Huf Hülsbeck & Fürst Gmbh Co.kg

Horst Zillmann

Hans-Joachim Limburg

Andreas Van Den Boom

Ludwig Zauser

Mario Heppner

Mark Hirche

Max Indinger

A locking device for a steering spindle, includes a locking bolt arrangement and a control element coupled thereto, such that the locking bolt arrangement can be displaced in the axial direction between a locking position and a release end position by rotating the control element. An electronic control unit controls a motor drive and a sensor arrangement, coupled to the control unit for detection of at least one axial position of the locking bolt arrangement. The control unit switches off the motor drive when the locking bolt arrangement is displaced in the axial direction from the locking position to the release end position. The sensor arrangement emits an output signal which displays when a switching off position of the locking bolt arrangement has been reached. The sensor arrangement is so constructed that the output signal can receive a plurality of monotone output signal values which are dependent on the axial position thereof, at least in one displacement interval of the locking bolt arrangement precedent to the release end position and comprising a desired switching position, thus enabling the desired switching position to be selected by selecting an associated output signal value. The control unit includes a selection device which enables one of the desired switching off positions, corresponding to the output signal value as a threshold value to be selected, such that a signal is emitted when the motor drive is switched off, when the threshold value is reached, exceeded or is fallen below.

Locking device for a steering shaft having a selectable switching position when the locking bolt arrangement is displaced in the direction of a release end position

A device for locking the steering shaft of a motor vehicle against rotation by means of a locking bolt cooperating with locking recesses of the steering shaft. A control member that can be rotated back and forth displaces the locking bolt back and forth radially relative to the axis of rotation of the control member between a locking position and a release position. The locking bolt has a laterally protruding pin that engages a spiral groove of the control member on the front face of the control member adjacent to the locking bolt and that winds about the axis of rotation of the control member. The locking bolt has a pin which is is spring-loaded and movable in the direction towards the control member. The control member can be rotated as far as into the position corresponding to the locking position of the locking bolt even if no locking recess of the steering shaft is located in front of the locking bolt to receive same.

Blocking device for motor vehicle steering shaft

A locking bolt for irrotationally locking a motor-vehicle steering shaft is axially movable inside a housing between locked and release positions, and is fixable in the locked position by means of a spring-loaded securing pin axially movable in the housing that cooperates with a lateral recess in the bolt. The bolt is fixed in the event a part of the housing fitted with a retaining arm retaining the securing pin against the action of its spring load is removed, thereby releasing the securing pin to fix the bolt. The securing pin is not manipulable after its release by removal of the housing part and the retaining arm because it is neither visible nor accessible through the cavity in the housing through which the retaining arm extends.

Apparatus for locking a motor-vehicle steering shaft

A device for irrotationally locking a motor vehicle's steering shaft () using a locking element () located within a housing () and displaceable to-and-fro between a locking and a release position. The housing () is detachably affixed to a tubular casing () enclosing the steering shaft () and comprising a receptacle () that receives the housing () being inserted therein. According to the invention and for the sake of easy assembly and disassembly and high security against theft and easy manufacture, the housing () is pushed into the receptacle () in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis () of the tubular casing ().

Device for blocking the steering spindle of a motor vehicle

Apparatus to lock a motor-vehicle steering shaft against rotation using a locking bolt axially reciprocable by a to-and-fro rotatable control element between a locked position and a release position, the bolt being fixable in its locked position by a displaceably supported, spring-loaded securing element driven by the spring load into a lateral recess of the locking bolt and which cooperates with the control element of the locking bolt in order to be moved out of the lateral recess against the action of the spring load. The control element is rotatable about an axis running parallel to the locking bolt's longitudinal axis. The securing element comprises an axially displaceable securing pin the longitudinal axis of which runs in a plane perpendicular to the locking bolt's longitudinal axis and which by its spring load rests against a control surface of the control element that extends around the axis of rotation of the control element.

A lock includes a locking element and a control element displaceable to-and-fro between a locked and an unlocked position and a control element also rotatable to-and-fro by a drive to axially displace in either direction a locking element or a drive element cooperating with the locking element. The control element encloses the locking element for the drive element and includes two helical inner grooves, bevels or a thread which cooperates with one or two radially extending protrusions of the locking element. Each groove, bevel or thread merges into an end surface located in a plane extending orthogonal to the axis of rotation of the control element and may include an intermediate surface also located in a plane extending perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the control element.

Lock, particularly for locking the steering spindle of a motor vehicle

A motor vehicle steering column lock includes a locking element that is movable reciprocally by a rotatable control element between a locked and an unlocked position. The control element extends around the locking element and includes two inner bevel surfaces and four terminal surfaces cooperating with two radial locking element projections that are arranged diametrically opposite to each other relative to the control element's axis of rotation. The projections each engage at their ends a bevel surface or one of its two terminal surfaces located in planes extending orthogonal to the control element's axis of rotation. One of the bevel surfaces and its terminal surfaces are offset in the direction of the control element's axis of rotation relative to the other bevel surface and its terminal surfaces, and they are located at a larger distance from and around the control element's axis of rotation as compared with the distance of the other bevel surface and its terminal surfaces from the axis of rotation of the control element. The projections are stationary, and the projection cooperating with the bevel surface that is located farther away from the control element's axis of rotation and with its terminal surfaces is commensurately offset from the projection cooperating with the other bevel surface and with its terminal surfaces along the direction of the control element's axis of rotation, with the former projection having a commensurately longer length than the latter.

Lock for a motor vehicle steering column

A lock is fitted with a locking element and a control element which is rotated by a drive to-and-fro in order to axially reciprocate the locking element through a coaxial drive element between a locked and an unlocked position. The drive element and the control element are also configured coaxially and cooperative by means of a cross-pin which is axially displaceable in a transverse borehole of the inner drive element and by means of two helical inner channels as well as an adjoining plane terminal surface of the outer control element which runs perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the control element and is bounded by a side ramp running from the bottom of one channel past the other channel on the outside thereof toward the drive element. The drive element and control element cooperate in such manner that when the control element rotates in that direction in which the cross-pin runs in the channels toward the terminal surface, the drive element shall be commensurately axially displaced and remain in the axial position it has reached until the control element is rotated in the opposite direction and the cross-pin moves in the channels away from the terminal surface causing the drive element to move axially in the opposite direction.

Growing community of inventors

Munich, Germany

Horst Zillmann