DE20205150U1 - Mechanical marking device - Google Patents

Description

Georg Kroneder

Reichenberger Str. 6

84347 Pfarrkirchen internal: ni9

New utility model application
Mechanical memory device

The present invention relates to a mechanical device for remembering personal identification numbers (PINS) and secret code encryption and decryption, with which several PINs of different lengths with numbers and/or small and/or capital letters can be stored, retrieved and easily changed if the PIN or secret code is changed. PINS, secret codes, access codes and the like are now indispensable for bank cards, check cards, cash cards, cell phones, for logging into a work PC, as access codes for Internet logins or access-protected software, etc. These numbers, letters or number/letter combinations must either be remembered in the head or at least stored safely or, as is usual with PIN numbers at banks, even destroyed to prevent misuse. The problem is that these secret codes must also be available to the user at any time, for example at an ATM or to switch on a cell phone. When stored, the codes should not be clearly visible or legible for security reasons. Electronic memory aids available on the market are expensive, susceptible to heat, cold, pressure, dust, impact, etc. and are only suitable to a limited extent. Memory aids such as imaginary telephone numbers are unsafe because they are easy to decipher.

A mechanical device for storing secret numbers in coded form, approximately the size of a credit card, is known from utility model 297 06 492. In accordance with the usual length of PIN numbers with four digits, four number wheels are arranged overlapping one another, protruding slightly over the edge of the card in small notches so that they can be inserted into

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Notches can be turned by hand. On one side of the card, noticeable numbers appear in windows, while on the other side of the card, the corresponding PIN number appears in several openings next to each other. This assignment is easy to resolve, especially since the card can be opened and the assigned PIN number must be attached by the user to the back of the number wheels, so it remains recognizable or decipherable as an individual marking.

In contrast, the task is to make the card more versatile and more secure without requiring much more mechanical effort.

The inventive solution for a generic memory card consists in that a number of gears corresponding to the length of the secret code are lined up in rows on pivots on the base plate, not interlocking with one another, of which the gears in the first row protrude over the edge of the memory card for moving all the gears among themselves and are included with their applied symbols as a memory code, with a code symbol of the gear underneath being visible under each window in the cover plate, with only the rows representing a code number which, when the protruding gear is adjusted in each column, rotates the lower gears and encrypts the secret codes of the rows.
To define: a row consists of 6 non-interlocking gears (Fig. 1),

5 rows of 6 gears.

a column consists of 5 interlocking gears (Fig. 1),

6 columns with 5 gears each.

In a memory card, several columns are arranged next to each other, not interlocked, in order to store several number codes in rows, one below the other. Instead of numbers, the number wheels can also have letters in order to store passwords.

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Further details, features and advantages are provided in the following description
of an embodiment shown schematically in the drawing.

Show it:

Figure 1 in schematic perspective exploded a plan view of a
embodiment equipped with the invention,
Figure 2 shows a detail from Figure 1 and
Figure 3 a single number wheel and

Figure 4 is a perspective top view of a ready-to-use memory card according to
the invention.

In order to be able to access various PINs, secret numbers, passwords or codes at all times, the size of a check card is expediently selected for a memory card 10 according to the invention, so that the memory card 10 can always be carried in purses, wallets, handbags, etc., just like bank cards and credit cards provided with PIN numbers, for example. Since the codes are usually 4, 5 and 8 parts, the invention is described in the following example with a six-digit memory code and two six-digit number codes. However, the invention can also be used for codes with more or fewer than six digits (extension by using two rows as one code, for example). The exemplary embodiment shown consists of a base plate 12 with rows 26 and columns 18 of pins 14, onto which gear wheels 16 are plugged in such a way that they can rotate freely in columns 18 that are not interlocked with one another, but are interlocked with one another in rows 26. The teeth 17 of all rows 26 mesh with each other and the outer gears 20 of the first row protrude far enough over a side edge 22 of the memory card that they can be turned by hand or with a finger. The remaining gears 16 then rotate with them (since they are interlocked).

Above the base plate 12 and the pins 14 there is a cover plate 24 which is connected to the base plate 12 and arranged parallel to it. In the example shown, the base plate 12 accommodates five interlocking gears 16 in each column 18 and six non-interlocking gears 16 and 20 in each row 26. The gears 16 each have a hole 28 in the middle which can be rotated on thirty fixed pins 14.

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Like the gears in a mechanical clockwork, a rotation of the first gears 20 in the first row 26 causes a rotation of all the interlocking wheels 16 and since the gears 16,20 are all identical, the ratio is 1:1.

In this example, the thirty identical gears are labeled with numbers from 0 to 9.

In this example, a maximum of five six-digit number codes (if the first memory code is used as the number code) can be memorized and encoded. Coding is done by adjusting the columns using the end gears 20. The combination that appears in the corresponding window of all six end gears is the key combination (memory code). The user only has to remember this combination. If this combination is turned away, all rows 26 are encrypted. Only when the end gears are turned back to the key combination (memory code) do the number codes appear unencrypted in rows 26.

As an explanatory, simplified example, we assume only two different codes. Let the first bank code (number code) be "1,2,3,4,5,6" and the second bank code (number code) be "9,8,7,6,5,4" and we want to remember a memory code of "5,5,5,5,5,5" in the first row 26 close to the edge 22:

Step 1: the sequence "5,5,5,5,5,5" of the six gears 20 of the first row 26 near the edge 22 are placed or inserted under the respective window 30 so that they become visible.

Step 2: the sequence "1,2,3,4,5,6" of the six gears 16 in the second row are placed or inserted so that this number sequence and the number sequence in step 1 are under the windows 30.

Step 3: the sequence "9,8,7,6,5,4" of the six gears 16 of the third row 26 are placed or inserted under the respective window 30 in such a way that these and the numbers "5,5,5,5,5,5" in the first row and "1,2,3,4,5,6" in the second row appear under the windows 30.

Last step: Now the cover plate 24 is closed and, if possible, secured by screwing with concealed screws.

The openings 30 are positioned so that when the memory card is closed, only the numbers
5,5,5,5,5,5 in the first row 26 , the numbers 1 2 3 4 5 6 in the second row 26 and the numbers 9 8 7 6 5 4 in the third row 26 are visible. If you now turn the first row 26 around in any order, the bank codes 1 and 2 are encrypted. If you go back to the starting position 5,5,5,5,5,5, the bank codes 1 and 2 are visible again.

If the bank code changes, for example because a new card is issued (usually after about 2 years) with a new number, the invention can be easily adapted. You just have to repeat the process as described above.

Claims (3)

1. Mechanical device for remembering personal identification numbers (PINS) and secret code encryption and decryption, with which several PINs of different lengths with numbers and/or small and/or large letters can be stored, retrieved and, if the PIN or the secret code is changed, these can be easily changed with at least one row of character wheels that can be adjusted by turning and whose characters are visible through windows, characterized in that a number of gear wheels ( 16 ) corresponding to the length of the secret code are arranged in rows ( 26 ) one below the other, toothed on pins ( 14 ) rotatably on a base plate ( 12 ) in columns ( 18 ) next to one another, without toothing, of which in the first row the end gear wheels of the respective column ( 20 ) protrude over the edge ( 22 ) of the memory card ( 10 ) for moving all gear wheels ( 16 ) of the underlying interlocking rows ( 26 ), wherein in the The memory code can be read in the first row ( 26 ) under the cover plate ( 24 ) in the windows ( 30 ). The other secret codes are read in the rows below each other. The columns ( 18 ) that are next to each other (not interlocked) contribute to the encryption because they encrypt the individual secret codes that are interlocked in the respective rows ( 26 ) by twisting them into each other. 2. Mechanical device for remembering personal identification numbers (PINS) and secret code encryption according to claim 1, characterized in that several rows ( 26 ) are arranged in columns ( 18 ) one below the other in order to store several secret codes. 3. Mechanical device for remembering personal identification numbers (PINS) and secret code encryption according to claim 1, characterized in that instead of numbers, the number wheels ( 16 ) also carry letters in order to store passwords.