Remote control key for preventing theft of transponder and method for manufacturing the same

• US 7,119,663 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2004
• Issued: 10/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Inventors: Katagiri, Toshiharu, Kawai, Yoshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): AU, SCOTT D
• Application Number:
  US10/759,629
• Publication Number:
  US 20040145450A1
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.72, 340/10.5, 340/7.63, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 361/517, 361/535, 341/176
• US Class Current: 340/5.72
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00944 Details of construction or manufacture

Abstract

A remote control key that may easily be disassembled while preventing theft of its transponder. The remote control key includes a transmitter for transmitting a signal to remotely control locking and unlocking of a door. The transponder transmits a predetermined ID code. A housing retains the transmitter and the transponder. A pad is formed on the housing to operate the transmitter. A seal seals the transponder that is retained in the housing. The seal and the pad are formed from the same material.

Claims

1. A remote control key comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting a signal to remotely control locking and unlocking of a door;

a transponder for transmitting a predetermined ID code;

a housing for retaining the transmitter and the transponder;

a pad formed on an outer surface of the housing to operate the transmitter; and

a seal formed around the transponder that is retained in the housing, wherein the seal and the pad are formed from the same material.

2. The remote control key according to claim 1, wherein the transponder is sealed so that removal of the transponder from the seal partially exfoliates the seal and leaves a removal mark on the outer surface of the housing.

3. The remote control key according to claim 1, wherein the pad and the seal are formed integrally with each other.

4. The remote control key according to claim 1, wherein the seal is partially exposed from the outer surface of the housing.

5. The remote control key according to claim 1, wherein at least pan of the pad is overlapped with the seal.

6. The remote control key according to claim 1, wherein the pad and the seal are connected to each other.

7. The remote control key according to claim 1, wherein the pad and the seal are formed from a flexible material.

8. The remote control key according to claim 7, wherein the flexible material is an elastomeric material.

9. The remote control key according to claim 1, wherein the housing includes a first retainer for retaining the transmitter and a second retainer for retaining the transponder.

10. The remote control key according to claim 9, wherein the housing includes a receptacle connected with the first retainer and partially connected with the second retainer.

11. The remote control key according to claim 1, wherein the housing includes a partition for defining a retainer which retains the transponder, and a receptacle in which the pad is formed, and wherein the receptacle is connected with the retainer.

12. The remote control key according to claim 1, further comprising a cover attached to the housing to cover the transmitter and the transponder, wherein the seal is exposed from joining surfaces of the housing and the cover.

13. The remote control key according to claim 1, further comprising a cover attached to the housing to cover the transmitter and the transponder, wherein the seal covers the entire transponder so that the transponder is not visible from the exterior when the cover is removed from the housing.

14. The remote control key according to claim 1, further comprising a cover attached to the housing to cover the transmitter and the transponder, and a screw for fastening the cover to the housing.

15. A method for manufacturing a remote control key including a transmitter which transmits a signal to remotely control locking and unlocking of a door, and a transponder, the method comprising:

retaining the transponder in a housing;

forming a pad on the housing to operate the transmitter, and

sealing around the transponder retained in the housing with a material that forms the pad.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein said sealing the transponder includes seating the transponder with a seal formed integrally with the pad.

17. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

retaining the transmitter in the housing; and

attaching a cover to the housing with a screw.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein said sealing the transponder includes covering the entire transponder with the seal so that the transponder is not visible from the exterior when the cover is removed from the housing.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein said sealing the transponder includes sealing the transponder with a seal that is exposed from an outer surface of the housing or the cover.

20. The method according to claim 15, wherein said forming a pad includes forming the pad from a flexible material.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the flexible material is an elastomeric material.

22. The method according to claim 15, wherein said sealing the transponder includes sealing the transponder with a seal overlapped width at least part of the pad.

23. The method according to claim 15, wherein said sealing the transponder includes sealing the transponder with a seal connected to the pad.

24. The method according to claim 15, wherein the housing includes a first retainer for retaining the transmitter and a second retainer for retaining the transponder.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the housing includes a receptacle connected to the first retainer and partially connected with the second retainer, said forming the pad includes filling material for forming the pad in the receptacle, and said sealing the transponder includes sealing the transponder with the material filled in the receptacle.