EP0879929A1 - Key head forming a casing containing an electronic device - Google Patents

Abstract

The key has a key body (1) and a two-part separate head (3,4) making up an elongated key. The head of the key is of planar shape and forms a sealed housing around an electronic device (5). One part of the head forms a retaining ring around one end of the key body (1a). The second part of the head completes the housing by a joint which is along a plane at an angle which is diagonal across the key so that the body of the key passes through an opening (13) in the second part of the head. This ensures that the key body is not held by a retaining ring formed between a joint between two halves of the key head.

Description

The present invention relates to a key comprising a key body generally made of metal, elongated, as well as a head attached to one end of the key body. The head constitutes a case containing an electronic device, for example a transponder used for motor vehicle ignition keys. This head is from substantially flat overall shape; its median plane (more plane large section of the head) is parallel to that of the key body, when the key body is flat, and preferably coincides substantially with the latter.

We know keys of this type in which the head is formed of two flat parts, which are assembled according to a plan of joint extending parallel to the median plane of the head. In these keys known, a gripping ring is produced by leaving a hole in the key head. This hole necessarily crosses the joint plane. To preserve the tightness of the interior of the case, we must therefore provide, all around said hole, a wall and a fixing system and waterproof closure. This complicates the realization of these keys.

The invention remedies this drawback and has in particular aim of proposing a simple realization of a key head of the type defined above comprising a grasping ring.

This goal is achieved thanks to the fact that the grip ring is formed by a first piece of the key head, and that the housing is formed by assembling this first part with a second part along a joint surface extending substantially along a plane non-parallel, preferably orthogonal, to the median plane of the head key.

Thanks to this characteristic of the invention, the area joint faces, in contact with each other, of the two parts is reduced, since the head is substantially flat in shape and the plane of joint is transverse to the median plane of the key head. It results in an improvement in the reliability of the sealing of the case, thus a simplification of the device for fixing the two parts, one with the other. In addition, this embodiment makes it possible to carry out a first piece of solid plastic housing in the area of the gripping ring, so that nothing prevents the realization a large gripping ring, which was not the case state of the art case. Finally, it is possible with this type of achievement, to obtain interesting aesthetic effects, particularly in molding the two parts of the case with plastic materials different colors.

The joint surface of the parts is advantageously oblique relative to the longitudinal axis of the key body.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the part forming a gripping ring constitutes the cover of the housing, and the body of the latter is constituted by the second part which is dig. The first part of the key head forming a ring gripping may include positioning and fixing means of the key body, while the recess of the second head piece of key opens on the outside, on the one hand, by the joint face of said second part and on the other hand, by a face located substantially at the opposite of said seal face, this latter outlet being made by a outlet opening having a section substantially identical to that of the key body.

The aforementioned positioning and fixing means may include a stirrup, the space between branches of which is present, seen in plan, a profile producing retaining elements cooperating with additional elements provided on one end of the body of key, this profile being substantially identical in shape to that of the profile, seen in plan, from said end of the key body, said stirrup being shaped and dimensioned so as to receive with a prestress said end of the key body, said stirrup projecting from the joint face of said first key head piece, said recess of the second key head piece being shaped and dimensioned for being able, in the assembled position of the key head, to house said stirrup. The stirrup can be substantially flat and have a thickness lower than that of the key body, a step being provided in an inner sliding surface of the recess of the second key head piece, to, in assembled key position, cooperate with the offset formed by said difference in thickness between the stirrup and the key body, elastic means being provided for biasing the key body against said sliding surface; said elastic means may include a tongue extending to the interior of said recess of the second key head piece, substantially parallel to said sliding surface, the spacing between said tongue and the sliding surface being substantially equal to the thickness of the key body, the free end of said tongue being facing the seal face of said second key head piece.

Preferably, the end of the key body disposed at the interior of the case includes two opposite side notches arranged so that, in the assembled position of the key, extend to the interior of said outlet opening, the free end of each branches of said stirrup being arranged and shaped so as to be able to be accommodated without lateral play in the space delimited by the wall of the notch, on the one hand, and through the wall of said outlet opening and the wall adjacent to the recess of said second key head piece, located to the right of the notch, on the other hand.

Advantageously, the first key head piece has a second part projecting from its seal face, this second protruding part having a recess open to the less on the face of said projecting part opposite the stirrup, this recess being intended to receive said electronic device; he can be provided between said tongue and the wall of the recess of the second key head piece, located opposite the surface of sliding, a space for housing said second part in projection, in assembled position of the key head.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the description which follows, in a mode of realization of the invention, description made with reference to the drawing Annex.

• la figure 1 est une vue en perspective éclatée représentant les différentes pièces de la clef selon un mode de réalisation de l'invention ;
• la figure 2 représente une vue en plan de dessus de la clef de la figure 1, une fois assemblée ;
• la figure 3 est une vue de profil de la clef de la figure 2, selon III-III de la figure 2 ;
• la figure 4 est une vue de dessous de la clef de la figure 2, selon IV-IV de la figure 3 ;
• la figure 5 est une vue de dessus de la pièce formant anneau de la clef des figures 1 à 4 ;
• les figures 5a et 5b sont, respectivement, des vues en coupe selon les plans A-A et B-B de la figure 5 ;
• la figure 6 est une vue de profil de la figure 5 , selon VI-VI de la figure 5 ;
• la figure 6a est une vue en coupe selon le plan A-A de la figure 6 ;
• la figure 7 est la vue de dessous correspondant à la figure 5, selon VII-VII de la figure 6 ;
• les figures 7a et 7b sont, respectivement, des sections selon les plans A-A et B-B de la figure 7 ;
• la figure 8 est une vue en coupe selon A-A de la figure 9;
• la figure 9 est une vue de profil selon la flèche F de la figure 1, de la pièce formant corps de boítier de la tête de la clef représentée aux figures 1 à 4;
• la figure 10 est une vue en coupe selon B-B de la figure 9 ;
• la figure 11 est une section selon XI-XI de la figure 9
• la figure 12 est une vue en plan de dessus selon la flèche V1 de la figure 9 ;
• la figure 13 est une vue en plan de dessous selon la flèche V2 de la figure 9 ;
• la figure 14 est la section selon le plan XIV-XIV de la figure 12 ;
• la figure 15 représente schématiquement, vues en plan de dessus, les deux pièces de la tête de clef des figures 1 à 4, dans une position proche de leur position assemblée, la pièce formant corps de boítier étant coupée par un plan parallèle au plan médian de la clef pour laisser apparaítre la pièce formant couvercle du boítier ;
• la figure 16 est une vue schématique en coupe verticale selon le plan A-A de la figure 15, représentant le corps de clef en position assemblée, lorsque le boítier est fermé.

On this drawing :

• Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the different parts of the key according to one embodiment of the invention;
• Figure 2 shows a top plan view of the key of Figure 1, once assembled;
• Figure 3 is a side view of the key of Figure 2, along III-III of Figure 2;
• Figure 4 is a bottom view of the key of Figure 2, according to IV-IV of Figure 3;
• Figure 5 is a top view of the part forming the ring of the key of Figures 1 to 4;
• Figures 5a and 5b are, respectively, sectional views along the planes AA and BB of Figure 5;
• Figure 6 is a side view of Figure 5, according to VI-VI of Figure 5;
• Figure 6a is a sectional view along the plane AA of Figure 6;
• Figure 7 is the bottom view corresponding to Figure 5, along VII-VII of Figure 6;
• Figures 7a and 7b are, respectively, sections along the planes AA and BB of Figure 7;
• Figure 8 is a sectional view along AA of Figure 9;
• Figure 9 is a side view along arrow F of Figure 1, of the part forming the housing body of the head of the key shown in Figures 1 to 4;
• Figure 10 is a sectional view along BB of Figure 9;
• Figure 11 is a section along XI-XI of Figure 9
• Figure 12 is a top plan view along arrow V1 in Figure 9;
• Figure 13 is a bottom plan view along arrow V2 of Figure 9;
• Figure 14 is the section along the plane XIV-XIV of Figure 12;
• Figure 15 schematically shows, seen in plan from above, the two parts of the key head of Figures 1 to 4, in a position close to their assembled position, the part forming the housing body being cut by a plane parallel to the median plane of the key to reveal the part forming the housing cover;
• Figure 16 is a schematic view in vertical section along the plane AA of Figure 15, showing the key body in the assembled position, when the housing is closed.

In Figure 1, there is shown in exploded view a key contact for motor vehicle according to the invention. This key includes a key body 1, of metal, of flat and elongated shape, and a head of key forming a case made up of two plastic parts molded 3 and 4.

The key head 3, 4 has, in plan view, a shape substantially circular. Its thickness is much less than its diameter. Its median plane P -or plane of greatest extension or large section plane- is parallel to the plane of the key body 1 and is located very small distance from the mean plane of said key body 1.

The part 3 constitutes a hollow body of the case, delimiting a recess 30, while the other part 4 forms, on one side, a ring of gripping the key and, on the other side, the housing cover.

As shown in the drawing, the housing parts 3 and 4 are assembled according to a substantially planar joint surface SJ which is orthogonal to the median plane P of the key head, and which is oblique to relative to the longitudinal axis AL of the key body 1 (see Figures 2 and 4).

A transponder 5 is mounted in the housing 3, 4 by means which will be described later.

The housing cover 4 is provided with two substantially flat parts 6 and 7, mutually parallel, spaced from one another, projecting from the joint face 4 a of said cover 4, and extending orthogonally by relative to this face 4a in the direction opposite to the grip ring. In the assembled position of the key, the protruding parts 6, 7 are housed in the recess 30 of the housing body 3.

The projecting part 6 presents in plan view (see FIG. 5) the shape of a right triangle whose hypotenuse coincides with the joint face 4 a and whose apex angle is approximately 30 °. On the base of the right triangle, the projecting part 6 forms a stirrup 8 whose branches 8 a extend perpendicularly to said base of the triangle.

In Figure 5 there is shown schematically in center line the key rod 1 in plan view. At its end intended to be housed in the key head 3, 4, the key body 1 comprises two notches 9 symmetrical to one another, of rectangular shape in plan view, each being formed from the 'one of the longitudinal sections 1b of said key body. Each branch 8 a of the stirrup 8 has, on its face facing the other branch, a raised part 10 of shape corresponding to that of a notch 9. The members 8, 8 a , 10 are arranged and dimensioned to so that the space between branches of the stirrup 8 can receive without play and with a certain preload the end of the key body 1. The stirrup 8 of the projecting part 6 thus constitutes, thanks to the presence of the notches 9 and reliefs 10 which fit into it, a member for positioning and fixing the key body 1.

The projecting part 7 is ribbed on its face located opposite to the projecting part 6, and it has in plan view (see FIG. 7) a general shape of right triangle of extension substantially identical to that of the part protruding 6; the edges 6 a , 7 has parts 6 and 7 which constitute the heights of the right triangles are perpendicular to each other and have approximately identical lengths. The protruding part 7 comprises in the zone situated directly above the stirrup 8, a recess 11 open on the face opposite to the stirrup 8, as well as on the edge 7b on the base side of the right triangle that constitutes said part. 7. On the face of part 7 facing part 6, the recess 11 is only partially open because part 7 comprises, on this side, strips 12 forming a bridge (see FIGS. 6 a and 7). The recess 11 is shaped and dimensioned so as to be able to receive without lateral play and, preferably with a slight prestress, the transponder 5.

The housing body 3 is open on its seal face 3 a . It is dimensioned so that in the assembled position of the key head, the projecting parts 6 and 7 are housed in its recess 30.

Noticeably opposite the seal face 3 a , the body 3 is provided with an opening 13, the rectangular section of which is substantially identical to that of the key body 1. The opening 13 is positioned on the body 3 so that in the assembled position of the key, the key body 1 positioned and fixed on the projecting part 6 of the cover 4 passes through said opening 13 substantially without transverse play.

Figure 16 shows schematically, in the assembled position, the end 1a of the 1 key body positioned on the caliper of the projecting portion 6, within the body casing 3. One can see in this figure that the thickness a of the protruding part 6 is less than that, b, of the key body 1. Furthermore it can be seen, in FIGS. 14 and 16, that the bottom wall of the opening 13 extends inwards of the body 3 by a flat sliding surface 14 coplanar with said bottom wall. The planar surface 14 ends towards the inside of the body 3 by a recess forming a shoulder face 15 facing the opening 13, followed by a surface of small width 15 a parallel to the surface 14. The recess (15 , 15 a ) is followed, towards the inside of the body 3, by a flat sliding surface 16, inclined relative to the surface 14 in the direction opposite to the direction of the step formed by the shoulder 15.

As can be seen in the diagram in FIG. 16, the step 15, 15 a is shaped and positioned so as to cooperate with the step consisting of the difference in thicknesses between the stirrup part 6, 8 and the key body 1, to constitute a means for holding the assembly by clipping (cover 4 + key body 1) into the housing body 3.

Elastic means are also provided for urging the key body 1 against the sliding surfaces 16, 14 during the introduction of the key body 1 into the housing body 3. These elastic means consist of a tongue 17 extending inside the housing body 3, from the opening 13, parallel to the sliding surface 14, the free end of said tongue 17 facing the seal face 3 a of the housing body 3. The lower face 17 a (FIG. 14) of the tongue 17 is coplanar with the upper wall of the opening 13 and constitutes an extension towards the interior of the body 3. The spacing c between said lower face 17 a of the tongue 17 and the sliding surface 14 is substantially equal to the thickness b of the key body 1.

It can also be seen in Figure 14 that between the tongue 17 and the wall part PR of the housing body 3 opposite the sliding surface 14, 15, 16, a space is provided for the housing of the second projecting part 7 (shown schematically in dashed lines in FIG. 14) of the cover 4, when the key head 3, 4 is in the assembled position. In Figure 16, only the transponder 5 has been shown as positioned and fixed in the recess 11 in the projecting part 7.

We see that, in the assembled position of the key body 1 in the housing body 3, the notches 9 extend to the inside of the opening 13. Each branch 8a of the stirrup 8 is arranged and shaped so that its free end is housed without lateral play in the space delimited by the wall of the notch 9, on the one hand, and the wall of said opening 13 as well as the area, located to the right of the notch 9, of the internal wall of the housing body 3, on the other hand. Thanks to this characteristic, the anchoring of the rod 1 in the key head 3, 4 is further strengthened.

Keeping the assembly in an assembled position (cover 4 + key body 1) in the housing body 3 is reinforced by other clipping means consisting, on the one hand, by beads 18, 19 (FIGS. 5 and 7) provided, respectively, on the parts protruding 6 and 7, and on the other hand, by shaped recesses corresponding 20, 21 (Figures 10 and 8) formed at locations suitable on the inner wall of the housing body 3.

Claims (11)

Key with head comprising a key body (1), of elongated shape, and a head (3, 4) of generally flat shape made in at least two parts, said part forming a case, which houses an electronic device (5) , this head being fixed to one end (1 a ) of the key body (1), characterized in that a first part (4) of the key head forms a grip ring for the key, the housing being produced by assembling said first part (4) with a second part (3) along a joint surface (SJ) extending substantially along a plane not parallel to the median plane (P) of said key head (3, 4 ). Key according to claim 1, characterized in that that the joint surface (SJ) is in a plane orthogonal to the median plane (P). Key according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized by the fact that said joint surface (SJ) extends substantially along a oblique plane with respect to the longitudinal axis (AL) of the key body (1). Key according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by the fact that the part (4) forming a gripping ring constitutes the cover of the case, and the body of the latter is constituted by the second hollow part (3), where a recess (30) is formed. Key according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the first part (4) of the key head forming a gripping ring (4) comprises positioning and fixing means (6, 8, 8 a , 10) of the key body (1), while the recess (30) of the second key head piece (3) opens to the outside, on the one hand, by the seal face (3a), said second wrench head part (3) and, secondly, by a face located substantially opposite said seal face (3a), the latter outlet being effected by an outlet opening (13) having a section substantially identical to that of the key body (1). Key according to claim 5, characterized in that the said positioning and fixing means comprise a stirrup (8) whose space between branches has, seen in plan, a profile producing retaining elements (10) cooperating with elements Additional (9) provided on one end (1a) of the key body (1), this profile being substantially identical in shape to the profile, in plan view of said end (1a) of the key body (1), said stirrup (8) being shaped and dimensioned so as to receive with preload said end (1 a ) of the key body (1), said stirrup (8) projecting from the joint face (4 a ) of said first key head piece (4), said recess (30) of the second key head piece (3) being shaped and dimensioned so as to be able, in the assembled position of the key head, to house said stirrup (8). Key according to claim 6, characterized in that said stirrup (8) is substantially flat and has a thickness (a) less than that (b) of the key body (1), a recess (15, 15 a ) being provided in an inner sliding surface (16, 15 a , 15, 14) of the recess (30) of the second part (3) of the key head for, in the assembled position of the key, cooperating with the recess formed by said difference in thickness between the bracket (8) and the key body (1), elastic means (17) being provided for urging the key body (1) against said sliding surface (16, 15 a , 15, 14). Key according to claim 6, characterized in that said elastic means comprise a tongue (17) extending inside said recess (30) of the second key head piece (3), substantially parallel to said surface of sliding (16, 15 a , 15, 14), the spacing (c) between said tongue (17) and the sliding surface (16, 15 a , 15, 14) being substantially equal to the thickness (b) of the key body (1), the free end of said tongue (17) facing said seal face (3 a ) of said second key head piece (3). Key according to claim 5 and one of claims 7 and 8 taken in combination, characterized in that said end (1 a ) of the key body (1) comprises two opposite lateral notches (9) arranged so as to assembled position of the key, extend inside said outlet opening (13), the free end of each of the legs (8 a ) of said stirrup (8) being arranged and shaped so that it can be accommodated without lateral clearance in the space (ES) delimited by the wall of the notch (9), on the one hand, and by the wall of said outlet opening (13) and the neighboring wall (Z) of the recess ( 30) of said second key head piece (3), located in line with the notch (9), on the other hand. Key according to one of Claims 7 and 8, characterized in that said first wrench head piece (4) has a second portion (7) projecting from its seal face (4a), said second part projecting (7) having a recess (11) open at least on the face of said projecting part (7) opposite the stirrup (8), this recess (11) being intended to receive said electronic device (5), and by the fact that it is provided between said tongue (17) and the wall (PR) of the recess (30) of the second key head piece (3), located opposite the sliding surface (16, 15 a , 15, 14), a space for housing said second protruding part (7), in the assembled position of the key head. Use of the key according to one of claims 1 to 10, as an ignition key for motor vehicles.

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