Pledge lock system and method for operating a pledge lock system for a loan object

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for operating a deposit lock system for a loan item, in particular for a manually movable transport trolley, wherein a blocking element of the deposit lock secures the key in the deposit lock against removal in a holding position and releases the key in a release position, wherein a locking element in a locking position blocks the movement of the blocking element from its holding position to its release position and in an unlocking position releases the movement of the blocking element to its release position, wherein an actuator is moved from a first position to a second position by the insertion of a deposit token into the deposit lock, purely mechanically and independently of an electrical drive, wherein the actuator moves the locking element from its locking position to its unlocking position during the movement from the first to the second position.wherein the locking element is blocked from returning to its locking position and the actuator to its first position when it is in the release position.

[0002] Furthermore, the invention relates to a deposit lock system for a loan item, in particular for carrying out a method according to the invention, comprising a deposit token, a deposit lock and a key, wherein the key held in the deposit lock is released upon insertion of the deposit token into the deposit lock, wherein a blocking element is adjustably mounted in the deposit lock so that it is adjustable between a holding position in which it secures the key in the deposit lock against removal and a release position in which it releases the key, wherein a locking element is adjustably mounted between a locking position in which it holds the blocking element in its holding position and an unlocking position in which it releases the blocking element, wherein the deposit lock has at least one actuating element which can be moved from a first position to a second position by insertion of the deposit token into the deposit lock.wherein the actuator has a contact surface for the locking element, such that a movement of the actuator from its first to its second position moves the locking element from its locked position to its unlocked position, wherein the blocking element in the release position blocks the movement of the locking element to its locked position and the movement of the actuator to its first position.

[0003] Coin-operated lock systems have been used for some time, for example in wholesale and retail trade. They are used to collect shopping carts in a cart garage and lock them together using the coin-operated lock system. The familiar coin-operated locks are operated manually and function purely mechanically. A coin or token is inserted into the lock to release a key held in the lock. This secures the coin or token against removal. Inserting a matching key into the lock releases the coin or token, and the key is then re-locked in the lock. Such a coin-operated lock is shown in EP 1 035 523 A2.

[0004] German patent DE 20 2018 003172 U1 discloses a deposit lock which can be operated by means of a deposit coin as well as electrically. In both variants, the release of the deposit key is triggered electrically.

[0005] CN 108 824 997 A discloses a hybrid coin-operated lock that mechanically releases and re-locks the coin key. The mechanical release of the coin key can be prevented by the movement of an electric motor.

[0006] This invention aims to propose a method and a coin-operated lock system in which the coin lock can not only be operated manually, but can also be triggered electrically or electronically.

[0007] This problem is solved by a method according to claim 1 and a deposit lock system according to claim 6. Some preferred embodiments of the method or the system are set forth in the dependent claims.

[0008] A fundamental concept of the invention is that the release of the key held in the coin lock also occurs when an electric drive moves a slide which is slidably mounted on the locking element in a starting position, wherein in a first movement step of the slide the slide moves the locking element from its locked position to its unlocked position and in a second movement step of the slide the slide is moved back to its starting position, wherein during the first and / or second movement step a spring element arranged between the slide and the locking element is put under tension, and that the locking element is moved into its locked position by releasing the spring element as soon as the blocking element releases the return of the locking element to its locked position.

[0009] The coin-operated lock system according to the invention is characterized in that an electric drive is connected to a slide which is slidably mounted on the locking element, wherein a spring element is arranged on the locking element which is under tension when the blocking element blocks the path of the locking element back into the locking position.

[0010] The slide, which is slidably mounted on the locking element, allows the locking element to be moved independently of the purely mechanical movement induced by inserting a token, as well as by means of an electric drive. In the first movement step, the slide, which is slidably held on the locking element, moves the locking element along with it, thus adjusting it from its locked position to the unlocked position. During this first movement step, a spring element located between the locking element and a stop fixed to the electric drive is tensioned. In the second movement step, in an alternative or supplementary embodiment, the slide acts on the locking element via the spring element.When the blocking element is in the release position and blocks the return path of the locking element to its locked position, the carriage moves relative to the blocked locking element as it returns to its starting position. In the second embodiment, this puts the spring element located between the carriage and the locking element under tension. When the blocking element releases the path of the locking element, the locking element is moved back to its locked position in the first embodiment by the spring force acting between the locking element and the stop, and in the second embodiment by the spring force acting between the locking element and the carriage, at which point the spring element relaxes.It is particularly advantageous if the spring element is pre-tensioned in the locking position of the locking element, so that when the locking element moves into the release position, a sufficient spring force can be built up for the spring-induced return of the locking element to the locking position.

[0011] When the key is released by inserting a deposit token into the deposit lock, the movement of the actuator from its first to its second position also causes the locking element to move from its locked position to its unlocked position. The slide, which is slidably held on the locking element, remains at least essentially in its initial position. In the first embodiment, this puts the spring element located between the locking element and the stop under tension; in the second embodiment, it puts the spring element located between the locking element and the slide under tension. As described above, the spring force causes the locking element to return to the locked position as soon as the blocking element releases the path.

[0012] The slide, which is held slidably on the locking element, can thus move independently of the locking element's position. Likewise, the locking element can move independently of the slide's position. This enables a coin-operated lock system where the key can be released from the lock either by inserting a token or by activating an electric drive.

[0013] For the operation and features of the coin-operated deposit lock system, reference is made to EP 1 035 523 B1 (hereinafter referred to as EP 1), whose features and process steps are adopted by this application with one exception and are part of this application. This exception concerns the interaction between the actuator according to the invention, which is also referred to as the actuator in the EP, and the blocking element according to the invention, which is referred to in EP 1 as the intermediate element, in particular as the rotating part. According to the invention, the blocking element is not actuated or released directly by the actuator, but only indirectly. The actuator acts on the locking element and adjusts it.

[0014] Advantageously, the electric drive is controlled by a sensor that detects a wirelessly transmitted signal, which triggers the movement of the electric motor. Such a sensor could, for example, be an NFC sensor that detects a signal transmitted via NFC from a mobile telecommunications device, such as a smartphone, and then triggers the electric drive. Possible alternatives and / or additions to this can be found in EP 3 491 602 A1 (EP 2).

[0015] It is particularly advantageous if the electronic control element of the coin-operated lock, such as a circuit board or microcontroller (MCU), is generally in standby mode and only initiates communication between the NFC and the circuit board or MCU when a mobile telecommunications device is placed on the lock. The electronic control element then returns to standby mode. It is thus temporarily awakened by the establishment of communication between the passive NFC tag and the active NFC of the mobile telecommunications device. This results in low power consumption and therefore a long service life.

[0016] The electric drive of the carriage can be electromagnetic, meaning the carriage is moved by means of an electromagnetic field. A particular advantage is the use of an electric motor for the drive, which can be easily integrated into the coin-operated locking system. A particularly advantageous design is one in which the electric motor is a rotary motor and an eccentric is positioned between the motor and the carriage, so that the rotary motion of the motor is converted into a linear motion of the carriage. This allows the carriage to move by means of a 360-degree motor rotation, with the first movement occurring over the first 180 degrees of the motor's rotation and the second movement returning the carriage to its starting position along the second 180 degrees.In an alternative embodiment, the motor rotation during the first movement step is less than 180 degrees, particularly between 30 and 150 degrees, preferably 110 degrees. This allows a stop to be formed for the carriage, against which it comes to rest at the end of the first movement step. The stop facilitates better detection of when this position is reached. When the carriage moves against the stop, further movement of the still-running motor is blocked, and the resulting increased current consumption of the motor can be measured as a signal indicating that the stop has been reached.

[0017] In an alternative embodiment, the electric motor is a linear motor, thus eliminating the need for converting the rotational motion. With a linear motor, the position determination described above for the rotary motor can also be achieved at the end of the first movement step using a stop.

[0018] If one or more sensors detect when the carriage reaches its starting position and / or the locking element reaches its unlocked position, this enables precise control of the electric drive. A Hall sensor is particularly suitable for this purpose, as it detects the presence of a magnet connected to the carriage or the locking element. A Hall sensor can also be used to detect the presence of a key in the coin-operated lock. Another application for a sensor, especially a Hall sensor, is to detect whether the locking element is in the locked position. Detecting a specific position can be used to identify unwanted or incorrect positions of the respective moving elements. In such a case, a corresponding error message can be generated.

[0019] In a particularly suitable embodiment, the locking element is a pin. A spring element in the form of a helical spring can be placed on and held on this pin.

[0020] Another fundamental idea of ​​this application, which in particular adopts, supplements, or presents alternatives to the teaching known from EP 3 491 602 A1 (EP 2), concerns the function and operation of an electronic coin-operated lock. The following can be applied to the coin-operated lock system described above, as well as to the method for operating it. However, a connection to this system is not necessary; the following can therefore also be considered independently of the coin-operated lock system described above. In this respect, the following is not bound by what has been said above.

[0021] The functions of the electronic deposit lock are described using the example of two loan items linked together by the deposit lock system, such as a row of shopping carts in a shopping cart garage. The customer activates the electronic deposit lock by bringing their mobile telecommunications device close to or placing it against a specifically marked area of ​​the loan item, for example, the handle of the shopping cart. This initiates communication between an app running on the telecommunications device and an NFC transponder embedded in the deposit lock. Each NFC transponder has a serial number, allowing it to be individually identified. The communication is based on the NFC Data Exchange Format (NDEF), which enables commands to be transmitted to the NFC transponder and its status to be read.The NFC of the electronic coin lock is connected via a control unit, usually a circuit board, to sensors and / or the motor of the electronic coin lock. This allows it to receive status messages and / or transmit signals sent by the customer's mobile telecommunications device to the control unit of the electronic coin lock.

[0022] When communication between the app and the electronic coin lock begins, the NDEF tag is read. This NDEF tag can contain several customer-specific elements such as URL tags, text tags, etc. One of these elements is a text tag (as a command tag) containing several variables, for example, the variables "SXYZ". In this example, "S" stands for status, X = "1" for the electronic coin lock being closed, Y = "1" if a bonus is available, and Z = "1" if the electronic coin lock is ready. If the electronic coin lock is open, X takes on a different value, for example, "0". The same applies to Y if no bonus is available. If the coin lock is not ready, the value of Z can vary depending on the error detected by the coin lock. For example, one value might signal a low energy storage capacity, while another value might indicate an outside temperature that is too low or too high for proper operation.If the command tag does not contain a status message but an instruction, this tag includes a different value instead of the S, for example C.

[0023] To open the electronic coin lock, the command tag should be checked during the reading process to see if an X and Z value is present, indicating that the coin lock is both operational (Z = "1") and closed (X = "1"). The app can then transmit a command tag containing an opening signal to the electronic coin lock.

[0024] For bonus payouts, it is advantageous if the borrowed item, preferably only upon return after use for a certain period of time, in particular at least one minute, preferably at least 5 minutes (e.g., until the shopping cart is reattached), contains a command tag that includes the X value for "closed" and the Y value for "bonus available." To retrieve the bonus, a command tag can then be transmitted to the electronic deposit lock, which keeps the lock closed and releases the bonus by resetting the Y value. In the given example, such a command tag could contain the value "C011".

[0025] The ability to store customer-related content in NFC allows an app installed on the mobile telecommunications device to differentiate between different markets or chains based on this information.

[0026] If the deposit system has the characteristics described above, it can also be unlocked manually by inserting a deposit. However, in this case, the customer cannot subsequently claim any bonus.

[0027] Furthermore, NFC technology can store data such as usage frequency, power consumption, voltage history, etc. This makes it possible to determine the current operating time and the expected remaining operating time of an electronic coin-operated lock using a service app.

[0028] The NDEF tag of the electronic deposit lock is preferably in a deleted state upon delivery. When accessed via the customer app, a formatting command tag is transmitted. The electronic deposit lock is then formatted with this tag; overwriting it with other content or deleting it is no longer possible for the customer.

[0029] From the app's perspective, there are three situations: 1. an electronic deposit lock with an empty tag, 2. an electronic deposit lock with a customer tag and a commando tag, or 3. an electronic deposit lock with a customer tag and a commando tag belonging to another customer, e.g., another business.

[0030] The app's response differs depending on the detected situation: In the first situation, the customer tag and the command tag for formatting are transmitted. In the second situation, the customer tag and, for example, the command tag containing the content "C101" (used to open the electronic deposit lock) are transmitted. In the third situation, no action is taken.

[0031] A method for operating the electronic deposit lock preferably comprises the following steps. Starting with an electronic deposit lock, which is preferably in energy-saving standby mode when closed, a customer wishing to use the borrowed item places their mobile telecommunications device on the electronic deposit lock. The NFC tag of the electronic deposit lock stores the serial number of the NFC transponder, the customer-specific tag, and the status of the electronic deposit lock. The app downloaded on the customer's mobile telecommunications device communicates with the NFC tag by reading it and thereby obtaining the serial number, the customer-specific tag, and the status of the electronic deposit lock.

[0032] In the given example, the status of the electronic deposit lock indicates that the electronic deposit lock contains no error message, the shopping cart is coupled via the electronic deposit lock, and preferably, that no bonus is to be issued.

[0033] This fulfills the conditions for the shopping cart to be uncoupled. For this to happen, the app communicates with the NFC tag and transmits the signal to open the shopping cart's electronic deposit lock.

[0034] The control unit, specifically an MCU, wakes up from standby mode via communication and checks the transmitted signal. If it receives the "open" signal, the motor is activated to unlock the lock.

[0035] When returning the shopping cart, the customer inserts a free key from the deposit lock system into the electronic deposit lock to re-pair the shopping cart.

[0036] By pressing the key while inserting it into the coin-operated lock, the shopping cart is coupled, and a Hall sensor signals this action to the system, writing the corresponding value to the command tag. A timer, for example, 30 seconds, is then started. If the bonus is not claimed by the end of the timer, the value is deleted.

[0037] The status is read via the customer's mobile telecommunications device. If the customer reads the Commando tag within the timer's specified time, the control unit wakes from standby mode via communication and checks the transmission signal. The app receives the serial number, the customer-specific tag, and the status message of the electronic deposit lock. If the signal is sent, the bonus is reset. This is done by resetting the bonus value in the NFC tag's status.

Claims

1. A method for operating a deposit lock system for a borrowed item, in particular for a manually movable transport trolley, wherein a blockade element of the deposit lock secures the key in the deposit lock against removal in a holding position, and releases the key in a release position, wherein a locking element blocks the displacement of the blockade element out of its holding position into its release position in a lock position, and releases the displacement of the blockade element into its release position in an unlock position, wherein an actuator is moved from a first position into a second position purely mechanically and independently of an electric drive by inserting a deposit token into the deposit lock, wherein the actuator displaces the locking element from its lock position into its unlock position while moving from the first into the second position, wherein the blockade element blocks the return of the locking element into its lock position and the actuator into its first position when it is in the release position, characterized in that the key held in the deposit lock is released on the other hand when the electric drive moves a carriage, which is displaceably mounted in an initial position on the locking element, wherein the carriage takes along the locking element in a first movement step of the carriage and displaces it from its lock position into its unlock position, and the carriage is displaced into its initial position again in a second movement step of the carriage, wherein a spring element arranged between the carriage and the locking element is compressed during the second movement step when a return of the locking element into its lock position is blocked by the blockade element, and that the locking element is moved into its lock position by releasing the spring element as soon as the blockade element releases the restoring of the locking element to its lock position, and wherein the carriage displaceably held on the locking element can move independently of the position of the locking element, and wherein the locking element can move independently of the position of the carriage.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the electric drive is actuated by a sensor, which detects a wirelessly transmitted signal that triggers the movement of the electric drive.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a sensor detects when the unlock position of the locking element has been reached.

4. The method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a sensor detects when the initial position of the carriage has been reached.

5. The method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the blockade element in its release position prevents the actuator from returning to its first position.

6. A deposit lock system for a borrowed item, in particular for implementing a method according to one of claims 1 to 5, having a deposit token, a deposit lock and a key, wherein the key held in the deposit lock is released upon insertion of the deposit token into the deposit lock, wherein a blockade element is displaceably mounted in the deposit lock, so that it can be displaced between a holding position, in which it secures the key in the deposit lock against removal, and a release position, in which it releases the key, wherein a locking element is displaceably mounted between a lock position, in which it holds the blockade element in its holding position, and an unlock position, in which it releases the blockade element, wherein the deposit lock has at least one actuator that can be moved from a first position into a second position purely mechanically and independently of an electric drive by inserting a deposit token into the deposit lock, wherein the actuator has a contact surface for the locking element, so that moving the actuator from its first into the second position displaces the locking element from its lock position into its unlock position, wherein the blockade element located in the release position blocks the path of the locking element in its lock position and the path of the actuator in its first position, characterized in that the electric drive is connected with a carriage, which is displaceably mounted on the locking element, wherein a spring element is arranged between the carriage and the locking element, which is compressed when the carriage is in the initial position, and the blockade element blocks the path of the locking element back into the lock position.

7. The deposit lock system according to claim 6, characterized in that the locking element is a pin.

8. The deposit lock system according to one of claims 6 or 7, characterized in that the spring element is a coil spring.

9. The deposit lock system according to one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the electric drive is an electric motor.

10. The deposit lock system according to claim 9, characterized in that the electric motor is a rotary engine, and a cam is arranged between the electric motor and the carriage, so that a rotational movement of the electric motor is converted into a linear movement of the carriage.

11. The deposit lock system according to claim 9, characterized in that the electric motor is a linear motor.