Key system for a vehicle

• US 5,117,097 A
• Filed: 02/20/1991
• Issued: 05/26/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Inventors: Nawa, Toshiaki, Kimura, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Levy, Stuart S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tan
• Application Number:
  US07/657,869
• Time in Patent Office: 461 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/439, 235/449, 235/492, 235/493, 235/382, 235/382.5, 70/277, 70/278, 70/454, 70/254, 70/413, 70/59, 362/100
• US Class Current: 235/439
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/20 Means to switch the anti-theft system on or off
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2063 Ignition switch geometry
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00777 by induction
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7079 Key rotated [e.g., Eurocylinder]

Abstract

A key system provided with the key, a magnetic core, a cylinder body and the magnetic field generation coil. In the key system communication is performed through magnetic coupling between the key and a cylinder so as to drive a controlled object. An inductance and capacitance resonance (LC) circuit having intrinsic resonance points as key information is mounted in the head of the key. The magnetic core is secured to the outside circumferential surface of a rotor at the key insertion hole thereof so as to form a magnetic circuit in cooperation with the key when the key is inserted into the key insertion hole.

Claims

1. A key system of an electromagnetic coupling type, comprising:

a key for storing key information, said key having an inserting member and a head to be operated;

cylinder means for electromagnetically communicating with said key, said cylinder means including;

a cylinder body having a key insertion hole into which said inserting member of said key is inserted;

a rotor for receiving said key, said rotor being rotatable with said key;

a magnetic core for forming a magnetic circuit with said key, said magnetic core surrounding said rotor, said magnetic core being rotatable with said rotor; and

means for generating a magnetic field, said magnetic field generating means being substantially unmovable with respect to said rotor, said magnetic field generating means including;

a bobbin movably fitted on said magnetic core;

a wire would on said bobbin; and

a cylindrical member for leading said wire along an axis of said cylinder body, said cylindrical member being unitarily formed with said bobbin.

2. The key system of claim 1, wherein said key comprises:

a resonance circuit provided in said head;

a key core; and

a key coil would on said key core and connected to said resonance circuit, said key core positions close to said magnetic core of said cylinder means when said key is inserted into said key insertion hole of said cylinder body.

3. The key system of claim 2, wherein said resonance circuit is an inductance/capacitance circuit having an intrinsic resonance frequency performing as said key information.

4. The key system of claim 1, further comprising:

a rotor case for accommodating said rotor and said magnetic core, said rotor case being secured to said rotor, said rotor case being provided with a slit through which a cylindrical member of said magnetic field generation means passes; and

a cover for covering said rotor, said cover being provided with a through hole through which said cylindrical member of said magnetic field generation means.

5. The key system of claim 1, wherein said magnetic core is substantially semicircular in shape.

6. The key system of claim 1, wherein said magnetic core is formed of ferrite.

7. The key system of claim 1, further comprising means for illuminating said key and said key insertion hole of said cylinder body, said illuminating means comprising:

a bulb for emitting light;

a bulb case for mounting said bulb, said bulb case being slidably mounted on said cylinder body;

an illumination ring secured to said bulb case, said illumination ring surrounding said key insertion hole and said key when said key is inserted, said illumination ring guiding said light emitted from said bulb.

8. The key system of claim 2, wherein a gap between said magnetic core of said cylinder means and said core of said key is defined within a range between 6-24 mm.