Bi-stable mechanism and anti-theft device for a motor vehicle comprising such mechanism
US4420659A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 29, 1982 |
| Grant date | Dec 13, 1983 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 29, 2002 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T74/18864
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The invention relates to a bi-stable (toggle) mechanism for a vehicle anti-theft device comprising a lever 20 pivotally mounted by a shaft 21, the said lever being subject to the action of a spring 22 and movable from one stable position through a center position to a second stable position. In the mechanism according to the invention, the said spring 22 consists of a hairpin type spring of which one end 26 is connected to one end of the said lever 20 and the other end 23 mounted so as to pivot at a fixed point 24. The distance between the ends 23,26 of the spring 22 when the lever 20 is in either stable position is greater than the distance between the ends when the lever 20 is at its center position whereby the spring becomes more compressed as the lever approaches the center position where the lever is unstable. The distance between the two ends of the hairpin spring may be less than half that length of the lever which is included between its shaft 21 and the point 24 at which the hairpin spring is located.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.