Resettable Combination Padlock with Key-Operated Code Decoding Cam
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional combination padlocks lack a mechanism to reset the combination code after it has been used, leading to the padlock being discarded when the staff cannot independently determine the new code, as existing secondary locking mechanisms only allow key-based access without resetting capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A padlock design incorporating a combination locking mechanism with a tool-operated locking mechanism that allows the combination to be determined and reset using a key, featuring a cam and cylinder system that aligns with the shackle hole to decode the code and enable combination resetting, while also including faulty-notches to prevent unauthorized access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a combination locking mechanism is used, then the padlock provides security through a coded access method, but the combination code cannot be reset after use requiring the padlock to be discarded
Solution Approach 1:
The padlock integrates two locking mechanisms (combination and key-operated) into a single device, allowing the same padlock to serve both as a combination lock for users and as a resettable lock for staff, eliminating the need to discard the padlock after combination use
Solution Approach 2:
The key-operated locking mechanism is nested within the combination locking mechanism structure, with the cam and cylinder system integrated into the existing dial and clutch assembly, allowing compact coexistence of both mechanisms
2Ease of operation
If a key-operated secondary locking mechanism is added, then the padlock can be opened by staff, but the combination code still cannot be determined or reset
Solution Approach 1:
The cam is pre-configured with an off-centered hole positioned to align with the shackle hole only when the dials are in the correct combination position, allowing staff to determine the combination code by inserting the key and observing alignment without needing to know the code beforehand
Solution Approach 2:
The off-centered hole in the cam serves as an intermediary indicator that visually reveals the combination code position to staff through alignment with the shackle hole, enabling code determination without direct access to the dial mechanisms
3Measurement precision
If the cam hole is aligned with the shackle hole to decode the combination, then the staff can determine the code, but the padlock must be in a specific configuration that may conflict with normal locking operation
Solution Approach 1:
The cam is designed to rotate with the dials during normal combination setting, dynamically maintaining the off-centered hole alignment with the shackle hole when the correct combination is set, allowing seamless integration of decoding functionality with normal locking operation
Solution Approach 2:
The cam mechanism automatically positions the off-centered hole to align with the shackle hole when the dials are set to the correct combination, self-revealing the code through the key hole alignment without requiring additional staff intervention or complex detection procedures
Data Source
AI summary
A padlock that can be locked and unlocked by both dials and a secondary opening mechanism, the padlock including a lock body, a shackle with a long leg and a short leg where the shackle can move between a locked configuration in which the short leg is secured in the lock body and an opened configuration in which the short leg is removable from the lock body. The padlock includes a combination mechanism, including a plurality of clutches mounted around the long leg of the shackle and corresponding dials mounted in the lock body each having teeth configured to engage with an extended fin of one of the clutches and a top cap seal configured to prevent the combination mechanism from being pulled apart from the lock body. A cam having a hole formed therein is configured to allow a key-user to decode a code used to unlock the padlock.