Abstract:
A storage and dispensing system including a frame defining a plurality of compartments and a door assembly including a plurality of doors. Each door is sized to generally correspond to one of the compartments of the frame to selectively provide access thereto, and the door assembly is removably coupled to the frame.

Description:
[0001]    This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/315,455, filed on Dec. 9, 2011, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/421,558, filed on Dec. 9, 2010. The entire contents of both these applications are incorporated herein by reference. 
         [0002]    The present invention is directed to a door assembly, and more particularly, to a door assembly that is removably attachable to a frame. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Self-service storage and dispensing units often include a door, access panel or the like to provide the user access to an inner storage compartment of the unit. However, existing doors may not provide fail-safe operation in that, for example, the door may not be properly secured in the closed position. In addition, existing doors may provide insufficient security features and be vulnerable to being pried open with a crowbar or the like. Finally, existing door assemblies may be difficult to access for repair, maintenance or the like. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    In one embodiment the present invention is a storage and dispensing system including a frame defining a plurality of compartments and a door assembly including a plurality of doors. Each door is sized to generally correspond to one of the compartments of the frame to selectively provide access thereto, and the door assembly is removably coupled to the frame. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a storage cabinet incorporating one embodiment of the door assembly of the present invention; 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of a door panel of the storage cabinet of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  is a cross section of the door panel of  FIG. 2 , taken along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  is a front perspective exploded view of a door assembly of the door panel of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0009]      FIG. 5  is rear view of part of the door assembly of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 6  is a front detailed perspective view of the door assembly of  FIG. 4 , shown in its assembled condition; 
           [0011]      FIG. 7  is a top view of the door assembly of  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 8  shows the door assembly of  FIG. 6 , with the plunger retracted; 
           [0013]      FIG. 9  is a top view of the door assembly of  FIG. 8 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 10  shows the door assembly of  FIG. 8 , with the handle raised; 
           [0015]      FIG. 11  shows the door assembly of  FIG. 10 , with the handle and main panel slightly opened; 
           [0016]      FIG. 12  is a top view of the door assembly of  FIG. 11 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 13  shows the door assembly of  FIG. 11 , with the handle and main panel opened more fully; 
           [0018]      FIG. 14  is a top view of the door assembly of  FIG. 13 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 15  is a rear perspective view of the door assembly of  FIG. 13 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 16  is a front detailed perspective view the door assembly of  FIG. 13 , with the plunger extended; 
           [0021]      FIG. 17  is a front perspective view of an alternate door assembly; and 
           [0022]      FIG. 18  is a front perspective exploded view of a storage cabinet, showing two exploded door panels. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0023]      FIG. 1  illustrates a storage cabinet  10  which can be utilized to store and/or dispense any of a wide variety of products. For example, in one embodiment, the storage cabinet  10  includes various compartments  12 , each covered by a door assembly  14  which can be selectively opened by a user or users in a locker-like configuration. The storage cabinet  10  can be configured to selectively control access to the compartments  12  by allowing selective opening of the door assemblies  14  by users. In one case, the storage cabinet  10  may have a controller  15  which a user can interact with to gain access to all or certain ones of the compartments  12 . The controller may take the form of a processor, CPU, computer or the like, and may include a user interface  17  in the form of a keypad, touch screen, keyboard, mouse, track ball, audio input device, or the like. 
         [0024]    When a user wishes to access and withdraw an item from, or replace/replenish an item to, the storage cabinet  10 , the user may, in some cases, need to first be identified and/or authenticated (i.e. via an identification system and authentication system/database). The identification/authentication can be implemented or carried out in a variety of manners, including by the use of a user identification and/or password, the use of a key fob or other wireless device which transmits in the radio frequency range, a mechanical or electronic key, the use of a mobile phone or device, a card with a magnetic strip in conjunction with a magnetic strip/card reader, the use of biometrics, or various other means or mechanisms. Moreover, the door assembly  14  disclosed herein can be used in a variety of other settings in which it is desired to control access to a locker or storage compartment  12  such as, for example, coin-operated lockers or the like. 
         [0025]      FIGS. 2 and 3  illustrate a door panel  16  having a generally rectangular door panel frame  18  extending about the periphery thereof. The door panel frame  18  includes two vertically oriented dividers  20  such that the illustrated door panel  16  includes three openings  22 , each opening  22  being associated with a compartment  12  of the storage cabinet  10 . The door panel  16  of  FIGS. 2 and 3  includes three door assemblies  14  arranged in a side-by side configuration, with each door assembly  14  extending across and selectively covering an associated opening  22  of the door panel frame  18 . 
         [0026]    Each door assembly  14  includes a generally flat, rectangular main panel  24  which extends across the majority of the opening  22 /compartment  12 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the main panel  24  may include a pair of aligned cylindrical protrusions  26  extending generally outwardly therefrom. Each protrusion  26  is received in a corresponding opening of the door panel frame  18  to pivotally mount the main panel  24  to the door panel frame  18 . In this manner, when conditions are appropriate (as described below), the main panel  24  can pivot about a vertical axis between its closed position (shown as all of the main panels  24  in  FIG. 1 , except main panel  24 ′) wherein the main panel  24  is positioned across the opening  22 /compartment  14  to block access thereto, and an open position (shown as main panel  24 ′ in  FIG. 1 ) wherein the main panel  24  is not positioned across the opening  22 /compartment  14  to allow access thereto. 
         [0027]    However, it should be understood that the main panel  24  can be pivotally mounted by any of a wide variety of mechanisms, such as by hinges, by reversing the position of the protrusions  26  and openings (i.e. such that the protrusions  26  are positioned on the frame  18 ) etc. For example,  FIG. 17  shows an alternate hinge arrangement in which a block  50  of the door assembly  14  includes part of a hinge mechanism  33  formed therein, and the opposite side of the main panel  24  includes a corresponding hinge portion  35  configured to engage the hinge portion  33  of another door assembly  14  to form a hinge. In this manner the block  50  for one door assembly  14  can form part of the hinge for an adjacent door assembly  14 . 
         [0028]    With reference to  FIGS. 4 and 7 , it can be seen that each main panel  24  may include a vertically-extending groove or notch  28  formed in a front surface thereof, and extending partially therethrough. In the embodiment of  FIGS. 4 and 7 , the notch  28  extends at an acute angle, angling back towards a handle  30  of the door assembly  14 . However, the notch  28  can be positioned at various other angles, including generally perpendicular to the front surface of the main panel  24 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0029]    The door assembly  14  further includes the handle  30  mounted to the door panel frame  18  and positioned adjacent to the main panel  24 . The handle  30  includes a generally cylindrical portion  32 , a rear tab  34  or kick plate extending generally radially outwardly from the cylindrical portion  32  and a front tab  36  extending generally radially outwardly from the cylindrical portion. The front tab  36  includes a base portion  38 , extending generally away from the cylindrical portion  32 , and a locking portion  40  generally forming an angle with the base portion  38 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 , the locking portion  40  generally forms an acute angle with the base portion  38  and angles somewhat back towards the cylindrical portion  32 , matching the angle of the notch  28 . If desired, the position of the notch  28  and locking portion  40  may be reversed such that the notch  28  is carried on the handle  30  and the locking portion  40  is carried on the main panel  24 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , in one embodiment, the rear tab  34  is discontinuous, and does not extend the entire height of the handle  30 . 
         [0030]    The handle  30  is pivotally and vertically slidably mounted to the door panel frame  18 . In particular in one embodiment the cylindrical portion  32  of the handle  30  receives a post  42  therein, which is fixedly coupled to the frame  18 . In this manner the handle  30  is pivotally mounted to the frame  18  such that, when conditions are appropriate (as described below), the handle  30  can pivot about a vertical axis between its closed position ( FIG. 6-10 ) and its fully open position ( FIGS. 13-16 ). Thus, the handle  30  and main panel  24  are pivotable about axes that are generally parallel but spaced apart. However, the handle  30  can be pivotally and axially slidably mounted to the frame  18  in any of a wide variety of other manners. 
         [0031]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , the handle  30  may include a gripping portion  29  which can include a top portion  29   a  and bottom portion  29   b  separated by a space  31 . The gripping portion  29  is configured such that a user can insert a digit into the space  31 , and thereby lift the gripping portion  29 , lifting the handle  30  vertically. 
         [0032]    The cylindrical portion  32  of the handle  30  includes a plurality of radially outwardly extending, axially spaced protrusions  44 . In addition, the cylindrical portion  32  of the handle includes an open position recess  46  ( FIG. 4 ) and a closed position recess  47  ( FIG. 5 ) formed therein, and positioned near a top of the handle  30  in the illustrated embodiment. 
         [0033]    Each door assembly  14  further includes a block  50  positioned between the handle  30  and a divider  20  of the door panel frame  18 . In the illustrated embodiment the block  50  is fixedly coupled to the door panel frame  18 , and positioned immediately adjacent to the handle  30 . As best shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the block  50  includes a plurality of vertically spaced, circumferentially-extending recesses  52  formed therein. Each recess  52  may also be connected to an associated downwardly extending notch  53  at an end thereof. 
         [0034]    Each door assembly  14  may include a solenoid, transducer or other activatable component  54  associated therewith and operatively coupled to the controller  15 . With reference to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , each solenoid  54  includes an extendible/retractable plunger  56  with a pad  58  at the end thereof. The plunger  56  and pad  58  are positioned to extend through an opening  60  of the block  50 . In the illustrated embodiment, the solenoid  54  is configured such that when the solenoid  54  is activated, the plunger  56  and pad  58  are retracted, and when the solenoid  54  is not activated, the plunger  56  and pad  58  are extended. 
         [0035]    The door assembly  14  may include a door position sensor  62  (see  FIG. 4 ) configured to sense or detect the position of the main panel  24 , and more particularly, when the main panel  24  is at, or relatively close to, its closed position or close to the handle  30  (in a nearly-closed position). The door position sensor  62  is operatively coupled to the controller  15  and/or associated solenoid  54 . In one particular embodiment, the door position sensor  62  takes the form of a magnetic switch positioned adjacent to the bottom of the main panel  24 , with a corresponding component, such as a magnet and/or magnetic switch (not shown) on the frame  18 . However, the door/position sensor  62  can take any wide variety of forms, including but not limited to pressure or force sensors, optical sensors, contact sensors, photoelectric sensors, ultrasonic sensors, piezoelectric sensors, proximity sensors, electric field sensors or the like. 
         [0036]    Each door assembly  14  may further include a light source  64  positioned therein. In the illustrated embodiment, the light source  64  takes the form of a lighted button or light bar positioned in the handle  30  such that, when activated, the light source  64  generally illuminates the entire handle  30 . However, the light source  64  can be positioned at different areas within the door assembly  14 . 
         [0037]    Each door panel  16  can be made from any of a wide variety of materials. In one embodiment, however, the door panel frame  18  and/or block  50  are made of a relatively strong, rigid material, such as metal (including aluminum), and the main panel  24 , handle  30  and/or block  50  are made of relatively strong, lightweight material, such as plastic. In one embodiment, the main panel  24  and/or handle  30  are each made of a generally clear or transparent material, or a mesh material, to allow the contents of the storage compartment  12  to be visible through the door assembly  14 . However, if desired the main panel  24  and/or handle  30  may be generally opaque. 
         [0038]    When a user first approaches a door assembly  14 , the door assembly  14  will typically be locked in its closed position. When the door assembly  14  is in the closed position the main panel  24  and handle  30  are both closed and extend across the opening  22 , and the locking portion  40  of the handle  30  is received in the notch  28  of the main panel  24 , as shown in  FIG. 6 . Thus the interaction of the locking portion  40  and the notch  28  helps to couple the handle  30  and main panel  24  together when they are in the closed position. 
         [0039]    When the user first approaches the door assembly  14 , the handle  30  is typically in its lower position. In this case, the protrusions  44  of the handle  30  are received in the end notches  53 , and the protrusions  44  are misaligned with the recesses  52  of the block  50 . In addition, the solenoid  54  is in its deactivated (i.e. extended) position. When the handle  30  is in its lower position, any attempted pivoting or opening of the handle  30  is blocked due to the protrusions  44  of the handle  30  engaging the block  50 . Thus, when the handle  30  is in its lower position the handle  30  is blocked from rotating, and the door assembly  14  is also blocked from rotating. Moreover, as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , when the solenoid  54  is deactivated, the pad  58  is positioned in the recess  47  of the handle  30 , and therefore blocks the handle  30  from being raised. 
         [0040]    Thus, in this position the pad  58  blocks the handle  30  from being raised, which in turn blocks the handle  30  from rotating, which in turn prevents the door assembly  14  from being opened. Various other arrangements may also or instead be utilized for blocking the handle  30  from being raised. For example, in one case the pad  58  may be positioned just above the top of the handle  30  when the handle  30  is in its lower position. Moreover, if desired, the position of the protrusions  44  and recesses  52  can be reversed such that the recesses  52  are positioned on the handle  30 , and the protrusions  44  are positioned on the block  50 . 
         [0041]    When the user is granted access to the door/assembly  14 /inner compartment  12 , the solenoid  54  is activated (i.e. by receipt of an unlock signal from the controller  15 ) and the pad  58  is retracted out of the recess  47  ( FIGS. 8 and 9 ). At the same time, the light source  64  for that door assembly  14  may be activated so that the user is cued that he or she has access to the door assembly  14 /inner compartment  12 . When the solenoid  54 /pad  58  is retracted, the user can then engage and lift the handle  30  to its upper position ( FIG. 10 ), such as by the gripping portion  29 . When the handle  30  is lifted, the protrusions  44  of the handle  30  become axially/vertically aligned with the recesses  52  on the block  50 , thereby allowing the handle  30  to pivot. If desired, the handle  30 /block  50  can be arranged such that the handle  30  is pressed downwardly (i.e. compressing a spring, in one case) instead of upwardly in order to align the protrusions  44  with the recesses  52 . 
         [0042]    The handle  30  can then be pivoted by the user about the post  42  (counterclockwise in the embodiment shown in the drawings) until the rear tab  34  of the handle  30  engages the main panel  24 , thereby pivoting the main panel  24  slightly open, as shown in  FIGS. 11 and 12 . The user can then further manually open the main panel  24 , thereby gaining access to the associated inner compartment  12  of the storage cabinet  10 , as shown in  FIGS. 13-15 . 
         [0043]    When the main panel  24  is sufficiently opened (e.g. in one case, opened beyond the partially open position shown in  FIGS. 11 and 12 ), such opening may cause (via the kick plate  34 ) the handle  30  to pivot to its fully open position, as shown in  FIGS. 13-16 , in which case the handle  30  is pivoted 90 degrees from its closed position. In one embodiment, when the main panel  24  is opened in this manner, the door position sensor  62  may be triggered, thereby causing the solenoid  54  to switch off. In this case when the solenoid  54  is in its off state, as shown in  FIG. 14 , the plunger  56  returns to its extended/deployed position, pushing the plunger  58  into the recess  46  of the handle  30 , thereby locking the handle  30  in place and preventing the handle  30  from pivoting. Thus the handle  30  is effectively secured in its fully open position. When the handle  30  is secured in its open position, the handle  30  blocks the main panel  24  from being closed, as the handle  30  (more particularly, the tab  34 ) physically blocks and interferes with attempting closing of the main panel  24 . 
         [0044]    This interaction between the main panel  24 , door position sensor  62 , solenoid  54  and handle  30  helps to ensure that the handle  30  is not returned to its closed position unless the main panel  24  is, also, returned to its closed position. Thus, this arrangement ensures that the door assembly  14  is not placed into a state wherein the main panel  24  remains unsecured in its open position when the handle  30  is closed, and thereby provides improved security. 
         [0045]    When the door assembly  14  is fully opened, as shown in  FIGS. 13-15 , the user has access to the inner compartment  12  associated with that door assembly  14 , and can access the inner compartment  12  to remove desired items therefrom, and/or place items therein, and freely move the main panel  24  (but not necessarily the handle  30 ). 
         [0046]    When the user desires to close the door assembly  14 , the main panel  24  is pivoted back toward its closed position. When the main panel  24  is sufficiently closed (i.e. in its nearly closed position), the door position sensor  62  senses that the main panel  24  is sufficiently closed and/or positioned adjacent to the handle  30 . The solenoid  54  is then activated, thereby causing the pad  58  to be retracted out of the recess  46  of the handle  30 . The controller  15  may have logic/software programmed therein to ensure that the solenoid  54  is activated at this point. In one embodiment, the solenoid  54  is activated at this time for a fixed period of time (i.e. about 5 seconds in one embodiment), to allow the user sufficient time to complete closing of the door assembly  14 . The nearly-closed position can be a position in which the main panel  24  is less than about 30 degrees, or less than about 15 degrees, or less than about 5 degrees out-of-plane from its fully closed position; or wherein the main panel  24  is spaced apart from any part of the handle  30  by less than about two inches, or less than about one inch; or wherein the main panel  24  has engaged the kick plate  34  of the handle  30 . 
         [0047]    When the solenoid  54  is activated and the pad  58  is retracted out of the recess  46  the handle  30  is again free to pivot. The main panel  24  is then further closed by the user, engaging the rear tab  34  and causing the handle  30  to move into its closed position ( FIGS. 9 and 10 ). Once the door assembly  14  is in the closed position, the handle  30  drops to its lower position ( FIG. 8 ), and the solenoid  54  is deactivated (i.e. after the timer expires), thereby locking the handle  30  and main panel  24  in their closed positions, and also switching off the light source  64 . The door assembly  14  is thus configured such that the main panel  24  is prevented from moving to its closed position unless the handle  30  is simultaneously moved to its closed position. In other words, as can be seen in comparing the various dimensions of  FIG. 14 , if the main panel  24  were attempted to be closed, the main panel  24  would engage the kick plate  34 ; it is only when the handle  30  is also moved to its closed position that the main panel  24  can be closed. 
         [0048]    Accordingly, the door assembly  14 , as outlined above, provides easy and intuitive operation by a user, and also provides fail-safe operation to ensure that the handle  30  is locked in its open position when the main panel  24  is open, and is locked in its closed position only when the main panel  24  is also in its closed position. In addition, the door assembly  14  provides an arrangement which is theft and tamper resistant. In particular, as noted above the locking portion  40  of the handle  30  fits into the notch  28  of the main panel  24 , generally filling the notch  28 . The block  50  also helps to generally cover any gap between the handle  30  and the frame  18 . This arrangement helps to reduce or eliminate any crevices, into which a crowbar, pry bar or the like can be wedged to force the door assembly  14  open. The bottom portion  29   b  of the gripping portion  29  helps to protect and secure the door assembly  14 , as it prevents unauthorized entry/breakage of the handle  30  which can be caused by an upward strike on the bottom surface of the upper portion  29   b,  for example with a heavy tool. 
         [0049]    As noted above and shown in  FIGS. 2 and 18 , in one embodiment, each door assembly  14  may be part of a door panel  16  having the door panel frame  18  and a plurality of door assemblies  14  mounted thereto. In addition, the solenoid  54  and door position sensor  62  for each door assembly is mounted on or to the door panel frame  18 . 
         [0050]    As shown in  FIG. 18 , each door panel  16  may be mounted to the frame  70  of the storage cabinet  10  by a plurality of fasteners  72  extending through the frame  18  and received in the frame  70 . In one particular embodiment, each fastener  72  may take the form of a safety fastener, safety screw or the like, which has particular head design such that each fastener  72  can be screwed and unscrewed, or inserted or retracted, only with a specialized, and not-commonly-available, tool. The use of such safety screws  72  helps to provide increased security to the storage cabinet  10  and avoid tampering therewith. In some cases the safety screws  72  may be of a tamper-evident nature so that the owner/operator can notice when the safety screws  72  have been removed. The tamper-evident feature can be provided by any wide variety of devices, such as stickers covering the screws, a frangible or easily-removable coating, frangible washers or the like. 
         [0051]    In some cases, the owner/operator of the storage cabinet  10  have an appropriate tool on hand and thus be able to remove a door panel  16  and gain access to the storage compartments  12  of the storage cabinet  10  on, for example, an emergency basis. This feature provides manual override functionality to the system  10  should the controller  15 , keypad  17  or solenoid  54  malfunction, or in the case of a power loss, etc. 
         [0052]    The use of the door panel  16  also provides a modular arrangement to the storage cabinet  10 . In particular, in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1  it can been seen that the storage cabinet  10  includes six rows and three columns of openings  22 /door assemblies  14 /storage compartments  12 , and each door panel  16  provides a row of three door assemblies  14 . As shown in  FIG. 18 , in one case, an alternate door panel  16 ′, utilizing door assemblies  14  that are half the height of the other door assemblies  14 , can be utilized. In this case, divider panels  74  can be slid into the appropriate storage compartments  12  so that the size of the storage compartments  12  and door assemblies  14  properly correspond. Of course, the storage compartments  12 /door assemblies  14  can take any of a variety of other shapes and configurations. 
         [0053]    Each door panel  16  can be provided with any number of desired door assemblies  14 , in a desired spacing and configuration, to match the user&#39;s desires, as well as the configuration of the frame  70 /compartments  12  of the storage cabinet  10 . The door panels  16  may also be arranged vertically or in other configurations. Thus it can be seen that the door panels  16  provide a modular assembly in which the various components can be mixed and matched as desired to provide the desired system. 
         [0054]    The door panels  16  also allow for ease of access for repair and/or replacement. In particular, should the handle  30 , latch mechanism, solenoid  52  or other components of a door assembly  14  require repair, maintenance or replacement, the door panel  16  can be easily removed, thereby exposing the handle  30 , latch mechanism, solenoid  52  and the like for easy access. Once the door assembly  14  has been repaired, or a replacement door panel  16  has been is obtained, the door panel  16  can be easily re-attached to the storage cabinet  10 . 
         [0055]    Although the invention is shown and described with respect to certain embodiments, it should be clear that modifications will occur to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the specification, and the present invention includes all such modifications.