Antitheft device for a steering column, and related methods for mounting a support clamp

The invention relates to an antitheft device for a steering column of a motor vehicle.

The invention relates more particularly to an antitheft device, of the type comprising a housing in which an antitheft mechanism is arranged in order to immobilize the steering column. The immobilization is usually carried out with the aid of a movable bolt which is controlled in movement by means of a rotary lock between a rest position, in which the steering column is released, and an active position in which the steering column is prevented from rotating.

To do this, such a housing is mounted around the steering column. Some of the antitheft devices known in the prior art provide, for the installation of the housing on the steering column, a clamping collar attached to the housing and installed around the steering column. The known structure of the clamping collar comprises two half-collars joined on the one hand with the aid of a transverse pin and on the other hand by means of a screw for installation by clamping the antitheft device onto the steering column.

However, this clamping installation requires a sturdy connection between the two half-collars which, in the current situation, requires considerable and costly installation means. Specifically, the installation of the pin requires the use of a mechanical squeezing device to achieve this connection and demands the application of considerable forces. Moreover, the difficulty in installation causes considerable rejects.

Moreover, an antitheft device proposing accessibility for installation and consequently for removal can allow a possible thief to work directly on the antitheft mechanism in order to unlock the antitheft device and thus take possession of the vehicle, which greatly limits the anti-break-in role of the antitheft device.

The object of the present invention is therefore to alleviate these drawbacks of the prior art by proposing an improved antitheft device for a steering column allowing a manual installation of the antitheft device onto the steering column which installation is simple and not very costly while preventing the two clamping half-collars from being separated before installation on the steering column.

Accordingly, the subject of the invention is an antitheft device for a steering column of a motor vehicle, comprising:

a housing in which a movable bolt is arranged that is configured to prevent the steering column from rotating and a lock for controlling the movement of said bolt, and a clamping collar configured to be mounted on the steering column and having a first half-collar secured to the housing, and a second half-collar of which:

a first end is mounted articulated relative to the first half-collar along an axis substantially parallel to the axis of the steering column, and of which a second end is configured to be attached to the first half-collar upon installation on the steering column, by means of a clamping means,

the second half-collar ( 9 b ) supporting at its first end ( 11 ) a pivoting support shaft ( 15 ), the first half-collar ( 9 a ) comprising a bearing ( 17 ) associated with said support shaft ( 15 ) and an opening ( 19 a ) for access to said bearing ( 17 ), a means for retaining said support shaft ( 15 ) in said first half-collar ( 9 c ) facing said bearing ( 17 ) so as to prevent an inadvertent separation of said half-collars ( 9 a ), ( 9 b ) before installation on the steering column ( 2 ),

characterized in that said retention means is configured so as to at least partially close off the opening ( 19 a ) for access to said bearing ( 17 ) and keep said shaft ( 15 ) in said first half-collar ( 9 a ) facing said bearing ( 17 ).

With this configuration, the cumbersome means of installation for the connection between the two half-collars is dispensed with since a simple, low-cost manual insertion of the support shaft into the bearing is sufficient and provides a sturdy connection.

Moreover, the two half-collars are provisionally secured before being tightly installed around the steering column.

The antitheft device may also comprise one or more of the following features taken separately or in combination:

the retention means is made in the form of a substantially U-shaped retention yoke for receiving said support shaft, the first half-collar comprises an insertion guide for inserting said support shaft into said bearing, the retention means is mounted so as to be able to move in translation in said bearing in order to reach said retention position, the retention means is mounted so as to be able to rotate in said bearing in order to reach said retention position, the retention means is made of plastic or metal, the retention yoke has a lateral branch of said yoke which at least partially closes off the opening for access to said bearing, said device also comprises a means for immobilizing the retention means in the retention position, the retention means is held in the retention position by a forced installation of said retention means onto said bearing, the housing comprises an immobilization means configured to rest against the retention means, the retention yoke has a substantially hook-shaped portion configured to interact with a counter-hook provided on a bolt guide securely mounted to the housing, the retention yoke has, on its outer wall, at least one clipping tongue for interacting with at least one complementary clipping notch provided in said first half-collar, the retention yoke is mounted so as to slide in said bearing in order to reach said retention position.

The invention also relates to a method for installing a retention yoke in such an antitheft device, characterized in that it comprises the following steps:

said support shaft is installed in the retention yoke, the assembly formed by the retention yoke and said support shaft is installed in said bearing, said yoke being placed in said first half-collar.

The invention also relates to a method for installing a retention yoke in such an antitheft device, characterized in that it comprises the following steps:

the retention yoke is installed in said first half-collar along a first insertion axis that is substantially parallel to said pivoting axis, in an open position in which the internal space of said yoke delimited by the two lateral branches opens onto an opening of said first half-collar so that the openings of said first half-collar and of said yoke coincide, said support shaft is installed in said yoke along a second insertion axis that is substantially perpendicular to the first insertion axis, and the assembly formed by said yoke and said support shaft is rotated on said pivoting axis until a lateral branch of said yoke at least partially closes the opening of said first half-collar.

Other features and advantages of the invention will emerge from the following description, given as an example and having no limiting character, with respect to the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 represents an antitheft device designed to be installed on a steering column by means of a clamping collar,

FIG. 2 a illustrates a first embodiment of an antitheft device of which the two half-collars are disassembled,

FIG. 2 b is a partial view in section of the first half-collar,

FIG. 3 is an assembled view of the device of FIG. 2 a,

FIG. 4 a represents in greater detail a retention yoke of the device of FIG. 2 a,

FIG. 4 b represents the yoke of FIG. 4 a interacting with a bolt guide of the device of FIG. 2 a,

FIG. 5 illustrates a second embodiment of an antitheft device of which the two half-collars are disassembled,

FIG. 6 a is an assembled view of the device of FIG. 5 ,

FIG. 6 b is a view from the top of FIG. 6 a in a retention position,

FIG. 7 is a view from above of a retention yoke of the device of FIG. 5 .

In these figures and in the rest of the description, identical or similar elements are indicated by the same references.

The invention relates to an antitheft device designed to be installed on a steering column (not shown) of a motor vehicle in order to make the use of the steering column secure.

FIG. 1 represents one embodiment for an antitheft device 1 . This antitheft device 1 comprises:

a housing 3 of an antitheft body having a first portion 3 a and a second portion 3 b, a bolt 5 mounted so as to move in the first portion 3 a, a lock 7 mounted so as to rotate in the second portion 3 b in order to control the movement of the bolt 5 .

The bolt 5 is mounted so as to move between an unlocked position in which it is designed to be placed at a distance from the steering column (not shown), and a locked position in which it is designed to prevent the steering column from rotating.

Accordingly, the bolt 5 is mounted so as to slide in the first portion 3 a of the housing 3 , via a bolt guide 6 (see FIG. 2 a ). Thus, in the unlocked position, the bolt 5 is in the rearward retraction position, that is to say completely withdrawn inside the bolt guide 6 . Conversely, in the locked position, the bolt 5 protrudes at the end 6 a of the bolt guide 6 so as to be able to interact conventionally by fitting into the steering column.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2 , 3 and 5 to 6 b , a clamping collar 9 is provided attached to the housing 3 and designed to be mounted around the steering column by clamping in order to install the housing 3 on the steering column. Naturally, the clamping collar 9 may form an integral part of the housing 3 .

This clamping collar 9 , for example made of bent metal sheet, has an internal diameter that is slightly greater than the external diameter of the steering column shaft so as to be able to be placed around the latter.

Moreover, the clamping collar 9 has a first half-collar 9 a and a second half-collar 9 b.

The first half-collar 9 a can be attached to the housing 3 or form an integral part of this housing 3 , more precisely to the first portion 3 a of the housing 3 incorporating the bolt 5 and the bolt guide 6 , and the second half-collar 9 b is connected to the first half-collar 9 a . For this, the two half-collars 9 a and 9 b have matching shapes.

The second half-collar 9 b comprises a first end 11 and a second end 13 connected respectively to the first half-collar 9 a.

The first end 11 is installed articulated relative to the first half-collar 9 a along a pivoting axis A 1 that is substantially parallel to the axis of the steering column.

For a sturdy articulated connection between the first half-collar 9 a and the second half-collar 9 b , the first end 11 of the second half-collar 9 b supports a pivoting support shaft 15 .

For this purpose, the first end 11 of the second half-collar 9 b can form a housing to accommodate the support shaft 15 , for example made in the form of a pin.

According to a variant embodiment, the support shaft 15 is formed in a single piece with the second half-collar 9 b , for example by an operation to roll the first end 11 of the second half-collar 9 b.

According to another variant illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 5 , the second half-collar 9 b formed in a single piece with the support shaft 15 can be generally T-shaped, the ends of the T serving as a shaft.

This support shaft 15 interacts with a bearing 17 associated with the first half-collar 9 a . The bearing 17 is arranged in a lateral face 21 of the first half-collar 9 a placed opposite the first end 11 of the second half-collar 9 b.

Also, in this lateral face 21 of the first half-collar 9 a , an opening 19 a is provided facing the first end 11 of the second half-collar 9 b so that the shaft 15 can be inserted into said bearing 17 provided in the first half-collar 9 a . The opening 19 a therefore leads to the open end of said half-collar 9 a.

This opening 19 a forms an obligatory passageway for said support shaft 15 in the bearing 17 . In other words, the opening 19 a constitutes the access to said bearing to the inside or to the outside of said first half-collar 9 a.

Provision can be made for the first half-collar 9 a to comprise an insertion guide 19 b for the support shaft 15 . More precisely, said insertion guide 19 b is arranged in said opening 19 a.

The insertion guide 19 b is, in the example illustrated, an insertion slot arranged in the lateral face 21 and extending along an axis A 2 that is substantially parallel to the support shaft 15 in order to make it possible to insert the support shaft 15 into the first half-collar 9 a.

Moreover, the support shaft 15 is inserted into the bearing 17 via the opening 19 a along an insertion axis B substantially perpendicular to the pivoting axis A 1 .

According to a first embodiment, the first half-collar 9 a forms an insertion housing for the support shaft 15 which has a generally parallelepipedal shape and can be accessed via the opening 19 a of said first half-collar, the bearing 17 having a flat bottom.

According to a second possible embodiment and as illustrated in FIG. 2 b , the bearing 17 may also include at least one recess 17 b , at the bottom of the bearing corresponding to the end of travel for fitting the support shaft 15 onto said bearing 17 of the first half-collar 9 a.

This recess 17 b constitutes the final location of said support shaft 15 once inserted into the half-collar 9 a and secures the positioning of the support shaft 15 at the bottom of the bearing 17 when the second half-collar 9 b is tightened with the first half-collar 9 a.

The recess 17 b therefore extends a rectilinear surface 17 a of the bearing 17 , which rectilinear surface 17 a is traveled along by the support shaft 15 when it is inserted. Because this recess 17 b extends the rectilinear surface 17 a of the bearing 17 substantially in a direction transverse to this rectilinear surface, the bearing 17 is generally L-shaped when it is observed laterally from inside the bearing 17 .

This “L” shape therefore allows a movement of the support shaft 15 in two directions that are substantially perpendicular to one another.

The recess 17 b that is part of the bearing 17 is made on an axis that is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the opening 19 a and has a shape that is for example semicylindrical, closed at one end by the rectilinear portion 17 a of said bearing 17 .

Moreover, in order to make it easier to insert the support shaft 15 into the bearing 17 of the first half-collar 9 a:

the second half-collar 9 b may have a lateral portion 27 of lesser width than the rest of the second half-collar 9 b , and the first half-collar 9 a may have a recess 29 of corresponding width, arranged on its lateral face 21 so as to form two protrusions 31 , 33 on either side of the recess 29 .

Moreover, the device 1 comprises a means for retaining the support shaft 15 in said first half-collar 9 c facing said bearing 17 so as to prevent an inadvertent separation of the half-collars 9 a , 9 b before installation on the steering column. Accordingly, the retention means is removable and can be removed for the installation of the collar 9 around the steering column.

This retention means also acts as a cover for the opening 19 a of said bearing.

The retention means is configured so as to at least partially close off the opening 19 a of the bearing 17 . Thus, this retention means keeps the support shaft 15 in said bearing and prevents any removal of the support shaft 15 through the opening 19 a of said bearing 17 .

In other words, said retention means is arranged in the bearing 17 so that it makes it possible to keep the support shaft 15 in said bearing 17 but without preventing all movements. Thus, the support shaft 15 can be movable only in rotation in said bearing 17 while not being able to be extracted because of the at least partial closing of said opening 19 a by said retention means.

The retention means is for example a retention yoke 35 having a substantially “U” overall shape with a first lateral branch 35 a and a second lateral branch 35 b.

The retention yoke 35 may straddle the support shaft 15 , its arms 35 a and 35 b then being situated on either side of the support shaft 15 .

One of the branches 35 b is situated inside the first half-collar 9 a relative to the support shaft 15 , the other branch 35 a is situated outside the half-collar relative to the support shaft 15 .

It is this branch 35 a that closes the opening 19 a and thus prevents said support shaft 15 from inadvertently coming out of the first half-collar 9 a.

According to another embodiment, the retention means has a portion at least partially closing the opening 19 a , but without having a portion extending on the inside of the support shaft 15 .

Thus, the retention means has, according to this other alternative, the shape of an “L” of which one branch at least partially closes the opening 19 a and of which the other branch covers the support shaft 15 between its outside and its inside relative to the first half-collar 9 a.

An embodiment in which the retention means has a portion placed at least partially closing the opening 19 a is also provided. It can therefore consist of a retention part anchored on an edge of the opening 19 a.

The internal space E delimited by these two lateral branches 35 a , 35 b forms a housing for receiving the support shaft 15 .

This yoke 35 is placed in the bearing 17 in a retention position in which the first lateral branch 35 a closes the insertion opening 19 a . Specifically, in this case, the support shaft 15 can no longer be removed from the bearing 17 via the opening 19 a.

The yoke 35 can reach this retention position by translation or, as an alternative, by rotation in the bearing 17 .

According to a first embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the yoke 35 can be mounted in the bearing 17 along the insertion axis B for inserting the support shaft 15 into the bearing 17 .

According to one embodiment alternative, it is possible to provide for first inserting the yoke 35 into the bearing 17 then inserting the support shaft 15 into the yoke before placing the yoke 35 in the retention position, for example by rotation of the second half-collar 9 b.

In the example illustrated, provision is made to first insert the support shaft 15 into the yoke 35 , then to insert the assembly formed by the yoke 35 and by the support shaft 15 into the bearing 17 via the insertion slot 19 b.

When this assembly is thus installed, the opening 19 a of the insertion slot 19 b is closed by the lateral branch 35 a and the support shaft 15 is immobilized in the bearing 17 .

The yoke 35 can be forced into the bearing 17 in order to ensure that the yoke 35 is immobilized in the retention position and prevent any inadvertent removal of the yoke 35 and consequently of the support shaft 15 . In this case, the yoke 35 sustains a stress that fixes it securely in the bearing 17 .

For additional security, it is possible to provide an additional means for immobilizing the yoke 35 .

For example, the bolt guide 6 can immobilize the yoke 35 by pressure when it is installed on the housing 3 in order to keep the yoke 35 in the bearing in the retention position. The bolt guide 6 then forms an immobilization means for the yoke 35 .

Naturally, it is possible to make another portion or component of the housing 3 able to form such a means for immobilizing the yoke 35 .

Accordingly, the yoke 35 comprises a third branch 35 c , that is more visible in FIGS. 4 a and 4 b , extending perpendicularly to the pivoting axis A 1 , from the second lateral branch 35 b to the bolt guide 6 .

It is possible to provide a further means for coupling the yoke 35 to the housing 3 or to any other component of the housing 3 , such as for example the bolt guide 6 .

Accordingly, the third branch 35 c has a substantially hook-shaped end portion 37 for interacting with a counter-hook 39 provided in this example on the bolt guide 6 .

Thus, once the yoke 35 is placed in the retention position in the bearing 17 , the hook 37 and the counter-hook 39 immobilize the yoke 35 which cannot then be removed without an intentional action by an operator, for example before installing the collar 9 around the steering column.

As an alternative, it is possible to immobilize the yoke 35 in the retention position by clipping.

According to a second embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 7 , the yoke 35 can be installed in the bearing 17 along the axis C substantially perpendicular to the insertion axis B of the support shaft 15 in the bearing 17 and substantially parallel to the pivoting axis A 1 .

Accordingly, an insertion hole 41 is provided for the yoke 35 on the top of the lateral face 21 of the first half-collar 9 a at the bearing 17 . This insertion hole 41 has a circular shape corresponding to the shape of the yoke 35 .

In this case, the yoke 35 and the support shaft 15 are installed separately in the bearing 17 .

Alternatively, this insertion hole 41 is coaxial with the recess or final location of the support shaft 15 in said bearing 17 .

More precisely, the yoke 35 is inserted into the bearing 17 in an open position, so that the internal space E of the yoke 35 leads to the opening 19 a of said bearing therefore making it possible to subsequently install the support shaft 15 in the yoke 35 .

In this open position, the opening of the yoke 35 and the opening 19 a of the bearing 17 coincide so that no lateral branch 35 a , 35 b of the yoke 35 obstructs the opening 19 a.

Then, by carrying out a rotation of the assembly formed by the yoke 35 and the support shaft 15 along the pivoting axis A 1 in the direction of the arrow F ( FIG. 5 ), the yoke 35 is brought to the retention position so that a lateral branch 35 a obstructs the opening 19 a of said bearing 17 ( FIGS. 6 a and 6 b ).

As is more visible in FIG. 7 , the yoke 35 has an internal shape that complements the external shape of the support shaft 15 such that, when the second half-collar 9 b pivots, the support shaft 15 presses on the lateral edges 36 of the yoke 35 in order to rotate it to the retention position.

It is also possible to provide that the yoke has less material in the middle of the lateral branches 35 a , 35 b so as to make the deformation of the yoke 35 easier for it to be removed from the bearing 17 by an operator.

Moreover, referring again to FIG. 5 , the yoke 35 may have on its external wall at least one clipping tongue 43 in order to interact with a matching clipping notch 45 a , 45 b provided in the bearing 17 , so as to form an additional immobilization means by clipping the yoke 35 in the retention position.

In this example, the yoke 35 has two tongues 43 on one and the same lateral branch 35 b , a first tongue 43 on the top of the branch and a second tongue 43 on the bottom of the branch.

In the open position ( FIG. 7 ), the tongues 43 engage respectively first matching notches 45 a so that the yoke 35 is held in this open position to allow the support shaft 15 to be installed in the yoke 35 .

Then, when the yoke 35 is rotated to the retention position, the tongues 43 engage respectively second matching notches 45 b ( FIG. 6 b ) so as to prevent any inadvertent rotation of the yoke 35 in order to return to the open position. The support shaft 15 can therefore not be withdrawn from the bearing 17 while the yoke 35 is in this retention position.

Thus, when the antitheft device 1 is not yet installed on the steering column, the two half-collars 9 a , 9 b cannot be separated without first removing the yoke 35 forced into the bearing 17 or retained by an additional means, for example a hooking or clipping means.

Thus, the assembly of the housing 3 and of the clamping collar 9 of the antitheft device 1 takes place as follows.

All of the components of the housing 3 are assembled and inserted into the housing 3 . The first half-collar 9 a is attached to the housing 3 . The yoke and the support shaft 15 supported by the first end 11 of the second half-collar 9 b are inserted into the bearing 17 associated with the first half-collar 9 a according to the first or the second embodiment described above, and the yoke 35 is placed in the retention position in order to keep the support shaft 15 in place in the bearing 17 .

The antitheft device 1 thus assembled by hand can be manipulated and transported without risk of the half-collars 9 a , 9 b inadvertently separating, in order to be installed on the steering column.

Moreover, when the antitheft device 1 is installed on the steering column, the second end 13 of the second half-collar 9 b is attached to the first half-collar 9 a using a clamping means, for example a screw interacting with tapped holes 47 respectively provided in the first half-collar 9 a and the second half-collar 9 b.

In this case, the force applied to the second half-collar 9 b ensures that the support shaft 15 is retained in the bearing 17 . Thus, when the antitheft device 1 is installed on the steering column, the two half-collars 9 a , 9 b cannot be separated without first removing the clamping means.

Thus the installation of the antitheft device 1 on the steering column takes place as follows. The first half-collar 9 a is placed around the steering column, the second half-collar 9 b pivots so that its second end 13 is placed facing the first half-collar 9 a and the latter is attached by clamping to the first half-collar 9 a.

The bearing 17 withstands the forces generated by the clamping of the two half-collars 9 a , 9 b so that the support shaft 15 is held in the bearing 17 when the antitheft device 1 is installed on the steering column.

It can therefore be understood that such an antitheft device provides a sturdy connection between the two half-collars 9 a , 9 b in order to withstand the force generated by the clamping on the steering column and in order to withstand break-in attempts while preventing the two half-collars 9 a , 9 b from separating before installation on the steering column.

Advantageously, such an antitheft device for a steering column allows a manual installation of the antitheft device on the steering column that is simple and not very costly, while preventing the two clamping half-collars from separating before installation on the steering column.