Key measurement apparatus and method

• US 6,406,227 B1
• Filed: 02/01/2000
• Issued: 06/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Machine Magic LLC
• Original Assignee: Machine Magic LLC
• Inventors: Bolkcom, John E., Titus, John S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Briggs, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cadugan, Erica E
• Application Number:
  US09/495,090
• Time in Patent Office: 868 Days
• Field of Search: 409/80, 409/81, 409/83, 409/96, 409/117, 409/98, 409/99, 409/128, 409/132, 409/131, 761/10, 700/161, 700/163, 700/195, 700/118, 700/182, 700/98, 700/159, 356/607, 356/608
• US Class Current: 409/81
• CPC Class Codes: B23C 2235/28 Key blanks
• CPC Class Codes: B23C 2235/32 Measurement systems
• CPC Class Codes: B23C 3/35 Milling grooves in keys
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 19/0011 Key decoders general measuring of contours and curvatures G01B3/14, G01B5/20, G01B7/28
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 409/300896 with sensing of numerical information and regulation without mechanical connection between sensing means and regulated means [i.e., numerical control]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 409/300952 to cut lock key
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 409/301064 Complete cycle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 409/301792 including means to sense optical or magnetic image
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 409/30196 to actuate electrically driven work or tool moving means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 409/303808 including infeeding

Abstract

In a method and apparatus for measuring an original key, a line of the light is focused onto the key surface in a direction perpendicular to the key surface. A camera, or other type of detector is disposed to receive light deflected by the key at an oblique angle. The keyway and keycode of the key can be determined from the deflected pattern of light.

Claims

1. A method of measuring an original key having a keyway on a major surface of a key shaft, comprising:

illuminating the major surface of the key shaft with a line of light focused approximately on the major surface of the original key, the light propagating in a direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the shaft; and

detecting light deflected from the line of light by the surface of the original key at an angle non-perpendicular to the major surface.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising focusing the light to a line focus approximately on the major surface of the original key.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising focusing the light to a spot focus and scanning the spot focus across the shaft of the original key.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a characteristic of the keyway of the original key from the detected light.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising machining, in a key preform, a keyway duplicate of the keyway of the original key.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising generating a signal indicative of the keyway of the original key and generating machining instructions for machining the duplicate keyway in the preform from the signal indicative of the keyway of the original key.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the angle is at least 30°

.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising translating the line of light along the shaft of the original key.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising translating the line of light along the shaft of the original key between one end of a key code of the key and the other end of the key code.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a key code of the original key from the detected light.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising translating the line of light along the shaft of the original key between one end of a key code of the original key and the other end of the key code and generating a signal indicative of the key code of the original key.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising generating machining instructions for machining a duplicate key code in a key preform from the signal indicative of the key code of the original key and forming the duplicate key code in the key preform using the machining instructions.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising machining, in a key preform, a key code duplicate of the key code of the original key.

14. A system for measuring an original key having at least one groove in a first major surface of a key shaft forming a keyway, the system comprising:

the original key having at least one groove in the first major surface of the key shaft forming a keyway;

a key holder to hold the original key in a pre-selected position with the key shaft approximately parallel to a first axis;

a light source producing a beam of light directed substantially perpendicularly to the first axis towards the first major surface and illuminating a line across the key shaft when the original key is held in the pre-selected position; and

a light detector positioned to receive light deflected in a direction substantially non-perpendicular to the first axis when the original key is held in the key holder at the pre-selected position.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein one of the key holder and the light source is mounted on a translation element to permit movement of the key holder relative to the beam of light in a direction parallel to the first axis.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising a controller coupled to the translation element to control movement of the translation stage, and coupled to the light detector to receive data from the light detector.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the key holder is rotatable so as to present a second major surface of the key shaft, the second major surface being parallel to the first axis, to the light source for illumination.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the light source includes a focusing element to focus the light beam to a spot focused approximately at the first major surface and a scanning element to scan the focused spot across the shaft of the original key when the original key is in the key holder.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the light source includes a focusing element to focus the light beam to a line focus focused approximately at the first major surface of the key when the key is held in the key holder.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the light detector includes a two-dimensional array of light detecting elements.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein the light detector is positioned to receive light deflected by the key at an angle of at least 30°

relative to the first axis.

22. The system of claim 14, further comprising a controller to generate a signal indicative of the keyway of the original key from light detected by the light detector.

23. The system of claim 22, further comprising machining tools coupled to receive machining instructions from the controller for machining a duplicate keyway in a key preform, the machining instructions based on the signal indicative of the keyway of the original key.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the controller further generates a signal indicative of a key code of the original key from the light detected by the light detector and the machining tools are coupled to receive machining instructions from the controller for machining a duplicate key code in the key preform based on the signal indicative of the key code of the original key.

25. The system of claim 14, further comprising a controller to generate a signal indicative of a key code of the original key from light detected by the light detector.

26. The system of claim 25, further comprising machining tools couple to receive machining instructions from the controller for machining a duplicate key code in a key perform, the machining instructions based on the signal indicative of the key code of the original key.

27. The system of claim 14, wherein, a plane defined by light passing to the original key from the light source and from the key to the detector has a substantial component parallel to the first axis.