Slim-type smart card key of vehicle and control method therefor

• US 10,137,861 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2014
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seoyon Electrics Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Seoyon Electrics Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Ki Woong, Lee, Dong Ho
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Tuan C
• Application Number:
  US15/027,676
• Publication Number:
  US 20160250996A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,512 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/243 with more than one way to gain access
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 19/00 Keys; Accessories therefor key modifications or attachments preventing removal from the lock E05B11/005; key rings A44B15/00; key cases A45C11/32; key holders A47G29/10; making keys, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D53/42; milling grooves in keys B23C3/35
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 19/0082 Keys or shanks being removably stored in a larger object, e.g. a remote control or a key fob general constructional details of electronic keys G07C9/00944
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00952 Electronic keys comprising a mechanical key within their housing, e.g. extractable or retractable emergency key
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00976 card

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a slim smart card key for a vehicle and a control method thereof, and improves assembly convenience and product durability by including including the following: a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) to which a plurality of electronic components are soldered, which has a predetermined thickness, and in which a spare key receiving part and a battery receiving part are formed, wherein the spare key receiving part is formed by vertically cutting one side of the PCB and thus is vertically hollow, and the battery receiving part is formed by vertically cutting the other side of the PCB and thus is vertically hollow; a body part which has a spare key entrance hole for inserting a spare key through the spare key receiving part, and a battery entrance hole for inserting a battery through the battery receiving part, and which is injection molded to embrace the PCB while the PCB is inserted into a mold; a spare key settling part which is moved toward the spare key receiving part from above or below the PCB before the body part is injection molded, and then sits on and fixed onto a circumference of the spare key receiving part; and a terminal assembly which is moved in the same direction as that of the spare key settling part before the body part is injection molded, and then sits on and fixed onto a circumference of the battery receiving part.

Claims

1. A slim smart card key for a vehicle, comprising:

a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) to which a plurality of electronic components are soldered, which has a predetermined thickness, and in which a spare key receiving part and a battery receiving part are formed, wherein the spare key receiving part is formed by vertically cutting one side of the PCB and thus is vertically hollow, and the battery receiving part is formed by vertically cutting the other side of the PCB and thus is vertically hollow;

a body part which has a spare key entrance hole for inserting a spare key through the spare key receiving part, and a battery entrance hole for inserting a battery through the battery receiving part, and which is injection molded to embrace the PCB while the PCB is inserted into a mold;

a spare key settling part which is moved toward the spare key receiving part from above or below the PCB before the body part is injection molded, and then sits on and fixed onto a circumference of the spare key receiving part; and

a terminal assembly which is moved in the same direction as that of the spare key settling part before the body part is injection molded, and then sits on and fixed onto a circumference of the battery receiving part,

wherein the spare key settling part vertically protrudes by a predetermined length from the spare key receiving part on the PCB,

wherein the spare key settling part comprises;

an upper plate in which an upper portion settling part is formed, wherein the upper portion settling part protrudes upwardly toward a top of the spare key receiving part, is bent downwardly toward one side among directions orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the spare key receiving part, and is extended in parallel;

a lower plate in which a lower portion settling part is formed, wherein the lower portion protrudes downwardly toward a bottom of the spare key receiving part and is bent upwardly in one side among directions orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the spare key receiving part; and

a connecting plate which connects the upper plate, which corresponds to the other side among directions orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the spare key receiving part, and an end of the lower plate,

wherein a side portion settling part for holding the spare key settling part is formed in the connecting plate, and

wherein the upper portion settling part, the lower portion settling part, and the side portion settling part sit on a top surface of the circumference of the spare key receiving part of the PCB.

2. The slim smart card key of claim 1, wherein the upper portion settling part and the lower portion settling part are formed at the same height.

3. The slim smart card key of claim 2, wherein a plurality of upper portion settling parts and a plurality of lower portion settling parts are provided, and the upper portion settling parts each is arranged between the lower portion settling parts which are adjacent to one another.

4. The slim smart card key of claim 1, wherein a plurality of side portion settling parts are being spaced apart from one another and formed at the same height as that of the upper portion settling part and the lower portion settling part, and

wherein a solder groove for soldering to a top surface of the PCB is formed in the upper portion settling part, the lower portion settling part, and the side portion settling part.

5. The slim smart card key of claim 1, wherein a plurality of location setting groove is provided on the PCB to arrange the spare key settling part at a right location, and

wherein a location setting protrusion, which is to be inserted into the location setting groove, is formed at an end of the upper portion settling part to be bent downwardly.

6. The slim smart card key of claim 1, wherein the terminal assembly comprises:

a first polarity terminal plate which connects a bottom contact surface formed on a bottom surface of the battery inserted through the battery entrance hole; and

a second polarity terminal plate which connects to a top contact surface formed on a top surface of the battery inserted through the battery entrance hole,

wherein a specific space in which the battery is inserted is formed between the first polarity terminal plate and the second polarity terminal plate, and the first polarity terminal plate and the second polarity terminal plate sit on the PCB.

7. The slim smart card key of claim 6, wherein the first polarity terminal plate protrudes toward a bottom of the battery receiving part, and the second polarity terminal plate protrudes a top of the battery receiving part.

8. The slim smart card key of claim 6, wherein a first polarity connecting protrusion is formed on a top surface of the first polarity terminal plate to protrude so as to connect the bottom contact surface of the battery, and

wherein a second polarity connecting protrusion is foamed on a bottom surface of the second polarity terminal plate to protrude so as to connect the top contact surface of the battery.

9. The slim smart card key of claim 8, wherein a plurality of first polarity connecting protrusion and a plurality of second polarity connecting protrusion are formed being spaced apart one another.

10. The slim smart card key of claim 1, wherein an antenna assembly hole is formed on the PCB to be vertically hollow, and part of an antenna assembly is inserted into the antenna assembly hole.

11. The slim smart card key of claim 10, wherein the antenna assembly comprises:

an antenna part inserted into the antenna assembly hole; and

a sub PCB in which an vertically hollow opening to allow the antenna part to be inserted is formed, and which is soldered to one surface of the PCB to electrically connect the antenna part and the PCB.