Abstract:
According to some embodiments, an apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises a steering column, a steering post, and a locking mechanism. The steering post comprises a first opening and a second opening and the first opening parallel to the second opening. The steering post is contained within the steering column. The locking mechanism is coupled to the steering column and comprises a first member including a first diameter; and a second member including a second diameter. The first diameter is larger than the second diameter, and the second member is to telescopically extend from the first member. The second member is to substantially fit inside the first member when the second member is not extended, and the second member is to extend through both the first opening and the second opening.

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
     This application is a continuation in part and claims priority to previously filed U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/364,666 filed on Aug. 4, 2006, now abandoned, the contents of which are incorporated herein in their entirety for all purposes. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     It is not an uncommon occurrence for a car, truck or other motorized vehicle to be stolen and a typical method of deterence used by automobile manufacturers is to provide an alarm system to prevent theft. However, it has become common place to hear car alarms going off without police being alerted or anyone paying attention to the car alarm. 
     Some manufacturers currently produce devices coupled to the steering wheel that are designed to lock the steering wheel but car thieves have been known to cut the steering wheel to remove these devices. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one embodiment an apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises a steering column, a steering post, and a locking mechanism. The steering post comprises a first opening and a second opening and the first opening parallel to the second opening. The steering post is contained within the steering column. The locking mechanism is coupled to the steering column and comprises a first member including a first diameter; and a second member including a second diameter. The first diameter is larger than the second diameter, and the second member is to telescopically extend from the first member. The second member is to substantially fit inside the first member when the second member is not extended, and the second member is to extend through both the first opening and the second opening. 
     Therefore, it should now be apparent that the invention substantially achieves all the above aspects and advantages. Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description that follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Various features and embodiments are further described in the following figures, descriptions, and claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings illustrate presently preferred embodiments of the invention, and together with the general description given above and the detailed description given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention. As shown throughout the drawings, like reference numerals designate like or corresponding parts. 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a lock according to some embodiments. 
         FIG. 1A  illustrates a lock according to some embodiments. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an apparatus according to some embodiments. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates an apparatus according to some embodiments. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates an apparatus according to some embodiments. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates an apparatus according to some embodiments. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates an apparatus according to some embodiments. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates an apparatus according to some embodiments. 
         FIG. 8  illustrates an apparatus according to some embodiments. 
         FIG. 8A  illustrates an apparatus according to some embodiments. 
         FIG. 9  illustrates a method according to some embodiments. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The several embodiments described herein are provided solely for the purpose of illustration. Embodiments may include any currently or hereafter-known versions of the elements described herein. Therefore, persons in the art will recognize from this description that other embodiments may be practiced with various modifications and alterations. 
     Now referring to  FIG. 1 , an embodiment of a locking mechanism  100  in an unlocked position is illustrated. The locking mechanism  100  may comprise a first member  101 , a second member (not shown), a face  102 , and a key hole  103 . The locking mechanism  100  may be comprised of any metal, or steel. In some embodiments, the locking mechanism  100  is comprised of titanium or tungsten carbide. 
     The locking mechanism  100  may comprise a first diameter that is large enough to house the second member. When the locking mechanism  100  is unlocked, the second member may be contained within the first member  101 . 
     Now referring to  FIG. 1A , an embodiment of the locking mechanism  100  in a locked position is illustrated. When the locking mechanism  100  is locked, the second member  104  may extend from the first member  101  and in some embodiments, the second member  104  may telescopically extend from the first member  101 . The second member  104  may comprise a second diameter that is small enough to be contained within the first member  101  when the locking mechanism  100  is unlocked. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates an embodiment of an apparatus  200 . Apparatus  200  may comprise a dashboard  201 , a steering wheel  202 , a locking mechanism  203 , and a steering column  204 . The locking mechanism  203  may be as described with respect to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 1A . The steering wheel  202  may comprise any item that may be used to steer a motorized vehicle. The dashboard  201  may be any dashboard (as known in the art) that may be used in a motor vehicle. The steering column  204  may couple the steering wheel  202  to the dashboard  201 . 
     Now referring to  FIG. 3 , an embodiment of an apparatus  300  is illustrated. The apparatus  300  may comprise a dashboard  301 , a steering wheel  302 , and a steering column  304  each as described with respect to  FIG. 3 . A steering post  305  may be contained within the steering column  304  and may be coupled to the steering wheel  302 . The steering post  305  may comprise a first opening  303  and a second opening (not shown). The first opening  303  may be parallel to the second opening and the first opening may be a first size or diameter and the second opening may be a second size or diameter. In some embodiments, the first diameter may be greater than the second diameter. 
     An embodiment of an apparatus  400  is illustrated in  FIG. 4 . Apparatus  400  may comprise a dashboard  401 , a steering wheel  402 , a steering post  405 , and a steering column  404  each as described with respect to  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 . In some embodiments the locking mechanism  403  may be as described with respect to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 1A . 
       FIG. 5  shows an embodiment of a cross section of a steering column  504  and a cross section of a steering shaft  505 . The steering shaft  505  may comprise a first opening  507  and a second opening  508 . In some embodiments the first opening  507  may have a greater diameter than the second opening  508 . A locking mechanism  506  may be coupled to the steering column. The locking mechanism  506  may comprise a first member  501 , a second member  502 , and a face  503  comprising a key hole. The second member  502 , as illustrated, may be telescopically extended from the first member  501  when the locking mechanism  506  is in a locked position. The first member  501  may be coupled to the steering column  504 . In some embodiments, the face  503  may be substantially flush to the surface of the steering column  504 . 
     An embodiment of a steering column  604  is illustrated in  FIG. 6 . A locking mechanism is illustrated intersecting the steering column  604 , the locking mechanism comprising a first member  601 , a second member  602 , and a face comprising a key hole  603 . 
     In an alternative embodiment, a steering shaft may tilt when a steering shaft is in an unlocked position which may signal to prospective thieves that a motorized vehicle is substantially not steerable. As illustrated in  FIG. 7 , an apparatus  700  may comprise a steering shaft having a first shaft portion  701  and a second shaft portion  702  where each portion may be at least partially enclosed in a steering column  704 . A locking mechanism  705 , as previously described with respect to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 1A , may be in a locked position when the steering shaft  701 / 702  is to turn. The locking mechanism  705  maybe totally enclosed in the steering column such that the steering shaft  701 / 702  may have to be in a specific position to access a key hole (not shown) through an opening in the steering column  704 . The locking mechanism  705  may also be coupled to a shaft latch  703  to couple the first shaft portion  701  to the second shaft portion  702 . The shaft latch  703  may be coupled to both the locking mechanism  705  and the second portion  702 . 
     When the locking mechanism  705  is in an unlocked position, the second shaft portion  702  may tilt downward through column opening  706  which may illustrate that a motorized vehicle is substantially not steerable. 
     Now referring to  FIG. 8  and  FIG. 8A , an embodiment of an apparatus  800  is illustrated. In some embodiments,  FIG. 8  and  FIG. 8A  illustrate a side view of a steering shaft having a first shaft portion  801  and a second shaft portion  802 . A shaft latch  805  is coupled to the second portion and the shaft latch  805  has a latch opening. The latch opening  808  may be lined up with a corresponding shaft opening  803  in the steering shaft  801 / 802 . A hinge  804  may couple the first portion  801  to the second portion  802 . When a locking mechanism (not shown) is in an unlocked position, the second portion  802  may tilt around hinge  804  as illustrated in  FIG. 8A . In some embodiments, the binge  804  may comprise a cut-off switch, such that when the switch is open a motorized vehicle may not be able to start. When the locking mechanism, such as locking mechanism  705 , is in a locked position, a circumference sized surface area of the first shaft portion  806  is in contact with a circumference sized surface area of the second shaft portion  807  and a latch opening  808  is aligned with a second opening  803  of the steering shaft. As illustrated in  FIG. 8 , a diameter of the circumference sized surface area of first post portion  806  is equal to a diameter of the circumference sized surface area of second post portion  807 . If the locking mechanism  705  is in an unlocked position, the circumference sized surface area of the first post portion  806  is not in contact with the circumference sized surface area of the second post portion  807  and the shaft latch opening  808  is not aligned with the second opening  803 . 
     An embodiment of a method  900  is illustrated in  FIG. 9 . At  901  a steering wheel is turned until a lock control of a locking mechanism is lined up with an opening in a steering column. In some embodiments, the lock control may be key hole that requires an insertion of a key and in some embodiments, the lock control may be a combination mechanism such as a combination lock. The locking mechanism may be that as described with respect to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 1A  and the locking mechanism may be contained within the steering column. When the steering post is rotated, the locking mechanism may rotate within the steering column. The steering column may comprise an opening such that when the steering post is in a set position, the lock control may be accessed. 
     Next, at  902 , the locking mechanism is unlocked. The locking mechanism may be unlocked via the lock control. In some embodiments, a key may be placed into the lock control and turned such that the locking mechanism unlocks. In some embodiments, a combination mechanism may be adjusted to display a code comprising a series of numbers or letters. If the displayed code matches an internal preset code then the locking mechanism may be unlocked. In some embodiments, the combination mechanism may be a mechanical combination lock. In some embodiments the combination lock may be coupled to a power supply and the combination mechanism may be an electrical lock where a code is entered via a series of electronic keys and/or switches. In some embodiments, the code may be entered by a remote control mechanism that transmits an electronic code to the lock mechanism. 
     At  903  a steering shaft is tilted to indicate that a motorized vehicle is not steerable. When the locking mechanism is unlocked, a portion of the steering shaft may tilt such as illustrated in  FIG. 8A . In some embodiments, when the steering shaft is tilted, a cut-off switch may be opened such that a motorized vehicle may not be started or run. The cut-off switch may either create a ground or may prevent a starter motor from receiving power. 
     At  904  the locking mechanism is relocked to keep the steering shaft in a tilted position. By relocking the locking mechanism, the steering shaft may not be able to be returned to a position in which the motorized vehicle may be driven and/or started. In some embodiments by keeping the locking mechanism in a locked position may prevent the cutoff switch from being closed. 
     The foregoing has been described with reference to specific embodiments. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereto without departing from the broader spirit and scope set forth in the appended claims.