Abstract:
A universal locker system that enables different sizes of lockers for custom configuration of a row of lockers. The number of lockers using a common housing may be one, two, three, four or six. Also, lockers with taller and shorter portions can be accommodated. A universal housing and universal, segmented hinge enable insertion of dividers at pre-selected elevations in the housing and installation of independently operable locker doors covering the distance between the pre-selected elevations and thus the opening between the dividers to create individual lockers from portions of the universal housing. The dividers thereby serve as the top of the locker below and the bottom of the locker above. Special dividers with two elevations may alternatively be inserted to create lockers having taller portions and shorter portions.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENTS 
     The present application is related to application Ser. No. 12/041,234 filed Mar. 3, 2008, in that all four applications are commonly owned and are directed to related subject matter Priority is claimed to the earliest filed of these other applications. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Lockers are used in schools, gymnasiums, fitness centers, sports complexes, and work places for individuals to store items temporarily. School students may use a locker to store coats and books, for example, until needed. Lockers used in these generally public facilities are subject to abuse and may provide additional surfaces for the spread of diseases, particularly if the lockers are shared or used serially by several individuals. 
     Additionally, schools and other public places may have limited budgets and must spend public money wisely, buying the most cost-effective lockers available. Cost-effectiveness is a function of actual cost, installation cost, and durability. Fundamentally, of course, the design of the locker must be suitable for its intended purpose. 
     Thus, there remains a need for improvements in lockers to make them better suited for the particular uses to which they will be put, easier to install and maintain, more reliable and durable. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a universal locker system that includes a universal locker housing configured to be easily subdivided into smaller (i.e., shorter) individual lockers and into lockers that accommodate both taller and shorter items. Each locker of the present locker system has a door that opens smoothly and easily and fully with a simple, lockable latch and hinge system. 
     The present locker system can be configured for larger and smaller lockers and each locker can be customized with full depth and partial depth shelving. A single set or bank of lockers can be composed of individual lockers of more than one size, as needs dictate. In one configuration, the present locker may have a left and a right portion behind a single door with one portion being taller than the other for longer items such as coats and a second portion being shorter for books or shoes, for example. 
     The latch mechanism carried by the locker door unlatches the locker door from the locker housing in one smooth lifting movement of the latch, thereby allowing the door to the housing to be opened. 
     The present locker door is attached to the present locker housing with a multi-section, piano-type hinge and is configured so that the door opens wide even if there is an adjacent locker. The present hinge, as a single hinge for a locker housing also permits the door of the locker to open even if that door is one of a stack of two, three, four or six doors mounted to the same housing. 
     The locker panel material is made of polymeric, thermoplastic material formed from thin (i.e., ¼-1½ inch thick) panels which may be impregnated with an anti-microbial agent and/or contain a fire retardant. Hardware, of metal, is coated with an anti-microbial agent. Accordingly, growth of bacteria, fungi, molds and mildew are resisted by the present locker. 
     The present locker system thus is a practical solution for a wide variety of needs, particularly in schools and other public and commercial facilities. The present locker can be configured to meet needs for different size lockers even within the same row of lockers, its door opens wide without interfering with adjacent lockers, its latch operates simply but yet securely latches the door to the locker housing, and the materials of which the locker is made resist molds, mildew, bacteria and fungus growth. 
     Those skilled in the art of locker design will understand from a careful reading of the Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments accompanied by the following drawings other features and advantages of the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the drawings, 
         FIG. 1  shows a front view of a representative set of lockers of different sizes and shapes, with doors closed, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the set of lockers of  FIG. 1 , with doors removed, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a tall locker with its door opened and the latch lifted, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the tall locker of  FIG. 3  with the latch in its rest position, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a detailed view of a bottom latch bracket and a lowermost portion of the latch bar with the latch lifted to remove latch bracket from the latch opening in the locker housing, as shown in  FIG. 3 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a detailed view of a bottom latch bracket and a lowermost portion of the latch bar with the latch at rest to move latch bracket into the latch opening in the locker housing, as shown in  FIG. 4 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective, exploded view of a locker housing with one shelf, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a top, detailed view of a hinge connecting a closed door to a locker housing, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a top, detailed view of the hinge of  FIG. 8  connecting an open door to a locker housing, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 10  is a top, perspective view of the hinge of  FIGS. 8 and 9  connecting a partially opened door to a locker housing, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 11  is a side view of a locker system showing the end panel of a set of lockers and, in a partially cut-away portion of the base, the adjustable legs behind the toe kick board, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 12  is a detailed, perspective, exploded view of the latch mechanism from outside the locker door, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 13  is a detailed, perspective, exploded view of the latch mechanism with the door not shown, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 14  is a detailed, cross sectional view of a panel taken along lines  14 - 14  of  FIG. 7 , showing the construction of a panel. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention is universal locker system that allows different size and shape lockers to be set up with minimal effort because of the modular form of the locker housing and hinge, as will not be described. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , there is shown a set of lockers, generally indicated by the reference number  10 . The illustrative set  10  includes a full-length (height) locker  12 , two stacked half-height lockers  14 , three stacked third-height lockers  16 , four stacked quarter-height lockers  18 , six stacked sixth-height lockers  22  and two stacked dual-height lockers  24  arranged in a bank or row of lockers. 
     Set  10  is illustrative of the different sizes and shapes of lockers of the present invention but the use of various locker sizes and shapes is not required and the arrangement shown is not a required arrangement. For example, the present hinge can be used with a bank of full length lockers  12  or a set of sixth height lockers  22 . Also the number of lockers illustrated in the row is simply for illustration and is not intended to be a limiting number. For example, although six locker positions are illustrated in the row from left to right, there could be many more or fewer lockers in the row. 
     Each locker  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18 ,  22 ,  24  has a door  28 ,  30 ,  32 ,  34 ,  38 ,  40 , respectively carrying a handle  42 ,  44 ,  46 ,  48 ,  52 ,  54 , respectively, as seen in  FIG. 1 , which handle will be described more fully below, and set  10  is preferably set on a recessed base  60 . 
       FIG. 2  shows lockers  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18 ,  22 ,  24  with doors  28 ,  30 ,  32 ,  34 ,  38 ,  40 , removed revealing the interiors of each locker. Note that locker  12  comprises a housing  70  defining an enclosure with a left wall  72 , a right wall  74 , a rear wall  76 , a top  78  and a bottom  80 . Locker  12  also has a hasp  82  used in connection with latch  42 . Left and right walls  72 ,  74 , are formed to receive a divider at one of plural pre-selected heights between top  78  and bottom  80  so that the divider may be supported by the left and right walls  72 ,  74  at any of the pre-selected heights. 
     Lockers  14  have a common left wall  90 , a common right wall,  92 , a common rear wall  94 , but share a divider  98  that serves as the top of the lower locker  14  and the bottom of the upper locker  14 . Each locker  14  has a hasp  100 . 
     Similarly, lockers  16  have a common left wall,  110 , a common right wall  112 , a common rear wall  114  and share two dividers  116 , each divider  116  forming the top of a lower locker  16  and the bottom of an upper locker  16 . Each locker  16  has a hasp  118 . 
     Lockers  18  have a common left wall  130 , a common right wall  132 , a common rear wall  134 , but share three dividers  136 , each divider  136  forming the top of a lower locker  18  and the bottom of an upper locker  18 . Each locker  18  has a hasp  138 . 
     Lockers  22  have a common left wall  170 , a common right wall  172 , a common rear wall  174 , but share five dividers  176 , each divider  176  forming the top of a lower locker  22  and the bottom of an upper locker  22 . Each locker  22  has a hasp  178 . 
     Lockers  24  have a common left wall  190 , a common right wall  192 , a common rear wall  194 , but share a divider  196  that forms the top of a lower locker  24  and the bottom of an upper locker  24 . Divider  196  as shown is not flat but has a roughly “Z” shape with an upper level  198  and a lower level  200  joined by a connector  202  to define each locker  24  to have a taller portion  204  for storing longer or taller items such as jackets or pants, and a shorter portion  206  for storing shorter items such as books and shoes. Each locker  24  has a hasp  208 . 
       FIGS. 3 and 4  both illustrate a locker  220  with a housing  222  and its open door  224 . Housing  222  is a universal housing in that it can be used for a locker configuration with one, two, three, four, six or dual height locker doors. In  FIG. 3 , locker  220  has a latch bar  226  in the unlatched position; in  FIG. 4 , locker  220  has latch bar  226  in the latched position. Latch bar  226  is sized according to the height of locker  220 . If locker  220  were one of a stack of six lockers formed from the same housing  222 , latch bar  226  would be correspondingly shorter. 
     Locker  220 , as shown, is a full height locker, having a universal left wall  230 , a universal right wall,  232 , a universal rear wall  234 , a universal top  236  and a universal bottom  238 , and is in addition outfitted with two partial-depth universal shelves  240  and one universal “vanity”, shelf  242  plus a hook  244  for hanging clothes but is otherwise identical to locker  12 . The term universal is used to mean a part of locker  220  that will be the same for the present locker system regardless of whether it is a full height locker or a partial height locker. 
     Door  224  as depicted in  FIGS. 3 and 4  is the inside of door  28  of  FIG. 1  and has a latch bar  250  with three lateral lock bars  252 . Latch bar  250  is constrained to move only up and down by four latch bar guides  254  attached to door  224  and that ride in slots  256  formed in latch bar  250 ; lateral lock bars  252  are constrained vertically but allowed to slide horizontally by latch guides  260  that ride in slots  262  in latches  252 . Comparing  FIGS. 3 and 4  shows that latch bar  250  is lower in  FIG. 4  than in  FIG. 3  and lateral lock bars  252  are all slid to the rightmost, latched position, in  FIG. 4  from the leftmost, unlatched position in  FIG. 3 . 
     Examination of the shape of latch bar  250  and its interaction with lateral lock bars  252  and, in particular, in connection with  FIGS. 5 and 6 , which shows the bottom of latch bar  250  and the lowermost lateral lock bar  252 , will reveal their operation. 
     The handle  42  on the front of door  28  lifts from a lower, latched position to an upper, unlatched position. As it does, latch bar  250  is raised but is guiding by latch bar guides  254 , two of which are in the middle of latch bar  250  and one at each end of latch bar  250 . Latch bar guides  254  extend through latch bar guide slots  256  which permit limited vertical movement of latch bar  250  but permit no horizontal movement. Vertical movement is defined in this case as parallel to the long dimension of locker  220 ; horizontal movement is defined as perpendicular to the long dimension of locker  220 . When locker  220  is in its normal orientation, vertical movement of latching bar  250  is up and down (perpendicular to the plane of the surface locker  220  is standing on) rather from side to side, 
     Lateral lock bars  252  may move horizontally only, not vertically. Lateral lock bars  252  are held to door  224  by lateral lock bar guides  258  that extend through lateral lock bar guide slots  260  that control horizontal movement and prevent vertical and diagonal movement. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , latch bar  250  is angled to form camming surfaces  266 ,  268 , that, when latch bar  250  is moved vertically upward, push against cammed surfaces  272 ,  274 , respectively, of lateral lock bars  252  to cam lateral lock bars  252  from the latched position ( FIG. 6 ) in which a toe  280  formed on the end of lateral lock bar  252  is in a slot  282  in left wall  230  of housing  222 , to an unlatched position ( FIG. 5 ) where a toe  280  of lateral lock bar  252  is moved clear of slot  282  and door  224  is then free to be opened. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates how the present locker housing  300  is assembled from pre-cut panels to form universal components for any of lockers  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18 ,  22 , or  24  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Housing  300  shown in  FIG. 7  includes a common left wall  302 , a common right wall  304 , a common rear wall  306 , a top  308 , a bottom  310  and a divider  312  when housing  300  is to be formed in to, say, a half-height locker  14 , or one of the other less-than-full-height lockers shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Note vent holes  314 ,  315 ,  316 , in top  308 , divider  312 , and bottom  310 , respectively, 
     Notice in  FIG. 7  the use of mortise and tenon joining construction to inter-connect bottom  310  and divider  312  to common left wall  302  and common right wall  304 . Bottom  310  has a tenon  320  on each side (left and right) to seat into mortises  322  formed in common left wall  302  and common right wall  304 . Similarly, divider  312  has a tenon  324  on each side (left and right) to seat into mortises  326  formed in common left wall  302  and common right wall  304 . Single or multiple mortise and tenon combinations can be used for each joint, as desired. Mortise and tenon joining construction distributes the load of the shelf over the width of the tenon rather than on a few screws and thus provides better holding. 
     Tongue and groove joining techniques are used to join common rear wall  306  to common left wall  302 , common right wall  304 , top  308  and bottom  310 . Grooves  330 ,  332 ,  334 ,  336 , are formed in common left wall  302 , common right wall  304 , top  308 , and bottom  310 , respectively, for the left, right, top and bottom edges  340 ,  342 ,  344 ,  346  edges of common rear wall  306 . The assembled housing  300  is then held together with screws or other suitable fasteners preferably inserted in to pre-drilled clearance holes. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , all mortises and fastener holes can be formed at the factory for every possibly combination of locker height and shelf arrangement whether they are to be used or not, to preserve flexibility of the end user to modify the locker arrangement at a later time. 
       FIGS. 8 ,  9 , and  10  illustrate a hinge  360  for holding a door  362  to a housing  364  to form the present locker. Hinge  360  has two connecting sides, a door connecting side  368  and a housing connecting side  370 . Door  362  is inserted into a channel  376  formed in door connecting side  368  and secured in that channel  376  by any conventional means such as using bolts  374 , but preferably headed barrel bolts. 
     Housing connecting side  370  crosses the front edge  378  of a wall  380  and wraps around the interior face  382  of housing  364 , and can then be fastened thereto by convenient means, including bolts  384 , preferably headed barrel bolts. An extension  386  of housing connecting side extends from front edge  378  by an amount slightly more than the width of channel  376  so that door connecting side  368  and housing connecting side  370  are pivotally joined in front of door  362  and within the envelop  388  defined by wall  380 . Thus configured, and as illustrated by a comparison of  FIGS. 8 and 9 , door  362  can be opened completely without interfering with the door  390  of an adjacent locker to the right. Importantly, hinge  360  holds door  362  slightly away from housing  364  to allow additional venting of the interior, preferably ⅛ th  inch. Rubber bumpers may be placed on the inside surface of door  362  to maintain this spacing and reduce the sound of door  362  being closed against housing  364 . 
     Preferably, hinge  360  is a piano-type hinge that will maintain its alignment better and, together with housing connecting side  370 , will minimize the risk of objects from getting caught in the present hinge  360 . Most preferably, hinge  360  is a stacked series of piano hinge segments, each hinge segment of the stack having a pre-determined length corresponding to the distance between any two pre-selected heights at which dividers are supported by left and right walls  72 ,  74 , all hinge segments being operated on a pair of steel pivot pins and each hinge in the series of hings segments being separated at its “knuckle” from the adjacent hinge segment in the series by two washers, that can be connected to (1) a single door, (2) two half-height doors, (3) three third-height doors, (4) four quarter-height doors, (5) five fifth-height doors, (6) six sixth-height doors or (7) two dual-height doors, so that the doors, regardless of height can be opened independently of each other. Thus, most preferably, the present hinge stack forms a universal hinge for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 tier lockers. 
     For dual-height lockers, preferably, the hinge is located on the side of the door with the taller portion. Thus, there would be a hinge on both sides of a housing divided into two dual-height lockers, one hinge higher and one lower on the housing. 
       FIG. 11  shows a set of lockers  392  from the end with recessed base  394  mounted flush against a wall  396 . Visible from the side are locking bars  398  for securing each door and lifting latches  400  for operating latch bars inside each locker. A decorative end panel  402  attached to the left wall and right wall of the endmost lockers is used to trim a row of the present lockers  392  and hide mortise and tenon joints.  FIG. 11  also shows in a cutaway of base  394  the adjustable locker legs  404  behind a toe kick board  406 . 
       FIGS. 12 and 13  show the user interface of the present locker. On the front of each door  410  is a slot  412  through which projects a locking bar  414  with a hole  416  formed therein for receiving the hasp of a lock (not shown) in order to secure door  410  and prevent it from being opened. Locking bar  414  is itself secured to a wall  418  of the locker. 
     A lifting latch  420  is mounted through holes formed in door  410  to the latch bar inside door  414  (see  FIGS. 3 and 4 ) in order to permit latch bar to be lifted and thus, as it is lifted, urging lateral lock bars mounted to the inside of door  414  to slide from the latched to the unlatched positions, as described above. A plate  422  may be fitting to the front of the locker to carry the locker number if the locker is one in a set of lockers. 
       FIG. 14  illustrates a cross section of the material of which a locker panel (including) left wall, right wall, rear wall, top, bottom, divider, shelf and decorative end) are made. Panel  440  is made of a phenolic material, preferably polyenthylene or polypropylene, most preferably high density polyethylene. Preferably panel  440  is foamed to reduce weight, most preferably foamed with carbon dioxide. Panel  440  is impregnated with a fire retardant such as magnesium hydroxide to an extend at which it will meet fire code ratings for the environment of use. Panel  440  is impregnated with an antimicrobial agent or combination of agents such as zinc borate and/or silver dioxide to meet industrial standards. Hardware such as latches and hinges are preferably coated with an anti-microbial material. Panel  440  may alternatively be co-extruded with an anti-microbial agent on its outside surfaces  442  in the event panel  440  will not be cut to fit at the job site. 
     Preferably panel  440  is less than one inch thick; most preferably less than ½ inches thick. 
     Preferably all bolts visible from the exterior of the present locker are tamper proof, that is, they require a special tool to remove and cannot be removed with ordinary Phillips head or flat head screw drivers.