Pass-Through Door Interlock Mechanism to Prevent Simultaneous Opening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pass-through compartments lack a mechanism to ensure that only one door can be opened at a time, which is crucial in environments like medical laboratories to prevent unauthorized access.
Innovation Solution
An interlock mechanism that engages a first locking pin to lock a first door when the second door is open and engages a second locking pin to lock the second door when the first door is open, using pivot arms, rods, and keyhole profiles to prevent simultaneous opening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If no interlock mechanism is installed, then both doors can be opened simultaneously providing easy access, but security control and unauthorized access prevention are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a keyhole profile as an intermediary element that mediates between the two doors. When one door is opened, its strike pin moves relative to the keyhole profile, which in turn actuates the locking mechanism to engage the other door's strike pin, preventing simultaneous opening and ensuring security control
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex electronic or automated locking systems with a purely mechanical interlock mechanism consisting of spring pins, strike pins, and keyhole profiles. This mechanical substitution achieves reliable security control while minimizing device complexity and maintaining ease of manufacture
2Reliability
If an interlock mechanism is installed to prevent simultaneous door opening, then security is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is segmented into independent modular components: spring pins associated with each door, strike pins mounted on opposing doors, and keyhole profiles that coordinate the interaction. This segmentation allows each component to perform a specific function while collectively achieving reliable access control without excessive complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The interlock mechanism is designed to be self-actuating through mechanical interaction. When one door is opened, the movement of its strike pin relative to the keyhole profile automatically triggers the locking of the other door via spring pin displacement, eliminating the need for external control systems and reducing overall device complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A locking assembly is operatively coupled to a first door and a second door of a pass-through housing. The locking assembly includes a first locking pin on the first door and a second locking pin on the second door. The locking assembly engages the first locking pin and locks the first door when the second door is opened, and engages the second locking pin and locks the second door when the first door is opened.