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US 8,800,333 B2Granted
Key and lock cylinder combination
AssigneeSchlage Lock Company LLC
InventorsAjeya S. Rao, Frederick M. Hensley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Some embodiments disclosed include keys, lock cylinders, and key and lock cylinder combinations. The keys include a bow and a blade extending from the bow, where the blade includes at least one undercut groove in a lateral side thereof that receives at least one projection defining a keyway passage of a lock cylinder in which the key is positioned.
Claims35
A key for a lock cylinder, the key comprising:
- a bow;
- and
- a blade extending from and connected to the bow, the blade defined by a first lateral side and a second lateral side opposite the first lateral side, one end extending between the first and second lateral sides along the blade, and an engagement portion opposite the end that extends along the blade for engaging at least one pin of the lock cylinder, the first lateral side of the blade having an undercut groove at least partially defined by facing parallel first and second surfaces and a third surface that is offset from and parallel to each of the first and second surfaces, wherein the first surface is positioned on a tooth that extends on the first lateral side from the end of the blade toward the engagement portion, the tooth including an outer end surface opposite the end of the blade extending to the first lateral side, and wherein the undercut groove is further at least partially defined by an end surface substantially facing a horizontal plane including at least a portion of the end of the blade therein, and the undercut groove is at least partially defined by a fourth surface extending between the third surface and the end surface of the undercut groove, a fifth surface extending between the end surface of the tooth and the first surface, and a sixth surface extending between the second surface and the third surface, wherein the fourth, fifth, and sixth surfaces are substantially parallel to one another and are obliquely oriented relative to the horizontal plane.
A key for a lock cylinder, the key comprising:
- a bow;
- and
- a blade extending from and connected to the bow, the blade defined by a first lateral side and a second lateral side opposite the first lateral side, the first lateral side having an undercut groove defined by a first undercut channel oriented generally in a first direction in the key and a second undercut channel oriented generally in a second direction in the key perpendicular to the first direction, wherein the first and second undercut channels are at least partially defined by respective ones of first and second inner surfaces facing the first lateral side, the first and second inner surfaces separated by a third inner surface that is offset from the first and second inner surfaces toward the first lateral side, and the second undercut channel is further defined by an inner end surface extending from the second inner surface toward the first lateral side, and wherein the undercut groove is further defined by a third undercut channel between the inner end surface and the first lateral surface.
A key and lock cylinder combination comprising:
- a key including a bow and a blade extending from and connected to the bow, the blade defined by a first lateral side and a second lateral side opposite the first lateral side, the blade further including an engagement portion extending therealong between the first and second lateral sides and an end opposite the engagement portion, the first lateral side having an undercut groove defined by a plurality of surfaces, at least two of the plurality of surfaces being parallel to and facing one another, the plurality of surfaces further including a third surface in the undercut groove that is parallel to and offset from each of the two facing surfaces, wherein the first facing surface is positioned on a tooth that extends on the first lateral side from the end of the blade toward the engagement portion, the tooth including an outer end surface opposite the end of the blade extending to the first lateral side, and wherein the plurality of surfaces of the undercut groove further include an end surface that substantially faces a horizontal plane including at least a portion of the end of the blade therein, and the undercut groove is at least partially defined by a fourth surface extending between the third surface and the end surface, a fifth surface extending between the end surface of the tooth and the first facing surface, and a sixth surface extending between the second facing surface and the third surface, wherein the fourth, fifth, and sixth surfaces are substantially parallel to one another and are obliquely oriented relative to the horizontal plane;
- and
- a lock cylinder including a housing and a plug rotatable relative to the housing, the plug having a key passageway defined by a plurality of surfaces complementary to the plurality of surfaces defining the undercut groove.
A key and lock cylinder combination comprising:
- a key including a bow and a blade extending from and connected to the bow, the blade defined by a first lateral side and a second lateral side opposite the first lateral side, the first lateral side having an undercut groove defined by a first undercut channel oriented generally in a first direction in the key and a second undercut channel oriented generally in a second direction in the key perpendicular to the first direction, wherein the first and second undercut channels are at least partially defined by respective ones of first and second inner surfaces facing the first lateral side, the first and second inner surfaces separated by a third inner surface that is offset from the first and second inner surfaces toward the first lateral side, and the second undercut channel is further defined by an inner end surface extending from the second inner surface toward the first lateral side, and wherein the undercut groove is further defined by a third undercut channel between the inner end surface and the first lateral surface such that the second undercut channel is located between the first and third undercut channels;
- and
- a lock cylinder including a housing and a plug rotatable relative to the housing, the plug having a key passageway defined by a first projection receivable by the key within the first undercut channel, a second projection receivable by the key within the second undercut channel, and a recess between the first and second projections that receives the third inner surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.