Electronic key operation apparatus and method of manufacturing the same

Abstract

To provide an electronic key operation apparatus which requires only minimum design change for various types of electronic keys.SOLUTION: An electronic key operation apparatus includes: a storage unit for storing an electronic key; a first pressing member and a second pressing member for pressing a button of the electronic key stored in the storage unit; a first intermediate member which applies power to press the button of the electronic key to the first pressing member; a second intermediate member which applies power to press the button of the electronic key to the second pressing member; and a position setting unit which sets positions of the first pressing member and the second pressing member with respect to the button. The first and second intermediate members are arranged side by side in a first direction that intersects with a third direction in which the power is applied. The arrangement of the first and second intermediate members can be changed so that the first intermediate member applies power to the second pressing member and the second intermediate member applies power to the first pressing member.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 23A

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic key operation device and a manufacturing method thereof. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, one way of using automobiles is for multiple people to share one or more vehicles. Car sharing and rental cars are examples of this. From here on, these types of usage will be collectively referred to as "sharing."

[0003] In vehicle sharing, handling of the key to use the vehicle to be shared is important. Patent Document 1 discloses an operating device for an electronic key for unmanned delivery of the electronic key in a vehicle sharing system. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2023-081240 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The electronic key operating device described in Patent Document 1 can be used with electronic keys of various types.

[0006] An example of an object of the present invention is to provide an electronic key operating device that can be used with a wider variety of electronic key configurations and that can be made smaller. Other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the description of this specification. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In one aspect of the present invention, an electronic key operating device includes a housing for housing an electronic key, a pressing member for pressing a button on the electronic key housed in the housing, an actuator for applying power to the pressing member to press the button, and a position setting unit for setting the relative positions of the actuator and the pressing member and for setting the position of the pressing member to correspond to the position of the button. Here, the position setting unit may be capable of setting the position of the pressing member in a first direction and a second direction intersecting the first direction.

[0008] In one aspect of the present invention, an electronic key operating device includes a storage section that stores an electronic key, a first pressing member and a second pressing member that press a button on the electronic key stored in the storage section, a first intermediate member that provides power to the first pressing member for pressing the button on the electronic key, a second intermediate member that provides power to the second pressing member for pressing the button on the electronic key, and a position setting section that sets the positions of the first pressing member and the second pressing member relative to the button, wherein the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member are arranged side by side in a first direction that intersects with a third direction in which the power is applied, and the arrangement is changeable so that the first intermediate member applies power to the second pressing member and the second intermediate member applies power to the first pressing member. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] Figure 1 shows an example of the system configuration of a sharing system. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 conceptually illustrates the operation of one embodiment of an electronic key operation device. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 conceptually shows an X-axis cross section of the structure of one embodiment of an electronic key operation device. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 conceptually shows a Y-axis cross section of the structure of one embodiment of an electronic key operation device. [Figure 5A] FIG. 5A is a perspective view showing only the actuator, the intermediate member, and part of the housing of the electronic key operation device. [Figure 5B] FIG. 5B is a perspective view showing only the intermediate member and the rotary shaft of the electronic key operation device. [Figure 6A] FIG. 6A shows an exploded view of the pressing member and the position setting portion. [Figure 6B] FIG. 6B shows an assembly diagram of the pressing member and the position setting portion. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 conceptually shows a projection onto a plane perpendicular to the Z axis of one embodiment of the internal structure of an electronic key operation device. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 shows a schematic diagram of the final assembly process of the electronic key operation device. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 shows the positions set by the first and second pressing members in the position setting section when the unlock button and lock button are aligned along the longitudinal direction of the electronic key. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 shows the positions set by the first and second pressing members in the position setting section when the unlock button and lock button are aligned diagonally with respect to the longitudinal direction of the electronic key. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 conceptually shows an electronic key in which the unlock button and the lock button are arranged adjacent to each other in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the electronic key. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 conceptually shows a projection onto a plane perpendicular to the Z axis of one embodiment of the internal structure of an electronic key operating device that can press the unlock button and lock button of the electronic key of FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 shows the set positions of the first and second pressing members in the position setting section of the embodiment of FIG. 12 when the unlock button and lock button of the electronic key of FIG. 11 are pressed. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 shows the set positions of the first and second pressing members in the position setting section of the embodiment of FIG. 12 when the unlock button and lock button of an electronic key different from that of FIG. 13 are pressed. [Figure 15]FIG. 15 shows the set positions of the first and second pressing members in the position setting section of the embodiment of FIG. 12 when the unlock button and lock button of an electronic key different from that of FIG. 13 are pressed. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 shows another embodiment of the position setting portion of the electronic key operation device, and in the embodiment shown in FIG. 16, the position setting portion is provided on the intermediate member in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 and so on. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 conceptually shows the operation of the electronic key operation device in the embodiment of FIG. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 conceptually shows the operation of an electronic key operation device in another embodiment. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 shows an embodiment in which an electronic key placed in an electronic key storage case is stored in an electronic key storage section of an electronic key operating device. [Figure 20] FIG. 20 shows a schematic diagram of the details of the electronic key storage case used in the embodiment of FIG. 19, with the electronic key inserted. [Figure 21A] FIG. 21A shows an embodiment in which an electronic key is stored in the electronic key storage unit of an electronic key operating device without using an electronic key storage case, with the electronic key storage unit in a closed state. [Figure 21B] FIG. 21B shows the embodiment of FIG. 21A with the electronic key holder open. [Figure 21C] FIG. 21C shows the embodiment of FIG. 21A with the electronic key removed from the electronic key holder. [Figure 22] FIG. 22 conceptually shows the positional relationship between the position setting unit and the electronic key when the unlock button and lock button are aligned at various positions in the longitudinal direction of the electronic key in the electronic key operation device of the first embodiment. [Figure 23A] FIG. 23A conceptually shows a projection onto a plane perpendicular to the Z axis of one embodiment of the internal structure of the electronic key operation device of the eighth embodiment. [Figure 23B]FIG. 23B conceptually illustrates the electronic key operation device of FIG. 23A in a case where the positions of the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member are exchanged in the first direction. [Figure 24A] FIG. 24A conceptually shows the ranges of the first and second portions of the position setting section according to the second embodiment. [Figure 24B] FIG. 24B conceptually shows the ranges of the first and second portions in the position setting section according to the eighth embodiment. [Figure 24C] FIG. 24C conceptually illustrates the ranges of the first and second portions when the positions of the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member are exchanged in the first direction for the eighth embodiment of FIG. 24B. [Figure 25] FIG. 25 conceptually shows the process of inserting the rotating shaft to which the intermediate member is attached into the rotating shaft holder. [Figure 26] FIG. 26 conceptually shows the process of inserting the rotating shaft into the rotating shaft holder using the fixing jig and the rotating shaft insertion jig. [Figure 27] FIG. 27 conceptually shows, in cross section, the process of inserting the rotating shaft into the rotating shaft holder using the fixing jig and the rotating shaft insertion jig. [Figure 28A] FIG. 28A conceptually shows the steps for manufacturing the electronic key operation device of the first embodiment using an intermediate member jig. [Figure 28B] FIG. 28B conceptually shows the steps for manufacturing the electronic key operation device of the eighth embodiment using an intermediate member jig. [Figure 28C] FIG. 28C conceptually shows the steps for manufacturing the electronic key operation device of the eighth embodiment using an intermediate member jig, in which the positions of the intermediate members are interchanged from those in FIG. 28B. [Figure 29] FIG. 29 conceptually shows the steps for manufacturing an electronic key operation device using a position setting jig. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The present invention will be described in detail using the following embodiments as examples, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Unless specific details are mentioned for each device, mechanism, means, etc. in this specification, those skilled in the art can use mechanical devices, mechanisms, means, etc. that are well known to those skilled in the art. Each embodiment can be combined based on the common knowledge of a person skilled in the art, and configurations not specifically described for each embodiment can have the same configuration as other embodiments or configurations appropriate for that embodiment. In cross-sectional views, the cross section of each component is represented by various diagonal lines to facilitate distinction from other components. However, differences in these diagonal lines do not represent differences in the material, shape, etc. of the component. Also, in perspective views, each component is represented by color or dots to facilitate distinction from other components. However, these differences do not represent differences in the material, shape, etc. of the component.

[0011] (First embodiment) FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the system configuration of a sharing system using an electronic key operation device according to this embodiment.

[0012] The sharing system 3 includes a vehicle 5 to be shared, an electronic key operation device 100 that is an on-board device that houses the genuine electronic key 200 that comes with the vehicle 5, a server system 1100 that communicates with the electronic key operation device 100 via a network 9, and a user terminal 1500 used by the user of the vehicle to be shared and that communicates with the electronic key operation device 100 via the network 9. One electronic key operation device 100 is installed in the vehicle 5. In actual operation of the sharing system 3, one or more sets of vehicles 5 and electronic key operation devices 100 will be prepared, and multiple user terminals 1500 will be used.

[0013] The electronic key 200 has an unlock button and a lock button that can be pressed to lock and unlock the locking mechanism of the vehicle 5 to be shared. When the unlock button is pressed, the electronic key 200 transmits a predetermined unlock signal, and when the lock button is pressed, the electronic key 200 transmits a predetermined lock signal. The network 9 refers to a communication path that allows data communication. The communication method can be wired or wireless.

[0014] The server system 1100 performs user registration for the sharing system 3, reservation management, and provision of reservation information to the user terminal 1500 and the electronic key operation device 100. Specifically, the server system 1100 stores and executes a management program 501 to implement (1) a user registration function for registering users who will use the sharing system 3, (2) a reservation setting function for making reservations for users who will use the vehicle 5, (3) a function for generating reservation information 700 (including, for example, a unique reservation ID, a reserved vehicle ID, a reservation period, and a password), (4) a function for providing user copy reservation information 700t, which includes the reservation information 700, to the user terminal 1500, and (5) a function for providing authentication reservation information 700c, which includes the reservation information 700, to the electronic key operation device 100. The user copy reservation information 700t includes first key information for encrypting the reservation information 700, and the authentication reservation information 700c includes second key information for decrypting the reservation information 700. As a result, the encryption process of the reservation information 700 by the user terminal 1500 and the decryption process of the reservation information 700 by the electronic key operation device 100 are performed using different key information. This allows for more secure authentication between the user terminal 1500 and the electronic key operation device 100. However, as long as appropriate authentication is performed between the user terminal 1500 and the electronic key operation device 100, the functions (4) and (5) are not limited to these. For example, the user copy reservation information 700t and the authentication reservation information 700c may contain the same key information (such as a password).

[0015] The user terminal 1500 is a computer system connectable to the network 9 used by a user, and is realized by, for example, a smartphone, a tablet computer, a notebook computer, a wearable computer, or the like.

[0016] The user terminal 1500 can store and execute application programs. The application program stored therein is a terminal program 502. The terminal program 502 realizes the following functions: (1) a function for accessing the server system 1100; (2) a function for connecting to the electronic key operation device 100 in response to a user's unlocking operation, issuing a predetermined unlock request, and providing the user's copy reservation information 700t to cause the electronic key operation device 100 to unlock; and (3) a function for connecting to the electronic key operation device 100 in response to a user's locking operation, issuing a predetermined lock request, and providing the user's copy reservation information 700t to cause the electronic key operation device 100 to lock.

[0017] Note that the arrows indicating the first direction X, second direction Y, or third direction Z indicate that the direction from the base end of the arrow to the tip is the positive direction of the arrow, and the direction from the tip of the arrow to the base end is the negative direction of the arrow. The first direction X is parallel to the insertion / removal direction of the electronic key storage case 300 relative to the electronic key operation device 100. The positive direction of the first direction X is the insertion direction of the electronic key storage case 300. The negative direction of the first direction X is the removal direction of the electronic key storage case 300. The second direction Y is perpendicular to the first direction X and parallel to the thickness direction of the electronic key operation device 100. The positive direction of the second direction Y is the direction from the bottom to the top of the electronic key operation device 100. The negative direction of the second direction Y is the direction from the top to the bottom of the electronic key operation device 100. The third direction Z is perpendicular to both the first direction X and the second direction Y. The third direction Z is parallel to the depth direction of the electronic key operation device 100. The positive direction of the third direction Z is the direction from the side of the electronic key operation device 100 where the electronic key storage case 300 is attached to the opposite side. The negative direction of the third direction Z is the direction from the opposite side of the side of the electronic key operation device 100 where the electronic key storage case 300 is attached to the opposite side. The first direction X, second direction Y, and third direction Z in the drawings are also referred to as the X direction, Y direction, and Z direction, respectively.

[0018] FIG. 2 conceptually illustrates the operation of the electronic key operation device 100 according to the first embodiment. FIGS. 3 and 4 conceptually illustrate the structure of the electronic key operation device 100 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5A is a perspective view of only the actuator 40 (hereinafter, when the first and second actuators 41 and 42 are not distinguished from each other, they will be referred to as the actuator 40), the intermediate member 50 (hereinafter, when the first and second intermediate members 51 and 52 are not distinguished from each other, they will be referred to as the intermediate member 50), and a portion of the housing 10 of the electronic key operation device 100 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5B is a perspective view of only the intermediate member 50 and the rotating shaft 53 of the electronic key operation device 100 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6A shows an exploded view of the pressing member 60 (hereinafter, when the first and second pressing members 61, 62 are not distinguished from each other, they will be referred to as pressing member 60) and the position setting unit 70 of the electronic key operation device 100 according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 6B shows an assembly view of the position setting unit 70 according to the first embodiment.

[0019] First, the operation of the electronic key operation device 100 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 2. The electronic key operation device 100 includes an actuator 40 having a movable portion 43, an intermediate member 50 having a rotation shaft 53, a pressing member 60, and a position setting unit 70 that holds the pressing member 60. The movable portion 43 is rod-shaped and is pushed in the negative Z-axis direction by the power generated by the actuator 40, pressing a portion of the intermediate member 50 above the center in the Y direction.

[0020] When power is applied from the actuator 40, the intermediate member 50 moves around the rotation axis 53, and is able to indirectly apply the power from the actuator 40 to the pressing member 60. When power is applied from the intermediate member 50, the pressing member 60 slides within the position setting portion 70 and is able to press the button 210 (hereinafter, when the unlock button 211 and the lock button 212 are not to be distinguished, they will be referred to as the button 210) of the electronic key 200.

[0021] The pressing member 60 slides in the negative Z direction in response to the movement of the intermediate member 50, thereby pressing the button 210 of the electronic key 200. After pressing the button 210 of the electronic key 200, the pressing member 60 slides in the positive Z direction due to a return mechanism (described later) and presses the intermediate member 50, returning the intermediate member 50 to its original position. The movable part 43 of the actuator 40 can be returned to its original position by being pushed by the intermediate member 50 attempting to return to its original position and / or by another return mechanism (not shown). At least when the pressing member 60 presses the button 210 of the electronic key 200, no power is being applied from the actuator 40 to the intermediate member 50.

[0022] Next, the structure and function of each component of the first embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 3, the electronic key operating device 100 includes an electronic key receiving portion 110 and an operating mechanism portion 120. The electronic key receiving portion 110 is a key receiving portion.

[0024] The electronic key storage unit 110 stores the electronic key 200. The electronic key storage unit 110 stores the electronic key 200 with the button 210 of the electronic key 200 facing the pressing member 60 of the operation mechanism unit 120. In the first embodiment, the electronic key 200 is stored in the electronic key storage unit 110 while being housed in an electronic key storage case 300.

[0025] The operating mechanism 120 is a mechanical structure for pressing the button 210 of the electronic key 200, and includes, within the housing 10, a control unit 30, an actuator 40 that receives signals from the control unit 30, an intermediate member 50 that is powered by the actuator 40, and a pressing member 60 that is powered by the intermediate member 50.

[0026] The control unit 30 includes electronic components and / or various circuits, such as a CPU, IC memory, a communication module, a power control circuit, an interface IC, and an in-vehicle network communication IC, and is capable of comprehensively controlling the operation of the electronic key operation device 100. The communication module of the control unit 30 also allows the electronic key operation device 100 to be connected to the network 9.

[0027] 3 and 4, in this embodiment, the control unit 30 is adjacent to the actuator 40 in the Y direction and extends in the X and Z directions. However, the position and direction of the control unit 30 are not particularly limited to this embodiment as long as the control unit 30 can perform its functions.

[0028] The actuator 40 is controlled by the control unit 30 and serves as a drive unit that applies power to the pressing member 60 directly or indirectly via the intermediate member 50. Specifically, the actuator 40 has a movable unit 43. The movable unit 43 is pushed in the negative Z direction by the power generated by the actuator 40, thereby directly or indirectly applying power to the pressing member 60. When an instruction to unlock or lock the electronic key 200 is given to the communication module of the control unit 30 via the network 9, the actuator 40 is controlled by the control unit 30 to push the movable unit 43 in the negative Z direction. The pushed-out movable unit 43 presses a portion of the intermediate member 50 above the center in the Y direction.

[0029] The actuator 40 may be, for example, an electromagnetic solenoid, and specifically, is realized by a push-type linear solenoid, which can push out a rod-shaped movable part 43 by electromagnetic force when a drive current is applied.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 4 , the actuator 40 is made up of first and second actuators 41 and 42. The first actuator 41 applies power to a first pressing member 61, and the second actuator 42 applies power to a second pressing member 62. The first pressing member 61, which receives power from the first actuator 41, and the second pressing member 62, which receives power from the second actuator 42, can press an unlock button 211 and a lock button 212, respectively. Note that if the electronic key 200 has buttons to be pressed in addition to the unlock button 211 and the lock button 212, separate actuators 40, intermediate members 50, and pressing members 60 may be provided for pressing the other buttons.

[0031] For example, when a delivered package is temporarily stored in the trunk of the vehicle 5, a button for unlocking the trunk provided on the electronic key 200 may be pressed using the electronic key operating device 100. In this case, in addition to the actuator 40, intermediate member 50, and pressing member 60 for pressing the unlock button 211 and the lock button 212, another actuator 40, intermediate member 50, and pressing member 60 for pressing the button for unlocking the trunk may be provided.

[0032] The first and second actuators 41, 42 are arranged adjacent to each other in the X direction, and together can push the movable part 43 in the negative Z direction to apply power to the first and second intermediate members 51, 52.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 5 and other figures, the intermediate member 50 is a member for applying power from the actuator 40 to the pressing member 60. The intermediate member 50 has appropriate rigidity and structure for applying power from the actuator 40 to the pressing member 60. For example, the intermediate member 50 is a rectangular plate-like member that is elongated in the Y direction. Use of the intermediate member 50 makes it easier to freely set the arrangement of the actuator 40, the pressing member 60, and the position setting unit 70. By making it easier to freely arrange the actuator 40, the pressing member 60, and the position setting unit 70, it becomes easier to reduce the size of the electronic key operating device 100. In addition, it becomes easier to appropriately apply power from the actuator 40 to the pressing member 60, and further, it becomes easier to operate the pressing member 60 perpendicular to the surface of the button 210 of the electronic key 200.

[0034] The configuration of the intermediate member 50 is not particularly limited as long as it can apply power from the actuator 40 to the pressing member 60 and return to its original position after power is applied to the pressing member 60. For example, the intermediate member 50 may be configured to move back and forth around the rotation axis 53, or may be configured to be slidable within the housing 10.

[0035] For example, as shown in Fig. 2, the intermediate member 50 can have a plate-like lever shape having a rotation axis 53. Here, the intermediate member 50 can move so as to tilt in the negative Z direction when power is applied from the actuator 40. That is, the intermediate member 50 can move in the circumferential direction around the rotation axis 53 in the YZ plane of the Y and Z directions. As a result, the intermediate member 50 can apply the power applied from the actuator 40 to the pressing member 60, causing the pressing member 60 to slide in the negative Z direction.

[0036] When the intermediate member 50 moves around the rotation axis 53 as in the first embodiment, the power applied from the actuator 40 to the pressing member 60 can be based on the principle of leverage. In this case, the power from the movable part 43 of the actuator 40 can be used as the point of effort, the rotation axis 53 can be used as the fulcrum, and the point of contact with the pressing member 60 can be used as the point of action. By using the principle of leverage, the moving distance of the movable part 43 of the actuator 40 to press the pressing member 60 can be increased, but the force required to push the movable part 43 can be reduced. As a result, an actuator with a small output can be used as the actuator 40, and as a result, the electronic key operation device 100 itself can be made smaller.

[0037] However, the intermediate member 50 does not necessarily have to be present as long as power can be directly applied from the actuator 40 to the pressing member 60. Furthermore, even if the intermediate member 50 is present, it is not necessarily limited to the configuration of the first embodiment, and for example, the intermediate member 50 may be configured to operate substantially integrally with the movable part 43 of the actuator 40 or the pressing member 60.

[0038] In the first embodiment, the intermediate member 50 is made up of first and second intermediate members 51 and 52, which can press an unlock button 211 and a lock button 212 by applying power to first and second pressing members 61 and 62, respectively.

[0039] The first and second intermediate members 51, 52 are arranged adjacent to each other in the Z direction in which the movable parts 43 of the first and second actuators 41, 42, respectively, operate, and the first and second intermediate members 51, 52 themselves are arranged adjacent to each other in the X direction.

[0040] 5A and 5B, the first and second intermediate members 51 and 52 have a rod-shaped pin extending in the X direction at their lower parts in the Y direction, and this pin serves as a common rotation axis 53 for the first and second intermediate members 51 and 52. The pin that serves as the rotation axis 53 must have high rigidity and is preferably a rod-shaped pin made of metal.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 6 and other figures, the pressing member 60 is a member for pressing the button 210 of the electronic key 200 and has an appropriate shape and rigidity for that purpose. The position of the pressing member 60 can be set by a position setting unit 70. The pressing member 60 is a member separate from the movable portion 43 of the actuator 40 and can slide in a direction substantially parallel to the direction in which the movable portion 43 is pushed out. However, since the position of the pressing member 60 relative to the actuator 40 is set by the position setting unit 70, the pressing member 60 does not normally slide on the same straight line as the direction in which the movable portion 43 moves. The pressing member 60 may be held by the position setting unit 70 so that its position can be changed, or may be held so that its position cannot be changed once it has been set.

[0042] In the first embodiment, the pressing member 60 is made up of first and second pressing members 61 and 62. The first and second pressing members 61 and 62 are provided with power from the first and second intermediate members 51 and 52, and slide in the negative Z direction to press the button 210 of the electronic key 200. In the first embodiment, the first and second pressing members 61 and 62 have cylindrical pin structures with their longitudinal direction in the Z direction. Furthermore, although the first and second pressing members 61 and 62 are adjacent to each other in the X direction in the first embodiment, they may also be adjacent to each other in the Y direction depending on how the electronic key 200 is held and how the buttons are arranged.

[0043] The positions at which the first and second pressing members 61, 62 are held can be set by the position setting unit 70. This allows the positions of the first and second pressing members 61, 62 to be set in accordance with the positions of the buttons of various electronic keys.

[0044] Specifically, the first and second pressing members 61, 62 are each housed in one of a plurality of receiving portions 73 of the position setting portion 70. In the first embodiment, the first and second pressing members 61, 62 are cylindrical pins, and the receiving portion 73 of the position setting portion 70 is a circular hole into which the pin can be inserted.

[0045] However, the shapes of the first and second pressing members 61, 62 are not limited to those in the first embodiment, and may be elliptical or polygonal cylindrical shapes. The first pressing member 61 and the second pressing member 62 may have different shapes. The shape of the receiving portion 73 can be changed appropriately to match the first and second pressing members 61, 62.

[0046] The first and second pressing members 61, 62 are slidable while housed in the receiving portion 73, with one end pressing the button 210 of the electronic key 200 and the other end receiving power from the first and second intermediate members 51, 52. The cylindrical pins that make up the first and second pressing members 61, 62, when inserted into the circular holes, protrude toward both the positive and negative Z-direction sides of the position setting portion 70. Power is applied from the intermediate member 50 to the portion of the cylindrical pin that protrudes toward the positive Z-direction side of the position setting portion 70, causing the cylindrical pin to slide in a direction substantially parallel to the Z-direction, and the portion of the position setting portion 70 that protrudes toward the negative Z-direction side presses the button 210 of the electronic key 200.

[0047] The first and second pressing members 61, 62 can slide within the position setting portion 70, thereby moving substantially perpendicular to the button 210 of the electronic key 200. By moving substantially perpendicular to the button 210 of the electronic key 200, the first and second pressing members 61, 62 can reliably press the button 210.

[0048] 6A, the first and second pressing members 61, 62 are sandwiched and held between a front portion 71 and a rear portion 72 of the position setting portion 70, respectively. The first and second pressing members 61, 62 each have a flange 63. Each of the flanges 63 is sandwiched in the space between the front portion 71 and the rear portion 72 of the position setting portion 70. As a result, each of the flanges 63 prevents the first and second pressing members 61, 62 from slipping out of the position setting portion 70.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 6A , the first and second pressing members 61, 62 have a return mechanism 64 formed, for example, by a return spring. The return mechanism 64 returns the first and second pressing members 61, 62 to their original positions after the button 210 of the electronic key 200 is pressed by the power of the actuator 40. In the first embodiment, the return mechanism 64 is sandwiched in the space within the position setting portion 70, particularly between the flange 63 and the front portion 71 of the position setting portion 70. It is preferable that one end of the return mechanism 64 is positioned by the flange 63.

[0050] However, the positions of the flange 63 and the return mechanism 64 are not limited to those in the first embodiment. For example, the flange 63 and the return mechanism 64 may be disposed on the positive side of the Z direction relative to the rear part 72 of the position setting part 70, or may be disposed on the negative side of the Z direction relative to the front part 71 of the position setting part 70.

[0051] In the first embodiment, the position setting unit 70 has six receiving portions 73 for setting the position of the pressing member 60, corresponding to each of the first and second pressing members 61, 62. However, the number of receiving portions 73 is not limited to this, as long as it can accommodate the positions of various buttons on electronic keys.

[0052] The position setting unit 70 not only sets the position of the pressing member 60 so as to correspond to the position of the button 210 as described above, but also sets the relative position between the actuator 40 and the pressing member 60. "Setting the relative position" means that the positional relationship between the actuator 40 and the pressing member 60 can be changed. For example, the position setting unit 70 can change the position of the pressing member 60 even if the position of the actuator 40 is fixed.

[0053] In this way, the position setting unit 70 can change the relative positions of the actuator 40 and the pressing member 60, and can also appropriately change the position of the pressing member 60 to a position where the button 210 of the electronic key 200 can be pressed. This makes it possible to create a correspondence table that indicates, for each vehicle model, the positions to which the position setting unit 70 sets the pressing member 60 so that the button 210 of the electronic key 200 can be pressed. The correspondence table indicates, for each vehicle model, the positions to which the position setting unit 70 sets the pressing member 60. By creating the correspondence table, the administrator of the sharing system 3 using the electronic key operating device 100 can easily refer to the correspondence table and select the position to which the position setting unit 70 sets the pressing member 60 that corresponds to the position of the button 210 of the electronic key 200 of the corresponding vehicle.

[0054] The position setting portion 70 can have a plurality of position setting locations for setting the position of the pressing member 60 across the first direction X and the second direction Y. In the first embodiment, there are four position setting locations (receiving portions 73) for setting the position of the pressing member 60 in the first direction X and three in the second direction Y. However, the number of position setting locations is not limited to that in the first embodiment, and there may be, for example, 2 to 10 locations or 3 to 6 locations in each of the first direction X and the second direction Y.

[0055] 6B, the position setting unit 70 in the first embodiment has a first portion 74 and a second portion 75 for setting the positions of the first and second pressing members 61, 62, respectively. The position of the first pressing member 61 is set in the first portion 74, and the position of the second pressing member 62 is set in the second portion 75. Then, the first and second pressing members 61, 62, whose positions have been set, can press the unlock button 211 and the lock button 212 of the electronic key 200.

[0056] FIG. 7 conceptually illustrates the relative positions of the actuators 41, 42, the movable portion 43, the intermediate members 51, 52, the rotary shaft 53, the pressing members 61, 62, and the first and second portions 74 and 75 of the position setting unit 70 in the first embodiment of the electronic key operation device 100. The intermediate members 51, 52 and a portion of the rotary shaft 53 are depicted with solid lines to clarify the differences from other embodiments described below. The first actuator 41 can apply power to the first intermediate member 51 through the movable portion 43. The powered first intermediate member 51 can move circumferentially around the rotary shaft 53 to press the first pressing member 61 located on the first portion 74 of the position setting unit 70. Similarly, the second actuator 42 can apply power to the second intermediate member 52 through the movable portion 43. When power is applied, the second intermediate member 52 can move circumferentially around the rotation axis 53 to press the second pressing member 62 located in the second part 75 of the position setting portion 70.

[0057] As shown in the first embodiment, the position setting unit 70 is preferably an independent, separate component. When the position setting unit 70 is an independent, separate component, the electronic key operation device 100 can be manufactured to accommodate a variety of electronic keys 200 by incorporating only the position setting unit 70, with the position of the pressing member 60 set, into the electronic key operation device 100. However, the position setting unit 70 may also be part of another component, such as the housing 10.

[0058] For example, as shown in FIG. 8 , the entire assembly except for the position setting unit 70 and the upper part 11 of the housing 10 is preassembled. Then, the position setting unit 70 and the upper housing 11, which have been set to the position of the pressing member 60 corresponding to a specific electronic key 200, are assembled to complete the electronic key operation device 100. Because this final assembly process is extremely simple, it can even be performed by the administrator of the sharing system 3. Furthermore, the position setting unit 70 can be easily replaced, not only during the final assembly process but also after assembly is complete, if necessary. In other words, the position setting unit 70 can be made replaceable by removing the upper housing 11, simplifying the replacement process.

[0059] The configuration of the housing 10 is not particularly limited as long as it is configured to facilitate the assembly process and to allow each element to be easily stored. For example, although the housing 10 and the upper housing 11 in the first embodiment are fixed with screws, any fixing method such as snap fastening or adhesive can be used.

[0060] 8, the electronic key operation device 100 may have a storage detection unit 13 for detecting whether the electronic key 200 and / or the electronic key case 300 is stored in the electronic key storage unit 110. The storage detection unit 13 detects whether the electronic key 200 and / or the electronic key case 300 is stored in the electronic key storage unit 110 and outputs a detection signal to the control unit 30. The storage detection unit 13 may be, for example, a push switch or an optical sensor provided on a side surface of the operation mechanism unit 120 on the negative side in the Z direction.

[0061] The power required for the electronic key operation device 100 may be supplied from the vehicle by connecting to the vehicle's electrical line, or may be supplied from a built-in battery disposed within the housing 10.

[0062] 9 shows positions set in the position setting unit 70 of the first and second pressing members 61, 62 for pressing the unlock button 211 and the lock button 212, which are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the oval-shaped electronic key 200. The position of the first pressing member 61 is set in the position setting unit 70 to correspond to the position of the unlock button 211 on the electronic key 200, and the position of the second pressing member 62 is set in the position setting unit 70 to correspond to the position of the lock button 212 on the electronic key 200. In the example shown in FIG. 9, the unlock button 211 and the lock button 212 are aligned along the longitudinal direction of the oval-shaped electronic key 200, and therefore the positions of the first and second pressing members 61, 62 are set in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the electronic key 200.

[0063] 10 shows the positions set for the first and second pressing members 61, 62 in the position setting unit 70 to press the unlock button 211 and the lock button 212, which are arranged diagonally relative to the longitudinal direction of the oval-shaped electronic key 200. In the example shown in FIG. 10, the unlock button 211 and the lock button 212 are arranged diagonally relative to the longitudinal direction of the oval-shaped electronic key 200, and therefore the first and second pressing members 61, 62 are also correspondingly set in positions diagonally relative to the longitudinal direction of the electronic key 200.

[0064] As described above, even if the unlock button 211 and the lock button 212 of the electronic key 200 are arranged in a variety of positions, the electronic key operating device 100 can easily correspond to the arrangement of the unlock button 211 and the lock button 212 of a specific electronic key 200 simply by setting the position of the pressing member 60 in the position setting unit 70.

[0065] (Second embodiment) In the first embodiment, the positions of the pressing members 61, 62 can be set if the unlock button 211 and the lock button 212 are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the elliptical or oblong electronic key 200 or arranged diagonally relative to the longitudinal direction, as shown in Figures 9 and 10. However, if the unlock button 211 and the lock button 212 are arranged along the lateral direction of the oblong electronic key 200, as shown in Figure 11, it is difficult to set the positions of the pressing members 61, 62.

[0066] In recent years, there has been a trend toward providing electronic keys 200 with a variety of functions. For example, the electronic key 200 shown in FIG. 11 has buttons other than an unlock button 211 and a lock button 212 for locking and unlocking the doors of the vehicle 5. Specifically, the electronic key 200 has a trunk unlock button 213 for unlocking the trunk of the vehicle 5, and a left open / close button 214 and a right open / close button 215 for opening and closing the sliding doors provided on the left and right sides of the rear seat of the vehicle 5. As the number of buttons arranged on the electronic key 200 increases, the unlock button 211 and the lock button 212 may be arranged along the short side of the oval-shaped electronic key 200, as shown in FIG. 11 .

[0067] 11 is compatible with the first embodiment, for example, by inserting the oval electronic key 200 into the electronic key holder 110 with its longitudinal direction parallel to the Y direction (with the unlock button 211 and lock button 212 aligned in the X direction). However, this increases the size of the entire device, particularly in the Y direction. Because the electronic key operation device 100 is typically used in a space-limited location, such as a dashboard, it is extremely important to reduce the size of the entire device.

[0068] The second embodiment described below can solve the problems of the first embodiment described above. The second embodiment has the same configuration as the first embodiment except for the points described below.

[0069] FIG. 12 conceptually illustrates a projection of the second embodiment of the electronic key operation device 100 onto a plane perpendicular to the Z axis direction to show the relative positions of the intermediate members 51 and 52, the rotation shaft 53, the pressing members 61 and 62, and the first and second portions 74 and 75 of the position setting unit 70. As shown in FIG. 12 , in the second embodiment, the first and second portions 74 and 75 of the position setting unit 70 are adjacent to each other in both the first direction X and the second direction Y. Correspondingly, the first and second intermediate members 51 and 52 are preferably adjacent to each other in both the first direction X and the second direction Y. The first and second intermediate members 51 and 52 have different shapes in the first direction, and adjacent edges are shaped to conform to each other. This second embodiment can also accommodate a case in which the unlock button 211 and the lock button 212 are arranged along the short side of the oval-shaped electronic key 200, as shown in FIG. 11 . In recent years, there has been a trend toward an increasing number of buttons on electronic keys, so the second embodiment is very suitable.

[0070] Specifically, in the second embodiment, the first intermediate member 51 and the second intermediate member 52 are adjacent not only in the first direction X but also in the second direction Y. This allows the first pressing member 61 and the second pressing member 62 to be set to positions adjacent to each other not only in the first direction X but also in the second direction Y by the position setting unit 70. Therefore, when power is applied from the actuator 41, the first intermediate member 51 can press the first pressing member 61 to press the unlock button 211 of the electronic key 200 as shown in FIG. 11. Similarly, when power is applied from the actuator 42, the second intermediate member 52 can press the second pressing member 62 to press the lock button 212 of the electronic key 200 as shown in FIG. 11. This allows for a case in which the unlock button 211 and the lock button 212 are aligned in the short-side direction of the electronic key 200 as shown in FIG. 11.

[0071] In the second embodiment, the first intermediate member 51 and the second intermediate member 52 are adjacent to each other in both the first direction X and the second direction Y. However, in an embodiment in which the intermediate member 50 is not present, the first and second portions 74, 75 of the position setting unit 70 are adjacent to each other, and the first pressing member 61 and the second pressing member 62 can be positioned by the first and second portions 74, 75, respectively. In this case, the shapes of the first and second portions 74, 75 may be similar to those of the first and second intermediate members 51, 52 in the second embodiment. Power may then be applied directly from the first and second actuators 41, 42 to the first and second pressing members 61, 62.

[0072] In the second embodiment, the boundaries 54, 76 separating adjacent portions of the first and second intermediate members 51, 52 and / or the first and second portions 74, 75 of the position setting unit 70 are not particularly limited in shape, width, etc., as long as they allow the first and second intermediate members 51, 52 and / or the first and second portions 74, 75 to be adjacent to each other in both the first direction X and the second direction Y and allow the unlock button 211 and the lock button 212, which are aligned in the short direction of the oval electronic key 200, to be pressed. The adjacent portions are separated by the boundaries 54, 76, and the boundaries 54, 76 can be set to pass between the unlock button 211 and the lock button 212, which are aligned in the short direction of the oval electronic key 200. Furthermore, the boundaries 54, 76 may be two-dimensionally shaped, such as zigzag, S-shaped, or Z-shaped, rather than being one-dimensionally linear, at the position setting locations (receiving portions 73) of the position setting unit 70 where the pressing members 60 are aligned two-dimensionally.

[0073] 12, the first and second intermediate members 51, 52 have a shape that is combined with a boundary 54 in between, and the size of the boundary is smaller near the position setting location of the position setting unit 70. Preferably, the first and second intermediate members 51, 52 have two approximately L-shaped or stair-shaped portions as shown in FIG.

[0074] 13 shows the positions set for the first and second pressing members 61, 62 in the position setting unit 70 of the second embodiment to press the unlock button 211 and the lock button 212, which are arranged along the short side of the oval electronic key 200. The position of the first pressing member 61 is set in the position setting unit 70 to correspond to the position of the unlock button 211 on the electronic key 200, and the second pressing member 62, which is set adjacent to the first pressing member 61 on the Y axis, is set to the position of the lock button 212.

[0075] 14 shows the positions set for the first and second pressing members 61, 62 in the position setting unit 70 of the second embodiment when the unlock button 211 and the lock button 212 are aligned along the longitudinal direction of the oval electronic key 200. This electronic key 200 can be used with the electronic key operation device of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 9, but it can also be used with the electronic key operation device of the second embodiment.

[0076] 15 shows the positions set for the first and second pressing members 61, 62 in the position setting unit 70 of the second embodiment when the unlock button 211 and the lock button 212 are positioned diagonally relative to the longitudinal direction of the oval electronic key 200. As shown in FIG. 10, this type of electronic key 200 can be used with the electronic key operation device of the first embodiment, but can also be used with the electronic key operation device of the second embodiment.

[0077] To reduce the overall size of the electronic key operation device 100, the degree of freedom in changing the position of the electronic key 200 within the electronic key holder 110 is often relatively large in the longitudinal direction of the electronic key 200, but is limited in the lateral direction. Under these circumstances, having the positioning unit 70 and / or intermediate member 50 as in the second embodiment is advantageous for accommodating a wide variety of electronic keys 200. Based on the inventors' investigations, the electronic key operation device 100 of the second embodiment was found to be compatible with the electronic keys 200 of all commercially available vehicles.

[0078] (Third embodiment) The third embodiment relates to a mode in which the position setting section 70 is present in the intermediate member 50. The third embodiment can also be said to be a mode in which the intermediate member 50 is not present in the first embodiment.

[0079] Fig. 16 specifically illustrates the third embodiment. In the third embodiment, the first and second intermediate members 51 and 52 each have a plurality of receiving portions 73 for the first and second pressing members 61 and 62, and the first and second intermediate members 51 and 52 each have a position setting portion 70. Although this embodiment makes the final assembly process as shown in Fig. 8 somewhat more complicated, it is useful because it has the advantage of reducing the number of parts.

[0080] In the third embodiment, the first and second pressing members 61, 62 are fixed by a position setting portion 70, and when the first and second intermediate members 51, 52 having the position setting portion 70 move, the first and second pressing members 61, 62 also move together.

[0081] However, in the third embodiment, the pressing member 60 is supported on only one side. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 17 , when the pressing member 60 receives power from the actuator 40 and attempts to press the button 210 of the electronic key 200, the force may not be applied perpendicular to the button 210. This is because if the electronic key operating device 100 is equipped with various switches and sensors, the distance from the actuator 40 to the electronic key 200 becomes longer, making it particularly difficult for the pressing member 60 to press the button 210 perpendicularly.

[0082] On the other hand, in the first embodiment, the pressing member 60 can always press the button 210 of the electronic key 200 substantially vertically, and from this point of view, the first embodiment can also be said to be preferable.

[0083] (Fourth embodiment) The fourth embodiment relates to a case where the position setting portion 70 is present in the actuator 40.

[0084] FIG. 18 specifically illustrates the fourth embodiment. In the fourth embodiment, a position setting unit 70 is present as part of the actuator 40 or as an independent component disposed on the actuator 40. The position setting unit 70 may be pressed by the movable unit 43 as an independent component, and the pressing member 60 may move together with the position setting unit 70 while being held by the position setting unit 70. Alternatively, an intermediate member 50 may be present to apply force from the movable unit 43 to the pressing member 60. Alternatively, the movable unit 43 of the actuator 40 may perform the function of the pressing member 60. In this case, the movable unit 43, whose position is set by the position setting unit 70, directly presses the button 210 of the electronic key 200.

[0085] The fourth embodiment is preferable compared to the third embodiment in that it can reduce the number of parts and makes it easier to apply force perpendicular to the button 210. However, because adjusting the positional relationship between the position setting 70, the movable part 43 of the actuator 40 that functions as the pressing member 60, and the button 210 of the electronic key 200 is complicated, the first embodiment is preferable from the standpoints of ease of design and versatility.

[0086] (Fifth embodiment) The fifth embodiment relates to an aspect in which an electronic key 200 is accommodated in an electronic key receiving portion 110 of an electronic key operating device 100.

[0087] 19 and 20 specifically show the fifth embodiment. In the fifth embodiment, the electronic key 200 is inserted into the electronic key holder 110 while stored in an electronic key case 300.

[0088] 20 , the electronic key storage case 300 has an opening in a portion thereof and includes a storage section 310 for storing the electronic key 200, a key fitter 320, and a lid section 330 for opening and closing the opening of the storage section 310, and stores the electronic key 200 in a removable manner. The electronic key storage case 300 stores the electronic key 200 with the unlock button 211 and lock button 212 of the electronic key 200 exposed, so that when the electronic key storage case 300 is stored in the electronic key storage section 110, the pressing member 60 can press the unlock button 211 and the lock button 212.

[0089] The key fitter 320 may have a shape that corresponds to the external shape of the electronic key 200. For example, the key fitter 320 may be a member formed of a hard sponge or the like, with an area for storing the electronic key 200 hollowed out along the external shape. The key fitter 320 positions the electronic key 200 so that the unlock button 211 and lock button 212 of the electronic key 200 are located in predetermined positions in the storage section 310. A type of key fitter 320 is selected and used according to the type of electronic key 200 for the vehicle to which the electronic key operating device 100 is attached.

[0090] (Sixth embodiment) The sixth embodiment relates to an aspect in which the electronic key 200 is directly accommodated in the electronic key receiving portion 110 of the electronic key operating device 100.

[0091] 21 specifically shows the sixth embodiment. In the sixth embodiment, the electronic key 200 is stored directly in the electronic key storage unit 110, which is an open / close type.

[0092] In the sixth embodiment, the electronic key storage unit 110 can be opened and closed by swinging relative to the operating mechanism unit 120. Operating the opening / closing operation unit 12 provided on the upper housing unit 11 releases the connection between the upper housing unit 11 and the electronic key storage unit 110, allowing the electronic key storage unit 110 to be opened and closed, changing from the closed state shown in FIG. 21A to the open state shown in FIG. 21B. In the open state, the electronic key storage unit 110 opens to a position where the stored electronic key 200 is exposed facing upward. FIG. 21C shows the electronic key 100 being attached to and detached from the electronic key storage unit 110 in the open state.

[0093] An accommodating recess 111 is formed inside the electronic key accommodating portion 110. The accommodating recess 111 accommodates the electronic key 200 with the side with the unlock button 211 and the lock button 212 facing up.

[0094] Even in such an embodiment, the electronic key operating device 100 can have a storage detection unit 13 for detecting that the electronic key 200 is stored in the electronic key storage unit 110. In the sixth embodiment, the storage detection unit 13 can detect that the electronic key 200 is stored in the electronic key storage unit 110 in the closed state and output a detection signal to the control unit 30.

[0095] The electronic key operation device 100 may have an open / close detector 14 for the open / close type electronic key holder 110. The open / close detector 14 detects whether the electronic key holder 110 is open or closed, and outputs a detection signal to the control unit 30. The open / close detector 14 may be, for example, a push switch provided on the side surface of the operation mechanism unit 120 on the negative side in the Z direction.

[0096] Seventh embodiment In the seventh embodiment, the electronic key operation device 100 is a device for operating an electronic key other than a vehicle electronic key, such as a smart lock for a home. The electronic key operation device 100 is useful in all applications where the transfer of electronic keys poses a security issue.

[0097] (Eighth embodiment) In the first to fourth embodiments, the unlock button 211 and the lock button 212 can easily accommodate various arrangements of the electronic key 200. In these embodiments, as shown in Fig. 22, it is possible to accommodate the electronic key 200A in which the unlock button 211 and the lock button 212 are positioned side by side in the center, and the electronic keys 200B and 200C in which the unlock button 211 and the lock button 212 are positioned side by side in a position offset from the center.

[0098] However, to accommodate the three types of electronic keys 200A, 200B, and 200C in these embodiments, the electronic key holder 110 must be made larger than necessary so that the positions of the buttons on the electronic keys and the positions of the pressing members align, and the electronic keys must be set in the appropriate positions in the electronic key holder 110. That is, to accommodate electronic key 200A and electronic key 200B, the electronic key holder 110 must be larger by dimension d1 than when accommodating only electronic key 200A, and further larger by dimension d2 to accommodate electronic key 200C. As a result, the electronic key operating device 100 must be larger overall.

[0099] The eighth embodiment described below can solve the above-mentioned problems of the first to fourth embodiments. The eighth embodiment has the same configuration as the first embodiment except for the points described below. However, the first embodiment and the like can also refer to the configuration of the eighth embodiment described below as appropriate.

[0100] Specifically, in the eighth embodiment, as shown in FIG. 23A , the position setting unit 70 is larger in the first direction X and the second direction Y than in the device of the first embodiment, etc., so that the intermediate members 51, 52 can press the pressing members 61, 62 over the entire range of positions of the pressing members 61, 62 that can be set by the position setting unit 70.

[0101] In the eighth embodiment, the first intermediate member 51 and the second intermediate member 52 have different shapes in the first direction, and adjacent edges have shapes that follow each other. Furthermore, the first intermediate member 51 and the second intermediate member 52 are positioned side by side in the first direction, but their positions can be interchanged in the first direction X, and because they have different shapes, when the positions are interchanged, the range of positions of the pressing member 60 that can be set by the position setting unit 70 can be changed.

[0102] 23A and 23B show the states before and after the first intermediate member 51 and the second intermediate member 52 have swapped positions in the first direction. It can be seen that the first portion 74 and the second portion 75 of the position setting unit 70 are changed by the intermediate members 51 and 52 changing from the first parallel relationship in Fig. 23A to the second parallel relationship in Fig. 23B, and the range of positions of the pressing member 60 that can be set in the position setting unit 70 is also changed.

[0103] Comparing the first portion 74 and the second portion 75 at their middle positions in the second direction Y, in the first parallel relationship of Fig. 23A, the first position setting range A for the first pressing member 61 exists across eight receiving portions 73, and the second position setting range B for the second pressing member 62 exists across four receiving portions 73. In contrast, in the second parallel relationship of Fig. 23B, the second position setting range B is changed to exist across six receiving portions 73.

[0104] In this way, the first position setting range A and the second position setting range B can be changed simply by swapping the positions of the first intermediate member 51 and the second intermediate member 52, making it possible to press two buttons not only for the three types of electronic keys shown in Fig. 22 but also for electronic keys with buttons in various positions. In this example, because it is possible to press buttons in various positions aligned in the first direction X, there is no need to enlarge the electronic key holding section 110 in the first direction X.

[0105] In this embodiment, when the first intermediate member 51 and the second intermediate member 52 are in a first parallel relationship in the first direction X as shown in FIG. 23A, the first portion 74 and the second portion 75 of the position setting portion 70 are adjacent in both the first direction X and the second direction Y, and when they are in a second parallel relationship as shown in FIG. 23B, the first portion 74 and the second portion 75 of the position setting portion 70 are adjacent in the first direction X but not adjacent in the second direction Y.

[0106] In the eighth embodiment, the length of the position setting portion 70 in the first direction X is substantially the same as the total length of the two intermediate members 51, 52 in the first direction X. Here, "substantially the same length" means that the length of one of the two intermediate members 51, 52 is in the range of 1 / 2 to 2 times, 2 / 3 to 3 / 2 times, 3 / 4 to 4 / 3 times, or 4 / 5 to 5 / 4 times the length of the other.

[0107] Furthermore, the area of the position setting portion 70 in the first direction X and the second direction Y is substantially the same as the area of the two intermediate members 51, 52 in the first direction X and the second direction Y. Here, these areas being substantially the same means that the area of one of the two intermediate members 51, 52 is in a range of 1 / 2 to 2 times, 2 / 3 to 3 / 2 times, 3 / 4 to 4 / 3 times, or 4 / 5 to 5 / 4 times the area of the other.

[0108] By simply making the positioning unit 70 and the intermediate members 51, 52 as large as possible within the electronic key operation device 100, it is not necessary to make the electronic key holder 110 larger than necessary, and the overall size of the electronic key operation device 100 can be reduced. This embodiment is extremely advantageous because the electronic key operation device 100 is likely to be installed in a narrow space such as the dashboard when used in an automobile.

[0109] For example, the position setting unit 70 may be 3 cm or more, 5 cm or more, or 7 cm or more, and 12 cm or less, 10 cm or less, or 8 cm or less in the first direction X. Furthermore, the position setting unit 70 may be 2 cm or more, 4 cm or more, or 6 cm or more, and 10 cm or less, 8 cm or less, or 6 cm or less in the second direction Y.

[0110] The position setting portion 70 has a plurality of receiving portions 73 for setting the positions of the pressing members 61, 62, all over the first direction X and the second direction Y. In the first embodiment, 12 receiving portions 73 are illustrated, but in the eighth embodiment, the number of receiving portions 73 may be greater than that of the first embodiment. For example, the number of receiving portions 73 in the position setting portion 70 may be 20 or more, 30 or more, 40 or more, or 50 or more, or may be 200 or less, 150 or less, 100 or less, or 80 or less.

[0111] For example, the distance between the centers of the multiple receiving portions 73 in the first direction X may be 5 mm or more, 7 mm or more, 10 mm or more, or 12 mm or more, or 20 mm or less, 15 mm or less, 12 mm or less, or 10 mm or less. Furthermore, the distance between the center positions of the position setting portion 70 in the second direction Y may be 10 mm or more, 12 mm or more, or 15 mm or more, or 25 mm or less, 20 mm or less, or 15 mm or less.

[0112] If the plurality of receiving portions 73 are circular, their diameter may be 3 mm or more, 5 mm or more, or 7 mm or more, or may be 12 mm or less, 10 mm or less, or 8 mm or less. If the plurality of receiving portions 73 are not circular, their equivalent diameter may be within the above-mentioned diameter range. Here, the equivalent diameter refers to the diameter of a circle when the outer periphery of the shape is assumed to be the circumference.

[0113] Figure 24A shows the ranges of the first portion 74 and the second portion 75 of the position setting portion 70 for the second embodiment. Figure 24B shows the same ranges for the eighth embodiment, and Figure 24C shows the same ranges in the eighth embodiment when the positions of the first intermediate member 51 and the second intermediate member 52 are swapped.

[0114] 24A , the ranges of the first portion 74 and the second portion 75 for setting the positions of the pressing members 61, 62 are limited relative to the area of the position setting portion 70. In this case, in order to align the buttons 211, 212 of the electronic key 200 with the position of the pressing member 60, it is necessary to increase the dimensions of the electronic key storage portion 110 in the first direction X and the second direction Y and then set the electronic key 200 in a specific position in the electronic key storage portion 110. This also applies when the buttons 211, 212 of the electronic key 200 are positioned diagonally, and it is necessary to increase the dimensions of the electronic key storage portion 110 in the first direction X and the second direction Y to align the electronic key 200 with the position of the pressing member 60.

[0115] 24B, the range of the first portion 74 and the second portion 75 is wider than the range of the first portion 74 and the second portion 75 shown in FIG. 24A, and the buttons 211 and 212 of variously arranged electronic keys 200 can be pressed simply by changing the positions of the pressing members 61 and 62. This minimizes the size of the electronic key storage unit 110. Also, in FIG. 24C, the positions of the first intermediate member 51 and the second intermediate member 52 are swapped, thereby changing the range of pressing member positions that can be set in the position setting unit 70 in the first direction X. As a result, when the buttons 211, 212 of the electronic key 200 are aligned along the longitudinal direction of the electronic key 200, or when the buttons 211, 212 are aligned diagonally relative to the longitudinal direction of the electronic key 200, the positions of the pressing members 61, 62 can be changed to press the buttons 211, 212 of the electronic key 200 in various positions without changing the position of the electronic key 200 in the first direction X within the electronic key storing section 110 or by minimally changing the position of the electronic key 200 in the first direction X.

[0116] (Ninth embodiment) The ninth embodiment relates to a manufacturing method for an electronic key operation device 100. The above-described electronic key operation device 100 can operate a variety of electronic keys 200 with slight design changes, but according to this embodiment, even such an electronic key operation device 100 can be reliably manufactured without causing setting errors or the like.

[0117] As shown in Fig. 25, the first intermediate member 51 and the second intermediate member 52 are attached to the rotating shaft 53, and then the rotating shaft 53 is inserted into the rotating shaft holders 15 at three locations on the housing 10 to be fixed. At this time, as shown in Fig. 26, the housing 10 is placed on a fixing jig 510 with the rotating shaft 53 equipped with the intermediate members temporarily placed on the rotating shaft holder 15 of the housing 10. At this time, the first intermediate member 51 and the second intermediate member 52 are leaned at an angle against intermediate member support portions 511 present on the fixing jig 510, as shown in Fig. 27.

[0118] 26 , the housing 10, with the rotating shaft 53 equipped with the intermediate member temporarily placed on the rotating shaft holder 15, is moved together with the fixing jig 510 to directly below the rotating shaft insertion jig 521. Then, the rotating shaft 53 is fixed to the claws of the rotating shaft holder 15 by pushing it in from above using the rotating shaft insertion jig 521.

[0119] In this case, it is conceivable that the first intermediate member 51 and the second intermediate member 52 may be attached with their front and back reversed. Therefore, by designing the shapes of the related members so that the first intermediate member 51 and the second intermediate member 52 can be attached only in the correct orientation, it is possible to prevent this missetting of the front and back.

[0120] For example, the intermediate member 50 has a surface on the actuator 40 side and a surface on the position setting unit 70 side in its thickness direction (third direction Z), and these surfaces can have different shapes. The rotation axis 53 of the intermediate member 50 can be shifted from the middle position in its thickness direction (i.e., third direction Z). This allows the intermediate member 50 to be configured so that the surface on the position setting unit 70 side cannot be attached to face the actuator 40 in the thickness direction.

[0121] For example, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 27 , the rotation shaft 53 of the intermediate member 50 is not located at the center of the thickness of the intermediate member 50. Instead, it is located closer to the inner wall 16 of the housing 10 (i.e., on the positive side of the third direction Z) and farther from the position setting unit 70 (i.e., on the negative side of the third direction Z) from the center of the thickness of the intermediate member 50. To design the intermediate member 50 and the rotation shaft 53 in this manner, the rotation shaft holder 15 can be installed near the inner wall 16 extending in the second direction Y within the housing 10. For example, the rotation shaft 53 can be held by the rotation shaft holder 15 at a position shorter than approximately half the dimension from the inner wall 16 in the thickness direction of the intermediate member 50. This design allows the intermediate member 50 to be attached only in the correct orientation, or allows the intermediate member 50 to rotate circumferentially only when the intermediate member 50 is attached in the correct orientation, thereby preventing mistakes in setting the front and back of the intermediate member 50.

[0122] 28A to 28C, by using intermediate member jigs 531, 532, and 533, the electronic key operation device 100 can be manufactured without making any mistakes in the shapes and arranging positions of the first intermediate member 51 and the second intermediate member 52. The intermediate member jigs 531, 532, and 533 allow the first intermediate member 51 and the second intermediate member 52 to pass through only when the first intermediate member 51 and the second intermediate member 52 are positioned in a predetermined juxtaposition, respectively. The intermediate member jigs 531, 532, and 533 can be prepared for each electronic key operation device 100 that uses slightly different intermediate members 51 and 52 to correspond to the various electronic keys 200.

[0123] 28A shows an intermediate member jig 531 used in manufacturing the electronic key operation device 100 of the first embodiment. In the first embodiment, the first intermediate member 51 and the second intermediate member 52 are arranged in any order in the first direction X and are interchangeable with each other. However, by using this intermediate member jig 531, the electronic key operation device 100 can be manufactured without using an intermediate member of an unintended shape. This prevents mistakes such as manufacturing the electronic key operation device 100 of the eighth embodiment when attempting to manufacture the electronic key operation device 100 of the first embodiment.

[0124] Fig. 28B shows an intermediate member jig 532 used in manufacturing the electronic key operation device 100 of the eighth embodiment in which the first intermediate member 51 and the second intermediate member 52 are in a first parallel relationship in the first direction X, and Fig. 28C shows an intermediate member jig 533 used in manufacturing the electronic key operation device 100 of the eighth embodiment in which the first intermediate member 51 and the second intermediate member 52 are in a second parallel relationship in the first direction X. In the eighth embodiment, the device can be manufactured even if the positions of the first intermediate member 51 and the second intermediate member 52 are swapped in the first direction X, but by preparing such intermediate member jigs 532, 533, the first intermediate member 51 and the second intermediate member 52 can be manufactured in the intended parallel relationship without error.

[0125] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 29, by using a position setting jig 540, the electronic key operation device 100 can be manufactured without setting the pressing members 61, 62 in the correct positions on the position setting portion .

[0126] The positioning jig 540 has a plate 543 that allows the pressing members 61, 62 to pass only through predetermined receiving portions 73 of the positioning portion 70 that accommodate the pressing members 61, 62, and prevents the pressing members 61, 62 from passing through other receiving portions 73. This plate 543 has pressing member setting holes 541, 542 that allow the pressing members 61, 62 to pass only through the predetermined receiving portions 73, and does not have any other holes through which the pressing members 61, 62 can pass. By preparing different types of plates 543 for each type of electronic key 200, the electronic key operating device 100 can be manufactured for each type of electronic key 200 without making any mistakes in the positioning of the pressing members.

[0127] According to the present specification, there is provided an electronic key operation device having the following aspects.

[0128] The electronic key operation device of aspect 1-1 includes a storage unit that stores an electronic key, a first pressing member and a second pressing member that press a button on the electronic key stored in the storage unit, a first intermediate member that provides power to the first pressing member for pressing the button on the electronic key, a second intermediate member that provides power to the second pressing member for pressing the button on the electronic key, and a position setting unit that sets the positions of the first pressing member and the second pressing member relative to the button. The first intermediate member and the second intermediate member are arranged side by side in a first direction that intersects with the third direction in which power is applied, and the arrangement is changeable so that the first intermediate member applies power to the second pressing member and the second intermediate member applies power to the first pressing member.

[0129] According to the above-described aspect, the electronic key operation device can be used for various types of electronic keys by changing the positions of the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member.

[0130] The position setting unit of the electronic key operation device of aspect 1-2 has a first part for setting the position of the first pressing member and a second part for setting the position of the second pressing member, and when the arrangement of the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member is changed, the range of the first part and the second part can be changed.

[0131] According to the above-described aspect, the electronic key operating device can change the range of positions of the pressing member that can be set in the position setting section by changing the positions of the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member, making the electronic key operating device usable for an even greater variety of electronic key shapes.

[0132] In the electronic key operation device of Aspect 1-3, the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member have different shapes in the first direction.

[0133] According to the above-described aspect, the electronic key operating device can change the range of positions of the pressing member that can be set in the position setting section by changing the positions of the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member, making the electronic key operating device usable for an even wider variety of electronic key shapes.

[0134] In the electronic key operation device of aspect 1-4, when the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member are arranged side by side in the first direction, the adjacent edges of the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member have shapes that follow each other.

[0135] According to the above-described aspect, the electronic key operating device can be used for a variety of electronic key configurations by changing the positions of the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member and changing the position of the pressing member set in the position setting section.

[0136] In the electronic key operation device of aspect 1-5, the length of the position setting portion in the first direction is substantially the same as the total length of the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member in the first direction.

[0137] According to the above-described embodiment, by adjusting the size of the position setting portion to match the size of the intermediate member within the electronic key operation device, it becomes possible to press buttons at various positions along the first direction X, eliminating the need to make the electronic key storage portion larger than necessary, and thus reducing the overall size of the electronic key operation device.

[0138] The position setting portion of the electronic key operation device of Aspect 1-6 has a plurality of receiving portions for accommodating the first pressing member and the second pressing member.

[0139] According to the above-described embodiment, there is no need to fine-tune the position of the pressing member, and it is sufficient to set the position of the pressing member to one of the multiple positions on the position setting unit. Therefore, if you know in advance which position on the position setting unit the pressing member should be set to for a specific vehicle model of electronic key, you can set the position of the pressing member very easily.

[0140] The first pressing member and the second pressing member of the electronic key operation device of aspect 1-7 are slidable within the receiving portion of the position setting portion, and the button can be pressed at one end, and power to press the button is applied at the other end.

[0141] According to the above-described aspect, the pressing member can be made substantially perpendicular to the button of the electronic key, thereby enabling the button to be pressed reliably.

[0142] When the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member of the electronic key operation device of aspect 1-8 are in a first parallel relationship in the first direction, the first part and the second part of the position setting portion are adjacent in both the first direction and a second direction intersecting the first direction and the third direction, and when the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member are exchanged positions in the first direction and in a second parallel relationship, the first part and the second part of the position setting portion are adjacent in the first direction but not adjacent in the second direction.

[0143] According to the above-described aspect, when the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member have such shapes, the electronic key operating device can be used for many different types of electronic keys.

[0144] In the electronic key operation device of aspect 1-9, the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member have a common rotation axis, and the power is imparted to the pressing member by circumferential movement of the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member around the rotation axis.

[0145] According to the above-described embodiment, the power applied to the pressing member can be controlled by the principle of leverage. This allows the pushing force required for the moving part to be reduced. As a result, a small, low-output power source can be used as the power source, such as the actuator, and the electronic key operating device itself can be made smaller.

[0146] The first intermediate member and the second intermediate member of the electronic key operation device of aspect 1-10 have different shapes for a first surface that presses the first pressing member and the second pressing member and a second surface that is opposite the first surface in the third direction that is perpendicular to both the first direction and the second direction, and are configured so that the first surface cannot be attached facing the opposite side.

[0147] According to the above-described aspect, it is possible to manufacture an electronic key operation device without mistakenly placing the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member upside down.

[0148] In the electronic key operation device of Aspect 1-11, the electronic key is accommodated in the accommodating section while being fixed by an electronic key accommodating case.

[0149] According to the above-described aspect, it is possible to change the design of the electronic key storage case to suit various shapes of electronic keys, which is advantageous because it is not necessary to make major design changes to the electronic key operating device.

[0150] The manufacturing method of an electronic key operation device of aspect 1-12 includes arranging the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member in a first direction in a predetermined parallel relationship, and passing the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member through an intermediate member jig that can pass the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member only when the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member are in the parallel relationship.

[0151] According to the above-described aspect, the electronic key operation device can be manufactured without making any mistakes in the shapes and aligned positions of the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member.

[0152] A method for manufacturing an electronic key operation device according to aspect 1-13 includes preparing a position setting jig for setting the position of the pressing member in the position setting unit, the jig being configured so that, among the plurality of receiving units, the pressing member can pass only through the receiving unit at the set position of the pressing member and cannot pass through the other receiving units; and passing the pressing member through the position setting jig to accommodate the pressing member in the receiving unit at the set position.

[0153] According to the above-described aspect, the electronic key operation device can be manufactured without setting the pressing member in the position setting portion in the wrong position.

[0154] (Aspect 2-1) The electronic key operating device of aspect 2-1 comprises a storage section for storing an electronic key, a pressing member for pressing a button on the electronic key stored in the storage section, an actuator for applying power to the pressing member to press the button, and a position setting section for setting the relative position of the actuator and the pressing member, wherein the position setting section is capable of setting the position of the pressing member to correspond to the position of the button across a first direction and a second direction intersecting the first direction.

[0155] According to the above-described aspect, the electronic key operation device allows the position of the pressing member to be set using the position setting unit while the actuator position is fixed, so the position of the pressing member can be easily aligned with the position of the electronic key button. This allows the electronic key operation device to be used with a variety of electronic key configurations with minimal design changes. Furthermore, because the actuator position does not need to be changed depending on the position of the electronic key button, the shape of the housing of the electronic key operation device does not need to be changed, and there is no need to secure internal space for actuator position adjustment, making it possible to reduce the device's size.

[0156] (Aspect 2-2) In the electronic key operation device of Aspect 2-2, the position setting portion has a plurality of receiving portions for accommodating the pressing members.

[0157] According to the above-described embodiment, there is no need to fine-tune the position of the pressing member, and it is sufficient to set the position of the pressing member to one of the multiple positions on the position setting unit. Therefore, if you know in advance which position on the position setting unit the pressing member should be set to for a specific vehicle model of electronic key, you can set the position of the pressing member very easily.

[0158] (Aspect 2-3) In the electronic key operation device of aspect 2-3, the pressing member is slidable within the receiving portion of the position setting portion, the button can be pressed at one end of the pressing member, and power to press the button is applied at the other end.

[0159] According to the above-described aspect, the pressing member can be made substantially perpendicular to the button of the electronic key, thereby enabling the button to be pressed reliably.

[0160] (Aspects 2-4) In the electronic key operation device of aspect 2-4, there are at least two pressing members, and the position setting unit has at least a first portion and a second portion for setting the positions of the pressing members.

[0161] According to the above-described embodiment, two or more buttons on the electronic key can be pressed.

[0162] (Aspects 2-5) In the electronic key operation device of aspect 2-5, the first portion and the second portion of the position setting portion are adjacent to each other in both the first direction and the second direction.

[0163] According to the above-described embodiment, it is possible to accommodate a wide variety of electronic keys.

[0164] (Aspects 2-6) The electronic key operation device of aspect 2-6 further includes an intermediate member for applying power from the actuator to the pressing member.

[0165] According to the above-described aspect, the actuator, the pressing member, and the position setting portion can be easily arranged freely, which facilitates miniaturization of the electronic key operation device.

[0166] (Aspects 2-7) In the electronic key operation device of aspect 2-7, the intermediate member has a rotation shaft, and power from the actuator is applied to the pressing member by circumferential movement of the intermediate member.

[0167] According to the above-described embodiment, the power applied from the actuator to the pressing member can be made to work using the principle of leverage. This allows the pushing force required for the movable part to be reduced. As a result, a small actuator with low output can be used as the actuator, and as a result, the electronic key operation device itself can be made smaller.

[0168] (Aspects 2-8) The electronic key operation device of aspect 2-8 further has an intermediate member for applying power from the actuator to the pressing member, and the intermediate member is divided into a first intermediate member and a second intermediate member corresponding to the first part and the second part of the position setting portion.

[0169] According to the above-described embodiment, not only can two or more buttons on the electronic key be pressed, but the arrangement of the actuator, pressing member, and position setting unit can be easily set, thereby facilitating the miniaturization of the electronic key operating device.

[0170] (Aspect 2-9) In the electronic key operation device of aspect 2-9, the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member are adjacent to each other in both the first direction and the second direction.

[0171] According to the above-described aspect, not only can it be used with a wide variety of electronic keys, but it also makes it easier to freely set the arrangement of the actuator, pressing member, and position setting unit, thereby facilitating the miniaturization of the electronic key operating device.

[0172] (Aspect 2-10) In the electronic key operation device of Aspect 2-10, the position setting portion is a member separate from the intermediate member.

[0173] According to the above-described aspect, the electronic key operation device can be easily manufactured by incorporating only the position setting portion in a state in which the position of the pressing member is set into the electronic key operation device.

[0174] (Aspect 2-11) In the electronic key operating device of aspect 2-11, the electronic key is housed in the housing section with the electronic key fixed by the electronic key housing case.

[0175] The above-described aspect is advantageous because it is not necessary to change the design of the electronic key operating device, as long as the design of the electronic key storage case is changed to match the shape of the electronic key.

[0176] (Aspect 2-12) The electronic key operating device of aspect 2-12 includes a storage section that stores an electronic key, a pressing member that presses a button on the electronic key stored in the storage section, an actuator that applies power to the pressing member to press the button, a position setting section that sets the relative position of the actuator and the pressing member, and an intermediate member that applies power from the actuator to the pressing member, wherein the intermediate member has a first intermediate member and a second intermediate member, and the position setting section sets the positions of the multiple pressing members along either a first direction or a second direction intersecting the first direction, and the first intermediate member is capable of applying the power to one of the multiple pressing members, and the second intermediate member is capable of applying the power to the other of the multiple pressing members.

[0177] According to the above-described aspect, since the position setting unit can align the multiple pressing members in a row while keeping the actuator position fixed, the positions of the multiple pressing members can be easily aligned with the positions of the multiple buttons on the electronic key, making it possible to use the electronic key operating device with a variety of electronic key configurations with minimal design changes.

[0178] (Aspect 3-1) The electronic key operating device of aspect 3-1 comprises a storage section that stores an electronic key, at least two pressing members that press the button of the electronic key stored in the storage section, an actuator that provides power to the pressing members to press the button, a first intermediate member and a second intermediate member that provide power from the actuator to the pressing members, and a position setting section that is located between the first intermediate member, the second intermediate member and the button and that sets the position of the pressing members relative to the button, wherein the position setting section has at least a first part and a second part for setting the position of each of the pressing members, and the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member are positioned side by side in a first direction, can be interchanged in the first direction, and have different shapes from each other, so that when the positions are interchanged, the range of the first part and the second part of the position setting section can be changed.

[0179] According to the above-described aspect, the electronic key operating device can be used for a variety of electronic key configurations by changing the positions of the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member and changing the position of the pressing member set in the position setting section.

[0180] (Aspect 3-2) In the electronic key operation device of Aspect 3-2, the length of the position setting portion in the first direction is substantially the same as the total length of the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member in the first direction.

[0181] According to the above-described embodiment, by adjusting the size of the position setting portion to match the size of the intermediate member within the electronic key operation device, it becomes possible to press buttons at various positions along the first direction X, eliminating the need to make the electronic key storage portion larger than necessary, and thus reducing the overall size of the electronic key operation device.

[0182] (Aspect 3-3) In the electronic key operation device of Aspect 3-3, the position setting portion has a plurality of receiving portions for accommodating the pressing members.

[0183] According to the above-described embodiment, there is no need to fine-tune the position of the pressing member, and it is sufficient to set the position of the pressing member to one of the multiple positions on the position setting unit. Therefore, if you know in advance which position on the position setting unit the pressing member should be set to for a specific vehicle model of electronic key, you can set the position of the pressing member very easily.

[0184] (Aspect 3-4) In the electronic key operation device of aspect 3-4, the pressing member is slidable within the receiving portion of the position setting portion, the button can be pressed at one end of the pressing member, and power to press the button is applied at the other end.

[0185] According to the above-described aspect, the pressing member can be made substantially perpendicular to the button of the electronic key, thereby enabling the button to be pressed reliably.

[0186] (Aspects 3-5) In the electronic key operation device of aspect 3-5, when the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member are in a first parallel relationship in a first direction, the first part and the second part of the position setting portion are adjacent in both the first direction and the second direction, and when the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member are in a second parallel relationship after exchanging positions in the first direction, the first part and the second part of the position setting portion are adjacent in the first direction but not adjacent in the second direction.

[0187] According to the above-described aspect, when the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member have such shapes, the electronic key operating device can be used for many different types of electronic keys.

[0188] (Aspects 3-6) In the electronic key operation device of aspect 3-6, the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member have a common rotation axis, and power from the actuator is imparted to the pressing member by circumferential movement of the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member.

[0189] According to the above-described embodiment, the power applied from the actuator to the pressing member can be made to work using the principle of leverage. This allows the pushing force required for the movable part to be reduced. As a result, a small actuator with low output can be used as the actuator, and as a result, the electronic key operation device itself can be made smaller.

[0190] (Aspects 3-7) In the electronic key operation device of aspect 3-7, the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member have different shapes on the surface on the actuator side and the surface on the position setting unit side in a third direction that is perpendicular to both the first direction and the second direction, and are configured so that the surface on the position setting unit side cannot be attached facing the actuator side.

[0191] According to the above-described aspect, it is possible to manufacture an electronic key operation device without mistakenly placing the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member upside down.

[0192] (Aspects 3-8) In the electronic key operating device of aspect 3-8, the electronic key is stored in the storage unit while being fixed by an electronic key storage case.

[0193] According to the above-described aspect, it is possible to change the design of the electronic key storage case to suit various shapes of electronic keys, which is advantageous because it is not necessary to make major design changes to the electronic key operating device.

[0194] (Aspects 3-9) The manufacturing method of an electronic key operation device of aspect 3-9 includes arranging the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member in a first direction in a predetermined parallel relationship, and passing the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member through an intermediate member jig that can pass the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member only when the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member are in the parallel relationship.

[0195] According to the above-described aspect, the electronic key operation device can be manufactured without making any mistakes in the shapes and aligned positions of the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member.

[0196] (Aspects 3-10) A method for manufacturing an electronic key operation device according to aspect 3-10 includes preparing a position setting jig for setting the position of the pressing member in the position setting unit, the jig being configured so that, among the plurality of receiving units, the pressing member can pass only through the receiving unit at the set position of the pressing member and cannot pass through the other receiving units; and passing the pressing member through the position setting jig to accommodate the pressing member in the receiving unit at the set position.

[0197] According to the above-described aspect, the electronic key operation device can be manufactured without setting the pressing member in the position setting portion in the wrong position. [Explanation of symbols]

[0198] 3. Sharing system 5...Vehicle 10...Housing 11...Upper housing part 12...Opening and closing operation section 13...Accommodation detection unit 14...Open / close detector 15...Rotating shaft holder 16…Inner wall 30...Control unit 40, 41, 42...Actuators 43...Movable part 50, 51, 52...Intermediate parts 53...Rotation axis 54...Boundary between the first and second intermediate members 60, 61, 62...Pressing members 63...Flange 64...Return mechanism 70...Position setting section 71...Front part 72...rear 73...Receiving part 74...First part 75...Second part 76...Boundary between the first and second parts 100...Electronic key operation device 110...Electronic key storage section 120...Operation mechanism section 200...Electronic key 210...Button 211...Unlock button 212...lock button 213,214,215...Other buttons 300...Electronic key storage case 310…Storage section 320...Key Fitter 330…Lid part 510...Fixing jig 511...Intermediate member support portion 521...Rotating shaft insertion jig 531, 532, 533...Jig for intermediate parts 540... Position setting jig 541, 542...Pressing member setting holes 543...Plate

Claims

1. a storage section for storing an electronic key; a first pressing member and a second pressing member for pressing a button of the electronic key housed in the housing; a first intermediate member that applies power to the first pressing member for pressing the button of the electronic key; a second intermediate member that applies power to the second pressing member for pressing the button of the electronic key; a position setting unit for setting positions of the first pressing member and the second pressing member relative to the button; Equipped with the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member are arranged side by side in a first direction intersecting the third direction in which force is applied, and the arrangement is changeable so that the first intermediate member applies force to the second pressing member and the second intermediate member applies force to the first pressing member. Electronic key operation device.

2. the position setting portion has a first portion for setting a position of the first pressing member and a second portion for setting a position of the second pressing member, When the arrangement of the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member is changed, the ranges of the first portion and the second portion can be changed.

2. The electronic key operation device according to claim 1.

3. the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member have shapes different from each other in the first direction; 2. The electronic key operation device according to claim 1.

4. When the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member are arranged side by side in the first direction, adjacent edges of the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member have shapes that follow each other.

4. The electronic key operation device according to claim 3.

5. a length of the position setting portion in the first direction is substantially equal to a total length of the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member in the first direction; 2. The electronic key operation device according to claim 1.

6. the position setting portion has a plurality of receiving portions for accommodating the first pressing member and the second pressing member; 2. The electronic key operation device according to claim 1.

7. The first pressing member and the second pressing member are slidable within the receiving portion of the position setting portion, and the button can be pressed at one end, and a force for pressing the button is applied at the other end.

7. The electronic key operation device according to claim 6.

8. When the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member are in a first parallel relationship in the first direction, the first portion and the second portion of the position setting portion are adjacent to each other in both the first direction and a second direction intersecting the first direction and the third direction; and when the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member are exchanged in position in the first direction and are in a second parallel relationship, the first portion and the second portion of the position setting portion are adjacent to each other in the first direction but not adjacent to each other in the second direction; 3. The electronic key operation device according to claim 2.

9. the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member have a common rotation axis, and the power is applied to the pressing member by circumferential movement of the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member around the rotation axis; 2. The electronic key operation device according to claim 1.

10. The first intermediate member and the second intermediate member have different shapes between a first surface on the side pressing the first pressing member and the second pressing member and a second surface on the opposite side of the first surface in the third direction perpendicular to both the first direction and the second direction, and are configured so that the first surface cannot be attached facing the opposite side.

9. The electronic key operation device according to claim 8.

11. The electronic key operating device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the electronic key is accommodated in the accommodating portion in a state where the electronic key is fixed by an electronic key accommodating case.

12. A method for manufacturing the electronic key operation device according to claim 1, arranging the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member in a predetermined juxtaposed relationship in a first direction; and passing the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member through an intermediate member jig through which the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member can pass only when the first intermediate member and the second intermediate member are in the parallel relationship; A method for manufacturing an electronic key operation device, comprising:

13. A method for manufacturing an electronic key operation device according to claim 6, comprising the steps of: preparing a position setting jig for setting the position of the pressing member in the position setting section, the jig being configured so that the pressing member can pass through only the receiving section at the set position of the pressing member among the plurality of receiving sections, and the pressing member cannot pass through other receiving sections; and Passing the pressing member through the position setting jig to accommodate the pressing member in the receiving portion at the set position; A method for manufacturing an electronic key operation device, comprising:

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