Cooler and freezer lock
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Solution Overview
Problem
Refrigerated coolers face challenges in maintaining secure access and preventing spoilage due to temperature fluctuations and power outages, as existing locking mechanisms do not effectively manage door closure and opening based on temperature conditions or provide reliable access control.
Innovation Solution
A motor-controllable latch and strike mechanism integrated with sensors and controllers that lock the cooler door based on temperature conditions and power availability, ensuring the door remains closed during temperature excursions or power loss, while allowing controlled access through electronic or mechanical interfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a motor-controllable latch mechanism is used to lock the cooler door during temperature excursions or power outages, then food safety and temperature stability are improved, but device complexity increases due to integration of sensors, controllers, and motor components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into a single integrated locking mechanism: the motor-controllable latch, temperature sensors, power outage detection capabilities, and control logic are merged into one system. This allows the mechanism to automatically respond to temperature excursions and power failures while maintaining food safety, resolving the contradiction between reliability improvement and complexity increase by consolidating components rather than adding separate systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism is designed to operate autonomously by detecting temperature excursions and power outages through integrated sensors, then automatically engaging or disengaging the latch without manual intervention. The system self-regulates based on environmental conditions, eliminating the need for constant monitoring or manual operation while ensuring food safety compliance.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the cooler door is locked during power outages to maintain temperature, then temperature stability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates as manual access becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary anti-action by automatically engaging the lock during power outages before temperature degradation can occur, preventing the harmful effect of temperature fluctuation. The motor-controllable latch is designed to activate proactively when power failure is detected, creating a protective barrier that maintains temperature stability while still allowing for controlled access when needed.
3Reliability
If electronic access control is implemented with temperature monitoring, then access security is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional sensors and control systems
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is designed with multi-functionality to serve multiple purposes: it provides secure access control through motor-controllable latching, monitors temperature excursions via integrated sensors, detects power outages, and automatically responds to various environmental conditions. By making the system universal and multi-functional, the patent reduces the need for separate dedicated systems for each function, thereby improving access security while managing overall complexity through component consolidation.
Data Source
AI summary
A cooler and freezer access control system locks a cooler or freezer when occurrence of an event is detected that requires limiting access to the inside of the cooler or freezer. Examples of such events include the loss of power to the cooler or freezer for a predetermined period of time, the opening of the cooler or freezer door for longer than an allowed time, the loss of functionality of a temperature probe and others. In an embodiment, a service mode is supported wherein the door is left unlocked despite the occurrence of such an event, to allow a stocker or other personnel to leave the cooler or freezer door open while stocking the cooler or freezer with product.