3D printed maze lock system
AssigneeKing Abdulaziz University
InventorsAbdulrahman U. Alsaggaf, Asmaa Ubaid Al-Saggaf, Ahmed Ubaid Al-Saggaf, Zahraa Ubaid Al-Saggaf
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A mechanical lock box comprising a housing including a lid and a hook fastener attached to the lid and a 3D multi-level printed maze. A release chamber is located within the maze and a ball is enclosed in the maze. The mechanical lock box further includes a hook bar having a first hook bar end which pivotally connects to a pivot box in the maze and a second hook bar end having a lock hook configured to engage with the hook fastener to hold the lid in a locked position. A hook pusher is configured to pivot the hook bar to unlock the lid when the ball pushes against the hook pusher.
Claims18
A mechanical lock box, comprising:
- a housing including a lid;
- a hook fastener attached to the lid;
- a three-dimensional (3D) multi-level printed maze located within the housing, the three-dimensional (3D) multi-level printed maze including a plurality of maze pathways;
- a release chamber located within an upper level of the 3D multi-level printed maze;
- a ball enclosed in the 3D multi-level printed maze, wherein the ball is free to roll along the maze pathways and into the release chamber;
- a hook bar having a first hook bar end which extends through a slot in the upper level and pivotally connects to a pivot box in the 3D multi-level printed maze and a second hook bar end having a lock hook configured to engage with the hook fastener to hold the lid in a locked position;
- and
- a hook pusher connected beneath the hook bar and located within the release chamber, wherein the hook pusher is configured to pivot the hook bar to unlock the lid when the ball pushes against the hook pusher.
A method of operating a mechanical lock box including a three-dimensional (3D) multi-level printed maze, comprising:
- manipulating the mechanical lock box in three dimensions until a ball within a release chamber of the 3D multi-level printed maze aligns with a second rod end of the push rod;
- and
- compressing the push rod against the ball until the ball forces a hook bar to pivot and release a lock hook of the hook bar from a hook fastener connected to a lid of the mechanical lock box.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.