Delivery receptacle comprising a code lock

• US 20030154891A1
• Filed: 11/12/2002
• Published: 08/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gerald Weber
• Original Assignee: Gerald Weber
• Inventors: Weber, Gerald, Fassbender, Jorg
• Granted Patent: US 7,268,666 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 109/45
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2029/144 the receptacle being transportable and attachable to a building
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2029/145 the receptacle comprising means for identifying a deposit; Deposits carrying identification means, e.g. a bar code
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2029/147 the receptacle comprising heating or cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2029/148 the receptacle comprising a letter box
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 29/141 comprising electronically controlled locking means
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 29/20 with appliances for preventing unauthorised removal of the deposited articles
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/13 the containers being a postal pick-up locker

Abstract

The invention relates to an article delivery receptacle (10) comprising an electronic code lock (11). When delivering articles (8), the delivery person opens the receptacle (10) by entering a delivery code (6) into the electronic code lock (11). During the ordering process, the addressee (1) conveys the required delivery code (6) to the delivery person (9) via the supplier (9) of the ordered articles (8). After the articles (8) are deposited in the receptacle, the receptacle (10) is locked once again so that the articles (8) placed therein arc protected from theft. After a successful delivery, the code lock (11) is blocked so that it is no longer possible to open the delivery receptacle (10) using the delivery code (6). The addressee can remove the delivered articles (8) from the receptacle (10) by using an addressee key (12) which only the addressee possesses. After removing the articles (8), the delivery receptacle is enabled once again for receiving subsequent deliveries of articles.

Claims

1. Process for the operation of an article delivery receptacle (10) with an electronic code lock (11), whereby access to the receptacle (10) for the delivery of articles (8) occurs by means of a delivery code (6), by which a deliverer (9) is authorized for access, characterized in that the code lock (11) is blocked for access after a delivery has occurred by means of a delivery code (6), whereby the receptacle (10) can constantly by opened by means of an addressee key (12).

2. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that the code lock (11) is enabled as soon as access to the delivery receptacle (10) occurs by means of an addressee key (12), so that the receptacle (10) can be opened afterwards for the delivery of articles (8) by means of a delivery code (6).

3. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that a new delivery code for one-time use is activated whenever the delivery receptacle(10) is accessed by means of an addressee key after the delivery.

4. Process for the delivery of articles, by which a deliverer (9) deposits an article (8) ordered by an addressee (1) from a supplier (5) by way of E-commerce in a lockable delivery receptacle (10) that has an electronic code lock and is assigned to the addressee. This code lock (11) can be opened and/or locked especially according to claim 1 by means of a delivery code (6) by the deliverer (9), characterized in that the delivery code (6) required for access to the delivery receptacle (10) is first agreed to between the addressee (1) and the supplier (5) and than transmitted by the supplier (5) to the deliverer (9).

5. Process according to claim 4, characterized in that the delivery code (6) is agreed to between addressee (1) and supplier (5) before or during the ordering process.

6. Process according to claim 4, characterized in that the delivery code (6) is transmitted between the code lock (11) and the addressee (1) or between the code lock (11) and supplier (5) through a data connection.

7. Process according to claim 4, characterized in that the supplier (5) attaches the delivery code (6), which was transmitted by the addressee (1) before delivery, to the ordered article (8).

8. Process according to claim 7, characterized in that the delivery code (6) and the article (8) are attached in machine-readable form.

9. Process according to claim 4, characterized in that the supplier (5) specifies several one-time useable delivery codes (6) and transmits them to the addressee (1).

10. Process according to claim 9, characterized in that a digital data medium is used for the transmission of the delivery code (6).

11. Process according to claim 10, characterized in that the delivery codes (6) can be entered into the code lock (11) of the delivery receptacle (10) by means of the digital data medium.

12. Process according to claim 4, characterized in that the deliverer (9) receives a receipt for the delivery that has occurred after closing the delivery receptacle (10).

13. Process according to claim 4, characterized in that a confirmation of receipt is transmitted after delivery occurs through a data connection between the delivery receptacle (10) and supplier (5).

14. Delivery receptacle (10) with electronic code lock (11), which according to claim 1 is to be opened by means of a delivery code (6) and by means of an addressee key (12), characterized in that the code lock (11) has a program control through which the code lock (11) is blocked after an opening of the receptacle (10) by means of a delivery code (6), so that access afterwards by means of the delivery code (6) is no longer possible, whereby an enabling of the code lock (11) occurs when the receptacle (10) is opened by means of the addressee key (12).

15. Delivery receptacle according to claim 14 characterized in that an electronic storage unit is assigned to the code lock (11), in which several codes (6) can be stored.

16. Delivery receptacle according to claim 14, characterized by an issuing unit through which the issuance of a voucher of receipt occurs after delivery has taken place.

17. Delivery receptacle according to claim 14, characterized by a status indicator, by which the current condition of the receptacle (10) is indicated, namely whether the code lock (11) is blocked after a delivery has occurred or whether the receptacle (10) is ready for the delivery of an article (8).

18. Delivery receptacle according to claim 14, characterized by a display window for a visual inspection of the content of the receptacle.

19. Delivery receptacle for use according to the claims 1 to 13, characterized by a data connection between the code lock (11) and a data processing installation (2). Delivery codes (6) are stored in the code lock (11) and the delivery codes (6) entered during delivery can be retrieved through this data connection.

20. Delivery receptacle according to claim 19, characterized in that the code lock (11)has a reading device, through which a machine-readable delivery code (6)for opening and closing-the delivery receptacle can be entered.

21. Delivery receptacle, especially according to claim 19, with a code lock (11) that opens and closes the delivery receptacle (10), characterized in that the code lock (11) can only be locked by entering a locking code.

22. Delivery receptacle according to at least one of the claims 14 to 21, characterized in that a fastening element (20), with which the delivery receptacle (10) can be fastened and detached to a door leaf (21) or a door frame.

23. Delivery receptacle according to claim 22, characterized in that the fastener element (20) forms a form-locking connection with the door leaf (21).

24. Delivery receptacle according to claim 23, characterized in that the fastening element (20) is a U-shaped section, in which the door leaf (21) engages.

25. Delivery receptacle according to claim 22, characterized in that the fastening element (20) forms a force-locking connection with the door leaf (21) and the door frame when the door is closed.

26. Delivery receptacle according to claim 22, characterized in that the fastening element (20) is formed as a clamping fastener that can be anchored to the door leaf in a force-locking way by means of two support elements (26) that act upon the opposite side edges of the door leaf (21) and can be braced against each other.

27. Delivery receptacle according to at least one of the claims 14 to 26, characterized by a thermal insulation and a cooling unit.

28. Delivery receptacle according to at least one of the claims 14 to 27, characterized in that the delivery receptacle (10) is divided in to several chambers (22,23) that can be locked independent of each other.