod means slidably received in one of said opposite ends and having inner end means displaceable toward and away from the other of said opposite ends to respectively position said second attachment means in storage and mounting positions relative to said first attachment means, the improvement comprising:

electric circuit means in said housing means between the other of said opposite ends thereof and said inner end means of said rod means, means including said inner end means of said rod means for activating said circuit means when said second attachment means is in said storage position and to deactivate said circuit means when said second attachment means is in said mounting position, said circuit means comprising vibration detecting means having first and second outputs respectively representing vibration and no vibration of said device, means for producing an audible signal, and means operable when said circuit means is activated to transmit said second output to said means for producing an audible signal to produce an audible signal in response to said second output of said vibration detecting means.

13. The improvement according to claim 12, wherein said means for activating said circuit means includes switch means in said circuit means having open and closed positions respectively opening and closing said circuit means, said switch means including actuating means, and said inner end means of said rod means engaging said actuating means in said stored position of said second attachment means to close said switch means.

14. The improvement according to claim 12, wherein said means to transmit said second output includes timing means for transmitting said second output to said means for producing an audible signal for a predetermined time interval after said second output of said vibration detecting means.

15. The improvement according to claim 12, wherein said audible signal is a digitized voice message.

16. The improvement according to claim 12, wherein said means to transmit said second output includes timing means for delaying transmission of said second output to said means for producing said audible signal.

17. The improvement according to claim 16, and said timing means transmitting said second output to said means for producing said audible signal for a predetermined time interval after said delay in transmitting said second output of said vibration detecting means.

18. The improvement according to claim 17, wherein said means for activating said circuit means includes switch means in said circuit means having open and closed positions respectively opening and closing said circuit means, said switch means including actuating means, and said inner end means of said rod means engaging said actuating means in said storage position of said second attachment means to close said switch means.

19. The improvement according to claim 18, wherein said audible signal is a digitized voice message.