WO2008104731A2

WO2008104731A2 - Lockerbank structure and method of assembly

Info

Publication number: WO2008104731A2
Application number: PCT/GB2007/003779
Authority: WO
Inventors: Daniel Turner; Fabien Pichet; Geoff Searis; Jean-Louis Barré; Eric Liger
Original assignee: Bybox Holdings Limited
Priority date: 2006-10-06
Filing date: 2007-10-05
Publication date: 2008-09-04
Also published as: WO2008104731A3; GB0619803D0

Abstract

An automated lockerbank comprises a plurality of individual, pre-assembled, rigid, invertible modules, each comprising one or more lockers, which may be installed either way up, stacked into columns and fixed together by means of compression straps which extend around the entire column. Each locker door may include a resilient insert which receives the locking bolt, and/or a slanted surface which slidingly engages the doorframe as the door closes, so as to ensure reliable operation by compensating for distortion of the doorframe. Each locker may have sheet metal outer walls with parallel, loadbearing interior side walls in light weight twin wall plastics material, which conceal RFID aerials for reading and/or writing to a tag on an item or package placed in the locker.

Description

Lockerbank structure and method of assembly

This invention relates to automated lockerbanks for the deposit and collection of goods, and in particular to the constructional and structural details thereof.

Lockerbanks are automated facilities, usually networked and often sited in public places, which enable goods (which may for example have been ordered by a consumer from a retailer or online "etailer", or by a service engineer from a central warehouse) to be deposited by a first person and then securely stored for later collection by another person. A lockerbank typically comprises an electronic control system which is in communication with a remote, central network computer, a user interface including a screen, a keypad and a card and/or tag reader, and a number of secure lockers, usually arranged in an assembly of several columns, each column comprising one or more lockers. Each locker has an individual door with one or more locks operated by the control system. The control system responds to stored instructions from the central computer to lock or unlock each locker door in accordance with the data received via the interface.

It is important for the lockerbank to be robust, and in particular for each of its component lockers to be adequately secure against attempts to deform or prise open its door. At the same time, the construction of the lockerbank should preferably be simple and inexpensive, and the overall shape and dimensions of each column should preferably be standardised so as to facilitate manufacture and installation as well as ensuring customer recognition.

Since different sites may be expected to serve different types of customer, the typical size of the packages or letters which are likely to be handled by the lockerbank will also vary from site to site, and it is therefore desirable for different columns of lockers to comprise different numbers of lockers of the required size. For example, where a lockerbank is expected to handle a large volume of letters and relatively few parcels, it is desirable for the lockerbank to comprise a large number of very shallow lockers, with a smaller number of larger lockers. Where a larger volume of parcels is expected, larger lockers are preferable.

Automated lockerbanks are often sited in outdoor, public locations, and are required in use to receive a load which may amount to some hundreds of kilos per column of lockers. This can cause the ground to settle beneath the weight of the lockerbank, and it is found in practice that the resulting uneven support at the base of each locker unit can result in twisting or departure from orthogonality of the outer structure of the unit.

Automated lockerbanks must be sufficiently secure for continuous use, both day and night, often in an unsupervised, outdoor environment. It is also important that the doors of the lockerbank remain under the control of the lockerbank control system. It is found that twisting or sideward deformation of the lockerbank frame in its front aspect will cause one corner of each locker door at its opening edge to move away from the frame. The resulting enlarged gap can offer an entry point for a prising tool as well as reducing the depth of engagement of the lock and so compromise the security of the locker.

At the same time, the opening edge of the door may contact the frame at its opposite corner, which can cause the door to jam. This would be a relatively minor problem in an ordinary locker with a manually operated lock, since the user could open or close the door by force. However, in an automated lockerbank it could prevent the locker door from opening, closing and locking in response to remote commands from the control system and could therefore effectively remove that locker from service, reducing the capacity of the network.

In order to resist such distortion it has been found necessary to form each columnar unit of the lockerbank as a unitary sheet metal construction with an integral base and welded or closely riveted joints, so that each horizontal shelf between adjacent lockers forms a fixed part of the overall structure and helps to rigidify the unit. This provides sufficient rigidity, but makes the unit heavy and expensive to manufacture, as well as making it difficult to adapt the lockerbank to changing customer requirements.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a lockerbank which is adaptable and convenient in use and which facilitates convenient assembly while resisting the effects of structural distortion. It is a further object to provide a method for more conveniently assembling the lockerbank.

Accordingly the invention provides an automated lockerbank and a method of assembly as defined in the appended claims.

It is found that by forming the lockerbank as a compound, modular structure built up from a plurality of individual, rigid, invertible, loadbearing modules fixed together in columnar stacks, a very rigid structure is obtained, which can be modified at will by interchanging and combining individual modules of different sizes in any desired, suitable combination. The assembled lockerbank may thus be formed as a rigid assemblage of stacked modules, each comprising at least one locker, and no other structural support is provided or required.

Optionally, an outer shell can be added to cover all of the component modules, which does not provide any structural support but merely adds an additional layer of security. However, by providing each module with at least a back wall and one side wall in a resistant sheet material, such as stainless steel, it is possible to build up the outer shell exclusively from the component modules, which makes the lockerbank very easy to maintain and re-configure as well as being lightweight and economical in materials.

The modules of each stack may be fixed together into a pre-stressed structure by a unitary, compressive load, conveniently provided by a strap which encircles the whole stack and is tensioned by a conventional ratchet spool at the top of the stack; the ratchet is covered by a top panel after the stack is installed. Threaded bars or other loading arrangements could be used instead to provide the compressive load. This is a very quick and effective way of binding together the modules into a single compressive structure, similar to a masonry wall, and it is found that sufficient compressive load can be applied in this way to prevent a prising tool from being inserted between the outer sidewalls of two adjacent modules in the stack.

The outer shell of the lockerbank needs to provide security and weather resistance, which means that it needs to be tough and resistant to cutting or prying as well as impermeable and rust resistant. Stainless steel sheet is a suitable material. However, stainless steel, like other sheet materials with comparable qualities, are heavy and comparatively expensive, so it is preferable to reduce the thickness of the sheet material forming the outer shell of the lockerbank as much as possible.

This may be achieved by providing each module with two interior vertical loadbearing walls which define the respective interior sides of the enclosure or enclosures; preferably, rigid box sections are also formed on an exterior wall of the module. Together, the interior walls and box sections are capable of bearing a vertical compressive load of at least 100 kg per wall, more preferably at least 200kg per wall. The interior walls are made from a material which is capable of bearing a vertical compressive load, but which does not however need to provide as much resistance to cutting or forcing as does the outer shell.

It has been found that twin wall or triple wall Makrolon® polycarbonate sheet, comprising two or three, very thin walls separated by many parallel internal webs, is capable of performing this loadbearing function if it is arranged with the internal webs running vertically from top to bottom of the wall. The corresponding internal walls of each module in each column may thus be arranged in mutual abutment to form a continuous vertical compressive loadbearing structure which together with the rigidifying box section on the interior surface of the outer, sheet metal side wall bears the overall load of the contents of the column plus the compressive load from the straps, and which supports the much thinner, outer side walls.

Preferably each module includes at least one outer sidewall, a back wall, and a doorframe or assembly of doorframes which receives the door or doors of the corresponding enclosure or enclosures. The back wall and the doorframe together provide a high degree of rigidity which prevents deformation of the module, ensuring that it remains rectilinear in its front aspect. Since the rigidity of each locker resides in the individual module, each locker door remains correctly aligned with its doorframe.

In order to further reduce deformation, the door and doorframe may be provided with corresponding abutment surfaces which are slanted so as to engage together as the door closes and guide it into the correct position; alternatively or additionally, the bolt or corresponding abutment element of the lock may engage against a resilient abutment surface on the door (or alternatively, if the lock is attached to the door, on the frame) which compensates for any mis-alignment.

Preferably the back wall and the outer sidewall of each module are made from thin sheet metal, such as stainless steel. Each module can be provided with two outer sidewalls, so that each column is separated from the adjacent column by a continuous sheet metal barrier; alternatively, the second outer sidewall can be either absent or skeletal, which saves cost and weight.

The outer sidewall of each module may be arranged in parallel with the corresponding inner loadbearing wall and spaced apart from it. The space between the inner and outer walls then provides a protected channel which receives the compressive straps holding the column together, which are arranged inside the rigidifying box sections, as well as the wiring for each of the locks and, optionally, for an RFID aerial arranged in communication with the control system for sensing the tagged contents of the locker; the aerial is arranged behind three orthogonal plastics or other non-metallic inner walls of the enclosure.

The twinwall plastics internal walls together with the doorframe and thin metal sheet back wall and outer sidewall provide a lightweight structure which is neverthless sufficiently rigid. When the modules are bound together by the tensioned straps, their compound rigidity is enhanced, and when a plurality of columns are bolted together into a complete lockerbank, little or no structural deformation can be detected in use.

Preferably the outer sidewall of each module is arranged on the second (hinge) side of the module, which (if that module happens to be in either one of the two end columns) is always arranged on the outer end of the lockerbank, where it forms part of the protective outer shell. This is made possible by the symmetrical arrangement of each module, which enables the whole module to be inverted to convert the or each of its component locker doors for either left-handed or right- handed opening. The modules are preferably positioned so that all of the locker doors open towards the middle of the lockerbank. This gives easy access to the locks, which are always on the inner side of the module and hence are protected by the adjacent column, so that an aperture can be left in the outer side wall on the first (lock) side of the module through which the locks can be removed or serviced by simply unbolting and pulling out one of the columns.

By inverting each module as required to arrange the opening end of the door towards the middle of the locker, the additional advantage is gained that a customer standing at the user interface in the centre of the lockerbank can always see the opening edge of the door when the locker opens. A brightly coloured strip on the opening edge then becomes visible so that the user can easily identify which locker has opened. It will readily be appreciated that by arranging for each module to be capable of being inverted and used in either right-handed or left-handed sense, the stockholding requirement for replacement modules can be reduced by up to 50%.

Preferably the lockers are provided in a variety of sizes, with the height of each module being a whole multiple of a common factor; thus modules of different heights can be combined in different combinations to give columns of a standard overall height. This enables the lockerbank to be re-configured at will to accommodate changes in customer requirements - i.e. a preponderance of small, medium or large lockers.

Conveniently, each module defines a single enclosure and hence a single locker. However, where smaller enclosures are provided, for example for the delivery of letters and other small articles, several enclosures may be incorporated into a single module, each enclosure forming a locker with its own door and doorframe, with each doorframe being integrated into a single assembly extending from top to bottom of the module; the additional doorframes give the module a very high level of rigidity.

Each module may be of a single, standard width; alternatively, modules may conform to more than one standard width, so that they can be combined with other modules of the same width to form a combination of wide columns with wide lockers, and narrow columns with narrow lockers. It is also possible for two or more enclosures to be arranged side by side in a horizontal row in the same module, so that that module comprises two or more sub-columns of lockers.

Some illustrative embodiments will now be described, purely by way of example and without limitation to the scope of the claims, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are respectively front, rear and end views of a first lockerbank fully assembled;

Fig. 4 shows a base platform of the first lockerbank in a first stage of assembly;

Fig. 5 shows the base platform with one module in a second stage of assembly;

Fig. 6 shows a top plate ready to fit onto an assembled column; Fig. 7 shows an assembled column with the top plate and straps in place; Fig. 8 shows the interior sub-assembly of a first module;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged end view of one corner section of the interior sub-assembly;

Fig. 10 is a rear view of a locker door;

Fig. 11 shows the exterior sub-assembly of the first module; Fig. 12 shows the exterior sub-assembly according to an alternative embodiment; Fig. 13 shows the first module fully assembled but without the door and top plate;

Fig. 14 shows the first module complete;

Fig. 15 shows one column of a second lockerbank in a first installed position;

Fig. 16 shows the column of Fig. 15 with the locker doors removed; Fig. 17 is an exploded view of Fig. 16; and Figs. 18 - 20 show the column of Figs. 15 - 17 in a second, inverted position, respectively without its base platform and top plate (Fig. 18); in an exploded view with the base platform and top plate but with the locker doors removed (Fig. 19); and after re-installation in the inverted position (Fig. 20).

Corresponding parts are indicated by the same reference numerals in each of the figures.

Referring to Figs. 1 - 3, a first lockerbank comprises a rigid assembly of two left hand outer columns 1, two right hand outer columns 2, 2', and a central column 3. Each outer column is a self supporting structure built up from a stack of individual, rigid modules 30, each comprising a single locker; the last column 2' is an exception, containing only a single module which comprises one extra large locker. The modules are all of the same width but of different heights, each being a whole multiple of a basic common unit of measurement, so that they are interchangeable in various combinations according to the requirements of the customer.

Each column 1, 2, 2' is assembled on a base platform 4 and protected from rain by a canopy 5 with a removeable front panel 6 secured by a lock 7. The lockerbank is thus a compound, modular structure built up entirely from its component modules 30, and no additional structural support is provided. The outer skin of the back and ends of the lockerbank is likewise built up from the back and one side panel of each of its component modules 30. Each module 30 is arranged so that its first side 31 , which carries the lock of its respective locker door, is towards the central column, and its second side 32 (which carries the hinges of the locker door) is towards the end of the lockerbank.

The central column 3 houses the local processor, memory and communications device of the lockerbank electronic control system together with a user interface 8, comprising a keypad, barcode reader and screen, along with a receipt printer and a backup power supply. The control system is interfaced with a remote network server which controls the opening and closing of each of the locker doors depending on the input from the keypad and scanner.

Referring to Fig. 4, the lockerbank is assembled on site by first securing a base platform 4 in position, one for each column, by means of expanding bolts 11 , and optionally bolting the base platforms together via holes 12 in their edges. Each base platform has a set of apertures 13 for receiving a tensioning strap as further described below.

Referring to Fig. 5, a first module 30 is then positioned on each base platform, and further modules placed upon it in the desired combination until the column has reached the required standard height. The module 30 is shown with its first side 31 (which carries the lock) on the right, and its second side 32 (which carries the hinges of the locker door) on the left. The module is thus configured to be installed in one of the columns 1 to the left of the central column 3 of the lockerbank, so that when its locker door 33 opens, the opening edge 34 of the door faces towards the customer standing at the central column.

The upper surface of the module as shown has two projecting studs 35 on the second (hinge) side 32, and two locating holes 36 on the first (lock) side 31, better seen in Fig. 13. Its lower surface, which cannot be seen in the drawing, has two locating holes in corresponding positions on the second (hinge) side 32 and two projecting studs on the first (lock) side 31. As each module is positioned, its studs 35 and holes 36 engage the corresponding holes and studs of the module below to retain it in position. Each module 30 has a horizontal axis of symmetry, so that it can be inverted and used in the opposite sense; thus the module shown in Fig. 5 could be inverted and used in one of the left hand columns 1 of the lockerbank shown in Fig. 1. Each side of the module also has a pair of apertures 37 (again better seen in Fig. 13) communicating with rigidifying box sections 39 for receiving the tensioning straps, as now described. Referring to Figs. 1 - 7, a top plate 14 having apertures 15 is placed on top of the stack before each of a pair of tensioning straps 9 is passed around the stack and under the base platform through the aligned apertures 15, 37 and 13 and box sections 39 (which can be seen in Fig. 11), and tightened by means of a conventional ratchet spool 10 to apply a unitary compressive load to the entire column (Fig. 7). This binds the modules 30 together into a rigid column. Each column is then bolted to the adjacent column via holes 16 in the top plates 14, before the canopy 5 is bolted to the top plate 14; alternatively a single fixing such as a tensioned cable might be used to fasten the columns together under the canopy. The fixings and ratchet spools 10 are concealed behind the locked front panel 6 at the top of each column, which makes it easy to dismantle and reconfigure the column when required by simply removing the front panel 6 and releasing the straps 9, while the straps 9 are concealed by the outer skin of each module as now described.

Referring to Figs. 8 - 11, each module comprises an interior sub-assembly 50 and an exterior sub-assembly 70 together with a locker door 33. The interior sub- assembly defines the interior of the enclosure 40 and includes a pair of vertical interior side walls 51, each made from a sheet of twin wall polycarbonate material, commercially available as Makrolon®. The internal webs which join the twin walls of the sheet are arranged vertically, and in this configuration it is found that each wall together with its associated box sections 39 can accept a vertical compressive load substantially in excess of 200kg. These interior walls thus form a loadbearing structure which supports a substantial part of the load on the column, including the contents of each locker as well as the compressive load from the straps.

Each of the interior side walls 51 is housed at its upper and lower edges in a channel 61 formed in a hollow extruded corner section 60, which may be made from plastics material or alternatively from aluminium. A second channel 62 in each corner section retains a horizontal plate 52, which may form the top or the base of the enclosure, depending on which way up the module is installed. A plug 63 is inserted into each end of the corner section 60, which receives fixings 64 (which can be seen in Fig. 13) which secure the corner section 60 to the exterior sub-assembly 70. The corner sections thus receive the load from the base of each enclosure and transfer it to the interior side walls 51; each corner section is arranged in abutment with the outer sheet metal skin of the module, which abuts the corresponding outer skin and corner section of the adjacent module above or below, so as to form a continuous vertical loadbearing structure which transmits the load from one interior side wall to the next.

Preferably the horizontal plates are made from plastics or other non-metal material, since this enables three RFID aerials 53 to be installed, one on the outer surface of one horizontal plate 52, a second on one of the plastics sidewalls 51, and a third aerial on the inside of the locker door 33, behind its internal plastics trim 38, as shown in Fig. 10, or alternatively on the inside of the back wall of the enclosure, where it may be hidden by another interior plastics wall (not shown). This provides an array of three aerials in orthogonal planes, which cooperate via wiring 54 with an RFID reader in the central column 3 to read (through the internal plastics walls 51, 52, 38 of the locker) an RFID tag on an article placed inside the enclosure 40 and communicate its identity to the control system.

The interior of each locker together with its array of RFID aerials is screened by the outer metal walls of the locker and by the outer metal skin of its door from the interiors of the other lockers. This ensures that each array of RF (radio frequency) aerials 53 only reads the tag or tags within that respective locker, providing positive confirmation of the presence of the tagged item within the respective locker.

Each RF tag may comprise a conventional RFID silicon chip associated with an antenna, or alternatively (for example) a chipless RFID tag printed with electroconductive ink, e.g. a thin film transistor circuit. The RFID reader may be adapted to write to such tags as well as reading the identity of the tag, making it possible for example to store data on the tag indicating the logistical history of the tagged item, so that the history of the item can later be determined by interrogating the tag.

By way of example, the tag could be attached to or embedded in an item rather than being attached to its packaging, and the unique ID number on the tag may comprise a standardised, unique Electronic Product Code (ePC) for use with an internet based system based on Physical Markup Language (PML) which provides access to remotely held data relating to the item.

When such an item is placed in a locker, a logistics reference number (LRN) which uniquely identifies the lockerbank management company (LMC) could be written to its tag by the RFID reader of the lockerbank. The logistics reference number in turn could be stored in association with the internet address of the LMC server on a remote server which in turn forms part of the Object Naming Service (ONS) which implements the internet-based PML system.

The LMC server stores the logistical history of the tagged item in association with its ePC. At any future time, perhaps long after the item has been collected from the lockerbank, the tag on the item can then be interrogated and its LRN sent to the ONS which directs the enquiry to the LMC server. The LMC server then interrogates its database for historical data linked to the ePC, which enables the owner of the item to determine its logistical history.

Such a system could be useful for example in tracking legally controlled, valuable, perishable or dangerous goods, where an audit trail must be established, or in any other situation in which it is desired to determine where the item has been and how it has been handled. Of course, such a system may be implemented using any writable tag technology and independently of the other constructional details of the novel lockerbank; all that is required is a tag reading apparatus which is capable of writing to as well as reading from a writable tag. However, in order to ensure that only the selected tag (and not other, nearby tags) is read and written to, it may be preferred to adopt a screened aerial arrangement, such as that described above.

Instead of providing an individual aerial array for each locker, the tag reader may comprise a single aerial (e.g. a radar antenna) arranged for example in the central column 3 which reads all of the tags through the walls of the individual lockers. Such a system may be preferred for use with read-only tag technologies such as radar-reflective ink stripes (e.g. SARcode™ technology from Inksure Technologies Inc.). Alternatively, each column may be provided with an individual aerial or aerial array, arranged for example in the base platform 4 or the top plate 14.

Referring to Figs. 11 - 14, the exterior sub-assembly 70 comprises a stainless steel sheet metal construction without top or base but including a doorframe 71 at the front end of the enclosure 40 and a back wall 73 which defines its back end. A pair of outer sidewalls 74, 75 are also provided, each of which has a rigidifying box section 39 spot welded to its interior surface in communication with the apertures 37 for receiving the compression straps 9. In an alternative embodiment (Fig. 12) the exterior sidewall 75 on the first (lock) side 31 of the module is absent, with the box sections 39 attached at their lower ends to an angled bar 76.

Alternatively, for example where RFID aerials are included in each locker, optionally the exterior sub-assembly 70 may be provided with a full metal top and base so as to form a sheet steel box which completely encloses the interior sub- assembly and screens each aerial array.

The doorframe is widened on the lock side 31 of the module to provide a stabilising wall 77, which extends for a width W of at least 50mm across the front of the enclosure and vertically from top to bottom of the module. The lock 101 is mounted on the back of the wall 77 in a box section 78. When the modules are assembled into columnar stacks as shown in Fig. 1 , the stabilising walls form a continuous vertical structure which resists deformation.

As shown in Fig. 14, the door is arranged to extend across the whole width of the enclosure from one side of the module to the other, so that it covers the front of the stabilising wall 77 in the closed position. The locking point, provided by a resilient surface 92 (Fig. 10) as further explained below, is thus located behind the door and at least the distance W, preferably at least 50mm, from its opening edge 34. This makes it extremely difficult to gain access to the lock when the door is secured in the closed position.

The interior sub-assembly 50 is mounted inside the exterior sub-assembly 70 so that the interior side walls 51 are spaced apart from the exterior side walls 74, 75 to form a channel which receives the compression straps 9 as well as the wiring loom for the lock and, optionally, the RFID aerial of each enclosure; the wires 54 are brought out through an aperture 79 in each module and connected together by co-axial connectors or multi-plugs. Corresponding apertures are provided in the top plate 14, so that the wires of each column are brought out to the central control unit beneath the canopy 5. By forming each module with a space between the interior and exterior walls as shown, it is thus possible to provide wiring connections to all of the component modules without the necessity of providing separate wiring conduits between the columns.

Referring to Fig. 10, the door comprises a sheet metal body with a plastics interior trim 38, and is provided with a brightly coloured strip on its opening edge 34 which is visible to the customer when the door opens. In order to align the door with the doorframe as it closes, two slanted abutment surfaces 90 are arranged on the interior surface of the door, which engage corresponding abutment surfaces formed by the internal edges 72 of the doorframe 71 (Fig.14) as the door closes; this urges the door up or down (i.e. in the plane containing its pivoting axis) into the correct, aligned position, and compensates for any slight twisting of the frame. Alternatively, suitable slanted surfaces may be provided on the frame 71. This ensures that the door closes reliably and the locker remains in service.

Additionally or alternatively, a resilient abutment surface 92, comprising the conical interior surface of a rubber insert 93 which is received in a housing 94 on the interior surface of the door, is arranged to receive the moving element 100 of the lock (Fig. 12) as it extends to the locked position; this also compensates for any distortion or misalignment between the door 33 and the frame 71.

Alternatively, the lock can be arranged on the door and the resilient insert 93 on the frame.

It will be appreciated that the slanted abutment surfaces 90 and the resilient lock receiving surface 92 may equally well be provided on automated lockerbanks of conventional construction, in order to avoid lockers going out of service due to slight twisting of the frame and consequent misalignment of the door. In modular or lightweight constructions, which may be more prone to structural distortion, such compensating measures are of commensurately greater importance.

In the embodiment illustrated, each module is riveted, screwed and/or welded together off-site prior to assembly into a stack. Alternatively however it is possible for each module to be assembled on site from discrete components, which are provided with suitably shaped joints which bind them together into a compressive loadbearing structure once the unitary compressive load is applied to the stack, whether by means of a tensioned strap, threaded bars, or other suitable loading arrangement. In yet further embodiments, the modules could simply be fixed together with bolts or the like.

Referring to Figs. 15 - 20, a second lockerbank includes a plurality of symmetrical modules 110, each of which comprises a conventional, sheet steel body divided into a number of individual enclosures 111 by a number of steel shelves 112, each shelf being fixed or, alternatively, removable. The front of the module defines a hinge attachment portion 113 on one side and is provided with a plurality of locks 114 on the other. The front edge of each shelf 112 defines the respective lower and upper edges of the doorframes of the enclosures respectively above and below it, each enclosure 111 having a door 115 which is received in the corresponding doorframe and hinged to the hinge attachment portion 113 of the body.

Each module 110 comprises a complete columnar unit of the lockerbank, and is assembled on a base platform 4 and covered by a top plate 14, which may be fixed in place by compressive straps or alternatively simply bolted together. In Figs. 15 — 17, the module 110 is arranged together with other columns (which may comprise stacked modules) in a first position with its hinge attachment portion 113 facing away from the central column 3 (not shown), so that its doors open towards the central column. Each enclosure may be provided with tag reading aerials (not shown) which are screened by the enclosing metal walls and door of each enclosure. The door and doorframe of each enclosure may comprise slanted abutment surfaces and/or resilient counterabutment surfaces similar to those of the first embodiment.

In Figs. 18 - 20, the top plate 14 is removed, and the module is released from the base platform 4, inverted, and then re-installed on the opposite side of the central column 3 (not shown), so that its hinge attachment portion 113 again faces away from the central column. Each invertible module may thus be used in either sense, which makes installation much simpler. (In the illustrations, the doors are removed to show the interior of the module; in practice, the module may be removed, inverted and re-installed without removing the doors.)

In summary, in a preferred embodiment, an automated lockerbank comprises a plurality of individual, pre-assembled, rigid, invertible modules, each comprising one or more lockers, which may be installed either way up, stacked into columns and fixed together by means of compression straps which extend around the entire column. Each locker door may include a resilient insert which receives the locking bolt, and/or a slanted surface which slidingly engages the doorframe as the door closes, so as to ensure reliable operation by compensating for distortion of the doorframe. Each locker may have sheet metal outer walls with parallel, loadbearing interior side walls in light weight twin wall plastics material, which conceal RFID aerials for reading and/or writing to a tag on an item or package placed in the locker.

Many other adaptations will be apparent to those skilled in the art within the scope of the claims.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. An automated lockerbank,

comprising a rigid assemblage of lockers,

a user interface,

and an electronic control system receiving data from the user interface;

each locker comprising an enclosure,

a door arranged at a front end of the enclosure for controlling access to the enclosure,

and a lock controlled by the control system for locking and unlocking the door;

characterised in that the rigid assemblage is formed from a plurality of interchangeable modules fixed rigidly together, one upon another so as to form at least one self-supporting columnar stack,

wherein each module comprises a rigid, load-bearing sub-assembly defining at least one said enclosure;

and in that the modules of the at least one stack are fixed together by means of a unitary compressive load applied to all of the modules in that stack.

2. An automated lockerbank according to claim 1, characterised in that the load is applied by means of a tensioned strap which extends around the stack.

3. An automated lockerbank,

comprising a rigid assemblage of lockers,

a user interface,

and an electronic control system receiving data from the user interface;

each locker comprising an enclosure,

and a lock controlled by the control system for locking and unlocking the door;

characterised in that the rigid assemblage is formed from a plurality of interchangeable modules fixed rigidly together,

wherein each module comprises a rigid sub-assembly defining at least one said enclosure;

and in that each module is configured such that it may be removed, inverted and re-installed so as to reverse the door of the at least one enclosure from left-handed to right-handed configuration or vice versa.

4. An automated lockerbank according to claim 3, characterised in that the said plurality of interchangeable modules includes a plurality of first, loadbearing modules, and the first, loadbearing modules are adapted to be fixed rigidly together, one upon another so as to form at least one self-supporting columnar stack.

5. An automated lockerbank according to claim 4, characterised in that the modules of the at least one stack are fixed together by means of a unitary compressive load applied to all of the modules in that stack.

6. An automated lockerbank according to claim 5, characterised in that the load is applied by means of a tensioned strap which extends around the stack.

7. An automated lockerbank,

comprising a rigid assemblage of lockers,

a user interface,

and an electronic control system receiving data from the user interface;

each locker comprising an enclosure,

a doorframe at a front end of the enclosure,

a door received in the doorframe for controlling access to the enclosure,

and a lock controlled by the control system for locking and unlocking the door;

characterised in that cooperating abutment surfaces are provided respectively on the door and the doorframe, the abutment surfaces being arranged to engage together as the door approaches its closed position,

wherein at least one of the abutment surfaces is slanted so as to urge the door into correct alignment with the doorframe as it reaches its closed position.

8. An automated lockerbank according to claim 7,

characterised in that the lock of each locker comprises a moveable abutment element which engages a corresponding counterabutment surface on the door or on a part of the corresponding enclosure,

and the counterabutment surface is resilient so as to compensate for misalignment of the door.

9. An automated lockerbank,

comprising a rigid assemblage of lockers,

a user interface,

and an electronic control system receiving data from the user interface;

each locker comprising an enclosure,

a doorframe at a front end of the enclosure,

a door received in the doorframe for controlling access to the enclosure, and a lock controlled by the control system for locking and unlocking the door;

10. An automated lockerbank according to any of claims 7 — 9, characterised in that the rigid assemblage is formed from a plurality of interchangeable modules fixed rigidly together,

wherein each module comprises a rigid sub-assembly defining at least one said enclosure.

11. An automated lockerbank according to claim 10, characterised in that the said plurality of interchangeable modules includes a plurality of first, loadbearing modules,

and the first, loadbearing modules are adapted to be fixed rigidly together, one upon another so as to form at least one self-supporting columnar stack.

12. An automated lockerbank according to claim 11, characterised in that the modules of the at least one stack are fixed together by means of a unitary compressive load applied to all of the modules in that stack.

13. An automated lockerbank according to claim 12, characterised in that the load is applied by means of a tensioned strap which extends around the stack.

14. An automated lockerbank according to any preceding claim,

characterised in that the control system includes a tag reading apparatus

and each enclosure includes at least one aerial,

the at least one aerial cooperating with the tag reading apparatus for reading data from a tag placed within the enclosure.

15. An automated lockerbank according to claim 14, characterised in that the control system includes a tag writing apparatus,

the tag writing apparatus cooperating with the at least one aerial of each enclosure to write data to a tag placed within the enclosure.

16. An automated lockerbank according to claim 14 or claim 15, characterised in that each enclosure comprises a plurality of metal walls,

the metal walls being arranged to effectively screen the at least one aerial of the said enclosure

so as to prevent the said aerial from reading data from a tag placed outside the said enclosure.

17. An automated lockerbank according to claim 16, characterised in that each enclosure includes at least one internal wall made from non-metallic material,

and the at least one aerial is arranged behind the said internal wall.

18. An automated lockerbank according to any preceding claim, characterised in that each enclosure includes a plurality of exterior walls

and two interior, loadbearing walls defining two respective opposite interior sides of the enclosure,

each interior, loadbearing wall being made from a non-metallic material capable of bearing a vertical compressive load;

such that a plurality of said enclosures can be fixed rigidly together, one upon another so as to form at least one self-supporting columnar stack,

wherein the corresponding loadbearing walls of all of the enclosures in the at least one stack are arranged to form a continuous vertical compressive loadbearing structure.

19. A method of assembling an automated lockerbank,

the lockerbank comprising a plurality of lockers,

a user interface,

and an electronic control system receiving data from the user interface; each locker comprising an enclosure,

and a lock controlled by the control system for locking and unlocking the door;

including the steps of

i) pre-assembling the lockers to form a plurality of separate, loadbearing modules, each module comprising at least one locker;

ii) assembling the plurality of modules, one upon another to form a plurality of columnar stacks;

iii) applying a unitary compressive load to all of the modules of each respective stack so as to fix them rigidly together; and

iv) fixing the stacks together to form a unitary, rigid structure.

20. A method according to claim 19, characterised in that step iii) comprises passing a strap around each respective stack and then tensioning the strap to apply the unitary compressive load to that stack.