Storage Dispenser For Objects

• US 20080128444A1
• Filed: 08/26/2005
• Published: 06/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KEBA AG (KLH Beteiligungs GmbH)
• Original Assignee: KEBA AG (KLH Beteiligungs GmbH)
• Inventors: Schacheri, Ernst, Schininger, Manfred, Peham, Claus
• Granted Patent: US 8,145,351 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 221/3
• CPC Class Codes: E05G 1/06 having provision for multiple compartments
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/54 about vertical axes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/62 in which the articles are stored in compartments in fixed receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/12 comprising lockable containers, e.g. for accepting clothes to be cleaned
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/13 the containers being a postal pick-up locker
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/26 Interlocks, e.g. for locking the doors of compartments other than that to be used
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/009 User recognition or proximity detection

Abstract

The invention relates to a storage machine (1) for objects, comprising a compartment system (4) with a plurality of compartments (3) which are at least partially enclosed by a machine housing (2) or some other surround, and with at least one closure mechanism (7) which can be displaced relative to a central, predefined access orifice (6) in the machine housing (2) to release or prevent access to a specific individual compartment (3) or a specific group of adjacent compartments (3). The storage machine (1) also has at least one drive system for displacing the closure mechanism (7) in a controlled manner and the ability of the closure mechanism (7) to move is dependent on an access right which can be checked by a control system. This storage machine (1) has at least one safety system (28) for affording extensive, increased personal safety with respect to risks posed by automated sequences or with respect to its displacement drives which can be activated automatically.

Claims

1-49. -49. (canceled)

50. Storage machine (1) for objects, comprising a compartment system (4) with a plurality of compartments (3) which are at least partially enclosed by a machine housing (2) or some other surround, and with at least one closure mechanism (7) which can be displaced relative to a central, predefined access orifice (6) in the machine housing (2) in order to release or prevent access to a specific individual compartment (3) or to a specific group of adjacent compartments (3), and with at least one drive system (13) for effecting a controlled displacement of the closure mechanism (7), whereby the ability of the closure mechanism (7) to move is dependent on an access right which can be checked by a control system, and the storage machine (1) has at least one safety system (28) to ensure extensive, increased personal safety with respect to risks posed by automated sequences and with respect to moving drives which can be automatically activated, wherein a safety switch system (68), in particular a security button (69) is provided, which must be manually operated by a user and which must be operated in order to produce an automatically driven closing and/or opening movement of the closure mechanism (7), and a timer switch element (70) with a predefined release time is provided in order to start a closing and/or opening operation of the closure mechanism (7) so that a limited time is set within which a closing movement is automatically effected, and the closure mechanism (7) can not be automatically directly closed other than if deliberately released by a user and intentionally by the latter.

51. Storage machine according to claim 50, wherein the safety switch system (68) is mounted on the machine so that it is out of a child'"'"'s reach.

52. Storage machine according to claim 51, wherein the safety switch system (68) is mounted on the machine housing (2) more than 1 m, preferably more than 1.5 m, above a standing plane (31) of the machine.

53. Storage machine as claimed in claim 50, wherein the driving power for the drive system (13) of the closure mechanism (7) and/or for the drive unit (17) of the compartment system (4) is released or connected by means of a manually activated or operated safety switch system (68).

54. Storage machine as claimed in claim 50;

wherein when the release time has elapsed, power to the drive system (13) for the closure mechanism (7) and/or the drive unit (17) for the die compartment system (4) is switched off.

55. Storage machine as claimed in claim 50, wherein if the safety switch system (68) is not operated, an open closure mechanism (7), in particular the respective slide element (11), is left open and is not automatically closed.

56. Storage machine according to claim 50, wherein an open compartment (3) of the compartment system (4) must be closed by a user of the storage machine (1) before a deposit or removal can be made.

57. Storage machine according to claim 50, wherein that safety switch system (68) or a release switch system for the driving power is provided by additional safety circuits or switch elements which operate independently of the actual control system (14) of the storage machine (1).

58. Storage machine according to claim 50, wherein a timer switch element (70) is provided, the release time of which corresponds to the time it usually takes for the closure mechanism (7) to fully close and when this predefined release period elapses, a closure mechanism (7) that has not reached the closed position can no longer be automatically moved into the closed position.

59. Storage machine according to claim 50, wherein a lock element (64) for the closure mechanism (7) in its closed position can be activated exclusively when a release time for applying power to the closure mechanism (7) is running.

60. Storage machine according to claim 50, wherein a closing operation of the closure mechanism (7) can not take place except in the presence of a valid means of identification such as a magnetic and/or a chip card, which can be inserted in and read by an identification and/or authorization checking means (24) of the machine.

61. Storage machine according to claim 60, wherein an automated closing movement is possible only within a certain period once a user has been successfully identified.

62. Storage machine according to claim 50, wherein at least one monitoring system (29) is provided for monitoring an area in front of the compartment opening of at least one compartment (3).

63. Storage machine according to claim 50, wherein at least one monitoring system (29) is provided for monitoring a reaching-in area through a compartment opening f at lest one compartment (3).

64. Storage machine according to claim 62, wherein the monitoring system (29) has at least one camera arrangement (30).

65. Storage machine according to claim 50, wherein the monitoring system (29) has at least one transmitter and/or receiver system (39) for infrared light or for ultrasound.

66. Storage machine according to claim 50, wherein the monitoring system (29) is connected to a central control system (14) of the storage machine (1) or to a control system for the at least one closure mechanism (7), in particular is coupled with the at least one drive system (13) for control purposes.

67. Storage machine according to claim 50, wherein monitoring system (29) is provided with at least one photoelectric barrier system (33), a light screen (34) or a light curtain in front of a compartment opening or in front of the central access orifice (6) in the access direction.

68. Storage machine according to claim 67, wherein monitoring system (29) has light transmitting and light receiving elements (35, 36), in particular for infrared light, which are disposed on non-displaceable or non-moved components or portions of the machine housing (2).

69. Storage machine according to claim 50, wherein a stop or contact bar (41) is provided on a front end portion or in a front portion lying adjacent to the front closing edge of the closure mechanism (7) by reference to the closing direction and/or on a housing-side abutment edge (42) for the closure mechanism (7) bounding the compartment opening on the machine housing (2).

70. Storage machine according to claim 50, wherein the monitoring system (29) or a stop or contact bar (41) prevents or interrupts a closing operation if an obstacle is detected in the monitoring or danger area, or emits a signal in order to re-open the closure mechanism (7).

71. Storage machine according to claim 50, wherein an abutment edge (42;

43) on the machine housing (2) and/or on the closure mechanism (7) is provided with an elastically flexible and rebounding buffer element (44).

72. Storage machine according to claim 50, wherein closing edges on the machine housing (2) and/or on the closure mechanism (7) which can be gripped by a user are provided with radii (46) of more than 2 mm, preferably approximately 4 mm.

73. Storage machine according to claim 50, wherein the closure mechanism (7), provided in particular in the form of at least one linearly displaceable slide element (11), has a minimum depth or minimum thickness (47) of approximately 15 mm at least in the front end portion by reference to the closing direction.

74. Storage machine according to claim 50, wherein the at least one closure mechanism (7), in particular provided in the form of at least one slide element (11), lies flush with a boundary surface (48) of the machine housing (2) in the closed state.

75. Storage machine according to claim 50, wherein gaps (50) between the closure mechanism (7), in particular the at least one slide element (11) and the machine housing (2) and/or gaps (51) between individual slide elements (11) disposed one above the other are provided with elastically flexible and rebounding blanking or cover elements (49).

76. Storage machine according to claim 50, wherein a deflector element (52) in the form of an elastic deflector lip (53) is provided on the closure mechanism (7) formed by the at least one linearly displaceable slide element (11), which lies against at least one boundary surface (48) of a compartment opening in a sliding arrangement.

77. Storage machine according to claim 76, wherein the deflector lip (53) of the deflector element (52) forms or subtends an obtuse angle (54) between boundary surfaces (48) of the compartment opening extending at right angles to one another.

78. Storage machine according to claim 50, wherein an optical and/or acoustic signaling element (55) is provided as a means of emitting an optical and/or acoustic warning signal directly before the start of and/or during an automated movement of the closure mechanism (7), in particular the at least one slide element (11).

79. Storage machine according to claim 50, wherein the closure mechanism (7) has at least two slide elements (11) disposed one above the other which can be displaced separately from one another for controlling or regulating access to the compartments (3) of the compartment system (4) lying behind.

80. Storage machine according to claim 79, wherein at least one protective door (58) covering several slide elements (11) or the entire central access orifice (6) is disposed in front of the slide elements (11).

81. Storage machine according to claim 80, wherein the protective door (58) is provided with a drive system (60) of limited speed and/or force for automatically displacing the protective door (58).

82. Storage machine according to claim 80, wherein the protective door (58) is provided with a tumbler (61) which can be deactivated by the control system.

83. Storage machine according to claim 80, wherein the protective door (58) is provided with a control mechanism (63) for reliably determining the closed/open status of the protective door (58).

84. Storage machine according to claim 80, wherein several compartments (3) or several compartment openings are released by the slide elements (11) for depositing objects and during an automatic displacement of the compartment system (4) are covered or secured against access by only the protective door (58) or are protected or blocked off by an active sensor-based monitoring system (29) to prevent contact during a movement of the compartment system (4).

85. Storage machine according to claim 79, wherein the drive systems (13) for the slide elements (11) are provided in the form of frictionally retained drives.

86. Storage machine according to claim 79, wherein every slide element (11) is provided with an electromechanical lock element (64) which can be released on a controlled basis.

87. Storage machine according to claim 86, wherein the electromechanically releasable lock element (64) of each slide element (11) can not be released unless a release signal is emitted by the control system (14) of the machine and a release signal is simultaneously emitted by a motion monitoring system (65) for the compartment system (4) or its drive unit (17).

88. Storage machine according to claim 86, wherein the electromechanically releasable lock element (64) for a slide element (11) has an electric control mechanism (66), e.g. a control contact or a control sensor (67) and the control mechanism (66) does not emit an active release signal for supplying power to the drive unit (17) of the compartment system (4) unless the locked slide element (11) is fully closed and locked by means of the lock element (64).

89. Storage machine according to claim 88, wherein the control mechanisms (66) or control outputs of several lock elements (64) for the slide elements (11) are switched or linked so that a drive unit (17) can only be activated for a relative displacement of the compartment system (4) if all the slide elements (11) are closed and locked in their closed position.

90. Storage machine according to claim 50, wherein an electronic detection system (71) is provided for determining the current weight of the entire compartment system (4) and/or individual compartments (3).

91. Storage machine according to claim 90, wherein the total weight of the compartment system (4) or the weight of at least individual compartments (3) is determined cyclically or as a function of events and the respective values are stored as measurement results.

92. Storage machine according to claim 90, wherein the detection system (71) or one connected to the control system (14) checks whether the total weight of the compartment system (4) or the weight of the relevant compartment (3) has reduced or remains the same after a deposit or removal operation or whether an increase in weight has occurred.

93. Storage machine according to claim 92, wherein an automated closing operation of the closure mechanism (7) takes place only if the determined weight is not higher or is only negligibly higher than the weight prior to the removal.

94. Storage machine according to claim 92, wherein a closing operation is automatically triggered when a reduction in weight is detected.

95. Storage machine according to claim 90, wherein the detection system (71) is designed to prevent overloading or excessive strain.

96. Storage machine according to claim 90, wherein the detection system (71) is provided as a means of detecting or sensing attempts to break into or break open the machine.