Lock Cylinder And Key With Two-Stage Profile Interrogation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing locking cylinders lack enhanced security, ease of installation, cost-effectiveness, and durability, with a high probability of failure and limited flexibility in configuration.

Innovation Solution

A locking cylinder with a cylinder core and housing featuring a first interrogation element and at least one second interrogation element that perform a two-stage query on a key's cross-sectional profile, ensuring increased security and reduced failure probability through a constant cross-sectional profile on the key's narrow side, with the first element immovably mounted and the second element radially movable.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a two-stage query system with first and second interrogation elements is implemented, then security against tampering is enhanced, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecurity against tamperingVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The query system is divided into two distinct stages: a first interrogation element that queries the key profile during insertion, and a second interrogation element that queries the profile during rotation. This segmentation allows each element to perform a specific function, enhancing security through multi-stage verification while keeping individual components relatively simple.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The first interrogation element performs preliminary verification of the key profile during the insertion phase, before the actual locking mechanism engages. This preliminary action filters out incorrect keys early in the process, and only allows properly configured keys to proceed to the second interrogation stage during rotation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Manufacturing precision

If a constant cross-sectional profile on the key's narrow side is used, then manufacturing precision is improved, but profile variation is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprofile consistencyVSAvoidprofile variation
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The key profile is designed with different characteristics at different locations: the narrow side maintains a constant cross-sectional profile for manufacturing precision and reliable interrogation, while the broad sides can have varied profiles to provide sufficient profile variation for security coding. This local differentiation allows each area of the key to serve its specific function optimally.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP4621170A1Lock cylinder, key and method
Publication Date: 2025.09.24 DOM SICHERHEITSTECHN
  • EP4621170A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4621170A1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4621170A1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The present invention relates to a locking cylinder with a cylinder housing and a cylinder core rotatably mounted in the cylinder housing, wherein the cylinder core has a key channel for inserting a key shank of a key in a key insertion direction, wherein the locking cylinder further has a plurality of locking safeguards which are configured to bring about a locking state or a release state of the locking cylinder, wherein in the release state a rotational movement of the cylinder core in the cylinder housing is enabled and in the locking state it is locked, and wherein the locking cylinder can be transferred from the locking state to the release state by fully inserting the key into the key channel of the cylinder core, wherein the locking cylinder has a first interrogation element and at least one second interrogation element for interrogating a cross-sectional profile on a narrow side of the key.Furthermore, the present invention relates to a key, wherein the key has a cross-sectional profile on a first of two narrow key sides. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a locking system with such a locking cylinder and such a key. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for unlocking or locking a locking cylinder. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for producing such a key and a complementary first interrogation element for such a locking cylinder. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for producing such a key. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for configuring such a locking system.