LOCKING DEVICE USING RADIATION CONDUCTING KEY

• US 3,671,752 A
• Filed: 01/05/1970
• Issued: 06/20/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sten-Lennart Bostrom, Box 607
• Original Assignee: Sten-Lennart Bostrom, Box 607
• Inventors: Sten-Lennart Bostrom, Box 607
• Primary Examiner(s): Walter Stolwein
• Application Number:
  US05/005,420
• Time in Patent Office: 897 Days
• Field of Search: 250/221,216,234,206,209,220,225 70/286,278
• US Class Current: 250/208.4
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 49/006 actuating opto-electronic devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 3/00 Optical logic elements; Optical bistable devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 70/51 Light sensitive control means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7062 Electrical type [e.g., solenoid]

Abstract

Security locking device comprising mechanical locking means adapted to be electrically controlled, a source of laser radiation a plurality of opto-electrical transducers, a light conducting key insertable into a mating key hole and arranged to thereby connect the source with the transducers for transmission of laser radiation thereto to open the mechanical locking means.

Claims

1. A security locking device comprising a. mechanical locking means adapted to be electrically controlled, b. a source of laser radiation, c. a receiver for said laser radiation, d. a key insertable into a mating key hole means and arranged to thereby connect said laser radiation source with said laser radiation receiver for transmission of laser radiation thereto, e. a number of target terminals distributed and spaced according to a first predetermined pattern within said key hole means, f. an equal number of output terminals on said key distributed and spaced according to said first pattern, each output terminal being arranged, upon the correct insertion of said key into said key hole means, to cooperate with a respective target terminal to supply laser radiation thereto. g. a plurality of laser radiation paths within said key, each of said paths leading from said laser radiation source to at least one of said output terminals, h. a plurality of components comprised within said laser radiation paths and arranged to modify predetermined characteristic properties of laser radiation propagated along said paths, to thereby generate output conditions on said output terminals according to a second predetermined pattern specific for said key, i. a plurality of opto-electrical transducers, each having an input connected to at least one of said target terminals and each being arranged to generate an output signal when receiving as an input a predetermined value of some characteristic property of said laser radiation, and j. plurality of electrical circuit means, each connected to a respective of said transducers and arranged to be actuated when receiving an input signal from said transducers, said ciRcuit means being arranged to be actuated according to a third predetermined pattern when said second pretermined pattern corresponds to the pattern of predetermined input values to said transducers, and said third output pattern being effective to open said mechanical locking means.

2. A locking device according to claim 1, wherein said laser radiation comprises a number of components having different wave lengths, said components being arranged to be directed by said key to different target terminals.

3. A locking device according to claim 1, wherein said laser radiation comprises a number of components having mutually different polarizations, said components being arranged to be directed by said key to different target terminals.

4. A locking device according to claim 1, wherein said key comprises a plurality of regions having predetermined different optical characteristics selected for at least one predetermined optical effect on at least one predetermined characteristic property of laser radiation passing through each of said regions.

5. A locking device according to claim 1, wherein said key is arranged to actuate a starting means for said laser radiation source upon insertion of the key into said key hole means.

6. A locking device according to claim 1, wherein said key is provided with manual control means for modifying at least one of said laser radiation paths and laser radiation intensities through the key to said receiver.

7. A locking device according to claim 1, wherein said laser radiation receiver comprises one photoelectric cell per target terminal, where an amplifier is connected to each photoelectric cell and each amplifier is arranged to control a flip-flop upon receiving a predetermined voltage from its corresponding photoelectric cell.

8. A locking device according to claim 7, wherein a number of said flip-flops are arranged to control a gate unit, said gate unit comprising a number of series stages of elementary parallel gates and a series of inputs, and said gate unit being arranged to control said mechanical locking means upon the appearance of a predetermined pattern of input conditions on said series of inputs.