Abstract:
The present invention provides a mechanism for locking a shift lever of a vehicle equipped with a smart key system that can be applied to a vehicle equipped with a smart key system at relatively low cost and convenient to use, and can secure safety against possible accidents by children&#39;s misoperation and overcome the defects of mechanisms for locking the steering column in the related art

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application is based on, and claims priority from, Korean Application Serial Number 10-2007-0131805, filed on Dec. 15, 2007, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a mechanism for locking the shift lever of a vehicle equipped with a smart key system, particularly a technology that restricts motion of the shift lever to prevent carjacking, using a locking mechanism. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    According to a vehicle equipped with a smart key system in the related art, when a driver with an authentic FOB key can turn on the power and start the vehicle by pushing a start button. 
         [0004]    According to this function, because a smart key controller equipped in the vehicle automatically authenticates the driver using radio communication with the FOB key, it is impossible to start the vehicle without an authentic FOB key. 
         [0005]    On the other hand, in addition to locking the doors of a vehicle, locking the steering system, the shift lever, or the transmission has been known as a locking mechanism for preventing carjacking in the related art. 
         [0006]    The mechanism for locking the steering system prevents the steering wheel from turning by locking the steering column. In the related art, an ESCL (Electronic Steering Column Lock) is commonly applied to steering columns, but which is expensive and it is impossible to start the vehicle unless the steering column is unlocked by some problems in the steering column. Further, the vehicle does not start until the steering column is completely unlocked, such that the response speed is decreased with a noise. In addition, buckling of the steering wheel is prevented in a car crash. 
         [0007]    The mechanism for locking the shift lever according to the related art, as shown in  FIG. 1 , includes a locking lever  502  that is pivoted by a actuator  500  to prevent a shift lever  504  from pivoting. Further, the mechanism for locking the shift lever includes an unlock button  506  that allows a driver to manually turn locking lever  502  and unlocking lever  508  connected to unlock button  506 , for emergency, such that when a drive pushes the unlock button  506 , unlocking lever  508  pivots locking lever  502  and shift lever  504  can pivot. 
         [0008]    As actuator  500  is activated when the brake pedal is pushed in ignition-On state, shift lever  504  is unlocked from a P-range to an N-range to be able to pivot by locking lever  502 , such that the vehicle is in ready for running. 
         [0009]    Unlock button  506  is provided for a driver to manually unlock shift lever  504  in an emergency, such as when the vehicle is discharged, but is exposed for anyone to operates. Therefore, when the vehicle is parked on a slope, an accident may be occurred by children&#39;s fun. 
         [0010]    Further, when the mechanism for locking shift lever  504  is applied to a vehicle with an automatic transmission, shift lever  504  is locked at the P-range, such that it is inconvenient, considering most domestic vehicles are designed to be parked at the N-range. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    Embodiments of the present invention provide a mechanism for locking a shift lever of a vehicle equipped with a smart key system that can be applied to a vehicle equipped with a smart key system at relatively low cost and convenient to use, and can secure safety against possible accidents by children&#39;s misoperation and overcome the defects of mechanisms for locking the steering column in the related art. 
         [0012]    According to an embodiment of the invention, a mechanism for locking a shift lever of a vehicle equipped with a smart key system includes a smart key system, a locking lever, a actuator, and a mechanical lock. The smart key system turns on the power and starts the vehicle depending on whether a user is authenticated by an FOB key when a start button is pushed. The locking lever pivots to lock of shift a shift lever from a P-range to another range. The actuator is activated only when the FOB key is authenticated by in the smart key system to unlock the locking lever. The mechanical lock includes an unlock lever that pivots the locking lever to unlock the shift lever and actuates the unlock lever to pivot the locking lever when a mechanical key is inserted and turned. 
         [0013]    Further, it is preferable that the mechanical key actuating the mechanical lock is separable from the FOB key. 
         [0014]    According to a mechanism for locking a shift lever of an embodiment of the invention, it is possible to prevent an accident by children&#39;s misoperation, apply the mechanism to a vehicle equipped with a smart key system at relatively low cost, and park a vehicle at an N-range. Further, the mechanism for locking a shift lever is convenient to use. 
         [0015]    Further, according to the mechanism for locking a shift lever, it is possible to overcome or avoid various problems of mechanisms for locking a steering column according to the related art, such as that it is impossible to start a vehicle unless the steering column is completely unlocked by some problems in the steering column, the response speed is decreased with a noise, and buckling of the steering wheel is prevented in a car crash. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]    For better understanding of the nature and objects of the present invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0017]      FIG. 1  is a view illustrating an example of a mechanism for locking a shift lever according to the related art; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a view illustrating the configuration of a mechanism for locking a shift lever of a vehicle equipped with a smart key system according to an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a view illustrating a shift lever locked at a P-range, seen from the left and right; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a view illustrating unlocking a locking lever with a mechanical key, seen from the left and right. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0021]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 to 4 , a mechanism for locking a shift lever of a vehicle equipped with a smart key system includes: a smart key system  5  that turns on the power and starts the vehicle depending on whether a user is authenticated by an FOB key  3  when a start button  1  is pushed; a locking lever  9  that pivots to lock or shift a shift lever  7  from a P-range to another range; a actuator  13  that is activated only when FOB key  3  is authenticated by smart key system  5  to unlock locking lever  9 ; a mechanical lock  19  that includes an unlock lever  15  that allows locking lever  9  to pivot in order to unlock shift lever  7  and actuates unlock lever  15  to pivot locking lever  9  when a mechanical key  17  is inserted and turned. 
         [0022]    In smart key system  5 , similar to the related art, a smart key controller  21  is connected with an antenna  25  for LF communication with FOB key  3 , a receiver  27  that receives remote control signals from FOB key  3 , a door handle sensor  31  that detects the operation of door handle  29 , an engine controller  22 , a start button  1 , an FOB key holder  33  that reads from information of a transponder in the FOB key for an emergency start when a battery of FOB key  3  is discharged, and a power distributor  35  that controls the power of the vehicle. 
         [0023]    Actuator  13  is also connected to smart key controller  21 . When FOB key  3  is authenticated, actuator  13  is activated and locking lever  9  unlocks shift lever  7 , such that shift lever  7  can be operated from the P-range to another range. 
         [0024]    Mechanical key  17  that actuates mechanical lock  19  is separable from FOB key  3  for the convenience of a user. 
         [0025]    Assuming that a plan that shift lever  7  sweeps when shifting from the P-range to another range is a shift plan Pn, locking lever  9  locks shift lever  7  by pivoting on a plan parallel with shift plan Pn, and unlocking lever  15  pivots locking lever  9  by pivoting on a plan perpendicular to shift plan Pn. 
         [0026]    Locking lever  9  has a locking portion  9 - 1  protruding from the rotational axis of locking lever to lock shift lever  7 , a manual unlocking portion  9 - 2  protruding from the rotational axis of locking lever  9  to receive rotational force from unlocking lever  15 , and an automatic unlocking portion  9 - 3  connected with actuator  13  to receive rotational force, which are integrally formed with locking lever  9 . 
         [0027]    Mechanical lock  19  includes a cylinder  19 - 2  having an insertion hole  19 - 1  where mechanical key  17  is inserted, at the upper portion, and unlocking lever  15  is disposed at the lower portion to receive rotational force from cylinder  19 - 2 . 
         [0028]    In a vehicle having the above configuration, when a driver with authentic FOB key  3  pushes start button  1 , the power is on and the vehicle starts, in which when the drive steps on the brake pedal, locking lever  9  is unlocked by actuator  13  and shift lever  7  can shift from the P-range to another range, such that the vehicle is in ready for running. 
         [0029]    When the vehicles stops running, the power can be off only when shift lever  7  returns to the P-range by smart key controller  21 . Therefore, the driver should turns shift lever  7  to the P-range when stopping the vehicle. 
         [0030]    In  FIG. 3 , shift lever  7  is at the P-range and cannot pivot by locking lever  9 . At the P-range, when a driver wants to park the vehicle at the N-range or it is inevitably required to pull the vehicle, the driver can unlock shift lever  7  using mechanical key  17 . 
         [0031]    That is, as shown in  FIG. 4 , when mechanical key  17  is inserted in mechanical lock  19  and then turned, unlock lever  15  pivots and locking lever  9  is pivoted by unlock lever  15 , such that shift lever  7  can be shifted to the N-range. 
         [0032]    Therefore, according to the above mechanism for locking a shift lever of a vehicle equipped with a smart key system of an embodiment of the invention, it is impossible to unlock shift lever  7  locked at the P-range without mechanical key  17 ; therefore, it is possible to prevent accidents due to children&#39;s misoperation. Further, the mechanism can be applied to a vehicle equipped with a smart key system at relatively low cost, conveniently used, and allows parking at the N-range. 
         [0033]    Further, it is possible to overcome or avoid various problems of mechanisms for locking a steering column according to the related art, such as that it is impossible to start a vehicle unless the steering column is completely unlocked by some problems in the steering column, the response speed is decreased with a noise, and buckling of the steering wheel is prevented in a car crash.