Eurocylinder-type assembly for electronic lock and key system

• US 5,507,162 A
• Filed: 01/24/1994
• Issued: 04/16/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: INTELLIKEY Corp.
• Original Assignee: INTELLIKEY Corp.
• Inventors: Chhatwal, Kn S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gall, Lloyd A.
• Application Number:
  US08/184,024
• Time in Patent Office: 813 Days
• Field of Search: 70/277-283, 70/413, 70/417, 361/172, 340/825.31
• US Class Current: 70/278.3
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 17/22 Means for operating or controlling lock or fastening device accessories, i.e. other than the fastening members, e.g. switches, indicators E05B39/00 - E05B45/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0004 said core being linearly movable
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/063 with a rectilinearly moveable blocking element
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00603 by power transmission from lock
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00785 by light
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00944 Details of construction or manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7079 Key rotated [e.g., Eurocylinder]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/713 Dogging manual operator

Abstract

A `Eurocylinder` configuration for an electronic lock and key system has a plug fitted into a main body housing which is readily mounted into a mortise of standardized dimensions. The plug has a keyway at one end and a deadbolt-engaging cam at the other end. To operate the lock, an electronic key is inserted into the keyway and, when given permission as a result of an opto-electronic communication exchange between a control processor in the key and a control processor in the lock, the key is rotated so as to operate a deadbolt. A spring biased translatable contact serves as a conductive interface between a flex circuit and a contact on the keyblade. The body also includes a solenoid device which is energized by way of the flex circuit. The solenoid device operates a plunger away from the plug to allow rotation of the plug by the key. The body and plug also include a segmented pin arrangement such that when the key and the plug are rotated from a key insertion position, the key cannot be removed. A front end portion of the elongated portion of the housing contains an opto-electronic communication unit which communicates with a complementary opto-electronic communication unit in the key handle.

Claims

1. An assembly for an electronic lock and key system, said key having a handle portion housing an electronic circuit, and a conductive blade portion extending from said handle portion and including a conductive terminal portion mounted upon and insulated from said conductive blade portion, said conductive blade portion and said conductive terminal portion being electrically connected to said electronic circuit, said assembly comprising:

a generally cylindrical body having a keyway therein, said keyway being sized to receive the conductive blade portion of said key, said generally cylindrical body further having a slot extending through a wall portion of said cylindrical body, said slot having a first axis generally transverse to and intersecting said keyway;

an electrically insulating contact insert disposed within said slot;

a translatable electrically conductive contact disposed within said electrically insulating contact insert so as to be translatable along said first axis and engageable by said conductive terminal portion of said key, when said key is inserted into said keyway;

an electrically conductive fixed contact element supported adjacent to said slot and positioned to be conductively engageable with said conductive terminal portion of said key by means of said translatable electrically conductive contact, when said translatable electrically conductive contact is engaged by said conductive terminal portion of said key, when said key is inserted into said keyway;

a flexible insulated conductor link conductively coupled to said electrically conductive fixed contact element; and

a solenoid device having a movable plunger that is translatable along a second axis that intersects said generally cylindrical body, and wherein said generally cylindrical body has a first bore that is alignable with said second axis, and is sized to receive said movable plunger, such that said movable plunger, when inserted into said first bore, prevents rotation of said cylindrical body until said movable plunger is translated out of said first bore by the operation of said solenoid device.

2. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein said translatable electrically conductive contact is biased within said contact insert so as to be urged along said first axis toward said keyway, such that said translatable electrically conductive contact is engaged by said conductive terminal portion of said key when said conductive blade portion of said key is inserted into said keyway.

3. An assembly according to claim 2, wherein said electrically insulating contact insert is configured to limit translation of said electrically conductive contact along said first axis as said translatable electrically conductive contact is biased to a position adjacent to said keyway, such that said conductive blade portion of said key passes by said translatable electrically conductive contact when said key is inserted into said keyway.

4. An assembly according to claim 1, further including a housing having a generally cylindrical cavity in which said generally cylindrical body is inserted, said generally cylindrical cavity containing an electrically insulating fixed contact element holder that includes a recess disposed in an interior surface portion thereof, said recess facing said slot, said recess supporting said electrically conductive fixed contact element adjacent to said slot such that said electrically conductive fixed contact element is conductively engaged by said translatable electrically conductive contact when said translatable electrically conductive contact is translated along said first axis by being engaged by said conductive terminal portion of said key.

5. An assembly according to claim 4, wherein said electrically insulating fixed contact element holder has a passageway sized to accommodate said flexible insulated conductor link extending into electrical contact with said fixed contact element.

6. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein said electrically conductive fixed contact element is comprised of flexible conductive material so as to ensure electrical coupling between said translatable electrically conductive contact and said flexible insulated conductor link when said translatable electrically conductive contact is translated along said first axis into conductive contact with said fixed contact element by being engaged by said conductive terminal portion of said key.

7. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein said generally cylindrical body further includes a second bore extending from a first outer surface portion of said cylindrical body to a prescribed depth intersecting said keyway, said second bore being sized to receive a first pin that is engageable by said conductive blade portion of said key.

8. An assembly according to claim 7, wherein said depth of said second bore corresponds to the length of said first pin.

9. An assembly according to claim 7, further including a housing having a first cavity that is configured to accommodate said generally cylindrical body, and a second cavity adjacent to said first cavity and being sized to receive a cam member that is mountable with said generally cylindrical body, such that rotation of said generally cylindrical body within said first cavity of said housing causes rotation of said cam member within said second cavity of said housing, and wherein said housing further includes a third bore that extends generally transversely of said first cavity, and is sized and located so as to be alignable with said second bore in said generally cylindrical body, said third bore receiving a second pin that is biased toward said first pin in said second bore, so that said second pin may contact and urge said first pin through said second bore to engage said conductive blade portion of said key.

10. An assembly according to claim 9, wherein said housing further includes a third cavity that is configured to receive a first opto-electronic communication unit, said first opto-electronic communication unit being operative to communicate with a second opto-electronic communication unit retained by said handle portion of said key, and wherein a flex circuit, to which said flexible conductor link is connected, is provided in said third cavity and is connectable to said first opto-electronic communication unit.

11. An assembly according to claim 10, wherein said housing further includes a fourth cavity that communicates with said first cavity and is configured to accommodate said solenoid device therein and wherein said flex circuit is connected to said solenoid device.

12. An assembly according to claim 11, further including a plurality of regions of hardened material that prevent forced penetration access to components in cavities of said housing and generally cylindrical body.

13. An assembly according to claim 9, wherein said translatable electrically conductive contact is biased within said contact insert so as to be urged along said first axis toward said keyway, such that said translatable electrically conductive contact is engaged by said conductive terminal portion of said key when said conductive blade portion of said key is inserted into said keyway.

14. An assembly according to claim 13, wherein said electrically insulating contact insert is configured to limit translation of said translatable electrically conductive contact along said first axis as said translatable electrically conductive contact is biased to a position adjacent to said keyway, such that said conductive blade portion of said key passes by said translatable electrically conductive contact when said conductive blade portion of said key is inserted into said keyway.

15. An assembly according to claim 14, wherein said first cavity retains therein an electrically insulating fixed contact element holder that includes a recess disposed in an interior surface portion thereof, said recess facing said slot, said recess supporting said electrically conductive fixed contact element adjacent to said slot such that said electrically conductive fixed contact element is conductively engaged by said translatable electrically conductive contact when said translatable electrically conductive contact is translated along said first axis to be engaged by said conductive terminal portion of said key.

16. An assembly according to claim 15, wherein said electrically insulating fixed contact element holder has a passageway sized to accommodate said flexible insulated conductor link extending into electrical contact with said fixed contact element.

17. An assembly according to claim 16, wherein said electrically conductive fixed contact element is comprised of flexible conductive material so as to ensure electrical coupling between said translatable electrically conductive contact and said flexible insulated conductor link when said translatable electrically conductive contact is translated along said first axis into conductive contact with said fixed contact element by being engaged by said conductive terminal portion of said key.

18. An assembly according to claim 1, further including a solenoid housing having a longitudinal cylindrical bore therethrough, said longitudinal cylindrical bore being surrounded by a solenoid winding of said solenoid device, said movable plunger being slidably translatable along said second axis, said second axis being a longitudinal axis within said longitudinal cylindrical bore, said moveable plunger having a stem and being mechanically biased by a compression spring that rides on said stem within said longitudinal cylindrical bore, said compression spring being fitted between a first surface of said moveable plunger and a bottom interior surface of said longitudinal cylindrical bore of said solenoid housing, said spring being operative, in the absence of the energization of said solenoid winding, to bias said moveable plunger away from the bottom interior surface of said longitudinal cylindrical bore, whereas energization of said solenoid winding is effective to translate said moveable plunger toward the bottom interior surface of said longitudinal cylindrical bore.

19. An assembly according to claim 1 further including a housing having a first cavity that is configured to accommodate said generally cylindrical body, and a second cavity adjacent to said first cavity and being sized to receive a cam member that is mountable with said generally cylindrical body, such that rotation of said generally cylindrical body within said first cavity of said housing causes rotation of said cam member within said second cavity of said housing.

20. An assembly according to claim 19, wherein said housing further includes a third cavity that communicates with said first cavity and is configured to accommodate said solenoid device therein.

21. An assembly according to claim 20, wherein said housing further includes a fourth cavity that is configured to accommodate the insertion of said flexible conductor link therein and a flex circuit to which said flexible conductor link is connected, said flex circuit being connected to said solenoid device.

22. An assembly for an electronic lock and key system, said key having a handle portion housing an electronic circuit, and a conductive blade portion extending from said handle portion and including a conductive terminal portion mounted upon and insulated from said conductive blade portion, said conductive blade portion and said conductive terminal portion being electrically connected to said electronic circuit, said assembly comprising:

a conductive housing having a generally cylindrical first housing portion and a generally elongated second housing portion solid with said first housing portion, said first housing portion having a longitudinal bore into which a cylindrical key-receiving plug is inserted, said plug having a keyway being rotatable by the turning of said key that has been inserted into said keyway and electronically verified to have permission to operate the lock;

a lock operating element mounted with said plug, said lock operating element being rotatable in a cavity formed in said second housing portion;

an insulating contact element holder disposed in said longitudinal bore, said contact element holder containing a fixed metallic contact element and a flex circuit connected thereto;

said plug having a slot which intersects said keyway, said slot containing a translatable electrically conductive contact which is electrically connected with said fixed metallic contact element and supported in said slot for contact with said conductive terminal portion of said key but not said blade portion of said key; and

a solenoid device to which said flex circuit is electrically coupled, said solenoid device having a moveable plunger that is arranged to be translatable into and out of a plunger-receiving bore in said plug, said moveable plunger being biased to normally be inserted into said plunger-receiving bore, so as to engage said plug and thereby prevent rotation of the plug, but, in response to energization of said solenoid device, being translated out of said plunger-receiving bore in said plug, so as to allow rotation of said plug in the longitudinal bore in said first housing portion.

23. An assembly according to claim 22, wherein said second housing portion further includes an additional housing bore alignable with a corresponding additional bore in said plug, said additional housing bore containing a first pin biased toward said plug, said corresponding additional bore in said plug extending to a prescribed depth in said keyway, and having a second pin which is of such a length that, when said key is inserted into said keyway, said corresponding additional bore is axially aligned with said additional housing bore and said second pin is captured within a detent in said blade portion.

24. An assembly according to claim 23, wherein the length of said second pin is such that said second pin is flush with the outer cylindrical surface of the plug when said key is inserted in said keyway to capture said second pin within said detent in said blade portion.

25. An assembly according to claim 22, wherein a front end portion of said second housing portion contains an opto-electronic communication unit having opto-electronic transmit and receive devices, which are operative to communicate with mutually aligned receive and transmit opto-electronic modules of an opto-electronic communication unit within said handle portion of said key.

26. An assembly according to claim 25 wherein electrical connections to the opto-electronic transmit and receive devices of said second housing portion are provided by way of said flex circuit.

27. An assembly according to claim 22, further including a plurality of regions of hardened material that prevent forced penetration access to components in cavities of said housing and said plug.

28. An assembly according to claim 22, further wherein the slot in said plug contains an insulating contact insert having a first bore which extends from an outer surface portion thereof to a base thereof, and a second, reduced diameter bore formed in said base, a conductive cap disposed within said first bore of said insulating contact insert, said translatable electrically conductive contact having a nipple portion that passes through said second bore in said base of said contact insert and protrudes to a position adjacent to said keyway.

29. An assembly according to claim 28, wherein said translatable electrically conductive contact has a bore that accommodates one end of a compression spring, the other end of which is seated against an interior surface of said conductive cap, and wherein said slot, said contact insert, said conductive cap and said translatable electrically conductive contact are dimensioned such that said nipple portion of said translatable electrically conductive contact does not enter the keyway, so that said translatable electrically conductive contact will not be contacted by said conductive blade portion of said key when said key is inserted into said keyway.

30. An assembly according to claim 28, wherein said translatable electrically conductive contact has a bore that accommodates one end of a compression spring, the other end of which is seated against an interior surface of said conductive cap, and wherein said slot, said contact insert, said conductive cap and said translatable electrically conductive contact are dimensioned such that only said nipple portion of said translatable electrically conductive contact will be physically and electrically engaged by said conductive terminal portion of said key, when the key is inserted into the keyway.

31. An assembly according to claim 22, wherein said insulating contact element holder has an interior surface depression in which said fixed metallic contact element is disposed and an exterior surface channel in which said flex circuit is disposed, said exterior surface channel communicating with said interior surface depression and containing a portion of said flex circuit.

32. An assembly according to claim 22, further including a solenoid housing portion having a longitudinal cylindrical bore therethrough, said longitudinal cylindrical bore being surrounded by a solenoid winding of said solenoid device, said movable plunger being slidably translatable along a longitudinal axis within said longitudinal cylindrical bore, said moveable plunger having a stem and being mechanically biased by a compression spring that rides on said stem within said longitudinal cylindrical bore, said compression spring being fitted between a first surface of said moveable plunger and a bottom interior surface of said longitudinal cylindrical bore of said solenoid housing portion, said spring being operative, in the absence of the energization of said solenoid winding, to bias said moveable plunger away from the bottom interior surface of said longitudinal cylindrical bore, whereas energization of said solenoid winding is effective to translate said moveable plunger toward the bottom interior surface of said longitudinal cylindrical bore.