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Key is a cylinder of non-conductive material with conductive patches on the outside; inside, each patch leads to another one.
Likewise the Lock is a key-shaped hole with the same thing, non-conducting barrel with conductive spots; outside the barrel these spots lead to each other. Specific spots
lead to the ground and to the "on/off", "lock" and "unlock" function.
Inserting the proper key into the lock wakes up the door-locking mechanism, turning the key to the left lines up different spots which cause the locker to lock; turning the key to the right lines up yet another series of spots to unlock the door. Then the key is turned back to vertical to turn the system off, and removed.
Door-chain maze
http://www.boingboi...doorchain-maze.html
non-powered locking mechanism [jaksplat, May 30 2008]
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Annotation:
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Where does the power come from? |
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You could use the turning of the key to generate power. I think there are safes that work that way. |
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Use an induction coil with a capacitor. Jamb the key in, out, in, out... until the bolt pops. |
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"You could use the turning of the key to generate power."
The way I read the idea, you're turning a round peg in a round hole. I don't think you'll get a lot of work out of that unless you're doing something mechanical as well. Maybe turning the key cranks a magneto? |
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"powered locking mechanism", the power is on the lock side somewhere. |
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Could we get some pros and cons showing how this is superior to existing flat, metal, solid-state keys, keypads, or biometric devices? |
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Seems to me that a fat cylinder of stuff would be harder to manufacture and store than existing keys, and probably less convenient than a thumb print reader... |
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[ye] even easier to not bother putting a lock on the door at all. |
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However I don't imagine making a small lattice of wire, then pouring plastic over it to make a cylinder would be anywhere near as complicated as making the microchips required in your thumbprint reader. |
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Fair enough with the thumbprint reader being harder to make... but I'm still pretty sure that regular keys are easier to make. I'm also pretty sure that as far as carrying keys, a few flat pieces of metal store better than a cylinder, and a properly waxed thumb bears no comparison at all. |
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Of course, if these could be minaturized down far enough, storage might not be an issue after all. But come to think of it, why use a cylinder shape at all? Wouldn't a square, or triangle be just as functional, perhaps more so, as there could be a clearly marked "Lock" and "Unlock" side to slide in? |
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You want to know what makes this idea superior? |
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The fact that you can annotate on it. |
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[ye] hmm.... triangle good I think, though you could make a cylindrical one more complex by having it hit different contact "tumblers" as it turned. Flat keys wear a hole in your pocket though and they're too easy to duplicate :D |
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[normzone]... err... were you not-quite-accusing me of scamming the HB too ? other than that, apologies if I erased yours instead of something like a (corrected) spelling correction |
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Perhaps he's accusing me of something. I've been known to go through off-topic-anno-deleting jags, and major idea editing sprees. If so, my appologies for the impermanence of my opinions. I may have been here for a while, but I'm still feeling out some of the site features and community (Yes Jutta, sorry, but there is a halfbakery community) norms. You can annotate all my ideas if you want, yes, please do! some of my best online aquaintances are well-armed halfbakers named Norm! |
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Or perhaps Norm is simply performing a bit of dry humor. Ah, yes, I can indeed annotate on this idea, but I've annotated on keys before as well. All it takes is the proper tools. Punchawls and engravers work quite well. Knives and dremel tools are a little more hit-and-miss. Although few people annotate in response to the annotations I make on metal keys, so there's a benefit to this idea... but I'm more interested in the benefits such an electronic maze key would have over other locking options, and I'm pretty sure annotating on a cylinder is not much easier than annotating on any other key. |
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Nice door-chain maze, by the way. That might have some practical applications for alzheimer's patients, and others who should remain in the house under care of a more coherent individual... Might... |
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"Key is a cylinder" - what, you mean like a
small battery or AA cell? |
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//small battery or AA cell?//
I've left enough leeway for implementation details; but basically a 2-part circuit, half in the cylindrical key section, the other in the lock, if both line up then the circuit(s) is closed. Battery in the key could be a good idea for some applications (or fallback in case the lock power has failed) |
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I suspect the question here is in regards to the size of the cylindrical key. Larger keys could pose a storage issue, while smaller keys could prove more difficult to insert. |
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