Abstract: A device (1) for locking the steering spindle (2) of a steering gear of a vehicle, having a blocking pin (6) which is arranged in a housing (3) and can be displaced from a release position into a locking position and vice versa. In order to prevent manipulation of the device (1) by an unauthorized third party if the housing (3) of the device (1) has been forcibly opened and the blocking pin (6) is located in its locking position, a spring-actuated securing element (17; 17′) is arranged in a guide part (12; 12′) of the blocking pin (6), said securing element being fixed in its position by a closure element (20) which is fastened on the inside of the housing (3). If the housing (3) is opened by an unauthorized third party, then the closure element (20) is also removed together with the corresponding housing region and the securing element (17; 17′) is at least partially displaced into a recess (21) of the blocking pin (6) and secures the latter in its locking position.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 27, 2001
Date of Patent:
August 27, 2002
Assignee:
Valeo Deutschland GmbH & Co. Sicherheitssysteme
Inventors:
Alexander Frick, Mario Pieh, Etienne Rocheteau, Harald Starken, Kurt Lieb