Abstract:
There is provided a pay station apparatus for parking comprising an enclosure having a plurality of sides, means for controlling operation of the pay station, means for selecting a payment configured with the means for controlling and the enclosure, means for accepting the payment configured with the means for controlling and the enclosure, and a first energy absorbing side panel connected with at least one of the sides of the enclosure.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of the previously filed U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/747,120, filed by Gary Arthur Catt on May 12, 2006. 
     
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a pay station, e.g. a pay station to pay for parking, and more particularly to the enclosure of the pay station. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Conventional pay stations for parking are used for on-street and off-street parking, and therefore are in close proximity to the movement of vehicles and susceptible to damage from collision. An enclosure of the pay station is typically made from metal. Peripheral devices and electronics used in the pay station are typically secured with the enclosure. Any shock or vibration resulting from such a collision is instantly transferred to the peripheral devices possibly resulting in irreparable damage. 
         [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,929,179, issued Aug. 16, 2005 to Fulcher et al., discloses an automated fee collecting and parking ticket dispensing machine having a protective housing ( 4 ) on top of a pedestal ( 60 ). The protective housing ( 4 ) encloses peripheral devices such as a bill acceptor ( 18 ) and a coin acceptor ( 68 ). 
         [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,029,167, issued Apr. 18, 2006 to Frederick L. Mitschele, discloses a parking meter which includes a microcontroller and a timer coupled with a microcontroller. A mechanism for accepting payment by coin, credit card or both is coupled with the microcontroller for accepting payment for use of an associated parking space. The microcontroller initiates the timer for a prepaid parking interval upon receiving a signal from the payment acceptance mechanism. A vehicle detector is coupled with the microcontroller for detecting the presence or absence of a vehicle in the associated parking space. The microcontroller initiates an interrogation station to direct an interrogation signal at the associated parking space in the area of the parking space where the license plate of a parked vehicle is located upon determining the existence of a parking violation. 
         [0008]    It is a disadvantage of these conventional pay stations that a collision with a vehicle can damage the pay station housing directly, and any shock resulting therefrom is directly transferred to peripheral devices resulting in irreparable damage. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
       [0009]    In one aspect of the present invention there is provided a pay station apparatus for parking comprising an enclosure having a plurality of sides, means for controlling operation of the pay station, means for selecting a payment configured with the means for controlling and the enclosure, means for accepting the payment configured with the means for controlling and the enclosure, and a first energy absorbing side panel connected with at least one of the sides of the enclosure. 
         [0010]    In another aspect of the present invention, the energy absorbing side panel has signage thereon. 
         [0011]    In yet another aspect of the present invention, the energy absorbing side panel protects the pay station from leaks by providing drainage. 
         [0012]    It is an advantage of the present invention that energy from a collision with a vehicle is absorbed by the side panels which therefore protects the enclosure and peripheral devices of the pay station. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0013]    The invention will be more readily understood from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof given, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0014]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a pay station according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of the pay station of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a rear perspective view of the pay station of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a front elevational view of the pay station of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0018]    Referring to the figures and first to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a pay station indicated generally by reference numeral  10  comprising an enclosure  12 . The pay station  10  in one embodiment is used for paying for parking and can be located near a street for on street parking, or can be located off street in a parkade, however, other locations for the pay station are possible. The enclosure  12  has a front side  14 , a back side  16  (see  FIG. 3 ), a top side  18 , a bottom side  20  and opposing left and right sides  22  and  23  respectively. 
         [0019]    The front side  14  of the pay station  10  is pivotally connected with the left side  22  by hinges (not shown) and acts as door. There is a lock  24  on bevelled edge  26  for selectively securing the pivotally connected front side  14  with the right side  23  of the enclosure  12 . The lock  24  is an electronic lock which is activated by an RF transmitter, e.g. an RFID transmitter, and has a mechanical failsafe for emergency use. 
         [0020]    The front side  14  of the enclosure  12  has a recessed surface  28  upon which peripheral devices indicated generally by reference numeral  30 , which are described in more detail below, are exposed. There is also a slot  32  for dispensing items, e.g. permits, change, to a user operating the pay station  10 . 
         [0021]    There is a solar panel  34  on the top side  18  of the enclosure  12  for generating electric power for charging a battery (not shown) and operating the pay station  10 . In geographic locations where solar panels are not useable due to environmental conditions, the solar panel  34  can be omitted. 
         [0022]    There are detachable side panels  36  and  38  each connected with left and right sides  22  and  23  respectively of the pay station  10 . The side panels  36  and  38  have bolts  42  which are received by respective holes  44  in the left and right sides  22  and  23  respectively, and which are then secured by nuts. Alternatively, the side panels can have blind nuts buried therein and bolts can extend from the left and right sides  22  and  23  respectively to secure the panels to the enclosure  12 . 
         [0023]    The side panels  36  and  38  are energy absorbing side panels and serve to protect the pay station  10 , and more particularly the enclosure  12  and peripheral devices  26 , from impact during a collision with a car, for example. In other embodiments there can be other energy absorbing side panels connected with other sides of the pay station  10 , for example the back side  16 . 
         [0024]    The side panels are made from an energy absorbing material such as, but not limited to, shock absorbing concrete or rubber. The concrete can comprise fibreglass for reinforcement. The energy from the impact of a collision with an object is substantially absorbed by the side panels, thus protecting the enclosure  12  and peripheral devices  30 . 
         [0025]    There is a gap  40  between the front side  14  and the right side  23 , as best seen in  FIG. 1 , and a corresponding gap between the front side  14  and the left side  22 . The side panels  36  and  38  cover respective gaps when they are connected with the respective sides of the enclosure  12 . This provides an additional level of security against an intruder trying to gain forced access to the inside of the enclosure  12  by prying open the front side  14 . 
         [0026]    Additionally, the side panels  36  and  38  provide added protection to their respective sides  22  and  23  by fortifying against intrusion attacks such as arc welding, drilling and other forced entry methods. 
         [0027]    As a further advantage of the side panels  36  and  38 , they help protect the pay station  10  against leaking by improving the drainage around the enclosure  12 . Furthermore, the side panels  36  and  38  are made from a non-corrosive material as described above. 
         [0028]    The side panels  36  and  38  conveniently provide the ability to impress logos and signage  46  on the outer surface thereof, which is an aide for people to recognize where the pay station is located. A mold which is used to form the side panels  36  and  38  can be embossed with the desired signage  46 . 
         [0029]    The paystation  10  is secured to an under surface, e.g. a sidewalk or parkade floor, by anchoring the enclosure  12  to anchor bolts (not shown) which are secured in the under surface. The anchor bolts can be secured to the under surface by digging a hole therein, adding the anchor bolts and filling the hole with concrete. The anchor bolts can then protrude through holes (not shown) in the bottom side  20  of the enclosure  12 , where they are fastened by nuts inside the enclosure. 
         [0030]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , the peripheral devices  30  include a bill acceptor  48 , a card reader  50 , a display  52 , quick pick push buttons  54 , a coin acceptor  56 , a keypad  58 , a button  60  for canceling transactions, a head phone jack  62  and a pushbutton  64  for requesting audio prompts. In some embodiments, the pay station  10  can include a modem and antenna for wireless communications. In other embodiments, the pay station  10  can include a camera for video communications with the surrounding environment. The media data of the web cam can be stored locally, or can be transmitted to a remote location. 
         [0031]    There is also a controller (not shown) inside the enclosure  12  and connected with the peripheral devices  30  for controlling the operation of the peripheral devices  30  and therefore operation of the pay station  10 . In addition, there are other conventional items found in pay stations like a coin hopper, a ticket or permit printing device and a power supply. 
         [0032]    The display  40 , the quick pick push buttons  42 , the keypad  46  and the controller enable a user to select a desired payment. The bill acceptor  36 , the card reader  38 , the coin acceptor  44  and the controller enable a user to make the desired payment. The card reader  38  can be configured to accept credit cards, smart cards and magnetic cards. 
         [0033]    As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, modifications can be made to the above-described invention within the scope of the appended claims.