Vehicle anti-theft system
OwnerSherie A. Hortoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle anti-theft system (10, 10′, 10″) is provided which includes a pair of housing members (12, 12′ and 14, 14′), each having a respective cavity (122, 142) into which an upper portion of a vehicle automatic transmission gearshift lever (2, 2′) is received. The securement of the housing members (12, 12′ and 14, 14′) prevents access to a release button (4, 4′) carried by the gearshift lever (2, 2′). A lock (16, 16′) is provided to releasably lockingly secure one housing member (12, 12′) to the other housing member (14, 14′).
Claims6
A vehicle anti-theft system for preventing access to an automatic transmission gearshift release button, comprising:
- a housing having a first portion and a second portion together forming a substantially closed cavity for enclosing an upper portion of a vehicle automatic transmission gearshift lever therein, the upper portion of the gearshift lever carrying a release button enclosed with said cavity;
- and,
- a lock coupled to said housing for securing said first portion to said second portion, said lock including a lock cylinder extending into said substantially closed cavity, said lock including a face portion mounted contiguous to a planar surface portion of said second portion of said housing and a pair of shackle members extending from said first portion of said housing and straddling the gearshift lever for releasable locking engagement with said lock cylinder.
A method of preventing access to an automatic transmission gearshift release button, comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a housing having a pair of releasably securable portions and a lock for securing one of said portions to the other, said housing having a cavity formed therein, said lock including a lock cylinder extending into said cavity and mounted to one of said housing portions, the other of said housing portions having a pair of shackle members extending therefrom and engageable with the lock cylinder;
- (b) enclosing a portion of a gearshift lever carrying a release button within said cavity of said housing with said pair of shackle members straddling the gearshift lever;
- and,
- (c) securing said pair of portions of said housing together, engaging said pair of shackle members through openings formed in said lock cylinder to prevent unauthorized access to the release button of the gearshift lever.
A vehicle anti-theft system for preventing access to an automatic transmission gearshift release button, comprising:
- a first housing member having a first cavity and a first open side defining an opening to said first cavity, said first cavity including a pair of shackle members extending from a surface internal to said first cavity through said first open side;
- and,
- a second housing member having a second cavity and a second open side defining an opening to said second cavity, said first and second housing members being secured together with said first open side being disposed adjacent said second open side with an upper portion of a vehicle automatic transmission lever disposed therebetween, said first and second cavities together defining a gearshift receiving space;
- and,
- a lock having a lock face disposed contiguous to a planar wall surface of said second housing member and a lock cylinder extending into said second cavity for coupling with said pair of shackle members.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.