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My design is like your second link, except that the key is not used to turn the lock. It's a cylinder, so twisting the key doesn't tension the lock. Orientation can be assured by printing a line on the key and on the lock which should be lined up. Also my proposed key can have shielded magnets, exposing the magnets in arbitrary directions. This increases security by adding to the magnet placement along the shaft and magnet strength a third factor: magnet exposure by location on the perimeter of the shaft. |
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What part of the original idea is unclear? |
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Something that will make this interestingly difficult is that the spring force will (typically) have a linear change with distance, while the magnet's force changes proportionally to the square of the distance. So, in its simplest form, once you get enough force on the pin to start it moving, it will be attracted all the way to the stop. |
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Some work-arounds: the spring could be wound in a non-linear coil; the pin could be magnetized so you're repelling it, rather than attracting; or the pin could move in a non-linear path, such as rotating around an offset pivot. |
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In my head I'm playing with the idea of mutually interacting pins: say for example the leading magnet on the key is quite strong, and will, upon entry, move the first pin while it's passing quite far - which unblocks the second pin so that it can move, but the first pin will afterward recoil back to its set position. |
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Huh. I seem to have thought up another non-question. |
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Would an EMP have any after-effect on the strength of a permanent magnet? Would it weaken at all? |
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