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EP-4577711-B1 - A KEY BLANK, A CODED KEY AND A CYLINDER LOCK AND KEY SYSTEM WITH IMPROVED STOP ARRANGEMENT

EP4577711B1EP 4577711 B1EP4577711 B1EP 4577711B1EP-4577711-B1

Inventors

  • Widén, Bo

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20230728

Claims (20)

  1. A key blank (100; 400) comprising: - a grip portion (110), serving to facilitate: • insertion of a substantially flat key blade (150) in a forward direction and withdrawal of the substantially flat key blade in a backward direction along a longitudinal axis (A), and • turning the substantially flat key blade, so that it rotates around said longitudinal axis and causes a corresponding rotary motion of a key plug (900) of an associated cylinder lock, and - said substantially flat key blade (150), which: • extends from said grip portion (110) along said longitudinal axis (A), • includes, as seen longitudinally in the forward direction: ▪ a connecting portion (120) adjoining to said grip portion and being provided with a lateral extension, the connecting portion (120) also being provided with a first selectable abutment surface facing in said forward direction, said first selectable abutment surface being formed as a forward end surface (125) of a longitudinal rib portion (121), which extends in parallel to said longitudinal axis (A), ▪ a major longitudinal bitting portion (130) adjoining to said connecting portion and serving to be provided with a row of coded cuts (131) lying within a vertical range of said bitting portion, and ▪ a free tip portion (140), adjoining to said major longitudinal bitting portion (130), and • has a cross-sectional profile, which is substantially confined within a rectangle (R) having a height (h) being at least 2.5 times greater than a width (w) thereof, • said cross-sectional profile including ∘ a lower part (160), having a maximum width being substantially the same as or slightly less than the width of the rectangle, the maximum width of the lower part being 75% to 100% of the width (w) of the rectangle, ∘ an upper part (170) being narrower than said lower part, and ∘ an interconnecting part (165) extending between said lower and upper parts, characterized in that • said longitudinal rib portion (121) is confined longitudinally to said connecting portion (120) of the substantially flat key blade, • whereby the location of said forward end surface (125) of the longitudinal rib portion (121), forming the first abutment surface on the key, is selectable along the whole length of said connecting portion (120), and in that said longitudinal rib portion (121; 2121; 6121) extends along a selected fractional part of the connecting portion and is located at a lateral side of said upper part (170, 270; 6170) of the substantially flat key blade, where the upper part is narrower than said lower part (160; 260; 6160), and is also located at a vertical level lying within said vertical range of said coded cuts (131) to be formed in said bitting portion of the substantially flat key blade, the longitudinal rib portion being confined also within the contour of or slightly laterally outside said rectangle, with a possible lateral extension exceeding the width of the rectangle by at most 25%, and said longitudinal rib portion being located in the vicinity of an upper edge (171, 571) of said upper part of the substantially flat key blade at said connecting portion (120) thereof.
  2. The key blank as defined in claim 1, wherein the key blank is provided with two longitudinal rib portions (221a, 222a; 221b, 222b), one on each lateral side of said upper part (270a; 270b) of the substantially flat key blade (200a;200b), the selected lengths of said two longitudinal rib portions being mutually equal or mutually different.
  3. The key blank as defined in claim 1 or 2, wherein: - said interconnecting part (265a, 165) includes a substantially vertical portion adjoining to one lateral side portion of said lower part (260a, 160), and - said upper part (270a, 170) is located substantially centrally along a mid-plane (M) of said rectangle (R), within which the profile is confined, and - wherein said longitudinal rib portion (221a; 222a, 121) is located on one or both lateral sides of said upper part (270a, 170) of the substantially flat key blade at said connecting portion thereof.
  4. The key blank as defined in claim 3, wherein said substantially vertical portion of said interconnecting part (265a, 165) forms an inner surface (267a, 167) of an undercut groove (268a, 168) being formed in a lateral side surface of said substantially flat key blade, the lateral width of said substantially vertical portion of said interconnecting part (265a, 165) above an undercut portion of said undercut groove being narrower than said lower part (260a, 160) of the substantially flat key blade.
  5. The key blank as defined in claim 4, wherein said undercut portion of said undercut groove (268a, 168) forms an inside of a security ridge (266a, 166) extending upwards from said lower part (260a, 160) of the substantially flat key blade in parallel to said interconnecting part (265a, 165).
  6. The key blank as defined in claim 4 or 5, wherein said undercut groove (268a, 268e, 268f; 168) is extended vertically downwards into a pocket (269f) having opposite side surfaces and a lowermost bottom surface.
  7. The key blank as defined in claim 6, wherein said opposite side surfaces of said pocket are substantially parallel to each other.
  8. The key blank as defined in any of claims 5 to 7, wherein an upper inside portion of said security ridge (266c, 166) is inclined so as to face upwards towards an upper part of said undercut groove (268c, 168), said upper part of the groove being open in a lateral direction.
  9. The key blank (300b) as defined in claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional profile of the substantially flat key blade comprises: - an undercut profile groove (368b), located at one side of the substantially flat key blade, - the lateral side surfaces of said substantially flat key blade located vertically above and below said undercut profile groove lying substantially in a same vertical plane, and - a shelf surface (369b), located at the opposite side of the substantially flat key blade, and - wherein said longitudinal, rib portion (322b) at the connecting portion of the substantially flat key blade is located at a lateral side of said upper part of the substantially flat key blade above said shelf surface (369b).
  10. The key blank (400) as defined in claim 1, wherein: - the cross-sectional profile of the key blank comprises two grooves (468,469) in the two opposite lateral side surfaces of the substantially flat key blade, the two grooves being located in said interconnecting part (465) of the substantially flat key blade, and - the depths of these two grooves are greater than half the width (w) of said rectangle in which the substantially flat key blade is confined, whereas the upper part of said substantially flat key blade is located substantially centrally along a mid-plane of said rectangle, and wherein said longitudinal rib portion (421,422) is located on one or both lateral sides of said upper part (470) of the substantially flat key blade at said connecting portion thereof.
  11. The key blank (500a, 500b, 500c, 500d) as defined in claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional profile of said key blank includes an upper part (570a, 570b, 570c, 570d) which is inclined 3° to 12° relative to a mid-plane of said rectangle within which the substantially flat key blank is confined.
  12. A coded key formed from a key blank as defined in any of claims 1 to 11, wherein an upper part of said major longitudinal portion of the substantially flat key blade is provided with said row of coded cuts (131a to 131f).
  13. The coded key (200d) as defined in claim 12, wherein there is also an additional code pattern located in the lower part of said major longitudinal bitting portion of the substantially flat key blade, said additional code pattern being located at a bottom surface of a pocket (269e; 269f) formed at an undercut profile groove (268e; 268f), between said interconnecting part and an upward security ridge (266e; 266f), said additional code pattern including coded concavities longitudinally along said major longitudinal bitting portion at a number of different vertical levels, said coded concavities being at least partially concealed by said security ridge (266e; 266f) when being observed laterally sideways in a horizontal direction being substantially perpendicular to the vertical mid plane of said substantially flat key blade.
  14. A cylinder lock and key system including the coded key (100) as defined in claim 12 or 13, in combination with the key plug (900) of said associated cylinder lock, comprising one or more cylinder lock and key combinations, where at least one cylinder lock and key combination forms a matching pair, including: • a housing having a cylindrical bore, and • a key plug (900) with a cylindrical body portion (940), being journalled in said cylindrical bore, and an adjoining radially widened portion (930) having a larger radius than said cylindrical portion, • with a longitudinal keyway (910) extending from a front end portion to a rear end portion of the key plug, • said longitudinal keyway (910) having a specific cross-sectional profile corresponding to the cross-sectional profile of the substantially flat key blade of the coded key, so that the coded key fits slidingly in said longitudinal keyway, • there being a row of central locking pins (960) which are vertically movable in vertical bores (905) in said cylindrical body portion in a central plane of the key plug, and • said locking pins (960) cooperating with said row of coded cuts (131a to 131f) of the coded key, wherein: • the coded key is insertable in said forward direction into a releasing position in the keyway of the key plug, where it enables releasing of the lock by turning the coded key (100) around said longitudinal axis (A) and causing a corresponding rotary motion of the key plug (900), and • the cylinder lock and key in each said matching pair are provided with mutually cooperating first and second abutment surfaces facing in opposite directions along said longitudinal axis (A), and wherein: • the first abutment surface is formed by said forward end surface (125) of said longitudinal rib portion (121) of the substantially flat key blade, said forward end surface being located at a desired position along said connecting portion of the substantially flat key blade, • the second abutment surface is formed by a matching front end surface (925) located at said front end portion of the key plug (900), and • the longitudinal length of said longitudinal rib portion (121) of said substantially flat key blade and the longitudinal position of said matching front end surface (925) at the key plug are selected so that, in each said matching pair, said forward end surface of said longitudinal rib portion and said matching front end surface at the key plug will make contact with each other when the key reaches said releasing position in the key plug.
  15. The cylinder lock and key system as defined in claim 14, wherein said matching front end surface of said key plug of the cylinder lock is formed by: • a bottom surface (925) in a longitudinal cavity (921) located in said front end portion (930) of the key plug (900), • said longitudinal cavity (921) being formed by a laterally sideways extended part of the keyway (910), • said longitudinal cavity (921) being configured so as to accommodate said longitudinal rib portion (121) of the substantially flat key blade and having a selected depth measured from an entrance opening in said radially widened portion (930) of the key plug to said bottom portion (925) of said longitudinal cavity (921), • said longitudinal cavity (921) of the key plug is located at a vertical level lying within said vertical range of said row of coded cuts (131a to 131f) in said upper part of the substantially flat key blade, when the latter is inserted into said keyway (910), and • in each said matching pair, the selected longitudinal length of said longitudinal rib portion (121) of the coded key is equal to said selected depth of said longitudinal cavity (921) of the key plug.
  16. The cylinder lock and key system as defined in claim 14 or 15, wherein the system is a hierarchical system with sub-groups of different ranks.
  17. The cylinder lock and key system as defined in claim 16, wherein a sub-group in said system includes: • in addition to two or more matching pairs with various selected lengths of the longitudinal rib portions of the keys, and corresponding selected longitudinal locations of said matching front end surfaces of said key plugs, • other possible cylinder lock and key combinations within the sub-group where the longitudinal rib portion (3121) of the key (3100) is too short, which would result in a misalignment of the coded cuts of the substantially flat key blade and the locking pins of the key plug, so that the key would never reach its releasing position, and • such a misalignment is avoided by means of a supplemental stop arrangement ∘ including a further abutment surface (3122) on the key which will replace said longitudinal rib portion (3121) being too short, and ∘ a further abutment surface (3935) on the key plug which will replace the matching front end surface (3921) at the key plug (3900), ∘ said further abutment surfaces (3122, 3935) securing a correct stopping of the key in said key plug, for one or more of said other lock and key combinations where the central locking pins of the key plug would be misaligned relative to the coded cuts of the key because of a too short longitudinal rib portion on the key, wherein said further abutment surfaces are configured to make contact with each other when the key reaches said releasing position in the key plug.
  18. The cylinder lock and key system as defined in claim 17, wherein: - said further abutment surface (1125) on the coded key (1100) is located at the free tip portion of the substantially flat key blade, and - said further abutment surface on the key plug is formed on a fixed stop member (1926) at the back end portion of the key plug (1900).
  19. The cylinder lock and key system as defined in claim 17, wherein: - said further abutment surface on the coded key is formed by an end surface (6168as) of a groove (6168a) located in said lower part (6160) and possibly also in said interconnecting part of the substantially flat key blade (6100), - said groove (6168a) extending longitudinally backwards from said free tip portion (6140) of the substantially flat key blade towards said grip portion and being shorter than said major longitudinal bitting portion (6130) of said substantially flat key blade, and - said further abutment surface on the key plug is formed by at least one obstructing pin (6169a) being located at a fixed position in said cylindrical portion of the key plug (6900), - said obstructing pin (6169a) serving to partially obstruct a passage up to an adjacent central locking pin from below.
  20. The cylinder lock and key system as defined in claim 17, wherein: - said further abutment surface on the coded key is formed on a second longitudinal rib portion (521c) located on an opposite lateral side as compared to a first longitudinal rib portion (522c), - said second longitudinal rib portion (521c) being longer than said first longitudinal rib portion and/or being located at a lower vertical level than said first longitudinal rib portion, and - a corresponding further abutment surface is formed on the key plug in the keyway thereof, and wherein: - said further abutment surfaces on said second longitudinal rib portion on the key and in said keyway of the key plug are configured to make contact with each other, instead of said first and second abutment surfaces, when the key reaches its releasing position in the key plug.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a key blank of the kind stated in the preamble of claim 1. The present invention also includes a key blank having a coded bitting portion, so as to form a coded key, as well as a cylinder lock and key system, including a coded key and an associated lock with a key plug. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART A similar key blank and a coded key is known, for example from the European patent specification EP 3,219,882 B1 (ASSA AB). In the embodiment shown in this document, there are selectable axial positions for first stop or abutment surfaces on each key, cooperating with second abutment surfaces on the key plug and being located adjacent to each other side by side, and being equidistantly separated in a respective set of keys by a stop separation distance, the selectable positions of one set being axially offset to at least one other set. Also, the first stop surfaces on the keys are all located on a step-like transition at a connecting portion of the substantially flat key blade. In this way, the security of the system cylinder lock and key system is enhanced because the offset configuration of the axial positions of the two adjacent first abutment surfaces is difficult to predict for unauthorized persons who wish to reproduce the first surfaces correctly in an attempt to copy the key. However, since the first abutment surfaces on each key (see Figures 1c, 4a, 7b, 10c, 11c, and 13) are located on a step-like transition at the connecting portion of the key, the selectable locations of the first abutment surfaces will be confined to a limited longitudinal range within the step-like transition. Also, the second stop surfaces are defined by the bottom wall of a respective recess formed axially in the extension 110 of the plug 104" (see paragraph 48, column 10, lines 2-6). Thus, the possible variations are limited to a longitudinal range being less than the axial length of the extension 110 and will therefore affect the flexibility when selecting a particular pair of locations of the two adjacent first and second abutment surfaces on the key and the plug, respectively. Another prior art key blank (and coded key), which is likewise provided with a step-like transition portion at a connecting portion of a substantially flat key blade, is known from EP 0 377 135 A2, (BKS GmbH). This prior art key blank and coded key is of the same kind as referred to in the opening paragraph, i.e. as stated in the preamble of claim 1. In this prior art key blank (and coded key), the longitudinal rib portion is located at a lateral side of the relatively wide upper part (when comparing the upper and lower parts of the present invention and the BKS prior art key blank and coded key, it is necessary to take into consideration that the relatively wide part of the BKS cross-sectional profile of the key blade is the upper part and the relatively narrow part is the lower part). Thus, in the BKS key blank and coded key, the longitudinal rib portion 9 (see figures 1 and. 2 in EP 0 377 135 A2) forming a lateral extension of the key blade, is positioned within the area of the relatively wide part, having a maximum width being substantially the same as or slightly less than the width of any rectangle in which it is substantially confined, and not in the relatively narrow part. A still further prior art key blank (and coded key), which is likewise provided with a step-like transition portion at a connecting portion of a substantially flat key blade, is known from the German published patent application DE 10 2013 106 028 A1 (WILKA). This prior art key blank and coded key has a connecting portion provided with a protrusion serving to interact with a rotatable key plug of an associated cylinder lock, and this protrusion operates in a special way by gripping and holding a pin being journalled in a transversal bore in the key plug adjacent to the keyway. When being held in a gripped position, the pin is withdrawn from a locking position into a releasing position where it will permit the key plug to be rotated. So, this prior art key blank or coded key interacts with the key plug of the associated lock in a different manner. OBJECT OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to accomplish an improved stop arrangement which provides a flexible arrangement for stopping the insertion of a key into a key plug of an associated lock at a selectable position. More, specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a more flexible structure of the substantially flat key blank or coded key so that the length and location of the lateral extension of the substantially flat key blade is broadly variable within the whole connecting portion between the grip portion and the bitting portion of the substantially flat key blade. Thus, the selectable length and location of the lateral extension should not be confined to a step-like transition or some other limited part of the conne