Rekeyable Lock Cylinder with Self-Aligning Carrier Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional rekeying of lock cylinders requires disassembly and specialized knowledge/tools, often leading to errors like 'blown cylinders' due to improper key insertion, which can result in mismatches between the key and plug.
Innovation Solution
A lock cylinder design that allows rekeying without disassembly, using a carrier sub-assembly with a locking bar and spring-loaded pins, enabling rotation of the plug assembly with a valid key to align the locking bar and pins correctly, preventing 'blown cylinder' issues by ensuring proper key insertion and alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional cylinder design is used for rekeying, then the cylinder can be rekeyed, but it requires disassembly, specialized tools, and knowledge which increases complexity and difficulty of operation
Solution Approach 1:
The lock cylinder performs rekeying operations automatically through its own internal mechanism. The carrier assembly with movable carrier body and locking bar allows the cylinder to rekey itself without external tools or specialized knowledge, eliminating the need for manual disassembly and pin replacement while maintaining secure locking function
Solution Approach 2:
The cylinder is divided into functional segments: a stationary cylinder body and a movable plug assembly containing the carrier. This segmentation allows the plug to be rotated independently for rekeying while the cylinder body remains intact, simplifying the rekeying process without requiring complete disassembly
2Productivity
If the cylinder is rotated before the new key is fully inserted, then rekeying can be performed, but it causes mismatch between key and plug resulting in blown cylinder
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary alignment action through the movable carrier body that automatically positions itself as the plug rotates. The carrier body moves to align the new key with the plug before the locking bar engages, ensuring proper key-plug mismatch prevention without requiring the user to manually align components
Solution Approach 2:
The locking bar provides feedback to the carrier assembly, automatically adjusting the carrier body position based on the key insertion state. This feedback mechanism ensures that the carrier only allows rotation when the key is properly aligned, preventing blown cylinder conditions while maintaining efficient rekeying
Data Source
AI summary
A rekeyable lock cylinder includes a plug body with a keyway opening along a longitudinal axis and a multiple of channels transverse to the axis. A locking bar generally parallel to the longitudinal axis, the locking bar having an extension. A slide movably mounted to an end section of the plug body, the slide having a slot which selectively permits passage of the extension during a rekeying procedure.