JP2653664B2 - Steering lock control device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a lock control device, and more particularly to a steering lock control device for controlling rotation of a steering shaft of an automobile.

2. Description of the Related Art In current automobiles, a steering lock for controlling a steering shaft and an ignition switch at the same time is used as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application No. 61-295154. The steering lock is housed in a frame and rotated by a key between a locked position and an unlocked position, a cam rotated together with the key cylinder, a locked position engaged with the steering shaft, and this engagement. A locking rod that is moved by a cam and a spring between an unlocked position to be released, and an ignition switch operatively connected behind the cam. Insert the key into the key cylinder and rotate it to
The keys can be sequentially rotated to the off position, the ACC position, the engine on position, and the start position for operating the starter motor. When the key is pulled out at the locked position, the key cylinder cannot rotate, prohibiting the operation of the ignition switch, and the locking rod engages with the steering shaft to prevent the steering shaft from rotating and prevent theft.

Further, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 49-11908, a lock position rotation preventing device provided in a steering lock is provided with a locking piece which engages with a key cylinder rotating member of the steering lock. After pressing the piece,
Mechanical structure that can rotate the key to the locked position or
As shown in JP-A-1966, the key cylinder has a mechanical structure in which an engaging portion with the frame is provided, and after the key cylinder is pressed together with the key, the key can be rotated to the lock position. The lock position anti-rotation device provides the driver with an opportunity to reconsider the operation by performing an additional operation of pressing the locking piece or the key before the driver rotates the key to the locked position, thereby improving safety. Is being planned.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention By the way, when the key is rotated to the lock position when the vehicle completely stops running and the driver gets off the vehicle, the lock position rotation preventing device is additionally provided to the driver. Requesting an operation. However, even if such an additional operation is required, the driver may still unknowingly perform the additional operation.

On the other hand, in a vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission, the vehicle may suddenly start due to a driver's erroneous operation. In order to prevent such a sudden start, the shift lever that switches the transmission must be always switched to the parking position when the engine is started. Conventionally, no steering lock control device that meets these requirements has been proposed, and urgent development has been desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a steering lock control device that can meet the above-mentioned requirements and that does not cause a driver's erroneous operation when a vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission is running.

Means for Solving the Problems The steering lock device according to the present invention includes a parking sensor (41) that detects a shift lever in a parking position, a steering lock (13) locked or unlocked by a key, and a steering lock ( A latch device (12) for controlling the removal of the key from the lock device (13), and a locking device (30) movable between a locking position and a non-locking position for respectively blocking and allowing the operation of the latch device (12). Is equipped with. The locking device (30) includes a solenoid (36), a locking position where the solenoid (36) is engaged with the latch device (12) by the operation of the solenoid (36), and a non-locking state in which the engagement between the latch device (12) is released. A lever (32) that is rotated between positions. Lever (3
When in the locking position, 2) engages with the latch device (12) to prevent the key from being removed from the steering lock (13) due to the movement of the latch device (12). Locking device (30)
Turns the lever (32) to a non-locking position that allows the operation of the latch device (12) only when receiving a parking position signal from the parking sensor (41).

In the embodiment of the present invention, the lever lock (33) for biasing the lever (32) and the magnet (40) for attracting the lever (32) in the direction opposite to the biasing direction of the lever spring (33) are steering locks. It is provided in the control device.
The lever (32) is attached to the shaft (3) fixed to the casing (13).
It has an arm (32a) rotatably mounted on 1) and engageable with the latch device (12). Solenoid (3
6) and the lever spring (33) rotate the lever (32) between the locked position and the unlocked position.

Action When the parking position signal from the parking sensor (41) is received, the latch device (12) can be operated,
The key allows the steering lock (13) to be turned to the locked position. Therefore, the shift lever is held in the parking position until the next engine start unless the shift lever is further operated. In addition, the latch device (1
If 2) prevents the key from being removed and the shift lever is not switched to the parking position, the key cannot be rotated to the locked position.

EXAMPLE This invention is an improvement of the invention disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 60-246969. Therefore, the following embodiments of the present invention are based on the technical contents disclosed in the above publication, but the detailed description of the prior art will be omitted in this specification. An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

First, the steering lock shown in FIG. 1 has a latch device 12 as a manual operation member which is slidably mounted on a casing 13 of the steering lock and which controls removal of a key from the steering lock. Latch device 12
A push button 14 protruding to the front surface of the casing 13 is attached to this. The latch device 12 has the same structure and operation as the manual operation member shown in the above publication. The latch device 12 has a protrusion 12b, and a locking device 30 that controls the operation of the latch device 12 is provided adjacent to the protrusion 12b. The locking device 30
A substantially V-shaped lever 32, which is rotatably mounted on a shaft 31 fixed to the casing 13 and has a first arm portion 32a and a second arm portion 32b, and a lever 32 in a clockwise direction toward an unlocked position. Lever spring that gives torque to rotate
With 33. The first arm portion 32a can be engaged with the protruding portion 12b of the latch device 12. The locking device 30 further includes
A solenoid 36 mounted on a side portion of the casing 13 by a bracket 35 and rotating the lever 32 to a locking position or a non-locking position; a plunger 38 protruding from the solenoid 36 and having a contact piece 37 attached thereto; A compression type plunger spring 39 that is wound around and presses the plunger 38 to the outer locking position, and a magnet that magnetically holds the contact piece 37 in the non-locking position when the plunger 38 is attracted inward by the solenoid 36. With 40. The locking device 30
It is moveable between a projecting locking position and a retracted unlocking position which respectively prevent and allow movement of the hand-operated device 12. The contact piece 37 has an arm portion 37a extending downward, and when the arm portion 37a is moved to the front locking position by the solenoid 36, the lever 32 resists the elasticity of the lever spring 33.
Is pressed counterclockwise.

As shown in FIG. 3, the solenoid 36 has a plunger 37.
The first coil 43a that pulls inward and moves to the unlocked position
And a second coil 43b that pushes the plunger 37 outward to move to the locking position. One end of the first coil 43a is connected to one terminal 41 of a parking switch 41 for detecting a parking position of a shift lever of an automatic transmission (not shown).
It is connected to a and the other end of the first coil 43a is grounded. The other terminal 41b of the parking switch 41 is connected to the terminal 44b of the plunger position medical detection switch 44. The terminal 44a of the plunger position detection switch 44 is connected in series to a power supply via a resistor (not shown). One end of the second coil 43b is connected to one terminal 42a of a non-parking switch 42 that detects a position other than the parking position of the shift lever, and the other end of the second coil 43 is the other end of the first coil 43a. And grounded by the same conductor 45. Non parking switch
The other terminal 42b of 42 is connected in series to the terminal 44c of the plunger position detection switch 44. Although not shown, the plunger position detection switch 44 is attached to the bracket 35 so as to detect the movement of the plunger 38 that moves between the protruding locking position and the retracted non-locking position.

As shown in JP-A-60-246969, the latch device 12 has an inner end 12a extending inward toward the key cylinder in the steering lock (FIGS. 2 and 4), and the key cylinder 3 or It comes into contact with a stopper surface 16a of a cam formed by a locking groove 15 and an unlocking groove 16 formed on a rotating member connected to the key cylinder 3. This state will be described with reference to FIG. Before starting the engine, the inner end 12a of the latch device 12
Is at the rightmost position indicated by the solid line. When the key is inserted into the steering lock and the key cylinder 3 is rotated from the lock position to the start position, the inner end 12a moves relative to the key cylinder 3. That is, the inner end 12a moves relatively to the left end in FIG.
Contact 18 When the key is further rotated, the inner end 12a is relatively moved in the axial direction and the radial direction along the inclined surface 18, and is automatically moved to the unlock groove 16. In this way, the key can be freely rotated from the locked position to the start position. However, when the key is rotated from the start position or the ON position to the lock position, the inner end 12a contacts the stopper surface 16a. Therefore, when rotating the key to the locked position,
When the push button 14 is pressed to move the latch device 12 inward,
The inner end 12a moves from the unlocking groove 16 to the locking groove 15, and the engagement between the inner end 12a and the stopper surface 16a is released, so that the key can be rotated to the lock position.

Next, the operation of the locking position 30 will be described. When the key is in the locked position, the contact piece 37 of the plunger 38 is in the position shown by the solid line in FIG. 1 and the lever 32 is in the unlocked position rotated clockwise. Further, the contact 44a of the plunger position detection switch 44 is in a state of being connected to the contact 44c. When the key is rotated from the lock position to the start position in this state, the inner end 12a of the latch device 12 is moved relative to the key cylinder through the locking groove 15, the inclined surface 18 and the unlocking groove 16, and the starter and the ignition. The switch is activated. Here, when the shift lever is shifted to a position other than parking, the non-parking switch 42 is turned on and the second coil 43b is excited. Therefore, the solenoid 36
Since the plunger 38 and the contact piece 37 project forward, the lever 32 is rotated counterclockwise about the shaft 31 by about 10 degrees to the locking position against the elastic force of the lever spring 33. In the locked position, the contact piece 37 is held in a protruding position by the plunger spring 39, and the tip of the first arm portion 32a is in a position facing the protruding portion 12b of the latch device 12. Therefore, in the stop position, the pushbutton of the latch device 12 is
Even when pressing 14, the inner end 12a cannot be moved from the unlocking groove 16 to the locking groove 15 because the inner end 12a is in contact with the protrusion 12b. Therefore, unless the shift lever is moved to the parking position,
The key cannot be turned to the locked position and removed from the steering lock. Also, when the plunger 38 projects,
In the plunger position detection switch 44, the contact between the contacts 44a and 44c is released and the contacts 44a and 44b come into contact with each other.
The plunger 38 is held in a projecting position by a plunger spring 39.

When the vehicle stops running and the shift lever is moved to the parking position, the non-parking switch 42 is turned off and the parking switch 41 is turned on.
43a is excited to move to the unlocked position where the plunger 38 is retracted. Therefore, the arm portion 37a returns to the illustrated position, and the lever 32 is rotated by the lever spring 33 to the unlocked position. In this state, the attraction force of the magnet 40 acts on the contact piece 37 against the elasticity of the plunger spring 39,
The plunger 38 is held in the unlocked position. Therefore, the tip of the first arm portion 32a is moved to a position deviated from the moving position of the protruding portion 12b of the latch device 12, and the push button 14 is pressed to lock the inner end 12a of the latch device 12 from the unlocking groove 16. After moving to the groove 15 to move the key to the locked position, it can be removed from the steering lock.

As described above, when the parking position signal from the parking switch 41 is received, the locking device 30 moves to the non-locking position. Therefore, after operating the latch device 12, the key cylinder 3 of the steering lock is locked by the key. Can be rotated. Therefore, the shift lever is held in the parking position until the next engine start unless the shift lever is further operated. Also, when the key is rotated to the locked position without the shift lever being shifted to the parking position,
Since the first arm portion 32a of the lever 32 of the locking device 30 contacts the protrusion 12b of the latch device 12, movement of the latch device 12 and removal of the key are prevented.

The above embodiment of the present invention can be modified. 1 and 2 show a so-called horizontal type steering lock in which the steering lock forms a substantially right-angled surface with respect to the steering shaft, while the steering lock does not move with respect to the steering shaft as shown in FIGS. 5 to 7. The present invention can be applied to a so-called vertical steering lock having a shape in which the lock is included in the same plane. 5 to 7, the same parts as those shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

The lever is almost U-shaped for a vertical steering lock
32 is pivoted. The second arm portion 32b of the lever 32 has a shaft 31
The first arm portion 32a is pivotally mounted on the casing 13 by means of which the first arm portion 32a is rotatable about the shaft 31 between a locking position where it can be engaged with the latch device 12 and a non-locking position where it is not locked to this. is there.
A lever spring 33 for urging the first arm 32a to the unlocked position is attached between the casing 13 and a hole 32c formed adjacent to the first arm 32a. First
As in the case of the figure, the plunger 38 of the solenoid 36 is attached to the center of the lever 32 together with the plunger spring 39.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 5 to 7, as in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, when the traveling of the automobile is stopped and the shift lever is moved to the parking position, the non-parking switch 42 is released.
Turns off and the parking switch 41 turns on. Therefore, the first coil 43a is excited to move to the unlocked position where the plunger 38 is retracted. The lever 32 is rotated by the solenoid 36 and the lever spring 33, and the first arm portion
32a is moved to the unlocked position where it does not contact the latch device 12. In this state, the attractive force of the magnet (not shown) acts on the lever 32 against the elastic force of the plunger spring 39, so that the plunger 38 is held in the unlocked position. Accordingly, the distal end of the first arm 32a is moved to a position outside the moving position of the latch device 12, depresses the push button 14, and moves the inner end of the latch device 12 from the unlocking groove 16 to the locking groove 15. be able to. Therefore, after the key is moved to the lock position, it can be removed from the steering lock.

However, when the shift lever is shifted to a position other than parking, the non-parking switch 42 is turned on, and the second coil 43b is excited. Therefore, the plunger 38 of the solenoid 36 projects forward, and the lever 32 attached to the plunger 38 resists the elastic force of the lever spring 33 and the shaft 31.
5 is rotated clockwise about an angle of about 10 degrees to the locking position. In the locked position, the lever 32 is held in the protruding position by the plunger spring 39, and
The tip of the first arm portion 32a is located at a position facing the protruding portion 12b of the latch device 12. Therefore, in the locked position, the latch device
Even if the push button 14 of 12 is pressed, the inner end 12a of the latch device 12 cannot be moved from the unlocking groove 16 to the locking groove 15 by contacting with the tip of the first arm portion 32a. Therefore, unless the shift lever is moved to the parking position, the key cannot be turned to the lock position and cannot be released from the steering lock.

Further, as another modified example of the embodiment of the present invention, for example, as the latch device, the latch device for preventing the rotation of the key cylinder is shown, but the key is provided with an engaging portion such as a notch or a hole. The removal of the key may be prevented by providing a latch device that engages with this engaging portion. The object with which the latch device is engaged is not limited to the cam surface formed on the key cylinder itself, but may be the cam surface formed on the rotating member that rotates integrally with the key cylinder of the steering lock.

According to the present invention, the latch device can be operated only when the shift lever is shifted to the parking position. After operating the latch device, the key can be rotated to the lock position, so that the safety when driving the vehicle can be significantly improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a steering lock control device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is an electric circuit diagram for controlling a solenoid, and FIG. 4 is a view of a groove formed in a key cylinder. FIG. 5 is a developed view, FIG. 5 is a side view of another embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 6 is a side view of FIG. 5, and FIG. 7 is a front view of FIG. 12 ... Latch device, 13 ... Steering lock casing, 14 ... Push button, 30 ... Locking device, 32 ... Lever, 32a ... Arm part, 33 ... Lever spring, 36 ...
... solenoid, 37 ... contact piece, 38 ... plunger, 39 ...
… Plunger spring, 40 …… Magnet, 41 …… Parking sensor, 42 …… Non-parking sensor,

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A parking sensor (41) for detecting a shift lever in a parking position, a steering lock (13) locked and unlocked by a key, and a latch for controlling removal of the key from the steering lock (13). Equipment (1
2) and a locking device (30) movable between a locking position and a non-locking position for preventing and allowing the operation of the latch device (12), respectively. The locking device (30) includes a solenoid ( 36) and a lever (32) which is rotated between a locking position where the latch device (12) is engaged by the operation of the solenoid (36) and a non-locking position where the latch device (12) is disengaged. ) And the lever (32) engages with the latch device (12) when in the locking position to prevent removal of the key from the steering lock (13) due to movement of the latch device (12), The locking device (30) is characterized by rotating the lever (32) to a non-locking position that allows the operation of the latch device (12) only when receiving a parking position signal from the parking sensor (41). Steering lock control device. A lever spring (33) for urging the lever (32); and a magnet (40) for attracting the lever (32) in a direction opposite to the urging direction of the lever spring (33). The shaft (3) fixed to the casing (13)
1) has an arm portion (32a) rotatably mounted on the latch device (12) and engageable with the latch device (12), and the solenoid (36) and the lever spring (33) hold the lever (32) in the locked position and the non-locked position. The steering lock control device according to claim 1, wherein the steering lock control device is rotated between stop positions.