Systems and methods disclosed for use in identifying and duplicating objects, particularly access devices such as house keys, office keys, automobile keys, and RFID key fobs. Within a singular housing, the customizable systems may include any or all of a key identification system, a key duplication system, an automobile key identification system, and/or an RFID key fob duplication system. Unique capabilities of the systems include the ability to verify that an existing automobile key matches data input by the user pertaining to the associated automobile. Further, the systems reduce frustration, error, and waste by programming a duplicate blank RFID key fob in a fully automated manner within the housing of the machine. To facilitate this process, blank RFID key fobs may be stored inside of the housing within RFID key fob containers that are readily stacked and dispensed.

Systems and methods disclosed for use in identifying and duplicating objects, particularly access devices such as house keys, office keys, automobile keys, and RFID key fobs. Within a singular housing, the customizable systems may include any or all of a key identification system, a key duplication system, an automobile key identification system, and/or an RFID key fob duplication system. Unique capabilities of the systems include the ability to verify that an existing automobile key matches data input by the user pertaining to the associated automobile. Further, the systems reduce frustration, error, and waste by programming a duplicate blank RFID key fob in a fully automated manner within the housing of the machine. To facilitate this process, blank RFID key fobs may be stored inside of the housing within RFID key fob containers that are readily stacked and dispensed.

A key clamp for a key cutting apparatus is provided. The key clamp comprises a first jaw and a second jaw. The first jaw comprises an engagement surface having a widthwise dimension and a lengthwise dimension. The engagement surface comprises a first row of serrations, arranged along a lengthwise edge of the engagement surface, and a second row of serrations. The second jaw has an engagement surface comprising a row of serrations for location, in the widthwise dimension, between the first row of serrations in the first jaw and the second row of serrations in the first jaw.

An identification module is disclosed for use in a key making machine. The identification module may have a key receiving assembly configured to receive only a shank of an existing key. The identification module may also have a tip guide, configured to receive a tip of the shank of the existing key. The tip guide may have a slot that exposes a tip end of the shank. The identification module may also have an imaging assembly configured to capture an image of the tip end through the slot.

An identification module is disclosed for use in a key making machine. The identification module may have a key receiving assembly configured to receive only a shank of an existing key. The identification module may also have a tip guide, configured to receive a tip of the shank of the existing key. The tip guide may have a slot that exposes a tip end of the shank. The identification module may also have an imaging assembly configured to capture an image of the tip end through the slot.

A clamp is disclosed for a key making machine. The clamp may have an anvil, and a door movable toward the anvil to sandwich a key blank therebetween. The clamp may also have a gate pivotally connected to the door and configured to engage the key blank.

A substantially flat key blade extends from a grip portion and has a connecting portion, a major longitudinal bitting portion and a free tip portion. The substantially flat key blade has a cross-sectional profile which, in the major longitudinal bitting portion, is confined within a rectangle having a height, measured in a vertical direction, being at least 2.5 times larger than a width thereof, and extends upwards in the vertical direction from a lower edge surface to an upper edge surface along a vertical mid-plane through the rectangle. A single upper part of the key blade has a relatively small lateral width being no more than 33% of the lower relatively wide part of the key blade and extends obliquely upwards at a relatively small inclinational angle in the interval 3° to 12° relative to a vertical plane.

A key duplicating machine includes: a support structure, a front operational area which is accessible by the operator and which is removably covered and separated, at least partially, from the external environment by a covering and/or protection crankcase movable with respect to said structure of support. At least one key cutter and/or another cutting element, and at least one terminal (12) for locking a key, are housed in the front operational area, a rear containment area, covered and separated from the external environment by a casing mechanically fixed to the support structure, and a control and command unit having a mechanism for moving said crankcase for covering and/or protecting the front operational area, the crankcase being configured to be mounted on a fixed structure of the duplicating machine so as to be able to be moved with respect to the fixed structure.

A key duplicating machine includes: a support structure, a front operational area which is accessible by the operator and which is removably covered and separated, at least partially, from the external environment by a covering and/or protection crankcase movable with respect to said structure of support. At least one key cutter and/or another cutting element, and at least one terminal (12) for locking a key, are housed in the front operational area, a rear containment area, covered and separated from the external environment by a casing mechanically fixed to the support structure, and a control and command unit having a mechanism for moving said crankcase for covering and/or protecting the front operational area, the crankcase being configured to be mounted on a fixed structure of the duplicating machine so as to be able to be moved with respect to the fixed structure.

A retainer, that holds a group of precision, off-the-shelf components in relative alignment so as to allow a standard key duplicating machine to function as a key code origination machine is disclosed. A person of ordinary skill in pinning a lock and operating a key duplicating machine is able to practice the invention. An aspect of the invention is that an ordinary, inexpensive key duplicating machine can be converted to code-cutting functionality with minimal cost, requiring no adaptation of key duplicating machine. Also disclosed are methods of positional registration, machine error compensation, and notch shaping.