GB2267116A

GB2267116A - Vehicle door handle lock

Info

Publication number: GB2267116A
Application number: GB9210498A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Graham John Crawley; Marcus John Scott Ward
Original assignee: Ford Motor Co
Current assignee: Ford Motor Co
Priority date: 1992-05-14
Filing date: 1992-05-14
Publication date: 1993-11-24
Also published as: GB9210498D0

Abstract

A safety device for a vehicle door lock to prevent theft comprises a mechanism in which an interlock button (3) which is part of a cantilevered lever (2), projects from a bezel (4) mounted on the door structure. A lever (1) which has an arm (5) linked to a cable (6) for unlatching the door lock is arranged to lie against the rear wall of a cavity (7) in the locked state. An interlink mechanism consisting of a projection (12) on an arm (11) of the lever (1) cooperates with a profiled slot (13) in the lever (2). As the lever (1) is recessed within the cavity (7) it is virtually impossible for the lever to be snagged by a bent wire or the like inserted through the door from the outside of the vehicle. As the button (3), which releases the lever (2), is projecting in the locked state it requires a pushing action rather than a pull with bent wire for release. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: Safetv Device for Motor Vehicle Door Locks Field of the invention The present invention relates to a safety device for motor vehicle door locks. The invention is particularly suitable as a car theft deterrent.

Background to the Invention A common way for a thief to gain entry into a vehicle is to insert a hooked piece of wire through a suitable gap, such as a partially open window or the rubber mounting round the door frame, so as to engage the interior door release lever, and then to pull the wire which in turn pulls the lever to open the door.

The present invention seeks to overcome this problem by providing a door release lever which, in its locked position, is virtually inaccessible for snagging with a wire.

It is known to provide interlock means such as a button or latch which secures the lever in a locked position. Such an interlocked vehicle door lock is disclosed in the Ford GB patent application 2199363 A.

The present invention provides a simple interlock system for a vehicle lock having a release lever which is virtually inaccessible even to finger operation when in the locked position. Such a safety device will secure the car against theft using bent wire to release the lock from outside of the vehicle.

Summarv of the Invention According to the present invention there is provided a safety device for a motor vehicle lock comprising a first pivotally mounted lever having a first arm coupled to the vehicle lock and arranged in use to release the lock, and a second radially mounted lever arranged to interlock said first lever and to provide a protruding button in the locked state which is substantially flush or recessed in the unlocked state, and wherein the first lever is held in the locked state against a back wall of a housing cavity and is moved to the front of said housing cavity by movement of the button from the projecting locked state to the unlocked state.

Preferably the first pivotally mounted lever has a second arm with a projection engaging with a profiled slot in the second radially mounted lever so that movement of the button from the locked to the unlocked state causes the first lever to pivot from its locked state to the unlocked state, but movement of said first lever to unlatch the door lock does not move the second lever.

The first arm may be coupled to the door lock by a cable and the safety device is preferably set in the side panel of a vehicle door and surrounded by a bezel.

The second radially mounted lever may be arranged to pivot about a pin located at the end of the second lever or the end of the lever may be resiliently coupled to a support so that the second lever is cantilevered from the support. A pad of foam or other anti-rattle material may be arranged to bear against the second lever to damp its movement when the vehicle is in motion.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a safety device for a motor vehicle door lock, comprising a lock actuating lever and an interlock mechanism including a button for unlocking the safety device, said button being arranged to project from the surrounding surface in the locked state, and to lie substantially flush with the surrounding surface in the unlocked state.

Brief description of the drawings The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a safety device set within a bezel for mounting on a motor vehicle door; Figure 2 shows a plan view of the safety device in a locked state; Figure 3 shows a plan view of the safety device in the unlocked state; and Figure 4 shows a plan view of the safety device when unlatching the vehicle lock.

Referring now to Figure 1, the safety device comprises a first lever 1 pivotally mounted about an axis AA and a second lever 2 having a button 3 mounted within a bezel 4.

Referring now also to Figures 2 to 4 which shows the safety device in the locked and unlocked state and when the lever 1 is operated to unlatch the door lock. As shown in the drawings the lever 1 has a first arm 5 connected at its extremity to a cable (illustrated by the broken line 6) which actuates the door lock.

The safety device is set within a cavity 7 in the side panel of a vehicle door having a housing 8 which is shaped to provide a support for a foam anti-rattle pad 9. The second lever 2 (shown shaded in Figure 2) is radially mounted about a pivot 10. The lever 1 has a second arm 11 which carries a projection 12 engaged with a profiled slot 13 in the second lever 2.

In the locked state the projection 12 is at one extreme end of the slot 13. The button 3 is raised proud of the bezel 4 and when the button 3 is depressed flush with the bezel 4 (as shown in Figure 3) the projection 12 causes the arm 11, and hence the lever 1 to rotate about the axis A. As the button 3 is depressed the projection 12 moves along the slot 13 to the position shown in Figure 3. In this position it is possible to grasp the lever 1 and further rotate it to the position as shown in Figure 4 so that the cable 6 unlatches the door lock.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 4 it will be seem that the profiled slot 13 contains a first substantially straight section 14 and a curved section 15. The curved section 15 is an arc of a circle centred on the axis A. The projection 12 can therefore move from its position shown in Figure 3 to that shown in Figure 4 without disturbing the lever 2.

Preferably the lever 1 (shown shaded in Figure 3) is resiliently biased by means of a spring to return from the position shown in Figure 4 to that shown in Figure 3. In order to lock and secure the safety device from the position shown in Figure 3 the lever 1 is depressed into the cavity 7 until it rests against the back wall of the cavity as shown in Figure 1. In this position it is virtually impossible to engage the lever 1, whether by fingers or with bent wire as employed by car thieves. The movement of the lever 1 from the position shown in Figure 3 to that shown in Figure 2 causes the button 3 to extend beyond the bezel 4 as shown projecting in Figure 2. This action is as a result of the projection 12 on the second arm 11 travelling along the straight section 14 of the profiled slot 13.

The mounting of the second lever by means of the pivot pen may be replaced by a resilient mounting attached to the housing 8 so that the lever 2 is cantilevered in substantially the same manner as shown in the drawings.

It would be appreciated that because the safety device incorporates a button which projects in the locked state it is not possible to engage the button by means of hooked wire from outside the vehicle and pull it to release the lock.

Equally, as the lever 1 is recessed within the cavity 7 and in the locked position is held against the rear wall of the cavity it cannot be engaged with hooked wire.

Although the safety device enables a vehicle to be secured against theft it has been found that the mechanism requires approximately half as much effort to release the second lever.

Claims

1. A safety device for a motor vehicle lock comprising a first pivotally mounted lever having a first arm coupled to the vehicle lock and arranged in use to release the lock, and a second radially mounted lever arranged to interlock said first lever and to provide a protruding button in the locked state which is substantially flush or recessed in the unlocked state, and wherein the first lever is held in the locked state against a back wall of a housing cavity and is moved to the front of said housing cavity by movement of the button from the projecting locked state to the unlocked state.

2 A safety device as claimed in claim 1 in which the first pivotally mounted lever has a second arm with a projection engaging with a profiled slot in the second radially mounted lever so that movement of the button from the locked to the unlocked state causes the first lever to pivot from its locked state to the unlocked state, but movement of said first lever to unlatch the door lock does not move the second lever.

3. A safety device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which the first arm is coupled to the door lock by a cable.

4. A safety device as claimed in any preceding claim in which the safety device is set in the side panel of a vehicle door and surrounded by a bezel.

5. A safety device as claimed in any preceding claim in which the second lever rests against a resilient block of material when the device is in the unlocked state.

6. A safety device for a motor vehicle door lock, comprising a lock actuating lever and an interlock mechanism including a button for unlocking the safety device, said button being arranged to project from the surrounding surface in the locked state, and to lie substantially flush with the surrounding surface in the unlocked state.

7. A safety device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.