Patent Application
20100206020
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lock, and in particular to an electric steering lock for a motorcycle.
2. Description of Prior Art
Recently, many automobile manufacturers combine a Passive Keyless Entry (PKE) system with an Electric Steering Lock in newly-developed automobiles, whereby a driver needs not to take the key out of his/her pocket and its anti-theft effect can be enhanced.
The same idea has been applied to two-wheeled vehicles such as motorcycles. However, the steering lock of this two-wheeled vehicle is still a mechanical lock, but not an electric steering lock used in the automobile. According to the PKE system for a motorcycle available in the market, after an engine control unit (ECU) authenticates the instructions sent by a Key Fob chip, the user still needs to rotate a dial of the steering lock or rotate mechanical members on the steering stem. The principle for unlocking the steering lock is similar to the traditional mechanical steering lock that it still needs a key to be inserted into the dial. That is to say, the key is inserted in an ignition switch. However, there is no electric steering lock for a motorcycle.
The present invention is to provide an electric steering lock for a motorcycle. After the user has parked the motorcycle, the user rotates the handle to one side and presses a positioning switch. Then, the user presses a locking/unlocking button (the locking button and the unlocking button are the same one). As a result, the spindle of the electric steering lock for a motorcycle will be inserted into an insertion hole of the steering stem. When the user intends to unlock the steering lock, the user only needs to touch the locking/unlocking button to make the spindle of the steering lock to retract from the insertion hole, whereby the user can rotate the handle again.
The present invention is to provide an electric steering lock for a motorcycle, which includes:
a housing having a first space and a second space, a front end of the second space having a through-hole and an accommodating space above the through-hole, a rear end of the second space having a trough;
a transmission assembly comprising an actuator, a first gear, a second gear and a sliding block each arranged within the first and second spaces in transmissive engagement with each other;
a spindle assembled with the sliding block and penetrating the through-hole to act in the second space;
a set of sensors comprising a front sensor and a rear sensor, the front sensor being arranged in the accommodating space above the through-hole, the rear sensor being arranged in the trough; and
The characteristics and technical contents of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the drawings are illustrative only but not used to limit the present invention.
Please refer to
The housing 1 is constituted of a casing 11, a front cover 12, an upper cover 13 and a bottom cover 14. The interior of the casing 11 has a partition 111 for separating the interior of the casing 11 into a first space 112 and a second space 113. The transmission assembly 2 and the set of sensors 4 are assembled in the two spaces 112, 113. The upper edges of the partition 111 and an inner wall 114 of the first space 112 have a first group of recesses 115 and a second group of recesses 116 respectively in which shafts of the transmission assembly 2 are rotatably assembled. The front end of the first space 112 extends to form two blocks 117. The two blocks 117 have an insertion slot 118 respectively. The front end of the second space 113 has a through-hole 119 which the spindle 3 penetrates. The interior of the second space 113 has an accommodating space 1201 and a trough 120. The front cover 12 is assembled at a front end of the casing 11. One side of the front cover 12 has an insertion strip 121, and the other side thereof has a protrusion 122. One side of the protrusion 122 has an insertion strip 123. The insertion stripes 121, 123 are inserted in the insertion slot 118. The protrusion 122 is provided with a through-hole 124 corresponding to the through-hole 119. After the transmission assembly 2 is assembled in the casing 11, the upper cover 13 covers above the casing 11, thereby fixing the transmission gears and sealing the casing 11. The bottom cover 14 is mounted to the bottom of the casing 11. The interior of the bottom cover 14 has an accommodating space 141 for receiving a circuit board 5. A surrounding wall 142 of the bottom cover 14 is provided with a notch 143 through which a connector 41 on the circuit board 5 is exposed to the outside.
The transmission assembly 2 is constituted of an actuator 21, a first gear 22, a second gear 23 and a sliding block 24. The actuator 21 is a motor that is arranged in the first space 112. The actuator 21 is provided with a shaft 211. The shaft 211 extends to have a worm screw 212. Both side surfaces of the first gear 22 are provided with a concentric shaft 221 respectively. The shaft 221 spans the second group of recesses 116 on the upper edges of the partition 111 and the inner wall 114, so that the first gear 22 is located in the first space 112 to be engaged with the worm screw 212. One of the shafts 221 is provided at its end with a pinion 222 located in the second space 113. One side of the second gear 23 has a long shaft 231. The long shaft 231 spans the first group of recesses 115 on the upper edges of the partition 111 and the inner wall 114, so that the second gear 23 is located in the second space 113 to be engaged with the pinion 222. The other side surface of the second gear 23 is provided with an eccentric shaft 232 for driving the sliding block 24 to move. The sliding block 24 is provided with an opening 241. After the eccentric shaft 232 is inserted into the opening 241, the movement of the eccentric shaft 232 in the opening 241 can drive the sliding block 24 to move accordingly. The front end of the sliding block 24 has a T-shape slot 242 for connecting to the spindle 3.
The spindle 3 is arranged in the through-hole 119 and the through-hole 124. The spindle 3 has a pillar 31. One end of the pillar 31 has a T-shape portion 32 that is connected in the T-shape slot 242.
The set of sensors 4 is constituted of a front sensor 41 and a rear sensor 42. The front sensor 41 is arranged in the accommodating space 1201 above the through-hole 119. The rear sensor 42 is arranged in the trough 120. When the sliding block 24 is driven to press the front sensor 41, the front sensor 41 sends a signal to the circuit board 5, so that the circuit board 5 ceases the rotation of the actuator 21 and determines that the spindle 3 has been pushed outward to reach a predetermined position. When the sliding block 24 is driven to press the rear sensor 42, the rear sensor 42 sends a signal to the circuit board 5, so that the circuit board 5 ceases the rotation of the actuator 21 and determines that the spindle 3 has been pulled back to return its original position. In the drawings, the front and rear sensors are a limit switch respectively.
The circuit board 5 is arranged between the casing 11 and the bottom cover 14. The circuit board 5 has a control circuit for controlling the action of the transmission assembly 2 and receiving the signals sent by the front and rear sensors 41, 42 to cease the action of the transmission assembly 2, and a connector 51. The connector 51 is connected to an external button (not shown). When the spindle 3 is pushed outwards by the transmission assembly 2, if the circuit board 5 does not receive the signal fed back by the front sensor 41 for more than a predetermined period of time, it means that the spindle 3 is not pushed outwards completely or may be blocked by an article. At this time, the circuit board 5 will generate a warning signal to the user. Similarly, when the spindle 3 is pulled back by the transmission assembly 2, if the circuit board 5 does not receive the signal fed back by the rear sensor 42 for more than a predetermined period of time, it means that the spindle 3 cannot be pulled back completely. At this time, the circuit board 5 will generate a warning signal to the user. In the drawings, the warning signal is a sound or light.
Please refer to
After the user has parked the motorcycle, the user rotates the handle 101 to drive the connecting portion 102 to rotate accordingly. When the connecting portion 102 rotates and one side of the notch 104 presses the positioning switch 20, the positioning switch 20 sends a signal to the circuit board 5, thereby informing that the conditions for activating the actuator 21 are satisfied. Thereafter, if the user presses the button 6, the circuit board 5 will activate the actuator 21, so that the worm screw 212 rotates to drive the first gear 22 to rotate accordingly. Then, the pinion 222 drives the second gear 23, so that the eccentric shaft 232 on one side of the second gear 23 can drive the sliding block 24 to push the spindle 3 outwards. As a result, the spindle 3 is pushed outwards to be inserted into the insertion hole 103. At this time, the sliding block 24 presses the front sensor 41, and thus the front sensor 41 sends a signal to the circuit board 5. The circuit board 5 ceases the rotation of the actuator 21 and determines that the spindle 3 has been pushed outwards to reach a predetermined position. When the spindle 3 is pushed outwards, if the circuit board 5 does not receive the signal fed back by the front sensor 41 for more than a predetermined period of time, it means that the spindle 3 has not been pushed outwards completely or it may be blocked by an article. Thus, the circuit board 5 will generate a warning signal to the user, and pull the spindle 3 back to its original position. At this time, the user has to make sure whether the steering stem 10 is positioned well and re-activate the steering lock.
When the user is unlocking the steering lock, the user only needs to press the button 6. The circuit board 5 will activate the actuator 21, so that the worm screw 212 rotates reversely to drive the first gear 22 to rotate accordingly. Then, the pinion 222 drives the second gear 23 to rotate, so that the eccentric shaft 232 on one side of the second gear 23 drives the sliding block 24 to pull back the spindle 3. After the spindle 2 is pulled back to remove form the insertion hole 103, the sliding block 24 presses the rear sensor 42, so that the rear sensor 42 sends a signal to the circuit board 5. The circuit board 5 ceases the rotation of the actuator 21 and determines that the spindle 3 has been pulled back to its original position. During the period of pulling back the spindle 3, if the rear sensor 42 has not been pressed for more than a predetermined period of time, the rear sensor 42 cannot send a signal back to the circuit board 5, which means the spindle 3 has not been pulled back to its original position. Thus, the circuit board 5 will generate a warning signal to the user. Thus, the user has to try again to re-lock the steering lock.
Please refer to
When the steering lock is locked, the spindle 3 is pushed outwards. As a result, the Hall sensor 50 senses the magnetic force of the front magnet 30, which means that the spindle 3 has been pushed outwards completely. If the spindle 3 is pushed outwards but the Hall sensor 50 does not sense the magnetic force of the front magnet 30 for a predetermined period of time, the Hall sensor 50 sends a signal to the circuit board 5. Then, the circuit board 5 generates a warning signal to the user.
When the steering lock is unlocked, the spindle 3 is pulled back. As a result, the Hall sensor 50 senses the magnetic force of the rear magnet 40, which means that the spindle 3 has been pulled back completely. If the spindle 3 has not been pulled back and the Hall sensor 50 does not sense the magnetic force of the rear magnet 40 for a predetermined of time, the Hall sensor 50 sends a signal to the circuit board 5. Then, the circuit board 5 generates a warning signal to the user.
Please refer to
First, after the user rotates the handle of the motorcycle to the left, in the step 100, the circuit board determines whether a locking command is sent or not. If positive, the process advances to the step 102.
In the step 102, the circuit board determines whether the handle is rotated to a correct position (the positioning switch 20 is activated). If negative, the process advances to the step 104, which means the handle is rotated to the wrong position. If positive, the process advances to the step 106, in which the actuator is activated.
After the actuator is activated, the process advances to the step 108. The circuit board determines whether the spindle is pushed outwards to press the front sensor or the front magnet is sensed by the Hall sensor. If the spindle is pressed to the front sensor or the front magnet is sensed by the Hall sensor, the process advances to the step 110. Thus, a locking indicator is lighted up, which means that the spindle reaches the predetermined position. If the front sensor has not been pressed or the front magnet has not been sensed by the Hall sensor for more than a predetermined period of time, the process advances to the step 112. Thus, the locking indicator is sparkling, which means that the spindle has not been positioned correctly and the spindle will be pulled back to its original position.
Please refer to
In the step 204, the circuit board determines whether the spindle is pulled back to press the rear sensor or the rear magnet is sensed by the Hall sensor. If the spindle presses the rear sensor or the rear magnet is sensed by the Hall sensor, the process advances to the step 206. Thus, an unlocking indicator is lighted up, which means the spindle returns to its original position. If the spindle does not press the rear sensor or the rear magnet is not sensed by the Hall sensor, the process advances to the step 208. Thus, the unlocking indicator is sparkling, which means that the spindle is not positioned correctly.
In addition, the shaft 211 of the actuator (motor) 21 of the present invention has a worm screw 212. The worm screw 212 can be self-locked, so that the spindle 3 can be prevented from being pushed back by an external force. Thus, the spindle can be also self-locked.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to the foregoing preferred embodiments, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details thereof. Various equivalent variations and modifications can still occur to those skilled in this art in view of the teachings of the present invention. Thus, all such variations and equivalent modifications are also embraced within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 098104938 | Feb 2009 | TW | national |
