Single space parking meter and removable single space parking meter mechanism

• US 8,770,371 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2012
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: J.J. MacKay Canada Limited (137954 Canada Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: J.J. MacKay Canada Limited (137954 Canada Ltd.)
• Inventors: MacKay, George Allan, Chauvin, Gregory Emile, McLarty, Shamus John Angus, Garvey, Ben
• Primary Examiner(s): BEAUCHAINE, MARK J
• Application Number:
  US13/410,831
• Publication Number:
  US 20120222935A1
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• Field of Search: 194/350, 194/351, 312/100, 312/271, 312/249.7, 312/293.2, 312/293.3, 312/325, 361/142, 361/600, 361/679.01, 361724-727, 705/418
• US Class Current: 194/350
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0704 the battery being rechargeable, e.g. solar batteries
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0004 Hybrid readers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10316 using at least one antenna particularly designed for interrogating the wireless record carriers antennas in general H01Q1/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/352 Contactless payments by cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/248 Housing construction casings for coin-freed apparatus G07F9/10
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/12 Billing, invoicing, buying or selling transactions or other related activities, e.g. cost or usage evaluation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A parking meter mechanism is described that may include a front housing, having a display opening for viewing a display through, connected to an internal structure. Additionally or alternatively the parking meter mechanism may include a contactless payment reader located behind the display. The parking meter mechanism may be secured to a lower housing. A back housing may be secured to the lower housing as well. The front or back housing may include a solar panel compartment and solar panel mounted therein.

Claims

1. A removable modular single space parking meter mechanism comprising:

an internal structure configured to be at least partially and removably received within a lower housing of a single space parking meter; and

a front housing, coupled to the internal structure and comprising a display opening in a portion of the front housing that is exposed to an external environment when the removable modular single space parking meter mechanism is secured to the lower housing.

2. The removable modular single space parking meter mechanism of claim 1, wherein the front housing is one of:

a) rigidly attached to the internal structure of the removable modular single space parking meter mechanism;

b) laterally slidably attached to the internal structure of the removable modular single space parking meter mechanism to allow lateral movement of the front housing when the internal structure is at least partially received within the lower housing;

c) pivotally attached to the internal structure of the removable modular single space parking meter mechanism to allow the front housing to pivot;

or

d) pivotally attached to the internal structure by a linkage to allow the front housing to pivot and slide up and down.

3. The removable modular single space parking meter mechanism of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of parking meter mechanism components coupled to the internal structure, the plurality of parking meter mechanism components comprising;

a display for displaying parking information through the display opening;

a control component for controlling operation of the single space parking meter mechanism; and

a power source coupled to at least the control component.

4. The removable modular single space parking meter mechanism of claim 3, wherein:

the control component controls operation of the single space parking meter in order to manage the parking payment and control of a single parking space, or

the control component controls operation of the single space parking meter in order to manage the parking payment and control of a plurality of parking spaces.

5. The removable modular single space parking meter mechanism of claim 1, further comprising one of:

a) an antenna, mounted on an exterior surface of the front housing;

or

b) an antenna mounted in an antenna cover mounted on an exterior surface of the front housing, wherein the antenna cover is made of a material at least partially transparent to radio signals.

6. The removable modular single space parking meter mechanism of claim 5, wherein the antenna cover is located above a substantially intact surface of the front housing, and/or wherein the antenna cover is mounted on the front housing tabs and corresponding slots.

7. The removable modular single space parking meter mechanism of claim 1, further comprising at least one input control mechanism for allowing a user to input information.

8. The removable modular single space parking meter mechanism of claim 1, wherein the removable modular single space parking meter mechanism further comprises a payment means comprising one or more of:

a) a coin chute for receiving coins;

b) a card payment component for receiving payment by a payment card; and

c) a contactless payment reader for receiving payment by a contactless payment device, wherein the contactless payment reader is located behind the display.

9. The removable modular single space parking meter mechanism of claim 1, further comprising a solar panel located on an exterior surface of the front housing, wherein:

the solar panel is mounted within a solar panel compartment located on the exterior surface of the front housing,

wherein the solar panel compartment has a substantially intact bottom surface, or

wherein the solar panel compartment is located on the front housing below the display opening.

10. A single space parking meter comprising:

a lower housing;

a removable modular single space parking meter mechanism comprising;

an internal structure configured to be at least partially and removably received within the lower housing; and

a front housing, coupled to the internal structure and comprising a display opening in a portion of the front housing that is exposed to an external environment when the removable modular single space parking meter mechanism is secured to the lower housing; and

a back housing secured to the lower housing and the removable modular single space parking meter mechanism.

11. The single space parking meter of claim 10, wherein the removable modular single space parking meter mechanism further comprises:

a plurality of parking meter mechanism components coupled to the internal structure, the plurality of parking meter mechanism components comprising;

a display for displaying parking information through the display opening;

a control component for controlling operation of the removable modular single space parking meter mechanism; and

a power source coupled to at least the control component.

12. The single space parking meter of claim 11, wherein the front housing, the back housing and the lower housing provide a protective housing for the removable modular single space parking meter mechanism components.

13. The single space parking meter of claim 11, wherein the control component controls operation of the single space parking meter in order to manage the parking payment and control of a single parking space or a plurality of parking spaces.

14. The single space parking meter of claim 10, wherein the front housing is one of:

a) rigidly attached to the internal structure of the removable modular single space parking meter mechanism, and the back housing can move laterally in relation to the front housing and the lower housing when securing the removable modular single space parking meter mechanism at least partially in the lower housing;

b) rigidly attached to the internal structure of the removable modular single space parking meter mechanism, and the hack housing is pivotally attached to the lower housing;

c) laterally slidably attached to the internal structure of the removable modular single space parking meter mechanism to allow the back housing to move laterally when the back housing is secured to the front housing;

d) pivotally attached to the internal structure to allow the front housing to pivot towards and away from the back housing;

or

e) pivotally attached to the internal structure by a linkage to allow the front housing to pivot towards and away from the back housing and slide up and down a sloped side surface of the back housing.

15. The single space parking meter of claim 14, wherein the front housing is pivotally attached to the internal structure by the linkage and further comprising:

finger protrusions on a sloped surface of one of the front housing or the back housing; and

corresponding rails or grooves on the other one of the front housing or the back housing, the corresponding rails or grooves comprising openings to receive the finger protrusions when the front housing is pivoted towards the back housing,

wherein the finger protrusions and the corresponding rails or grooves are shaped to allow the finger protrusions to engage and capture the corresponding rails or grooves when the front housing is slid up or down the back housing.

16. The single space parking meter of claim 15, wherein the finger protrusions and corresponding rails or grooves are discrete components secured to the respective front or back housing.

17. The single space parking meter of claim 10, further comprising one or more of:

a) an upper locking mechanism to secure the front housing to the back housing actuated by an upper lock located in the back housing;

or

b) a lower locking mechanism to secure the back housing to the lower housing actuated by a lower lock located in the lower housing.

18. The single space parking meter of claim 10, further comprising:

an upper locking mechanism to secure the front housing to the back housing;

a lower locking mechanism to secure the back housing to the lower housing; and

a lock for actuating both the upper locking mechanism and the lower locking mechanism.

19. The single space parking meter of claim 10, further comprising one or more securing points for releasably coupling the removable modular single space parking meter mechanism at least partially within the lower housing, wherein the securing points are located on one or more of:

a) the lower housing of the single space parking meter;

b) the back housing of the single space parking meter; and

c) the front housing of the removable modular single space parking meter mechanism of the single space parking meter.

20. The single space parking meter of claim 10, further comprising a solar panel mounted on an external surface of the parking meter, wherein:

the solar panel is mounted within a solar panel compartment;

wherein the solar panel compartment has a substantially intact bottom surface;

and

wherein the solar panel compartment is located on the front housing below the display opening.

21. The single space parking meter of claim 10, wherein the front housing and the back housing comprise a peaked top defining an internal cavity for an internal antenna.

22. The single space parking meter of claim 10, further comprising an antenna mounted in an antenna cover mounted on an exterior surface of the front housing and located above a substantially intact surface provided by the front housing and the back housing, wherein the antenna cover is made of a material at least partially transparent to radio signals.

23. The single space parking meter of claim 10, further comprising a coin vault secured to, and below the lower housing.

24. The single space parking meter of claim 10, further comprising:

interlocking fingers on a surface of the front housing; and

interlocking fingers on a surface of the back housing;

wherein the interlocking fingers of the front housing engage with the interlocking fingers of the back housing when the front and back housings are pivoted into a closed position.

25. The single space parking meter of claim 24, wherein the interlocking fingers are discrete components secured to the respective front and back housings.

26. A method of assembling a single space parking meter comprising:

placing a removable modular single space parking meter mechanism having a pivotally attached front housing at least partially in a lower housing having a back housing secured to the lower housing;

pivoting the front housing towards the back housing; and

securing the front housing to the back housing to provide a protective housing of the parking meter.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising one or more of:

a) placing the back housing on the lower housing; and

securing the back housing to the lower housing;

or

b) pivoting the front housing towards the back housing to allow finger protrusions of the back housing to be received by openings in corresponding rails or grooves of the front housing; and

moving the front housing relative to the back housing, comprising sliding the front housing against the back housing, so the finger protrusions of the back housing engage and capture the corresponding rails or grooves of the front housing and secure the front housing to the back housing.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising locking the back housing to the lower housing.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising pivoting the front housing and the back housing towards each other to allow interlocking fingers on each of the front housing and the back housing to engage when the front housing and the back housing are in a closed position.

30. The method of claim 26, further comprising pivoting the front housing and the back housing towards each other to allow interlocking fingers on each of the front housing and the back housing to engage when the front housing and the back housing are in a closed position.

31. A single space parking meter comprising:

a lower housing;

a removable modular single space parking meter mechanism comprising an internal structure at least partially and removably received within a lower housing of a single space parking meter;

a housing coupled to the lower housing and the removable modular single space parking meter mechanism; and

a solar panel arranged on an exterior surface of the housing of the single space parking meter that is exposed to an external environment of the single space parking meter when the removable modular single space parking meter mechanism is secured to the lower housing.

32. The single space parking meter of claim 31, wherein the solar panel is mounted in a solar panel compartment, located on either a front of the housing or a back of the housing, and having a substantially intact bottom surface.

33. A single space parking meter comprising:

a lower housing;

a removable modular single space parking meter mechanism comprising;

an internal structure at least partially and removably received within the lower housing of the single space parking meter; and

a plurality of parking meter mechanism components coupled to the internal structure, the plurality of parking meter mechanism components comprising;

a display for displaying parking information;

a short-range contactless payment reader comprising at least one of;

Near-Field Communications (NFC) reader;

a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader; and

an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14443 reader; and

a contactless payment reader antenna located at the display and coupled to the contactless payment reader; and

a housing exposed to an external environment coupled to the lower housing and the removable modular single space parking meter mechanism.