Patent Description:
Vehicle theft is a major problem for vehicle owners, particularly when the vehicle in question has a high value. All vehicles are provided with one or more security devices or systems in order to deter or prevent theft and there is also a large secondary market in security devices that can be purchased by vehicle owners that can then also be used to try and protect against the theft of the vehicle. No single security device is <NUM>% effective as a determined thief with enough time and effort can always overcome an installed security device. However, there is a market for relatively inexpensive security devices that can be used in vehicles that will deter theft while providing sufficient protection for the vehicle as they are difficult or time consuming to remove by a thief. <CIT> discloses a combination accelerator and brake pedal locking device, which is an example of a relatively inexpensive security device that can be used to try and secure a vehicle. However, the device of this Patent is relatively easy to overcome since the lock is easily accessible to a thief and side wall that closes the body of the device can easily be broken away to remove the device.

It is therefore an object of the invention to improve upon the known art.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a security device comprising a base plate, a back plate connected to the base plate and including one or more openings for receiving a pedal of a motor vehicle, and a locking mechanism mounted on the base plate, characterised in that the device further comprises a removable front plate for engaging with the base plate and the back plate and including a locking component for locking to the locking mechanism and that the base plate and the back plate are provided with a plurality of slots and projections and the front plate is provided with corresponding opposite slots and projections that mate with the slots and projections on the base plate and the back plate when the front plate engages with the base plate and the back plate.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of securing a vehicle using a security device according to the first aspect of the invention, the method comprising the steps of removing the front plate from the security device, locating the security device on one or more pedals of the vehicle, such that the or each pedal is located in an opening of the back plate, connecting the front plate to the base plate and to the back plate, and locking the locking component to the locking mechanism.

Owing to the invention, it is possible to provide a security device that can be fitted to a vehicle that provides significant additional protection against theft for the vehicle in question when compared to known devices, while also being relatively inexpensive to manufacture. The security device is designed to be locked to one or more of the pedals of a vehicle, which prevents the vehicle being driven while the security device is in place. The security device can be locked into place onto one or more pedals of the vehicle and this prevents normal operation of the pedals when the security device is present. The use of projections and slots in the three plates ensures that when the front plate is placed in position ready to be locked to the base plate a strong and secure connection is made between the front plate and the other two plates that together form the box of the security device. The interlocking between the projections and the slots increases the defence of the security device from unauthorised entry since a forced leverage attack on the security device will only bend the projections, which increases the retention of the different plates relative to one another.

Preferably, the security device further comprises a soft foam base connected to the external surface of the base plate. The presence of a soft foam base on the base plate provides two significant advantages for the security device. Firstly, the foam base protects the vehicle floor lining from damage from the security device. Secondly, the foam base gives the security device flex and movement, which significantly increases the difficulty of unauthorised removal of the security device by cutting or using leverage. In a preferred arrangement, the foam base covers all of the bottom surface of the base plate.

Advantageously, the base plate is U-shaped and forms a base part and two opposite side parts each perpendicular to the base part. A U-shaped base plate, formed as a single component, provides three sides of the security device, which helps to create a secure box that is very difficult to remove while providing the basic function of access prevention to the pedals of the motor vehicle. The three walls provided by an integral U-shaped base plate provide strength and rigidity to the security device, making it more difficult for a person to perform an unauthorised removal of the security device.

Ideally, the front plate is L-shaped and forms a front part and a top part perpendicular to the front part. An L-shaped front plate, formed as a single component, provides two sides of the security device, which helps to create a secure box that is very difficult to remove while providing the basic function of access prevention to the pedals of the motor vehicle. The two walls provided by an integral L-shaped front plate provide strength and rigidity to the security device, making it more difficult for a person to perform an unauthorised removal of the security device.

Preferably, the back plate is releasably connected to the base plate. The back plate can be formed so that it is releasably connected to the base plate. For example, the back plate may be slotted into the base plate and then secured in position with a set of screws, rivets, bolts or the like that are only accessible from the interior of the security device. This provides a secure connection between the base plate and the back plate while also allowing the back plate to replaced or swapped without altering the remainder of the security device. This means that the security device can be easily adapted for use with different vehicles as the spacing and positioning of vehicle pedals differs slightly between different vehicles and this can be reflected in the size and position of the opening(s) in different back plates.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-.

<FIG> and <FIG> show the components of a security device <NUM>. The security device <NUM> comprises a base plate <NUM>, a back plate <NUM> (<FIG>) and a removable front plate <NUM> (<FIG>). The back plate <NUM> is connected to the base plate <NUM> and includes one or more openings <NUM> for receiving a pedal of a motor vehicle. A locking mechanism <NUM> is mounted on the base plate <NUM>. The locking mechanism <NUM> is in the form of a ring <NUM> mounted on the base plate <NUM>. The removable front plate <NUM> is for engaging with the base plate <NUM> and the back plate <NUM> and includes a locking component <NUM> for locking to the locking mechanism <NUM>. The security device <NUM> also further comprises a soft foam base <NUM> connected to the external surface of the base plate <NUM>.

The base plate <NUM> is U-shaped and forms a base part 12a and two opposite side parts 12b each perpendicular to the base part 12a. The front plate <NUM> is L-shaped and forms a front part 22a and a top part 22b perpendicular to the front part 22a. The U-shaped base plate <NUM>, formed as a single component, provides three sides of the security device <NUM>, which helps to create a secure box that is very difficult to remove while providing the basic function of access prevention to the pedals of the motor vehicle. Similarly, the L-shaped front plate <NUM> provides two sides of the security device <NUM>, helping to create the box shape of the security device <NUM>. The three plates <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> when locked together form a secure box with no access to the interior of the box.

The base plate <NUM> and the back plate <NUM> are provided with a plurality of slots <NUM> and projections <NUM> and the front plate <NUM> is provided with corresponding opposite slots <NUM> and projections <NUM> that mate with the slots <NUM> and projections <NUM> on the base plate <NUM> and the back plate <NUM> when the front plate <NUM> engages with the base plate <NUM> and the back plate <NUM>. In this embodiment, the base plate <NUM> is provided with a plurality of projections <NUM> and the back plate <NUM> is provided with a plurality of slots <NUM>. The slots <NUM> and projections <NUM> are provided to ensure that there is a strong and secure connection between the components.

<FIG> shows a perspective view of the security device <NUM> with the front plate <NUM> fixed into place onto the base plate <NUM> and the back plate <NUM> of the security device <NUM>. The front plate <NUM> is engaged with the base plate <NUM> and the back plate <NUM> and the locking component <NUM> can now be locked to the locking mechanism <NUM>. The engagement between the various slots <NUM> and projections <NUM> can also be seen in this Figure. The three plates (base plate <NUM>, back plate <NUM> and front plate <NUM>) form a sealed metal box that can be locked onto the pedals of a vehicle as additional security.

The principal function of the security device <NUM> is to reduce or prevent vehicle theft by preventing unauthorised access to the pedals of the vehicle. The security device <NUM> is locked in place onto the pedals by an owner or user of the vehicle and the presence of the security device <NUM> has at least a deterrent effect on any potential vehicle thief, who will know that either significant time will be taken up in an unauthorised removal of the security device <NUM> or the potential thief will be in fact be prevented from accessing the pedals of the vehicle, meaning that the vehicle cannot be driven away while the security device <NUM> is in place.

Preferable the three plates (base plate <NUM>, back plate <NUM> and front plate <NUM>) are each formed from a tough metal such as steel which can be plastic coated. The U-shaped base plate <NUM> and the L-shaped front plate <NUM> are each formed from a single piece of material which has been bent and cut into the required shape to form the respective plate. In this embodiment of the security device <NUM>, the back plate <NUM> is formed as a single flat plate <NUM> that is screwed into position from the interior of the security device <NUM>, fixing screws can be seen in <FIG> and this is explained in more detail below. Other fixing methods such as bolts or rivets could also be used.

<FIG> shows a side view of a cross-section through the security device <NUM>, when the security device <NUM> has been placed in position on one or more pedals <NUM> of a vehicle. To achieve the positioning of the security device <NUM>, the user removes the front plate <NUM> from the security device <NUM>, locates the security device <NUM> on one or more pedals <NUM> of the vehicle, such that each pedal <NUM> is located in an opening <NUM> of the back plate <NUM>, connects the front plate <NUM> to the base plate <NUM> and to the back plate <NUM>, and locks the locking component <NUM> (which is key operated) to the locking mechanism <NUM>.

In this way, the security device <NUM> can be securely fastened onto one or more pedals <NUM> of a vehicle. In the embodiment of the security device <NUM> shown in <FIG>, the back plate <NUM> is provided with two separate openings <NUM>, which are intended to be for the brake and clutch pedals <NUM> of a vehicle with a manual gearbox. If the vehicle has an automatic gearbox or is an electric vehicle, then only a single opening <NUM> is required for the brake pedal <NUM> of the vehicle. The position and size of the openings <NUM> will depend upon the specific vehicle in question.

The foam base <NUM> can also be seen in this Figure, which is designed to engage with the vehicle floor lining below the pedals <NUM>. The foam base <NUM> helps to protect the vehicle floor lining from damage from the security device <NUM>. The foam base <NUM> also provides further security to the device <NUM> as the foam base <NUM> gives the security device <NUM> flex and movement. This feature significantly increases the difficulty of an unauthorised removal of the security device <NUM> by cutting or using leverage. The foam base <NUM> covers the entire bottom surface of the base plate <NUM> and is held in place by a suitable adhesive.

<FIG> shows a rear view of the security device <NUM>, with the front plate <NUM> not present. The back plate <NUM> can be clearly seen, as can the two openings <NUM> present in the back plate <NUM>. The size and shape of the two openings <NUM> are different from one another; this reflects the different size and shapes of the pedals that are to be located in the openings <NUM>. The base plate <NUM> has a flange <NUM> located along one edge of the base part 12a and one edge of the side parts 12b, the back plate <NUM> being connected to the base plate <NUM> via the flange <NUM>.

The back plate <NUM> is designed for a specific vehicle, with the number, size and positioning of the openings <NUM> reflecting the pedals <NUM> of the vehicle in question. The construction of the security device <NUM> means that the back plate <NUM> can be changed, without any other components of the security device needing to be changed. The back plate <NUM> is releasably connected to the base plate <NUM>, here with rivets connecting the back plate <NUM> to the flange <NUM> of the base plate <NUM>. By making the back plate <NUM> removable it is possible to manufacture different back plates <NUM> for different vehicles without having to change any other components of the security device <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A security device (<NUM>) comprising:
• a base plate (<NUM>),
• a back plate (<NUM>) connected to the base plate (<NUM>) and including one or more openings (<NUM>) for receiving a pedal (<NUM>) of a motor vehicle, and
• a locking mechanism (<NUM>) mounted on the base plate (<NUM>),
• characterised in that the device further comprises a removable front plate (<NUM>) for engaging with the base plate (<NUM>) and the back plate (<NUM>) and including a locking component (<NUM>) for locking to the locking mechanism (<NUM>) and that the base plate (<NUM>) and the back plate (<NUM>) are provided with a plurality of slots (<NUM>) and projections (<NUM>) and the front plate (<NUM>) is provided with corresponding opposite slots (<NUM>) and projections (<NUM>) that mate with the slots (<NUM>) and projections (<NUM>) on the base plate (<NUM>) and the back plate (<NUM>) when the front plate (<NUM>) engages with the base plate (<NUM>) and the back plate (<NUM>).