Electronic key

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9830761-B2
Application number	US-201414778356-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 19, 2014
Priority date	Mar 28, 2013
Publication date	Nov 28, 2017
Grant date	Nov 28, 2017

Abstract

An electronic key having the following features. The electronic key has a key housing and a switch housing in the key housing. The switch housing has an inherently rigid frame having at least one first breakout, and a flexibly deformable membrane which is arranged on the frame in order to close the at least one breakout and to forward a force having effect from the outside on the membrane in the region of the breakout to an electrical switch element arranged within the frame. An electronic key having the required amount of stiffness is thus created, in which sensitive electronic components located therein are also protected from environmental influences. If the deformable membrane is not only used for button-related functions, but also for forming an ejection section for an emergency key or as a rattle protection for the emergency key, a multifunctional switch housing can thus be created simply.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electronic key, for a vehicle, comprising:
a key housing;
at least one button separate from and movably coupled to the key housing; and
a switch housing which is provided in the key housing and comprises:
a rigid frame having at least one first aperture, and also
a flexibly deformable diaphragm which is arranged on the frame so as to close the at least one first aperture and to pass on a force which acts on the diaphragm in the region of the aperture from the outside to an electrical switching element which is arranged within the frame,

wherein the diaphragm forms one or more first predetermined sections on an outer face of the frame, the frame bearing against an inner face of the key housing with the diaphragm between the frame and the inner face of the key housing at each of the one or more first predetermined sections.

2. The electronic key as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the diaphragm and the frame are a two-component injection-molded element, in which the diaphragm forms a soft component and the frame forms a hard component of the two-component injection-molded element.

3. An electronic key, for a vehicle, comprising:
a key housing;
a switch housing which is provided in the key housing and comprises:
a rigid frame having at least one first aperture,
a flexibly deformable diaphragm which is arranged on the frame so as to close the at least one first aperture and to pass on a force which acts on the diaphragm in the region of the aperture from the outside to an electrical switching element which is arranged within the frame, wherein the diaphragm forms one or more first predetermined sections on an outer face of the frame, the frame bearing against an inner face of the key housing at a first predetermined section, and
a mechanical emergency key which is accommodated in the key housing at least partially adjacent to the switch housing, wherein the diaphragm forms one or more second predetermined sections adjacent to the emergency key on the outer face of the frame, said second predetermined sections bearing against the emergency key so as to damp movements of said emergency key.

4. The electronic key as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the key housing further has:
a removable cover which is arranged at least partially adjacent to the switch housing;
a holding device for holding and releasing the cover;
wherein the diaphragm forms one or more third predetermined sections adjacent to the cover on the outer face of the frame, said third predetermined sections bearing against the cover so as to push said cover out of its position when the holding device releases the cover.

5. The electronic key as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the holding device has a latching lug which can be accommodated in a corresponding latching recess in the cover in order to hold the cover and can be moved out of the latching recess in order to release the cover.

6. The electronic key as claimed in claim 4 , wherein an emergency key is fixedly connected to the cover.

7. The electronic key as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a printed circuit board with the electrical switching element, which printed circuit board is fitted to the frame within the switch housing.

8. The electronic key as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the diaphragm forms one or more fourth predetermined sections on the inner face of the frame and the printed circuit board bears against said fourth predetermined sections.

9. The electronic key as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the switch housing has a cap which has projections in order to push the printed circuit board against the one or more fourth predetermined sections by the projections in the state in which the cap is fitted on the switch housing.

10. The electronic key as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the diaphragm has at least one fifth predetermined section which runs toward the outside in the interior of the switch housing, wherein the at least one fifth section has a coupling-in section in the interior of the switch housing and an output section outside the switch housing, and wherein a light source is arranged adjacent to the coupling-in section in the interior of the switch housing in order to conduct light to the output section through the diaphragm as a light guide.

11. The electronic key as claimed in claim 5 , wherein an emergency key is fixedly connected to the cover.

Assignees

• Continental Automotive Gmbh

Inventors

• Kaiser Wolfgang
• Renner Rudolf
• Schweiger Florian

Classifications

• H01H9/0235

  specially adapted for remote control, e.g. of audio or video apparatus · CPC title

• H01H2223/003

  Membrane embracing all keys · CPC title

• G07C2009/00952

  Electronic keys comprising a mechanical key within their housing, e.g. extractable or retractable emergency key · CPC title

• E05B19/0082 Primary

  Keys or shanks being removably stored in a larger object, e.g. a remote control or a key fob (general constructional details of electronic keys G07C9/00944) · CPC title

• G07C9/00896 Primary

  specially adapted for particular uses · CPC title