Combined mechanical and electronic key, in particular for the locks of motor vehicles

US6705141B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Huf Hülsbeck & Fürst GmbH & Co. KG · DE

Inventors

• Dirk Jacob · Heiligenhaus, DE
• Ulrich Müller · Neustadt, DE
• Jeffrey Plate · Brookfield, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 21, 2002
• Grant date: Mar 16, 2004
• Expiry date: Jun 21, 2022

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T70/8676
• WIPO field: Control
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

The invention relates to a combined mechanical and key comprising a key housing for electronic components and an L-shape flat key (30). Said flat key consists of a bearing limb (31) which enables the key to pivot into a storage position and a shank (32) which mechanically operates the lock. The shank (32) of the flat key (30) can be displaced between an inoperative position, retracted into the key housing and an operative position, in which it projects out of the hosing. A push-button preferably also acts as the pivoting axis for the flat key (30). The push-button and the housing have profiled sections and the bearing limb has co-operating profiled sections (37, 38, 39), to subject the flat key (30) to a force in the operative position and to lock the key in one of its positions. The invention aims to produce a simple, cost-effective key. To this end, the flat key is configured as a planar plate (34) with an L-shaped outline, the shank (32) sharing the same plane as the bearing limb. The bearing limb (31) has an opening (35) in the plate for receiving, in a rotationally fixed manner, an insert (36) that has the co-operating profiled section (37 to 39).