EP0315639B1 - Storage cabinet intended particularly for sporting installations - Google Patents

Abstract

The storage cabinet according to the invention is comprised of a substantially semicircular-shaped pigeon-hole (1) wherein there is arranged with coaxial rotation a compartment (2) which has also a substantially semicylindrical shape, and comprising a bottom wall (4) and a top wall (5) having substantially the shape of a circle, centered on the axis (3) of the pigeon-hole (1), said compartment (2) being movable between two positions, an opening position where it is housed into the pigeon-hole (1) and a closing position wherein it is arranged outside the pigeon-hole (1) thereby completing the space. The invention applies particularly to changing rooms of swimming pools.

Description

The present invention relates to a storage locker intended in particular for sports facilities, consisting of a cell of substantially semi-cylindrical shape and in which is arranged with coaxial rotation a compartment also of substantially semi-cylindrical shape, and having a bottom wall and an upper wall having substantially the shape of a circle, centered on the axis of the cell, said compartment being movable between two positions, an open position where it is disposed inside the cell and a closed position in which it is placed outside the cell and completes the volume.

Such a locker is described in particular in American patent 2,965,429. Another locker is exposed in French patent 944,823.

When it is desired to find an unoccupied locker of this type, this poses some difficulties, since the movable compartment may be in the closed but not locked position, so that it is believed that this locker is not available, when it is.

Furthermore, it is advantageous to provide a device which makes it possible to signal to a user that he has improperly closed his locker.

The present invention relates to a storage locker of the aforementioned type which makes it possible to avoid the drawbacks which have just been described. It is particularly remarkable in that said compartment is provided with a return device in the open position and in that it comprises a device for locking the compartment comprising an elastic element, such as a spring, tending to repel the compartment when it is in the closed position.

Due to the reminder device in the open position, when a locker is not used, the mobile compartment is automatically in the open position, which allows the user to quickly identify the available lockers. In addition, the automatic opening of the compartments also facilitates cleaning operations.

Because the locking device comprises an elastic element tending to push back the compartment when the latter is in the closed position, when a compartment is opened, it automatically moves to the open position; moreover, this also makes it possible to signal to the user that his locker has been improperly closed, since it will automatically open completely.

To facilitate cleaning of the compartment, its bottom is inclined slightly inward, towards the middle of its cylindrical wall, and there is provided at this point a waste water discharge orifice.

The invention also relates to a set of lockers comprising a single cell in which several compartments are superimposed. One can thus provide, for example, two or three compartments on the height of the cell. When constructing a row of lockers or sets of lockers according to the invention, the lockers or sets of lockers are arranged alternately, staggered, on either side of the axis of said row. This staggered arrangement makes it possible to significantly reduce the width of a row of opposite lockers. Advantageously, in this case, all of the cells of a double row constitute a single framework.

The invention also relates to a cloakroom comprising rows of lockers as described above and in which each locker is provided with an electromechanical lock with electronic control, the set of locks being connected to a data processing device and each lock comprising an alarm signal generating device actuated in the event of a breach of the lock and / or the locker. This arrangement makes it possible to monitor all the lockers in the cloakroom from a central station in which the data processing device is housed, which comprises for example a central computer and a device for addressing the various locks, each locker being equipped a microcontroller controlling its lock.

• la Fig.1 représente en vue de dessus un ensemble de casier selon l'invention
• la Fig.2 est une coupe verticale transversale selon la ligne II-II de la figure 1, les casiers étant en position de fermeture,
• la Fig.3 est une coupe correspondant à la figure 2 mais avec les casiers en position d'ouverture,
• la Fig.4 est une vue de détail en coupe horizontale représentant un dispositif de verrouillage,
• la Fig.5 est une vue en perspective de l'ensemble de casier de la figure 1.
• la Fig.6 est une vue de dessus d'une double rangée de casiers,
• la Fig.7 est un schéma représentant le dispositif de traitement de données et,
• la Fig.8 est le schéma du circuit électronique d'une serrure.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the description which follows as well as from the appended drawings in which:

• Fig.1 shows a top view of a set of lockers according to the invention
• FIG. 2 is a vertical cross section along the line II-II of FIG. 1, the compartments being in the closed position,
• Fig.3 is a section corresponding to Figure 2 but with the crates in the open position,
• Fig.4 is a detail view in horizontal section showing a locking device,
• Fig.5 is a perspective view of the locker assembly of Figure 1.
• Fig. 6 is a top view of a double row of lockers,
• FIG. 7 is a diagram representing the data processing device and,
• Fig.8 is the diagram of the electronic circuit of a lock.

Figures 1,2,3 and 5 show a set of lockers according to the present invention.

Each rack consists of a fixed cell 1 whose shape is substantially that of a half-cylinder and of a compartment 2 which also has the shape of a half-cylinder and which is rotatable coaxially in the 'cell 1, that is to say that the vertical axis 3 of the half cylinder constituting the cell is coincident with the axis of the half-cylinder of the compartment and constitutes the axis of rotation of the latter. The diameter of the half-cylinder constituting the compartment is slightly less than the diameter of the cell and the compartment also includes a bottom wall 4 and an upper wall 5 which are substantially inscribed in a circle, centered on the axis 3. The compartment 2 is movable between two positions, an open position in which compartment 2 is housed in the cell 1 and a closed position which is obtained from a rotation of a half-turn and in which the wall cylindrical 6 of the compartment 2 is arranged outside the cell 1 facing the latter so as to produce a substantially cylindrical volume. We see in Figure 1 at the bottom left an open locker and at the bottom right, a closed locker, the upper locker being shown without the compartment.

To keep the crate in the open position, when it is not locked in the closed position, a return element is provided bringing the crate in the opposite direction to the closure indicated by the arrow 7 in FIG. 1; this reminder device is constituted, in the example shown, by a clamp 8 fitted with a spiral spring (see Figure 1). Advantageously, one can also provide in the locking mechanism of each locker an elastic element, such as a spring, which tends to push the compartment when the latter is in the closed position. In the lock 9 shown in FIG. 4, this element is constituted by a finger 11 articulated around an axis 12 and subjected to the action of a spring 13. In this way, the user is immediately aware that he badly locked his locker since it immediately returns to the open position, which constitutes a first security against theft.

To facilitate cleaning and avoid the accumulation of dirt in the compartment, the bottom wall 4 is slightly inclined in a convergent manner towards the center of the cylindrical wall 6 and there is provided at this point an outlet for discharging waste water (see arrow 15, figures 2 and 3).

Correspondingly, the bottom 16 of the cell is inclined convergently towards the inside, that is to say towards the middle of the cylindrical wall 17 of the cell so as to facilitate evacuation as shown schematically by arrow 18.

The compartment 2 which in itself constitutes the locker is equipped with members making it possible to receive the various objects which can be put in the locker; one can thus provide a support for shoes, a support for a helmet, coat hooks or hangers for clothes, a pocket for placing various objects and a strap which allows to block the clothes inside the compartment.

Depending on the intended use, it is possible to provide sets of stacked racks comprising a single cell and several stacked compartments. Thus in Figures 2 and 3 we see, on the left a set of three compartments, and on the right a set of two compartments arranged in cells of the same height. In this case, there is advantageously provided for each compartment a bottom of the cell 16 and the base 19, of the common cell, is inclined towards the outside so as to evacuate the water flowing through the end orifices of the bottoms. cell 16, this flow being shown schematically by the arrow 21. To obtain complete protection of the objects or clothing housed in the lockers, a cover 22 is provided for each cell which is of substantially circular shape and which is inclined towards the inside of the cell, the flow of wastewater being effected by an orifice arranged inside, as shown diagrammatically by the arrow 23. As can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3 in particular, the cell bottoms 16 and the cover 22 are arranged projecting relative to the compartment 1 so as to prevent the water flowing behind the bottoms 16 and of the cover 23 from entering the compartments 1.

The cell 1 is preferably made of raw concrete to present a great solidity with regard to acts of vandalism, this concrete being further varnished to facilitate cleaning operations. The compartment is preferably made of metal (fluted aluminum foundry) or of synthetic material such as polyethylene obtained by rotational molding. As can be seen in particular in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5, two compartments can be produced in the same cell, the useful height of which is approximately one meter, or three compartments, the useful height of which is approximately 65 cm. The outer face of the compartments is advantageously made with grooves so as to avoid any possibility of graffiti or poster collage.

As can be seen in particular in FIGS. 1 and 6, the invention makes it possible to produce double rows of racks opening on either side of said row, the space requirement of which is reduced in particular by the fact that the racks 24 of the first row are staggered relative to racks 25 of the second row, the two rows of racks being arranged on either side of the axis 26 of the double row 27. Thus for example, the distance between the axes of the two rows of compartments 24 and 25 can be reduced to less than 40 cm, so that the total width of the double row of compartments can be reduced to less than 80 cm, while each compartment offers a useful volume s 'extending over a cylinder of about 40 cm in diameter. This reduction in the double rows of lockers is added to the reduction in the width of the span separating two rows. In fact, thanks to the structure of the lockers according to the invention according to which in the open position, the lockers have the same size as in the closed position, the width of the circulation spans can be significantly reduced; thus for example in the case of a swimming pool cloakroom this reduction is of the order of 25%, the width of the span decreasing from more than one meter to less than 80 cm.

In the case of a double row of lockers, as shown in FIG. 6, the set of cells constitutes a single frame 28 which can advantageously be made of concrete; this significantly simplifies the construction of changing rooms since this single frame can be produced in a single casting operation.

According to another characteristic of the invention, in particular in the case of a cloakroom consisting of several rows of lockers, each locker is provided with an electromechanical lock with electronic control and all of these locks are connected to a device for data processing which manages all the locks; in particular each lock can be equipped with a device generating an alarm signal and actuated in the event that one seeks to force the lock or the locker. This alarm signal is sent to a central station which is immediately alerted and can take the necessary measures. This makes it possible to carry out a more complete surveillance than by the passage of a guard with a reduced staff.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the electromagnetic locks are unlocked by the introduction of a "key" carrying a code assigned by the data processing device upon payment of the entry fee. This key can for example consist of a perforated card which will be read by an optical device of the lock. One can also provide other unlocking devices such as a keyboard attached to each lock and on which one composes the proper code of the lock.

In addition to monitoring and transmitting an alarm in the event of vendalism, the data processing device manages the various lockers; in particular, the data processing device can permanently interrogate the lockers one by one to determine the free lockers and assign them to users paying the entry fee. The alarm signal can for example be generated during the introduction of a bad key, during the mechanical forcing of the locker or when the electrical supply of a lock is cut.

Figures 7 and 8 illustrate an embodiment of the data processing device managing a locker room equipped with lockers according to the invention.

The entire data processing device comprises a central supervisor computer comprising a memory of 256 kilobytes and a disk of 10 megabytes as well as an interface. It can for example be a microcomputer fitted with an RS 232 C type interface. To this microcomputer are associated an encoding peripheral, readers included in each of the electromagnetic locks and a central drawer which ensures the distribution of messages with all the locks which are associated by groups or spans and which interacts with the microcomputer. A basic lock management software and a suitable software which allows the exploitation of the previous software according to the characteristics of each cloakroom allows to manage all the lockers by the microcomputer.

Figure 7 is a diagram showing the aforementioned central drawer; the latter essentially comprises the aforementioned interface 31 which is connected to the microcomputer (not shown), a power supply unit 32 which includes protection devices and power transformers and which powers the various locks via 'a line 33 to which are connected the power supply units 34 each supplying two spans 35 and 36 of lockers, and a management circuit 37 which manages the exchanges between the microcomputer and a set of eight spans grouped together by of them; the management unit 37 may include an extension 38 allowing it to manage eight other spans. One can also provide an extension circuit 39 allowing the connection with a second drawer.

FIG. 8 represents the electrical circuit of a lock controlling the locking of a locker. This circuit essentially comprises a microcontroller 41 with a memory 42 and a span interface 43. A circuit for decoding the electronic "key" for controlling the lock which is constituted in the example represented by four photo transistors 44, is connected to the micro-controller 41 which also controls an electromagnet 45 for controlling the lock, for example by means of a transistor 46 mounted in Darlington. The entire lock is supplied by a supply unit 47 comprising protection circuits.

The microcomputer performs continuous monitoring of all the locks, takes the initiative of sending a message of "n" bytes, four bytes in the example shown, during power-up, after response from a device or no response within a given time. In response to this interrogation message, the microcomputer must receive a message of the same format corresponding either to a normal response, or to the abovementioned alarm message having interrupted the normal interrogation and response procedure. The central drawer analyzes the first byte of the message coming from the microcomputer and directs this message to one of the spans after possibly deleting this first byte if the normal interrogation procedure must continue. If during or just before the reading of the first byte, a call on an alarm bus is detected, the message of the microcomputer is blocked.

The central drawer then scans the spans and finds those whose alarm bus has been activated. The "response-alarm" bus is activated and the lock concerned can send its alarm message either immediately or after scanning in the bay by the central drawer. The alarm message provided by the lock is formatted by the drawer central and repeated with the microcomputer which can then interrogate the lock concerned or continue its scanning. In all cases, the microcomputer determines the rhythm of the messages and systematically receives a message in response to each message sent.

The management circuit 37 of the central drawer ensures the processing or the preparation of the first bytes of the messages and realizes the routing of the periodic messages on the spans by directly processing the interruptions by alarms; the supply circuits 34 also play the role of communication interface with the two spans 35 and 36.

The locks are grouped by bay, the maximum number of locks per bay being 128; each bay has a specific power and communication cable which comes directly from one of the halves of the power and interface circuit 34.

As can be seen in particular in Figure 5, the locks of each locker are arranged in a vertical profile constituting a covering, which is made for example of spun aluminum and which is located on the facade of the modular concrete elements. This profile can advantageously constitute a cover in which are housed the lock of each locker with its possible supply, and a security unlocking device and which carries the identification number of each of the lockers.

This structure makes it possible on the one hand to carry out a rapid scan of any alarms and on the other hand allows to obtain the complete isolation of a bay in the event of a serious failure without there being any repercussion on the others spans. This cable for example has a branch connector for four neighboring lockers.

It can be seen that the invention makes it possible to produce lockers intended, for example, for changing rooms whose size is greatly reduced, which can easily be cleaned in good hygienic conditions; in particular, due to the different waste water drainage devices and the shape of the compartments, no accumulation of dirt can occur, the compartments are cleaned in their open position, for example by means of of a pressurized water device, the internal wall of the cell being able to be cleaned due to the existing space, in this open position, between the compartment and the cell. In addition, the use of central computer surveillance makes it possible to significantly reduce the surveillance personnel while improving security conditions.

Claims (7)

1. Storage locker, intended in particular for sporting installations, consisting of a pigeon-hole (1) substantially semi-cylindrical in shape and in which there is arranged so as to rotate coaxially a compartment (2) also substantially semi-cylindrical in shape, and comprising a base (4) and a top (5) having substantially the shape of a circle, centred on the axis (3) of the pigeon-hole (1), the said compartment (2) being movable between two positions, an open position in which it is located inside the pigeon-hole (1) and a closed position in which it is located outside the pigeon-hole (1) and supplements its volume, characterised in that the said compartment (2) is provided with a device (8, 12, 13) for returning it to the open position (3) and in that it has a device (9) for locking the compartment (2) comprising an elastic element (13), such as a spring, tending to push the compartment (2) out when the latter is in the closed position.

2. Storage locker according to claim 1, characterised in that the pigeon-hole (1) comprises a sloping base (16) provided with at least one drain orifice and in that the bottom (4) of the compartment (2) is sloping and is provided with at least one drain orifice.

3. Set of storage lockers according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterised in that it has a single pigeon-hole (1) in which several compartments are superimposed.

4. Row of lockers or sets of lockers according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the lockers or sets of lockers are arranged, in alternation, staggered on both sides of the axis (23) of the said row.

5. Row of lockersor sets of lockers according to claim 4, characterised in that the set of pigeon-holes constitutes a single framework (28).

6. Changing room comprising rows of lockers according to either one of claims 4 or 5, characterised in that each locker is provided with an electronically controlled electromechanical lock, all the locks being connected to a data processing device (31-39), each lock having an alarm signal generating device activated if the lock and/or locker is forced.

7. Changing room according to claim 6, characterised in that the data processing device comprises a central computer (31) and a device (37) for addressing the various locks, each locker having a microcontroller (41) controlling its lock.

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