Cable Lock Alerting via Localized Insulator Thickness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cable locks do not effectively alert the owner in a timely manner during a theft attempt, as the alerting function is often triggered too late or not at all, due to the design of the electrical circuit and insulating layer which can prevent closure of the electrical circuit by a broad object or improper contact.
Innovation Solution
A cable lock with an electric conducting assembly comprising internal and external peripheral conductors separated by an insulating layer, featuring protruding regions and empty regions that ensure the electrical circuit is closed only when a narrow cutting tool applies pressure, triggering a transmitter to alert the owner promptly during a theft attempt.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a broad object or improper contact is used, then the electrical circuit may close, but this causes false triggers and unreliable alerting
Solution Approach 1:
The insulating layer is designed with non-uniform thickness, featuring localized thin regions (first thickness) and thicker regions (second thickness). This local variation in insulating layer quality allows the circuit to be sensitive only to specific types of contact (narrow cutting tools pressing at specific locations) while remaining insensitive to broad objects, thereby improving alerting reliability without requiring complex additional components.
2Loss of time
If the alerting function is triggered too late, then theft prevention is reduced, but early triggering may cause false alerts
Solution Approach 1:
By creating localized thin regions in the insulating layer at specific positions between the conductors, the system enables immediate circuit closure detection when a cutting tool contacts those specific locations during theft attempts. This ensures timely alerting (reducing loss of time) while the localized nature of these thin regions prevents false triggers from broad objects that cannot concentrate force on the specific thin spots.
3Ease of manufacture
If the insulating layer is uniform, then manufacturing is simpler, but the electrical circuit cannot distinguish between proper and improper contact
Solution Approach 1:
The insulating layer incorporates localized thickness variations with thin regions positioned precisely between conductors. This local quality differentiation enables the system to distinguish between legitimate cutting tool contact (which concentrates force on thin regions, closing the circuit) and improper broad contact (which distributes force and cannot close the circuit). While slightly more complex than uniform insulation, this approach maintains reasonable manufacturability while dramatically improving contact detection accuracy.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Ensures timely and accurate alerting of the owner during a theft attempt by ensuring the electrical circuit is closed only when a narrow cutting tool is used, preventing false triggers from broader objects and ensuring the alert is activated promptly and reliably.
Implementation Method 1
an electric insulating layer (22) in between
Implementation Method 2
external peripheral electric conductor (54A), including a plurality of protruding regions (14A, 14B, etc.); internal peripheral electric conductor (54B), including a plurality of protruding regions (14A, 14B, etc.)
Data Source
AI summary
A cable lock (10), including: a cable (16), for locking an object (26) thereby; a first, being the internal peripheral electric conductor (54B), surrounding the cable (16); a peripheral insulating layer (22), surrounding the first peripheral electric conductor (54B); a second, being the external peripheral electric conductor (54A), surrounding the peripheral insulating layer (22); and an electrical circuit (62), for alerting (56) once any region (58A) of the second peripheral electric conductor (54A) electrically contacts an adjacent region (14A) of the first peripheral electric conductor (54B), by crossing the peripheral insulating layer (22), thereby a blade (28) pressing on the second peripheral electric conductor (54A) induces the electrical contact of the second peripheral electric conductor (54A) with the first peripheral electric conductor (54B), thereby the electrical circuit (62) alerts (56) prior to cutting the cable (16).