Patent ID: 7878036

Claim:
A lock cylinder having a keyway, comprising: a first plurality of guide channels; a plurality of cup-shaped pins movably disposed within the first plurality of guide channels, each cup-shaped pin of the plurality of cup-shaped pins being located to extend across the keyway, and each cup-shaped pin of the plurality of cup-shaped pins having an engagement protrusion, the first plurality of guide channels being configured to conform to the shape of the plurality of cup-shaped pins to allow movement of the plurality of cup-shaped pins in a first direction toward the keyway while restraining movement in all directions transverse to the first direction; a plurality of biasing springs positioned to bias the plurality of cup-shaped pins in the first direction toward the keyway; a second plurality of guide channels; and a plurality of racks movably disposed in the second plurality of guide channels, each rack of the plurality of racks having at least one engagement groove to selectively receive the engagement protrusion of a respective cup-shaped pin.