EP4279687A1 - Flat key fitting and assembly comprising a flat key and such a fitting - Google Patents

Abstract

Key fitting, adapted to receive a flat key (2) having a head (20) and a rod or bit (21), comprising on the one hand a drawer (3) comprising a housing (33) for the head (20) , delimited by a bottom (30) as well as a peripheral wall (31) which has a cutout (32) intended to allow the bit (21) to be extracted from the drawer (3), and on the other hand a box ( 4) comprising two facing walls (40, 41) connected by a partial peripheral wall (42), namely that it comprises an opening (44) designed to allow the passage of the drawer (3) with a view to its introduction into said box (4) by sliding, the drawer (3) and the box (4) comprising for this purpose matching guide means (5), so as to allow sliding in a direction not parallel to the axis along which the paneton (21) is extracted from the drawer (3) through the cutout (32).

Description

The technical field concerns that of key fittings covering a head of a key used in a bolt to lock or unlock a lock, a padlock or a bolt.

The invention is particularly of interest in the context of a key fitting capable of covering the head of a key, allowing the stem of said key, also called a bit, to protrude outside of said fitting.

The technical area also concerns keys covered with a trim.

Such an invention is particularly suitable for use for a so-called flat key, that is to say having a head and a bit carried by the same plane, formed in a plate. In fact, a flat key can be defined as having at least the flat head.

A key to a bolt of a lock, a bolt or a padlock, has in a known manner a head extending through a rod or bit. This rod may include, for example, teeth or lugs, reservations or magnets, so as to actuate a bolt of a lock, a bolt or a closing system.

Such a key is produced in large quantities, industrially, with relatively slight variations in the bit depending on the corresponding bolt. This results in many keys looking the same.

Thus, several keys of the same type in a ring can be confused with each other, which makes their easy identification difficult for their rapid use.

This is all the more true since the keys are made from metal plates of the same type, the color of the keys is often identical.

To differentiate them, it is known to modify the shape of the key heads, forming them either round, square, hexagonal or any other shape.

This solution, however, has the disadvantage of modifying the handling by a user of said key head.

It is also known to paint or place a coating on the keys to facilitate their recognition, but this solution is expensive and requires an additional operation.

Another disadvantage lies in the fact that the surface of the key head is often reduced to limit the cost of material used, it is then difficult to mark multiple information on the head, such as the manufacturer's brand, the key reference , or the intended use for this key or the place of use of said key.

This is all the more true since the head of a key is often pierced with a hole passing through said head, allowing a ring from a set of keys to be passed through it.

Another disadvantage of using keys of the same type can be encountered in the presence of several locks, for example in a hotel for room keys. It is then necessary, for the sake of uniformity, to have keys of identical appearance, whereas the locks initially receiving identical keys may have been changed over time, or even interchanged. It is also necessary to be able to modify the information associated with the keys, sometimes written on the keys, namely the room numbers, at little cost.

To do this, it is known to cover the head of a key with a key trim, said trim allowing the bit of said key to protrude.

The document US10961745 discloses a key fitting in the form of a shell delimiting a volume, having an opening in its peripheral wall, said shell being made of an elastically deformable material so as to allow insertion into the volume of the key head. a key through said opening, the bit protruding from the latter. This elastically deformable trim can be shaped to fit several shapes of flat key heads.

This solution makes it possible to standardize the different keys and information written on the trim can be added.

However, apart from the fact that this solution is not very aesthetic, the key can disengage from the fitting during an axial movement of removing a lock. Furthermore, the key head, which is not perfectly held in the shell, can move in the trim when a user rotates the key or exerts significant twisting.

To remedy this, the document US4349975A teaches a trim suitable for covering the head of a key. This trim is in the form of a shell which has a front cavity intended to accommodate the head of a key after insertion of the key bit into an opening made in the peripheral wall of said shell, while a cover comes to cover said head and snap onto said shell. Advantageously, a filling part having an interior cutout corresponding to the perimeter profile of the key head, and a peripheral wall conforming to that of the cavity, is arranged around the key head to provide wedging.

This solution makes it possible to standardize the different keys, and information written on the trim can be added, more particularly on the hood.

However, this solution has a large number of parts. Additionally, the clipped cover may pop off when a user rotates the key or exerts significant twisting, and the key may disengage from the trim.

Conversely, if the cover is glued or welded to the housing, this solution does not allow you to change the key simply with little manipulation.

This trim is also not very aesthetic, the technical elements necessary for clipping the hood and the different parts of the trim are particularly visible.

We also know from the document FROM 22 52 407 a key made in several parts, and more particularly by assembling a bit to a key head. Such a key makes it possible to manufacture bits by the meter, to be able to make the longitudinal grooves, not by individual grinding, but by extrusion, which requires that the head be secured to them subsequently. This document therefore describes how to secure a bit to a key head, by first fixing at one end of the bit an insert intended to be locked by snapping into a shell.

This document does not show how to trim the head of an existing key, unless it is necessary to machine said key to remove part of said head in order to attach the insert.

On the other hand, we observe that the latching is carried out in the direction of the axis of the bit, so that there remains a risk of accidental unlatching during normal use of the key.

In the same way, we know from the document DE 20 2005 014 788 U , a key made by assembling a bit to a housing forming a key head and containing a transponder or the like. Here again it is not a question of filling the existing head with a key, but of securing a box to a bit designed for this purpose. Furthermore, as for the document FROM 22 52 407 , the nesting is carried out in the direction of the axis of the bit, with the risk of accidental separation.

Note that according to another embodiment the key head is engaged in a housing and blocked by means of a cover into which screws are screwed passing through the key through holes previously made in the key head.

It is therefore an objective of the invention to propose a trim solution making it possible to receive a flat key which can have different shapes of key heads, allowing good connection between the trim and the key when a user rotates the key or exerts a significant twist, or traction or push in the axial direction of the bit.

Another objective of the invention is to provide a trim in a few parts, simple to assemble and disassemble, and having legible and extensive writing surfaces.

Yet another objective of the invention is to propose a trim whose construction requirements allow great freedom of shape, in order to allow customization of said trim for different uses or markets.

To do this, the invention relates to a key fitting, adapted to receive a flat key having a head and a stem or bit, said fitting being of the type comprising on the one hand a shell comprising a housing capable of receiving said key head , and on the other hand a cover or the like capable of covering said housing after engagement of said head, and it is characterized in that said shell is in the form of a drawer, comprising a bottom as well as a peripheral wall which has a cutout intended to allow said bit to be extracted from said drawer, while said cover or the like is in the form of a box comprising two facing walls connected by a partial peripheral wall, namely that it comprises an opening designed capable of allowing the passage of said drawer with a view to its introduction into said box by sliding, said drawer and said box comprising for this purpose matching guide means, so as to allow sliding in a direction not parallel to the axis according to which said paneton is extracted from said drawer by said cutout of said peripheral wall.

This fitting can accommodate a key, the head of the key being housed in the drawer, the stem of the key protruding through the cutout in the drawer. Once the drawer is installed in the internal volume of the box, the key can no longer accidentally come out of the fitting.

This trim has large front and back sides on which information can be written.

After assembly, the joint lines are barely visible.

This trim structure allows great freedom in the shape of the box and drawer, allowing customization of the trim according to the targeted markets.

According to an additional characteristic of the invention, the direction of sliding of the drawer in the box is perpendicular to the axis along which said pan is extracted from said drawer by the cutout of the peripheral wall.

According to another additional characteristic of the invention, the means for guiding the drawer in the internal volume of said box are in the form of rails between which the drawer slides.

According to another additional characteristic of the invention, the fitting comprises means for locking the drawer in the internal volume of said box, which are in the form of at least one gadroon at the start of the rail of the box cooperating with at least a notch at the top and/or bottom of the drawer.

This allows the drawer to remain in the internal volume of the packing box.

According to one characteristic of the invention, the drawer comprises a lug projecting externally from the peripheral wall in a direction parallel to the sliding axis, while the peripheral wall of the box comprises an opening capable of receiving said lug.

This simplifies disassembly. In fact, it is possible to simply disengage the drawer from the internal volume of the box by pressing on the lug crossing the light until the lug moves back into the light and therefore the drawer out of the box.

According to another additional characteristic of the invention, the lug passes through the light to come flush with the exterior surface of the box. This ensures that the aesthetics of the trim are not compromised.

According to one characteristic of the invention, the fitting comprises means for securing a key to the drawer and/or the box.

• un pion apte à venir coopérer avec un trou traversant la tête de la clé,
• et/ou une vis apte à venir coopérer avec un trou traversant la tête de la clé et un trou fileté réalisé dans le fond du tiroir,
• et/ou un élément adhésif double face placé dans le fond du tiroir.

According to a characteristic of the invention, the means for securing a key to the drawer and/or the box comprise:

• a pawn capable of cooperating with a hole passing through the head of the key,
• and/or a screw capable of cooperating with a hole passing through the head of the key and a threaded hole made in the bottom of the drawer,
• and/or a double-sided adhesive element placed in the bottom of the drawer.

According to another additional characteristic of the invention, the drawer and the box are made of metal.

This allows precise adjustment of the drawer in the box and a qualitative rendering of the filling.

According to another additional characteristic of the invention, the drawer and the box are produced by machining.

This allows precise adjustment of the drawer in the box and a qualitative rendering of the filling.

According to another additional characteristic of the invention, the fitting, in particular the drawer, comprises means for recording remote information, in particular in the form of a chip and a radio frequency antenna.

According to another additional characteristic of the invention, the fitting, in particular the drawer, comprises lighting means capable of illuminating an area near the end of a rod of a key inserted in said fitting.

The invention also relates to an assembly comprising a flat key having a head and a stem, and a fitting having all or part of the characteristics of a fitting as described above.

• la figure 1 est une vue schématique en perspective d'une garniture selon l'invention en forme de palet recevant une clé plate ,
• la figure 2 est une vue schématique en plan et en éclaté, de la même garniture selon l'invention,
• la figure 3 est une vue schématique en vue en plan et en éclaté sous un autre angle de la même garniture selon l'invention équipant une clé,
• la figure 4 est une vue schématique en vue en plan d'une partie de la même garniture selon l'invention, équipant une autre clé ;
• la figure 5 est une vue schématique en perspective de la même garniture,
• la figure 6 est une vue schématique en perspective et en éclaté de la garniture de la figure 1 sous un angle différent.

The advantages and characteristics of the filling according to the invention will emerge more clearly from the description which follows and which relates to the appended drawing, which represents a non-limiting embodiment.

• there figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a pad according to the invention in the shape of a puck receiving a flat key,
• there figure 2 is a schematic plan and exploded view of the same trim according to the invention,
• there Figure 3 is a schematic view in plan and exploded view from another angle of the same trim according to the invention fitted to a key,
• there figure 4 is a schematic plan view of a part of the same fitting according to the invention, fitted to another key;
• there figure 5 is a schematic perspective view of the same trim,
• there Figure 6 is a schematic perspective and exploded view of the trim of the figure 1 from a different angle.

The invention relates to a key fitting 1 capable of receiving a flat key 2. This flat key 2 comprises a head 20 and a stem also called bit 21.

Throughout the document, the trim and the key are considered in the vertical position, rod 21 downwards. Thus, with reference to figures 1, 2 And 5 , the rear of the trim 1 is visible, and on the figures 3 And 6 , the front of trim 1 is visible. In addition, the bottom of the figures corresponds to the lower part of the pad 1 and the key 2. In addition, the left and right sides of the figure 2 correspond to the respectively left and right sides or lateral faces of the trim 1 with reference to the figure 2 .

The fitting 1 comprises a drawer 3 and a box 4, the drawer 3 being configured to engage in the box 4 as described below.

It should be noted that the trim presented here has the shape of a circular puck extending from the rear to the front, but it can adopt a rectangular, elliptical, trapezoidal, polygonal section shape, or any other conceivable shape. .

Drawer 3 has a rear bottom 30 and a peripheral wall 31. Drawer 3 is open at the front. The drawer 3 also has an opening 32 in the lower part of the peripheral wall 31.

In fact, the bottom 30 and the peripheral wall 31 define a housing 33 in which a head 20 of a flat key 2 can be inserted from the front of the drawer 3, so as to place the key 2 vertically in the housing 33 of the drawer 3 and so that the rod 21 protrudes from the drawer 3 through the opening 32 at the bottom of the drawer 3.

The box 4 comprises a rear wall 40 and a facing front wall 41, as well as a partial peripheral wall 42, the whole defining an internal volume 43. The peripheral wall 42 is pierced by an opening 44 opening onto the internal volume 43 This internal volume 43 has dimensions enabling it to receive and accommodate the drawer 3 when it engages in the box 4 through the opening 44.

The drawer 3 has, on the exterior face of the bottom 30, a horizontal extra thickness 300.

The box 4 comprises, on its rear wall 40, a recess 400 extending horizontally in the thickness of the rear wall 40 from the internal volume 43. This recess 400 opens out and passes through the entire rear wall 40.

In fact, the horizontal extra thickness 300 of the drawer 3 cooperates by translation with the horizontal recess 400 of the box 4 to form sliding rails of the drawer 3 in the box 4, forming lateral guide means 5 of the drawer 3 in the volume internal 43 of said box 4. These guide means are oriented to allow sliding according to the invention in a direction not parallel to the axis of the bit 21 when the latter is extracted from the drawer 3 through the opening 32. In l occurrence, and preferably, this direction is perpendicular to this axis.

The drawer 3 has a notch 310 at the top of the peripheral wall 31, and the box 4 includes a gadroon at the start of the rail which cooperates with the notch 310 to form locking means 6 of the drawer 3 in the internal volume 43 of said box 4. A similar device can be considered at the bottom of the trim 1, in addition or as an alternative.

These locking means 6 can also include an attached triangular clip passing through holes 60 made at the top of the drawer 3 and the box 4, said holes 60 visible in the figures. Inserting a clip through the holes 60 of both drawer 3 and box 4 prevents accidental disassembly.

The drawer 3 comprises a lug 7 extending horizontally from the side of the peripheral wall 31 intended to be inserted into the box 4, which for this purpose includes a through opening 8 made in the peripheral wall 42, on the side opposite to the opening 44. This lug 7 is configured to fit into the light 8. Advantageously, the lug 7 engages in the light 8 until it comes flush with the exterior surface of the box 4, and more precisely the exterior of the peripheral wall 42.

We can also see, on the figures 3, 4 And 6 , that the fitting 1 comprises means 9 of securing a key 2 with the drawer 3 and/or the box 4. As illustrated in these figures, the drawer 3 comprises a pin 90 capable of cooperating with a hole 200 passing through the head 20 of key 2.

Alternatively or additionally, the drawer 3 may include a screw capable of cooperating with the hole 200 passing through the head 20 of the key 2 and a threaded hole made in the bottom 30 of the drawer 3.

Alternatively or additionally, the drawer 3 may include a double-sided adhesive element placed in the bottom 30 of the drawer 3. Thus, this adhesive element can assemble the head 20 of a key 2 and the bottom 30 of the drawer 3. This adhesive element may include an elastically deformable layer.

The means 9 for securing the key 2 with the drawer 3 and/or the box 4 can also secure the key 2 with the box 4, in the form for example of a spring-mounted pin coming from the front wall 41 of the box 4 and next to internal volume 43.

The drawer 3 and/or the box 4 can be made of metal, in particular an aluminum alloy, and be obtained by machining, which avoids tooling costs and investments.

Of course, the drawer 3 and/or the box 4 can be made of wood, of a recycled material, of a composite material comprising carbon fiber or not, or of any other material suitable for producing in particular by machining the drawer 3 and/or or box 4.

It should be noted that the assemblies between drawer 3 and box 4 can be without play, to avoid seeing the assembly areas which are mainly lateral or at the top or bottom of the trim 1.

The trim 1 may include means for recording remote information, in particular in the form of a chip and a radio frequency antenna.

The fitting 1 may include lighting means capable of illuminating an area near the end of a bit of a key inserted in said fitting 1.

The trim 1 according to the invention has large and clean front and rear surfaces, which can receive information or personalization decorations.

We obtain, by combining a flat key 2 and this fitting 1, an economical, qualitative assembly, simple to assemble and disassemble, robust, and not at risk of opening accidentally and coming apart by turning the assembly or removing it. applying significant twist.

Claims (12)

Key fitting, adapted to receive a flat key (2) having a head (20) and a rod or bit (21), said fitting being of the type comprising on the one hand a shell (3) comprising a housing (33) suitable to receive said key head (20), and on the other hand a cover or the like (4) capable of covering said housing (33) after engagement of said head (20), characterized in that said shell is in the form of a drawer (3), comprising a bottom (30) as well as a peripheral wall (31) which has a cutout (32) intended to allow said bit (21) to be extracted from said drawer (3), while said cover or the like is in the form of a box (4) comprising two facing walls (40, 41) connected by a partial peripheral wall (42), namely that it comprises an opening (44) designed capable of allowing the passage of said drawer (3) with a view to its introduction into said box (4) by sliding, said drawer (3) and said box (4) comprising for this purpose matching guide means (5), so as to allow a sliding in a direction not parallel to the axis according to which said bit (21) is extracted from said drawer (3) through said cutout (32) of said peripheral wall (31). Trim (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the direction of sliding of the drawer (3) in the box (4) is perpendicular to the axis along which said knob (21) extracts from said drawer (3) by the cutout (32) of the peripheral wall (31). Trim (1) according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the lateral guide means (5) of the drawer (3) in the internal volume (43) of said box (4) are in the form of rails between which the drawer (3) slides. Trim (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the locking means (6) of the drawer (3) in the internal volume (43) of said box (4) are in the form of at least one gadroon at the start of the rail of the box (4) cooperating with at least one notch (310) at the top and/or bottom of the drawer (3). Trim (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the drawer (3) comprises a lug (7) projecting externally from the peripheral wall (31) in a direction parallel to the sliding axis , while the peripheral wall (42) of the box (4) includes an opening capable of receiving said lug (7). Trim (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it comprises means (9) for securing a key (2) to the drawer (3) and/or the box (4) . Trim (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that the means (9) for securing a key (2) to the drawer (3) and/or the box (4) comprise: - a pin (90) capable of cooperating with a hole (200) passing through the head (20) of the key (2), - and/or a screw capable of cooperating with a hole (200) passing through the head (20) of the key (2) and a threaded hole made in the bottom (30) of the drawer (3), - and/or a double-sided adhesive element placed in the bottom (30) of the drawer (3). Trim (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the drawer (3) and the box (4) are made of metal. Trim (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the drawer (3) and the box (4) are produced by machining. Trim (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it comprises, in particular the drawer (3), means for recording remote information, in particular in the form of a chip and a radio frequency antenna. Trim (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that it comprises, in particular the drawer (3), lighting means capable of illuminating an area near the end of a rod (21) of a key (2) inserted into said trim (1). Assembly comprising a flat key (2) having a head (20) and a rod (21) and a fitting (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

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