Closure for a compartment

Abstract

The invention provides a closures (106) for a compartment (100) having one or more walls (112, 114, 116, 118) and an opening (110) defined by at least one of the walls (112, 114, 116, 118). The closure (106) is associated with at least one fastener located inside the compartment (100). The fastener can hold the closure (106) in a first position (eg. closed) relative to the opening (110). The fastener is adapted to cause the closure (106) to assume a second position (eg. open) relative to the opening (110) upon receipt of a suitable signal. The closure (106) has at least one indicium (108) visible from outside the compartment (110). The indicium (108) is adapted to provide a visual indication of a status of the closure (106) or the compartment (110), such as closure open, closure closed, compartment empty, compartment occupied. Instead of indicium (108) or in addition to it, the closure of the invention can include in the fastener means for communicating to a remote device, a status of the closure or the compartment. The closure and the compartment may form an array with other closures and compartments having similar fasteners. In that event, the fastener in each compartment may be addressable.

Claims

1. A closure for a compartment having one or more walls and an opening defined by at least one of the walls, the closure being associated with at least one fastener located inside the compartment and adapted to hold the closure in a first position relative to the opening, the at least one fastener comprising means for communicating to a remote device information relating to the closure, the compartment or its contents, and the at least one fastener being adapted to cause the closure to assume a second position relative to the opening upon receipt of a suitable signal, wherein the compartment forms an array with other compartments having respective closures and fasteners, the at least one fastener is addressable and the signal is provided external to the compartment and capable of addressing the at least one fastener, the signal being provided using any one of: entry of a code using a keypad; a wireless link; a radio link; induction coupling; infrared, microwave or visible light energy; sound energy; email; voice recognition; a smart card; an ID chip; a biometric scan; optical image recognition; or an RFID scan.

2. The closure of claim 1 wherein the information communicated to the remote device relates to the presence or absence of an item within the compartment.

3. The closure of claim 1, wherein the compartment is a mail box or locker having an internal opening for deposit of mail.

4. The closure of claim 1, having a slot provided at one end of or through the closure.

5. The closure of claim 1, wherein the closure is hinged to the compartment at the opening.

6. The closure of claim 1, wherein in the first position the closure closes the opening.

7. The closure of claim 6, wherein the at least one fastener located inside the compartment is adapted to hold the closure in the first position relative to the opening without input of energy.

8. The closure of claim 1, wherein in the second position the closure permits access to the opening upon receipt of the signal.

9. The closure of claim 1, wherein the closure is adapted to return to the first position from the second position by the application of pressure of the closure against the opening.

10. The closure of claim 1, the closure being associated with two or more fasteners.

11. The closure of claim 1, wherein the at least one fastener is located on the closure.

12. The closure of claim 1, wherein the at least one fastener is located on a wall of the compartment.

13. The closure of claim 1, where there is more than one fastener associated with the closure, but only one fastener is addressable.

14. The closure of claim 1, wherein the at least one fastener is encrypted.

15. The closure of claim 1, wherein the signal is provided by the smart card and the array is linked to a smart card reader for reading the smart card.

16. The closure of claim 15, wherein the smart card reader is configured to deduct a fee each time the smart card is read by the smart card reader.

17. The closure of claim 16, wherein the fee is deducted against a credit on the smart card or from a remote account.

18. The closure of claim 15, wherein the smart card is adapted to open another closure and/or to operate as a credit card.

19. The closure of claim 1, wherein in the array the fasteners are connected in series.

20. The closure of claim 1, wherein in the array each fastener is addressable on an individual basis or as part of a group.

21. The closure of claim 1, wherein the information is an identifying indicia of at least part of the contents and the remote device is a courier computer.

22. The closure of claim 21 wherein the identifying indicia is chosen from a radio frequency identification tag and a bar code.

Description

SUMMARY OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will now be described in connection with certain non-limiting examples described in the attached drawings. In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 shows in side view a simple form of a first embodiment of a fastener useful in association with the closure of the invention, in fixed configuration;

(3) FIG. 2 shows the fastener of FIG. 1 in the released configuration;

(4) FIG. 3 shows the embodiment of FIG. 1 in rear view;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of a fastener in linear form;

(6) FIG. 5 is a side view of a third embodiment of a fastener;

(7) FIG. 6 is an enlarged form of the embodiment in FIG. 5;

(8) FIG. 7 is a rear view of the embodiment of FIG. 6;

(9) FIG. 8 is a front view of the embodiment of FIG. 6;

(10) FIG. 9 is a top view of the embodiment of FIG. 6;

(11) FIG. 10 is a sectional view along the lines A-A of FIG. 8;

(12) FIG. 11 is a sectional view along the lines B-B of FIG. 8;

(13) FIG. 12 shows in reduced form the embodiment of FIGS. 13-18;

(14) FIG. 13 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 12, designed for intelligent use;

(15) FIG. 14 is a top view of the embodiment in FIG. 12;

(16) FIG. 15 is a bottom view of the embodiment in FIG. 12;

(17) FIG. 16 is a front view of the embodiment of FIG. 12;

(18) FIG. 17 is a sectional view taken along the lines A-A of FIG. 16;

(19) FIG. 18 is a sectional view taken along the lines B-B of FIG. 16;

(20) FIG. 19 shows an embodiment of an array of mail boxes capable of being operated by use of a smart card;

(21) FIG. 20 shows the mail boxes of FIG. 19 with one of the mail boxes indicating visually a status of the closure and also illustrating communication with two remote devices; and

(22) FIG. 21 is a similar view to that in FIG. 20 but illustrating a visual indication of different status and a different communication to those in FIG. 20.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(23) Referring first to FIGS. 1 to 3, the fastener indicated generally at 10 is principally made of suitable deformable material in shank 12 and hook 14. Titanium/nickel shaped memory wire 16 connects the top of hook 14 with base 18. Base 18 is shown mounted in an appropriate recess 20 retaining fastener 10 in position. Base 18 has terminals 22 and 24 connected to an electric power supply (not shown). Wire 14 may be suitably insulated to improve performance (insulation not shown).

(24) Fastener 10 takes the form of an overhang clip which, in FIG. 1, is shown in the first position engaging clip 26 being formed integrally with element 28, base 18 of overhang clip 10 being restrained by the shape of recess 20 in another element 30.

(25) In FIG. 2, wire 16 has been heated by the application of power via terminals 22 and 24 in base 18. Wire 16 has contracted, causing hook 14 to be drawn away from contact with hook 26. The separation between hook 14 and hook 26 is somewhat exaggerated in FIG. 2 for convenience of illustration. If wire 16 is permitted to cool, for example by suitable reduction in power being applied via terminals 22 and 24, overhang hook 10 can return to the state shown in FIG. 1 and re-engage hook 26.

(26) Turning now to FIG. 4, parts which are similar to those in FIGS. 1 to 3 carry the same numerals. In this embodiment, linear overhang hook 40 has shank 12, hook 14 and base 18. Shape memory wire (not shown) is integrated with overhang hook 40. Also included are positive and negative buses 42 and 44, connecting by metal wire lashing 46. Overhang hook 40 is especially suitable for providing a continuous form of fastener

(27) Turning now to the embodiment in FIGS. 5 to 11, once again, the same numerals will be used for similar parts as in the embodiment in FIGS. 1 to 3. Except for base 32, overhang fastener 50 is very similar to that in FIGS. 1 to 3. No shape memory wire is shown in the embodiment in FIGS. 5 to 11 but of course it is included. As may be seen from FIGS. 9 and 10, vertical holes 34 are included in base 32. Base 32 also includes horizontal cavity 36. The purpose of holes 34 and cavity 36 is to accommodate screws.

(28) With reference now to FIGS. 12 to 18, overhang fastener 60 has shank 12 and hook 14, similarly to previous embodiments. However, base 62, which contains cut outs 64 either side of bridge 66 (refer FIG. 15) includes cavity 68 designed to receive a microprocessor or connect to a circuit board so that fastener 60 can be addressable. A reduced scale version of fastener 60 is shown in FIG. 12.

(29) Turning now to FIG. 19, this shows a number of mail boxes 100 set out in a rectangular array. Each mail box 100 has a letter slot 102 and an area 104 on closure 106 for insertion of detail such as the number of the box or the name of the owner, etc. Closure 106 also includes LED 108 for indicating status of closure 106 or the compartment within. The compartment has an opening 110, of which letter slot 102 forms part. Opening 110 is defined by compartment walls 112, 114, 116 and 118. The compartment may also be defined by a rear wall (not visible in FIG. 19).

(30) Card reader 120 is mounted on side wall 122 of the array of mail boxes 100. When a user 126 passes smart card 124 in front of card reader 120, card reader 120 reads information stored on smart card 124 and, if appropriate, addresses the fastener or fasteners (not shown) in the appropriate mail box. In this embodiment, it will be assumed that the appropriate mail box is 100A. Card reader 120 then causes an electrical current to be passed through a multi-drop communications and power feed bus connecting all the mail boxes 100. The fastener or fasteners on mail box 100A are addressed, sufficient current is applied to cause shape memory alloy in the fastener or fasteners to contract causing the fastener or fasteners to release and closure 106 to open.

(31) LED 108 may be unlit to show that closure 106 is properly closing opening 110 on mail box 100. Alternately, LED 108 may be assigned a particular colour, such as green, when in this situation. In the case of mail box 100A, once the fastener has caused the closure to open, LED 108, connected to the fastener or fasteners, may emit a red colour to indicate that the status of mail box 100A is open.

(32) It should also be mentioned that LED 108 may emit a different colour, such as blue, to indicate that there is mail within mail box 100.

(33) Smart card 124 is shown having an endorsement 128 as to a particular amount of currency. If the array of mail boxes 100 represents private mail boxes operated by a private enterprise for profit, a user may be assigned a particular mail box 100 (such as mail box 100A) and be given smart card 124 upon payment of the appropriate fee (in this case, $25.00). Smart card 124 may be programmed to expire after a particular period or once a particular date is reached. Alternately, smart card 124 may be configured so that a small fee is deducted from smart card 124 each time it is read by card reader 120. The fee may be deducted against a credit on smart card 124 or from an authorised bank account. More frequent operation of mail box 100A will use up the credit on smart card 124 more quickly. If LED 108 shows whether the compartment in mail box 100A is empty or not, unnecessary opening of mail box 100A is eliminated, thus maximising the value to be obtained from smart card 124.

(34) Smart card 124 may have multiple uses. For example, it may be programmed to open the door of a condominium, or it may also operate as a credit card.

(35) With reference now to FIG. 20, where the same numerals as in FIG. 19 are used for the same parts, mail box 100B is shown with crowbar 130 inserted so as to force open closure 106. LED 108 is emitting a chosen colour, such as red, to indicate that tampering has taken place or merely that closure 106 is in the open status. At the same time, a message has been transmitted to either or both computer 132 and mobile phone 134. The signal can be sent from mail box 100B using known technology. It may be received on computer 132 via email and on mobile phone 134 via a text message. In the case of computer 132, the email is shown in display 136. In the case of mobile phone 134, the text message is shown in display 138.

(36) In FIG. 21, the same numerals are used as in the case of FIGS. 19 and 20. In FIG. 21, mail 140 is inserted in letter slot 102, a fastener (not shown) within mail box 100B or some other means senses the presence of mail 140 and causes LED 108 to emit a chosen colour, such as blue. At the same time, LED 108 transmits a message by email to computer 132 or by a text message to mobile phone 134. Computer 132 displays the message that mail has been received on display 136. Mobile phone 134 displays a similar message on display 138.

(37) If mail 140 carries a suitable readable tag, such as a radio frequency identification tag the nature of that mail may be messaged to computer 132 and/or mobile phone 134, as appropriate. Computer 132 may of course be a hand-held computer carried by a courier, so that the courier can receive acknowledgment of the delivery of the mail.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

(38) The invention in its various aspects can greatly improve efficiency and lower costs in relation to compartments, especially mail boxes and lockers. The invention can save unnecessary labour, it can save time and it can enable economic benefits in the operation of commercial mail boxes and lockers.

(39) It will be apparent that many other versions of the invention may be devised and are within the scope of this disclosure, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.