Vending machine lock with motor controlled slide-bar and hook mechanism and electronic access

• US 8,876,172 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2005
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Triteq Lock & Security LLC
• Original Assignee: Triteq Lock & Security LLC
• Inventors: Myers, Gary L., Paeth, Richard, Captarencu, Catalin, Roatis, Calin V., Denison, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Fulton, Kristina
• Assistant Examiner(s): MERLINO, ALYSON MARIE
• Application Number:
  US11/102,439
• Publication Number:
  US 20060179900A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,497 Days
• Field of Search: 702/57, 701/18, 701/90, 702/75, 702/77, 702/781, 702/787, 702/56, 702791-282, 292/144, 292/199, 292/32, 292/39, 292/38, 292/160, 292/141, 292/279, 292/150, 292/DIG.25, 292/86, 292/119, 292/125, 292/DIG.46, 109/59.R, 49/28
• US Class Current: 292/144
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0012 with rotary electromotors actuators with rotary electromotors per se H02K7/06, H02K23/68
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/026 the bolt moving rectilinearly
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/26 Interlocks, e.g. for locking the doors of compartments other than that to be used
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1021 Motor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1079 Gear
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5093 For closures
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5978 With switch
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7113 Projected and retracted electrically

Abstract

An enhanced slide and hook locking mechanism control system for vending machines and the like that utilizes a reversible motor and worm gear drive that operates the slide and hook mechanism. The worm drive is coupled to the slide through a crankshaft type of interconnection. Or as alternatives, the slide means can be gear driven or it may be connected using push-pull type of cable or rod. An electronic control with a microcomputer interface drives the motor control and the system may be operated by a keypad or a remote wireless control device.

Claims

1. A locking system for a cabinet having a door capable of being locked and unlocked to the cabinet and the door capable of movement between an open position and a closed position, the locking system comprising:

a motor having an energized state and a de-energized state, the motor carried by one of either the door or the cabinet, said motor being connected to at least one gear, the at least one gear being disposed to move a slide bar for substantially vertical and substantially linear locking and unlocking engagement with the other of the door or the cabinet, the other of the door or the cabinet in one of a locked position and an unlocked position when the motor is in the energized state, the motor connected to the slide bar through the connection with the at least one gear when the motor is in the energized state and the de-energized state, the slide bar having a slide bar locked position and a slide bar unlocked position,

an access means including an access control receiver, and

a controller interfaced with the motor for initiating said motor to drive, via the at least one gear, movement of the slide bar between the slide bar locked position and the slide bar unlocked position,

wherein,

the motor initiates an unlocking process to move the slide bar from the slide bar locked position to the slide bar unlocked position when an access signal is received, and

the motor initiates a locking process to move the slide bar from the slide bar unlocked position to the slide bar locked position when the controller receives a signal to indicate the door is placed in the closed position.

2. A locking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said motor is a two-directional reversible motor.

3. A locking system as claimed in claim 1, further including a plurality of gears configured as a gear reduction system, wherein the at least one gear is a first gear of the plurality of gears.

4. A locking system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first gear is a helical gear.

5. A locking system as claimed in claim 4, in which the plurality of gears includes a second gear, and the second gear is worm gear having a plurality of teeth.

6. A locking system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said helical gear is interfaced to at least two teeth of the worm gear.

7. A locking system as claimed in claim 1, including an override for energizing said motor independent of said controller and access means.

8. A locking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller and motor are powered by a battery source.

9. A locking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a position switch provides the signal that energizes said motor to place the slide bar in the locked position, the signal indicative of the door placed in the closed position.

10. A locking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said access control receiver receives the access signal from a wireless control device.

11. A locking system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a sensor for said motor to detect motor current and either reverse a motor direction or de-energize the motor upon reaching a predetermined current level.

12. A locking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller is operable only when a unique present access code signal is received by the access control receiver.

13. A locking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said access means includes a battery saver sleep mode and an operational mode upon receipt of the access signal.

14. A locking system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of latch means engagable for the slide bar locked and slide bar unlocked positions.

15. A locking system as claimed in claim 14, wherein said latch means includes hook and slot type latches.

16. A locking system as in claim 1 wherein the motor moves the slide bar with a rod.

17. A locking system as in claim 1 wherein the at least one gear directly engages the slide bar to move the slide bar.

18. A locking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one gear is disposed to move the slide bar for exclusively vertical and linear locking and unlocking engagement with the other of the door or the cabinet.

19. The locking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the motor operates to move the slide bar to the slide bar unlocked position following a door-open position detection.

20. The locking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a door-open detection to discontinue the motor operation is limited to take place before the slide bar is in the slide bar locked position.

21. The locking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the motor discontinues operation to move the slide bar from the slide bar unlocked position to the slide bar locked position upon the controller receiving a door-open position detection during the locking process.

22. A method of unlocking and locking a door to a cabinet, the door having an open position and a closed position, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a motor with an electronic motor controller, the motor having an energized state and a de-energized state, the motor connected to a mechanical linkage, the motor configured to drive the mechanical linkage which is connected to a slide, the mechanical linkage configured to move the slide between a slide locked position and a slide unlocked position, the motor connected to the slide through the connection with the mechanical linkage when the motor is in the energized state and the de-energized state, the door in one of a locked position and an unlocked position when the motor is in the energized state,

providing an access control receiver electronically coupled to the electronic motor controller,

receiving at the access control receiver, an access signal,

powering said motor in response to the step of receiving, to drive the linkage, thereby

moving the slide substantially vertically and substantially linearly,

discontinuing operation of the motor to unlock the door upon the controller receiving a position detection or an over-current detection during the unlocking process,

detecting a signal to indicate that the door is placed in the closed position; and

powering the motor in response to the step of detecting that the door is placed in the closed position to drive the linkage substantially vertically and substantially linearly.

23. A method as claimed in claim 22, including providing a microcomputer means for directing operation of said electronic motor controller and motor.

24. A locking system as claimed in claim 22, further comprising a plurality of latch means engagable for the slide lock and slide unlock positions.

25. The method as claimed in claim 22, further comprising the step of operating the motor to move the slide to the unlocked position following a door-open position detection.

26. The method of unlocking and locking a door to a cabinet as described in claim 22, further comprising the step of detecting a signal to indicate the door has opened and, in response thereto, discontinuing operation of driving the linkage.

27. A locking system for a cabinet having a door capable of being locked and unlocked to the cabinet on which the door is pivotally mounted and the door being capable of movement between an open position and a closed position, the locking system comprising:

a slide carried by one of either the door or the cabinet, the slide capable of substantially vertical and substantially linear movement between a slide locked position and a slide unlocked position,

a mechanical linkage coupled to and configured to move the slide between the slide locked position and the slide unlocked position,

an access controller including an access control receiver,

a motor having an energized state and a de-energized state, the motor connected to the mechanical linkage and configured to drive the mechanical linkage, the motor connected to the slide through the connection with the mechanical linkage when the motor is in the energized state and the de-energized state, the door in one of a locked position and an unlocked position when the motor is in the energized state, and

a motor control for operating the motor to drive the mechanical linkage to move the slide between the slide locked and slide unlocked positions,

wherein,

the motor operates to drive the linkage and move the slide to the slide unlocked position when the access controller receives an access signal,

the motor discontinues operation to drive the linkage and move the slide to the slide unlocked position upon the controller receiving at least one of a timeout detection, a position detection or an over-current detection during the unlocking process, and,

the motor operates to drive the linkage and move the slide from the slide unlocked position to the slide locked position when the door is placed in the closed position.

28. A locking system as claimed in claim 27, wherein said mechanical linkage is rotatably connected to said motor.

29. A locking system as claimed in claim 27, wherein said motor is configured to operate in two directions to move the slide, the first direction is a forward direction and the second direction is a reverse direction.

30. A locking system as claimed in claim 27, wherein the electronic motor includes a microcomputer for directing operation of said motor.

31. A locking system as claimed in claim 27, wherein said slide comprises a push-pull cable.

32. A locking system as claimed in claim 27, wherein said slide comprises a push-pull rod.

33. A locking system as claimed in claim 27, wherein said mechanical linkage and said slide is gear driven.

34. A locking system as claimed in claim 27, further comprising a plurality of latch means engagable for the slide lock and slide unlock positions.

35. The locking system as claimed in claim 27, wherein the motor operates to move the slide to the slide unlocked position following a door-open position detection.

36. The locking system as claimed in claim 27, wherein a door-open detection to discontinue the motor operation is limited to take place before the slide is in the slide bar locked position.

37. The locking system as described in claim 27, wherein the motor discontinues operation to drive the linkage and move the slide to the slide locked position upon the controller receiving a door open position detection during the locking process.

38. A method of locking and unlocking a door to a cabinet, the door having an open position and a closed position, and one of either the door or the cabinet having a rotational force generating means responsive to an access control receiver and connected to a mechanical force conversion means which is connected to a latch mechanism, the rotational force generating means having an energized state and a de-energized state, the rotational force generating means connected to the latch mechanism through the connection with the mechanical force conversion means when the rotational force generating means is in the energized state and the de-energized state, the door in one of a locked position and an unlocked position when the rotational force generating means is in the energized state, the method comprising the steps of:

providing the rotational force generating means carried by either the door or the cabinet to create a rotational force in response to one of either;

an access signal received by the access control receiver, or

a signal indicating one of either the door is to be locked or the door is in the closed position,

converting the rotational force to a drive force through operation of the mechanical force conversion means, and

moving the latch mechanism to one of either a latch locked position or a latch unlocked position, wherein at least one detection signal detected prior to the latch mechanism reaching the latch locked position is a signal that indicates that the door is jammed or the latch mechanism is jammed.

39. The method as claimed in claim 38 wherein at least one detection signal detected prior to the latch mechanism reaching the latch locked position is sensed prior to the rotational force generating means reaching 30 degrees of rotation.

40. The method as claimed in claim 38 wherein the rotational force generating means switches from a forward direction to a reverse direction before completing a locking process when at least one detection signal is detected.

41. The locking system of claim 38, wherein the rotational force generating means discontinues operation to lock the door upon detecting at least one detection signal prior to the latch reaching the latch locked position during a locking process, and the rotational force generating means moves the latch mechanism to the latch unlocked position after the at least one detection signal is detected.

42. A method of unlocking and locking a door to a cabinet, the door having an open position and a closed position and one of either the door or the cabinet having a rotational force generating means responsive to an access control receiver and connected to a mechanical force conversion means which is connected to a latch mechanism, the rotational force generating means having an energized state and a de-energized state, the rotational force generating means connected to the latch mechanism through the connection with the mechanical force conversion means when the rotational force generating means is in the energized state and the de-energized state, the door in one of a locked position and an unlocked position when the rotational force generating means is in the energized state, the method comprising the steps of:

initiating operation of the rotational force generating means carried by one of either the door or the cabinet to create a rotational force in response to one of either;

an access signal received by the access control receiver, or

a signal indicating one of either the door is to be locked or the door is in the closed position,

converting the rotational force to a linear drive force through operation of the mechanical force conversion means, and

moving the latch mechanism to one of either a latch locked position or a latch unlocked position, wherein a door open detection signal is sensed when the door is jammed or the latch mechanism is jammed.

43. The method of unlocking and locking a door to a cabinet as claimed in claim 42, further comprising the step of operating the rotational force generating means to move the latch mechanism to the latch unlocked position following a door-open position detection.

44. The method of unlocking and locking a door to a cabinet as claimed in claim 42 wherein a door open detection signal is sensed prior to the rotational force generating means reaching 30 degrees of rotation.

45. The method of unlocking and locking a door to a cabinet as claimed in claim 42 wherein the rotational force generating means switches from a forward direction to a reverse direction before completing the locking process when at least one detection signal is detected.

46. The method of unlocking and locking a door to a cabinet as described in claim 42, further comprising the step of discontinuing operation of the rotational force generating means to lock the door upon a door-open position detection during a locking process.