EP0293137A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electronic key-operable lock and key therefor
Assignee: Security Products UK Ltd
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Filing: 1988-05-20
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2008-05-20
Abstract
Abstract A key for an electronic lock is provided with a relief coding for reading by a mechanically actuated reading device. The key has a blade (41) along a narrow edge face of which there are formed grooves (45) (or pairs of notches) extending either perpendicularly to the length of the blade (41) or inclined to the perpendicular in one sense or the other. A lock is described in which the grooves (45) or notches are read by two separate reading elements and an electronic circuit determines the key coding by detecting whether the reading elements detect the grooves (45) or notches at the same time or in one order or the other.
Inventors
- 👤 Walter John Aston
- 👤 Paul Garbett
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 10:20
CPC Classifications
E; E05; E05B; E05B47/00; E05B47/06; E05B47/0611; E05B47/0619; E05B47/0626; E05B47/063; E05B49/00; E05B49/002; E05B47/0001; E05B47/0002; E05B2047/0007; E05B47/0003; E05B47/0004; E05B47/0011; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T70/00; Y10T70/70; Y10T70/7051; Y10T70/7062; Y10T70/7441; Y10T70/778; Y10T70/7791; Y10T70/7881
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
123 words
A key for operating an electronically operable lock, said key having a grip portion and a blade portion of a cross-section suitable for reception by the key slot of a conventional mechanical cylinder lock, said blade portion being notched along one edge for operation of a conventional cylinder lock, the opposite edge face of said blade being formed with a relief code pattern comprising a plurality of code elements spaced along the blade, each code element comprising two mechanically readable code portions spaced apart across the width of said other edge of the blade and located relative to one another in one of three possible positions, namely directly opposite one another or spaced longitudinally along the blade in one direction or the other.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
123 words
A key for operating an electronically operable lock, said key having a grip portion and a blade portion of a cross-section suitable for reception by the key slot of a conventional mechanical cylinder lock, said blade portion being notched along one edge for operation of a conventional cylinder lock, the opposite edge face of said blade being formed with a relief code pattern comprising a plurality of code elements spaced along the blade, each code element comprising two mechanically readable code portions spaced apart across the width of said other edge of the blade and located relative to one another in one of three possible positions, namely directly opposite one another or spaced longitudinally along the blade in one direction or the other.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
60 words
A key as claimed in claim 1 in which said code elements comprise grooves across said other edge face of the blade, some of said grooves extending perpendicularly to the length of the blade, others being inclined in one direction to a perpendicular to the length of the blade, and others being inclined in the opposite direction to such perpendicular.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
A key as claimed in claim 1 in which the two code portions of each code element comprise separate notches at each edge of said edge face.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
142 words
An electronic lock for operation by a key as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising a body, a cylinder rotatably mounted in a bore in the body, said cylinder being formed with a key slot for receiving the key, a pair of mechanically operable reading devices having probes projecting into the key slot so as to be actuable by the code elements on said key as the key is inserted into the key slot, circuit means for determining whether actuation of one of the reading devices by one code portion of each code element occurs before, simultaneously with or after actuation of the other reading device by the other code portion of the same code element and electromechanical means operable by said circuit means on recognition of an acceptable key coding to permit opening of the lock by turning of said cylinder.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
55 words
A lock as claimed in claim 4 in which each of said reading devices comprises a resilient arm which is fixed at one end and has said probe mounted on the other end thereof and a piezo-electric element on said arm for producing an electric output dependent on the degree of bending of said arm.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
A lock as claimed in claim 5 in which said piezo-electric element comprises a layer of piezo-electric plastics film on the arm, such film being coated on each side with conductive material to provide terminals for the reading device.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
56 words
A lock as claimed in any of claims 4 to 6 inclusive in which said electro-mechanical means comprises a solenoid device which is fixed relative to the lock body and a plunger movable by said solenoid and coacting with a recess in said cylinder to prevent turning of the cylinder except when said solenoid is energised.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
38 words
A lock as claimed in claim 4 in which each of said reading devices comprises a winding, and magnetic means associated with said winding, movement of said probe causing a voltage signal to be induced in said winding.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
The combination of a lock as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 7 with a key as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
106 words
An electronic lock for operation by a key having a relief coding thereon, said lock having a key slot therein for receiving the key, and at least one mechanically operable reading device having a probe projecting into the key slot so as to be movable by the relief coding on the key, a piezo-electric transducer device operable by said probe and electronic circuit means connected to said piezo-electric transducer device so as to receive code signals therefrom, said electronic circuit means operating to enable operation of the lock only on receipt by said circuit means of an acceptable sequence of code signals from said transducer device.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
106 words
An electronic lock for operation by a key having a relief coding thereon, said lock having a key slot therein for receiving the key, and at least one mechanically operable reading device having a probe projecting into the key slot so as to be movable by the relief coding on the key, a piezo-electric transducer device operable by said probe and electronic circuit means connected to said piezo-electric transducer device so as to receive code signals therefrom, said electronic circuit means operating to enable operation of the lock only on receipt by said circuit means of an acceptable sequence of code signals from said transducer device.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
60 words
An electronic lock as claimed in claim 10 in which said piezo-electric transducer comprises a resilient arm which is fixed to a part of the lock at one end and has said probe mounted on the other end thereof and a piezo-electric element on said arm for producing an electrical output dependent on the degree of bending of said arm.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
40 words
An electronic lock as claimed in claim 11 in which said piezo-electric element comprises a layer of piezo-electric plastics film on the arm, such film being coated on each side with conductive material to provide terminals for the transducer device.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
49 words
An electronic lock as claimed in claim 10 wherein said lock comprises a cylinder body for mounting on a door, a cylinder rotatably mounted in a bore in said cylinder body, said cylinder being formed with said key slot and said cylinder body having said transducer device mounted thereon.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
44 words
An electronic lock as claimed in claim 13 in which said electronic circuit means includes a buffer circuit mounted on said cylinder body adjacent the transducer device and a main circuit spaced from the cylinder body and connected by wiring to said buffer circuit.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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