Charging locker

• US 10,396,574 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2018
• Issued: 08/27/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bretford Manufacturing Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bretford Manufacturing Incorporated
• Inventors: Maguire, Cary, Durante, Caleb, Dombrowski, Mike
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Arun C
• Application Number:
  US15/873,103
• Publication Number:
  US 20180205247A1
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/021 Structural features of shelf bases
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/1408 regularly perforated
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/006 dispensed for the electrical charging of other devices than vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/10 Casings or parts thereof, e.g. with means for heating or cooling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/22 The load being a portable electronic device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence

Abstract

A charging locker includes a frame, and a plurality of modular shelf units. Each modular shelf unit having an integral floor, at least one side wall, and a back wall. The plurality of modular shelf units are configured to extend vertically above one another to form a stack of modular shelf units in which the side walls and back walls of the plurality of modular shelf units form nearly contiguous first and second surfaces. A plurality of tabs on corners of each of the modular shelf units are provided to be received in notches in the frame to support the modular shelf units relative to the frame. A plurality of electrical receptacles are also provided. At least one electrical receptacle is accessible from within each of the modular shelf units.

Claims

1. A charging locker, comprising:

a frame;

a plurality of modular shelf units, each modular shelf unit having an integral floor, at least one side wall, and a back wall, the plurality of modular shelf units being configured to extend vertically above one another to form a stack of modular shelf units in which the side walls and back walls of the plurality of modular shelf units form nearly contiguous first and second surfaces;

a plurality of tabs on corners of each of the modular shelf units to be received in notches in the frame to support the modular shelf units relative to the frame; and

a plurality of electrical receptacles, at least one electrical receptacle being accessible from within each of the modular shelf units;

wherein the plurality of tabs are formed on two front corners and one rear corner of the each of the modular shelf units; and

wherein a first of the tabs is formed on a first of the front corners to slide into a first forward-facing notch on the frame;

a second of the tabs is formed on a second of the front corners of the modular shelf unit to slide into a second rearward facing notch on the frame; and

a third of the tabs is formed on the rear corner of the modular shelf unit to slide into a third forward facing notch on the frame.

2. The charging locker of claim 1, wherein the plurality of tabs are configured to enable the tabs to selectively engage the notches when the modular shelf unit is rotated a first direction, and are configured to enable the tabs to selectively disengage from the notches when the modular shelf unit is rotated in a second direction.

3. The charging locker of claim 1, wherein the tabs are formed on the floor of each modular shelf unit.

4. The charging locker of claim 1, wherein lower modular shelf units in the stack of modular shelf units support upper modular shelf units in the stack of modular shelf units.

5. The charging locker of claim 1, wherein each modular shelf unit has two side walls located on opposite sides of the floor and connected to the back wall along first edges to define four sides of a rectangular box.

6. The charging locker of claim 1, further comprising a power/data access window defined in one of the sides of each of the modular shelf units;

wherein the at least one electrical receptacle is accessible from within the modular shelf unit via the power/data access window.

7. The charging locker of claim 6, further comprising at least one power strip, the at least one power strip containing a first subset of the plurality of electrical receptacles and being configured as a modular unit to be selectively inserted into the charging locker to present the electrical receptacles at the power/data access windows.

8. The charging locker of claim 7, wherein the frame defines a wiring and access compartment along one side of the modular shelf units, and wherein the at least one power strip is contained within the wiring and access compartment.

9. The charging locker of claim 1, further comprising a base cabinet formed below the frame and modular shelf units, the base cabinet comprising a pair of rack mount rails to support electronic equipment for supplying power and data services to the electrical receptacles.

10. The charging locker of claim 9, wherein the electrical receptacles include a plurality of Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports.

11. The charging locker of claim 1, wherein the frame includes a front rectangular shaped support, a rear rectangular shaped support, four corner transverse pieces connecting the front rectangular shaped support and rear rectangular shaped support at respective corners, and a front intermediate vertical support column spanning from a top bar of the front rectangular shaped support to a bottom bar of the front rectangular shaped support.

12. The charging locker of claim 11, wherein each the modular shelf units are supported by a first vertical bar of the front rectangular shaped support, a second vertical bar of the rear rectangular shaped support, and the front intermediate vertical support column.