Vending machine lock arrangements

• US 6,615,623 B1
• Filed: 09/29/1999
• Issued: 09/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Marconi Communications Limited (Marconi Holdings Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Vending Management Services Limited
• Inventors: Ormerod, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Knight, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOSWELL, CHRISTOPHER J
• Application Number:
  US09/408,063
• Time in Patent Office: 1,441 Days
• Field of Search: 702/08, 702/10, 702/24, 702/787, 702/791, 702/83
• US Class Current: 70/224
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 13/108 the lock coaxial with spindle
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 17/007 Devices for reducing friction between lock parts E05B17/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0024 Cams
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0091 Retrofittable electric locks, e.g. an electric module can be attached to an existing manual lock electrically driven keys E05B2047/0083
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0012 with rotary electromotors actuators with rotary electromotors per se H02K7/06, H02K23/68
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0673 with a rectilinearly moveable blocking element
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 5/003 Pop-out handles, e.g. sliding outwardly before rotation
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 5/04 performing both movements simultaneously, e.g. screwing into a keeper
• 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 9/02 Devices for alarm or indication, e.g. when empty; Advertising arrangements in coin-freed apparatus alarms or warning devices indicating the interruption of flow to be metered G07F15/10
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5761 Retractable or flush handle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/577 Locked stationary
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5832 Lock and handle assembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7102 And details of blocking system [e.g., linkage, latch, pawl, spring]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7107 And alternately mechanically actuated by a key, dial, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/713 Dogging manual operator

Abstract

A vending machine locking arrangement operates electronically by way of an electric motor. In particular, the arrangement is a retrofit of an existing, mechanical-key operated T-bar, which is used to close and lock the machine'"'"'s doors, to provide an electronic locking system not reliant on the use of a mechanical key. The arrangement substitutes for the conventional barrel lock at the handle-end of the T-bar a small electric motor (e.g. a camera re-wind motor) which acts upon the resident locking piece in the T-bar by, e.g., a cam arrangement. The inventive arrangement also makes use of an existing hole near the locking piece for making an electrical connection to the motor. An alternative embodiment places the motor outside the T-bar, the motor then having its own locking piece in the form of, e.g., a rocker arm engaging with an opening in the T-bar. Also disclosed is a smart-card system for driving the motor to trigger the unlocking process. The smart-card may also be used to download the contents of a reader mounted on the machine, these contents providing information on various access parameters related to the machine, e.g. the number of accesses over a period, the cards not allowed access, the identity of the machine, etc.

Claims

1. A vending machine lock arrangement, comprising:

a) a lock mechanism;

b) a T-bar closure device including an internal bore, a wall having an opening, a locking piece disposed in the bore and slidable along a substantially transverse axis through the opening in the wall of the T-bar device, and a hand-operated end;

c) an electric motor for actuating the lock mechanism and disposed within the bore at the hand-operated end, the motor and the lock mechanism being operatively associated with the T-bar device, the motor having a shaft;

d) actuation means connected to the motor shaft for displacement of the locking piece, including a cam member engageable during at least a part of its travel with the locking piece to cause the locking piece to be retracted into the bore; and

e) a contact piece by which the motor derives its power, the contact piece being disposed in the bore and slidable along the transverse axis, the contact piece being urged to protrude through the opening in the wall of the T-bar device for contact with a corresponding contact assembly external to the T-bar device.

2. The lock arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contact piece is constituted by a contact pin forming one pole of a voltage supply to the motor, the other pole being constituted by a chassis return of the T-bar device.

3. The lock arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the motor, the cam member and the contact piece are disposed inside a tubular insert dimensioned to form a push-fit inside the bore.

4. The lock arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locking piece is constituted by a rocker arm pivoted by a pivot means secured to a chassis of a vending machine, one end of the arm being engageable with the cam member and the other end having an extension substantially transverse to a longitudinal axis of the T-bar device for engagement with the opening in the T-bar device.

5. The lock arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the motor is caused to operate by means of an electrical signal generated in a card reader mounted in a vending machine.

6. The lock arrangement as claimed in claim 5, wherein the card reader is arranged to generate the electrical signal upon validation of a card inserted into the reader.