US3793500A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electric lock and key assembly
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1972-01-03
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Granted: 1974-02-19
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Expires: 1992-01-03
Abstract
Abstract An electric lock and key assembly for energizing a target circuit, such as for controlling automobile ignition or door unlocking, in response to the engagement of the protrusions of a moving key with a plurality of conductive circuit closing means, which latter deliver current to a plurality of certain electronic switching means such as transistors, which latter will not cause said target circuit to be energized unless all of the certain transistors are energized by the proper key.
Inventors
- 👤 R Gerber
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 20:16
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01H; H01H27/00; H01H27/06; E; E05; E05B; E05B49/00; E05B49/002; E05B49/004
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
497 words
An electrical lock and key assembly comprising: a key having a forward insertion section and a rearward handle section, said key having on the exterior of its insertion section a guided surface extending forwardly and rearwardly, said insertion section having a plurality of protrusions extending outwardly therefrom, a key guide having a key receiving chamber therein which latter has a chamber entrance at an outer end thereof, said key guide having guide surfaces thereon which latter are in guiding engagement with said guided surface of said key and directing said key lineally upon insertion, an outer housing movably receiving said key guide and permitting said key guide to define movements in each of two substantially opposite directions called forward and rearward directions, a contact assembly having a plurality of contacts insulated from each other, means mounting said contacts on said outer housing, a certain plurality of circuits to be closed and opened and connectable to a target circuit, a plurality of conductive circuit closing means at least partially defined by said contacts and each conductive circuit closing means being cooperative with said plurality of circuits and also cooperating with the swath of motion of a respective one of said protrusions respectively as said key and key guide are moved with respect to said housing in a lock-opening direction from a key insertion position to certain advanced positions of said protrusions and responsive to completion of movement of said key protrusions into said certain advanced positions respectively for closing said circuits, key movement toward said certain advanced positions defining said forward key motion, said key receiving chamber and its entrance being large enough to receive said key therethrough until said key has reached a position for alignment of the swaths of its protrusions with respective ones of saId contacts, a target circuit having two terminals, each of said circuit closing means having two terminals, said certain plurality of circuits each comprising an electronic switching means having three terminals, said electronic switching means being sequentially arranged from a first to a last, each of said electronic switching means having a first terminal connected to one of said terminals of a different one of said circuit closing means respectively, a second terminal of the first of said electronic switching means being connected to a terminal of said target circuit, the third terminal of said first electronic switching means being connected to a second terminal of a second electronic switching means, means connecting the third terminal of said second electronic switching means to the second terminal of a last of said electronic switching means in said sequence, means connecting the third terminal of the last of said electronic switching means to a second terminal of said target circuit whereby said electronic switching means transmit energy from one to another and between the terminals of said target circuit only when those said circuit closing means which are connected to said electronic switching means are closed by action thereon by said key protrusions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
497 words
An electrical lock and key assembly comprising: a key having a forward insertion section and a rearward handle section, said key having on the exterior of its insertion section a guided surface extending forwardly and rearwardly, said insertion section having a plurality of protrusions extending outwardly therefrom, a key guide having a key receiving chamber therein which latter has a chamber entrance at an outer end thereof, said key guide having guide surfaces thereon which latter are in guiding engagement with said guided surface of said key and directing said key lineally upon insertion, an outer housing movably receiving said key guide and permitting said key guide to define movements in each of two substantially opposite directions called forward and rearward directions, a contact assembly having a plurality of contacts insulated from each other, means mounting said contacts on said outer housing, a certain plurality of circuits to be closed and opened and connectable to a target circuit, a plurality of conductive circuit closing means at least partially defined by said contacts and each conductive circuit closing means being cooperative with said plurality of circuits and also cooperating with the swath of motion of a respective one of said protrusions respectively as said key and key guide are moved with respect to said housing in a lock-opening direction from a key insertion position to certain advanced positions of said protrusions and responsive to completion of movement of said key protrusions into said certain advanced positions respectively for closing said circuits, key movement toward said certain advanced positions defining said forward key motion, said key receiving chamber and its entrance being large enough to receive said key therethrough until said key has reached a position for alignment of the swaths of its protrusions with respective ones of saId contacts, a target circuit having two terminals, each of said circuit closing means having two terminals, said certain plurality of circuits each comprising an electronic switching means having three terminals, said electronic switching means being sequentially arranged from a first to a last, each of said electronic switching means having a first terminal connected to one of said terminals of a different one of said circuit closing means respectively, a second terminal of the first of said electronic switching means being connected to a terminal of said target circuit, the third terminal of said first electronic switching means being connected to a second terminal of a second electronic switching means, means connecting the third terminal of said second electronic switching means to the second terminal of a last of said electronic switching means in said sequence, means connecting the third terminal of the last of said electronic switching means to a second terminal of said target circuit whereby said electronic switching means transmit energy from one to another and between the terminals of said target circuit only when those said circuit closing means which are connected to said electronic switching means are closed by action thereon by said key protrusions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
73 words
The combination of claim 1 further comprising: a key blocking means attached to said pilot housing and blocking forward rotation of said key by engaging said key at times when said key is somewhat less than fully inserted, said key having a notch in the exterior thereof and receiving said key blocking means therethrough during rotation of said key from a starting position of original insertion toward said certain key protrusion advanced positions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
The combination of claim 2 in which said key has its portions near said notch engageable with said blocking means for blocking said forward key rotation.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
86 words
The combination of claim 1 further comprising: said key being electrically conductive, said key guide and said outer housing defining a key receiving and housing assembly, a conductive key engaging means mounted on said key receiving and housing assembly and engaging said key when said key is in said lock whereby said key engaging means can be connected to automobile door latch opening means to prevent locking of door latches when said key is in said swltch and said switch is used as an ignition switch.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
128 words
The combination of claim 1 in further combination with said key being electrically conductive, a conductive alarmassociated means disposed closely adjacent to but not in the swaths of motion of at least some of said protrusions and in a plane disposed with respect to said outer housing closer to the insertion position of said key with respect to said swath of motion than is the position of said contacts with respect to the said key insertion position, a source of power, an electrical alarm means, means electrically connecting said alarm means and said source of power and said key in a circuit with said conductive alarm associated means so that when said conductive alarm associated means is touched by protrusions of a foreign key said alarm is energized.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
70 words
The combination of claim 2 in which said key blocking means will permit removal and insertion of said key only at one position of said key receiving means which latter position is called the starting position of said key guide, rearward biasing means operatively correlated with said outer housing and said key guide for biasing said key guide from said advanced position of said key protrusions toward said starting position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
147 words
The combination of claim 6 further comprising: said pilot housing having a forward wall serving as said blocking means and having a keyhole therethrough for receiving said key, said keyhole having a main portion and the wall of said main keyhole portion having a recess therein which latter has opposed spaced wall surfaces closely and slidably receiving an edge portion of said key, said opposed wall surfaces of said recess beiNg sufficiently close as to prevent said key from rotating by engaging said larger portion of said key when said larger portion of said key is opposite said opposed recess wall surfaces, and said keyhole and key being shaped so that when said larger portion of said key is in said recess said key is not movable in said forward direction with respect to the wall of said keyhole whereby said protrusions cannot reach said advanced positions.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
89 words
The combination of claim 1 in combination with an internal combustion engine system, said system having a starter and an ignition coil, said electrical lock and key assembly serving as an ignition switch, in further combination with a latching relay, means connecting said target circuit to said latching relay and to said starter, said housing having an ignition ''''On'''' terminal thereon contacted by said key when said key is in a position defining an ignition position disposed between said key insertion position and said advanced positions of said protrusions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
14 words
The combination of claim 1 in which said target circuit comprises an alarm means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The combination of claim 1 in which said target circuit comprises a relay and in which a solenoid means is associated with and energized through said relay.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
The combination of claim 10 in which a door locking means is provided and is operably controlled by said solenoid.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
57 words
The combination of claim 1 further comprising: said key being substantially formed of conductive material, a conductive element attached to said housing and receiving assembly and engaging said key only when said key is fully inserted, a source of power connected to said conductive element so that power is transmittable through said key protrusions to said contacts.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
105 words
The combination of claim 1 in which other conductive circuit closing means are provided called foreign key conductive circuit closing means which latter are arranged on said outer housing in positions for being engaged by protrusions absent on said key but present on one or more foreign keys not matching said lock and key assembly, an electrical humanly sensible alarm means, a source of power, and means correlated with said alarm means and said source of power and said foreign key circuit closing means for energizing said alarm means from said source of power whenever one of said foreign key circuit closing means are energized.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
38 words
The combination of claim 1 in which said circuit closing means each have a flexible means engageable by a protrusion and each yielding when sufficiently pressed by a protrusion, each flexible means being mounted on said pilot housing.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
63 words
The combination of claim 14 in which a stop means is provided on said outer housing engaging said stop means when said key has been turned forwardly sufficiently for said protrusions to cause closing of said conductive circuit closing means respectively, and said stop means preventing further forward movement of said key guide to prevent said key from damaging said circuit closing means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
40 words
The combination of claim 8 in which each of said electronic switching means is a transistor of which latter the base terminal defines said first terminal, the collector terminal defines said second terminal, and the emitter defines said third terminal.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
51 words
The combination of claim 1 in combination with a target circuit having in it an energizable device, a source of power separably correlated with said conductive circuit closing means and with said key and with said target circuit and energizing said energizable device whenever said certain plurality of circuits are closed.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
69 words
The combination of claim 17 in which said energizable device is a relay circuit, a solenoid controlled by the switch of said relay, a door latch attached to the core of said solenoid, and an automaticall opened door lock plunger means operably latched in locked position by said latch at times but when said solenoid is energized said latch releasing said door lock plunger so that it can open.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
77 words
The combination of claim 1 further comprising: said outer housing and said key guide forming a housing and receiving assembly, said key guide having means thereon engaging said key at times when said key is fully inserted and holding said key from movement laterally of itself away from a desirable position with respect to said key guide such that the swaths of said protrusions are in alignment with respect to respective mating contacts of said contact assembly.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
116 words
The combination of claim 1 further comprising: a vehicle having a door, a door locking plunger operably correlated with said door, a special circuit containing a source of power, a door locking plunger latching solenoid in latching and unlatching relationship with said plunger and disposed in said special circuit, said key receiving means and said outer housing defining a key receiving and housing assembly, a special conductive circuit closing means operably correlated with said special circuit and in position for engagement by said key when said key is in said lock, such engagement by said key causing said special conductive circuit closing means to close said special circuit causing said latching solenoid to unlatch said plunger.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-02-18 | 1977-08-20 | 1978-02-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-02-18 | 1981-08-20 | 1982-02-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-02-18 | 1985-08-20 | 1986-02-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |