GB2430608A - Automated multiple compartment locker with roller shutter fascia - Google Patents

Abstract

An automated locker comprises a body 1 having a fascia comprising one or two bidirectional roller shutters 3,4 which are controlled by a locker controller 6 cooperating with a user interface 7 to define an aperture which is selectively positionable to permit access to any one of a plurality of individual compartments. In a first aspect the body is provided with an outer door 8 which allows the locker to be used for postal deliveries or the like, either with a pair of opposable shutters or with a single shun er having an aperture of fixed dimensions. In a second aspect the internal compartments are defined by compartment dividers (30, fig 6) which have an outer edge portion (31,fig 6) which extends for at least a minimum distance in the direction of travel of the shutter or shutters so as to compensate for positioning errors and so obviate the risk of theft from adjacent compartments.

Description

I

Automated multiple compartment locker with roller shutter fascia This invention relates to the constructional details of multiple compartment automated lockers having a moving fascia comprising one or more panels, conveniently roller shutters, which regulate access to a plurality of internal compartments.

Automated lockers are used for storing, dispensing, depositing and collecting goods, letters, parcels and the like. They may be used for example for storing medicines and dispensing them in response to the entry of a security code by authorised medical personnel.

In another common application they are sited in public places and controlled as a network by a remote computer, so as to enable letters, parcels and the like to be deposited by a first person and then securely stored for later collection by another :: person. An automated locker of this latter type typically comprises an electronic locker controller which is in communication with a remote, central network computer, a user interface including a screen, a keypad and a card or tag reader, and an assembly of secure compartments, wherein access to each compartment is regulated by the controller. The locker controller responds to stored instructions : from the central computer to lock or unlock each compartment in accordance with the data received via the interface. For such applications a plurality of individual automated lockers, each having a separate door, is often assembled together into a block or "lockerbank" with a single lock controller and user interface regulating access to each of the lockers. This allows large parcels and the like to be deposited and collected.

For other applications however, such as for the dispensing of medicines, it is preferred to provide a larger number of much smaller secure compartments. In this case it is more economical to provide a unitary automated locker which has a plurality of relatively small, secure internal compartments, and a fascia comprising one or, preferably, at least two moving panels, which are displaced by a controller to regulate access to each individual compartment.

An automated locker of this type for use as a dispensing unit is known from EP 1 382 273 Al, and comprises a compartmented body with two pairs of opposably moveable roller shutters which are displaced along orthogonal axes so as to define a rectilinear opening of variable size which is positionable to allow access to any one individual compartment at a time.

While lockers of this last mentioned type might be particularly convenient for use as a facility for the delivery and collection of small or thin items such as letters and the like, it is found in practice that the moveable roller shutters are vulnerable to prising and may not therefore offer an adequate degree of security for many postal service applications, particularly since publicly available delivery and collection facilities are often sited outdoors and will be in use during the day and night. A locker comprising a number of separately controlled roller shutters can also be relatively complex and expensive to manufacture and maintain. It is also problematic to control accurately the movement of each of the shutters so as to ensure that only the desired compartment is opened; where the deposited items are thin, such as letters, errors in shutter positioning may allow items to be removed from adjacent compartments, which makes the locker unsuitable for use in postal deliveries and the like.

It is the object of the present invention to provide an automated locker of this last mentioned general type, which is more suitable for use as a public delivery and collection facility.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided an automated locker as defined in the appended claims.

In one application according to a first aspect of the invention, the locker is provided with an outer door and is used for postal service deliveries or the like, in which each instance of delivery or collection is made by an identified individual, being either an employee of the delivery service or an addressee of the delivered letter, who may be identified for example by a barcoded card left at their address to indicate that an item of mail has been stored for them to collect later. In other, similar applications, both deliveries and collections are made by authorised employees, such as field service engineers who have ordered replacement parts which are delivered to the locker from a central warehouse.

Since the outer door prevents unauthorised persons from gaining access to the less secure shutter, the locker is found to be adequately secure for use in this application since the lower level of security provided by the shutter is sufficient to prevent the known and identified user of the locker, whose identity may be * * 15 recorded for security purposes, from pilfering the contents of other compartments.

When the delivery or collection is accomplished the outer door is closed, either S..

automatically or by the user, and thereafter provides the higher degree of SSS.

: protection required when an authorised and identified user is not present. S..

* :.* 20 Moreover, by providing only a single moveable panel with a fixed aperture : *.: together with a door which covers the panel while it is moving and is unlocked only when the aperture is positioned at the correct compartment, the cost and complexity of the locker are advantageously reduced while still ensuring that only one compartment is accessible at any time. Preferably, the controller is arranged so that the door must be re-locked before the panel can be moved to the next compartment.

Alternatively, two opposably moveable shutters may be provided so as to provide an aperture between them of variable size and variable position, which allows the controller to regulate access to internal compartments of different sizes, so as to accommodate larger or smaller items while maximising the efficient use of available space in the locker body. The shutters may then be adjusted so as to close the gap between them and move from one compartment to another while the door is open, which allows faster access to different compartments for a person making a multiple delivery.

In another aspect the problem of shutter positioning error is solved by dividing each compartment from the next by means of a compartment divider which has an edge portion extending in the direction of movement of the panel or shutter by a distance corresponding at least to the positioning error. This ensures that thin items such as letters cannot be extracted from adjacent compartments, further enhancing the security of the locker during those times when a user has access to the roller shutter or shutters.

Various illustrative embodiments will now be described by way of example and * 15 without limitation to the scope of the claims, and with reference to the *S..

accompanying drawings, in which: *** * *S*.

*. Fig. 1 shows a first automated locker in accordance with a first aspect of the * invention, having twin shutters and showing the outer door closed; * * Fig. 2 shows the first locker with the outer door open; Fig. 3 shows the first locker with the shutters open to reveal a compartment; Fig. 4 shows a second locker having a single shutter corresponding to an alternative embodiment; Fig. 5 shows the first locker with the shutters removed; and Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of a compartment divider of the first locker in accordance with a second aspect of the invention.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 5, a first automated locker comprises a body I defining an internal space which is divided into a plurality of individual compartments, preferably by removable compartment dividers 30, which are further described below, but alternatively by conventional shelves. Each compartment has an open outer side 2, which is normally covered by one of two moveable panels retained behind a fixed fascia panel 5. In the example illustrated the panels are formed as upper and lower roller shutters 3, 4, although other constructions such as solid sliding panels are possible. The roller shutters are housed in the body 1 and are moveable independently of each other by motors up and down in the longitudinal direction D so that an aperture of variable size and position is defined by the position of their respective distal ends 3', 4'.

The movement of the panels is controlled by a locker controller 6 cooperating * 15 with a user interface 7, which are mounted on the body 1. The locker controller is **.* . . . . . in communication with a central network computer which sends it instructions to *S..

permit access to various of the individual compartments in response to data received at the user interface. Position sensors are operatively connected to the * locker controller so that it is able to accurately position the distal end of each of the shutters with respect to the individual compartment dividers 30.

A secure outer door 8 having a lock which is controlled by the locker controller is mounted on the body 1 so as to cover and hence regulate access to the panels 3, 4.

The door may be spring biased to the closed position or, optionally, may include a motor or the like so that it is closeable by the locker controller.

In the example illustrated, a user wishes to deposit a parcel in one of the compartments and inputs a security code into the user interface 7. The locker controller 6 then unlocks the outer door 8 to reveal the shutters 3, 4 in the closed position as shown in Fig. 2. The locker controller then moves both shutters together until the distal end 3' of the upper shutter 3 reaches the compartment divider 30 defining the upper edge of the desired compartment. The upper shutter 3 is then arrested in that position while the lower shutter 4 continues to move downwards so that its distal end 4' moves away from the distal end 3' of the upper shutter so as to define an aperture which is selectively positioned so as to provide access to the required individual compartment. If the user requires access to another compartment then the shutters are closed again and moved together to the new compartment, and the process is repeated.

Referring to Fig. 4, in an alternative embodiment only one bidirectional shutter 10 is provided, comprising an upper shutter portion 11 and a lower shutter portion 12 which are joined by a frame 13 defining an aperture of fixed size. Since only one shutter is used, both ends of the shutter may be mounted on motorised spindles in the body 1' so that the shutter is tensioned between them. In this embodiment the locker controller 6' maintains the outer door 8' in the closed position until the shutter has been adjusted to bring the aperture into correspondence with the *S..

* identified compartment, at which point the outer door is opened. The shutter then **** remains stationary until the outer door is closed again. Once the outer door is **I.

*. closed the shutter remains in position until the next user activates the locker * controller via the user interface 7'. Alternatively, the aperture may be moved to a :*:.* 20 central position so as to reduce the average time it takes to reach the next required compartment when it is next actuated.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, in an embodiment in accordance with a second aspect of the invention each compartment divider 30 is conveniently formed as a pressed sheet steel shelf and includes an edge portion 31 which in use is arranged in parallel with the or each shutter. The edge portion 31 has a depth D corresponding to the maximum overall positioning error of the or each shutter in its direction of travel. This ensures that the distal end 3' or 4' of the shutter reliably abuts the edge portion 31 of the compartment divider on every cycle of operation, obviating the risk of loss or pilfering of letters or other goods from adjacent compartments. The edge portion also helps to guide the distal end of the or each shutter as it passes the compartment divider.

Advantageously, the edge portion incorporates a lip 32 which extends upwardly from the upper surface 33 of the divider, which upper surface in use forms the base of the compartment immediately above the divider. The lip helps to retain letters and similar thin items on the shelf, which avoids them getting caught in the moving shutters. In the example shown, each compartment divider is removable from the body 1, and the edge portion is arranged as an inverted U shaped channel so as to form a handle 34 which facilitates its removal and replacement.

In summary, embodiments provide an automated locker comprising a body having a fascia comprising one or two bidirectional roller shutters which are controlled by a locker controller cooperating with a user interface to define an aperture : * 15 which is selectively positionable to permit access to any one of a plurality of

SS S

individual compartments. In a first aspect the body is provided with an outer door 55..

which allows the locker to be used for postal deliveries or the like, either with a S...

: pair of opposable shutters or with a single shutter having an aperture of fixed * dimensions. In a second aspect the internal compartments are defined by : :.* 20 compartment dividers which have an outer edge portion which extends for at least : *.: a minimum distance in the direction of travel of the shutter or shutters so as to compensate for positioning errors and so obviate the risk of theft from adjacent compartments.

The compartment divider may be formed otherwise than as illustrated, and may if desired be used with an automated locker generally as illustrated, but either with or without an outer door. Many further adaptations may be made in respect of either aspect of the invention within the scope of the claims.

Claims (7)

1. An automated locker, comprising a locker controller cooperating with a user interface, a body divided into a plurality of compartments, each compartment having an open side, and at least one panel covering the open sides of the compartments, the panel being moveable by the controller so as to define an aperture which is selectively positionable so as to provide access to any one of the said compartments individually, S. :::: and an outer door having a lock, the lock controlled by the controller, S... S...

wherein the outer door is arranged to regulate access to the at least one panel.

S S..

S

* :.* 20

2. An automated locker according to claim 1, wherein the panel has an aperture of fixedsize and the controller is arranged to position the aperture in correspondence with an identified compartment before the outer door is released.

3. An automated locker according to claim 1, wherein two opposably moveable panels are provided and the aperture is defined by a variable gap between the panels.

4. An automated locker, comprising a locker controller cooperating with a user interface, a body divided into a plurality of compartments, each compartment having an open side, and at least one panel covering the open sides of the compartments, the panel being moveable by the controller in a first direction so as to define an aperture which is selectively positionable so as to provide access to any one of the said compartments individually, wherein the panel is positionable by the controller within a positioning error comprising a distance D in the first direction, : ** 15 * . ** and each compartment is separated from an adjacent compartment by a compartment divider having an edge portion which extends for at least the IS..

: distance D in the first direction.

:1:.. 20

5. An automated locker according to claim 4, wherein the edge portion defines a lip which extends upwardly from the compartment divider in use.

6. An automated locker according to claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the compartment divider is removably received in the body and the edge portion defines a handle.

7. An automated locker substantially as described and illustrated.