Combined mechanical and electronic key, in particular for locks in a vehicle

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6691539
  • Patent Number
    6,691,539
  • Date Filed
    Friday, June 21, 2002
    22 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, February 17, 2004
    20 years ago
Abstract
In a combined mechanical and electronic key, electronic components and mechanical flat keys (30) are normally housed in a common key holder (10). In order to place the flat key (30) between a lowered rest position in a holder (10) and a projecting in-use position, the flat key (30) is movably located in a container (10) and secured in at least one of the positions by a push button (40). The key contain is assembled from an upper and a lower shell. In order to avoid sealing problems between both shells, according to the invention, the upper shell (11) is provided with an outbreak in a region pertaining thereto which lies outwith the push button. The outbreak creates a void chamber which can be accessed from the outside and is located on the inside of the shell interior. The electronic components are enclosed by a housing-like capsule and form therewith a prefabricated electrocapsule (20). The electrocapsule (20) forms a socket unit, which can be inserted thereafter in the void chamber pertaining to the pre-assembled key container (10). The electrocapsules (10) are secured in the key container (10) when inserted in the socket. The push button (40) is used to advantage for securing.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




1. Field of the Invention




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 is held with freedom of movement in the interior of the container and can be moved from a home position, recessed in the container, to a working position, projecting out of the container. So that the flat key can be held securely in its two positions, it is recommended that it be latched in both positions by a push button mounted in the container and spring-loaded in the axial direction.




2. Description of the Related Art




In the known key of this type (DE 39 02 537 C2), not only the mechanical flat key but also the electronic components for electronic actuation are installed directly in the interior of the key container. The electronic components also include the batteries which supply the necessary power, and after a certain period of use they must be replaced. For this reason, the key container consists of an upper shell and a lower shell, which can be detached from each other when necessary. It is a difficult and time-consuming process to disassemble and then reassemble the shell parts. So that the flat key can remain hidden in the interior of the container when in the home position, a lateral recess is provided in the key container, out of which the mechanical flat key travels as it proceeds to its working position. As a result of the joint between the upper shell and the lower shell, dirt and moisture can enter the interior of the container, for which reason it is important to provide a good seal at this point. This seal, however, is not always guaranteed after prolonged use, especially after electronic components or batteries have been replaced. The removal of the electronic components and batteries from the interior of the housing and their reinstallation is laborious and time-consuming. When the two shells of the key container are taken apart and put back together again, there is also the danger that the seal will not be located properly or that it will be damaged. A similar solution suffering from the same disadvantages is described in EP 0 267 429 A1.




It is also known from GB 2 080 386 A that a cartridge can be mounted on top of a mechanical key. The cartridge, which consists of two shells and contains a light source, forms a housing-like capsule and can be inserted as a plug-in unit or attached at a later time. For this purpose the key grip has an opening, which forms a free space accessible from the outside. The disadvantage of this design is that the plug-in unit is not secured in the plugged-in position and can easily come loose from its seat.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The invention is based on the task of developing a reliable, space-saving key of the type indicated above, which presents no sealing problems and which makes it easy to replace the electronic components and possibly the batteries.




The invention does not have to deal with the sealing problem between the upper shell and the lower shell, because the electronic components which are highly sensitive to dirt and moisture, which may also include the electric batteries, are enclosed by a housing-like capsule, with which they form a prefabricated structural unit, referred to below in short as the “electrocapsule”. The components inside the electrocapsule are sealed off on all sides. If needed, the electronic components can be embedded in the electrocapsule. This electrocapsule is independent of the sealing function and therefore presents no sealing problems for the key container. The electronic components and their electric batteries are housed in the interior of the electrocapsule and are thus protected from the outside. The electrocapsule can be plugged quickly and easily into the free space of the key container and removed again without the need to take apart the two-shell key container. The electrocapsule can be put on the market as a separate commercial product, which can be bought by the owner of the key and installed on the key container, which always remains closed.




Both the key container with its opening and the electrocapsule are prefabricated independently and can be put together and taken apart at any time. Because the key container does not need to be separated into its two shells, it presents no sealing problems. After the electrocapsule has been plugged in, it is unimportant whether the key container is sealed or not, because the only components in it such as the flat mechanical key are insensitive to dirt and moisture. The opening in the key container is closed by the plugged-in electrocapsule. The electrocapsule fits together with the key container to form a complete combination housing, which is manipulated as a single unit when the key is used. The surface of the combination housing used for manipulation is therefore formed in part by the key container of the mechanical flat key and in part by the remaining exposed outside surface of the electrocapsule. Flush joints will be provided at the transitions between the two parts.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




Additional measures and advantages of the invention can be derived from the subclaims, from the following description, and from the drawings. An exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated schematically in the drawings:





FIG. 1

shows a perspective view of the key container, from which mechanical flat key projects;





FIG. 2

shows another perspective view, this time of a plug-in unit belonging to the flat key of

FIG. 1

, consisting of an electronic capsule enclosing the electronic components;





FIG. 3

shows a combination housing, assembled from the key container of FIG.


1


and the plug-in unit of

FIG. 2

, which is used to manipulate the key during the mechanical and electronic actuating processes;





FIG. 4

shows an exploded view of some of the essential parts of the key container shown in

FIG. 1

, along with the mechanical flat key, before the parts have been assembled;





FIG. 5

shows an exploded view of the two components of the mechanical flat key before they are combined;





FIG. 6

shows a cross section through the component of

FIG. 5

along the cross-sectional line VI—VI shown there;





FIG. 7

shows a cross section through the assembled key container of

FIG. 1

along the cross-sectional line VII—VII shown there, where the push button is seen in its pushed-in position;





FIG. 8

shows an axial cross section through the key container shown in

FIG. 1

along the cross-sectional line VIII—VIII shown there; and





FIG. 9

shows a cross section through the combination housing shown in

FIG. 3

along the cross-sectional line IX—IX shown there.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS




The combination key according to the invention allows both the mechanical and the electronic actuation of a lock (not shown). It consists of two parts


10


,


20


, each prefabricated separately, which are then inserted into each other. The one part


10


comprises the mechanical closing means and consists of a key container


10


, the components of which can be seen most easily in the exploded diagram of FIG.


4


. The other part


20


is a plug-in unit, to be described in greater detail below, which holds in its interior the electronic components


21


, indicated in cross section in FIG.


9


.




As can be seen on the basis of

FIGS. 1 and 4

, the mechanical part comprises, first, a two-shell key container


10


. Whereas the upper shell


11


, as can be seen in

FIGS. 7 and 8

, is designed as a flat plate with connecting projections


13


at various points on its inside surface, the lower shell


12


comprises side walls


14


and a bottom part


15


. Connecting sockets


16


for the previously mentioned connecting projections


13


on the upper shell


11


are located at various points in the side walls


14


. The upper shell


11


extends only over the front end of the key container


10


and has at the rear an open area


17


, which creates an empty space accessible from the outside and leading toward the interior


18


of the shell. This is important for the insertion and removal of the plug-in unit


20


to be described in greater detail below.




The key container


10


also includes, as

FIG. 4

shows, a mechanical flat key


30


, which is installed with freedom of movement, so that it can be moved from a recessed, home position in the container


10


(not shown) into a working position, projecting from the container, as shown in

FIGS. 1-4

. The flat key


30


is made of metal. Although other types of movement could also be imagined, this flat key 30 is free to pivot around the pivot axis


33


, indicated in broken line in

FIGS. 1

,


3


, and


4


. The flat key


30


is made as a stamping from a flat plate


34


, illustrated in broken line in

FIG. 5

; the stamping has an L-shaped outline with two sidepieces


31


,


32


. One of the sidepieces of the L is short and serves to support the flat key


30


at the front end of the key container so that the key can pivot and is therefore referred to in short below as the “support sidepiece”. The other sidepiece


32


of the L comprises the actual flat profile of the key shaft, for which reason it is referred to in the following as the “shaft sidepiece”. These two sidepieces


31


,


32


therefore lie in a common plane, determined by the previously mentioned plate


34


; in the final assembled state of the key container


10


, this plane is perpendicular to the pivot axis


33


. As can be seen in

FIG. 5

, the support sidepiece


31


is provided with a noncircular plate opening


35


, which serves to hold a separate insert


36


.




The push button


40


is spring-loaded both in the axial and in the radial direction and has profiles


19


,


48


,


28


designed to be in agreement with those of the container


10


. The insert


36


consists of relatively resilient material, preferably plastic, and has a special counter profile


37


,


38


,


39


for a push button


40


, which determines the position of the pivot axis


33


. The spring action is exerted by a combination compression-torsion spring


41


, which, as can be seen in

FIG. 7

, is held in an axial bore


45


in the push button


40


. The spring


41


is attached nonrotatably by its one end


42


to the push button


40


, whereas the other end


43


of the spring is attached to the lower shell


12


of the container


10


. The spring


41


is helical in design. During the assembly process, a mandrel


44


, seated on the inside surface of bottom of the lower shell


12


, projects into the interior of the spiral and also into the insert


36


.




According to

FIG. 5

, the flat key


30


and its plate opening


35


are first produced by stamping, and then the insert


36


is inserted vertically into the plate opening


35


. After insertion, the insert projects beyond the two flat surfaces of the flat key, as

FIGS. 4 and 7

show. In addition, the insert also has cylindrical projections


47


, shown in

FIG. 6

, and stop pins


39


, extending from each of the two flat sides and projecting into ring-shaped groove segments


19


in the two shells


11


and


12


, as can be seen in FIG.


8


. When the stop pin


39


is in the position shown in solid line in

FIG. 8

, the key is in the previously mentioned working position, after it has been pivoted out of the container


10


. Then the previously described shaft sidepiece


32


of the flat key


30


extends in the direction of the auxiliary line


30


.


1


indicated in broken line in

FIG. 8

, which characterizes the working position of the flat key


30


illustrated in the other figures. In this working position


30


.


1


, the flat key is latched by the push button


40


. Then driver wings


48


, arranged diametrically in the present case on the push button


40


, engage in associated radial grooves


28


in the inside surface of the upper shell


11


and thus secure the flat key


30


in its outward-pivoted position.




Axial grooves


38


in the insert


36


serve as counter profiles for the driver wings


48


; these grooves allow an inward-pushing movement in the direction of the force arrow


46


shown in FIG.


7


. This inward movement


46


, which has been completed in

FIG. 7

, pushes the push button


40


into its lowered position, as a result of which the driver wings


48


become disengaged from the radial grooves


28


. The inward movement


46


takes place against the axial force of the spring


41


. The latching of the working position


30


.


1


is then released. The flat key can then be swung back into its home position in the housing in the direction of the motion arrow


29


of

FIG. 8

against the torsional force of the spring


41


, illustrated by the force arrow


49


in FIG.


8


. Then the shaft sidepiece


32


of the flat key


30


lies on the broken line indicated by the number


30


.


2


, as seen in FIG.


8


. In this home position


30


.


2


, the shaft sidepiece


32


has disappeared in the lateral gap


24


, which can be seen in

FIG. 3

, of the overall housing


50


, to be described in greater detail below, which is formed out of the key container


10


and the plug-in unit


20


, which has been inserted into the container. Then the driver wings


48


are again in axial alignment with the radial grooves


28


in the housing; they snap into the grooves under the restoring force of the spring


41


and thus also latch the flat key in this home position


30


.


2


in the key container


10


.




The push button


40


also serves as a pivot bearing for the pivoting movement


29


. For this purpose, a bearing bore


25


is provided in the upper shell


11


of the container


10


, as can be seen in FIG.


4


. This bore is in axial alignment with an axial bore


37


in the insert


36


shown in

FIGS. 5

, and


6


and with the previously mentioned mandrel


44


on the lower shell


12


. The push button


40


determines the pivot axis


33


of the flat key


30


. The stop pin


39


on the insert on one side and the ring-shaped groove segment


19


assigned to it on the housing side can also take over rotational guide functions during the pivoting movement


29


. In addition, rotational stops can also be realized by the outline profile of the key


30


on the one side and inside surfaces on the two shells


11


,


12


on other.




Instead of prefabricating the insert


36


, it would also be possible to postfabricate the insert


36


by an injection-molding technique. For this purpose, the described flat key


30


is introduced into an injection mold, in which the insert


36


is then formed in the plate opening


35


by casting. The counter profiling


37


,


38


,


39


,


47


mentioned above is then present again in the same form.




In many applications, a so-called transponder


26


is also desirable in the case of the above-mentioned combination key for electronic actuation. This transponder


26


is intended to individualize the combination key electronically right from the start. When the key is inserted into the associated lock, a communications process take place between the transponder


26


and the lock; if it is found that the lock and the key belong together, the lock functions are initiated immediately. For this reason, transponders


26


of this type are installed in the forward area of the key container


10


in the invention. For this purpose, the lower shell


12


has a chamber


27


, into which the transponder(s)


26


can be cemented. Because an electronic power supply is not required for the transponder


26


, the final assembled key container


10


of

FIG. 1

does not need to be separated into its shells


11


,


12


so that the battery can be replaced, etc. The transponders


26


are therefore protected permanently in their chamber


27


. This also applies to the previously mentioned additional electronic components


21


, which form an internal part of the previously mentioned detachable plug-in unit


20


of the overall housing


50


.




As can best be seen in

FIG. 9

, a housing-like capsule


22


, in the interior


23


of which the components


21


are mounted and thus closed off on all sides from the outside, belongs to the plug-in unit


20


. The wiring of the components and possibly the electrical interference can be provided in the interior


23


of the capsule. This structural unit


21


,


22


, which can be plugged into the key container


10


, is prefabricated as a complete unit and is called the “electrocapsule” in the following. For assembly purposes, the key container


10


is shaped to accommodate it as follows.




The previously mentioned open area


17


of the key container


10


is produced simply by allowing the upper shell


11


, as seen in

FIG. 1

, to cover only the forward section


51


of the key container


10


. As a result, an open area accessible from the outside and leading to the interior


18


of the shell is created. This open area


17


has not only an upper opening


52


facing upward but also a side opening


53


, accessible from the rear


54


. This side opening arises because not only the rear section of the upper shell


11


is missing but also, as

FIG. 1

shows, the side wall


14


of the lower shell


12


has been omitted at the rear


54


of the container


10


. The electrocapsule


20


is pushed through this side opening


53


into the open area


17


of the key container


10


in the direction of the motion arrow


55


of FIG.


1


. In its plugged-in position according to

FIG. 3

, the electrocapsule


20


seals off the upper opening


52


. The plug-in movement


55


is on a plane parallel to the above-mentioned pivoting movement


29


. The following guide means


61


,


62


are provided to guide the insertion and sliding-in movement


55


of the electrocapsule


20


.




On the interior surface of the bottom


15


of the lower shell


12


, there are two parallel guide strips


61


, which extend toward the side opening


53


. They are undercut and have preferably a dovetail profile. To these strips are assigned complementary guide grooves


62


in the bottom surface of the housing of the electrocapsule


20


. The engagement between these guide means


61


,


62


can be seen in the cross section of FIG.


9


. One of the long sides of the capsule housing


22


according to

FIG. 9

has a step at


58


,


30


that, together with a corresponding step


59


in the lower shell


12


according to

FIG. 4

, the lateral gap


24


for the shaft sidepiece


32


of the flat key


30


is created when the capsule is inserted. In the inserted position according to

FIGS. 3 and 9

, the external surfaces of the electrocapsule


20


which remain visible on the one side and the external surfaces of the key container


10


which remain visible on the other form a flush transition with each other. The two parts


10


,


20


form then the previously mentioned combination housing


50


; during the manipulation of the key, the two parts are gripped jointly by the hand. The combination of the two is therefore called the “combination housing”. This applies both to the mechanical actuation of the associated lock, when the outward-pivoted shaft sidepiece


32


is turned by means of the combination housing


50


, and also to the electronic actuation. For this purpose, actuating points


60


are provided in the common combination housing


50


on the still-visible outside surface of the electrocapsule


20


. These can take the form of push button switches or membrane actuating points. These actuation sites can be provided with additional membrane-like covers in the area of the previously mentioned push button


40


, to which the following special meaning belongs:




The insertion position of the electrocapsule


20


in the key container


10


shown in

FIGS. 3 and 9

is not only limited by stop means


64


but also secured by latching means. This latching function can also be taken over advantageously by the push button


40


. For this purpose, the electrocapsule


20


, according to

FIG. 2

, is extended at the front by a tab


56


, which, when in the inserted position of

FIG. 3

, covers the remaining forward section


51


of the upper shell


11


of the key container


10


. The tab


56


has an opening


57


, into which the axially spring-loaded push button


40


snaps when the electrocapsule


20


according to

FIG. 3

is plugged into position. As a result, it is ensured that the key container and the electrocapsule


20


will be held securely together. The opening


57


passes through the tab


56


, for which reason, after the parts have engaged as shown in

FIG. 3

, a longitudinal piece of the push button


40


sufficient for actuation projects out from the tab


56


. To disassemble the combination housing


50


into its component parts


10


,


20


, the push button


40


, as shown in

FIG. 7

, is pushed in the direction of arrow


46


until it disengages from the opening


57


in the tab


56


.




The push button


40


can be covered by a membrane


63


in the area of the tab


56


, which membrane functions in the same way as for the actuating points


60


. These membranes of the actuating points


60


can be combined with the previously mentioned membrane in the area of the push button.















List of Reference Numbers
























10




first key part, key container






11




upper shell of 10






12




lower shell of 10






13




connecting projection on 11






14




side wall of 12






15




bottom of 12






16




connecting receptacle in 12






17




open area of 11, free space in 18






18




interior of shell






19




profile in 11, 12 for 39, ring-shaped segment






20




second part of key, plug-in unit, electrocapsule






21




electronic component






22




housing-like capsule for 21






23




interior of capsule for 22 in 21






24




lateral gap in 50 for 32 (

FIGS. 3

, 9)






25




bearing bore in 11 for 40 (FIG. 4)






26




transponder






27




recess in 11 for 26 (FIG. 4)






28




profile in 11 for 48 of 40, radial groove (FIG. 7)






29




pivoting movement arrow for 30 (FIG. 8)






30




mechanical flat key for 10, stamping






30.1




working position of 32 (FIG. 8)






30.2




home position of 32 (FIG. 8)






31




first L-sidepieceof 30, support sidepiece






32




second L-sidepieceof 30, shaft sidepiece






33




pivot axis for 30






34




flat plate for 30






35




plate opening






36




insert in 35






37




counter profile in 36, axial bore (

FIGS. 5

, 6)






38




counter profile of 36, axial groove in 36 for 48







(

FIGS. 5

, 8)






39




counter profile of 36, guide or stop pin (

FIGS. 5

, 6)






40




push button






41




compression-torsion spring for 40






42




first end of spring 41 (FIG. 7)






43




second end of spring 41 (FIG. 7)






44




mandrel on 12 for 41 (FIG. 4)






45




axial bore in 40 for 41






46




arrow of the pushing-in movement of 40 (FIG. 7)






47




counter profile on 36, cylindrical shoulder on 36







(FIG. 5)






48




profile, driver wing on 40






49




arrow of the outward-pivoting force of 41 for 30







(FIG. 8)






50




overall housing consisting of 10, 20, combination







housing






51




forward section of 10






52




upper opening of 10 at 17 (FIG. 1)






53




side opening in 11 (FIG. 1)






54




rear of 10






55




arrow of the insertion movement of 20 into 10 (FIG.







1)






56




tab on 20 (FIG. 2)






57




opening in 56 for 40 (FIG. 2)






58




inside step on 22 for 24 (

FIGS. 2

, 9)






59




step on 12 for 24 (FIG. 4)






60




actuating point on 20 (FIG. 1)






61




guide means on 12, guide strip






62




guide means on 20, guide groove













Claims
  • 1. In a combination mechanical and electronic key, especially for locks in motor vehicles,with a common key container (10) to be manipulated when actuating the lock, containing a flat key (30) for the mechanical actuation of the lock; where the flat key (30) is held with freedom of motion (29) in the container and can be moved from a home position (30.2), recessed in the container (10), to a working position (30.1), projecting from the container (10); and with an axially spring-loaded (41) push button (40), which is mounted in the container (10) and which latches the key (30) in at least one of these positions (30.1, 30.2); where the key container (10) consists of an upper shell and a lower shell (11, 12), which are attached to each other at least in certain areas, wherein the improvement comprises thatthe upper shell (11) has an open area (17) in the part situated outside the push button (40); the open area creates a free space (17) in the interior of the shell (18), which is accessible from the outside; the electronic components for the electronic actuation of the lock, their wiring, and their electrical controls are enclosed by a housing-like capsule (22) and with this forms a prefabricated electrocapsule (20); the electrocapsule (20) forms a plug-in unit, which can be inserted (55) at a later time into the free space (17) of the final assembled key container (10) and held in place there; the electrocapsule (20) has a tab (56) extending from the front end; wherein when the capsule (20) is in the inserted position, the tab (56) covers at least certain areas of the latching piece (51) of the upper shell (11) located in front of the upper opening (52) of the key container; and the tab (56) has an opening (57), into which the spring-loaded (41) push button (40) enters in the axial direction to secure the inserted position of the electrocapsule (20) in the key container (10).
  • 2. Key according to claim 1, wherein, on its exposed surface, the plugged-in electrocapsule (20) has actuating points (60) in the open area (17) for the actuation of the electronic components (21) located inside the capsule.
  • 3. Key according to claim 1, wherein the plugged-in electrocapsule (20) closes off the opening (17) in the key container (10), and in thatthe plug-in combination of the electrocapsule (20) and the key container (10) produces a combination housing (50) with a peripheral surface with flush transitions.
  • 4. Key according to claim 1, wherein the open area (17) not only produces an upward-facing upper opening (52), which arises through the omission of the rear section of the upper shell, but also extends over a lateral opening (53), which arises through the omission of at least certain parts of the side wall (14) of the lower shell (12) and of the upper shell (11); andthe electrocapsule (20) can be inserted through the lateral opening (53) into the free space (17) of the key container (10) and, when in the inserted position (55), also closes off at least certain areas of the upper opening (52).
  • 5. Key according to claim 1, where the flat key (30) can be pivoted between its home position and its working position (30.2; 30.1) in the container (10);where the push button (40) serves as a pivot bearing (33) for the flat key (30), and where its spring-loading (41) tries to pivot the flat key (30) outward (49) into its working position (30.1); wherein the insertion direction (55) of the electrocapsule (20) into the key container (10) is on a plane which is parallel to the plane of the pivoting motion (29) of the flat key (30).
  • 6. Key according to claim 4, wherein the side opening (53) into which the electrocapsule (20) is inserted (55) is located at the rear (54) of the key container (10), i.e., the end opposite that where the push button (40) is located.
  • 7. Key according to claim 4, wherein the lower shell (12) and the electrocapsule (20) have guide means (61, 62) for the controlled introduction and sliding-in (55) of the electrocapsule (20); andthe guide means (61, 62) point toward the side opening (53) of the lower shell (12).
  • 8. Key according to claim 7, wherein the guide means (61, 62) in the lower shell (12) are undercut with respect to the upper opening (52) of the key container (10).
  • 9. Key according to claim 7, wherein the guide means consist of at least one guide strips (61), which have a dovetail profile; andthe electrocapsule (20) has guide grooves (62) complementary to the strips.
  • 10. Key according to claim 1, wherein the plugged-in position of the electrocapsule (20) in the key container (10) is limited by stop means (64) and is secured by latching means.
  • 11. Key according to claim 1, wherein the opening (57) passes through the tab (56); andafter the electrocapsule (20) has been plugged in, the actuating end of the push button (40) projects out from the top of the tab so that it can be actuated.
  • 12. Key according to claim 11, wherein, on the push button (40) and on its seat (44) in the key container (10), control means (41, 48, 38, 37) are provided, which, after the push button (40) has been pushed in axially, hold the push button (40) in position during the pivoting (29) of the flat key (30) between the working and home positions (30.1; 30.2); andwhen in this pushed-in position, the push button (40) is disengaged from the opening (57) in the tab (56) and releases the electrocapsule (20).
  • 13. Key according to claim 11, wherein the tab (56) has a membrane (63) in the area of its opening (57), which membrane covers the top surface of the push button after the electrocapsule (20) has been plugged in; andthis membrane forms the manual actuating point for the push button (40).
  • 14. Key according to claim 13, wherein the membrane is designed to form a single piece with the tab (56) of the electrocapsule (20).
  • 15. Key according to claim 14, wherein the membrane serving to actuate the push button (40) is combined with additional membrane-like actuating points (60) in the key housing (10) or on the outside surface of the electrocapsule (20), namely, the surface which remains visible after the capsule has been plugged in, which points serve to actuate the electronic components (21) in the electrocapsule (20).
Priority Claims (1)
Number Date Country Kind
199 62 976 Dec 1999 DE
PCT Information
Filing Document Filing Date Country Kind
PCT/EP00/12431 WO 00
Publishing Document Publishing Date Country Kind
WO01/48342 7/5/2001 WO A
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Number Date Country
3902537 Aug 1990 DE
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