ILLUMINATED DOOR FOR LOCKERS OR CABINETS WITH RESTRICTED ACCESS, ESPECIALLY FOR MAILBOXES

Description

[0001] The subject of the invention is a door for lockers or cabinets with limited access, in particular for post office boxes. The door is used in constructions with limited access like lockers or cabinets, in particular in post office boxes commonly referred to as parcel lockers and other devices for storing and sharing parcels.

[0002] In the state of the art, there are known various types of doors used as structural elements in cabinets, lockers or luggage storage rooms, in which the key aspect is to ensure the security of the stored content. Particularly noteworthy are devices for storing parcels in the form of parcel lockers, which are a system of post office boxes, used to store parcels with the option of collecting or leaving the parcels at a time convenient for the user. For this reason, they are characterized by simple construction, durability and ease of production and assembly. They are also usually resistant to burglary attempts. Cabinets of this type usually contain many lockers of various sizes. Individual lockers are provided with a door controlled usually by one control unit, located in an area of the cabinet that is easily accessible to the user. In such devices, security and communication means are often used, consisting of sensors, cameras or lighting elements.

[0003] In the prior art, cabinet door is known for use in cabinets, including constructions provided with electronically controlled locks. Patent description PL229307B1 discloses a cabinet door made of a sheet of metal constituting a front panel and containing side walls in the form of an inner edge as well as the upper and lower edges of the front panel, which are bent at right angles to the inside of the cabinet body constituting an internal edge, an upper edge and a lower edge, respectively. Furthermore, the upper and lower edges are bent upwards and protect the construction against water entering the cabinet, ensuring water drainage to the outside. Furthermore, the upper edge of the front panel contains a hinge hole in which a Teflon sleeve is mounted, constituting an electroinsulator in the entire construction, allowing to eliminate or significantly reduce the phenomenon of electrochemical corrosion. The cabinet door is attached to the cabinet body with spacers in the form of brackets in the form of a flat sheet. In this solution, the door has a simple construction and prevents the potential difference and, consequently, corrosion resulting from the difference in materials of which the door and the cabinet body are made. Furthermore, the door can be provided with a grounding pin and a metal cable attached to the inside of the locker.

[0004] While from the document EP3058530A1 there is known a method of delivering a parcel to a recipient, which uses a system of post office boxes and enables an identification of an appropriate locker in a cabinet with the assembly of lockers, depending on the size of the delivered parcel. The cabinet with the assembly of lockers is provided with a central communication and control unit ensuring access control to each locker by controlling the locking mechanisms that each locker is provided with. In this solution, it is disclosed that each locker can be assigned with a light indicator for informing the user of the accessibility of the locker. The presented system is configured in such a way as to control access to each of the cabinets by using at least one locking mechanism, suitably compatible with each cabinet. Furthermore, one of embodiments discloses a cabinet with at least one light indicator configured to inform the user which of the individual cabinets is unlocked or accessible.

[0005] In the state of the art, a device acting as a parcel exchange point is also known from the US2013144428A1. The device has the form of a cabinet containing storage lockers of various sizes, depending on the individual dimensions of the parcel. The outer part of individual lockers are doors that can be provided with slots for letters. The door has a lock, which protects against uncontrolled opening of the locker. The lock can include a latch member, a latch engagement and disengagement member that are remotely controlled and consequently lock the door movement. The door of the locker is pivotally connected to one of the walls of the cabinet by means of at least one hinge. In this way, it is possible to rotate the door in relation to the locker and the cabinet. What's more, in order to facilitate use and provide information which of the lockers is accessible, an illuminating element has been installed inside the locker or on its door, which can be a light bulb, LED diode or any other light emitting object. The light effect varies depending on the accessibility of individual lockers. Depending on the configuration, the light on or off will signal the accessibility of a given locker. Furthermore, the lamp can be configured so that, in addition to indicating the accessibility of the locker, the user will also receive information about the opening the door of the locker, and the illuminated interior will make it easier to see its content. The role of lighting the inside of the locker is performed primarily by the lighting element mounted inside it. The door can also be provided with sensors, in the form of, for example, a camera or a device used to detect the load of the locker, thus informing about its accessibility and the possibility of accepting a new parcel. KR 2009 0005940 A discloses a door for lockers or cabinets with limited access, the door comprising a light.

[0006] The aim of the invention is the construction of door for lockers or cabinets with limited access, in particular post office boxes, which will ensure safe use of lockers or cabinets, and at the same time allow the users to easily identify the correct locker or cabinet or its parameters.

[0007] The invention relates to a door for lockers or cabinets with limited access, in particular post office boxes, as defined in claim 1.

[0008] It is also expedient for the front wall of the body to have a size substantially corresponding to the size of the selected edge of the front panel.

[0009] Preferably, between the front panel and the rear panel there are plurality of bodies, assigned to each side of the front panel. It is appropriate when the rear panel is attached to the side walls.

[0010] Equally preferably, the body has two sided wall forming external recesses on which the front panel and the rear panel are supported, wherein the size of the through holes in the front panel and the rear panel substantially corresponds to the external dimension of the recess.

[0011] Preferably, the external walls of the recesses are provided with sealing elements.

[0012] It is particularly appropriate when the rear panel has a catch attached which is designed to cooperate with a lock of the locker.

[0013] It is also appropriate when the door has a ground wire attached to an element selected from the front panel, the side walls, and the rear panel.

[0014] Also preferably, the size of the rear panel is matched with the dimensions of the front panel.

[0015] It is also expedient for the front panel and side walls to be made of a single sheet of metal.

[0016] It is reasonable for the front panel to have side walls attached.

[0017] It is appropriate when the rear panel is provided with an eave extending beyond the plane of the front panel.

[0018] Equally preferably, the body has a lens in the front wall.

[0019] As used herein, a lighting element is understood as any element capable of emitting light or displaying information. These can be, in particular, LEDs, displays or monitors of various sizes and configurations.

[0020] The basic advantage of the invention is to ensure full safety of users when using lockers or cabinets. The use of the rear panel allows to protect the lighting element mounted in the door even against unintentional damage caused by the user of the lockers or cabinets. What's more important, however, the rear panel protects users especially against breakdown and short circuits, which is a typical hazard associated with the use of electrically powered devices. Protecting structural elements in the door, in particular elements accompanied by the flow of electricity, ensures safety during use and reduces the risk of failure. Furthermore, the presence of the rear panel improves the strength of the entire construction of the locker or cabinet door.

[0021] The construction in which the door of the locker or cabinet has the front panel, the rear panel, and the lighting element placed between is simple, and the manufacturing process is not complicated. This is in particular due to providing the body of the lighting element with external recesses, on the walls of which the front panel and rear panel are supported. Such design increases the rigidity of the entire locker or cabinet door.

[0022] In particular, when the size of the rear panel is matched with the dimensions of the front panel, production costs can be reduced. An additional benefit results from the use of a lens embedded in the body. Thanks to this, it is possible to magnify a small image generated inside the body. In particular, the lens can magnify the light emitted inside the body even by a single LED.

[0023] Ensuring a simple design of the locker door with a limited number of structural elements facilitates servicing and reduces the susceptibility to failure of the locker or cabinet door elements. Placing the lighting element in the body leads to the creation of a simple modular construction in which individual elements, including parts containing electrical components, can be easily replaced.

[0024] An equally important advantage of the solution is the mounting of a lighting element in each door of a locker or cabinet unit. Such units contain many lockers of various sizes, often lockers of the same dimensions are located close to each other. This often causes a problem with identifying the locker that the user is supposed to use. The use of lighting elements makes it much easier for the user to recognize the right locker or cabinet in the locker or cabinet unit. The right locker or cabinet can be marked by the lighting element displaying a particular colour, or the user can follow the lighting elements leading to the selected locker. Another advantage of placing lighting elements in the doors is the ability to display and inform about the failure of the device, its occupancy or the accessibility of individual lockers. Using a lighting element one can generate a lot of information for users.

[0025] Furthermore, the use of the eave extending beyond the plane of the front panel allows for effective drainage of water or accumulated moisture, and at the same time ensures the reliability of the locker's operation regardless of its location and weather conditions.

[0026] The invention has been presented in embodiments and in the drawing, in which: Fig. 1 shows the door of a post office locker or cabinet in a perspective view as seen from the front panel; Fig. 2 shows the door of a post office locker or cabinet in a perspective view as seen from the rear panel; Fig. 3 shows the locker door in a partial cross section; Fig. 4 shows the body of the lighting element in a perspective view; Fig. 5 shows the door of a post office locker or cabinet in a perspective view without the front panel; Fig. 6 shows the body of the lighting element in a perspective view in another embodiment Fig. 7 shows the door of a post office locker or cabinet in a perspective view as seen from the front panel in a further embodiment; Fig. 8 shows the door of a post office locker or cabinet in a perspective view as seen from the front panel in yet another embodiment;

[0027] The door 1 for the post office lockers or cabinets include a front panel 2, side walls 3, and a rear panel 5, as well as a lighting element 7. The front panel 2 and selected side walls 3 are made of a single sheet of metal. In the normal arrangement of the door 1, the front panel 2 has four side walls 3: the upper wall 3A, the lower wall 3B, the outer side wall 3C and the inner side wall 3D. The front panel 2 and side walls 3 are made of a single sheet of metal. The upper side wall 3A, the lower side wall 3B and the outer side wall 3C are further folded towards the center of the door 1. Also, the rear panel 5 is made of a single sheet of metal and has a lower side wall 3B located under the lower side wall 3B of the front panel 2 and extending into the eave 11 extending beyond the plane of the front panel 2. The rear panel 5 is attached to the side walls 3. In the embodiments, the rear panel 5 is screwed to the side walls, thanks to which, by unscrewing the bolts, easy access to the space between the front panel 2 and the side walls 3 can be obtained. The rear panel 5 also has a screwed catch 6 to cooperate with the lock located in the locker or cabinet.

[0028] In the side walls 3 there are holes 4 enabling hinged connection of the door 1 with the body of post office lockers or cabinets, with the holes 4 partially overlapping the rear panel 5.

[0029] The door 1 is also provided with a ground wire 10 attached to a pin connected to the front panel 2 and led out beyond the side edge of door 1.

[0030] A body 8 is placed between the front panel 2 and the rear panel 5. Inside the body there is a lighting element 7 in the form of a single LED diode and a battery power supply module. The body can have any cross section, for example circular, square or rectangular one. In the presented embodiment, the body 8 has the form of a sleeve (Fig. 4) inside of which there is an LED diode and a battery power supply module with a wireless LED control unit. The body 8 is embedded in the through holes in the front panel 2 and the rear panel 5 in a shape corresponding to the shape of the body 8, so that the front walls of the body 8 pass through the plane formed by these panels or lie in these planes. The body 8 has wall forming recesses 9 near its ends on its outer surface. The front panel 2 and the rear panel 5 are supported on these walls of the recesses 9, and additionally the walls of the recesses 9 define a part of the body 8 that can be inserted into the front panel 2 and the rear panel 5. Thus, it is particularly advantageous if the recess is made over the width of the body 8 corresponding to the thickness of the material forming the front panel 2 and the rear panel 5. In such implementation, it is particularly easy to obtain front walls which lie in the plane of the front panel 2. The body 8 has a transparent front face so that the light generated by the LED can be easily seen from the outside. The rear face of the body 8 is closed and no light passes through it, however it is possible to make it as a transparent element.

[0031] In other embodiments, the front face of the body can be provided with a lens, further promoting the light propagation. In particular, the lens can magnify the light generated inside the body even by a single LED. The body can also have recesses in the form of circumferential grooves into which the front panel or rear panel enters.

[0032] In a further embodiment, the body 8 (fig. 6) has the form of a closed profile having a square cross section. Identically as in the previous embodiment, the body has external recesses 9 forming walls.

[0033] In other embodiments, the door of the cabinet or locker can have the front panel and rear panel of the same size. With such a construction, the side walls can be separate structural elements, for example made of closed square shaped profiles, with which the front panel and rear panel will be connected.

[0034] In other embodiments, the lighting element 7 located inside the body 8 can be supplied with electricity from other sources than the battery power supply module located inside it. In such cases, the body can be provided with an electrical connector to which a power cable is connected, led through the side wall and connected to an appropriate power source, which can be located in the body of post office lockers or cabinets. In such embodiments, the control of the lighting element can also be brought to the body 8 by a separate cable.

[0035] In a further embodiment, the body 8 has the shape of a cuboid, one side of which corresponds in the length to the width of the door 1 (fig. 7). In a cross section, the body 8 has a rectangular shape. In the body 8 there is a lighting element 7 in the form of a strip of LED diodes. The body 8 with the lighting element is located near the upper edge of the door 1.

[0036] In yet another embodiment, the body 8 has the shape of a cuboid, the side of which corresponds in the length to 1 / 3 of the width of the door 1 (fig. 8). In a cross section, the body 8 has a rectangular shape. In the body 8 there is a lighting element 7 in the form of an LED display. The body 8 with the lighting element is placed centrally in the door 1.

[0037] In another embodiment (not shown in the drawing), a sleeve shaped bodies, each with a single lighting element, were placed in three locations in the door. The bodies with wall forming external recesses were embedded by the upper side wall, the lower side wall and the outer side edge. In order to improve the tightness of the construction, sealing elements in the form of o ring seals were slid onto the walls of the recesses. The seals ensure the tightness of the construction and prevent water from getting into the door.

Claims

1. A door for lockers or cabinets with limited access, in particular post office boxes, comprises a front panel (2) with a lighting element (7), as well as side walls (3), wherein at least the side walls (3) include holes (4) for articulated connection of the door with the body of the locker; wherein the door includes a rear panel (5), wherein between the front panel (2) and the rear panel (5) at least one body (8) is located, which has at least partially transparent front wall, and which has the lighting element (7) located inside the body (8), wherein the body (8) is seated in through holes in the front panel (2) and the rear panel (5).

2. The door according to claim 1, wherein the front wall of the body (8) has a size substantially corresponding to the size of the selected edge of the front panel (2).

3. The door according to claim 1 or 2, wherein between the front panel (2) and the rear panel (5) there are plurality of bodies (8), assigned to each side of the front panel (2).

4. The door according to any claim from 1 to 3, wherein the rear panel (5) is attached to the side walls (3).

5. The door according to any claim from 1 to 4, wherein the body (8) has two sided wall forming external recesses (9) on which the front panel (2) and the rear panel (5) are supported, wherein the size of the through holes in the front panel (2) and in the rear panel (5) substantially corresponds to the outer dimension of the recess (9).

6. The door according to claim 5, wherein the outer walls of the recesses (9) are provided with sealing elements.

7. The door according to any claim from 1 to 6, wherein the rear panel (5) has a catch (6) attached to cooperate with the lock of the locker.

8. The door according to any claim from 1 to 7, wherein it has a ground wire (10) attached to an element selected from the front panel (2), the side walls (3), and the rear panel (5).

9. The door according to any claim from 1 to 8, wherein the size of the rear panel (5) is matched with the dimensions of the front panel (2).

10. The door according to any claim from 1 to 9, wherein the front panel (2) and side walls (3) are made of a single sheet of metal.

11. The door according to any claim from 1 to 9, wherein the front panel (2) has side walls (3) attached.

12. The door according to any claim from 1 to 8 or from 10 to 11, wherein the rear panel (5) is provided with an eave (11) extending beyond the plane of the front panel (2).

13. The door according to any claim from 1 to 12, wherein the body (8) has a lens (13) in the front wall.