Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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LOCKING SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE
The present invention relates to locking sys-
tems for vehicles generally and more particularly to
locking systems for a vehicle hood.
Various locking systems are known for locking
the hood o~ a motor vehicle. Conventionally, the hood is
retained in a closed position by a latch hook which is
released mechanically either at the front o~ the vehicle
or by means of a lever and cable arrangement from the
interior of the vehicle.
Apparatus for locking a vehicle hood is also
known and suffers from the disadvantage that the hood is
normally locked except when the lock is opened by a key.
The present invention seeks to provide an
improved hood locking system, which overcomes disadvan-
tages of the prior art.
There is thus provided in accordance with a
preferred embodiment of the present invention a vehicle
hood locking system for use with a vehicle having a hood
ret~in;ng latch hook which is connected to a user-operat-
ed release lever, the locking system including a user-
actuable locking mechanism, and a connection assembly
connecting the user actuable locking mechanism to the
latch hook, the connection assembly being arranged with
respect to the latch hook and the user-actuable locking
mechanism such that when the locking mechanism is locked,
the connection assembly retains the latch hook against
being displaced by attempted operation o~ the user-oper-
ated release lever.
There is also provided in accordance with a
preferred embodiment o~ the present invention a vehicle
hood locking system ~or use with a vehicle having appara-
SU13STITUTE SHEET (RU~E 26)
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tus for ret~i n i ng the hood in a closed but not locked
condition, the system including a user-actuable locking
mechanism which is operative to selectably lock the hood
in the closed condition but to maintain the hood in an
unlocked closed condition during vehicle operation.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of
the present invention, the user-actuable locking mecha-
nism is coupled to a vehicle security system and is
automatically operative to lock the hood in the closed
condition when the vehicle security system is activated
and to unlock the hood when the vehicle security system
is deactivated.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred
embodiment of the present invention, the user-actuable
locking mechanism comprises an actuator. The actuator is
typically, although not necessarily, electrical or elec-
tromagnetic.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodi-
ment of the present invention, the user-actuable locking
mechanism is provided with a lockable manual override
mechanism.
The present invention will be understood and
appreciated more fully from the following detailed de-
scription, taken in conjunction with the drawings in
which:
Fig. 1 is a simplified, partially schematic,
partially pictorial illustration of a hood locking
system constructed and operative in accordance with a
preferred embodiment of the present invention installed
in a motor vehicle;
Fig. 2A is a simplified illustration of the
hood locking system of Fig. 1 in a first operative orien-
tation, wherein a hood of a motor vehicle is not locked;
Fig. 2B is a simplified illustration of the
hood locking system of Fig. 1 in a second operative
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orientation, wherein the hood of the motor vehicle is
locked;
Fig. 2C is a simplified illustration of the
hood locking system of Fig. 1 in a third operative orien-
tation, wherein a manual override mechanism is used to
unlock the hood locking system; and
Figs. 3A, 3B and 3C are more detailed illustra-
tions of a portion of the hood locking system of Fig. 1,
in the first, second and third operative orientations of
Figs. 2A, 2B and 2C, respectively.
Reference is now made to Fig. l, which is a
simplified, partially schematic, partially pictorial
illustration of a hood locking system constructed and
operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of
the present invention installed in a motor vehicle 12.
The motor vehicle may be any suitable conventional motor
vehicle and typically includes a hood ret~;n;ng latch
hook which is coupled by a cable 16 to a user-operated
release lever 18, normally located within the vehicle 12.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of
the present invention, the locking system 10 includes a
user-actuable locking mechanism 20, and a cable connec-
tion assembly 22 connecting the user actuable locking
mech~n;s~ 20 to the latch hook 14. In accordance
with a pre~erred embodiment of the present invention, the
cable connection assembly 22 is arranged with respect to
the latch hook 14 and the user-actuable locking mecha-
nism 20 such that when the locking mechanism 20 is
locked, the cable connection assembly 22 retains the
latch hook 14 against being displaced by attempted opera-
tion of the user-operated release lever 18. In practice
the arrangement is that the cable connection assembly 22
and cable 16 are arranged to pull in mutually opposite
directions and the cable connection assembly 22 and
locking mechanism 20 are designed to have a stronger
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pull capability than cable 16 and lever 18.
In accordance with an alternative embodiment of
the present invention, the locking system lo may employ
an auxiliary latch hook in addition to the one normally
provided by the vehicle.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of
the present invention the user-actuated locking mechanism
20 may be interconnected with a vehicle security system,
indicated schematically by reference numeral 24, SO as to
be actuated for locking the hood when the vehicle securi-
ty system is actuated. It is a particular feature of the
present invention that when the vehicle security system
is not actuated, as during vehicle operation, the hood is
unlocked, for reasons of safety.
The vehicle security system may be any suitable
vehicle security system and preferably includes at least
one theft prevention element, such as a gear shift lock
25, such as the gear shi:Et lock manufactured by Mul-T-
Lock Ltd. the present applicant/assignee and described in
one or more of the following patents and patent applica-
tions, the disclosures of which are incorporated by
reference: United States Patent 4,693,099, and United
States Patent Applications 787,902, 932,661, 08/240,184
and 08/434,392.
The interconnection between the security
system 24 and the locking m~ch~n;sm 20 is preferably
embodied in electrical connections via a protected link,
so as to reduce the chance of bypass of the hood locking
system by tapping into the link.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of
the present invention, the locking mechanism 20 is pro-
vided with a lockable manual override mechanism 26, which
is preferably connected thereto by means of a cable 28.
Reference is now made to Figs. 2A and 3A, 2B
and 3B, and 2C and 3C, which are pairs of simplified and
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more detailed illustrations of the hood locking system of
Fig. 1 in respective ~irst, second and third operative
orientations and which illustrate the various elements
described hereinabove. It is seen that latch hook 14 is
pivotably mounted about a pivot axis 30 and is coupled to
cable 16 at a location 32 on the latch hook 14. Latch
hook 14 may engage a hood engagement assembly 33. Cable
connection assembly 22 includes a tension cable 34 having
an end 36 which is mounted onto the latch hook 14, as by
a retA;n;ng member 38, such that pulling on cable 16 for
rotating latch hook 14 about pivot axis 30 for opening
the hood, results in pulling of tension cable 34.
User-actuated locking merh~n;sm 20 may be
interconnected with vehicle security system 24 (Fig. 1),
by means of electrical leads 35.
The locking mechanism 20 includes a tension
cable locking assembly 50 including a tension cable end
assembly 52 (Fig. 3A), fixed to an end of tension cable
34, opposite to end 36, coupled to latch hook 14 (Fig.
2A). The tension cable end assembly 52 is slidable within
a bore 53 ~ormed in a housing 54. A compression spring
56, also located within bore 53 normally urges the ten-
sion cable end assembly 5 2 rearwardly so as to maintain
the cable 34 under tension.
Tension cable end assembly 52 is formed with a
recess 58 which partially receives a locking ball 60,
also retained in a passage 62 in housing 54, when the end
assembly 52 is suitably positioned at the rear o:E housing
54, as shown in Fig. 3B. When, as shown in Fig. 3B, the
~ locking ball 60 is partially seated in recess 58 and
partially seated in corresponding passage 62 in housing
54, the tension cable end assembly 52 is locked against
~orward movement.
When tension cable end assembly 52 is locked
against forward movement, as shown in Fig. 3B, cable 34
is unable to move forward and thus the latch hook 14 is
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locked in the closed position shown in Fig. 2B, notwith-
standing attempts to pull on cable 16.
Tension cable end assembly 52 is locked against
forward movement when locking ball 60 is prevented from
unseating from recess 58. This occurs when a piston
element portion 70 iS positioned adjacent locking ball 60
in a bore 72 disposed adjacent and generally parallel to
bore 53.
Piston element portion 70 forms part of a
piston element 74 which is slidable in bore 72 and which
is axially displaceable therein by an actuator, such as a
solenoid 76, via a linkage 78.
Figs. 2B and 3B illustrate the locking mecha-
nism 20 in a locked orientation, while Figs. 2A and 3A
illustrate the locking mechanism 20 in an unlocked orien-
tation when the solenoid 76 displaces piston element 74
rearwardly such that piston element portion 70 iS no
longer alongside locking ball 60, allowing it to unseat
from recess 58. In such a case, when cable 34 is pulled,
as by attempted opening of latch hook 14 by pulling on
cable 16, the locking ball 60 tends to unseat from recess
58 and to permit end assembly 52 to move i~orwardly to a
forward position, such as that illustrated in Figs. 2A
and 3A.
Manual override cable 28 is also coupled to
linkage 78, as by means of a ret~ining element 80. Figs.
2C and 3C illustrate the locking mechanism 20 in an
unlocked orientation when the manual override cable 28
pulls linkage 78 rearwardly such that piston element
portion 70 is no longer alongside locking ball 60.
A key 90 may be inserted into a cylinder 92 of lockable
manual override mechanism 26. Manual override cable 28 is
connected to cylinder 92. After inserting and suitably
turning key so in cylinder 92, key 90 together with
cylinder 92 may be pulled in the direction of an arrow 94
(Fig. 2C), thereby pulling linkage 78 rearwardly in the
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direction of an arrow 96, such that piston element por-
tion 70 is no longer alongside locking ball 60, allowing
it to unseat from recess 58. In such a case, when cable
34 is pulled, as by attempted opening of latch hook 14 by
pulling on cable 16, the locking ball 60 tends to unseat
from recess 58 and to permit end assembly 52 to move
forwardly to a forward position, such as that illustrated
in Figs. 2A and 3A. Thus manual override mechanism 26
allows unlocking latch hook 14 from hood engagement
assembly 33.
A ret~;n;ng element 100 may be fixedly attached
to cable 28 behind a bulkhead 102 (Fig. 1) inside vehicle
12 to prevent violent removal and pulling of mechanism 26
in the direction of arrow 94 by an unauthorized person
(not shown) who does not possess key so.
It will be appreciated by persons skilled in
the art that the present invention is not limited by what
has been particularly shown and described hereinabove.
Rather the scope of the present invention is defined only
by the claims which follow:
