초록 ▼

Public storage lockers are designed particularly for storage of bicycles, such as at a public transportation terminal. In a preferred embodiment the storage lockers are on-demand, lockable by a user who must unlock the locker using the same electronic key and who must unlock the locker before using

Public storage lockers are designed particularly for storage of bicycles, such as at a public transportation terminal. In a preferred embodiment the storage lockers are on-demand, lockable by a user who must unlock the locker using the same electronic key and who must unlock the locker before using the key for any other locker. The lockers are visually open, with a secure screen or mesh on the locker door and optionally on walls and top cover. This reveals that the bike locker is occupied and prevents the use of the locker for unauthorized, privacy-requiring activities. The bike enclosure has a floor wheel guide for conveniently loading the bike, and a special door latch mechanism which provides for security by including a latch bar in a fixed frame, while a latch bar lifter, operable to permit door opening when the lock is unlocked, is on the door. The door lock is always locked, in an available locked mode or an unavailable locked mode, except when unlocked for only a few seconds before the lock automatically locks down the latch bar again, so the door is locked as soon as re-closed. LED status indicator lights can be included. Preferably the lock and the electronic keys have logic which prevents use of the key if the user fails to reopen the lock within a prescribed period of time, and other safeguards.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A locker with a door and latch, comprising:a locker enclosure,a door frame outlining an access opening,a locker door pivotally connected along a pivot axis to the frame at one edge, along a vertical axis, and configured to close adjacent to the frame,a door edge opposite the pivot axis with a mov

1. A locker with a door and latch, comprising:a locker enclosure,a door frame outlining an access opening,a locker door pivotally connected along a pivot axis to the frame at one edge, along a vertical axis, and configured to close adjacent to the frame,a door edge opposite the pivot axis with a movable handle near the door edge, mounted on the door for movement by a user to access the locker when permitted,a generally vertically oriented latch bar coupled to the frame, with means for urging the latch bar toward a normal position,a lock mounted in the frame, generally adjacent to the latch bar, the lock being effective to prevent vertical movement of the latch bar except when the lock is accessed to a release mode,a latch hook secured to the door near said opposite edge, with an angled, sloped-back forward edge and with a back edge opposite the sloped edge such that a high point is defined between the sloped-back forward edge and the back edge, for receiving a latch member against said back edge and preventing opening of the door, and an opening in the frame for entry of the latch hook as the door is closed,a latch member within the frame, positioned to be engaged by the latch hook when the door is closed, and cam means acting between the latch hook and the latch member for camming the latch hook's forward edge over the latch member such that one of the latch hook and the latch member moves as the latch member slides over the latch hook's forward edge to accommodate closure of the door until the latch member passes over said high point and reaches said back edge of the latch hook, with means for urging the relative positions of the latch member and latch hook such that the latch member engages against said back edge of the latch hook to latch the door closed,means on the latch bar for moving the latch member clear of the latch hook when the lock is accessed and the latch bar is moved, thus permitting opening of the door, andthe handle having a connected latch bar shifter which extends into the frame when the door is closed and which engages with the latch bar and is effective to shift the position of the latch bar to release the latch member when the handle is moved, as permitted by accessing of the lock. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the latch bar has a normal lower position, retained by gravity as said means for urging the latch bar, with the lock normally preventing lifting of the latch bar, and wherein the handle has a normal lower position and is permitted upward sliding movement when the lock is accessed, allowing the handle, latch bar shifter and latch bar to be lifted upwardly to lift the latch member clear of the latch hook, whereby the latch bar shifter pulls away from and disengages from the latch bar as the door is opened, and the latch bar drops by gravity back to the normal lower position. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the lock has a slidable bolt normally engaging adjacent to the latch bar to prevent lifting of the latch bar except when the blocking member is retracted by successfully accessing the lock. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the locker door is configured to close into a space surrounded by the frame such that the door and frame surfaces are essentially flush at the outside of the locker when closed. 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the latch bar shifter is of a limited length such that it is adapted to pull away from and disengage from the latch bar, allowing the latch bar to return to normal position essentially before said opposite door edge moves fully out from the surrounding frame. 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the frame encases the latch bar, lock and latch member so as to render them inaccessible to a user even when the door is open. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a plurality of latch hooks and latch members are included, at vertically spaced locations along the latch bar. 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the latch member is positioned generally within t he latch bar. 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the latch hook comprises a reciprocal plunger having said sloped back forward edge, and including a jamb housing within which the plunger is reciprocal, with a retention device within the jamb housing urging the plunger in a direction effective to latch the door when the door is closed, and the latch member comprising a member fixed to the latch bar. 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the latch member is mounted to permit movement in the frame, and said means for urging is also operative to urge the latch member toward a position to latch the door when the door is closed, and the latch hook being fixedly secured to the door. 11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for urging comprises a compression spring. 12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the frame encases the latch bar, lock and latch member so as to render them inaccessible to a user even when the door is open, the frame including an inner side with an access panel secured over the latch bar, lock and latch member, with locking means for returning the access panel in place. 13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the locker enclosure comprises a locker frame defining a shape for the locker, including walls and a roof, and infill material secured to the locker frame to form the enclosure. 14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the infill material is translucent so as to allow at least some light through and to permit visual observation of the interior of the enclosure. 15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the locker door includes said infill material. 16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the infill material comprises a metal mesh. 17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the infill material comprises at least one of a transparent material and a translucent material. 18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the locker enclosure is of a shape and size to store a bicycle with the front of the bicycle oriented toward the door. 19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the locker enclosure is of a shape and size to store a bicycle with the front of the bicycle oriented toward the door. 20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the locker enclosure is generally triangular. 21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lock comprises an electronic lock. 22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means on the latch bar for moving the latch member comprises the latch member being fixed to the latch bar. 23. A locker with a door and latch, comprising:a locker enclosure,a door frame outlining an access opening,a locker door pivotally connected along a pivot axis to the frame at one edge, and configured to close adjacent to the frame,a door edge opposite the pivot axis with a movable handle near the door edge, mounted on the door for movement by a user to access the locker when permitted,a movable latch element within the frame, with means urging the movable latch element toward a normal position,a lock mounted in the frame, generally adjacent to the movable latch element, the lock being effective to prevent movement of the latch element from its normal position except when the lock is accessed to a release mode,a latch hook secured to the door near said opposite edge, with an angled, sloped-back forward edge and the latch hook being mounted on the door for reciprocal movement toward and away from a latching position and being biased toward the latching position, and the latch hook having a back edge opposite the sloped edge for receiving a latch member engaged against the back edge so as to prevent opening of the door, and an opening in the frame for entry of the latch hook as the door is closed,a latch member within the frame, fixed to the latch element and positioned to be engaged by the latch hook when the door is closed and to cam over the sloped edge as the door is closed such that the latch hook is cammed away from the latching position until it passes the latch member and returns to the latching position engaging the back edge of the latch hook against the latch member, so that as the door is closed it briefly cams and shifts the latch hook until the latch hook snaps back, engaged with the back edge of the latch hook,the latch element being effective when the movable latch element is moved to move the latch member clear of the latch hook, thus permitting opening of the door, andthe handle coupled to a latch element shifter which extends into the frame when the door is closed and which engages with the movable latch element and is effective to shift the position of the movable latch element to release the latch member when the handle is moved, as permitted by accessing of the lock. 24. A system of on-demand public storage lockers, comprising:a series of storage lockers which are locked whenever closed, each said locker having a door and an electronic lock for the door having two locked modes including an available locked mode and an unavailable locked mode,a series of key devices for accessing the electronic locks of the lockers, each key device being unique and being capable of accessing any of the electronic locks, such that a personal key device can be issued to each of a number of persons to be permitted access to all of the storage lockers, andeach electronic lock having means for storing the unique code of a user's key device when opened from the available locked mode, for entering the unavailable locked mode, for allowing re-accessing of that lock by the same user at a later time, and for preventing access to that lock by any other user's personal key device prior to re-accessing by the same user. 25. The system of claim 24, further including means in the system for preventing a user with a personal key device from using more than one storage locker in the system at one time. 26. The system of claim 24, further including means associated with each electronic lock for limiting the duration of the unavailable locked mode, and preventing re-accessing of the lock in the unavailable locked mode by said same user after expiration of a preselected period of time. 27. The system of claim 24, further including LEDs connected to each electronic lock, indicating status as unavailable locked mode or available locked mode. 28. The system of claim 24, in combination with a mechanical latch mechanism associated with each door, the latch mechanism being biased to a latched position and the door being-biased toward closure such that the open door when released closes and latches to the locked mode. 29. The system of claim 24, wherein the series of storage lockers comprises at least one bicycle locker. 30. The system of claim 24, wherein re-accessing a locker in the locked unavailable mode returns the locker to the available locked mode. 31. A locker comprising:a security device, comprising,an electronic controller configured to produce signals identifying a control state comprising one of a locked and available state, a locked and unavailable state, and an unlocked state, anda plurality of user access keys directly operable with the electronic controller,wherein the electronic controller is further configured to,allow any of the plurality of user access keys to change the control state from the locked and available state to the unlocked state, andonly allow a last used of the user access keys to change the control state from the locked and unavailable state to the unlocked state;an access door;a locking mechanism engagable with the access door and configured to secure the door when engaged; andwherein:the control state signals produced by the electronic controller are coupled to the locking mechanism; andthe security device maintains the access door, via the locking mechanism, in one of a locked and available state, a locked and unavailable state, and an unlocked state according to the control state signals. 32. The locker according to claim 31, wherein the electronic controller is further configured to place the control state in the locked and available state immediately after being in the unlocked state. 33. The locker according to claim 31, wherein the locking mechanism is mounted in a frame area around the access door. 34. The locker according to claim 31, wherein:the access door comprises a latch, a lifter, and a lift actuator coupled to the lifter; andthe locking mechanism comprises,a latchbar configured to be engagable the door latch, anda bolt moveable to each of a first position that allows movement of the latchbar and a second position that prevents movement of the latchbar. 35. The locker according to claim 34, wherein:the access door further comprises a lifter; andthe lifter is configured to disengage the locking bar from the door latch when the lifter is moved and the bolt is in the first position. 36. The locker according to claim 34, wherein the access door comprises a camming surface configured to move the latchbar into engagement with the door latch. 37. The locker according to claim 31, wherein the locker is a public storage locker. 38. The locker according to claim 31, wherein the locker is a bike locker. 39. The locker according to claim 31, wherein the locker is a bicycle locker installed at a public transportation station. 40. A storage locker, comprising:access means for accessing the storage locker;securing means for securing the storage locker access means; andstate means for determining a current state and for placing and maintaining the securing means in the current state;wherein:the securing means includes a set of user states comprising a locked and available state, a locked and unavailable state, and an unlocked state;the current state comprises one of the user states; andthe locked and available state comprises a state where the access means is secured but the locker is available for use to a limited pool of users having a key for changing the state. 41. The storage locker according to claim 40, wherein:the access means comprises,a door having a latch means,a movable handle attached to the door, anda disengagement means coupled to the movable door handle;the storage locker further comprising a door frame means surrounding at least part of the door;the securing means comprises,a slidable engagement means disposed in the door frame means and configured to be engagable with the latch means,a block means disposed in the door frame means and having a first position that allows movement of the slidable engagement means and a second position that blocks movement of the slidable engagement means, andan actuation device disposed in the door frame means for moving the block means into at least one of the first and second positions according to the current state; wherein:when the slidable engagement means is engaged with the door latch and the blocking means is in the second position, the storage locker door is secured; andthe disengagement means is configured to disengage the slidable engagement means upon movement of the moveable handle when the blocking means is in the first position. 42. The storage locker according to claim 40, further comprising:a plurality of user access keys operable with the state means; wherein:the state means is configured to,allow any of the plurality of user access keys to change the control state from the locked and available state to the unlocked state, andonly allow a last used of the user access keys to change the control state from the locked and unavailable state to the unlocked state. 43. The storage locker according to claim 42, wherein the storage locker is a bicycle locker. 44. The storage locker according to claim 40, wherein the state means returns the current state to the locked and available state immediately following the unlocked state. 45. The locker according to claim 31, wherein the electronic controller is further configured to change state from the locked and available state to the unlocked state immediately upon accessing the control device with one of a plurality of user access keys. 46. The locker according t o claim 45, wherein the electronic controller is further configured to change state from the unlocked state, after having immediately and precedingly been in the locked and available state, upon opening of the access door, such that when the access door is closed, the locker is secured in the locked and available state. 47. The locker according to claim 42, wherein:the locked and available state comprises a state where the locker is selectable and available to any of a limited pool of users;the state means is further configured to change the current state of the state means from the locked and available state to the unlocked state only when the locker is specifically selected by a user. 48. A locker comprising:a door;a frame surrounding at least part of the door;a latchbar movably coupled to the frame and engageable with the door;means for shifting the latchbar from a position engagable with the door to a position unengaged with the door; wherein:said locker is part of a system comprising a series of similar lockers;each of the series of lockers comprises,securing means for restricting the latchbar in the engagable position and allowing the latchbar to move to the unengaged position, andstate means for determining a current state and for placing and maintaining the securing means in a position consistent with the current state,wherein the current state comprises one of three user states comprising a locked and available state where the locker is selectable and available to any of a limited pool of users, a locked and unavailable state, and an unlocked state;the system further comprises a plurality of user access keys operable with each state means; andeach state means is configured to,allow any of the plurality of user access keys to change the current state of the state means of a user selected locker from the locked and available state to the unlocked state, andonly allow the user access key that placed a specific locker in the locked and unavailable state to change the current state of the specific locker from the locked and unavailable state to the unlocked state. 49. A locker comprising:a door;a frame surrounding at least part of the door;a latchbar movably coupled to the frame and engageable with the door; andmeans for shifting the latchbar from a position engagable with the door to a position unengaged with the door;wherein said shifting means is moveably coupled with the door. 50. A storage locker, comprising:access means for accessing the storage locker, comprising,a door having a latch means,a movable handle attached to the door, anda disengagement means coupled to the movable door handle;a door frame means surrounding at least part of the door; andsecuring means for securing the access means, comprising,a slidable engagement means disposed in the door frame means and configured to be engagable with the latch means,a block means disposed in the door frame means and having a first position that allows movement of the slidable engagement means and a second position that blocks movement of the slidable engagement means, andan actuation device disposed in the door frame means for moving the block means into at least one of the first and second positions according to a current state of the storage locker; wherein:when the slidable engagement means is engaged with the door latch and the blocking means is in the second position, the storage locker door is secured; andthe disengagement means is configured to disengage the slidable engagement means upon movement of the moveable handle when the blocking means is in the first position.