Lock Tumbler Segmentation for Enhanced Security Redundancy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lock and key systems face challenges in maintaining high security levels due to advancements in lock-picking and unauthorized master key production, necessitating increased complexity in code combinations and tumbler positioning analysis resistance.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a lock and key system with longitudinal code patterns featuring code recesses of varying depths and projecting lugs on locking tumblers, where the number of lugs exceeds the number of tumblers, and not all lugs contact corresponding recesses, making it difficult to determine actual contact points and enhancing security through redundancy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the number of code combinations is increased to improve security, then the security level improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each tumbler is segmented into multiple key contacting portions (at least two) positioned at different locations along the tumbler. This segmentation allows each tumbler to interact with multiple code portions on the key, significantly increasing the number of possible code combinations without adding more tumblers to the lock mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a traditional one-to-one correspondence between tumblers and code portions to a many-to-many relationship by positioning multiple key contacting portions along the longitudinal axis of each tumbler. This dimensional expansion along the tumbler length creates additional coding dimensions, exponentially increasing security possibilities.
2Reliability
If multiple key contacting portions are added to each tumbler to increase code combinations, then the number of code combinations increases, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring code patterns increases
Solution Approach 1:
The key contacting portions on each tumbler are positioned asymmetrically at non-uniform intervals along the tumbler length. This asymmetric positioning creates complex, irregular code patterns that are difficult to analyze and reverse-engineer, as there are no simple repeating patterns for attackers to exploit.
Solution Approach 2:
By distributing multiple key contacting portions along the longitudinal dimension of each tumbler rather than concentrating them at a single location, the invention creates a multi-dimensional code structure that is significantly harder to detect and analyze through traditional lock-picking or key-making techniques.
3Reliability
If the number of key contacting portions exceeds the number of tumblers, then the redundancy and security increase, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The key contacting portions are segmented as distinct features on each tumbler, allowing for modular manufacturing and assembly. This segmentation enables precise positioning of each contacting portion while maintaining standard tumbler dimensions, balancing manufacturing feasibility with security requirements.
Data Source
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AI summary
A lock and key system is disclosed including locks of the kind comprising a cylindrical key plug (203) with locking tumblers (205) having a body part (206a) and an integral key sensing part (20ßb) for engagement with an associated key (100) . The key sensing part (206b) of each locking tumbler comprises at least two neighbouring key contacting portions (210a, 211a) being mutually displaced from each other longitudinally along the key plug axis and being confined within a limited region, for possible sliding engagement with a longitudinal code pattern of the associated key, at least one but not necessarily all of these key contacting portions of each locking tumbler actually engaging with a corresponding code portion of the associated key upon fully inserting the latter into the key slot of the lock.