AU2010100636A4

AU2010100636A4 - Structure of coin-operated lock of shopping cart

Info

Publication number: AU2010100636A4
Application number: AU2010100636A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Chwan-Lin Sun
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-06-21
Filing date: 2010-06-21
Publication date: 2010-07-15
Anticipated expiration: 2018-06-21

Description

AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT STRUCTURE OF COIN-OPERATED LOCK OF SHOPPING CART The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: TITLE: STRUCTURE OF COIN-OPERATED LOCK OF SHOPPING CART (a) Technical Field of the Invention The present invention generally relates to a coin-operated lock, and more 5 particularly to a coin-operated lock that is applicable to a shopping cart and is structured to improve secure clamping of a coin inserted therein. (b) Description of the Prior Art Shopping mails are composed of numerous shops to allow the general consumers to do shopping in a single stop. Most consumers purchase a large 10 amount of goods or merchandise each they visit a shopping mall and a shopping cart is often used to carry such a large amount of goods or merchandise. Thus, each shopping mall usually provides a large number of shopping carts to be retrieved and used by the large number of consumers visiting the mall. Such a large number of shopping carts leads to certain 15 problems and difficult in managing the carts for the mall. To ensure proper management of the shopping carts, some of the shopping sites use a deposit system to manage the carts, which includes a coin-operated lock mounted to each cart to encourage the consumers to return the carts to proper locations in order to take the coin back. FIG 1 of the attached drawings shows a 20 conventional coin-operated lock for a shopping cart. The conventional 2 coin-opemted lock employs a structure that clamps an inserted coin in an eccentric fashion in order to allow the coin to be selectively clamped and released. When a coin 2 is deposited into the conventional coin-operated lock 1, a movable clamping member 12 that is mounted to a base 10 of the 5 lock is driven aside by the insertion of the coin 2 and induces a force acting upon and thus clamping the coin 2. The coin 2 so clamped is held in position by being supported by a fixed clamping member 14. The movable clamping member 12 is structured to drive a latch 16 to selectively engage a locking bolt 3 so as to realize cascade connection and management of successively 10 lined-up carts. However, the conventional lock employs an eccentric arrangement to clamp a coin 2 and this arrangement provides no secure and stable clamping of the coin 2, whereby the coin 2 can be easily retrieved by simply applying a force to damage the lock. As a consequence, the carts will not be properly returned to a designated cart return site. 15 3 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a coin-operated lock that realizes secure clamping of a coin deposited therein. To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a 5 coin-operated lock for a shopping cart. The coin-operated lock comprises a bottom casing member that is mounted to a handgrip of the shopping cart and a top casing member coupled to the bottom casing member to receive therein a locking assembly The top casing member forms a bolt slot for receiving a locking bolt to removably insert therein. The locking assembly of the 10 coin-operated lock comprises a fixed base, a latch, a slide block, and driving bars. The fixed base forms, at a predetermined location, a receiving compartment that is provided with a first retention portion and a sliding rail set adjacent to the receiving compartment. The fixed base forms tracks that are distant from the receiving compartment. The fixed base also forms third 15 retention portions. The latch is received in the receiving compartment and forms a second retention portion opposing the first retention portion. A first elastic member is retained between the first and second retention portions. Further, the slide block has a bottom from which a guide pawl extends to slidably engage the sliding rail set, whereby the slide block is slidable with 20 respect to the fixed base. The slide block forms two arms, each having a 4 distal end forming a fourth retention portion. The fouth retention portions respectively oppose the third retention portions and a second elastic member is retained between each of the third retention portions and the respective fourth retention portion. The slide block forms two pivots to which the driving bars 5 are rotatably coupled. Each of the driving bars has an end forming an arc section and the are sections are opposite to each other. The driving bars form guides on the ends where the arc sections are formed to slidably engage the tracks formed in the fixed base. Another objective of the present invention is to provide a coin-operated 10 lock that uses opposing driving bars to clamp a coin from opposite sides so as to improve stability of coin clamping. A further objective of the present invention is to provide a coin-operated lock that comprises an enhanced structure to substantially reduce the percentage of lock damage so as to lower down costs of maintenance and/or 15 replacement of locks and save unnecessary expenses. The foregoing objectives and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the 20 invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying 5 drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts. Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed 5 description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

6 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG 1 is a schematic top plan view showing a conventional coin-operated lock of shopping cart. FIG 2 is a perspective view showing a coin-operated lock according to a 5 preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG 3 is an exploded view of the coin-operated lock according to the preferred embodiment ofthe present invention. FIG 4 is a perspective view of the coin-operated lock of the present invention, with a top casing member mmoved, illustrating a first phase of 10 releasing a locking bolt. FIG 5 is a top plan view of the coin-operated lock of the present invention, with the top casing member removed, illustrating a second phase of releasing the locking bolt. FIG 6 is a cross-sectional view of the coin-operated lock of the present 15 invention, with the top casing member removed, illustrating a third phase of releasing the locking bolt. FIG 7 is a cross-sectional view of the coin-operated lock of the present invention, with the top casing member removed, illustrating a first phase of inserting a locking bolt.

7 FIG 8 is a top plan view of the coin-operated lock of the present invention, with the top casing member removed, illustrating a second phase of inserting the locking bolt. FIG 9 is a top plan view of the coin-operated lock of the present 5 invention, with the top casing member removed, illustrating a third phase of inserting the locking bolt.

8 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The following descriptions are exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration 5 for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope ofthe invention as set forth in the appended claims. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, which are respectively a perspective 10 view and an exploded view of a coin-operated lock according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the coin-operated lock according to the present invention, generally designated at 4, is applied to a shopping cart or a shopping trolley and comprises a bottom casing member 50 that is fixed to a handgrip 6 of the shopping cart and a top casing 15 member 52 that mates and is fixed to the bottom casing member 50 to receive a locking assembly therebetween. The top casing member 52 forms a bolt slot 520 in a predetennined portion, preferably a rear side, to receive a locking bolt 7 to insert therein. The locking assembly of the coin-operated lock 4 comprises a fixed base 40, a latch 42, a slide block 44, and driving bars 46. 20 The fixed base 40 forms, at a predetermined location, preferably a rear portion 9 thereof, a receiving compartment 402 that is provided with a first retention portion 404, and a set of sliding rails 406 adjacent to (and preferably in the frontward side of) the receiving compartment 402. The fixed base 40 also forms opposite tracks 409 at locations away from the receiving compartment 5 402, preferably in the frontward side. The latch 42 forms a locking tongue 422 and is rotatably received in the receiving compartment 402 for selectively engaging and thus releasably securing the locking bolt 7 that is inserted into the bolt slot 520. The latch 42 forms a second retention portion 420 opposing the first retention portion 404 and a first elastic member 8 is retained 10 by and between the first retention portion 404 and the second retention portion 420. The fixed base 40 also forms third retention portions 408, preferably at locations close to the receiving compartment 402. The slide block 44 has a bottom surface from which a guide pawl 440 extends to engage and be movably received in the sliding rails 406, whereby 15 the slide block 44 is made slidable with respect to the fixed base 40. The slide block 44 forms two arms 442 extending therefrom. Each of the arms 442 has a distal end form a fourth retention portion 444 opposing a respective one of the third retention portions 408. Second elastic members 9 are respectively retained by and between the third retention portions 408 and the 20 fourth retention portions 444. The slide block 44 comprises two pivots 446 10 extending therefrom for rotatably coupling the driving bars 46. The driving bars 46 have ends that are opposite to the pivots 446 and form opposite arc sections 460. Further, the driving bars 46 also forms guides 462 respectively on the ends where the arc sections 460 are formed to slidably engage the 5 tracks 409 formed in the fixed base 40 for guiding movement of the driving bars 46, as well as the slide block 44, with respect to the fixed base 40. The tracks 409 are arranged in an inclined manner with respect to each other, and preferably, but not necessarily, the tracks 409 approach each other in a direction the tracks 409 extend rearward toward the receiving compartment 10 402. A coin receiver 48 is arranged between the arc sections 460 of the driving bars 46. The coin receiver 48 forms a coin slot 480 that is exposed outside the casing members to receive the insertion of a coin 2. Reference is now made to FIGS. 4-6. FIGS. 4-6 are respectively a 15 perspective view, a top plan view, and a cross-sectional view, with the top casing member removed, of the coin-operated lock according to the present invention, illustrating, in sequence, an operation of releasing the locking bolt for unlatching the shopping cart. To retrieve a shopping cart, a user inserts a coin 2 into the coin slot 480 of the coin receiver 48 so that the coin 2 is placed 20 between the arc sections 460 of the two driving bars 46.

11 With an appropriate force applied to the coin 2, the driving bars 46 is forced inward and rearward and the guides 462 of the driving bars 46 move along the tracks 409 in a rearward direction. Due to the inclined arrangement of the tracks 409 (see FIG 3), the two driving bars 46 are caused to retract 5 toward each other to tightly clamp the coin 2. Meanwhile, the driving bars 46 are also caused to move rearward, making the slide block 44 moved rearward. Since the guide pawl 44 of the slide block 44 is in slidable engagement with the sliding rails 406 defined in the fixed base 40 (see FIG 3), the slide block 44 is moved rearward in unison with the driving bars 46. The 10 latch 42 that was originally held in position by being supported by the slide block 44 is driven by the first elastic member 8 retained between the first retention portion 404 and the second retention portion 420 to thereby make rotation of the latch 42 in a direction to disengage the locking tongue 422 from the locking bolt 7. Meanwhile, the second elastic members 9 that are 15 retained between the fourth retention portions 444 formed at the distal ends of the arms 442 and the third retention portions 408 formed on the fixed base 40 are compressed. With such an operation discussed above, the locking bolt 7 is reliably and smoothly separated from the locking tongue 422 of the latch 42 for removal from the lock.

12 Reference is now made to FIGS. 7-9. FIGS. 7-9 are respectively a cross-sectional view and two top plan views, with the top casing member removed, of the coin-operated lock according to the present invention, illustrating, in sequence an operation of inserting a locking bolt into the lock of 5 the present invention. When a user attempts to return the shopping cart and retrieve back the coin 2 inserted in the lock, the user inserts a locking bolt 7 into the bolt slot 520 of the top casing member 52(see FIG 3). By doing so, the locking bolt 7 is put into engagement with and forces the latch 42 inward, and the latch 42 compresses the first elastic member 8, to allow the locking 10 tongue 422 of the latch 42 to engage and thus fix the locking bolt 7. In the course of the above discussed operation, the latch 42 is rotated, in a reversed direction, and the second elastic member 9 that was compressed is released to apply a force to the slide block 44 for driving the slide block 44 in a frontward direction. The driving bars 46 of the slide block 44 are 15 simultaneously moved frontward and the guides 462 of the driving bars 46 moves along the tracks 409 again but in a reversed direction (see FIG 3). The arc sections 460 are thus caused to space from each other and the coin 2 is released. The frontward movement of the driving bars 46 also makes the coin 2 moving outward, so that the user can easily retrieve back the coin 2.

13 It can be appreciated from the above described arrangement that the lock according to the present invention provides rotatable driving bars 46 to realize secure clamping so that a coin can be effectively and securely held in the lock. It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or 5 more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above. While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, 10 modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. A coin-operated lock for a shopping cart, comprising a bottom casing member adapted to be mounted to the cart and a top casing member coupled to the bottom casing member to receive therein a 5 locking assembly, the top casing member forming a bolt slot for receiving a locking bolt to removably insert therein, the locking assembly comprising: a fixed base, which forms a receiving compartment that is provided with a first retention portion and a sliding rail set adjacent 10 to the receiving compartment, the fixed base forming tracks that are distant from the receiving compartment, the fixed base also forming third retention portions; a latch, which forms a locking tongue engageable with the locking bolt and is received in the receiving compartment, the latch 15 forming a second retention portion opposing the first retention portion; a slide block, which has a bottom from which a guide pawl extends to slidably engage the sliding rail set, the slide block forming two arms, each having a distal end forming a fourth 20 retention portion, the fourth retention portions being respectively 15 opposing the third retention portions, the slide block forming two pivots; and two driving bar, which are respectively and rotatably coupled to the pivots, each driving bar having an end forming an arc section, 5 the arc sections being opposite to each other, the driving bars forming guides on the ends where the arc sections are formed to slidably engage the tracks.

2. The coin-operated lock according to claim 1 further comprising a coin receiver that forms a coin slot adapted to receive a coin inserted 10 therein and is mounted to the fixed base and located between the arc sections of the driving bars.

3. The coin-operated lock according to claim 1 further comprising a first elastic member retained between the first retention portion and the second retention portion. 15

4. The coin-operated lock according to claim 1 fTuther comprising a second elastic member retained between each of the third retention portions and the respective fourth retention portion.

5. The coin-operated lock according to claim 1, wherein the tracks are opposite to each other and are inclined with respect to each other. 20