Back to results
US 9,821,765 B1Granted
Lockable steering wheel quick-release unit with anti-theft protection
AssigneeNRG Innovations
InventorsChris Miller, Jason Chou
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A steering column lock comprises a bearing-mounted, free-rotating keyhole cover that covers an underlying locking device. When installed on the steering column of a vehicle, the steering column lock prevents a would-be car thief from grabbing the lock with pliers or another tool and using the lock to turn the steering column and thus drive the vehicle, because rotation of the free-rotating outer cover does not cause rotation of the other portions of the lock.
Claims20
A lockable steering wheel quick-release unit for use in an automotive vehicle having a steering shaft and a steering wheel, comprising:
- a steering shaft hub having a center steering shaft bore therethrough for attachment to the automotive vehicle steering shaft, the steering shaft hub also having a plurality of flanged hub threaded mounting holes on a centrally positioned bolt circle;
- a flanged extending hub attached to the steering shaft hub, with a plurality of threaded fasteners engaging the flanged hub threaded mounting holes, the flanged extending hub having a plurality of peripheral recessed hollows therein;
- and
- a lock unit comprising:
- a hollow center cylindrical base having a lock bolt hole therethrough;
- a cylindrical stationary locking retainer disposed within the hollow center of the base and held in place with a lock ring and a rotation stop pin, wherein the locking retainer has a single ball mounting hole on a first side, a single recessed hollow on an opposed second side, and a bearing mounted on an end thereof;
- a hollow center cylindrical lock outer cover having a push bolt cavity therein, the lock outer cover having an eccentric recess on a first inner surface of the hollow center, and an opposed concentric recess on a second inner surface of the hollow center, with the outer cover rotatably disposed onto the stationary locking retainer;
- a first ball disposed within the locking retainer single ball mounting hole that interfaces with the lock outer cover eccentric recess, such that when the lock unit is placed over the flanged extending hub and the lock outer cover is rotated to a locked position, the first ball is forced into one of the flanged extending hub peripheral recessed hollows, and a second ball disposed within the locking retainer recessed hollow interfaces with the concentric recess, thereby limiting the rotational travel of the outer cover relative to the base;
- a lock device disposed within the push bolt cavity, with a push bolt of the lock device cooperating with the lock bolt hole to prevent rotation of the lock outer cover with respect to the cylindrical base, thereby securing the attachment of the lock unit to the flanged extending hub;
- and
- a substantially cylindrical keyhole cover having an open end configured to receive the lock outer cover and the cylindrical base, and a closed end mounted to the bearing for free rotation relative to the cylindrical stationary locking retainer, the closed end having a single aperture therein through which the lock device may be accessed.
8 more elements
A locking device comprising:
- a cylindrical base comprising a first central bore and a separate lock bolt hole;
- a lock outer cover comprising a second central bore and a separate push bolt cavity therein, the lock outer cover configured to be removably attached to the cylindrical base with the second central bore in axial alignment with the first central bore;
- a stationary locking retainer disposed within the first and second central bores, the locking retainer comprising a first open end and a first closed end, and further comprising a bearing mounted on the first closed end;
- a lock mechanism disposed within the push bolt cavity, with a push bolt of the lock mechanism cooperating with the lock bolt hole to prevent rotation of the lock outer cover with respect to the cylindrical base;
- and
- a keyhole cover comprising a second open end and a second closed end, the second closed end mounted to the bearing for free rotation relative to the stationary locking retainer, wherein the keyhole cover defines an interior volume sized to receive the lock outer cover and the cylindrical base, and further wherein the closed end comprises a single aperture through which the lock mechanism may be accessed.
3 more elements
A steering shaft locking device, comprising:
- a cylindrical lock unit configured to be mounted over an end of an automotive steering shaft and locked into position, the cylindrical lock unit comprising:
- an open end configured to extend over the automotive steering shaft,
- a closed end,
- a bearing mounted to the closed end, and
- a locking mechanism for selectively locking the cylindrical lock unit into position;
- and
- an access cover mounted to the bearing, the access cover extending over the cylindrical lock unit from the closed end to the open end and configured to rotate freely around the cylindrical lock unit, wherein the access cover comprises an aperture through which the locking mechanism may be selectively accessed by rotating the access cover until the aperture is aligned with the locking mechanism.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.