EP0771919B1 - Key provided with built-in transmitter element and key body - Google Patents

Key provided with built-in transmitter element and key body Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP0771919B1
EP0771919B1 EP95918756A EP95918756A EP0771919B1 EP 0771919 B1 EP0771919 B1 EP 0771919B1 EP 95918756 A EP95918756 A EP 95918756A EP 95918756 A EP95918756 A EP 95918756A EP 0771919 B1 EP0771919 B1 EP 0771919B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
key
transmitting element
built
key body
accommodation portion
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP95918756A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0771919A4 (en
EP0771919A1 (en
Inventor
Shozo K.K. Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho KITO
Masakazu KK Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho FUKUDA
Naokatsu KK Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho OKAMURA
Hiroyuki KK Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho SUGIYAMA
Toshiharu KK Tokai-Denki-Seisakusho KATAGIRI
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Tokai Rika Co Ltd
Original Assignee
Tokai Rika Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from JP11572994A external-priority patent/JPH07317395A/ja
Priority claimed from JP11573094A external-priority patent/JP3081448B2/ja
Priority claimed from JP15125294A external-priority patent/JPH0813875A/ja
Priority claimed from JP06276366A external-priority patent/JP3131544B2/ja
Application filed by Tokai Rika Co Ltd filed Critical Tokai Rika Co Ltd
Publication of EP0771919A1 publication Critical patent/EP0771919A1/en
Publication of EP0771919A4 publication Critical patent/EP0771919A4/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0771919B1 publication Critical patent/EP0771919B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E05—LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
    • E05B—LOCKS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; HANDCUFFS
    • E05B49/00—Electric permutation locks; Circuits therefor ; Mechanical aspects of electronic locks; Mechanical keys therefor
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07C—TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
    • G07C9/00—Individual registration on entry or exit
    • G07C9/00174—Electronically operated locks; Circuits therefor; Nonmechanical keys therefor, e.g. passive or active electrical keys or other data carriers without mechanical keys
    • G07C9/00944—Details of construction or manufacture
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E05—LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
    • E05B—LOCKS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; HANDCUFFS
    • E05B19/00—Keys; Accessories therefor
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E05—LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
    • E05B—LOCKS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; HANDCUFFS
    • E05B19/00—Keys; Accessories therefor
    • E05B19/04—Construction of the bow or head of the key; Attaching the bow to the shank

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a key provided with a built-in transmitting element in which a transmitting element is embedded at the interior of the key.
  • a plurality of pins provided at the internal cylinder of the lock are driven by mechanical projections and recesses or a magnetic force by an embedded magnet provided at the insertion portion of the key body so that pins bridging over the boundary surface of the internal cylinder and the fixed external cylinder are moved, and the internal cylinder is rotated within the external cylinder.
  • a key with a built-in transmitting element for transmitting a specified ID code has been proposed.
  • the engine of the vehicle can be started or continuously operated so that the movement of the vehicle due to a direct connection of electric wires or a mechanical destruction can be prevented.
  • the transmitting element is required to be small and metal portions are not disposed on the outer periphery of the transmitting element, the transmitting element is not generally disposed at the insertion portion of the key body, but at a grip portion (i.e. key knob) formed by non-metal member such as resin which does not interfere in transmitting functions.
  • the grip portion of the key is constituted by resin cases which are divided into two portions, so that the resin cases clamp the transmitting element and the base portion of the key body by screwing with bolts.
  • the grip portion is formed by non-metal member such as resin or the like, there has been a drawback that when the key body is rotated, external force is applied to the transmitting element, so that the transmitting element is damaged.
  • Document FR 2 626 526 discloses a key with a hard resin holder and an outer soft skin covering the holder.
  • the key disclosed therein does not have a transmitting element nor is it disclosed to reliably fix a transmitting element in the hard resin holder by means of the outer soft skin.
  • the outer soft skin is formed onto the holding member and the key body. In this way, the holding member and the key body are covered with the outer soft skin, so that the transmitting element is reliably fixed into the key body. Further, the transmitting element is sealed by the outer soft skin and is thereby protected from external force acting thereon.
  • the present invention concerns a key with a built-in transmitting element comprising a transmitting element, a supporting member into which the transmitting element is accommodated and which is mounted in a base portion of a key body, and an outer soft skin which is formed onto the supporting member and the key body to fix the transmitting element into the key body. Accordingly, the transmitting element is accommodated into the supporting member, the supporting member is mounted to the base portion of the key body, and the outer soft skin is formed onto the supporting member and the key body.
  • the exposed outer periphery of the hard resin is covered with an outer soft skin, so that touch feel during the key operation is improved.
  • an aspect of the present invention is a key with a built-in transmitting element in which the accommodation portion is formed such that the transmitting element which is accommodated into the accommodation portion can be disposed to be spaced apart from the key body at a predetermined distance. Accordingly, the electric wave transmitted by the transmitting element is not interfered by the metal key body is reliably transmitted.
  • FIG. 1 through 3 A preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figs. 1 through 3.
  • Fig. 1 shows the key body 12, the transmitting element 18, a holder 76, and the key knob 14 as a grip portion.
  • the base portion 12B of the key body 12 is rectangular-shaped and is wider than the insertion portion 12A, and has a hole 12H formed therein.
  • the insertion portion 12A is used for insertion into a key cylinder 24 provided in a steering column 22 of a vehicle 20 shown in Fig. 5.
  • the holder 76 is made of plastic and has a rectangular container shaped configuration.
  • the holder 76 is provided with a first accommodation portion 77 for accommodating the base portion 12B of the above key body 12 and a second accommodation portion 78 for accommodating the transmitting element 18, the accommodation portions 77 and 78 being partitioned by a partition wall 79.
  • the above accommodation portions 77 and 78 of the holder 76 have insertion openings 62 and 63, respectively, which are formed on a coplanar surface of the holder 76.
  • a projection 67 projects from one of the inner surfaces of the accommodation portion 77 at the innermost portion of the inner surface.
  • a projection 72 projects from an opening edge portion on one of the inner surfaces of the accommodation portion 78.
  • the base portion 12B of the key body 12 is inserted from the insertion opening 62 into the first accommodation portion 77, the projection 67 is engaged with the hole 12H, so that the base portion 12B of the key body is engaged with the holder 76.
  • the transmitting element 18 is inserted into the second accommodation portion 78, the projection 72 is engaged with the back edge portion of the transmitting element 18, so that the transmitting element 18 is engaged with the holder 76.
  • the base portion 12B of the key body 12 and the transmitting element 18 are set in a forming mold (not shown). A molten resin is injected into the forming mold from the insertion portion 12A side which is a direction indicated by an arrow A in Fig. 3, so that injection traces of the molten resin cannot be exposed. Accordingly, the base portion 12B of the key body 12 and the transmitting element 18 are covered with the resin, so that the above key knob 14 is formed by insert-molding.
  • the resin holder 76 is preferably made of such resin as polyacetal resins and polyester resins such as polybutylenetelephthalate resin or the like, has a predetermined hardness, and ought to have a strength enough to endure a force applied to the key knob 14 by a user because the key knob 14 serves as a user operating force input portion.
  • the outer resin skin is made of a relatively soft synthetic resin such as soft polyvinylychloride resin or the like.
  • a control module 40 is mounted in the vicinity of the steering column 22.
  • the control module 40 is preferably disposed inside the cover of the steering column 22 so that the control module 40 cannot be visually found from outside.
  • a transmitting and receiving coil 142, a transmitting and receiving circuit 143, a control circuit 144 and a memory 146 are connected each other.
  • the control circuit 144 is connected to a vehicle control circuit 150 via an interface circuit 148. Accordingly, when a vehicle engine is started or a receiving signal is generated in the transmitting and receiving coil 142, the control circuit 144 of the control module 140 transmits an actuation signal from the transmitting and receiving coil 142 to the transmitting element of the key 10 via the transmitting and receiving circuit 143.
  • An ID code from the transmitting element 18 of the key 10 is received by the transmitting and receiving coil 142 and judged by the control circuit 144.
  • a registration code writing device 152 is connected to the control circuit 144 so that an ID code can be written therein.
  • a transmitting and receiving coil 154, a transmitting and receiving circuit 155, a control circuit 156 and a memory 158 are provided to be connected each other in the transmitting element 18. Accordingly, an electromotive force is generated in the transmitting and receiving coil 154 in the transmitting element 18 by current generated in the transmitting and receiving coil 142. The electromotive force actuates the control circuit 156 through the transmitting and receiving circuit 155 and the ID code stored in the memory 158 is transmitted from the transmitting and receiving coil 154 to the transmitting and receiving coil 142. When the transmitting and receiving coil 142 receives the ID code it transmits the same to the control circuit 144 through the transmitting and receiving circuit 143.
  • the control circuit 144 collates the ID code thus received with the ID code stored in the memory 146.
  • a signal is transmitted from the control circuit 144 to the vehicle control circuit 150 through the interface circuit 148 so that the vehicle engine can start or continuously run.
  • another signal is transmitted to the vehicle control circuit 150 to disable the vehicle engine from starting, or to stop the running of the vehicle engine.
  • the transmitting and receiving circuit 155, the control circuit 156 and the memory 158 in the transmitting element 18 are constituted as a single IC.
  • the external dimensions of the transmitting element 18 are, for example, 1 mm in diameter and 10 mm in length.
  • the transmitting and receiving circuit 143 of the control module 140 receives a signal announcing that the vehicle engine has started from the vehicle control circuit 150, and the control circuit 144 actuates the transmitting and receiving circuit 143 to pass a current to the transmitting and receiving coil 142. Accordingly, the transmitting element 18 of the key 10 disposed in the vicinity of the transmitting and receiving coil 142 causes an electromotive force in the transmitting and receiving coil 154.
  • the control circuit 156 is actuated by the electromotive force and the ID code stored in the memory 158 is transmitted from the transmitting and receiving coil 154.
  • the transmitted signal is received by the transmitting and receiving coil 142 and transmitted to the control circuit 144 through the transmitting and receiving circuit 143.
  • the control circuit 144 transmits a signal to the vehicle control circuit 150 when the ID code received by the control circuit 144 is identical to the ID code stored in the memory 146 and the vehicle control circuit 150 is allowed to continue to run the vehicle engine. However, when the received ID code is different from the stored ID code in the memory 146, or an ID code is not received, the control circuit 144 transmits a different signal to the vehicle control circuit 150, so that the vehicle control circuit 150 makes the engine to stop.
  • the key 10 transmits the ID code to the control module 140 after the vehicle engine has started.
  • the ID code may be transmitted when the key 10 is inserted into the key cylinder 24, and thereafter, the vehicle control circuit 150 causes the engine to start.
  • the base portion 12B of the key body 12 and the transmitting element 18 are accommodated into the holder 76 and are embedded in the molten resin for molding the key knob 14 together with the holder 76.
  • the key knob 14 of the present embodiment being different from a conventional key knob comprising a case which is divided into two pieces which are screwed each other, it is not necessary to effect a screwing. Accordingly, a cost for a screwing can be reduced from a total manufacturing cost. Further, the key knob 14 can be used at any number of times without forming any gag within the key knob 14. Therefore, the key knob 14 can be used for a long time without fearing that dust or water may enter into the key.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Lock And Its Accessories (AREA)
  • Supports Or Holders For Household Use (AREA)
  • Push-Button Switches (AREA)
EP95918756A 1994-05-27 1995-05-19 Key provided with built-in transmitter element and key body Expired - Lifetime EP0771919B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (13)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP115730/94 1994-05-27
JP11572994A JPH07317395A (ja) 1994-05-27 1994-05-27 発信素子内蔵キー
JP11573094 1994-05-27
JP11572994 1994-05-27
JP115729/94 1994-05-27
JP11573094A JP3081448B2 (ja) 1994-05-27 1994-05-27 発信素子内蔵キー
JP15125294A JPH0813875A (ja) 1994-07-01 1994-07-01 電子部品埋め込みキー及びそのキープレート
JP15125294 1994-07-01
JP151252/94 1994-07-01
JP27636694 1994-11-10
JP06276366A JP3131544B2 (ja) 1994-11-10 1994-11-10 電子部品内蔵キー
JP276366/94 1994-11-10
PCT/JP1995/000970 WO1995033115A1 (fr) 1994-05-27 1995-05-19 Clef a emetteur integre et corps de cle

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0771919A1 EP0771919A1 (en) 1997-05-07
EP0771919A4 EP0771919A4 (en) 1997-09-24
EP0771919B1 true EP0771919B1 (en) 2003-04-23

Family

ID=27470286

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP95918756A Expired - Lifetime EP0771919B1 (en) 1994-05-27 1995-05-19 Key provided with built-in transmitter element and key body

Country Status (5)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0771919B1 (ko)
KR (1) KR100234566B1 (ko)
AU (1) AU708146B2 (ko)
DE (1) DE69530489T2 (ko)
WO (1) WO1995033115A1 (ko)

Families Citing this family (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5974844A (en) * 1998-05-04 1999-11-02 Ilco Unican Corp. Combination key and transponder carrier
FR2798417B1 (fr) * 1999-09-09 2001-11-23 Siemens Automotive Sa Dispositif de telecommande pour le verrouillage/ deverrouillage des ouvrants d'un vehicule automobile
AU2003237176A1 (en) * 2002-05-07 2003-11-11 Huf North America Automotive Parts Mfg.Corp. Overmolded key assembly with insert and method of making
WO2009130683A2 (en) * 2008-04-23 2009-10-29 Mopati Communications Cc Tagging of keys
FR2942836B1 (fr) * 2009-03-04 2011-02-18 Peugeot Citroen Automobiles Sa Cle, notamment de vehicule automobile assemblee par une seule et meme vis
GB2480685B (en) * 2010-05-28 2016-07-13 Jaguar Land Rover Ltd Improvements in or relating to vehicle access
JP2012144879A (ja) * 2011-01-11 2012-08-02 Alps Electric Co Ltd 携帯機
EP3075925B1 (en) * 2015-04-02 2018-04-25 U-Shin France Emergency key and corresponding electronic key

Family Cites Families (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4200227A (en) * 1978-12-26 1980-04-29 Lemelson Jerome H Key assembly for electronic system
DE3509579A1 (de) * 1985-03-16 1986-09-18 Vdo Adolf Schindling Ag, 6000 Frankfurt Zuendschluessel mit sender
JPH0718280B2 (ja) * 1987-10-27 1995-03-01 本田技研工業株式会社 キー装置
FR2626526B1 (fr) * 1988-01-29 1990-04-20 Neiman Sa Piece a noyau dur munie d'un revetement souple
JPH0738598Y2 (ja) * 1990-05-01 1995-09-06 株式会社東海理化電機製作所 車両用キー
DE69205750T2 (de) * 1991-08-02 1996-04-04 Tokai Rika Co Ltd Schliesszylinder und Schlüssel.
DE4238042C2 (de) * 1992-11-11 2002-01-24 Mannesmann Vdo Ag Kraftfahrzeugschlüssel

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE69530489D1 (de) 2003-05-28
EP0771919A4 (en) 1997-09-24
AU2455495A (en) 1995-12-21
KR970703477A (ko) 1997-07-03
AU708146B2 (en) 1999-07-29
EP0771919A1 (en) 1997-05-07
KR100234566B1 (ko) 1999-12-15
WO1995033115A1 (fr) 1995-12-07
DE69530489T2 (de) 2003-10-30

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