Patent ID: 8429942
Filing Date: 2013-04-30
Classification: B60R,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A restriction mechanism for an ignition switch that switches a power supply state of a vehicle in accordance with a rotational position of a rotor rotatable in a cylinder in a first direction and a second direction, the restriction mechanism comprising: a first pin arranged in a pin hole extending through the rotor in a radial direction, wherein the first pin includes a first end and a second end, the first pin is biased to project the first end outward from the rotor in the radial direction, and when the rotor is arranged at a first position, the first end is in contact with an inner circumferential surface of the cylinder and the second end is arranged in the pin hole; a restriction portion formed on the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder, wherein the restriction portion includes a first side surface and a second side surface that are spaced apart from each other in a circumferential direction of the cylinder, when the rotor is rotated from the first position in the first direction, the first side surface comes into contact with the first end of the first pin that projects out of an outer surface of the rotor and restricts movement of the first end in the first direction, and when the rotor is rotated toward the first position in the second direction, the second side surface permits movement of the first end of the first pin along the second side surface in the second direction; a lock piece received in a slit formed in the circumferential direction in the cylinder, wherein the lock piece is movable from a reference position, the lock piece includes first and second overhang portions respectively overhanging from the first and second side surfaces in opposite directions when the lock piece is arranged at the reference position, the first overhang portion includes a first inclined surface inclined relative to the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder, when the rotor is rotated, the first inclined surface is arranged in a movement path of the first end of the first pin, when the lock piece is arranged at the reference position, the lock piece is projected out of the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder by a projection height, and the projection height is greater than a distance between the second end of the first pin and the outer surface of the rotor regardless of the rotational position of the rotor; an actuator coupled to the lock piece, wherein the actuator switches the lock piece between an immovable state, in which the lock piece is held at the reference position, and a movable state, in which the lock piece is movable from the reference position; and a second pin arranged at a position facing the lock piece with the rotor located in between, wherein the second pin includes an axis and is movable along the axis, the second pin is biased toward the outer surface of the rotor, the second pin includes a distal inclined surface facing toward the first position and inclined relative to the axis and a restriction surface extending along the axis of the second pin, and when the rotor is rotated from the first position in the first direction, the distal inclined surface comes into contact with the second end of the first pin; further wherein the actuator sets the lock piece in the immovable state to permit rotation of the rotor in the first direction from the first position to a second position; when the lock piece is in the immovable state, the second pin is moved in the axial direction when in contact with the second end of the first pin; the actuator sets the lock piece in the movable state to permit the rotor to rotate in the second direction from the second position toward the first position; the actuator sets the lock piece in the movable state to restrict rotation of the rotor from the first position to the second position; and the actuator sets the lock piece in the immovable state to restrict rotation of the rotor in the second direction from the second position toward the first position.