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US 2026/0297979 A1Published application
Mechanically keyed locks with isolated validation
OwnerTodd D. Brooksinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A mechanically keyed lock assembly with isolated validation to prevent non-destructive defeat of the mechanically keyed lock assembly, including a plurality of locking modules having a key engaging element, a spacer, a key validating element configured to establish a fixed rotational relationship between one of the key engaging element and the key validating element or the spacer and the key validating element, and a validation bar configured to achieve validation in the key validating elements only when isolated from the key engaging elements.
Claims20
A lock assembly having mechanically isolated validation, comprising:
- a locking module assembly extending longitudinally along an actuation axis and comprising a plurality of locking modules, each locking module comprising:
- a key engaging element defining a first aperture configured to receive therethrough a key, comprising an alignment feature configured to interact the key and a first mating structure;
- a spacer defining a second aperture configured to receive therethrough the key, comprising a second mating structure;
- and
- a key validating element comprising a third mating structure configured to interface with each of the first mating structure and the second mating structure, wherein the third mating structures is configured to establish a fixed rotational relationship between one of the key engaging element and the key validating element or the spacer and the key validating element, and a validation bar receiving structure;
- a carrier longitudinally translatable along a carrier axis extending parallel to the actuation axis, comprising a body portion extending along the carrier axis, defining a plurality of slots extending circumferentially orthogonal to the carrier axis and configured to receive therein at least a portion of the key validating element of each locking module, and defining a validation aperture extending longitudinally parallel to the carrier axis, and a cam protrusion extending from the body portion, defining a protrusion axis extending parallel to the carrier axis, comprising at least one cam surface that is angled relative to the protrusion axis, extending away from the body portion and toward the protrusion axis;
- a validation bar disposed in the validation aperture and extending across each key validation element;
- and
- a housing defining a cylindrical cavity to receive the locking module assembly, the carrier, and the validation bar, wherein the housing defines a clearance slot extending longitudinally parallel to the actuation axis, wherein the clearance slot is configured to receive therein the validation bar and prevent rotation of the locking module assembly unless the validation bar is in a validated position.
6 more elements
A method of assembling a lock assembly, wherein the method comprises:
- aligning on a retaining fixture extending longitudinally along an actuation axis an alternating plurality of key engaging elements and plurality of spacers;
- welding each spacer to at least one adjacent spacer of the plurality of spacers;
- arranging each of a plurality of key validating element in a respective slot of a plurality of slots defined by a body portion of a carrier extending along a carrier axis;
- coupling, in longitudinally translatable engagement, the carrier and the plurality of key validating elements with the plurality of key engaging elements and plurality of spacers to define a lock assembly and a carrier, wherein the carrier axis extends parallel to the actuation axis;
- positioning a validation bar within a validation aperture defined by the carrier and extending along the carrier axis, wherein each a validation bar receiving structure defined by each key validating element of the plurality of key validating elements is positioned to receive the validation bar therein;
- and
- positioning an alignment bar within a first alignment bar receiving structure defined by each key engaging element of the plurality of key engaging elements and a second alignment bar receiving structure defined by each spacer of the plurality of spacers.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.