Steering lock

Abstract

A steering lock for selectively inhibiting rotation of a rotary steering member having a rib includes a lockbolt movable along a first axis between a steering member-locking position, in which a distal tip of the lockbolt is positioned in interference with the rib, and a steering member-unlocking position, in which the distal tip of the lockbolt is positioned out of interference with the rib. A shuttle is movable between a non-blocking position, in which the shuttle does not obstruct movement of the lockbolt from the steering member-locking position to the steering member-unlocking position, and a blocking position, in which the shuttle obstructs movement of the lockbolt out of the steering member-locking position. An actuator is coupled to the shuttle and operable to drive the lockbolt to the steering member-locking position by moving the shuttle from the non-blocking position to the blocking position. The lockbolt is unbiased along the first axis.

1 . A steering lock for selectively inhibiting rotation of a rotary steering member having a rib, the steering lock comprising:
 a lockbolt movable along a first axis between a steering member-locking position, in which a distal tip of the lockbolt is positioned in interference with the rib, and a steering member-unlocking position, in which the distal tip of the lockbolt is positioned out of interference with the rib;   a shuttle movable along a path non-parallel to the first axis between a non-blocking position, in which the shuttle does not obstruct movement of the lockbolt from the steering member-locking position to the steering member-unlocking position, and a blocking position, in which the shuttle obstructs movement of the lockbolt out of the steering member-locking position;   an actuator coupled to the shuttle and operable to drive the lockbolt to the steering member-locking position by moving the shuttle from the non-blocking position to the blocking position; and   a lost motion connection between the actuator and the lockbolt,   wherein motive force from the actuator is transmitted through the lost motion connection to drive the lockbolt to the steering member-locking position when the rib is not aligned with the first axis, and wherein motive force from the actuator is taken up by the lost motion connection when the rib is aligned with the first axis.   
     
     
         2 . The steering lock of  claim 1 , wherein the shuttle includes a first portion coupled to the lockbolt and a second portion coupled to the actuator, wherein the lost motion connection is provided between the first and second portions of the shuttle. 
     
     
         3 . The steering lock of  claim 2 , wherein the lost motion device includes a spring. 
     
     
         4 . The steering lock of  claim 2 , wherein the first portion includes a roller unit configured to provide a rolling interface for driving the lockbolt to the steering member-locking position. 
     
     
         5 . The steering lock of  claim 4 , further comprising a housing having a substantially flat guide surface for supporting the roller unit. 
     
     
         6 . The steering lock of  claim 1 , wherein a first inclined cam surface is provided between the shuttle and the lockbolt so that substantially linear movement of the shuttle to the blocking position in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first axis is configured to move the lockbolt to the steering member-locking position. 
     
     
         7 . The steering lock of  claim 6 , wherein a second inclined cam surface is provided between the shuttle and the lockbolt so that substantially linear movement of the shuttle to the non-blocking position in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first axis is configured to move the lockbolt to the steering member-unlocking position. 
     
     
         8 . The steering lock of  claim 1 , wherein the lockbolt includes a tapered tip. 
     
     
         9 . The steering lock of  claim 8 , wherein a surface of the tapered tip makes an angle between about 10 degrees and about 20 degrees with the first axis. 
     
     
         10 . The steering lock of  claim 9 , wherein the surface of the tapered tip makes an angle between about 12 degrees and about 16 degrees with the first axis. 
     
     
         11 . The steering lock of  claim 1 , wherein the lockbolt is biased to the steering member-unlocking position. 
     
     
         12 . The steering lock of  claim 1 , wherein the lockbolt is unbiased along the first axis. 
     
     
         13 . The steering lock of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator is an electric motor rated for less than 1.0 A of current at max load. 
     
     
         14 . The steering lock of  claim 13 , wherein the electric motor is rated for about 500 mA of current at max load. 
     
     
         15 . The steering lock of  claim 1 , wherein the lockbolt is part of an integrally movable lockbolt unit that further includes a lockbolt carrier. 
     
     
         16 . The steering lock of  claim 15 , wherein the shuttle shares a cam interface with the lockbolt carrier for moving the lockbolt to at least one of the steering member-locking position and the steering member-unlocking position. 
     
     
         17 . A steering lock for selectively inhibiting rotation of a rotary steering member having a rib, the steering lock comprising:
 a lockbolt movable along a first axis between a steering member-locking position, in which a distal tip of the lockbolt is positioned in interference with the rib, and a steering member-unlocking position, in which the distal tip of the lockbolt is positioned out of interference with the rib;   a shuttle movable along a path non-parallel to the first axis between a non-blocking position, in which the shuttle does not obstruct movement of the lockbolt from the steering member-locking position to the steering member-unlocking position, and a blocking position, in which the shuttle obstructs movement of the lockbolt out of the steering member-locking position;   an actuator coupled to the shuttle and operable to drive the lockbolt to the steering member-locking position by moving the shuttle from the non-blocking position to the blocking position; and   a lost motion connection between the actuator and the lockbolt, the lost motion connection being configured to store energy supplied from the actuator when the shuttle is moved from the non-blocking position to the blocking position while the rib is aligned with the first axis,   wherein the lockbolt is movable to the steering member-locking position by the stored energy of the lost motion connection when the rib is moved away from the first axis.   
     
     
         18 . The steering lock of  claim 17 , wherein the shuttle includes a first portion coupled to the lockbolt and a second portion coupled to the actuator, wherein the lost motion connection is provided between the first and second portions of the shuttle. 
     
     
         19 . The steering lock of  claim 18 , wherein the lost motion device includes a spring. 
     
     
         20 . The steering lock of  claim 18 , wherein the first portion includes a roller unit configured to provide a rolling interface for driving the lockbolt to the steering member-locking position. 
     
     
         21 . The steering lock of  claim 20 , further comprising a housing having a substantially flat guide surface for supporting the roller unit. 
     
     
         22 . The steering lock of  claim 17 , wherein a first inclined cam surface is provided between the shuttle and the lockbolt so that substantially linear movement of the shuttle to the blocking position in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first axis is configured to move the lockbolt to the steering member-locking position. 
     
     
         23 . The steering lock of  claim 22 , wherein a second inclined cam surface is provided between the shuttle and the lockbolt so that substantially linear movement of the shuttle to the non-blocking position in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first axis is configured to move the lockbolt to the steering member-unlocking position. 
     
     
         24 . The steering lock of  claim 17 , wherein the lockbolt includes a tapered tip. 
     
     
         25 . The steering lock of  claim 24 , wherein a surface of the tapered tip makes an angle between about 10 degrees and about 20 degrees with the first axis. 
     
     
         26 . The steering lock of  claim 25 , wherein the surface of the tapered tip makes an angle between about 12 degrees and about 16 degrees with the first axis. 
     
     
         27 . The steering lock of  claim 17 , wherein the lockbolt is biased to the steering member-unlocking position. 
     
     
         28 . The steering lock of  claim 17 , wherein the lockbolt is unbiased along the first axis. 
     
     
         29 - 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . The steering lock of  claim 17 , wherein the lockbolt is part of an integrally movable lockbolt unit that further includes a lockbolt carrier. 
     
     
         32 . The steering lock of  claim 31 , wherein the shuttle shares a cam interface with the lockbolt carrier for moving the lockbolt to at least one of the steering member-locking position and the steering member-unlocking position. 
     
     
         33 . A steering lock for selectively inhibiting rotation of a rotary steering member having a rib, the steering lock comprising:
 a lockbolt movable along a first axis between a steering member-locking position, in which a distal tip of the lockbolt is positioned in interference with the rib, and a steering member-unlocking position, in which the distal tip of the lockbolt is positioned out of interference with the rib;   a shuttle movable between a non-blocking position, in which the shuttle does not obstruct movement of the lockbolt from the steering member-locking position to the steering member-unlocking position, and a blocking position, in which the shuttle obstructs movement of the lockbolt out of the steering member-locking position;   an actuator coupled to the shuttle and operable to drive the lockbolt to the steering member-locking position by moving the shuttle from the non-blocking position to the blocking position; and   wherein the lockbolt is unbiased along the first axis.   
     
     
         34 . The steering lock of  claim 33 , further comprising a lost motion connection between the actuator and the lockbolt. 
     
     
         35 . An actuation device for a steering lock which is operable to selectively inhibit rotation of a rotary steering member having a rib, the actuation device comprising:
 a lockbolt movable along a first axis between a steering member-locking position and a steering member-unlocking position;   a shuttle movable between a non-blocking position, in which the shuttle does not obstruct movement of the lockbolt from the steering member-locking position to the steering member-unlocking position, and a blocking position, in which the shuttle obstructs movement of the lockbolt from the steering member-locking position to the steering member-unlocking position; and   an actuator operatively coupled to the shuttle via a crank and operable to move the shuttle from the non-blocking position to the blocking position by rotating the crank in a first locking direction, and to move the shuttle from the blocking position to the non-blocking position by rotating the crank in a second unlocking direction;   wherein the crank is configured to be rotated by the actuator so that the shuttle passes through and past a top-dead-center condition with respect to the crank when moved into the blocking position so that any backdriving force on the shuttle from the lockbolt can only further urge the crank in the first locking direction.   
     
     
         36 . The actuation device of  claim 35 , further comprising a lost motion connection between the actuator and the lockbolt, the lost motion connection having a biasing member configured to store energy supplied from the actuator when the shuttle is moved from the non-blocking position to the blocking position while the rib is aligned with the first axis, wherein the shuttle passing through and past the top-dead-center condition when moved into the blocking position ensures that any residual energy in the biasing member urges the crank in the first locking direction. 
     
     
         37 . The actuation device of  claim 35 , wherein the shuttle is movable along a path non-parallel to the first axis between the blocking position and the non-blocking position.