Charging locker

• US 10,283,984 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2016
• Issued: 05/07/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bretford Manufacturing Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bretford Manufacturing Incorporated
• Inventors: Maguire, Cary, Ng, Hubert Benjamin Ki Durn, Fisher, Jim, Gabriel, Robert, Durante, Caleb
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, Robert J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Trischler, John T
• Application Number:
  US15/210,157
• Publication Number:
  US 20170033579A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: 320114, 320107
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/22 The load being a portable electronic device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence

Abstract

A charging locker includes a cabinet body having a plurality of integral interior shelves defining individual charging compartments, a plurality of doors individually securing each of the individual charging compartments, a plurality of modular locking and charging systems, and a modular power supply unit. Each of the plurality of modular locking and charging systems, the modular power supply unit, and the doors are individually removable from a front of the charging system without disassembly of the cabinet body to facilitate servicing of the charging locker.

Claims

1. A charging locker, comprising:

a cabinet body having a plurality of interior shelves defining a plurality of individual charging compartments, each individual charging compartment having an interior defined by a left wall, back wall, right wall, top, and bottom, and an open front providing access to the interior of the individual charging compartment;

a plurality of doors corresponding to the plurality of individual charging compartments, each door being disposed at an open front of a respective individual charging compartment such that the door encloses the interior of the respective individual charging compartment when closed, and enables access to the interior of the respective individual charging compartment when opened;

a plurality of electronic locks corresponding to the plurality of individual charging compartments, each electronic lock being disposed at the open front of the respective individual charging compartment to secure the door of the respective individual charging compartment; and

a plurality of charging systems corresponding to the plurality of individual charging compartments, each charging system being disposed at a respective individual charging compartment;

wherein each of the plurality of electronic locks, each of the plurality of charging systems, and each of the plurality of doors, are individually removable from the respective individual charging compartment without disassembly of the cabinet body and without requiring access to any of the other individual charging compartments.

2. The charging locker of claim 1, wherein the door comprises a hinge, a door extension removably coupled to the hinge, a latch plate at the end of the door extension, and a window formed within the door extension.

3. The charging locker of claim 1, further comprising a single modular power system to provide power to each of the individual charging compartments of the charging locker.

4. The charging locker of claim 1, wherein the charging system includes a National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) electrical outlet or an International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) coupler, and two USB outlets.

5. The charging locker of claim 4, wherein the NEMA electrical outlet or IEC coupler provides 110-120V AC power or 220-240V AC power, and wherein the two USB outlets each provide DC power according to one of the USB standards.

6. The charging locker of claim 1, each individual charging compartment including further comprising a door sensor configured to detect when the door of that individual charging compartment is closed.

7. The charging locker of claim 6, wherein the door sensor is an optical sensor.

8. The charging locker of claim 7, wherein the frame comprises a slit, wherein the door comprises a projection to fit through the slit when the door is closed, and wherein the projection interferes with light associated with the optical sensor when the door is closed.

9. The charging locker of claim 1, each individual charging compartment including a frame having a front plate and a side plate, the electronic lock being disposed on the front plate and the charging system being disposed on the side plate.

10. The charging locker of claim 9, wherein the frame further comprises a bottom plate extending from the side plate of the frame and a rear fold formed on an edge of the bottom plate distal from the side plate of the frame.

11. The charging locker of claim 10, further comprising a first aperture in the rear fold to receive a first connector to removably secure the frame to an interior of one of the individual charging compartments.

12. The charging locker of claim 11, wherein the first connector is accessible by insertion of a tool through a second aperture in the side plate of the frame.

13. The charging locker of claim 12, wherein the charging system is supported by the side plate of the frame and is selectively secured to the interior of one of the individual charging compartments by a second connector to be removable from the interior of the individual charging compartment without removing the frame.

14. The charging locker of claim 13, wherein the charging system has a lip to extend through an aperture in the side plate of the frame to engage a rear surface of the side plate of the frame to hold the charging system against the front surface of the side plate of the frame.

15. A storage system, comprising:

a plurality of individual charging compartment modules, each individual charging compartment module having an exterior body envelope defining a secure interior space of the individual charging compartment module and a door to individually enclose the secure interior space; and

a plurality of modular locking and charging systems corresponding on a one to one basis with the plurality of individual charging compartment modules and configured to individually secure the doors of the plurality of individual charging compartment modules and provide access to a source of power within the individual charging compartment modules;

wherein each of the modular locking and charging systems, and each of the doors of the individual charging compartment modules are individually removable from a front of the storage system without disassembly of the storage system and without requiring access to any of the other individual charging compartment modules.