Illuminated cash drawer

An illuminated cash drawer with the illumination mounted on the inside surface of the top of the case in which the drawer is located.

This invention pertains to an illuminated cash drawer with the illumination mounted on the inside surface of the top of the case in which the drawer is located.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS

Cash drawers are frequently used in environments where lighting is kept dim such as in some types of restaurants, bars, and entertainment venues in the hospitality industry. Therefore, it is advantageous to provide illumination in a cash drawer when it is open. In use, cash drawers are located in cases into which they fit and in which they can be locked. A case may be stand alone or may fit into a larger component such as a cash register.

FIGS. 1A and 1Billustrate an example of a cash drawer20in a case40.FIG. 1Ashows an exploded view of the case40, cash drawer20and upper tray25a, andFIG. 1Bshows the closed drawer20in the case40.FIG. 2illustrates a bottom front perspective view of case40with cash drawer20removed, showing an LED light strip44mounted on the inside surface of the top41of case40, adjacent to and parallel to a front edge43of the top41. The LED light strip44is held in place by mounts45aand45b. Wiring46electrically connects the LED light strip44to a remainder of the electrical circuit inside the rear of case40. Partitions in the top cash tray25aare lower than the front21of the cash drawer20to allow clearance past the LED light strip44when the cash drawer20is being opened or closed.

The illumination source is not limited to the LED light strip44, but can be other means for providing illumination known in the art such as incandescent light bulbs. In the illustrated example, the mounts45aand45bare integral with respective parts of the metal case40, but other means for mounting the illumination source can be used as is known in the art. For example, various types of clips can be fastened to the case40, or a socket for the illumination source can be screwed, bolted, or welded to the case40, or such a socket can be integral with the case40.

In the illustrated example, the front21of the cash drawer20includes a key-operated lock22. In the example ofFIGS. 3A and 3B, the top cash tray25ais removed from the cash drawer20, and a rod23is seen in phantom underneath part of bottom cash tray25b. Rod23extends through the cash drawer20underneath the cash trays25aand25bfrom the lock22through the rear24of the cash drawer20. The rod23extends out of the rear24and terminates with a hook or a bent peripheral end23a. Rod23rotates when a key is able to turn in the lock22, and the peripheral end23areleases a latch mechanism (not shown) inside the rear of case40that frees latch bolt25and allows the cash drawer20to slide outwardly. Pushing the cash drawer20all the way back into the case40resets the latch mechanism locking the cash drawer20in the case40.

FIGS. 6A and 6Bare schematic representations of parts of an exemplary latch mechanism.FIG. 6Ais a top view of piece51that is flat and shaped with a notch53at one end and a cam54at the other end. It can rotate about a pivot point52.FIG. 6Bis a front view of piece55that is U-shaped and can move laterally as indicated by the arrows. Piece55is connected by a spring to a post extending up from piece51. When the cash drawer20is closed in case40, latch bolt25engages the notch53and bent peripheral end23aof rod23fits in piece55.

One way to open cash drawer20is when a key is able to turn in lock22. In that case, rod23rotates and peripheral end23apushes piece55laterally, causing piece51to rotate about pivot point52from an initial point of stability to an alternate point of stability determined by cam54. The rotation releases latch bolt25, and the cash drawer20is allowed to slide outwardly. When the cash drawer20is pushed all the way back into the case40, latch bolt25fits into notch53causing piece51to rotate back to the initial point of stability, pulling piece55laterally back to its initial position.

An alternative way to open cash drawer20is when solenoid56is powered, pulling piece55laterally and again causing piece51to rotate and release latch bolt25. For example, solenoid56can be powered from a receipt printer with a signal transmitted through an RJ Series connector jack50mounted in a rear48of case40as shown inFIG. 5.

Other means for locking the cash drawer in the case can be used as is known in the art.

In the illustrated example, a mechanical micro-switch46is part of the latch mechanism, and is electrically part of the circuit for connecting power to the illumination source. The switch46is electrically closed when piece55moves laterally and the latch mechanism is released, and is electrically opened when the latch mechanism is reset. Other means for automatically connecting power to the illumination source when the cash drawer is open and disconnecting power from the illumination source when the cash drawer is locked in the case include, for example, a magnetic reed switch, electronic switching using a micro-processor, and various mechanical, magnetic, optical and infrared switching known in the art.

In the example illustrated inFIG. 4, there also is a separate on-off switch47in the circuit for manual deactivation of the LED light strip44. In the illustrated example, the separate on-off switch47is a mechanical rocker switch mounted in the rear48of the case40, as seen inFIG. 5. Other means for manually deactivating the circuit include various switches known in the art.

In the illustrated example, LED light strip44is rated for an input voltage of 12VDC and total power of 3 W. The power for the LED light strip44is supplied through a DC power jack49mounted in the rear48of the case40seen inFIG. 5. Other means for supplying power to the illumination source circuit can be used such as a battery, wall power in conjunction with a transformer and rectifier that are included in the illumination source circuit, or wall power in conjunction with other circuitry that is tailored to the power requirements of the particular illumination source.

In the example illustrated inFIG. 5, an RJ Series connector jack50also is mounted in the rear48of the case40for connections to other devices. As mentioned above, this can be used for connection with a receipt printer to power solenoid56. It also could be used for other purposes and, in other embodiments, there could be other types of connectors or no other connectors.