WO1994017499A1

WO1994017499A1 - Storage cabinet and storage cabinet units, for example, for cloakrooms

Info

Publication number: WO1994017499A1
Application number: PCT/FR1994/000109
Authority: WO
Inventors: Charles Dewilde
Original assignee: S.A. L.P.E.
Priority date: 1993-01-29
Filing date: 1994-01-28
Publication date: 1994-08-04
Also published as: FR2700933B1; FR2700933A1

Abstract

Storage cabinet, especially for use in cloakrooms, dressing rooms or as pigeon holes in sporting, school and other facilities, of the type comprising a frame (2) with at least one front wall (4) in which is formed a cavity (8) delimiting a storage volume, a cover (10) movable rotatably between a first open position in which it retracts into said cavity (8), and a second closed position in which it closes said cavity (8), and a system (20) for locking and unlocking the cover (10) in its closed position. The locking/unlocking system (20) is of the remote control, electro-mechanical type and is inaccessible from the outside regardless of the position of the cover (10).

Description

STORAGE LOCKER AND MODULES OF LOCKER STORAGE LOCKERS FOR EXAMPLE

The present invention relates to a storage locker which is in particular intended to be used as a locker, locker room or letter box in sports, school or other installations, of the type comprising a frame with at least one front wall in which is provided a cell defining a storage volume, and a cover movable in rotation between a first position called opening where it retracts inside said cell and a second position called closing where it closes said cell, and a hood locking / unlocking system in its closed position. A storage locker equipped with such a cover is known in particular from document FR-944 823, and it has the particular advantage of eliminating the drawbacks of a conventional hinged door, the movement of which during opening and closing operations , increases the area occupied by such a locker and can be a source of accidents. However, this document does not describe a particular type of system for locking / unlocking the cover in the closed position. Generally, in changing rooms or lockers consisting of several storage lockers, with hinged doors, arranged in rows and columns for example, there is a locking / unlocking system at each locker. This system is activated by the user by means of a key or a code which is entered at the level of a keyboard of a control unit which manages the opening and closing of all the lockers, such as this is the case in certain automatic lockers. In general, these locker rooms or lockers are free to access, and ^' intruders frequently engage in acts of vandalism in forcing the locking / unlocking system of the lockers to empty them of their contents.

The general object of the invention is to design a storage locker of the aforementioned type and which is equipped with a locking / unlocking system capable of limiting acts of vandalism, while providing other advantages in terms of the operating principle. of the hood opening and closing mechanism.

To this end, the invention provides a storage locker of the aforementioned type, and which is characterized in that the locking / unlocking system of the hood in the closed position is of the electro-mechanical type, with remote control and inaccessible from the outside regardless of the position of the cover. According to another characteristic of the invention, the frame of a storage locker also comprises a rear wall located at a distance from the front wall, said cell extending in depth towards the rear wall, and the locking system / unlocking is located between the front and rear walls of the frame and outside the cell.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the locking / unlocking system is located towards the bottom of the cell. According to another characteristic of the invention, the locking / unlocking system consists of an electromagnetic actuator comprising a movable assembly forming a bolt, such as a magnetic bar, housed inside a solenoid supplied by a voltage source continuous and remotely controlled from a central control unit, said bar being movable between an open position and a closed position, and a keeper formed in the cover of the crate and in which is intended to engage said bar to lock the cover in the closed position. According to another characteristic of the invention, the magnetic bar cooperates with a keeper constituted by an opening provided in said cell and by a notch located on the external face of the cover, said bar being able to engage in the keeper only if said opening and said notch are axially aligned with the bar, that is to say when the cover of the locker is in the closed position.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the magnetic bar moves to its closed position by applying a voltage of given polarity to the solenoid, and returns to its initial position or open position by applying a voltage of reverse polarity to the solenoid. According to an alternative embodiment, the magnetic bar is brought back and maintained in its open position by applying a voltage of determined polarity, and is moved towards its closed position by means of a mechanical element, such as a spring, the solenoid is no longer supplied with voltage.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the locking / unlocking system of a locker is completed by a first position detector actuated by the bar to signal to the central control unit that the bar is in the open position. or closing, and by a second position detector activated by the cover to signal to the central control unit that the cover is in the open or closed position, this information being processed by the central unit to manage the operations lock / unlock locker.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the cover of a locker can be automatically recalled either in the open position when it is in the closed position but not locked, or in the closed position when it is in the open position and that the user releases the cover, these reminders being obtained for example by a counterweight secured to the cover.

According to another alternative embodiment of the invention, the cover can be equipped with a brake blade which allows the user to retain the cover in any intermediate position reached when he releases the cover.

The invention also relates to storage locker modules arranged in rows and columns to constitute a cloakroom, a left-luggage office or a mailbox, for example. These modules can be installed in sports facilities, high schools or colleges, for example, and they can be used free or paid.

For such applications, a doorman is provided which is intended to manage the locking and unlocking operations for all of the storage lockers. This doorman is in particular equipped with the aforementioned central control unit which for example comprises a microprocessor with a memory in which processing software is recorded, to selectively control the locking / unlocking systems of the lockers and keep in memory l status of the different lockers, a keyboard and a display unit for dialoguing with users.

In general, the process of accessing a locker requires a dialogue between the user and the porter. This process requires the user to request access to a locker from a key on the doorman keyboard, and in response the central processing unit assigns a locker to it which is identified by a number which is displayed. , and allocates either a confidential code also displayed, or a badge. The user then goes to the assigned locker to store objects, for example before close the locker cover, the second aforementioned detector then signaling to the central unit that the cover ^" is in the closed position without being locked. The user goes again to the doorman to request the locking of the cover by typing on the keyboard the locker number The control unit, after checking, validates the closing by supplying the solenoid of the locking / unlocking device according to a given polarity voltage. Locking is validated by the first aforementioned detector associated with the bar which informs the central unit that the bar is properly engaged in the notch of the cover to lock the cover When the user wishes to retrieve the objects stored in his locker, he enters his confidential code or his badge in the porter and the latter , after checking, validates the unlocking of the locker by supplying the solenoid of the locking / unlocking device with a reverse polarity voltage.

A storage locker according to the invention therefore has the particular advantage of having a locking / unlocking system inaccessible from the outside, which makes it possible to limit acts of vandalism, and the presence of at least two detectors to signal to the central control unit that the cover of a locker is open or closed and that the cover is locked or not in the closed position, makes it possible to optimize the management of the lockers by the central unit.

Finally, the components of a storage locker are simple, reliable and inexpensive, which makes it possible to mass produce locker modules at economical cost prices.

Other advantages, characteristics and details of the invention will emerge from the explanatory description which follows, given with reference to the appended drawings given solely by way of example, and in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of several modules of storage lockers according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view along the line II-II of FIG. 1,

- figure.3 is. a partial sectional view along line III-III of FIG. 2, and

- Figure 4 is a principle view to illustrate the locking / unlocking system of a locker in the closed position from a doorman who manages several lockers.

A unit of three modules 1 of storage compartments 2 is illustrated in FIG. 1. Each module 1 comprises a frame 2 in which are arranged several superimposed compartments 3 in accordance with the invention.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3, the frame 2 of a module 1 comprises in particular a front vertical wall 4, a rear vertical wall 5 located at a distance from the front wall 4 and two side walls 6 which connect the front walls 4 and rear 5. Advantageously, the front wall 4 is formed in a single piece in which several impressions are made which each form a cell 8 delimiting the storage volume of a rack 3. Each rack 3 comprises a cover 10 movable in rotation between a first so-called open position where it retracts into the cell 8 and a second so-called closed position where it closes said cell 8.

According to a preferred embodiment as illustrated in the figures, the cover 10 is movable in rotation along a horizontal axis XX, that is to say it is raised to pass into the open position and it is lowered to the closed position. Under these conditions, each cell 8 has a certain width on its front wall, a certain height and a certain depth in the direction of the wall. rear 5 of frame 2.

In general, with reference to FIG. 2, the storage volume defined by each cell 8 is delimited between two upper 8a and lower 8b walls, and a bottom wall 8c. The upper wall 8a is substantially planar and horizontal, the lower wall 8b is also planar, but slightly inclined towards the front, and the bottom wall 8c is connected to the upper wall 8a by a curved part 8d in an arc of a radius r_. Overall, the cross section of a cell 8 is C-shaped.

Each cover 10 has a generally combined shape of that of the upper wall 8a and the curved part 8d of each cell 8. In other words, each cover 10 has a substantially planar wall 10a extended by a curved part 10b of radius of curvature r. Each cover 10 is bordered laterally by two side walls 10c having a substantially semi-circular surface. Thus, the width of a cover 10 corresponds to the distance separating these two side walls 10c, a distance which is slightly less than that separating the two side walls 6 of the frame 2 of a module 1.

The axis of rotation X-X of each cover 10 is materialized by two axially aligned half-axes 12 which are integral, at one end, with the external surfaces of the two side walls 10c of the cover 10, respectively. The other ends of the two half-axes 12 are rotatably supported by the side walls 6 of the frame 2 by engaging in openings 13 thereof.

The axis of rotation XX of each cover 10 is located inside the cell 8 so that it can take a first open position where it retracts inside the cell 8 and a second closed position where it closes this cell 8. More specifically, with reference to FIG. 2, when the cover 10 is in the open position, its planar wall 10a and its curved part 10b are respectively in contact with the upper wall 8a and the curved wall 8d of the cell 8, respectively. When the cover 10 is in the closed position, the front end of its wall 10a is in contact with the front end of the lower wall 8b of the cell 8, and its curved part 10b, towards its free end, is at contact of the curved part 8d of the cell 8. Thus, in its closed position of the cover 10, the interior volume of the storage compartment 3 is delimited by the cover 10 and the bottom walls 8b and bottom 8c of the cell 8. With such a positioning of the axis of rotation XX of each cover 10, the latter does not protrude beyond the front face 4 of the frame 2 during its rotation from one position to the other.

A locking / unlocking system 20 is used to lock and unlock each cover 10 when it is in the closed position.

With particular reference to FIG. 4, the system 20 is constituted by an electromagnetic actuator controlled remotely and comprising a movable assembly formed by a magnetic bar 21 housed inside a solenoid 22.

In general, the locking / unlocking systems 20 of all the storage lockers 3 of the three modules 1 which form a deposit, cloakroom or mailbox unit, for example, are controlled by a doorman 25 which constitutes a standalone block located for example next to modules 1.

The doorman 25, which therefore has the function of managing the locking and unlocking operations of the storage lockers 3, comprises in particular a central control unit UC, such as a microprocessor, at least one memory M where software, a display or screen unit E, a keyboard CL for manual data entry, the voltage source A to supply the solenoids 22 of the locking / unlocking systems 20, and an input-output interface I to provide the connections electrical with 20 systems. All of these components are internally connected by link b.

Referring to Figures 2 and 4, the locking / unlocking system 20 of each locker is housed inside the frame 2 between the front 4 and rear 5 walls thereof, and outside the cell 8. In the example considered here, the locking / unlocking system 20 is situated at the level of the curved part 8d of the cell 8. The magnetic bar 21 forms a bolt which is intended to engage in a keeper which is constituted by an opening 26 formed in the cell 8 and by a notch 27 provided on the external face of the cover 10 towards its rear end constituted by its curved part 10b. When the cover 10 is in the closed position, the opening 26 and the notch 27 are axially aligned with the magnetic bar 21. The end of the bar 21 is preferably of pointed or conical shape to ensure correct positioning of the cover 10 in the closed position, but without penetrating inside the cell 8 as is clearly visible in FIG. 4.

Each locking / unlocking system 20 also comprises a first position detector such as an electrical contactor 30 comprising a movable element 30a which can take two positions and which is actuated by the magnetic bar 21 to signal to the control unit UC of the doorman 25 the state of the locking / unlocking system 20 of each cover 10. More specifically, the contactor 30 is located near the rear part of the bar 21 so that it is in contact with the movable element 30a to make him take a first position when the bar 21 is in the open position, and release the movable contact 30a to its second position when the bar 21 is in the closed position. This contactor 30 signals to the control unit UC that the locking operation is carried out or not.

Each locking / unlocking system 20 is completed by a second position detector such as an electrical contactor 32 comprising a movable element 32a which can take two positions and which is actuated by the cover 10 to signal to the control unit UC of the porter. 25 that the cover is in the open or closed position. More specifically, the movable element 32a of the contactor 32a is for example a flexible blade which projects inside the cell 8. This blade is held in a first position as long as the cover 10 is open and bears on the blade, the latter relaxing to take a second position when the cover 10 is in the vicinity of its closed position, that is to say that it is no longer in contact with the blade.

The position detectors 30 and 32, and the solenoid of each locking / unlocking system of a locker 3 are connected to the input-output interface I of the gatekeeper 25 by electrical conductors .1.

In general, the process for using one of the storage compartments 3 of the modules 1 is as follows, knowing that each compartment 3 is identified by a number.

To be able to have one of the storage compartments 3 of the modules 1, the user must in principle appear before the doorman 25 and materialize a request for access to a compartment by pressing, for example, a key provided for this purpose on the CL gatekeeper's keypad 25. In response, the central processing unit UC verifies that at least one of the lockers 3 is free and it validates the user's request by displaying on screen E the number of the locker 3 which is assigned to the user. The user then goes to the locker that he identifies by son.number, the cover 10 of this locker is either already open, or closed without being locked. The user stores objects, clothes or the like, he then lowers the cover 10 to its closed position, and he returns to the doorman 25 to validate the locking of the locker 3. For this, the user enters the number of his locker on the doorkeeper's keyboard CL 25. Firstly, the central processing unit UC ensures that the cover 10 of the locker 3 is in the closed position, information which is communicated to it by the second contactor 32 according to the position of its mobile element 32a. If this is not the case, the central control unit UC sends a message on the screen E to inform the user that his locker is not closed properly. Once this check has been carried out and the locker in the closed position, the central control unit UC validates the locking / unlocking device 20 of the locker 3 by supplying the solenoid 22 with a voltage of a determined polarity to move the magnetic bar 21 towards its closed position. In a second step, the central control unit UC ensures that this locking operation has been carried out by verifying the state of the movable element 30a of the first contactor 30. In a third step, the central unit UC control unit assigns to the user a confidential code which is displayed on the screen E, or a badge which is issued to him through a slot 40 provided on the front face of the gatekeeper 25.

When the user wishes to recover the objects stored in the locker 3, he goes to the doorman 25 and enters his confidential code at keypad CL or its badge in the slot 40 of the doorman 25. After checking, the central control unit UC validates the unlocking operation of the locker by supplying the solenoid 22 with a voltage of reverse polarity to force the bar 21 to disengage the notch 27 from the cover, and it ensures this unlocking operation by checking the state of the first contactor 30.

In general, when a locker 3 is in the closed position and locked in this position, the solenoid 22 of its locking / unlocking system 20 is supplied. On the other hand, when a rack is free and whatever the open or closed position of its cover 10, the solenoid 22 of the locking / unlocking system is not supplied.

In the case where the user identifies an open locker, stores objects and closes the cover 10 of this locker without going through the doorman 25, the cover 10 will not be locked. All of the modules 1, depending on the applications envisaged, can be of variable number and arranged in a line or two lines with modules placed back to back. Obviously, the dimensions of the lockers, in particular in width, can vary from one module to another.

The modules can advantageously be made of a material, such as polyester reinforced with glass fibers. The lower surface 8d of each cell 8 is advantageously inclined to avoid any retention of water inside the cell during a cleaning operation. In addition, a locker ventilation system can be provided.

It can be envisaged to control the magnetic bar 21 in a manner different from that envisaged previously. The displacement of the bar 21 towards its closed position can be obtained by an element with elastic return such as a spring for example, while its return to the open position and its maintenance in this position are ensured by supplying the solenoid 22 with a given polarity voltage. According to another alternative embodiment of the invention, the cover 10 of a rack 3 can be automatically recalled to the open position, when it is not locked in the closed position. This automatic return to the open position can be obtained using a counterweight 45 secured to the cover 10 and located towards its rear part (FIG. 2).

According to yet * another alternative embodiment of the invention, the cover 10 of each rack 2 can be automatically recalled to the closed position and, in this case, the counterweight 45 is then located towards the front part of the cover 10.

According to yet another alternative embodiment of the invention, each cover 10 is advantageously equipped with at least one brake blade 50 (FIG. 3) which has the function of keeping the cover 10 in the position it has reached when the user voluntarily or involuntarily releases the cover 10. The brake blade 50 is for example fixed at one end on the external face of a side wall 10C of the cover 10, and its other end bears on the side wall 6 of the frame 2 It is also possible to provide a brake blade 50 on either side of the cover 10. This brake blade 50 can obviously be replaced by an electro-mechanical device. Finally, according to a last variant embodiment of the invention, a second system for locking / unlocking the cover 10 of a locker 3 can be provided to lock it in the open position, so as to oblige any user to make a request. prior access to the doorman 25.

In the event that the application envisaged for the use of these modules 1 of storage lockers 3 is chargeable, the doorman 25 is equipped with appropriate circuits and has at least one slot 52 for the introduction of coins or a credit card, for example.

Of course, the invention is in no way limited to the embodiments described above. In particular, without changing the principle of the invention, each cover can be rotatably mounted along a vertical axis. Finally, a doorman who manages a module or a set of modules of storage lockers, can be connected to a central station which controls several sets of modules.

Claims

1. Storage locker, in particular intended to be used as a locker, cloakroom or mailbox in sports, school or other installations, of the type comprising a frame with at least one front wall in which is formed a delimiting cell a storage volume, and a cover movable in rotation between a first so-called open position where it retracts inside said cell and a second so-called closed position where it closes said cell, and a locking / unlocking system of the cover in its closed position, characterized in that the locking / unlocking system (20) of the cover (10) is located towards the bottom of the cell (8) and outside of it to be inaccessible from the outside regardless of the position of the cover (10).

2. Storage locker according to claim

1, characterized in that the locking / unlocking system (20) is constituted by an electromagnetic actuator comprising a movable assembly forming a bolt, such as a magnetic bar (21), housed inside a solenoid ( 22) supplied by a DC voltage source (A) and remotely controlled from a central control unit (UC), said bar (21) being movable between an open position and a closed position, and a keeper formed by an opening (26) in the cell (8) and by a notch (27) provided on the external face of the cover (10) of the rack (3) and in which is intended to engage said bar (21 ) to lock the cover (10) in the closed position.

. Storage locker according to claim

2, caract *: risked in that the locking / unlocking system (20) also comprises a first position detector (30) connected to the control unit (UC) to signal the latter the state of the system locking / unlocking (20).

4. Storage locker according to claim 3, characterized in that the first position detector (30) is an electrical contactor comprising a movable element (30a) which can take two positions and which is actuated by the displacement of the bar (21).

5. Storage locker according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the locking / unlocking system (20) also comprises a second position detector (32) connected to the control unit (UC) for signaling to this- ci the open or closed position of the cover (10).

6. Storage locker according to claim 5, characterized in that the second position detector (32) is an electrical contactor comprising a movable element (32a) which can take two positions and which is actuated by the rotational movement of the cover (10 ).

7. Storage locker according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cover (10) is rotatably mounted along a horizontal axis (X-X) ..

8. Storage locker according to claim

7, characterized in that the cover (10) comprises means for automatically recalling it to the closed or open position.

9. Storage locker according to claim

8, characterized in that said means are constituted by a counterweight (45) integral with the cover (10).

10. Storage locker according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the cover

(10) is equipped with a brake blade (50) to hold it in any position between its open position and its closed position.

11. Storage lockers module, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of storage lockers (3) according to any one of previous claims.

12. Storage lockers module according to claim 11, characterized in that it comprises a doorman (25) for automatically managing the locking / unlocking operations of all the storage lockers (3), said doorman (25) comprising in particular a central control unit (25), a display unit (E) and a keyboard (CL), and an input-output interface (I) connected to the locking systems (20) of all the lockers ( 3).