Coding Tumbler Rolling Contact Mechanism for Lock Wear Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cylindrical locks with coding tumblers experience wear and friction issues due to sliding contact between key projections and tumbler surfaces, leading to imperfect key insertion and removal and key wear, as well as potential misalignment and security breaches when incorrect keys are used.
Innovation Solution
A coding tumbler with a working end featuring a recess for a contact element, such as a ball, that provides a rolling contact with the key, preventing slipping and wear, and guiding recesses in the radial channels to secure the contact element in place, ensuring smooth key operation and enhanced security.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If sliding contact between key projections and tumbler surfaces is used, then the lock mechanism is simple in structure, but wear and friction increase leading to imperfect key insertion and removal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a ball element with a spherical surface that contacts the coding edge of the key. This spherical contact surface replaces the traditional flat sliding contact, enabling rolling motion instead of sliding friction. The ball element rotates within a spherical recess during key insertion and removal, significantly reducing wear and friction while maintaining structural simplicity.
2Reliability
If coding tumblers are made displaceable radially, then coding functionality is achieved, but misalignment and security breaches occur when incorrect keys are used
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the ball element's position and rotation provide information about key correctness. When the correct key is inserted, the coding edge properly engages the ball element, allowing smooth rotation and proper radial displacement of tumblers. When an incorrect key is used, misalignment prevents proper engagement, providing immediate feedback that stops the mechanism from operating, thereby preventing security breaches.
Solution Approach 2:
The spherical recess and ball element configuration ensures precise alignment through geometric constraints. The curved surfaces guide the ball element into the correct position, automatically aligning the coding tumbler with the key's coding edge. This geometric feedback mechanism ensures that only correctly aligned keys can operate the lock.
3Productivity
If frequent key usage is allowed, then the lock provides continuous service, but the key and tumbler wear out due to sliding contact
Solution Approach 1:
The ball element's spherical surface enables rolling contact with the key's coding edge, replacing sliding friction with rolling friction. This fundamental change in contact mechanics dramatically reduces wear on both the key and tumbler components, allowing frequent usage over an extended service life without degradation of functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state of contact from sliding to rolling by introducing the ball element. This parameter change in the mode of contact fundamentally alters the wear characteristics, transforming the system from one that degrades with use to one that maintains its properties over extended periods of continuous service.
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
The solution reduces wear on both the key and the tumbler, facilitates smoother key insertion and removal, and enhances security by preventing misalignment and unauthorized access through the rolling contact mechanism.
Implementation Method 1
having, in at least one portion, a circular cross-section for providing a rolling contact with a coding edge of a key inserted into the cylinder lock
Data Source
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AI summary
Coding tumbler (10), which is adapted for being slidably mounted inside a cylindrical lock core (2) of a cylinder lock and which comprises a supporting end (11) for maintaining contact with an interlocking tumbler (6) and a working end (12), which comprises a recess, in which a contact element is accommodated with a clearance, said contact element being secured against slipping out of the recess in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the coding tumbler (10), and having, in at least one portion, a circular cross-section for providing a rolling contact with a coding edge of a key inserted into the cylinder lock. A cylindrical lock core (2) with such a coding tumbler and a cylinder lock with such a coding tumbler (10) are specified as well.