Abstract:
The invention relates to a locking device of a motor vehicle, having a key ( 10 ) and a lock cylinder, wherein the lock cylinder comprises a cylinder core rotatably supported in a cylinder housing of the lock cylinder, a channel comprising the cylinder core and into which the key ( 10 ) can be inserted, spring-loaded tumbler elements displaceably supported radial to the cylinder axis of the lock cylinder when inserting the key ( 10 ) into the channel radial to the cylinder axis of the lock cylinder, the plurality of outer surfaces ( 11   a,    11   b,    12   a,    12   b ) on the key ( 10 ) comprising at least two encoding strips ( 51   a,    51   b ) acting on the tumbler elements when the key ( 10 ) is inserted.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The invention relates to a lock device of a motor vehicle, having a key and a lock cylinder, wherein the lock cylinder has a cylinder core which is rotatably mounted in a cylinder housing of the lock cylinder, having a channel which comprises the cylinder core and into which the key can be inserted, and having spring-loaded locking elements which are mounted to be able to slide radially with respect to the cylinder axis of the lock cylinder upon the insertion of the key into the channel. 
     BACKGROUND 
     It has been shown to be a disadvantage that unauthorized persons attempting to steal a motor vehicle try to order the locking elements in the key channel along the cross-section of the cylinder core, using break-in tools, for example by means of so-called “picking” of the locking elements, whereby the same then allow the cylinder core to rotate. 
     It has been shown that less constructed space is required for such lock devices in some cases, but at the same time it is necessary to ensure a high level of break-in security of the lock device. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     According to the invention, a lock device of a motor vehicle has a key and a key cylinder, wherein the key cylinder has a cylinder core which is rotatably mounted in a cylinder housing of the lock cylinder, has a channel which comprises the cylinder core and into which the key can be inserted, has spring-loaded locking elements which are mounted to be able to slide radially with respect to the cylinder axis upon the insertion of the key into the channel, and has multiple outer surfaces included on the key which have at least two coding tracks which act on the locking elements upon the insertion of the key. One of the essential advantages of this lock device according to the invention is that, due to the at least two coding tracks, the same included on one outer surface of the key, whereby it is possible to create a compact lock cylinder and at the same time a large number of code combinations is possible. 
     Likewise, the outer surfaces can have two narrow sides, particularly a first and second narrow side, and two wide sides, particularly a first and a second wide side. In this case it can also be contemplated that the key is a four-sided flat profile which has pairs of narrow sides and pairs of wide sides each lying opposite each other. For example, a rectangular profile can be contemplated. Likewise, it can be possible that the profile is constructed as a square, such that the narrow side and the wide side can be constructed with the same surface size. 
     In one possible embodiment of the invention, the key can be designed as a reversible key, such that the key can assume at least two positions in which the key can be effectively inserted into the channel. This means that the key has a profiling, with respect to its coding tracks, which enables the user to orient the key in different ways, and therefore to functionally insert the same in different positions into the key channel. The key can advantageously have two different positions which are oriented at a rotation of 180° with respect to each other, in order to insert the key effectively into the locking cylinder. It has been shown that the number of code combinations is reduced when a reversible key is used, and the convenience for the user is improved at the same time. 
     In this case, the coding tracks according to the invention serve the purpose of coding, wherein the coding tracks are constructed with such a profiling that they correspond to the locking elements of the lock cylinder. This means that only the key with the corresponding “correct” code track and/or coding track results in a corresponding sliding of the locking elements out of the key channel in order to move the cylinder core inside the cylinder housing when the key is inserted. 
     In one possible embodiment, the key can have only two coding tracks, wherein the first narrow side is designed with a first coding track and the second narrow side is designed with a second coding track. It can likewise be contemplated that the first wide side is designed with a first coding track and the second wide side is designed with a second coding track. As an alternative, it can be contemplated that a first narrow side is designed with a first coding track and one wide side is designed with a second coding track. In one possible embodiment of the invention, the coding tracks are designed as having different geometries from each other, such that in this case the key is not a reversible key. In this way, it is possible to achieve a large number of lock combinations. As such, it is possible at the same time to achieve a reduced cross-section of the key, along with a small opening to the key channel of the cylinder. Due to the small insertion opening for the key, it has been shown as advantageous that it is not possible to willfully apply high forces into the cylinder core for the purpose of the manipulation thereof. In addition, due to the small channel opening for the key, the configuration achieves an improved seal effect for the lock cylinder. In addition, it has been shown as advantageous that a large number of locking elements is possible with the same constructed length of the lock cylinder. 
     For example, 8 to 20 locking elements can be used. The large number of the locking elements enables, among other things, a greater torque. An additional advantage is that the resistance to an unauthorized “picking” is increased. 
     With regard to the possible embodiment of a key having two coding tracks, two outer surfaces are always free of a coding track. This means that one wide side and one narrow side can be constructed solid, without a coding track arranged on these sides. As an alternative, both wide sides or both narrow sides can be constructed without coding tracks. The key is for practical purposes a solid object, wherein the coding track is milled into the same. By means of the measure of including a narrow side with no coding track, it is possible to further reduce the height of the key. Because of the resulting possible size reduction of the key channel, the lock cylinder is also more secure against break-in, because with every reduction in size, a potential break-in tool must likewise become smaller in order to still be inserted into the key channel, and the maximum force which can be exerted is also reduced. 
     It can likewise be contemplated that the outer surfaces of the key have three coding tracks. In this case, it is possible, for example, that both wide sides are each designed with one coding track, and only one narrow side has a corresponding coding track. As an alternative, it can likewise be reasonable for both narrow sides to each be designed with one coding track, wherein one narrow side has only one coding track. The narrow side opposite thereto is at the same time designed with no coding track. Because of the three coding tracks, it is simultaneously possible to substantially increase the number of the code combinations of this lock device according to the invention. At the same time, the cross-section of the key, the functional length of the key, and the constructed length of the locking cylinder can be reduced. In addition to the low production costs, it is therefore also possible at the same time to achieve increased security against potential manipulations of the locking cylinder. 
     In a further possible measure implemented by the invention, the outer surface of the key can have four coding tracks. In this embodiment, each outer surface of the key has one coding track. 
     Four coding tracks result in a further increase in the number of possible code combinations, whereby the constructed length of the lock cylinder, the cross-section of the key, and the functional length of the key can be significantly reduced. 
     One possible embodiment of the invention is that the coding track can be designed as a groove and/or as a ridge. In this case, the groove or the ridge can particularly have a track width which is substantially consistent. The groove in this case is designed as a recess on the outer surface of the key, wherein the associated locking elements engage therein upon the insertion of the key. In contrast, the ridge is designed in the manner of a projection on the outer surface of the key, wherein each respective locking element engages therein upon the insertion of the key. The key, having two coding tracks, three coding tracks or four coding tracks, can be designed in such a manner that only coding tracks designed as a groove, coding tracks designed as a ridge, or coding tracks designed as a groove and a ridge are used. 
     The coding track advantageously has at least one guide surface which acts on associated locking elements, particularly such that the first coding track acts on the first locking element and the second coding track acts on the second locking element, wherein particularly a sliding of the first locking element takes place in a first radial direction with respect to the cylinder axis, and a sliding of the second locking element takes place in a second radial direction with respect to the cylinder axis, perpendicular to the first radial direction. 
     In a further embodiment, the first locking elements and the second locking elements can be arranged in the cylinder core in an alternating sequence. In this way, an increased security against potential manipulations from the exterior is achieved, because the first locking elements must be displaced by the manipulation tool in a first direction, and the second locking element must be displaced in a second direction in order to order the locking elements in an unauthorized manner, to then allow a rotation of the cylinder core. 
     A further advantage of the invention can be that the first locking elements comprise a plurality of individual locking elements which are each spring-loaded in different directions. In addition, the second locking elements can comprise a plurality of individual locking elements which are likewise each spring-loaded in different directions. For example, a spring acts on each individual locking element. In this case, the first locking elements work with at least one coding track of one of the two wide sides. The second locking elements can work together with at least one coding track of one of the narrow sides. In order to further increase security against a break-in, at this point the direction of the spring-loading on the individual locking elements of the first locking elements can be oriented differently among the individual locking elements. As such, the manipulator must move the first individual locking element of the first locking elements in a defined direction, for example, using the manipulation tool, wherein the following two individual locking elements of the first locking elements must be ordered in an opposite direction, for example, and consequently moved in that direction. The spring-loading applied in different directions can of course be used on the second locking elements. As such, it is possible to achieve an increased resistance to the use of manipulation tools, with a simultaneously small opening to the key channel. 
     In one possible embodiment of the invention, at least one narrow side has a ridge as the coding track, and at least one wide side has a groove as the coding track. 
     In one measure which improves the invention, the key can have at least one auxiliary coding track which is included on the narrow side and/or on the wide side, and which particularly rules out a reversible function of the key. For example, the auxiliary coding track can have an extension on one of the outer surfaces of the key which is realized without a change in direction. This means that the auxiliary coding track runs parallel to the cylinder axis, for example. The cross-section of the auxiliary coding track can have different geometric shapes. For example, the auxiliary coding track can be designed as a groove which can take its geometric shape as round, rectangular, or oval. The purpose of an auxiliary coding track on the key can further be, for example, that a key system is used which has a primary key which is designed with such an auxiliary coding track. An additional secondary key can have the identical coding tracks on the outer surfaces of the key, but is nevertheless designed without such an auxiliary coding track, such that this secondary key is only effective for the user in a limited capacity and only can be inserted into prespecified lock cylinders. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Additional features and advantages as well as technical features of the invention are set forth in the claims, in the following description, and in the illustrations. In the following figures, lock devices according to the invention are illustrated in detail in multiple embodiments, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  shows a key of a lock device according to the invention, wherein the key has two coding tracks, 
         FIG. 2  shows a further key having two coding tracks and one auxiliary coding track, 
         FIGS. 3   a, b  show a further embodiment of a key having two coding tracks, 
         FIG. 4  shows a key according to the invention, having three coding tracks 
         FIG. 5  shows a further embodiment of a key, having three coding tracks, 
         FIG. 6  shows a further key according to the invention, having three coding tracks, 
         FIG. 7  shows a further key according to the invention, having four coding tracks, 
         FIG. 8  shows a key according to the invention, having three coding tracks and one auxiliary coding track, 
         FIG. 9  shows a further key according to the invention, having three coding tracks and one auxiliary coding track, 
         FIG. 10  shows a view of the spring-loaded locking element of a lock cylinder according to the invention, 
         FIG. 11  shows a further view of the locking element in  FIG. 10 , 
         FIG. 12  shows a schematic view of a lock cylinder according to the invention, 
         FIG. 13  shows a cutaway view of the key in  FIG. 5   
         FIG. 14  shows a cutaway view of the key in  FIG. 3   
         FIG. 15  shows a cutaway view of the key in  FIG. 7 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     All embodiments according to the figures show a lock device of a motor vehicle, having a key  10  used therewith, and a lock cylinder  1  which is arranged in a vehicle door. The lock cylinder  1  is used in a lock cylinder housing which is not explicitly illustrated, wherein a cylinder core  2  is rotatably mounted inside said lock cylinder housing. The cylinder core  2  has numerous spring-loaded locking elements  30 ,  40 . In addition, the cylinder core  2  is designed with a key channel  3  into which the key  10  can be inserted. 
     As is shown in  FIG. 10  and  FIG. 11 , the lock cylinder  1  according to the invention shown in  FIG. 12  has a plurality of locking elements  30 ,  40 . In this case, the locking elements  30 ,  40  are subdivided into first locking elements  30  and second locking elements  40 . The first locking elements  30  have a plurality of individual locking elements  31 . The second locking elements  40  likewise have a plurality of individual locking elements  41 . The individual locking elements  31  and the individual locking elements  41  are arranged alternating with each other in sequence in the direction of the cylinder axis  4 . In addition, the individual locking elements  31  each have a depression and/or recess  31   a . In contrast, the individual locking elements  41  each have a projection  41   a . If the key  10  is not inserted inside the channel  3 , the locking elements  30 ,  40  project, along with their respective recesses  31   a  and projections  41   a , into the channel  3 , and simultaneously block a rotation of the cylinder core  2  illustrated in  FIG. 12  inside the cylinder housing. In the present case, the locking elements  30 ,  40  are plate locking elements. These locking elements  30 ,  40  are displaced upon the introduction of a proper, “correct” key  10  in such a manner that the individual locking elements  31 ,  41  no longer project from their openings  5  beyond the shell of the cylinder core  2 , and the cylinder core  2  can therefore rotate in the cylinder housing. By means of a rotary movement of the inserted key  10 , the user is then able to unlock and/or lock an actuating device of the motor vehicle, by means of the lock device according to the invention, according to the direction of the rotation of the key  10 . A switch can likewise be actuated by means of the rotation of the key  10 , said switch activating and/or deactivating an ignition or voltage, etc. for electronic components of the motor vehicle. 
     According to all described embodiments, the key  10  has outer surfaces  11   a ,  11   b ,  12   a ,  12   b  which are constructed with at least two coding tracks  50  which act on the locking elements  30 ,  40  upon the insertion of the key  10  into the channel  3 , particularly on the recesses  31   a , projections  41   a  of the individual locking elements  31 ,  41 . If the “correct” key  10  is inserted inside the channel  3 , the locking elements  30 ,  40  can accordingly be oriented on the cylinder core  2  via the coding tracks  50  such that a rotary movement of the cylinder core  2  is possible. 
     In one possible embodiment, the key  10  can have two coding tracks  51   a ,  51   b . The coding tracks  51   a ,  51   b  are each provided on one narrow side  11   a ,  11   b  of the key  10 . In contrast, the wide sides  12   a ,  12   b  have no coding. 
     A further embodiment of a key  10  is shown in  FIG. 2 , and likewise has two coding tracks  51   a ,  51   b  on its narrow sides  11   a ,  11   b  as in  FIG. 1 . In addition, the first wide side  12   a  has an auxiliary coding track  60 . The auxiliary coding track  60  has a linear extension, with no change of direction. In contrast to the auxiliary coding track  60 , the coding tracks  51   a ,  51   b  in  FIGS. 1  and  FIG. 2  have different coding points. These coding points  51   a ,  51   b  are determined by an individual topography. It can be contemplated that the coding track  51   a  is constructed with a different geometry than the coding track  51   b . In such a case, the key  10  would not be a reversible key. In the event that the coding track  51   a  is nevertheless laid out symmetrically to the coding track  51   b , the key  10  in  FIG. 1  constitutes a reversible key. 
     Due to the auxiliary track  60  which is only arranged on the first wide side  12   a , this key  10  likewise does not constitute a reversible key. 
       FIG. 3   a  and  FIG. 3   b  show a further embodiment variant of a key  10  having two coding tracks  51   a  and  52   a . In this case, the first narrow side  11   a  of the key  10  has the coding track  51   a , and the first wide side  12   a  has the additional coding track  52   a . In contrast to the coding tracks  51   a  on the narrow side  11   a  in  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 3 , the same being designed as a projection-like ridge, the coding track  52   a  of the first wide side  12   a  is designed as a groove-shaped depression. The key  10  in  FIGS. 3   a  and  3   b  does not constitute a reversible key. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a key  10  having three coding tracks  51   a ,  51   b ,  52   a . Two coding tracks  51   a ,  51   b  are each included on a narrow side  11   a ,  11   b . One coding track  52   a  is included on a wide side  12   a . The opposite wide side  12   b  has no coding track. The recess  60  on the wide side  12   a  can be included in an additional embodiment variant, wherein this recess  60  can serve as an auxiliary coding element. 
       FIG. 5  also illustrates a key  10  having three coding tracks  51   a ,  52   a ,  52   b . The essential difference compared to the key  10  in  FIG. 4  is that the key  10  in  FIG. 5  has a coding track  52   a ,  52   b  on each wide side  12   a ,  12   b , and only the upper first narrow side  11   a  has a coding track  51   a . The lower narrow side  11   b  has no coding track. Both keys  10  in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5  constitute vehicle keys which cannot be used as reversible keys. 
     A further embodiment variant of a key  10  is shown in  FIG. 6 , and likewise has three coding tracks  51   a ,  52   a ,  52   b  on its outer surfaces. The key  10  in  FIG. 6  substantially corresponds to the key  10  in  FIG. 5 , and only the coding track  52   b  is designed differently. In  FIG. 6 , the coding track  52   b  of the second wide side  12   b  is designed like a projection, projecting from the second wide side, like the coding track  51   a  of the first narrow side  11   a . This key  10  in  FIG. 6  is also not a reversible key. 
       FIG. 7  shows a key  10  having four coding tracks  51   a ,  51   b ,  52   a ,  52   b . The coding tracks  51   a ,  51   b  of the narrow sides  11   a ,  11   b  are designed as groove-shaped projections. In contrast, the coding tracks  52   a ,  52   b  of the wide sides  12   a ,  12   b  are designed as groove-shaped recesses and/or depressions. The key  10  illustrated in  FIG. 7  constitutes a reversible key, because coding tracks  51   a  and  51   b  are arranged symmetrically to each other. In addition, the coding tracks  52   a  and  52   b  are likewise arranged symmetrically to each other. As an alternative, a configuration can be contemplated wherein the geometric layout and profile of the key shown in  FIG. 7 , with entirely different coding tracks, is designed such that a key with four coding tracks  51   a ,  51   b ,  52   a ,  52   b  is provided which is not a reversible key. 
       FIG. 8  shows a key  10  with three coding tracks  51   a ,  51   b ,  52   a . In addition, the second wide side  12   b  has an auxiliary coding track  60  which extends linearly along the layout of the key  10 . The additional auxiliary coding track  60  makes it possible to increase the number of code combinations. 
       FIG. 9  shows a further embodiment alternative of a key  10 , having three coding tracks  51   a ,  52   a ,  52   b . In contrast to the embodiment in  FIG. 8 , the key  10  in  FIG. 9  has an auxiliary coding track  60  on the second narrow side  11   b . This auxiliary coding track  60  likewise runs linearly along the extension of the key  10 . 
     The arrangement of the locking elements  30 ,  40  is shown schematically in  FIG. 10  and  FIG. 11 . The individual locking elements  31  are arranged along the cylinder axis  4 , each alternating with the individual locking elements  41 . A spring force  33  acts on the first locking elements  30 , acting on a shoulder  34  of the individual locking element  31 . A second spring force  44  acts on the second individual locking element  41 , and is oriented in the present embodiment perpendicular to the spring force  33 . At this point, the same spring force  33  can act in the same orientation on all individual locking elements  31  according to  FIG. 10   a . In order to increase the security against break-ins, the spring force  33  of the first individual locking element  31  can act in a first direction according to  FIG. 10   a . A spring force  33  can act on the following individual locking element  31 , said spring force  33  being oriented in the opposite direction to the spring force  33  according to  FIG. 10   a . It can likewise be contemplated that the spring forces  44  acting on the individual locking elements  41  of the locking element  40  are each oriented opposite each other, which is illustrated particularly clearly in  FIG. 11 . 
       FIG. 12  shows an example of the cylinder core  2  which is rotatably mounted about the cylinder axis  4 . The key  10  can be inserted into the opening and/or the channel  3 . When the key  10  is not inserted, the locking elements  30 ,  40  project out of the slot-shaped openings  5 . If the “correct” key  10  is inserted in the cylinder core  2 , the locking elements  30 ,  40  are correspondingly oriented and do not project out of the slot-shaped openings  5  of the shell of the cylinder core  2 , such that it is possible for the cylinder core  2  to rotate about the cylinder axis  4 . In addition, recesses  6  of the cylinder core  2  are illustrated in  FIG. 12 , into which spring elements are inserted, wherein the same exert a corresponding spring force in direction  33 ,  44  on the respective individual locking elements  31 ,  41  in  FIG. 10  to  FIG. 11 . 
       FIG. 13  shows the cross-section surface of the key  10  in  FIG. 5 . In contrast,  FIG. 14  shows the cross-section surface of the key  10  in  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 15  illustrates the cross-section of the key  10  in  FIG. 7 . All  FIGS. 13 to 15  in this case show each of the respective coding tracks  51   a ,  51   b ,  52   a ,  52   b  of the sides  11   a ,  11   b ,  12   a ,  12   b  particularly clearly. 
     The described embodiments according to  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 15  can refer to an ID transmitter of a bi-directional security system of a motor vehicle, wherein the key  10  is arranged on the ID transmitter unit. In this case, bi-directional communication is carried out between the ID transmitter and a unit on board a motor vehicle.