Combined mechanical and electronic key, in particular for...

Details Combined mechanical and electronic key, in particular for... Combined mechanical and electronic key, in particular for...

2002-06-21

2004-03-16

Barrett, Suzanne Dino (Department: 3676)

Locks

Operating mechanism

Key

C070S278300, C070S45600R

Reexamination Certificate

active

06705141

ABSTRACT:

The invention pertains to a combination key of the type indicated in the introductory clause of claim 1. A key of this type makes it possible to actuate locks directly in a mechanical manner but also, either alternatively or supplementally, to actuate them electronically, e.g., to actuate the particular lock in question or other locks from a remote location. The key container itself represents the means by which the key is actuated both mechanically and electrically. For the purpose of electronic actuation, therefore, the key container has actuating points on its outside surface in the form of, for example, electrical push buttons or resilient membranes, which act on electrical switches or the like provided inside the container. The flat mechanical key has the shape of an “L” and is supported by one of the sidepieces of the L on the forward end of the container with freedom to pivot, for which reason this sidepiece is referred to below as the “support sidepiece”. When the flat key is in its home position, the other sidepiece of the L, which forms the shaft of the key, is inside the container, into which it has been pivoted. This sidepiece of the L is referred to in the following as the “shaft sidepiece”. The shaft sidepiece of the flat key can be pivoted out of the container and into the working position. To hold the flat key securely in place, it is recommended that it be latched in the key container when in either of its two positions.
In the case of the known key of the type indicated in the introductory clause of claim 1 (EP 0 267 429), the L-shaped flat key with its two sidepieces consists of two parts; it has a top piece in the form of a support ring with a tangential projection, into which the end of a blade can be inserted and to which the blade is detachably connected. The inserted connecting piece of the blade must be secured by a screw or a rivet after insertion. This is laborious and time-consuming. The L-sidepiece forming the shaft sidepiece of the known flat key comprises the support ring, the projection, and the inserted blade. The shaft sidepiece is therefore formed out of two parts. The transition area between the inserted blade and the projection on the support ring is subject to breakage. To prevent it from breaking, the material in the projection of the ring enclosing the receiving slot for the blade must be made as thick as possible, which leads in the direction away from the goal, which is to obtain a space-saving key.
In another known key (DE 39 02 537 C2), a mechanical push button is provided in the area of the pivot axis of the flat key; this button is spring-supported in both the axial and radial directions. The push button serves as a pivot axis for the flat key. The double spring support of the push button has two tasks to perform for the flat key. One of these tasks is to spring-load the flat key so as to pivot it out of its home position and into its working position. The other task is to latch the key as securely as possible in either one of its two pivot positions. For this purpose, the push button requires suitable contours, and the flat key requires suitable counter contours. Although the flat key is designed with the shape of an “L”, the support sidepiece must, because it carries the counter profiles, be of considerable thickness, and it is therefore prefabricated separately as a support body with a rectangular profile. So that the considerable thickness of the support body can be utilized, the shaft sidepiece is located on a plane parallel to the pivot axis of the flat key. This means in turn that the key container must has a corresponding thickness. The support body of the flat key serving to hold the mechanical push button has a slot for the subsequent attachment of the key shaft, which is fabricated separately. The key shaft is inserted into a slot in the support body and secured in place there by a pin or the like. This process is time-consuming and expensive.
There are also combination keys (DE 22 26 385 A and DE 38 42 790 C1), which, although they comprise a flat, L-shaped key, nevertheless do not have a push button in the area of the axis. An immovable bearing pin serves as the pivot axis. Because no counter profile is required for a push button, the support sidepiece of the flat profile serving as a support for the pivoting movement can be flat. The flat key is designed as a flat plate, in-which the flat profile of the shaft sidepiece also lies. This key housing can be built flatter, but there is no spring-loading to move the shaft sidepiece out of a rest position, recessed in the key container, into the outward-pivoted working position. This makes the key difficult to manipulate. In addition, there is no space-saving way to latch the flat key in these two positions in the container. The inability to secure the flat key in its pivoted positions leads to problems both when the key is carried in the user's pocket and also when it is used, e.g., when the key housing is turned to operate the lock.
When it is desired to fasten a component to a sheet-metal section with a screw, it is known that, to obtain the required depth for the screwing-in of the screw, the depth of the female thread in the sheet-metal section can be increased by an adapter or a riveted insert (U. Richter, R. v. Voss, and F. Kozer:
Bauelemente der Feinmechanik [Structural Elements in Precision Mechanics
], Berlin, Verlag Technik, 1954, p. 137). This way of providing female threads in sheet-metal sections is incompatible with the concept of a flat key. The publication cited does not provide any suggestions concerning the design of flat, L-shaped keys.
The invention is based on the task of developing a reliable, space-saving key of the type indicated in the introductory clause of claim 1, which can be produced more easily and at lower cost. This is accomplished according to the invention by means of the measures listed in the characterizing clause of claim 1, to which the following particular meaning belongs:
In the invention, the key with the two sidepieces of its L shape is designed as a single unit in the form of a flat plate. The L-shaped flat key can be stamped out of plate material. As a result of this one-piece design, a strong, unbreakable transition area is obtained between the support sidepiece and the shaft sidepiece. In spite of the flat design of this L-shaped key, the mechanical push button in the key container can still be installed in the area of the support sidepiece. This is possible because the counter profiles required in and of themselves for the push button are left to an insert, which is mounted nonrotatably in an opening in the plate of the bearing sidepiece The insert serves to provide both pivoting support and, advisably, axial guidance for the push button; the insert also serves to accept the spring for the push button. As a result, the design of the key container is simplified as well. In spite of the one-piece, inexpensive L-shape of the flat key, the key can still be latched securely in both its home and working positions via the push button. In addition, when, in the home position, the latching function is deactivated by pushing the push button, the key is pivoted automatically from its home position to the working position by the elastic force acting on it by way of the driver surfaces provided on the push button and on the insert.


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