Self-locking door and product dispensing enclosure having a self-locking door

• US 9,963,912 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2013
• Issued: 05/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Life Technologies Corporation (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Life Technologies Corporation (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Carr, Thomas Daniel, Spinks, Karen, Thierry, Darren, Willmon, Matt, Curry, Justin, Kascoutas, Alex
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Leon-Viet
• Application Number:
  US14/651,790
• Publication Number:
  US 20150322694A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,884 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0001 with electric actuators; Constructional features thereof for vehicles E05B81/04
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0046 Electric or magnetic means in the striker or on the frame; Operating or controlling the striker plate E05B47/0696, E05B63/248 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 19/02 Automatic catches, i.e. released by pull or pressure on the wing E05C19/06 takes precedence ; with locking means E05B63/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00944 Details of construction or manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/20 involving the use of a pass
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/005 Special arrangements for insuring that only one single article may be dispensed at a time
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/02 from non-movable magazines
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/12 comprising lockable containers, e.g. for accepting clothes to be cleaned
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0893 the card reader reading the card in a contactless manner
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/10 together with a coded signal , e.g. in the form of personal identification information, like personal identification number [PIN] or biometric data
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/10 Casings or parts thereof, e.g. with means for heating or cooling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7062 Electrical type [e.g., solenoid]

Abstract

Provided herein is an inventory management system for dispensing products from an enclosure, methods of securing products within the enclosure, use of the enclosure and for maintaining inventory. The inventory management system may include an enclosure having a self-locking door. The self locking door may include a door, a lock located on the door, a strike plate, wherein the strike plate controls the lock, and a sensor configured to detect the presence of a user and wherein the sensor controls the lock.

Claims

1. A self-locking door comprising:

a door;

a lock located on the door;

a strike plate configured to engage the lock, wherein the strike plate controls the lock through a sensor; and

a motion sensor configured to detect presence of a user proximal to the door and wherein the motion sensor controls the lock and locks the door if the user is not present;

wherein the strike plate and the motion sensor both independently control the locking of the door.

2. The door of claim 1 comprising a computer configured to control unlocking of the door.

3. The door of claim 2 wherein the self-locking door is configured to operate independently of the computer controlled unlocking.

4. The door of claim 1 wherein the strike plate is a magnetic strike plate including a magnetic switch.

5. The door of claim 1 wherein the sensor is an ultrasonic sensor.

6. The door of claim 1 wherein the sensor is selected from at least one of an ultrasonic sensor, a motion sensor, a proximity sensor, a pressure sensitive mat, a light curtain, and radar.

7. The door of claim 1 wherein the lock is an electrically-actuated lock.