STORAGE UNIT WITH ADJUSTABLY-SIZED COMPARTMENTS AND SMART LOCKER USING SAME

A smart locker storage unit with compartments of adjustable size includes a housing and at least one detachable shelf assembly. The detachable shelf assembly in the housing interior space includes at least one shelf support, a detachable shelf, and at least one shelf lock. The shelf support is secured to the housing. The detachable shelf divides the housing interior space into a plurality of adjustably-sized compartments. The shelf lock is mounted on the shelf support. When the shelf lock is in a locked position, the shelf lock secures the detachable shelf on the shelf support. When the shelf lock is in an unlocked position, the shelf lock allows disengagement of the detachable shelf.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to smart lockers, and more particularly to a storage unit with adjustably-sized compartments and a smart locker using the same.

BACKGROUND

Smart lockers are designed for e-commerce such that customers can collect or deposit goods conveniently after buying or selling goods over the internet. The smart locker includes at least one storage unit and a control console. The storage unit includes a plurality of compartments each having a door. The compartments are configured to store the goods. A control console controls operation of the doors of the storage unit. However, the compartments are fixed in size and any goods that are larger than the compartments may not be stored.

Thus, there is room for improvement within the art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

InFIG. 1, a smart locker10allows customers to collect or deposit goods conveniently after buying or selling goods over the internet. The smart locker10includes at least one storage unit200and a control console100.

InFIG. 2, the storage unit200includes a housing210and at least one detachable shelf assembly220. The housing210defines an interior space216. The detachable shelf assembly220is located in the interior space216. The detachable shelf assembly220includes at least one shelf support226, a detachable shelf224, and at least one shelf lock225. The shelf support226is secured to the housing210. The detachable shelf224is supported by the shelf support226to divide the interior space216of the housing210into a plurality of adjustably-sized compartments222. The compartments222are configured to store the goods. Each compartment222has a door221that can open and close. The shelf lock225is mounted on the shelf support226. When the shelf lock225is in a locked position, the shelf lock225engages the detachable shelf224to retain the detachable shelf224to the shelf support226. When the shelf lock225is in an unlocked position, the shelf lock225releases the detachable shelf224to allow the detachable shelf224to be removed from the shelf support226. Therefore, one or more detachable shelves224may be removed from two or more smaller compartments222to form a larger compartment to store larger-sized goods.

The control console100controls the operation of the doors221of the storage unit200for allowing the customers to take out (collect) goods from the compartments222or to place (deposit) goods into the compartments222. The control console100may include components such as touch screen, scanning device, processor, and wireless communication device. The control console100is conventional and thus will not be described in detail.

In an embodiment, the housing210is substantially cubic and has a top wall211, a bottom wall212, a rear wall215, and a pair of side walls213,214defining the interior space216. The storage unit200further includes a central partition218, at least one fixed shelf230, and a plurality of adjustable feet217. The central partition218is located in the interior space216of the housing210to divide the interior space216into two parts. Typically, the two parts may be equal in size, but they need not be. The fixed shelf230is located in the interior space216to divide the interior space216into a plurality of separate compartments231. The adjustable feet217are mounted on the housing210. The adjustable feet217are independently adjustable to allow levelling of the housing210. Each door221can be locked by a door lock223. The control console100controls the operation of the door locks223to lock or unlock the doors221.

In the present embodiment, the detachable shelf assembly220includes two shelf supports226and two shelf locks225. One shelf support226is secured to one of the side walls213,214of the housing210, and the other shelf support226is secured to the central partition218.FIGS. 3A and 3Bshow that each shelf support226has at least one engaging hole226c. The detachable shelf224has two sides each having at least one downward engaging projection224a. The engaging projections224aof the detachable shelf224can be inserted into the engaging holes226cof the two shelf supports226. One shelf lock225is mounted on each of the two shelf supports226.

InFIG. 4, each shelf lock225includes a body225d, a head225c, an upper locking member225e, a lower locking member225f, and a locking hole225g. The body225dis mounted on the shelf support226. The head225cis attached to a top of the body225d. The upper locking member225eand the lower locking member225fare spaced apart and attached to a peripheral surface of the body225d. The locking hole225gis formed in the head225c. A key (not shown) rotates the upper locking member225eand the lower locking member225fto a first position or a second position such that the shelf lock225is in the locked or unlocked positions. InFIG. 3A, when the shelf locks225are in the locked position, the upper locking member225eand the lower locking member225fare rotated to the first position to engage the detachable shelf224, preventing the detachable shelf224from moving upwardly. InFIG. 3B, when the shelf locks225are in the unlocked position, the upper locking member225eand the lower locking member225fare rotated to the second position to disengage the detachable shelf224, allowing the detachable shelf224to move upwardly.

FIGS. 5A-5Dshow removal steps of the detachable shelf224.

InFIG. 5A, the shelf locks225are in the locked position, so that the detachable shelf224is held on the shelf supports226.

InFIG. 5B, the shelf locks225are rotated to the unlocked position, allowing the detachable shelf224to move upwardly.

InFIG. 5C, the detachable shelf224is moved upwardly and then inclined, so that the detachable shelf224is taken out of the housing210.