Abstract:
A cash box ( 1 ) used for storing cashes and provided with a self-locking mechanism comprises a box body ( 11 ), a box door ( 12 ) and a box door self-locking mechanism. The cashbox ( 1 ) is arranged on a cashbox bracket ( 3 ). The box door self-locking mechanism comprises a lock ( 21 ) for locking the box door ( 12 ) and a door switch structure ( 22 ) which is fixed on the cashbox bracket ( 3 ) and used for opening or closing the box door ( 12 ). The lock ( 21 ) comprises a movable lock tongue ( 211 ) connected with the box door ( 12 ) and a lock cylinder ( 212 ) which is fixed on one wall of the box body ( 11 ) and movably buckled with the movable lock tongue ( 211 ). A triggering element which acts on the door switch structure is arranged on the box door ( 12 ) which is opened by the door switch structure when the box body ( 11 ) is pushed into the cashbox bracket ( 3 ) and which is locked by the door switch structure when the box body ( 11 ) is drawn out of the cashbox bracket ( 3 ). The cashbox has self-locking function while being forcedly dismantled and ensures the safety of articles inside the box while being displaced and transported.

Description:
The present application is the national phase of International Application No. PCT/CN2010/075347, titled “CASH BOX PROVIDED WITH SELF-LOCKING MECHANISM”, filed on Jul. 21, 2010, which claims the benefit of priority to Chinese patent application No. 200910164766.2 titled “CASH BOX PROVIDED WITH SELF-LOCKING MECHANISM”, filed with the Chinese State Intellectual Property Office on Jul. 22, 2009. The entire disclosure thereof is incorporated herein by reference. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a storage cabinet, more particular, to a storage cabinet for storing cash which has a self-locking mechanism. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     As the self-help financial instrument is widely used, the circulation amount of cash is increased in the self-help financial instrument, especially in the self-help cash deposit service equipment. In circulation of cash, how to ensure the safety of these instruments and cash becomes a problem to be considered and resolved by all of the service providers. How to allow the cash in the self-help equipment to be circulated safer and more convenient is always a problem being studied. 
     The cashbox is required to be in an open state when the self-help equipment is in a normal service, so as to ensure that the cash to be deposited is normally received therein. When the cashbox which is full of money is required to be maintained or replaced, it becomes an urgent problem to be solved to maintain the cashbox being in self-locked state without manual operation so that the operator is absolutely isolated from the cash in the cashbox, thereby ensuring the safety of the cash. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the present invention is to provide a cashbox having a self-locking mechanism, in particular, a cashbox which may automatically lock the door of the cashbox by cooperating with a door switch structure when taking out the cashbox. 
     The present invention provides a cashbox having a self-locking mechanism, being installed to a cashbox bracket in a cash service equipment, comprises a box body, a box door and a box door self-locking mechanism. The box door self-locking mechanism comprises a locking device for locking the box door and a door switch structure for opening or closing the box door. The locking device comprises a movable locking tongue fixed in an inner side of the box door and a lock cylinder fixed on an inner side wall of the box body and being buckled with the movable locking tongue. The box door is provided with a triggering member cooperated with the door switch structure. The door switch structure opens the box door when the box body is pushed into the cashbox bracket, and locks the box door when the box body is drawn out from the cashbox bracket, by being engaged with the triggering member. 
     Further, the locking device further comprises an elastic element, one end of the elastic element is fixed on an inner side wall of the box door, and the other end of the elastic element hooks the movable locking tongue to impart a driving force to the movable locking tongue such that the movable locking tongue is buckled with the lock cylinder. 
     Preferably, the elastic element is a spring. 
     Preferably, the movable locking tongue comprises a guiding inclined surface, a recess disposed in the guiding inclined surface and a pivot disposed at one end of the movable locking tongue about which the movable locking tongue is rotatable in a certain angle range. The lock cylinder comprises a projecting piece corresponding to the recess, the projecting piece is configured to engaged in the recess when the box door is closed and disengaged from the recess with rotation of the lock cylinder when the lock cylinder is rotated by a key. 
     Further, the door switch structure comprises a movable plate installed to the cashbox bracket. The movable plate comprises a second recess configured to selectively engage with the triggering member. When the box body is pushed into the cashbox bracket and the triggering member contacts with the second recess, the second recess is engaged with the triggering member so as to prevent the box door from being continuously pushed into along with the box body. When the box body is drawn out from the cashbox bracket until the box body is integrated with the box door and the box door is automatically locked, the triggering member is disengaged from the second recess such that the box door is drawn out from the cashbox bracket along with the box body. 
     Further, the movable plate comprises a guiding groove, the cashbox bracket is provided with a guiding column, and the movable plate is hung on the guiding column through the guiding groove. The movable plate is rotatable around the guiding column in a certain angle range, and is movable forwardly and backwardly along a lengthwise direction of the guiding groove within a range defined by the engagement between the guiding column and the guiding groove. 
     Still further, the door switch structure further comprises a second elastic element and a guiding element. One end of the second elastic element is fixed to the cashbox bracket, and the other end of the second elastic element hooks a first end of the movable plate, so as to impart an oblique and upward tension force to the movable plate to drive the movable plate to rotate in a clockwise direction. The guiding element is fixed to the cashbox bracket and contacts with a second end of the movable plate to limit the movable plate rotating in the clockwise direction. 
     Preferably, the second end of the movable plate is provided with a guiding inclined surface cooperated with the guiding element, the engagement between the guiding inclined surface and the guiding element allows the triggering member engaged in the second recess to be disengaged from the second recess. 
     Preferably, the second elastic element is a spring. 
     Preferably, the door switch structure comprises a magnetic element fixed to the cashbox bracket at a predetermined position. When the cashbox is pushed into the cashbox bracket and the cashbox passes through the magnetic element, the triggering member is attracted by the magnetic element so as to fix the box door and prevent the box door from being pushed into the box body bracket along with the box body, such that the box door is opened. When the cashbox is drawn out from the cashbox bracket and the box body passes through the magnetic element, the box body and the box door are integrated together, such that the box door is closed and self-locked. 
     The embodiments of the present invention have the following advantages. 
     Since the cashbox includes the self-locking mechanism, the operator cannot directly access the cash in the cashbox unless he or she has a proper unlocking tool, which further ensures the safety of cash. Besides, the cashbox may be separately taken out from a cash service equipment as an closed storage container having a locking function for replacement and transportation. The problem that the operator for operating and maintaining the automatic deposit machine and the ticket vendor may violate relating rules and regulations to access the cash may be solved. The present invention may be widely used for collecting and transporting cash and notes in financial institution. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a cashbox having a self-locking mechanism when being installed to a cashbox bracket; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the cashbox having the self-locking mechanism; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic structural sectional view of the cashbox having the self-locking mechanism when being installed to the cashbox bracket; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic structural top view of the cashbox having the self-locking mechanism in a state that a box door is opened, in which a portion of the cashbox bracket is shown and the box door is partially cut out; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic view of an operation of the locking device in the self-locking mechanism immediately before the box door is fully closed, particularly showing a state that a movable locking tongue is lifted up by a projecting piece of a lock cylinder along a guiding inclined surface and the movable locking tongue is about to rotate in a clockwise direction under a spring tension force so as to allow a recess to engage with the projecting piece; 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic view of the locking device in the self-locking mechanism in a locked state, i.e., the recess of the movable locking tongue being engaged with the projecting piece of the lock cylinder; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective structural view of the locking device in the self-locking mechanism, particularly showing that the locking device is in an unlock state, i.e., the projecting piece is disengaged from the recess of the movable locking tongue with rotation of the lock cylinder; 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic view of a door switch structure in an initial state, showing a state that a triggering member of the box door initially contacts with a guiding inclined surface of a movable plate of the door switch structure when the cashbox is pushed into the cashbox bracket; 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic view showing a state when a triggering folded edge of the cashbox door slides to a edge of the recess of the movable plate along the guiding inclined surface of the movable plate of the door switch structure; 
         FIG. 10  is a schematic view showing a state that the recess of the door switch structure is engaged with the triggering folded edge of the cashbox door so as to fix and open the box door while the box body continuously slides to open the box door; 
         FIG. 11  is a schematic view showing a state that the recess of the door switch structure is continuously engaged with the triggering folded edge of the box door so as to fix the box door while the box body is drawn out and then is integrated with the box door to be closed, when the cashbox is drawn from the cashbox bracket; 
         FIG. 12  is a schematic view showing a state that the triggering folded edge of the box door is disengaged from the recess of the door switch structure and is drawn out from the cashbox bracket along with the box body after the box door is closed and locked, particularly showing the principle that the triggering folded edge is disengaged with the recess; and 
         FIG. 13  is a schematic sectional structural view of the cashbox having a self-locking mechanism according to another embodiment of the present invention when being installed to the cashbox bracket, particularly showing that the door switch structure thereof mainly includes a magnetic element. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Hereinafter, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be described clearly and completely with reference to the accompanying drawings in the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of embodiments of the present invention, rather than all of embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present invention, all of other embodiments achieved by the skilled in the art without making inventive efforts fall into the protection scope of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a cashbox  1  having a self-locking mechanism according to the present invention includes a box body  11 , a box door  12  and a box door self-locking mechanism. The cashbox  1  is mounted to a cashbox bracket  3 . The box door self-locking mechanism includes a locking device  21  for locking the box door  12  and a door switch structure  22  disposed on the cashbox bracket  3  and acting on the box door  12 . The door switch structure  22  may open and maintain the box door  12  into an operating state when the box body  11  is pushed into the cashbox bracket  3 , and may close the box door  12  when the box body  11  is drawn out from the cashbox bracket  3 . When the box door  12  is closed, the locking device  21  may automatically lock the box door  12 . Besides, in order to be easily operated, the cashbox  1  is provided with a handle  13 . Thus, the cashbox  1  may be pushed into or drawn out from the bracket  3  by holding the handle  13 , so as to be easily operated. Besides, in order to assemble or disassemble the cashbox  1  from the cashbox bracket  3 , the cashbox  1  is provided with rails  14 , and the cashbox bracket  3  is provided with guide grooves  30  engaged with the rails  14 . Alternatively, the cashbox  1  may be provided with guide grooves, and the cashbox bracket  3  may be provided with rails, as long as the cashbox  1  may be easily pushed into and drawn out from the cashbox bracket  3 . 
     The specific structures of the locking device  21  and the door switch structure  22  for the box door will be described in detail below. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 to 7 , the locking device  21  includes a movable locking tongue  211  disposed in the inner side of the box door  12 , and a lock cylinder  212  fixed on an inner wall of the box body  11  and buckled with the movable locking tongue  211 . The movable locking tongue  211  has a guiding inclined surface  2111 , a recess  2112  disposed in the guiding inclined surface  2111 , and a pivot  2113  located at one end of the movable locking tongue  211 . The movable locking tongue  211  may be rotated about the pivot  2113 . The movable locking tongue  211  is connected with a spring  213  near the pivot  2113 . One end of the spring  213  is fixed to the inner wall of the box door  12 , and the other end thereof hooks the movable locking tongue  211 . The spring  213  imparts a downward tension force to the movable locking tongue  211  ( FIG. 5 ) so as to drive the movable locking tongue  211  to rotate in a clockwise direction ( FIG. 7 ), thus maintaining the relative position between the locking tongue  211  and the lock cylinder  212 . In addition, the lock cylinder  212  has a projecting piece  2121  corresponding to the recess  2112 . The projecting piece  2121  is engaged into the recess  2112  when the box door  12  is closed, so as to lock the box door  12 . When the lock cylinder  212  is rotated by a key, the projecting piece  2121  may be disengaged with the recess  2112  along with the rotation of the lock cylinder  212 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 12 , the door switch structure  22  includes a movable plate  221  installed to the bracket  3  and a diagonal tensile spring  222 . One end of the diagonal tensile spring  222  is fixed to the cashbox bracket  3 , and the other end thereof hooks the one end of the movable plate  221  so as to impart an oblique and upward tension force to the movable plate. The movable plate  221  has a guiding groove  2214 , and the cashbox bracket  3  is provided with a guiding column  32 . The movable plate  221  is hung on the guiding column  32  through the guiding groove  2214 , and the movable plate  221  may rotates about the guiding column  32  within a certain angle range, and may also move leftward and rightward in a length range defined by the engagement between the guiding column  32  and the guiding groove  2214  in V 2  direction shown in  FIG. 12 , i.e., move forward and backward in a lengthwise direction of the guiding groove  2214 . Specifically, when the movable plate  221  is in an initial state, the guiding column  32  may act as a fulcrum and one end of the movable plate  221  is hooked by the diagonal tensile spring  222 , such that the movable plate  221  subjects to an oblique and upward tension force T which may be decomposed into a horizontal left force t 1  and a vertical upward force t 2  as shown in  FIG. 8 . The horizontal left force t 1  tends to force the movable plate  221  to move left, and thus, one end of the guiding groove  2214  of the movable plate  221  which is far away from the spring  222  contacts with the guiding column  32 , and the guiding column  32  imparts a horizontal right resistance force to the movable plate  221  through the guiding groove  2214  so as to balance the tension force t 1 , so that the movable plate  221  is maintained in a force balance state and thus is stationary. The vertical upward force t 2  tends to force the movable plate to rotate in the clockwise direction. However, the end of the movable plate  221  which is away from the spring  222  has a guiding inclined surface  2212  having a flat portion at the end thereof. The transition corner between the guiding inclined surface  2212  and the flat portion contacts with a guiding wheel  31  disposed on the cashbox bracket  3 , which stops the clockwise rotation of the movable plate  221  so as to keep the movable plate  221  stationary. The guiding inclined surface  2212  is further provided with a recess  2211 . The recess  2211  may engage with a triggering folded edge  121  disposed on the box door  12 . When the movable plate  221  engages with the triggering folded edge  121  of the box door  12 , the box door  12  is opened or closed. 
     Hereinafter, it will further describe the closing or opening operation of the box door  12  performed by the door switch structure  22  of the cashbox self-locking mechanism with reference to figures. 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , when the empty cashbox  1  is pushed into the cashbox bracket  3  while the locking device  21  is in an unlock state, the box door  12 , together with the box body  11 , is pushed into the cashbox bracket  3  due to a static friction force between the box door  12  and the box body  11 , as the box body  11  is pushed into the cashbox bracket  3 . The triggering folded edge  121  firstly abuts against the guiding inclined surface  2212  of the movable plate  221 . As the box body  11  is continuously pushed into the cashbox bracket  3  under a force F ( FIG. 8 ), the movable plate  221  is imparted a force f with the same direction as the force F by the triggering folded edge  121 . The force f acts on the guiding inclined surface  2212 , and is decomposed into a horizontal left force f 1  and a vertical upward force f 2  as shown in  FIG. 8  by the guiding inclined surface  2212 . Since the force F pushing the cashbox  1  into the cashbox bracket  3  applied by an operator is large enough, the vertical upward force f 2  is also large enough and thus may overcome the tension force t 2  of the diagonal tensile spring  222 , so that the movable plate  221  is rotated about the guiding column  32  in the counterclockwise direction. Thus, one end of the guiding inclined surface  2212  is lifted up by a certain distance and does not contact with the guiding wheel  31 . At the same time, the end of the movable plate  221  hooked by the spring  222  is moved downwardly, so that the spring  222  is further stretched, and thus the tension force T is increased. As the cashbox  1  is continuously pushed into the cashbox bracket  3 , that is, the box body  11  is continuously moved leftward in the horizontal direction as shown in  FIG. 8 , and the triggering folded edge  121  on the box door  12  abuts against the guiding inclined surface  2212  and continuously moves leftward in the horizontal direction relative to the guiding inclined surface  2212 . In this state, the vertical upward force f 2  imparted to the movable plate  221  continuously forces the movable plate  221  to rotate in the counterclockwise direction. In this way, the end of the guiding inclined surface  2212  is lifted to a higher level, while the end of the movable plate  221  hooked by the spring  222  is moved downwardly by a larger distance. Thus, the spring  222  is stretched longer, and the tension force t 2  which may limit the counterclockwise rotation of the movable plate  221 , i.e. may force the movable plate  221  to move in the clockwise direction, is larger. 
     As shown in  FIG. 9 , the triggering folded edge  121  of the box door  12  continuously moves leftward in the horizontal direction relative to the guiding inclined surface  2212  until it contacts with an edge of the recess  2211  in the guiding inclined surface  2212 . In this state, if the box door  12 , together with the box body  11 , is continuously pushed as the box body  11  is continuously pushed, the triggering folded edge  121  will move across the edge of the recess  2211 . At the moment when the triggering folded edge  121  moves across the edge of the recess  2211 , since the object abutting against the triggering folded edge  121  suddenly disappears, the force f will suddenly disappear, and the component forces f 1  and f 2  will suddenly disappear. At this moment, the spring  222  acts on the movable plate  221 , and the force t 2  drives the movable plate  221  to rotate in the clockwise direction. In this regard, the end of the guiding inclined surface  2212  of the movable plate  221  is moved downwardly, and the recess  2211  just engages with the triggering folded edge  121  of the box door  12 . Then, the guiding inclined surface  2212  returns to a state in which the guiding inclined surface  2212  contacts with the guiding wheel  31 , and does not rotate in the clockwise direction any more since it is stopped by the guiding wheel  31 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 10 , after the recess  2211  engages with the triggering folded edge  121  of the box door  12 , the recess  2211  imparts a horizontal right force f to the box door  12 , so as to prevent the box door  12  from continuously moving in the horizontal left direction with the box body  11 . This force f is larger than the static friction force between the box door  12  and the box body  11 . Therefore, during the period that the box body  11  is continuously pushed into the cashbox bracket  3 , the box door  12  does not move any more, while the box body  11  is continuously moved leftward into the cashbox bracket  3 , such that the box body  11  is open, i.e., the box door  12  is opened. After the box body  11  completely enters into the cashbox bracket  3 , the box door  12  is stopped at a predetermined position by being engaged with the recess  2211 , thereby keeping the box body  11  in the open state, which may meet the requirement of depositing money at any moment for user. 
     When the cashbox  1  is full of money, the cashbox  1  which is full of money is drawn out from the cashbox bracket  3  and replaced by an empty cashbox. As shown in  FIG. 12 , the operator imparts a horizontal right tension force F as shown in the figure to the cashbox  1 , and the box body  11  slides in the horizontal right direction and is drawn out from the cashbox bracket  3 . In the process of the right slide of the box body  11 , the recess  2211  engages with the triggering folded edge  121  of the box door  12 , so that the box door  12  cannot slide with the box body  11  in the right direction. Therefore, when the box body  11  slides until the edge of box body  11  integrates with the box door  12 , the box door  12  closes the box body  11 . When the box door  12  completely closes the box body  11 , the locking device  21  is self-locked. At this moment, the box body  11  is continuously drawn rightward out from the cashbox bracket  3 , and the box door  12  moves with the box body  11  in right direction since it is tightly locked with the box body  11 . Since the triggering folded edge  121  of the box door is engaged in the recess  2211 , the box door  12  imparts a horizontal right force f to the movable plate  221  through the recess  2211 . The movable plate  221  moves in the right direction under the force f. As shown in  FIG. 13 , the right end of the guiding groove  2214  of the movable plate  221  does not contact with the guiding column  32  any more, and the guiding column  32  is located in the centre of the guiding groove  2214 . Besides, since the guiding wheel  31  is fixed to the cashbox bracket  3  and contacts with the guiding inclined surface  2212 , when the movable plate  221  moves in the right direction, the guiding wheel  31  imparts a resistance force f′ to the movable plate  221 . The resistance force f′ acts on the guiding inclined surface  2212 , and is decomposed into a horizontal left force f′ 1  and a vertical upward force f′ 2  by the guiding inclined surface  2212 . Since the tension force F for drawing the cashbox  1  by the operator is large enough, the vertical upward force f′ 2  is larger than the tension force t 2  acting on the movable plate  221  by the spring  222 , so that the movable plate  221  is rotated in the counterclockwise direction. The guiding inclined surface  2212  is lifted up, so that the triggering folded edge  121  of the box door  12  is disengaged from the recess  2211 . At this time, the cashbox  1  is continuously drawn out by the operator, and the triggering folded edge  121  of the box door  12  does not contact with the movable plate  221 . The movable plate is returned to the initial state under the oblique tension force of the spring  222 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     Thereinafter, the operation of the self-lock of the locking device  21  when the box door  12  is closed will be described in detail. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 5 to 7 , when the cashbox  1  is drawn out from the cashbox bracket  3  by the operator and the box door  12  is closed, the guiding inclined surface  2111  of the locking tongue  211  in the inner side of the box door  12  contacts with the projecting piece  2121  of the lock cylinder  212 . Under the guidance of the guiding inclined surface  2111 , the locking tongue  211  is rotated about the pivot in the clockwise direction. Thus, the spring  213  is further stretched and imparts a larger downward tension force to the locking tongue  211 . During the period that the box door  12  is continuously drawn to close, the projecting piece  2121  always contacts with the guiding inclined surface  2111  of the locking tongue  211  until the projecting piece  2121  reaches the edge of the recess  2112  in the guiding inclined surface  2111  of the locking tongue  211 . When the box door  12  and the locking tongue  211  continue moving toward the closing direction, the projecting piece  2121  moves across the edge of the recess  2112 . At this time, the locking tongue  211  is rotated in the counterclockwise direction under the tension force of the spring  2113 , and the recess  2112  engages with the projecting piece  2121 , so as to automatically lock the box door  12 . After the cashbox  1  is drawn out, the locking device  21  cannot be unlocked to open the box door  12 , unless the operator rotates the lock cylinder  212  with the key to disengage the projecting piece  2121  from the recess  2112 . 
     Besides, the present invention also provides another door switch structure with simple configuration. As shown in  FIG. 13 , the door switch structure mainly includes a magnetic element  50 . The magnetic element  50  is fixed to the cashbox bracket at a predetermined position. When the cashbox  1  is pushed into the cashbox bracket  3  and passes through the magnetic element  50 , a triggering member  122  is attracted by the magnetic element  50 , so as to fix the box door  12  and prevent the box door  12  from being continuously pushed together with the box body  11  into the box body bracket  3 , so that the box door  12  is opened. When the cashbox  1  is drawn out from the cashbox bracket  3 , and the box body  11  is drawn out and passes through the magnetic element  50 , the box body  11  and the box door  12  are integrated together, so that the box door  12  is closed and locked automatically. After the box door  12  is locked, the tension force may overcome the attractive force of the magnetic element  50  such that the cashbox  1  may be wholly drawn out from the cashbox bracket  3 . 
     The above door switch structures and locking device/mechanisms are merely preferred embodiments. The door switch structure and the operation mode of the box door may be varied depending on various installation modes, and may be installed in variable modes according to the space structures of components. For example, the triggering member of the box door may be of a protruding cylindrical shape, and the door switch structure is correspondingly installed to the cashbox bracket in horizontal direction. 
     In view of this, for the skilled in the art, many improvements and modifications may be made without departing from the principle of this invention. These improvements and modifications should be deemed to fall into the protection scope of this invention.