Key duplication machine

• US 10,421,133 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2016
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hy-Ko Products Company
• Original Assignee: Hy-Ko Products Company
• Inventors: Bass, Michael A., Mutch, William R., Ryai, Sr., Richard W., Thompson, Chester O. D., Drake, Robert E., Porras, Randall A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Singh, Sunil K
• Assistant Examiner(s): Diab, Yasir A
• Application Number:
  US15/262,787
• Publication Number:
  US 20160375503A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,107 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 2270/32 Use of electronics
• CPC Class Codes: B23C 2235/08 Brushes
• CPC Class Codes: B23C 2235/12 Using a database to store details of the key, the information in the database being used for the generation of the profile of the key
• CPC Class Codes: B23C 2235/32 Measurement systems
• CPC Class Codes: B23C 2235/41 Scanning systems
• CPC Class Codes: B23C 3/35 Milling grooves in keys
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/145 Illumination specially adapted for pattern recognition, e.g. using gratings
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/46 Descriptors for shape, contour or point-related descriptors, e.g. scale invariant feature transform [SIFT] or bags of words [BoW]; Salient regional features colour feature extraction G06V10/56
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/60 relating to illumination properties, e.g. using a reflectance or lighting model
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/66 Trinkets, e.g. shirt buttons or jewellery items recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 2201/121 using special illumination
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/26 for printing, stamping, franking, typing or teleprinting apparatus ticket printing or the like apparatus G07F17/42
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 409/300952 to cut lock key
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 409/301008 Using templet other than a key
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 409/303808 including infeeding

Abstract

Apparatus, methods, and other embodiments associated with a key duplication machine are described. In one embodiment, an assembly for duplicating a master key includes an optical imaging device, a logic, a clamping assembly, and a cutting member. The optical imaging device is capable of capturing an optical image of at least a portion of the master key. The logic is capable of determining a key pattern of the master key from the optical image of the master key. The clamping assembly is capable of clamping a key blank and the cutting member is capable of cutting a key pattern into said key blank.

Claims

1. An integrated key duplication machine, comprising:

an optical key blank identification system to identify keys including a housing and an imaging device wherein said imaging device is positioned within said housing such that a portion of said key is positioned outside said housing when a blade of said key is positioned within an imaging zone of said housing; and

a key cutting system for cutting keys, wherein the key cutting system includes a retention mechanism panel and at least one cutting member, wherein the retention mechanism panel includes a slot to receive a blade of a key to be retained by the retention mechanism panel and cut by said at least one cutting member;

wherein the optical key blank identification system is configured to operate individually from the key cutting system wherein the optical key blank identification system and the key cutting system may interact and share information.

2. The integrated key duplication machine of claim 1 wherein the key blank identification system includes an optical imaging device, a database and a logic wherein said optical imaging device captures an image of a master key, said logic identifies features of the master key, and said logic compares said features of the master key with data in said database.

3. The integrated key duplication machine of claim 2 wherein said data in said database relates to key blanks.

4. The integrated key duplication machine of claim 2 wherein said data in said database relates to physical dimensions of key blanks.

5. The integrated key duplication machine of claim 2 wherein said logic aids in determining a proper key blank for the master key.

6. The integrated key duplication machine of claim 5 wherein said logic aids in selecting the proper key blank.

7. The integrated key duplication machine of claim 6 wherein said optical imaging device captures an image of the key blank at an imaging position and said logic validates said key blank.

8. The integrated key duplication machine of claim 1 wherein the retention mechanism and said at least one cutting member further comprises a reflector plate wherein a lighting panel emits light that is reflected off the reflector plate and directed towards said master key.

9. The integrated key duplication machine of claim 2 wherein said master key is imaged and compared with a plurality of key blanks to aid in determining an appropriate key blank while utilizing the image to provide key pattern information to be cut into a key blank.

10. The integrated key duplication machine of claim 9, wherein said key blank identification system and said key cutting system are within a single apparatus.

22. The integrated key duplication machine of claim 1 wherein said retention mechanism panel is vertically movable.

11. A plurality of key duplication systems, comprising:

at least one key blank identification system for identifying key blanks wherein the at least one key blank identification system includes a retention mechanism that includes a slot for receiving a blade of a master key such that an image of the blade of the master key may be captured;

at least one key cutting system for cutting keys; and

a housing wherein said at least one key cutting system is positioned within said housing such that a portion of a key blank is positioned outside said housing when a blade of said key blank is to be cut by the cutting system;

wherein the key blank identification system is configured to operate individually from the key cutting system wherein the key blank identification system and the key cutting system may interact and share information.

12. The systems of claim 11 wherein the at least one key blank identification system includes an optical imaging device, a database and a logic wherein said optical imaging device captures an image of a master key, said logic identifies features of the master key and compares said features of the master key with data in said database.

13. The systems of claim 12 wherein said data in said database relates to key blanks.

14. The systems of claim 12 wherein said data in said database relates to physical dimensions of key blanks.

15. The systems of claim 12 wherein said logic aids in determining a proper key blank for the master key.

16. The systems of claim 15 wherein said logic aids in selecting the proper key blank.

17. The systems of claim 16 wherein said optical imaging device captures an image of the key blank at an imaging position and said logic validates said key blank.

18. The systems of claim 11 wherein said at least one key cutting system includes a retention mechanism, and at least one cutting member.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the retention mechanism and said at least one cutting member further comprising a reflector plate wherein a lighting panel emits light that is reflected off the reflector plate and directed towards said master key.

20. The systems of claim 12 wherein said master key is imaged and compared with a plurality of key blanks to aid in determining an appropriate key blank while utilizing the image to provide key pattern information to be cut into a key blank.

21. The systems of claim 20, wherein said key blank identification system and said key cutting system are within a single apparatus.

23. The systems of claim 11 wherein said retention mechanism is vertically movable.

24. A key duplication system, comprising:

an optical key blank identification system to identify key blanks wherein the optical key blank identification system includes a housing having at least one slot to receive a master key or key blank; and

a key cutting system for cutting keys, wherein the key cutting system includes a retention mechanism panel and at least one cutting member, wherein the retention mechanism panel is positioned within a housing and includes a slot to receive a blade of a key to be retained by the retention mechanism panel and cut by said at least one cutting member wherein a portion of said key is positioned outside said housing when said blade is retained by said retention mechanism panel;

wherein the optical key blank identification system is configured to operate individually from the key cutting system wherein the optical key blank identification system and the key cutting system may interact and share information.