System and method for locking a vehicle steering
First Claim
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1. A system for a vehicle steering column in a vehicle comprising a multiplexed bus and an electronic calculator connected thereto, the system comprising:
- a locking device comprising a movable bolt and an electronic control circuit connected thereto for electromechanically locking rotation of the steering column based upon commands received from the electronic calculator;
a blocking device for mechanically blocking displacement of said bolt when the steering column is in an unlocked position and based upon commands from the electronic calculator;
a blocking sensor for sensing a position of said blocking device; and
a bolt sensor for sensing a position of said bolt;
said electronic control circuit for controlling said locking device based upon said blocking and bolt sensors and information received from the multiplexed bus.
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Abstract
A system and method for locking a motor vehicle steering column to prevent accidental locking of the steering column is provided. The system electro-mechanically locks the steering column in rotation using a bolt driven by an electronic control circuit that receives commands from an electronic calculator via a multiplexed bus. A blocking device mechanically blocks displacement of the bolt.
17 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A system for a vehicle steering column in a vehicle comprising a multiplexed bus and an electronic calculator connected thereto, the system comprising:
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a locking device comprising a movable bolt and an electronic control circuit connected thereto for electromechanically locking rotation of the steering column based upon commands received from the electronic calculator; a blocking device for mechanically blocking displacement of said bolt when the steering column is in an unlocked position and based upon commands from the electronic calculator; a blocking sensor for sensing a position of said blocking device; and a bolt sensor for sensing a position of said bolt; said electronic control circuit for controlling said locking device based upon said blocking and bolt sensors and information received from the multiplexed bus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system for a vehicle steering column comprising:
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a locking device comprising a movable bolt and an electronic control circuit connected thereto for locking rotation of the steering column; a blocking device for blocking displacement of said bolt when the steering column is in an unlocked position; and a blocking sensor for sensing a position of said blocking device; said electronic control circuit for controlling said locking device based upon said blocking sensor. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of operating a system for locking a vehicle steering column, comprising:
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a) for unlocking the steering; after identifying a driver, sending a steering unlocking command on a multiplexed bus by an electronic calculator, reading the unlocking command by a microcontroller of an locking device to displace a bolt which unlocks the steering column and to free a blocking device, and monitoring information delivered by sensors for the position of the bolt and the blocking device for an eventual start of a vehicle engine, b) for locking the steering; sending a locking command on the multiplexed bus by the electronic calculator, reading the locking command by the microcontroller of the locking device, after a time delay, sending by the electronic calculator a command to unlock the bolt by the blocking device, checking predetermined conditions by the microcontroller for the locking device, and commanding, by the microcontroller for the locking device, blocking of the steering column by the bolt.
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15. A method for operating a locking device for a vehicle steering column, the locking device comprising a movable bolt and an electronic control circuit connected thereto, the method comprising:
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providing a blocking device for blocking displacement of the bolt when the steering column is in an unlocked position; sensing a position of the blocking device; and controlling the locking device based upon a sensed position of the blocking device. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification