WO2025087795A1 - Method for producing and opening a coded combination lock - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for producing a combination lock having a locking mechanism. By means of at least three rotationally adjustable bearing sleeves (1), the locking mechanism is blocked, by a blocking device (10) of a bearing sleeve (1), against being transferred from a blockage position to an open position, by at least one bearing sleeve (1) in a blocking position of the bearing sleeve (1). The locking mechanism can be moved into the open position by arranging each of the bearing sleeves (1) in a release position. A coding wheel (12) projecting partially into an aperture (2) is arranged on each bearing sleeve (1). A checking position of the respective bearing sleeves (1) can be detected through the aperture (2) by means of a coding (6) of the bearing sleeves (1) which can be perceived from the outside. The release position of the bearing sleeve (1) can be set by means of a rotation of the bearing sleeve (1) about a coding angle of the respective bearing sleeve (1) starting from the respective checking position. The bearing sleeves (1) are selected from among a number of bearing sleeves (1) with different coding angles such that the coding angles of at least two bearing sleeves (1) differ. The invention also relates to a method for producing a case having such a combination lock, and to a method for opening such a combination lock.

Description

“Method for manufacturing and opening a coded combination lock”

The invention relates to a manufacturing method for a combination lock, in particular a suitcase lock, with a locking mechanism. The locking mechanism can be moved from a locked position to an unlocked position by means of the locking mechanism. The locking mechanism has at least three rotationally adjustable bearing sleeves. The locking mechanism is locked by at least one bearing sleeve in a locked position of the bearing sleeve by a locking device of the bearing sleeve, preventing it from being moved from the locked position to the unlocked position. Furthermore, the locking mechanism is released for movement from the locked position to the unlocked position by arranging all bearing sleeves in a release position of each bearing sleeve. A coding wheel is also arranged on each bearing sleeve, partially projecting into an opening in a front cover. A test position of the respective bearing sleeves can be detected through the opening by means of an externally detectable coding on the bearing sleeve. The release position of the bearing sleeve can be adjusted by rotating the bearing sleeve by a coding angle of the respective bearing sleeve, starting from the test position of the bearing sleeve. The invention further relates to a suitcase, in particular for travel luggage, wherein the suitcase has a receiving space that can be locked with such a combination lock. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for producing a suitcase, in particular for travel luggage, wherein the suitcase can be locked with such a combination lock. The invention also relates to a method for opening such a combination lock.

Combination locks are manufactured in various designs using state-of-the-art technology. Typically, a locking mechanism is provided which must be unlocked to open the combination lock. To unlock, all coding wheels must be in their respective release positions. To enable the user to identify the combination of release positions of all coding wheels, detectable key symbols are usually applied to the outer surface of the coding wheels. A key secret specifies the combination of the key symbols in a specific sequence in which all coding wheels or the respective bearing sleeves are in their respective release positions.

Since the key secret can be lost and/or forgotten, it is desirable that the combination lock be manufactured with means by which the key secret can be determined. Disassembling the combination lock to analyze the locking mechanism relative to the positions of the bearing sleeves has proven to be very complex and/or is generally not possible without destroying the locked object.

DE 2261 029 A1 discloses a combination lock in the form of a buckle combination lock, which is frequently used in suitcases and luggage. The coding wheels are arranged coaxially to one another on a common shaft by means of bearing sleeves. Furthermore, this buckle combination lock provides for the key code of the manufactured combination lock to be customizable by a user by individually adjusting a torsional offset between the coding wheels and the respective bearing sleeve. This results in the key code being increasingly changed, even unknowingly. To ensure that the lock can still be unlocked in the event of such ignorance of the key code, it is provided that visually or haptically perceptible codes are formed on the bearing sleeves. When the bearing sleeves are moved into a test position, these codes are recognizable by a user from the outside through openings and indentations.

In particular, it is known that the coding is carried out in a clearly defined and identical manner for all bearing sleeves, but only by an authorized person known coding angle relative to the blocking device of the bearing sleeves.

By detecting the codes in the test position from the outside and, if necessary, subsequently rotating all coding wheels by the defined coding angle, the bearing sleeves are transferred to their respective release positions without the user having knowledge of the key secret. The codes are formed in the same place on all bearing sleeves. In particular, the test position of the bearing sleeves can also simultaneously be the release position of the bearing sleeves, so that the coding angle is 0°. In this case, to open the buckle combination lock, it is sufficient to arrange all bearing sleeves so that the codes on the respective bearing sleeves are in a row.

The problem with the solution for determining the key secret known from DE 2261 029 A1 is that the coding enables even unauthorized persons to open the combination lock unnoticed within a very short time if they can recognize the coding and are aware of the coding angle. If they do not know the fixed coding angle, they can determine it relatively quickly, as it is the same for all coding wheels. This allows, for example, in the event of temporary control over the suitcase, an exchange or addition of unauthorized contents. It is therefore desirable that unauthorized persons are unable to open the combination lock unnoticed, or only with increased time expenditure.

The invention is therefore based on the object of providing a manufacturing method for a combination lock as well as a manufacturing method for a suitcase with a combination lock and a method for opening a combination lock, which overcome the disadvantages known from the prior art in that the combination lock makes it difficult to open the combination lock unnoticed without knowledge of the key secret and at the same time, it is still possible for an authorized person to relatively easily determine the key secret.

The object is achieved according to the invention by the manufacturing method of a combination lock having the features of claim 1, a manufacturing method of a suitcase having the features of claim 5 and a method for opening a combination lock having the features of claim 6.

Because the release position of the bearing sleeve can be adjusted by rotating the bearing sleeve by a coding angle of the respective bearing sleeve starting from the test position of the bearing sleeve and because the bearing sleeves are selected from a set of bearing sleeves with differing coding angles such that the coding angle of at least two bearing sleeves differs, it is achieved that in order to transfer the locking mechanism into its open position it is not sufficient to rotate the bearing sleeves such that the codes are arranged in a row, or that all coding wheels are additionally rotated by the same coding angle. Unlocking the locking mechanism or opening the combination lock manufactured in this way is therefore only possible unnoticed if the coding angle of each individual coding wheel is known. The combination lock is thus unlocked according to the invention without knowledge of the key secret by a user detecting the code on the respective bearing sleeve and thus bringing the bearing sleeves into their respective test positions. Starting from this test position, the user must now rotate the bearing sleeves by the respective or individual coding angles, whereby the coding angles of at least two bearing sleeves differ from each other, and thus reach the release position of the bearing sleeve. Since the coding angles of at least two bearing sleeves differ, the locking mechanism cannot be moved to its open position by simply lining up the codings or moving all bearing sleeves to their respective test positions. Under the conditions of the invention, the bearing sleeves can also be selected such that the coding angles of a maximum of two bearing sleeves are also 0°, so that with two bearing sleeves, the test position also corresponds to the release position. Since, in accordance with the invention, at least one of the three bearing sleeves is designed with a differentiated coding angle in this case, the locking mechanism cannot be transferred to its open position without knowledge of the at least one different coding angle.

In particular, the bearing sleeves with different coding angles for a specific combination lock are selected randomly or by means of predetermined sequences of bearing sleeves with different coding angles, so that the coding angles of the bearing sleeves of a specific combination lock cannot be predicted without knowledge of the specifically selected bearing sleeves.

The information about the coding angles of the respective bearing sleeves of a specific combination lock can be stored in the form of a security card enclosed with the combination lock or case and/or in a database, particularly at the manufacturer's. Preferably, the coding angles are paired with the serial number of the respective combination lock and/or a serial number of a case in which the combination lock is/will be mounted, such that the respective coding angles of the bearing sleeves can be retrieved from the database, particularly a manufacturer's database, based on the serial number.

According to one possible embodiment, the combination lock and/or the case are marked with an alphanumeric code that is readable from the outside. In particular, the alphanumeric code identifies the coding angles of the bearing sleeves of the combination lock in an encrypted form converted using a cryptographic method, preferably in combination with a unique serial number of the combination lock. In particular, the alphanumeric code can be marked on a sticker. The alphanumeric code is preferably engraved and/or printed on the sticker. In particular, this sticker can be affixed or glued to an outer wall of the case in which the respective combination lock is mounted, so that it is visible from the outside. As an alternative to a sticker, the alphanumeric code can also be marked on a plate or card, particularly made of cardboard, metal, and/or plastic.

Preferably, the coding angles of the respective bearing sleeves of the combination lock, in particular the alphanumeric code, are stored in an RFID tag, whereby the respective coding angles or the alphanumeric code can be read using a corresponding RFID reader. This RFID tag can be formed on the combination lock itself or on the case in which the respective combination lock is/will be mounted.

In an advantageous variant, the RFID tags are arranged on the bearing sleeves in such a way that the coding can be perceived from the outside through a test gap in an edge region of the respective coding wheel. The test gap is particularly advantageously formed between the respective coding wheel and a wall of the respective opening adjacent to the coding wheel or another adjacently arranged coding wheel. This design has the advantage that a user has easy access to the coding on the bearing sleeves. The test gap can expediently be designed in such a way that the user can visually recognize the coding through the test gap, expediently using an optical testing device. It can also be provided that the test gap is designed in such a way that a testing tool can be inserted into the respective test gap and brought into engagement with the bearing sleeve or with the coding.

A special embodiment has been developed according to which the bearing sleeves to be selected each have a second coding. The second Coding is expediently designed as a key marking such that the coding angle of the respective bearing sleeves can be determined based on the design of the key marking. This design has the advantage that the user receives all the information they need to rotate the bearing sleeve into the release position and thus open the combination lock without knowing the key secret directly from the respective bearing sleeve or from the first and second coding arranged on the bearing sleeve. Using the first coding, the user detects the test position of the bearing sleeves, and using the second coding, they determine the coding angle by which they must rotate the bearing sleeve to transfer it to its release position.

A special design of the combination lock provides that at least one of the codes of the bearing sleeves to be selected is designed as a visually recognizable code. A suitable optical marking is, for example, a colored marking. The test position is expediently marked using a first color for the first code, and the respective coding angle is marked using a further color or a collection of colors as a key marking. By way of example, such a design could be such that, for example, the color yellow represents the test position, and the colors green, blue, red and white each indicate a coding angle, for example 90°, 180°, 270° and 360° or 0°. Advantageously, the coding angles correspond to an angle from the group of angles in steps of 360° / number of numbers of the key characters on the coding wheel; as a rule, ten key characters are arranged on a coding wheel, i.e. 0°, 36°, 72°, 108°, 144°, 180°, 216°, 252°, 288°, 324°. It can also be provided that the position of the second coding on the bearing sleeve already represents the first coding. For example, the design could be such that a blue dot is formed on the bearing sleeve. The position of this blue dot indicates, in particular, the test position, with the color blue signaling a coding angle of, for example, 180°.

The respective bearing sleeves to be selected can expediently be designed in such a way that the second coding, designed as a key marking, provided that the bearing sleeve, or the material of the bearing sleeve, is completely colored.

Alternatively or in addition to the colored marking as a first and/or second coding, an advantageous embodiment provides that at least one of the codings of the bearing sleeves to be selected is designed such that it can be perceived haptically by means of the testing tool. The haptically perceptible coding is expediently designed as a notch formed in the bearing sleeve. The notch can also be designed as a slot that completely extends through the bearing sleeve or as a dent or groove formed in the bearing sleeve. The haptically perceptible coding is advantageously designed as a bulge or elevation pointing radially outwards.

In particular, the test position can be determined using the test tool, with a colored marking acting as a key marking indicating the test angle. Particularly advantageous is the selection of bearing sleeves that have a haptically perceptible first coding and a visually perceptible second coding, in a design in which the first and second coding are arranged or formed at the same location on the bearing sleeve. The test position can thus be easily detected using the test tool, with a glance or a visual inspection, particularly through the test gap, sufficing to identify the second coding and thus the coding angle of the respective bearing sleeve without having to search the bearing sleeve.

A testing tool can be anything suitable for providing the user with haptic or visual feedback. In particular, the combination lock can be manufactured with guide means for guiding the testing tool. The guide means can limit the maximum size of the testing tool, so that unauthorized persons who do not have a designated testing tool are restricted in their choice of alternative means to replace the testing tool. Furthermore, the guide means have the advantage that the testing tool, when inserted into the interior of the combination lock is not caught and is guided “blindly” directly to the bearing sleeve in such a way that the coding is easily detectable.

The inspection tool can also be provided, for example, as an optical tool that illuminates the gap and simultaneously detects the wavelength of the light reflected by the bearing sleeve and thus the color of the coding of the respective bearing sleeve.

According to a preferred embodiment, the first coding is provided by a position of the haptically perceptible coding on the bearing sleeve. The position of the haptically perceptible coding can expediently indicate the test position of the bearing sleeve. Alternatively or additionally, the coding is designed such that the second coding, designed as a key marking, is provided by a shape of the haptically perceptible coding. The shape can be designed such that the coding angle of the respective bearing sleeve can be determined by means of the shape of the respective haptically perceptible coding. In this embodiment, the testing tool can expediently be designed as a testing gauge. Preferably, for example, a second coding designed as a notch, at least designed as a key marking, can have a width that can be determined with the testing tool, wherein the coding angle is specified by means of the design of the width. It has proven expedient that a set of testing tools designed as testing gauges enables the user to precisely determine the respective coding angles. It can be advantageous to provide notches with a width of 1 mm, 1.5 mm, or 2 mm, which represent exemplary coding angles of 120°, 240°, 360°, or 0°. Accordingly, the user can measure the notches to be tested with three corresponding test tools designed as test gauges and thus determine the width of the notch or the coding angle of the bearing sleeve. According to a special design of the locking mechanism, the bearing sleeves with the coding wheels are arranged independently of each other on their own adjusting shafts, each arranged in a plane with respect to each other. For this purpose, the respective adjusting shafts are arranged parallel to each other and offset from each other.

In practice, it is also advantageous to provide the locking mechanism with a common actuating shaft. In particular, bearing sleeves with the coding wheels are arranged coaxially and independently rotatable on the actuating shaft. This design allows the combination lock and locking mechanism to be designed compactly and with a minimum number of components.

In particular, an actuating shaft is provided such that, in the release position of all bearing sleeves, the actuating shaft can be axially displaced into a release position in which the locking mechanism is unlocked in the open position. Furthermore, it is expediently provided that the actuating shaft is designed such that, in the blocking position of at least one bearing sleeve, the actuating shaft is blocked in a locking position by means of the blocking device. The actuating shaft is preferably designed such that, in the locking position, the locking mechanism is locked in the blocking position, so that the combination lock cannot be opened.

In order to increase the ease of use of the combination lock, it is intended to manufacture the combination lock in such a way that the user can adjust the key secret. For this purpose, a special manufacturing design is expediently provided, according to which the coding wheels, particularly in the release position of the bearing sleeves, are designed to be axially displaceable relative to the respective bearing sleeves between a normal position, in which the coding wheel is fixedly mounted on the bearing sleeve in a rotationally fixed manner, and a configuration position. It is expediently provided that the coding wheels are designed to be displaceable relative to the respective bearing sleeves in such a way that in the configuration position, the respective coding wheel is freely rotatable relative to the respective bearing sleeve and with an angular offset on the respective The bearing sleeve can be reassembled into its normal position. For example, the coding wheel can be moved into a rotation-free arrangement relative to the bearing sleeve. In the rotation-free arrangement, the user can turn the respective coding wheel until it has reached the desired position. Once the respective coding wheel is in the desired position, the coding wheel can be moved into a rotation-fixed arrangement relative to the bearing sleeve. The bearing sleeve is advantageously in its release position so that the user can open the combination lock in the future by moving the coding wheels into the set position.

To help the user remember the position of the coding wheels, key symbols are provided on the outer surface of the coding wheels, or coding wheels with key symbols are provided for placement on the bearing sleeves.

The respective key symbols of the coding wheels, which must be arranged in a specific manner to unlock the combination lock, form the key's secret code. The key symbols can be visual, haptic, or acoustic features. In particular, the key symbols are designed as letters, numbers, characters, symbols, or a combination of these features. Each coding wheel can also be manufactured with key symbols designed independently of the other coding wheels, so that the key's secret code consists of a combination of numbers, letters, characters, etc.

Further advantageous embodiments of the invention emerge from the following description of the figures and the dependent subclaims.

They show:

Fig. 1 is an exploded view of an assembly of a locking mechanism of a combination lock to be manufactured, Fig. 2 is a side view of the assembly of the locking mechanism according to Fig. 1 in the direction of view A according to Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a side view of the assembly of the locking mechanism according to Fig. 1 in the direction of view B according to Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 a perspective view of a bearing sleeve of the

Assembly of the locking mechanism of the combination lock to be manufactured according to Figure 1 with a first embodiment of a blocking device,

Fig. 5 to 14 top views of exemplary variants of the bearing sleeve of the combination lock to be manufactured with a blocking device according to Fig. 4, each with a different offset for the coding,

Fig. 15 is a plan view of the locking mechanism assembly of the combination lock to be manufactured in a blocking position, with the bearing sleeve in a blocking position and a test position,

Fig. 16 a sectional view of the assembly of the locking mechanism according to

Fig. 15 along the dividing line C - C,

Fig. 17 is a plan view of the locking mechanism assembly of the combination lock to be manufactured in the blocking position, with the bearing sleeve in a release position,

Fig. 18 a sectional view of the locking mechanism assembly according to

Fig. 17 along the dividing line D - D, Fig. 19 is a plan view of the locking mechanism assembly of the combination lock to be manufactured in an open position, with the bearing sleeve in the release position,

Fig. 20 a sectional view of the locking mechanism assembly according to

Fig. 19 along the dividing line E - E,

Fig. 21 a plan view of a further embodiment of the bearing sleeve of the combination lock to be manufactured with a further variant of the blocking device and

Fig. 22 is a schematic representation of an inventive

Procedure for opening the combination lock to be manufactured.

In the various figures of the drawing, identical parts are always provided with the same reference symbols.

With regard to the following description, it is claimed that the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments and not to all or several features of described combinations of features, but rather each individual partial feature of the/each exemplary embodiment is also important for the subject matter of the invention, both independently of all other partial features described in connection therewith and also in combination with any features of another exemplary embodiment.

Figures 1 to 3 and 15 to 20 show an assembly of a manufactured combination lock. In particular, this is an assembly of a combination lock designed/used as a suitcase lock. The combination lock has a locking mechanism, which is partially illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 and 15 to 20. By means of the locking mechanism, the combination lock is designed to be convertible from a locked position to an open position.

The locking mechanism of the combination lock to be manufactured comprises at least three rotationally adjustable bearing sleeves 1. In Figs. 1 to 3 and 15 to 20, only one adjustable bearing sleeve 1 is shown, whereby the illustrated embodiment can be transferred to all intended bearing sleeves 1.

It is provided that the bearing sleeves 1 to be provided each have a blocking position, shown by way of example in Figs. 15 and 16, and a release position, shown by way of example in Figs. 17 to 20. The locking mechanism is to be designed such that at least one bearing sleeve 1, in the blocking position of the bearing sleeve 1, blocks the locking mechanism by means of a blocking device 10 of the bearing sleeve 1 against a transfer from the blocking position shown in Figs. 15 to 18 into the open position shown in Figs. 19 and 20. Furthermore, the locking mechanism is designed such that the arrangement of all bearing sleeves 1 in the release position of each bearing sleeve 1 releases the locking mechanism for a displacement from the blocking position into the open position.

The manufacturing method provides that the three bearing sleeves 1 to be provided each have at least one first coding 6.

According to the representation of the individual bearing sleeves 1 in Figs. 1 to 3 and 15 to 20, it is provided that a coding wheel 12 is arranged on each bearing sleeve 1. It is provided that the coding wheels 12 are arranged on the respective bearing sleeves 1 in such a way that the coding wheels 12 partially protrude into an opening 2 in a front cover 4. In Fig. 1, the perspective from an area inside the locking mechanism is selected such that one looks outwards through the opening 2 into an area outside the locking mechanism. In particular, the outer area is accessible to users so that the user can act on the respective coding wheel 12 protruding through the opening 2, in particular adjust it rotationally.

Advantageously, according to a particular embodiment of the locking mechanism, the bearing sleeves 1, 1a with the coding wheels 12 are arranged independently of one another, rotatable on their own adjusting shafts, in planar relationship. For this purpose, the respective adjusting shafts are advantageously arranged offset from one another, running parallel to one another.

In a preferred embodiment, the locking mechanism, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3 and 15 to 20, is manufactured with a common actuating shaft 18. The bearing sleeves 1 with the coding wheels 12 can expediently be arranged on the actuating shaft 18 so as to be independently rotatable and coaxial with one another. It has proven advantageous to provide an actuating shaft 18 such that the actuating shaft 18, in the release position of all bearing sleeves 1, as shown in Figs. 17 to 20, is axially displaceable into a release position in which the locking mechanism is unlocked in the open position, and in the blocking position of at least one bearing sleeve 1, as shown in Figs. 15 and 16, is blocked by means of the blocking device 10 in a locking position in which the locking mechanism is locked in the blocking position. An advantageous variant of this design is shown as an example in Fig. 1 using a bearing sleeve 1 arranged on the adjusting shaft 18.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 16, 18 and 20, a bearing sleeve 1 was provided in which the blocking device 10 is advantageously designed as a radially inwardly projecting nose such that it engages in a groove 20 formed on an outer surface of the actuating shaft 18 corresponding to the nose. Preferably, the groove 20 is provided with a release section 22 extending axially to the actuating shaft and a blocking section 24 crossing the release section 22 and encircling the actuating shaft 18. In particular, the manufacturing method provides that when the nose is arranged in the blocking section 24, as shown in Fig. 16, the bearing sleeve 1 is rotatable relative to the actuating shaft 18. As long as the nose is not arranged in the area of the intersection between the release section 22 and the blocking section 24, the bearing sleeve 1 is expediently in its blocking position, and the closing mechanism is blocked from moving from the blocking position to the opening position. In particular, an axial displacement of the actuating shaft 18 relative to the bearing sleeves 1 is blocked.

From a manufacturing perspective, it is advantageously provided that when the bearing sleeve 1 is adjusted rotationally relative to the actuating shaft 18 such that the lug is arranged in the area of the intersection between the release section 22 and the blocking section 24, as shown in Fig. 18, the respective bearing sleeve 1 is in its release position. The bearing sleeve 1 to be provided can expediently be designed, as shown in Fig. 20, such that the bearing sleeve 1 can be transferred into the axially extending release section 22, provided that all bearing sleeves 1 of the locking mechanism are also arranged with their respective lugs in their respective release positions, analogous to the aforementioned bearing sleeve 1, or in particular when they are arranged with their respective lugs in the area of the intersection between the release section 22 and the blocking section 24. In this state, with all bearing sleeves 1 in their release position, the locking mechanism can expediently be transferred from the blocking position to the open position.

It has proven advantageous that the blocking device 10 of the bearing sleeve 1 blocks the bearing sleeve 1 in the axially extending release section 22 outside the intersection between the release section 22 and the blocking section 24 against rotation about the actuating shaft 18. This expediently prevents unintentional adjustment of the locking mechanism.

To produce the combination lock, the coding wheels are arranged on the bearing sleeves 1 in such a way that, as shown in Figs. 15 and 16, the Codings 6 of the bearing sleeves 1, 1a are each perceptible from the outside in such a way that a test position of the respective bearing sleeves 1, 1a can be detected through the opening 2 in the front cover by means of the first coding 6. In particular, the bearing sleeve 1 according to the embodiment in Figs. 15 and 16 is both in the test position and simultaneously in the blocking position. Figs. 1 to 3 show a special embodiment of the coding 6, wherein the first coding 6 is designed as a notch formed in the bearing sleeve 1, which is detectable by means of a testing tool 8 shown in Figs. 1 to 3 and is in particular to be provided.

According to the invention, the combination lock is manufactured in such a way that the release position of the bearing sleeve 1 can be adjusted by rotating the bearing sleeve 1 by a coding angle of the respective bearing sleeve 1, starting from the test position of the bearing sleeve 1. Different designs of bearing sleeves 1 manufactured according to the invention, which provide different coding angles with respect to the assembly shown in Fig. 1, are shown in Figs.

5 to 14. According to the invention, it is further provided that the bearing sleeves are selected such that the coding angle of at least two bearing sleeves 1 differs.

By way of example, in the exemplary embodiment of the assembly to be manufactured according to Fig. 1, a bearing sleeve 1 is shown which corresponds to the variant of the bearing sleeve 1 shown in Figs. 4 and 5 to 14. In particular, the coding angle is determined by the position and design of the blocking device 10 and the arrangement of the coding 6 of the bearing sleeve 1. Accordingly, the design variants of the bearing sleeve 1 shown in Figs. 5 to 14 all advantageously have a different coding angle due to their respective different arrangements of the coding 6 relative to the blocking device 10.

The coding wheels 12 and the codings 6 on the bearing sleeves 1 are expediently arranged or designed in such a way that the codings 6 of the bearing sleeves 1 are each exposed to a test gap in an edge region of the respective coding wheel 12 are perceptible from the outside. In the exemplary embodiments shown in Figs. 15, 17 and 19, the test gap was advantageously formed between the coding wheel 12 and an edge region of the opening 2. In an exemplary embodiment not shown, the test gap is expediently formed between two adjacent coding wheels 12. It has proven advantageous if the opening 2 is formed with separating webs, so that each coding wheel 12 projects into a respective separated region of the opening in such a way that a separating web is formed between the coding wheels 12.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, it is provided that the bearing sleeves 1 to be provided are each coded with a second coding 6. The second coding 6 is designed as a key marking such that the coding angle of the respective bearing sleeve 1 can be determined by means of the design of the key marking.

An advantageous variant of the invention provides that at least one of the codings 6 of the bearing sleeve 1 to be provided is designed such that it can be perceived haptically by means of a testing tool 8. This variant is shown in particular in Figs. 1 to 3 and 15 to 20. The coding 6 of the respective bearing sleeve 1 is advantageously provided as a notch formed in the bearing sleeve 1. According to the exemplary embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 3, this notch can be felt with a testing tool 8 that can be inserted from the outside, in particular through the testing gap, which is expediently formed between the edge region of the opening and the coding wheel 12. The testing tool 8 can accordingly be expediently inserted through the opening 2 into the region of the bearing sleeve 1. The user can preferably bring the coding 6 of the respective bearing sleeve 1 into operative connection with the testing tool 8 by rotating the bearing sleeve 1. The coding 6 is expediently produced in such a way that the contact of the coding 6 with the testing tool 8 produces a haptic and preferably also an acoustic signal which signals to the user that the bearing sleeve 1 has reached its test position. A special embodiment of the combination lock further provides that the haptically perceptible coding 6 on the respective bearing sleeve 1 is designed as a key marking. The haptically perceptible coding 6 is expediently designed such that the second coding 6, designed as a key marking, is provided by means of one shape of the haptically perceptible coding 6, wherein the shape is designed depending on the coding angle, and that the coding angle of the respective bearing sleeve 1 can be determined by means of the shape of the coding 6.

By way of example, the haptically perceptible coding 6 can be designed as a notch, as shown in Figs. 1 to 14, 15, 16, 18, 20 and 21. The shape of the coding angle can expediently be determined according to the key marking, in that the width 14 of the notch indicates the respective coding angle. The width 14 of the notch is marked in particular in Fig. 4. To determine the width 14 of the notch or to check the coding angle, the testing tool 8 is expediently designed as a testing gauge. By way of example, Fig. 3 shows a testing tool 8 designed as a testing gauge. It is expedient that a set of testing tools 8 designed as testing gauges is provided to determine the width 14 of the notch or the respective coding angle, wherein each testing gauge is designed to correspond to a specific width 14 of the notch. In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 3, the test gauge is provided with a width 16 that corresponds to the width 14 of the coding 6 formed as a notch. In particular, the user can detect a coding angle by precisely matching the respective widths 14, 16, which, for example, is 180° in the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3.

In particular, Figs. 1 to 3 show a special embodiment according to which the haptically perceptible coding 6 of the bearing sleeve 1 is provided with both a first coding 6 for detecting the test position of the bearing sleeve 1 and a second coding 6 designed as a key marking for Determination of the coding angle is to be provided. Advantageously, the first coding 6, by means of which the test position of the respective bearing sleeve 1 can be detected, is provided by means of a position of the haptically perceptible coding 6 on the respective bearing sleeve 1, and at the same time, by means of the shape of the haptically perceptible coding 6 in the exemplary embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 3, by means of the width 14 of the notch, the second coding 6, designed as a key marking, is provided by means of which the coding angle of the respective bearing sleeve can be determined.

A further, not shown, embodiment of the invention consists in that at least one of the codes 6 of the respective bearing sleeves 1 is designed as an optically recognizable code 6, in particular a colored marking. The haptically perceptible code 6 can also be expediently designed such that it is additionally visually perceptible.

The optically perceptible coding 6 can be expediently designed in such a way that it reveals to the user the test position of the bearing sleeve 1 and/or the coding angle.

Particularly advantageously, the bearing sleeve 1 to be provided can have a combination of a first haptically perceptible coding 6 and an optically perceptible, in particular colored, second coding 6. For example, the first coding 6 can be designed as a haptically perceptible coding 6 for detecting the test position of the bearing sleeve 1, wherein the second coding 6, designed as a key marking, can be designed as an optically perceptible coding 6 for determining the coding angle. Advantageously, the first coding 6 is provided by means of a position of the haptically perceptible coding 6 on the bearing sleeve 1. Expediently, the optically perceptible coding 6 can also be arranged or formed on the respective bearing sleeve 1 independently of the first coding 6, in particular as a haptically perceptible coding 6. According to a particular embodiment, the first and second coding 6 of the respective bearing sleeve 1 are provided by coloring a haptically perceptible coding 6. The test position of the bearing sleeve 1 can be detected by the position of the haptically perceptible coding 6, and the coding angle can be detected by the coloring.

Particularly with reference to the embodiment shown in Figs. 3, 16, 18 and 20, it can be seen that the coding 6 of the bearing sleeve 1 can be arranged in alignment with the blocking device 10, as is expediently also shown in Figs. 4 and 5. According to this embodiment, the release section 22 extending axially to the actuating shaft 18 is advantageously on the side facing away from the opening 2. The respective bearing sleeve 1 is expediently designed such that the bearing sleeve 1 is in its test position, in particular, when its first coding 6 points towards the opening 2, so that it can be detected, in particular with the test tool 8. Since the blocking device 10 and the coding 6 of the respective bearing sleeve 1 are aligned with one another, in order to transfer the bearing sleeve 1 into its release position, the bearing sleeve must be rotated around the adjusting shaft 18 until the blocking device 10 reaches the release section 22 formed on the opposite side or the intersection of the release section and the blocking section. This expediently results in a test angle of 180° for the bearing sleeve 1 shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 5, 16, 18 and 20, relative to the assembly shown in Figs. 1 to 3 and 15 to 20.

The following are examples of the test angles of the bearing sleeves 1 shown in Fig. 6 to 14, related to the assembly shown in Fig. 1 to 3 and 15 to 20, whereby the test angle depends on the direction of rotation, i.e. depending on a rotation of the bearing sleeve 1, clockwise or counterclockwise:

The test angle for the bearing sleeve 1 shown in Fig. 6 is 216° or 144°, depending on the direction of rotation. the test angle for the design of the bearing sleeve 1 shown in Fig. 7 is 252° or 108°, depending on the direction of rotation, the test angle for the design of the bearing sleeve 1 shown in Fig. 8 is 288° or 72°, depending on the direction of rotation, the test angle for the design of the bearing sleeve 1 shown in Fig. 9 is 324° or 36°, depending on the direction of rotation, the test angle for the design of the bearing sleeve 1 shown in Fig. 10 is 360° or 0°, regardless of the direction of rotation, the test angle for the design of the bearing sleeve 1 shown in Fig. 11 is 36° or 324°, depending on the direction of rotation, the test angle for the design of the bearing sleeve 1 shown in Fig. 12 is 72° or 288°, depending on the direction of rotation, the test angle for the design of the bearing sleeve 1 shown in Fig. 13 is 108° or 252°, depending on the direction of rotation, the test angle for the design of the bearing sleeve 1 shown in Fig. 14 is 144° or 216°, depending on the direction of rotation.

Advantageously, the manufacturing method can, for example, provide that the bearing sleeves 1 to be provided with different coding angles for a specific combination lock are selected randomly or by means of predetermined sequences of bearing sleeves 1 with different coding angles in such a way that the coding angle of the bearing sleeves 1 of a specific combination lock cannot be predicted without knowledge of the specifically selected bearing sleeves 1. By way of example, the selection of the bearing sleeves 1 can be made from the bearing sleeves 1 shown in Figs. 5 to 14, each of which has an individual coding angle.

In particular, the coding wheels 12, as shown in Fig. 1, are manufactured with an inner bearing opening 26 so that they can be pushed axially onto the respective bearing sleeves 1. In order to transmit a rotation of the coding wheels 12 to the bearing sleeve 1, it has proven advantageous that the coding wheels 12 are formed with an inwardly facing toothing 28, which is integrated into a holding geometry 30, which expediently provided on an outer circumference of the bearing sleeves 1, engage in such a way that the rotation of the respective coding wheel 12 can be transmitted to the bearing sleeve 1 at least in one direction of rotation or in one sense of rotation.

In order to improve the arrangement of the coding wheels 12 on the respective bearing sleeves 1, it can be provided that the bearing sleeves 1 are manufactured with a bearing section 32 and a contact section 34 of enlarged diameter, which is preferably designed as a collar, as shown in Fig. 4. The contact section 34 has the advantage that when the respective coding wheel 12 is axially pushed onto the respective bearing sleeve 1, the coding wheel 12 cannot be displaced beyond the bearing sleeve 1, but rather rests against the contact section 34 as an end stop. It can also be expediently provided that the holding geometries 30 are designed to protrude axially from the contact section 34, wherein the holding geometries 30 preferably extend over a partial section of the bearing section 32, as shown in Fig. 4. According to an alternative, not shown, embodiment to be manufactured, the holding geometries 30 extend axially out of the contact section 34 completely over the bearing section 32 of the bearing sleeve 1.

In particular, the bearing sleeves 1 to be provided are formed in one piece, in particular monolithically in one piece.

A special variant of the invention provides that the coding wheels 12 are designed to be axially displaceable relative to the respective bearing sleeves 1 between a normal position, in which the coding wheel 12 is rotationally fixedly mounted on the bearing sleeve 1, and a configuration position. In this case, the design advantageously provides that in the configuration position, the coding wheel 12 is freely rotatable relative to the respective bearing sleeve 1 and can be remounted into the normal position with an angular offset on the bearing sleeve 1.

In particular, the coding wheel 12 and the bearing sleeve 1 are designed and arranged to be rotationally adjustable in stages. This has, in particular in The coding wheel 12 shown in Fig. 3 has ten steps, each step having an angular offset of 36° from the previous step. The variants of the bearing sleeves 1 shown in Figs. 5 to 14 can all be conveniently combined with the locking mechanism shown in Fig. 1, or the bearing sleeves 1 are designed to be interchangeable. Accordingly, all possible test angles for a coding wheel 12 or adjustable bearing sleeve 1 adjustable in ten steps are shown in Figs. 5 to 14.

In particular, a stepwise rotational adjustment of the coding wheel 12 or the bearing sleeve 1 can be provided by a locking geometry 36 formed on an outer circumferential surface. Particularly in the exemplary embodiment illustrated in Fig. 1, indentations extending axially across the circumferential surface of the coding wheel 12 are designed as locking geometries 36 such that a correspondingly designed locking element (not shown), in particular an elastic locking arm, engages the respective indentations during the rotational adjustment of the coding wheel 12. The locking arm to be provided expediently fixes the coding wheel 12 in the respective step, wherein the fixation can be overcome by a sufficiently large torque.

Fig. 21 shows an alternatively manufactured variant of the bearing sleeve 1a. This is manufactured, similar to the bearing sleeve 1 shown in Fig. 4, with a bearing section 32 for arranging a coding wheel 12 and a contact section 34 for axially blocking a displacement of the coding wheel 12. Unlike the bearing sleeve 1 according to Fig. 4, however, the bearing sleeve 1a according to Fig. 21 is provided without a radially inwardly pointing nose as a blocking device 10. In the bearing sleeve 1 shown in Fig. 21, the blocking device 10 is provided by the contact section 34, in particular the collar, which has an enlarged diameter, wherein the contact section 34 has a clearance 38 at at least one point on its circumference, as shown in Fig. 21. The bearing sleeve 1 shown in Fig. 21 is used in particular in combination with a locking bolt which is guided parallel to the actuating shaft 18 and which is axially displaceable in the release position of all bearing sleeves 1 into a release position in which the locking mechanism is unlocked in the open position, and in the blocking position of at least one bearing sleeve 1 in a locking position in which the locking mechanism is locked in the blocking position, by means of the blocking device 10 designed as a contact section 34.

The locking bolt expediently has contact elements to be provided corresponding to the contact sections 34, wherein one contact element is to be provided for each bearing sleeve 1 or for each contact section 34. In particular, in the blocking position of the bearing sleeve 1, the respective contact element of the locking bolt bears axially against the contact section 34 to be designed as the blocking device 10 in such a way that axial displacement of the locking bolt is positively blocked. The clearance 38 in the contact section 34 of the bearing sleeve 1 shown in Fig. 21 and the respective contact element are expediently to be provided corresponding to one another in such a way that in the release position of the bearing sleeve 1, the contact element has no axial contact with the contact section 34 of the bearing sleeve 1. In particular, this ensures that, when all bearing sleeves 1 are arranged in their respective release position, the locking bolt can be transferred axially into its release position, wherein the contact elements of the locking bolt can be guided below the respective clearances 38.

For producing a lockable suitcase according to the invention, in particular for travel luggage, a combination lock is provided which is or was produced according to a manufacturing method of the aforementioned type.

According to one possible embodiment, the case is marked with an alphanumeric code that can be read or read from the outside. In particular, the alphanumeric code identifies the coding angles of the bearing sleeves 1 of the combination lock as a code stored in a cryptographic method. converted encrypted form, preferably in combination with a unique serial number of the combination lock or case.

An additional RFID tag for determining the coding angles can be conveniently mounted on or in the case. The coding angles are advantageously stored in the RFID tag in a readable/retrievable manner. In particular, it can be provided that the coding angles are stored in the RFID tag in encrypted form, particularly as an alphanumeric code.

A method according to the invention for opening a combination lock, which is manufactured according to one of the aforementioned manufacturing methods, essentially comprises the following method steps, as schematically shown in Fig. 22.

First, in a step 100, all bearing sleeves 1, 1a are arranged in their respective test positions. For this purpose, at least the first coding 6 of the respective bearing sleeve 1, 1a is detected through the aperture 2.

Subsequently, in a step 200, the respective coding angles of each bearing sleeve 1, 1a are determined.

Knowing the coding angles, in a step 300, all bearing sleeves 1, 1a are transferred to their respective release positions by rotating the bearing sleeves 1, 1a. For this purpose, the respective bearing sleeves are rotated by their respective coding angle starting from the respective test position.

The combination lock can then be opened in a step 400 by moving the combination lock from the blocking position to the opening position.

Different methods for determining the coding angles have proven to be advantageous. In particular, to determine the coding angles, the coding angles are retrieved from a database.

It can also be provided that a second coding 6 designed as a key marking is detected on the bearing sleeve 1, 1a in order to determine the coding angle.

It is particularly advantageous if, in order to determine the coding angle, the second coding on the bearing sleeve 1, 1a, which is designed as a key marking, is designed as a color marking, wherein the color of the respective marking is checked and compared with a decoding table.

It is also expedient that, to determine the coding angle, the second coding 6 on the bearing sleeve 1, 1a, designed as a key marking, is designed as a haptically perceptible coding 6, wherein the shape of the respective coding 6 is checked, in particular with a testing tool 8, to determine the respective coding angle. It has proven particularly advantageous to provide a set of testing tools 8 designed as test gauges for testing the coding 6 designed as a key marking or for determining the respective coding angle, wherein each test gauge is designed to correspond to a specific shape of the coding 6.

To determine the coding angles, the coding angles are preferably read from an RFID tag. It has proven particularly advantageous to use an RFID tag reader or a device capable of reading RFID tags.

It can also be provided that, in order to determine the coding angle, an alphanumeric code is read from the outside of the combination lock or on the case in which the respective combination lock is mounted, wherein the coding angles are determined by means of a cryptographic method, preferably in Combination with a unique serial number of the combination lock and/or the case, from which the alphanumeric code can be deciphered.

To open a combination lock or a suitcase by the manufacturer or by a dealer authorized by the manufacturer, for example because the suitcase owner has forgotten the secret key, an advantageous embodiment of the method for opening the combination lock uses the alphanumeric code for multi-factor authentication. First, the owner is asked for the serial number of the combination lock and/or the suitcase, which may have been provided, for example, in an invoice or additional documents when purchasing the suitcase. The serial number is preferably also compared with a serial number engraved in the suitcase frame. The alphanumeric code of the combination lock or the suitcase is then read and decrypted by the manufacturer or an authorized dealer, preferably from an RFID tag, and the serial number and coding angles contained in the alphanumeric code are read out. The serial number provided by the owner is then compared with the serial number read from the alphanumeric code and/or the serial number engraved in the suitcase frame. If the serial numbers are identical, it can be confirmed that the owner is the rightful owner and/or that the combination lock and/or the case is an original. If the owner is the rightful owner of an original, the case can be opened using the read coding angles without damaging the case.

The invention is not limited to the illustrated and described embodiments, but also includes all equivalent embodiments within the meaning of the invention. It is expressly emphasized that the embodiments are not limited to all features in combination; rather, each individual feature can have an inventive significance in isolation from all other features. Furthermore, the invention has not yet been limited to the features defined in claims 1, 7 and 8. The invention is not limited to specific combinations of features, but can also be defined by any other combination of specific features of all individual features disclosed overall. This means that, in principle, practically every individual feature of claims 1, 7, and 8 can be omitted or replaced by at least one individual feature disclosed elsewhere in the application.

List of reference symbols

1 bearing sleeve

1a Alternative bearing sleeve

2 Breakthrough

4 Front cover

6 Coding

8 Test tool

10 Blocking device

12 Coding wheel

14 Width of the notch

16 Width of the test gauge

18 Control shaft

20 grooves

22 Release section

24 Blocking section

26 Inner bearing opening

28 Gearing

30 Holding geometry

32 storage section

34 Annex section

36 locking geometry

38 Exemption

100 Arranging the bearing sleeves in their respective test positions

200 Determine the coding angle of the respective bearing sleeves

300 Arranging the bearing sleeves in their respective release positions

400 Opening the combination lock

Claims

Claims 1. Manufacturing method of a combination lock, in particular a suitcase lock, with a locking mechanism by means of which the combination lock can be transferred from a blocking position to an opening position, wherein the locking mechanism is blocked by means of at least three rotationally adjustable bearing sleeves (1, 1a) by at least one bearing sleeve (1, 1a) in a blocking position of the bearing sleeve (1, 1a) by a blocking device (10) of the bearing sleeve (1, 1a) against a transfer from the blocking position to the opening position and by the arrangement of all bearing sleeves (1, 1a) in a release position of each bearing sleeve (1, 1a) is released for a displacement from the blocking position to the opening position, wherein on each bearing sleeve (1, 1a) a coding wheel (12) is arranged which projects partially into an opening (2) of a front cover (4), wherein in each case a test position of the respective bearing sleeves (1, 1a) is determined by the opening (2) is detectable by means of an externally perceptible coding (6) of the bearing sleeve (1, 1a), wherein the release position of the bearing sleeve (1, 1a) is adjustable by means of a rotation of the bearing sleeve (1, 1a) by a coding angle of the respective bearing sleeve (1, 1a), starting from the test position of the bearing sleeve (1, 1a), characterized in that the bearing sleeves (1, 1a) are selected from a set of bearing sleeves (1, 1a) with differing coding angles in such a way that the coding angle of at least two bearing sleeves (1, 1a) differs, and the bearing sleeves (1, 1a) with different coding angles are selected for a specific combination lock according to a random principle or by means of predetermined sequences of bearing sleeves (1, 1a) with different coding angles in such a way that the coding angles of the bearing sleeves (1 , 1 a) of a specific combination lock cannot be predicted without knowledge of the specifically selected bearing sleeves (1 , 1 a), and the coding angles are assigned a serial number of the respective combination lock or with a serial number of a case in which the combination lock is/will be mounted, and stored in a database in such a way that the respective coding angles can be retrieved from a database using the respective serial number. 2. Manufacturing method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the coding angles are marked as an alphanumeric code that can be read or read from the outside on the combination lock and/or on the case in which the respective combination lock is/will be mounted. 3. Manufacturing method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an alphanumeric code identifies the coding angles of the bearing sleeves (1, 1a) of the combination lock in an encrypted form converted by means of a cryptographic method, preferably in combination with a unique serial number of the combination lock and/or the case. 4. Manufacturing method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the coding angles or the alphanumeric code are stored in an RFID tag and can be read with a corresponding RFID reader, wherein the RFID tag is/can be formed expediently on the combination lock itself or in particular on the case in which the respective combination lock is/is mounted. 5. Manufacturing method of a suitcase, in particular for travel luggage, wherein a combination lock is provided for locking the suitcase, characterized in that the combination lock is/was manufactured according to a manufacturing method according to one of the preceding claims. 6. A method for opening a combination lock manufactured according to a manufacturing method according to one of claims 1 to 4, comprising the method steps: Arranging all bearing sleeves (1, 1a) in their respective test positions by detecting at least one first coding (6) of each bearing sleeve (1, 1a) from the outside through an opening (2), Determining the respective coding angle of each bearing sleeve (1, 1a), arranging all bearing sleeves (1, 1a) in their respective release positions by rotating the bearing sleeve (1, 1a) starting from the respective test position by their respective coding angle, Moving the combination lock from the blocking position to the opening position. 7. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that in order to determine the coding angles of the respective bearing sleeves (1, 1a), the coding angles are retrieved from a database. 8. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that the coding angles or the alphanumeric code are read from an RFID tag to determine the coding angles. 9. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that, in order to determine the coding angle, an alphanumeric code is read or read out from the outside of the combination lock or of the case in which the respective combination lock is mounted. 10. The method according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the coding angles are decrypted from the alphanumeric code by means of a cryptographic method, preferably in combination with a unique serial number of the combination lock and/or the case.