Patent Publication Number: US-2009235703-A1

Title: Electrical lock apparatus

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to an electrical lock apparatus, and more particularly, to an electrical lock apparatus in which protrusions are formed at constant angles in a head of a key provided with a chip and grooves are formed in an input socket of a lock apparatus to which the key head is inserted, so that the protrusions can be inserted into the grooves, thereby rotating the key in a state that the key is inserted into the input socket. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     An electrical lock apparatus includes a key provided with a chip and an input socket touched with a head of the key to read an electronic code input in the chip and perform the electronic operation to unlock the lock apparatus if the read electronic code is equal to a previously input code. 
     The present invention relates to a head of a key and an input socket touched with the head in the lock apparatus. 
     A conventional lock apparatus, as shown in  FIG. 1 , includes a key  10  designed to allow a user to catch it, and a key head  20  provided at the front of the key  10 . The key head  20  is provided with a chip, and an electronic code is stored in the chip. The chip is connected with two terminals extended to the key head  20 . The key head  20  is inserted into a groove  40  of an input socket  30 . Two terminals of the key head  20  are in contact with the two terminals extended to the input socket  30 , so that the electronic code input in the chip of the key head  20  is read in the input socket  30 . The read information is transferred to a PCB of the input socket  30  to determine whether the code is right. If the code is right, the lock apparatus is unlocked. 
     The aforementioned lock apparatus has a structure in which a protrusion  10   a  is protruded in the key  10 , is inserted into a portion of the lock apparatus, and is turned to only if the code is right, thereby unlocking the lock apparatus. To this end, since the protrusion  10   a  should be formed in the key  10 , the size of the key  10  is required at a certain range. Also, since the portion engaged with the protrusion  10   a  should be formed in the input socket, there is limitation in reducing the size of the input socket. 
     DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
     The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to give an electrical lock apparatus in which protrusions are formed at constant angles in a head of a key and grooves are formed in an input socket to correspond to the protrusions, whereby the input socket can be rotated by turning the key. 
     Technical Solution 
     In an electric lock apparatus including a key having a key head provided with inner and outer terminals of a hemispherical shape, and an input socket into which the key head is inserted, having grooves provided with terminals being in contact with the inner and outer terminals of the key head, the electric lock apparatus comprises protrusions formed to surround the key head, and grooves formed at the grooves of the input socket to allow the protrusions to be respectively inserted thereinto, whereby the input socket is rotated as the key is rotated in a state that the key head is inserted into the input socket. 
     The protrusions are formed at constant intervals of 60 degree. 
     Further, the key head is manufactured by insert ejection in a state that a chip is connected with a PCB and the outer and inner terminals are connected with one another. 
     Further, the inner terminals are protruded toward the center front, and the outer terminals are spaced apart from the inner terminals and laterally protruded. 
     Advantageous Effects 
     In an electrical lock apparatus according to the present invention, since protrusions are formed in a key head and grooves into which the protrusions are inserted are formed in an input socket, the input socket can be rotated by turning a key in a state that the lock apparatus is electrically unlocked through the key head, whereby the lock apparatus is mechanically unlocked. 
     Further, since the protrusions may not be formed in the key, it is easy to design a shape of the key and obtain a small sized key. 
     Moreover, since the electric lock apparatus is manufactured by insert ejection in a state that a PCB and a chip are all inserted into the key head, it is possible to obtain a small sized key. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating a related art electrical lock apparatus; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view illustrating an electrical lock apparatus according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a front view illustrating an electrical lock apparatus according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view illustrating a key head of an electrical lock apparatus according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a front view illustrating an input socket of an electrical lock apparatus according to the present invention; and 
         FIG. 7  is a sectional view taken along line VI-VI shown in  FIG. 6 . 
     
    
    
     BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
     An electrical lock apparatus according to the present invention, as shown in  FIG. 2 , includes a key head  60  formed at the front of a key  50 , wherein the key head  60  has a hemispherical shape. Protrusions  60   a  are formed at the rear of the key head  60  at constant intervals of 60 degree. The protrusions  60   a  are formed at a constant thickness and their foremost fronts are pointed. The key head  60  is in contact with an input socket  70  provided with a hemispherical groove  80  into which the key head is inserted. The hemispherical groove  80  is provided with grooves  80   a  corresponding to the protrusions  60   a  so that the protrusions  60   a  can be inserted into the grooves  80   a.  Each groove  80   a  has a width greater than that of each protrusion  60  to form a gap. Accordingly, a user can rotate the input socket  70  along rotation of the key head  60  by inserting the key head  60  into the groove  80  of the input socket  70  while holding the key with its hand, and turning the key head  60  to allow the protrusions  60   a  to be inserted into the grooves  80   a.  Of course, the input socket  70  can be rotated only if an electronic code input in a chip of the key head  60  is right. 
       FIG. 3  is a front view illustrating the key head  60 . Referring to  FIG. 3 , an inner terminal  61  is externally protruded at the center of the key head  60 . An insulating material is formed to surround the inner terminal  61 , and an outer terminal  62  is provided around the insulating material. 
     A connection structure of these terminals is shown in  FIG. 4 . Referring to  FIG. 4 , a PCB  63  is provided at the center of the key head  60 , and an IC chip  64  is provided below the PCB  63 . The inner terminal  61  is connected with the PCB  63  through the center while the outer terminal  62  is protruded toward its periphery and then electrically connected with the PCB  63 . Accordingly, when the inner terminal  61  and the outer terminal  62  are respectively in contact with inner terminals  81  and  83  and an outer terminal  82  of the input socket, it is possible to unlock the lock apparatus by turning the input socket  70 . 
     The manufacture process of the key head  60  will be described with reference to an exploded perspective view of  FIG. 5 . In a state that the inner terminal  61  is in contact with the PCB  63 , the outer terminal  62  is connected with the PCB  63 , whereby an assembly is formed. The assembly is inserted into a die and plastic constituting an insulator is supplied to the die, so that the assembly is manufactured by insert ejection. In this way, a small sized chip  64  is manufactured such that all parts are inserted into the head  60  to enable insert ejection. In this case, a smaller sized key can be obtained. 
     The input socket  70  is shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 .  FIG. 6  is a front view illustrating the input socket  70  to view the inside of the groove  80  well. The hemispherical groove  80  is formed to allow the key head  60  to be inserted into the input socket  70 . Six grooves  80   a  are formed at constant intervals of 60 degree to allow the protrusions  60   a  of the key head  60  to be inserted into the groove  80 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , a contact member  81  of a plate spring structure connected with the inner terminal  83  is attached to the inner terminal  83  at the center of the groove of the input socket  70 . The inner terminal  83  is downwardly extended to be electrically connected with a PCB  84 . The outer terminal  82  is spaced apart from the contact member  81  and extended to the side of the groove  80  of the input socket  70 . Of course, an end of the outer terminal  82  is connected with the PCB  84 . Accordingly, if the key head  60  is inserted into the inner terminals  81  and  83 , it is possible to make a smooth contact between the key head  60  and the inner terminals  81  and  83  using elasticity of a spring. 
     In the aforementioned electrical lock apparatus, if the terminals are in contact with one another as the key head  60  is inserted into the groove  80  of the input socket  70 , the PCB  84  identifies whether the code is right. The key head  60  is configured to rotate the input socket  70  only if the code is right. In this case, the protrusions  60   a  of the key head  60  are inserted into the grooves  80   a  of the input socket  70 , the input socket  70  is rotated along rotation of the key head  60 . 
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
     The electrical lock apparatus according to the present invention can usefully be used for an electric key of a large sized locker room.