WO1992006867A1

WO1992006867A1 - Security device against car theft

Info

Publication number: WO1992006867A1
Application number: PCT/BE1991/000074
Authority: WO
Inventors: Erik Stoffijn
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1990-10-15
Filing date: 1991-10-14
Publication date: 1992-04-30
Anticipated expiration: 1993-04-15
Also published as: BE1004616A3

Abstract

Security device against car theft with a gearbox (5) and a gear lever (1) rotative around a hinge point (2), a locking device (6) being mounted on said gear lever (1) which with respect to the latte can be shifted between a free position and a blocking position, means (8) being provided to keep the lever (1) in the latter position substantially immovable and thus to prevent the operation of the gearbox.

Description

"Security device against car theft"

The invention relates to a security system against car theft by means of a gearbox, a gearlever rotative around a hinge point for said gearbox, and means for switching off the operation of the gearbox by means of said lever.

The security systems mounted nowadays in cars can be of various kinds, whereby often several security systems are combined, precisely because they cannot assure for total safety separately.

Thus it appears that electronic means exist for, if an automatic door lock is provided, cutting it off and opening the doors and this without there being any noticeable trace of infringement.

If a safety lock is provided on the steerage mechanism, the mechanical sturdiness of the lock of the control lever is relatively little, such that the lock can easily be vandalized by exerting a certain force on the steering wheel around the axis of the control lever, without any tools being necessary to do this.

Also systems are known to lock the gearlever of the gearbox. These known systems usually have a complex construction and are often unreliable.

The invention mainly has as its aim to remedy these different disadvantages and this in a technically very simple and economically justifiable manner.

To this aim, said means show a locking device which is movable between a free position and a blocking position and this independently of the position of the gearlever, whereby in blocking position the lever is held substantially immovable by means of the locking device and thus the operation of the gearbox is prevented.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention a lock is provided on the lever which allows for keeping the locking device in blocking position.

In a more advantageous embodiment of the .invention the locking device, when it is in blocking position, pushes at least partly in an opening fixed with respect to the car to be secured, near said gearbox.

Other details and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the description following hereafter of several specific embodiments of the security device according to the invention; this description is only provided as an example and does not limit the scope of the protection claimed; reference numbers following hereafter relate to the figures added hereafter.

Figure 1 is a schematic representation, with partial cross-sections, of a first embodiment of the invention, in which the lever of the gearbox is in a particular position.

Figure 2 is a cross-section of figure 1 along line II-II.

Figure 3 is a somewhat analogous representation of the one in figure 1 in which the lever with the locking device is however in another position.

Figure 4 is a cross-section along line IV-IV of figure 3.

Figure 5, on a somewhat larger scale, is also a schematic representation with partial cross-section of a security device according to the second embodiment of the invention.

Figure 6 is a schematic representation with partial cross-sections, of a third embodiment of the security device according to the invention.

Figure 7 is a schematic representation with partial cross-section of a fourth embodiment of the security device according to the invention.

Figure 8 is a schematic representation of part of a variant of said third embodiment. In these different figures the same reference numbers refer to the same or analogous elements.

It is thus a security device against car theft, also called anti-theft system which operates on the gearbox, more particularly on the gearlever of the latter, such that in operating position the security device according to the invention keeps this lever in a substantially immovable position and thence prevents the operation of the gearbox entirely.

The first embodiment represented in figures 1 to 4 of the security device according to the invention makes use of a hollow gearlever, which, as a standard gearlever, is mounted rotative, on top of the gearbox 5. This occurs for instance through the agency of a ball joint 2 which is mounted in a support bearing 4 fixed with respect to the undercarriage 3 on top of the gearbox 5. All these parts were represented schematically in the figures, since here traditional parts are concerned, which are present in every motorcar and in fact are not part of the essence of the invention.

In the hollow gearlever 1 a co-axial locking rod 6 was mounted which is moveable along the axis of the stick between a free position and a blocking position.

In the figures 1 to 4 the rod 6 is represented in full lines in blocking position and in a dotted line in free position.

In blocking position the lever 1 is kept substantially immovable such that thus the operation of the gearbox 5 is prevented.

In the control knob 7 of the lever 1 a clicking lock 8 is provided which is fixed to the upper free end of the rod 6.

In free position of the lever 1 the lock 8 is at the top in the control knob 7. When an axial pressure is exerted on the lock 8, the lock 8 together with the rod 6 on which it is mounted, is subject to a move according to arrow 9 in the lever 1, such that the bottom free end 10 of the rod 6 in its turn slides out of the corresponding free end 11 of this hollow stick. Opposite from the underside of the gearbox 5 an accessory 12 is mounted in which a series of openings 13, 14 and 15 have been left open. This accessory 12 has the form of a segment of a sphere, while each opening 13, 14 and 15 corresponds to a certain position of the lever 1 with respect to the gearbox 5.

Thus, when the lever is in dead point, the free end 10 of the rod 6 is for example opposite the opening 14, such that when the rod 6 in this position is brought in blocking position, the free end 10 thereof protrudes into the opening 14, as was represented in figures 1 and 2. In this manner hinging of the lever around the ball joint 2 is prevented.

In an analogous way, when the lever 1 is in an arbitrary gear position the free end 10 of the rod 6 ends up opposite another opening, for example the opening 13 in the accessory 12, such as represented in the figures 3 and 4 and, by moving down¬ ward the rod 6 in the lever 1, the latter can be secured in an analogous manner in blocking position.

If the openings 13, 14 and 15 have the shape of relatively long grooves possibly the rod 16 can be secured in different positions in a same opening.

In fact, what it boils down to is that when the locking device is in a blocking position, it is prevented that the gearlever can be shifted from a particular position to the next position^".

By means of the clicking lock 8, when the latter is pushed down in the lever, it is automatically locked in the lower position or the so-called blocking position mentioned above, as long as it is not released either with a key 16, as represented in figure 1, or possibly by use of a code, which might for example consist of a secret combination of figures.

Further means are provided, for instance a not represented spring, for, when the lock is released, automatically pushing up the rod 6 into its free position, such that the lower free part 10 thereof is removed from the accessory 12 and the lever is again free to change gear.

In figure 5 schematically a second embodiment of the security device according to the invention is represented, having among others the advantage that it can be mounted in a relatively simple way onto motorcars nowadays in traffic.

This embodiment mainly differs with respect to the one according to figures 1 to 4 in the fact that the accessory 12 with the openings 13, 14 and 15, together with the lever 1, is situated on top of the gearbox 5. The accessory 12, which for example can comprise a substantially undeformable slab, is welded for example in the transport space on the floor of the latter next to the lever or fixed by means of rivets.

In the second embodiment of the security device according to the invention the lever 1 has, above the gearbox 5 a sidelong hollow branch which is formed by a tube 17. The free end 18 of this tube 17 is open and ends opposite said fixed accessory 12, in which, as for example in the first embodiment described above, three openings 13, 14 and 15 have been provided. The free end 10 of the locking rod 6 can protrude in one of these openings 13, 14 or 1-5 when the rod is brought into a blocking position.

In order to allow the rod 6 to move axially both in the lever 1 as in the tube 17 at least part of it is flexible. Thus this rod, as represented in figure 5, can extend from the control knob 7 of the lever 1 to the tube 17, such that, as already mentioned above, the lower free end 10 of the rod 16 pushes into one of said openings 13, 14 or 15, when it is in blocking position.

If need be an extra anchoring of the locking rod 6 can be provided in its blocking position.

In the embodiment represented in figure 5, the extra anchoring consists of a catch 22 which is mounted sideways hinging on the free end 10 of the rod 6 and by means of a cable 24 in the rod 6, axially movable over guide rollers 23 can be pushed back in this free end 10. The pushing back should occur at the moment the locking rod 6 is moved from its blocking position to its free position, for example at the time the lock 8 is unbolted by means of the key 16. This latch 22 can for example cooperate with a not represented spring mounted in the free end 10 of the rod 6, such that when this free end protrudes the slab- shaped accessory 12, the latch 22 springs open, such as represented in figure 5, and thus pulling back of the rod 6 is prevented.

In figure 6 a third specific embodiment of the security device according to the invention is represented.

This embodiment mainly has as its aim to ensure that the switching on of the security device is not omitted at the time the vehicle is left. Thus his third embodiment makes certain the bolting device 6 of the security device is automatically brought into locking position or that the central lock of the doors is switched on.

To this aim, according to the invention, one makes use of an electromagnet 19 which can be switched on or off to bring about the shift of the locking device 6 between its free position and its blocking position.

This electromagnet 19 is further put in a series in the circuit 20 of an operating device 25 of the car, such as the starter, the door lock, etc. In this circuit 20 further electrical_, means have been provided, when one works into the operating device 25 at the time the locking device 6 is in its free position, to bring the latter automatically into its blocking position and if the locking device is in its blocking position to prevent it from being released automatically into its free position.

The actual embodiment represented in figure 6 provides that, when the engine is cut, automatically the lock of the safety device is switched on. The represented electrical circuit 20 comprises a switch 25 which is operated by means of the ignition key for starting the engine of the vehicle, a connection 26 to the battery of the car and a link with the coil of the electro¬ magnet 19, such that it is in a series with switch 25. Further in this circuit 20 another auxiliary circuit 27 with a magnetic switch 28 and a push button 29 ar provided. When the magnetic switch 28 is operated by temporarily pushing the push button 29 automatically a contact 30 in the main circuit 20 and a contact 31 in the auxiliary circuit 27 is made parallel to the push button 29.

Thus, when the engiπg is cut, for example by turning the not represented ignition key in zero position, the switch 25 is automatically opened, such that thus the supply circuit to the electromagnet 19 is also cut, the result being that for example because of the weight of the rod 6 itself or because of the operation of a not represented spring the free end 10 of the latter is pushed into one of the openings 13, 14 or 15 of the accessory device 12 and hence the gearlever 1 is automatically locked.

In the same manner the operation of the magnetic switch 28 is also cut and the contacts 30 and 31 are opened.

When starting the engine, hence by turning the ignition key in the ignition lock in starting position, the switch 25 is closed. However, because of the fact that the contacts 30 and 31, as well as the push button 29 are still in an open position, the electromagnet 19 cannot be switched on and thus the gearlever 1 remains in its locked position. When the push button 29 is now temporarily closed, the magnetic switch 28 is switched on and the contacts 30 and 31 are closed. As a consequence the electro¬ magnet 19 in its turn is switched on and the locking device 6 is brought into its free position.

If use is made of an electromagnet 19 it is not really necessary that the entire gearlever 1 is hollow over its entire length. In this case it might for example suffice that only at the end 11 of the gearlever 1 a tubular piece is provided in which then a short rod 6 is mounted slidable only in this part of the lever.

In figure 7 another specific embodiment of the security device according to the invention is schematically represented. In this embodiment an extra security is provided which ensures the car cannot be started before the lever 1 is put in free position. In this embodiment a switch 32 is formed by a contact 33 which is fixed with respect of the lever 1 and a contact 34 which is fixed with respect to the rod 6, which can be shifted between a free position and a blocking position. This switch 32 is for example mounted in the electrical supply circuit of the engine starter, such that, only when the switch 32 is closed, the engine can be started. This means that only this circuit can be closed when the rod 6 is in its free position, i.e. when it has been moved in the direction of arrow 35 in figure 7.

In figure 8 an interesting variant of the embodiment of figure 6 is represented.

In this variant the locking device is in fact formed by the accessory 12 itself which is mounted movable between a free position, such as represented in figure 8 and a blocking position.

The accessory 12 comprises an iron block and is sideways enclosed by an electromagnet 19 which keeps the accessory down, in a free position, as long as it is under charge. As soon as the tension falls away the accessory 12 is pushed upward by springs 36. Thus the free lower part 10 of the lever 1 ends up in one of the openings 13, 14 or 15 of the accessory 12, which, as in the former embodiments, is formed by mutually parallel grooves. The result being that one cannot shift any more by means of the lever and thus the accessory 12 is in its blocking position.

In an advantageous manner this electromagnet 19 is comprised into an electrical circuit 20 such as represented in figure 6. An advantage of this embodiment is that the construction of the lever 1 is very simple and that only an extension piece or a part fixed onto the lever has to be provided which can be pushed into the openings 13, 14 and 15.

Finally it should be mentioned that in an advantageous way a lid 36 can be provided onto the operation knob 7 of the lever 1 to prevent that while driving for example the rod 6 is brought into its locked position. Such a lid can especially be of practical use when the rod 6 has to be brought into its locked position manually.

The invention is of course by no means limited by the embodiments described above and represented in the figures, such that within the scope of the invention more changes can be taken into consideration, among others concerning the locking system for the rod 6. Hence the invention also applies to cars of which the gearbox is under the bonnet of the car and the lever 1, from a certain distance, is connected by means of a transmission to the gearbox 5. In such an embodiment the ball joint 2 can be underneath the lever 1, near the end 11 of the latter.

An important characteristic of the invention is thus that the lever in dead position as well as in an arbitrary shifted position can be locked and that, in an advantageous way, the transmission between the locked position and the active or free position can be operated electromagnetically.

Claims

1. Security device against car theft comprising a gear- box (5), an operation lever (1) rotative around a hinge point (2) for this gearbox (5) , and means for switching off the operation of the gearbox (5) by this lever (1) , characterised in that said means comprise a locking device (6) which can be shifted between a free position and a blocking position and this independent of the position of the lever itself, whereby, in the blocking position, the lever (1) is kept substantially immovable by means of the locking device and hence the operation of the gearbox (5) is prevented.

2. Security device according to claim 1, characterised in that the locking device (6) is mounted movable on the lever (1).

3. Security device according to claim 1 or 2, characteris in that on the lever (1) a lock (8) is provided which allows for keeping the locking device in blocking position.

4. Security device according to any of the claims 1 to 3, characterised in that in blocking position the locking device (6) at least partly pushes into an opening (13, 14, 15) fixed with respect to the car to be secured, near said gearbox (5).

5. Security device according to claim 4, characterised in that such a fixed opening (13, 14, 15) is provided for dead position of the lever (1) as well as for each arbitrary gear position of the latter.

6. Security device according to any one of the claims

1 to 5, characterised in that at least a part of the locking device (6) is mounted co-axially movable with respect to the lever (1) between both said positions.

7. Security device according to claim 6, characterised in that the lever (1) is designed hollow at least over a certain part of its length and that the locking device (6) is mounted in this hollow part movable along the axis of the lever (1) between both positions.

8. Security device according to any one of the claims 5 to 7, characterised in that said openings (13, 14, 15) for getting the locking device (6) in its blocking position have been left open in an accessory (12) which is at the lower part of the lever (1), the surface of this accessory (12) directed toward the lever (1), in which the concerned openings (13, 14, 15) have been provided, having the shape of a segment of a sphere of which the center of the curve is substantially in the hinge point (2) of the lever (1) .

9. Security device according to claim 8, characterised in that said accessory (12) makes up the blocking device (6) and can be shifted between a free position for the lever (1) and a blocking position for the latter, whereby in blocking position the lever or a part fixed with respect ot the latter pushes into one of the openings (13, 14, 15) of the accessory (12) and in free position this accessory is at a specific distance of the lever of said part.

10. Security device according to one of the claims 7 or 8, characterised in that the locking device (6) comprises a rod (6) axially movable in the hollow lever (1) , of which the upper end, substantially at the height of the operation knob (7) of the lever (1) , cooperates with a clicking lock (8) in such a manner that, when the rod (6) is pushed down in blocking position and pushes with its opposite end in said opening (13, 14, 15), the lock (8) automatically secures, means (16) being provided, such as a key or a specific code, to open this lock (8) when the rod is in blocking position.

11. Security device according to any one of the claims 1 to 10, characterised in that means have been provided for, when the locking device (6) for the lever (1) is in said blocking positions, preventing to start the engine of the car.

12. Security device according to one of the claims 10 or 11, characterised in that the lever (1) has a sidelong hollow branch (17) and is also hollow substantially from its operation knob (7) to this branch (17) , the free end (18) of this hollow branch (17) being open and ending opposite an accessory (12) fixed with respect to the car, in which openings (13, 14, 15) have been provided, ans said rod (6) being flexible for at least a part and extending within the lever (1) from the operation knob (7) over the concerned branch (17) such that in blocking position the lower free end (10) of the rod (6) pushes in said opening (13, 14, 15).

13. Security device according to any one of the claims 1 to 12, characterised in that the shift of the locking device (6, 12), between its free position and its blocking position occurs through intervention of an electromagnet (19) which can be switched on or off.

14. Security device according to claim 13, characterised in that said electromagnet (19) is set in a series ^n a specific circuit (20) ^Λf an operation device (25) of a car, such as the starter, the door lock, etc., electrical means being provided to get, via operation on thes operation device (25) at the time the looking device (6) is in its free position, this locking device (6) automatically in its blocking position and, on the other hand, at the time the locking device is in its blocking position, to prevent it from returning automatically to its free position.