GB2491803A

GB2491803A - A vehicle key repair jig

Info

Publication number: GB2491803A
Application number: GB201107647A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Leszek Andrew Nixon Niezgoda
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2011-05-09
Filing date: 2011-05-09
Publication date: 2012-12-19
Anticipated expiration: 2031-05-09
Also published as: GB2491803B; GB201107647D0

Abstract

Apparatus for repairing a vehicle key comprising a blade and a head, the apparatus comprising a jig with a first recess 54 having two sides to accommodate the blade and a second recess 52 to accommodate the head. A removal tool has a stem (38a Fig 2) formed to drive out a pin connecting the blade to the head. The blade can then be replaced and secured in place with a new pin inserted by means of an insertion tool (42 Fig 2). Preferably the first and second recesses are perpendicular to each other. The pin may drop into a third recess 64. A retrieval tool which includes a magnet in its tip may be used to retrieve the pin. The jaws of the jig may slide to secure the blade/head in place. A recess 66 may be provided to store the tools. Thumbwheels 58 62 may be provided to move the jaws.

Description

APPARATUS FOR REPAIRING A KEY

This invention concerns apparatus for repairing a key of the kind comprising a blade connected to a head by means of a pin engaged in an aperture. The invention is particularly but not necessarily exclusively concerned with the repair of vehicle keys of such kind wherein the head comprises a remote keyless entry device.

Remote keyless entry devices have become commonplace. Originally they were provided in a separate fob, but recently manufacturers have begun to combine the key and the fob in one unit by connecting the blade of the key (sometimes alternatively called an "insert") to a fob which thereby forms the head of the key.

This is smaller and more convenient for the vehicle user; and in a further development, the blade of the key can be pivoted down to the side when not in use.

A significant disadvantage with this arrangement is that the whole unit may have to be replaced -at high cost -if the blade is damaged or broken, which is not at all uncommon. Thus it is an object of the present invention to enable a damaged or broken blade of a combined unit (which is inexpensive) to be disconnected from the head (which is expensive, as it contains the remote keyless entry device) and then replaced.

In these combined units, the blade is connected to the head by means of a pin engaged in an aperture. The invention allows this pin to be removed safely and easily to disconnect the blade from the head.

Thus according to the invention there is provided apparatus for repairing a vehicle key of the kind comprising a blade connected to a head by means of a pin engaged in an aperture, which apparatus comprises a jig formed with a first recess having two sides arranged to accommodate the blade snugly therebetween and a second recess having two sides arranged to accommodate the head therebetween, and a removal tool formed to engage the pin and remove it from the aperture thereby to disconnect the blade from the head.

The snug fit of the blade in the first recess means that it (and the key as a whole) is held securely while the pin is removed, avoiding the possibility of the key's being dropped with expensive damage to the remote keyless entry device of the head.

Preferably the first and second recesses have backs arranged respectively to support the blade and the head of a key in the recesses.

The sides of the first recess and/or the second recess may be mutually adjustable (eg by means of a movable jaw on one side) to accommodate the key, and drive means may be provided for their mutual adjustment.

For keys in which the blade is pivotable, it is preferred that the sides of the first recess be substantially orthogonal to the sides of the second recess.

The removal tool is preferably formed with a stem longer than the pin and of lesser cross-section, which stem is in use pressed into the aperture to drive the pin out. There may be a third recess to collect the pin when driven out from the aperture, and a retrieval tool comprising a magnet may be provided to retrieve the removed pin from the third recess.

The apparatus may include an insertion tool formed to engage a pin (possibly that which has been removed, or a new one) and drive it into a vacant aperture thereby to reconnect a replacement blade to the head.

The tools may be manually operable and conveniendy carried by the jig.

Other aspects of the invention will be apparent from the following description, which is made by way of example only with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings in which -Figure 1 shows a vehicle key of the kind having a blade connected to a head; Figure 2 is a plan view of apparatus for repairing the key of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a fragmentary enlargement of Figure 2 with a key to be repaired in position; and Figure 4 XXX Referring first to Figure 1, this shows a motor vehicle key indicated generally at 10. The key 10 comprises a forwardly extended blade 12 and a head 14. The blade 12 is profiled to operate a lock of the vehicle (not shown) and its ignition switch in well-known fashion. The head 14 comprises a casing for a remote keyless entry device whereby, again in well-known fashion, the door lock may be operated without use of the key, by pressing a push-button 16.

The head 14 has an L-shaped bracket 18 at its forward end and the blade 10 is connected to this by means of a pin 20, as will be described in more detail hereinafter. The bracket 18 is pivotally mounted so that the blade 12 can be folded down to lie along the side of the head 14 when not in use, as indicated in dotted lines at 24. A detent mechanism, which can be freed by means of a release-button 24, holds the blade 12 in each of its extended and folded down positions.

Those skilled in the science will appreciate that key blades such as the blade 12 sometimes become bent or broken or otherwise damaged. Hitherto it has been normal practice to replace the entire key, which in the case of keys like the key 10 entails considerable cost because of the remote keyless entry device incorporated in the head 14 thereof. However, if the pin 20 is removed, the blade 12 can be disconnected from the head 14, whereby the blade can be replaced at lithe cost The invention provides apparatus whereby this may be done readily and reliably.

Figure 2 shows such apparatus in the form of a jig 30 of synthetic plastics materiaL The jig 30 is formed with a first recess 32 and a second recess 34 each having a dosed back The first recess 32 is configured with two sides arranged to receive the blade 12 snugly, supported in the first recess 32 by the dosed back thereof The second recess 34 is configured with two sides arranged to receive the head 14 snugly, supported in the first recess 34 by the dosed back thereof. It will be noted that the sides of the first recess 32 are generally orthogonal to the sides of the second recess 34, whereby the key 10 is located in the jig 30 part-folded, with its blade mid-way between its extended position 12 and its folded-down position at 24. In this way the key 10 is firmly located forward-and-backward and side-to-side as well as being firmly supported by the closed backs of the recesses 32 and 34.

Thus it can safely be repaired.

As can be seen more clearly in Figure 3, which shows to an enlarged scale the fragment of Figure 2 within the circle A, the blade 12 has a tang 12a which fits within the bracket 18 and is securely held therein by the pin 20, which is a tight fit in an aperture formed between the tang 12a and the corresponding part of the bracket 18. It follows that the blade 12 can be disconnected from the head 14 by removing the pin 20. This is done by means of a removal tool 38 that has a stem 38a longer than the pin 20 but of lesser cross-section and thus able to drive the pin 20 from its aperture. (Whilst this is not part of the invention, it may be noted that the pin 20 is of generally tubular form and slit along its length and is a sprung fit in the aperture). The pin 20 is driven from its aperture into a third recess 36 formed in the jig 30 to catch the pin 20. Thus the pin 20 cannot spring out with possible damage to the user or anybody or anything else in the vicinity. A retrieval tool 40 in the form of a simple magnet is carried by the jig 30 so that a pin 20 that has been removed can easily be retrieved from the third recess 36.

When the pin 20 has been removed, the key 10 is extracted from the jig 30 and its damaged blade 12 disconnected from the head 14. Then a new blade can be fitted and connected to the head 14 by: means of a new pin. The new pin is pressed into the vacant aperture by an insertion tool 42 having a stem 42a of greater cross-section than the pin and an end 42b formed to engage the pin and drive it into place. Thus the key 10 is repaired.

It will be understood that a removed pin may be replaced if it is in good condition.

The recesses 32 and 34 may each have one side provided by an adjustable jaw, as shown in broken lines at 44 and 46 (Figure 3), wherein the jaws 44 and 46, which may be adjustable pneumatically or otherwise, possibly automatically, move as indicated by arrows B and C and thereby allow a single jig 30 to accommodate various keys.

Figure 4 illustrates an embodiment of the invention in the form of a jig 50 of synthetic plastics material furnished with adjustable jaws. The jig 50 is formed with a first recess 52 and a second recess 54 each having a closed back. The first recess 52 is configured with two sides arranged to receive the blade 12 (Figures 1 and 3) of a key requiring repair supported in the first recess 52 by the closed back thereof One side of the first recess 52 is formed by a first jaw 56 adjustable to and fro, as indicated by arrows D, by means of a thumbwheel 58 turning a screw adjuster (not shown) of common form, so that in use the blade 12 is gripped in the first recess 52. The second recess 54 is configured with two sides arranged to receive the head 14 (Figure 1) of the key requiring repair supported in the first recess 54 by the closed back thereof. One side of the second recess 54 is formed by a second jaw 60 adjustable to and fro and orthogonally: to the first jaw 56, as indicated by arrows E, by means of a thumbwheel 62 turning a screw adjuster (not shown) of common form, so that in use the head 14 is gripped in the second recess 54. The jig 50 has a third recess 64 arranged to receive a pin of a key under repair after said pin has been pressed out as described above. The jig 50 also has a compartment 66 for tools 38, 40, 42 etc, and the compartment 66 may be provided with a sliding top to keep the tools in place when not in use.

The jig 50 is used in the same manner as the jig 30, as described above with reference to Figures 1 to 3.

It will be noted that the sides of the first recess 32 are generally orthogonal to the sides of the second recess 34, whereby the key 10 is located in the jig 30 part- folded, with its blade mid-way between its extended position 12 and its folded-down position at 24. Tn this way the key 10 is firmly located forward-and-backward and side-to-side as well as being firmly supported by the closed backs of the recesses 32 and 34. Thus it can safely be repaired.

Various modifications may be made to the apparatus described herein without departing from the present invention. For instance, it may not be necessary to grip the head of a key being repaired, provided the blade of the key is securely held. A jig embodying the invention may comprise a base-plate onto which a variety of jaws may be attached according to the key to be repaired, and the jaws or other sides of the recesses may be shaped to fit specific keys. Further, a plurality of jigs may be provided in one assembly to accommodate keys of various forms.

Other modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the science.

Claims

CLAIMSI Apparatus for repairing a vehicle key of the kind comprising a blade connected to a head by means of a pin engaged in an aperture, which apparatus comprises a jig formed with a first recess having two sides arranged to accommodate the blade snugly therebetween and a second recess having two sides arranged to accommodate the head therebetween, and a removal tool formed to engage the pin and remove it from the aperture thereby to disconnect the blade from the head.
2 Apparatus for repairing a vehicle key as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the first and second recesses have backs arranged respectively to support the blade and the head of a key in the recesses.
3 Apparatus for repairing a vehicle key as claimed in Claim I or Claim 2 wherein the sides of the first recess are mutually adjustable to grip the blade of the key.
4 Apparatus for repairing a vehicle key as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the sides of the second recess are mutually adjustable to grip the head of the key.
Apparatus for repairing a vehicle key as claimed in Claim 3 or Claim 4 wherein one side of a recess comprises a jaw and said apparatus includes means to drive said jaw towards and away from the other side for adjustment therewith.
6 Apparatus for repairing a vehicle key as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the sides of the first recess are substantially orthogonal to the sides of the second recess.
7 Apparatus for repairing a vehicle key as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the removal tool is formed with a stem longer than the pin and of lesser cross-section, which stem is in use pressed into the aperture to drive the pin out.
8 Apparatus for repairing a vehicle key as claimed in Claim 7 comprising a third recess to collect the pin when driven out from the aperture.
9 Apparatus for repairing a vehicle key as claimed in Claim 8 including a retrieval tool comprising a magnet to retrieve the removed pin from the third recess.
10 Apparatus for repairing a vehicle key as claimed in any preceding claim including an insertion tool formed to engage a pin and drive it into a vacant aperture thereby to reconnect the blade to the head.
11 Apparatus for repairing a vehicle key as claimed in Claim 10 wherein the insertion tool comprises a stem of greater cross-section than the pin, the stem having an end engageable with the pin to drive it into the aperture.
12 Apparatus for repairing a vehicle key as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the or each tool is manually operable.
13 Apparatus for repairing a vehicle key as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the jig carries the or each tool.
14 Apparatus for repairing a vehicle key substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.