Gear lever locking device
AssigneesSuwat Petcharapirat, Kamol Kantajaraniti
InventorKamol Kantajaraniti
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A gear lever locking device is provided that can be used to lock a gear lever of an automobile. The gear lever locking device includes a sliding axle and a transverse axle that extends from a main axle pipe and moves between a closed position and an open position. In the closed position, the sliding axle and transverse axle prevent the gear lever from movement.
Claims27
1-30. (canceled)
A gear lever locking device (10) comprising:
- a first main axle pipe (12) having:
- an interior (12a), a bottom (12b), and a side wall (12c),
- a bent first fixing leg member (30) extending from the bottom for installation in a vehicle at an existing position of a screw of the vehicle's console that houses a gear lever,
- a through-slot (36) along a rear end of the side wall,
- an opening (28) along the side wall, and
- a through hole (26) along the side wall;
- a first sliding axle pipe (14) having:
- a shape corresponding to the interior (12a) of the first main axle pipe (12) and installed inside of the first main axle pipe (12), and
- a through hole (34) along a side wall of the first sliding axle pipe (14)
- a spring (16) inside a front end of the first sliding axle pipe (14);
- a sliding-pulling axle (18) fixed to the first sliding axle pipe (14), wherein the through-slot (36) is configured to receive the sliding pulling axle (18);
- an extending axle (20) extending through the opening (28) and fixed to the first sliding axle pipe (14) in a position blocking an area above the screw when the first sliding axle pipe (14) slides into a locked position;
- and
- a second main axle pipe (24) connected to a front end of the first main axle pipe (12) by a first connecting member (38) and to a front end of the first sliding axle pipe (14) by a second connecting member (40), the second main axle (24) comprising:
- a sliding axle (42) having an end (42a) projecting through a side opening (24a) on a wall of the second main axle (24) and bent to form a front transfer member (42c),
- a transverse axle (44) positioned rearwardly from the sliding axle (24) and bent to form a rear transverse rod (44a), the transverse axle having an inner end (44b) pivotably fixed to the second main axle pipe (24) by a stud (46) and wherein the transverse axle is configured to turn with a stud (50) fixed to the sliding axle (42) between a closed configuration wherein the gear lever is locked in position and an open configuration wherein the gear lever is freely movable between the transverse axle (44) and the sliding axle (42),
- at least one bent second fixing leg member (52) about a bottom of the second main axle pipe (24) for securing to another existing position of a screw of the vehicle's console;
- and
- a turning mechanism (56) installed on the side wall of the first main axle pipe (12), the turning mechanism (56) comprising:
- a turning unit (56a) having an offset part (56b) inserted inside a rear groove (62a) of a locking stud (62), wherein the locking stud (62) extends into the through hole (26) of the first main axle pipe (12) and the through hole (34) of the first sliding axle pipe (14) to a locking position for preventing relative movement;
- a spring (60) positioned between the locking stud (62) and a casing (56c) housing the turning unit (56a) for biasing a rear end of the locking stud (62) to extend towards the through hole (34) of the first sliding axle pipe (14);
- wherein upon turning the turning mechanism (56), the bottom end of the turning unit (56a) is pushed against the locking stud (62) to move the locking stud (62) from a locked position that corresponding to the closed configuration to an unlocked position that corresponds to the open configuration, thereby allowing the first sliding axle pipe (14) to slide under the force of the spring (16).
The gear lever locking device according to claim 1, wherein the extending axle (20) is fixed to both side walls of the first sliding axle pipe (14) and extends through respective openings of the side wall of the first main axle pipe (12) and wherein the first sliding axle pipe (14) is movable between a first position and a second position located above the screw of the first fixing leg member (30).
The gear lever locking device according to claim 2, wherein the first fixing leg member (30) comprises a screw guard (32) covering a first fixing leg screw fixed to an upper end of the first fixing leg member (30).
The gear lever locking device according to claim 1, wherein an end of the spring (16) pushes against an end cap (14c) of the first sliding axle pipe (14) and an opposite end of the spring (16) pushes against a transverse stud (54) fixed to a wall of the first main axle pipe (12) and wherein the opening along the side wall of the first main axle pipe (12) has a length equal to a predetermined sliding length of the first sliding axle pipe (14) relative to the first main axle pipe (12).
The gear lever locking device according to claims 1-4, wherein the inner end of the transverse axle (44) further comprises an elongated through hole (48) to receive the stud (50) to move the transverse rod (44a) between an open and closed configuration with respect to the sliding axle (24).
The gear lever locking device according to claims 1-5, further comprising a wiring (21) connected to an anti-theft system, the wiring (21) having:
- a first socket (20a);
- a second socket (20b) for connecting to the electric wires;
- and
- a ground connected to the switch.
A gear lever locking device (110) comprising:
- a first axle pipe (112) having a side opening (112a) on a wall of the first axle pipe;
- a gear lever transverse assembly (114) installed inside the first axle pipe (112) and extending from the side opening (112a), the gear lever transverse assembly (114) comprising:
- a first sliding axle (116) having a bent front end (116a) projecting through the side opening (112a) to form a front transverse rod for blocking movement of a gear lever,
- a bent rear transverse rod (122) projecting through the side opening (112a) to form a rear transverse rod for blocking movement of the gear lever and pivotably connected to the first axle pipe (112) by a stud (126), the rear transverse rod having an elongated opening about an end, and
- a stud (126) fixed on the first sliding axle (116) extending through the elongated opening,
- wherein the rear transverse rod is pivoted about the stud (126) when the first sliding axle (116) is moved to move the rear transverse rod between an open position and a closed position;
- a second axle pipe (132) connected to the first axle pipe (112);
- a second sliding axle (118) installed inside the second axle pipe (132) and operatively assembled to a rear end of the first sliding axle (116);
- and
- a turning mechanism (120) installed on a wall of the second axle pipe (132),
- wherein an end of the second sliding axle (118) is operatively assembled with the turning mechanism (120) such that turning the turning mechanism (120) causes the second sliding axle (118) to slide between an open configuration wherein the gear lever is freely movable between the bent front end (116a) and the bent rear transverse rod (122), and a closed configuration wherein the gear lever is locked in position.
The gear lever locking device according to claim 7, wherein the turning mechanism (120) comprises:
- a case (120b);
- and
- a turning lock installed inside the case (120b) and connected to a cam (131),
- wherein the turning lock is assembled on the second axle pipe (132), and
- wherein the cam (131) is configured to pivot from an offset position to engage a notch groove (118c) on a rear end of the second sliding axle (118).
The gear lever locking device according to claim 7, wherein the turning mechanism (220) comprises a turning lock connected to a driving gear (231), wherein the second sliding axle (218) comprises a gear rack (218c), and wherein the driving gear (231) is engaged with the gear rack (218c) of the second sliding axle (218) to move the second sliding axle (218) such that the rear transverse rod (222) is movable between an open position and a closed position.
The gear lever locking device according to claim 7, wherein the turning mechanism comprises:
- a case (326);
- a support plate (328) installed inside the case (326) in a movable manner, the support plate (328) having:
- a front part that includes at least one second locking stud (338) extending through a hole on the wall of the first axle pipe to a hole on the second sliding axle at a position to block the movement of the first sliding axle in a locked position,
- an opening for receiving a turning lock unit of the turning mechanism, and
- at least one spring (330) about a rear part of the support plate (328) biasing the support plate to slide the second locking stud (338) into the hole (348) when the hole on the wall of the first axle pipe is in line with the hole on the second sliding axle;
- and
- a cam (334) having projecting parts configured as convex studs (336b) having a tilt plane, and positioned to correspond to a slot (340) on the support plate (328) for receiving the convex stud (336b) to make the support plate (328) move and the stud slide off from the hole into an unlocked position or to slide into the hole of the second sliding axle into the locked position.
The gear lever locking device according to claim 7, wherein the turning mechanism comprises:
- a case (326);
- a key lock cylinder (324) partially housed within the case (326) and turnable with a key;
- a fixing device (332) for connecting the turning mechanism to the second axle pipe;
- a cam (334) connected to the key lock cylinder (324) by a connecting device, the cam (334) including a convex stud (336b) and a stud (342),
- wherein the cam (334) engages with the second sliding axle to drive the second sliding axle and move in the turning direction of the key lock cylinder (324);
- and
- a plate (328) operatively connected to the cam (324), the plate (328) having:
- a stud (338) extending therefrom, and
- a slot (340) for receiving the convex stud,
- wherein the second sliding axle comprises a hole for receiving the stud (338),
- wherein the plate (328) is configured to be moved by camming engagement with the cam (334) to withdrawal the convex stud (33b) from the slot (340) and the stud (338) from the hole to unlock the sliding axle, and
- wherein the plate (328) is configured to be moved by the cam (334) to insert the convex stud into the slot to allow a spring (330) to push the stud into the hole and into a lock position.
The gear lever locking device according to claim 11, wherein the convex stud (336b) includes an oblique wall to cam the plate (328) to the unlock position.
The gear lever locking device according to claims 11-12, wherein the key lock cylinder (324) further comprises a plate (338) closing the opening on the case (326).
The gear lever locking device according to claim 7, further comprising the second sliding axle having a gear rack (218c) installed inside of the second axle pipe,
- wherein the gear rack (218c) is connected to a driving gear of the turning mechanism, and
- wherein a rear end of the first sliding axle is coupled to a front end of the second sliding axle.
The gear lever locking device according to claim 7, wherein the turning mechanism comprises:
- a case (326);
- and
- a turning lock installed inside the case (326) and assembled on either side of the wall of the second axle pipe, the turning lock including a driving gear that rotates about an axis,
- wherein the driving gear (231) is coupled to a gear rack (218c) on the second sliding axle to move the first sliding axle which thereby moves the front transverse rod and the rear transverse rod towards one another.
The gear lever locking device according to claim 7, wherein the second sliding axle (118) has a hole to receive the stud end in a locked position.
The gear lever locking device according to claims 7-16, wherein the front transverse rod (116a) and the rear transverse rod (122) are bent to retain the gear lever.
The gear lever locking device according to claims 7-17, further comprising a stand (454) connected to a bottom part of the first axle pipe or the second axle pipe, the stand includes an end having a sleeve (458) extending upwardly for preventing the removal of a screw fixing the stand to a vehicle.
The gear lever locking device according to claims 7-18, further comprising a screw guard member (440) fixed to the wall of the first axle pipe or the second axle pipe,
- wherein the screw guard member (440) is bent to form at least an end having an engagement to a side opening of the sleeve (458) of the stand (454) at a position higher than the position of a head of a screw fixing the stand to a vehicle.
A gear lever locking device (410), comprising:
- a sliding axle chamber (416) having a sliding axle unit (414) slideable therein;
- a driving mechanism unit engaged with a first end of the sliding axle unit (414), the driving mechanism having a turning mechanism (412) turnable with a key for driving the sliding axle unit (414);
- and
- a gear lever transverse mechanism (420) provided in a mechanism unit chamber (442) connected to and extending from a second end of the sliding axle unit (414), the gearlever transverse mechanism (420) includes:
- a plate member (444) extending from a member end of the sliding axle unit (414), the plate member having a transverse stud (446) in a sliding groove (452) of a gear lever transverse member (448) that moves in relation to a movement of the driving mechanism unit, and
- a fixture (418) connected to the sliding axle chamber (416) for fixing the gear lever locking device (410) to an existing screw position in a vehicle's console that houses a gear lever,
- wherein the gear lever transverse member (448) is configured as a parallel projecting axle positioned transverse to a movement direction of a gear lever and extending from the gear lever transverse mechanism (420) when in a locked position, and
- wherein the gear lever transverse member (448) is retracted from the extended position when in an unlocked position, and wherein the gear lever transverse member (448) is caused to either retract to the unlocked position or extend to the locked position by the turning mechanism (412).
The gear lever locking device according to claim 20, wherein the sliding axle unit (414) comprises:
- a member (434);
- and
- an axle (414) extending from the member (434) and through a side opening of the sliding axle chamber (416) at a position corresponding to a screw fixing a screw guard in position.
The gear lever locking device according to claim 21, wherein the sliding axle chamber (416) further comprises a mechanism chamber positioned at a first end of the sliding axle chamber (416) and a mechanism unit chamber (430) positioned at a second end of the sliding axle chamber, wherein the mechanism unit chamber (430) includes:
- an opening to receive the gear lever transverse member (448);
- and
- a cover (450) covering the mechanism unit chamber (430).
The gear lever locking device according to claim 20, wherein the driving mechanism unit is located inside the turning mechanism chamber (428), the driving mechanism unit comprising:
- a cam (424) having an axle stud (426) for engaging with a stud groove on the first end of the sliding axle unit;
- and
- a turning mechanism (410) having a turning axle (422) extending to the cam (424).
The gear lever locking device according to claim 20, wherein the fixture comprises legs, each leg having a cylindrical screw chamber (458) at a position corresponding to the existing screw position in the vehicle for fixing the leg to the vehicle.
The gear lever locking device according to claim 20, wherein an upper end of the fixture includes a screw guard (440) configured to have a shape corresponding to a shape of the upper end of a first stand unit and fixed to the first stand unit with a screw guard fixing screw.
The gear lever locking device according to claim 25, wherein at least one screw guard fixing screw (440a) is positioned below the position of the axle (438) extending from the member when the gear lever locking device is in the locked position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.