Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
COOLER LOCK
Technical Field of the Disclosure
100011 The disclosure is directed generally to enclosure locking
mechanisms, and, more
particularly, to an access control system that includes features for providing
locking and access
to a refrigerated cooler. The lock mechanism consists of a strike mounted on
the door or cabinet.
and a motor-controllable latch mounted on the other of the door or cabinet.
Backgound
100021 Current cooler, freezer, or refrigerator systems may lack adequate
systems for
responding to fault events. The present disclosure addresses this problem.
Summary
[0003] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a food storage cooler access
control system for
locking an unlocked food storage cooler or freezer is disclosed. The cooler or
freezer may have
a cooler body having walls forming an internal recess for storing food, and a
cooler door
operatively connected to the cooler body, such that when the cooler door is
closed to the cooler
body the internal recess is isolated. The system may comprise a locking
element on a first one of
the cooler body and the cooler door, a locking mechanism mounted to a second
one of the cooler
body and the cooler door and configured to selectively engage the locking
element to lock and
unlock the cooler door. The locking mechanism may be in an unlocked position
during
operation of the cooler or freezer at or below a temperature of 42 degrees F.
such that the internal
recess is freely accessible by any person. The system may further comprise a
controller
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configured to detect an event resulting in a change in temperature of the
internal recess that
requires locking the unlocked food storage cooler or freezer, wherein the
event presents a risk of
spoilage of one or more food products within the internal recess, and, in
response, to actuate the
locking mechanism to lock the cooler door to the cooler body. Actuation of the
locking
mechanism may occur after the temperature level of the internal recess has
exceeded 42 degrees
F for a time period of one or more minutes. The system may further comprise a
secured
unlocking implement independent from the controller to selectively unlock the
locking
mechanism after actuation of the mechanism.
1000=0 In another aspect of the present disclosure, a method of locking an
unlocked food
storage cooler is disclosed. The cooler may have a cooler body having walls
forming an internal
recess for storing food, a cooler door operatively connected to the cooler
body such that when
the cooler door is closed to the cooler body the internal recess is isolated,
and a lock for locking
the cooler door to the cooler body. The method may comprise maintaining the
lock in an
unlocked position during operation of the food storage cooler or freezer at or
below a
temperature of 42 degrees F, such that internal recess is freely accessible by
any person,
measuring at least one parameter associated with the unlocked food storage
cooler or freezer,
and, based on the at least one parameter, detecting an event resulting in a
change in temperature
of the internal recess that requires locking the unlocked food storage cooler
or freezer, wherein
the event presents a risk of spoilage of one or more food products within the
internal recess. The
method may further comprise triggering the lock to lock the cooler door to the
cooler body in
response to the detecting of an event that requires locking the unlocked tbod
storage cooler or
freezer, wherein triggering the lock occurs after the temperature level of the
internal recess has
exceeded 42 degrees F for a time period of one or more minutes. The method may
further
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comprise selectively unlocking the lock after the lock has been triggered to
lock the cooler door
to the cooler body via a secured unlocking implement.
[00051 In another aspect of the present disclosure, a food storage cooler
access control system
for locking an unlocked food storage cooler is disclosed. The cooler may have
a cooler body
having walls forming an internal recess for storing food, a cooler door
operatively connected to
the cooler body, such that when the cooler door is closed to the cooler body
the internal recess is
isolated. The system may comprise a locking element on a first one of the
cooler body and the
cooler door, and a locking mechanism mounted to a second one of the cooler
body and the cooler
door, wherein the locking mechanism is in an unlocked position during
operation of the food
storage cooler at or below a temperature of 42 degrees F such that the
internal recess is freely
accessible by any person. The system may further comprise a lock controller
for selectively
actuating the locking mechanism into and out of engagement with the locking
element to lock
and unlock the cooler door, and a cooler controller configured to detect a
fault event indicative of
a fault in the operation of the cooler resulting in a change in temperature of
the internal recess
that requires locking the unlocked cooler and, in response, to signal the lock
controller to lock
the cooler door to the cooler body by actuating the locking mechanism to
engage the locking
clement. Actuation of the locking mechanism may occur after the temperature
level of the
internal recess has exceeded 42 degrees F for a time period of one or more
minutes. The system
may further comprise a secured unlocking implement independent from the lock
controller to
selectively unlock the locking mechanism after actuation of the locking
mechanism.
100061 In accordance with yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a
refrigerated area
access control system for locking an unlocked refrigerator to prevent access
to potentially
thawed or hazardous foods is disclosed. The refrigerator may have walls
defining a refrigerator
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cabinet for storing food products, and a refrigerator door operatively
connected to the refrigerator
cabinet. The refrigerated area access control system may comprise a locking
mechanism
mounted on the refrigerated cabinet or door, and a locking element on the
other of the
refrigerated cabinet or door. The locking mechanism may be in an unlocked
position during
operation of the refrigerator at or below a temperature of 42 degrees F. such
that the refrigerator
cabinet is freely accessible by any person during that period of time except
upon occurrence of
an event resulting in a change in temperature of the refrigerator cabinet that
presents a risk of
spoilage of one or more food products within the refrigerator cabinet. The
system may further
comprise a controller for controlling actuation of the locking mechanism,
wherein the locking
mechanism is selectively engageable with the locking element while the door is
in a closed
position to selectively lock and unlock the door to the refrigerator cabinet.
The door may be
unlocked when the controller detects normal operating refrigeration that
prevents the food from
becoming thawed or hazardous. The door may be locked by the controller
actuating the locking
mechanism when the controller detects a fault event with the refrigeration
resulting in a change
in temperature of the refrigerator cabinet that may cause the food to become
thawed or
hazardous. Actuation of the locking mechanism may occur after the temperature
level of the
refrigerator cabinet has exceeded 42 degrees for a time period of one or more
minutes. The
system may further comprise at least two power sources each configured to
independently power
the system.
10071 These and other aspects and features of the present disclosure will be
more readily
understood when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
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Brief Description of the Drawing's
100081 FIG. IA is a simplified perspective view of a cooler structure within
which aspects of
the disclosure may be implemented;
100091 FIG. [B is a simplified perspective view of an alternative cooler
structure within which
aspects of the disclosure may be implemented;
100101 FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a cooler locking structure in
accordance with
an aspect of the disclosure;
100111 FIG. 3 is simplified interior view of the cooler locking structure of
FIG. 2 in accordance
with an aspect of the disclosure;
10012] FIG. 4 is a simplified exploded view of the lock structure of FIG. 2 in
accordance with
an aspect of the disclosure;
100131 FIG. 5 is a further simplified exploded view of the lock structure of
FIG. 2 in
accordance with an aspect of the disclosure;
100141 FIG. 6 is a further simplified exploded view of the lock structure of
FIG. 2 in
accordance with an aspect of the disclosure;
[0015] FIG. 7 is a further simplified exploded view of the lock structure of
FIG. 2 in
accordance with an aspect of the disclosure;
10016] FIG. 8 is a further simplified interior view of the cooler locking
structure of FIG. 2 in
accordance with an aspect of the disclosure;
100171 FIG. 9 is a further simplified interior view of the cooler locking
structure of FIG. 2 in
accordance with an aspect of the disclosure;
100181 FIG. 10 is a further simplified interior view of the cooler locking
structure of FIG. 2 in.
accordance with an aspect of the disclosure;
100191 FIG. 11 is a further simplified interior view of the cooler locking
structure of FIG. 2 in
accordance with an aspect of the disclosure;
100201 FIG. 12 is a further simplified interior view of the cooler locking
structure of FIG. 2 in
accordance with an aspect of the disclosure;
[0021] FIG. 13 is a simplified circuit diagram in accordance with an aspect of
the disclosure;
100221 HG. 14 is a simplified circuit diagram in accordance with an
alternative aspect of the
disclosure;
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[0023] FIG. 15 is a process flow chart illustrating a process executed by a
cooler controller in
an embodiment; and
[0024] HG. 16 is a process flow chart illustrating a process executed by a
lock controller in an
embodiment.
Detailed Description
100251 A refrigerated cooler typically consists of a refrigerated cabinet to
hold food and
beverages and a glass door that swings outward via a hinge. Typically the door
or the cabinet
has a rubber gasket or other flexible sealing element (collectively "gasket")
along the edge to
create a barrier between the cold air inside the cabinet and the warm air
outside the cabinet. The
gasket further serves to accommodate misalignments between the cabinet and the
door, when for
example the cooler is placed on a floor that is not level such that the
structure is twisted, or when
over time the door droops downward from the hinge and fails to maintain
alignment with the
cabinet. Typically the inner surface of the door will interface to the outer
surface of the cabinet,
and as such the door usually does not reside on the interior of the cabinet.
Typically the door is
held to the edge surface of the cabinet by a magnet. In addition, typically
the door is hung and
the hinge is aligned such that the door is naturally biased to swing toward
the cabinet without
applying an external force to a surface of the door.
100261 When the door is opened, e.g., by a consumer in order to retrieve
product, and is then
released, the door will naturally swing toward the closed position. As the
door reaches the
closed position from the open position, its movement is accelerating slightly
and needs to be
stopped. The gasket will serve to absorb some of the energy released by the
door as it abruptly
stops. The magnet serves to some extent to maintain the door in the closed
position and the
magnet and the gasket together also serve to minimize the amount of bounce the
door may
exhibit as it moves to a stopped position.
[0027] FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a cooler 1 within which embodiments of
the invention
may be implemented. FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate the lock mechanism 2 mounted to
the cooler 1,
showing the lock 2 while the strike 3 is entering the latch 4. The mechanism
may be mounted in
a door centered position on the vertical edge of the door/cabinet as shown in
Figure 1, and it can
be mounted at the top or bottom of the door/cabinet at the vertical edge or
along either of the
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horizontal edges at the top or bottom of the door/cabinet in order to hide or
protect the
mechanism from the reach of customers. In an embodiment shown, the lock
mechanism is
mounted to the cooler cabinet and the strike is mounted to the door. In
alternative embodiments,
the lock can be mounted to the door and the strike mounted to the cabinet. In
another
embodiment, the strike unit or function can be provided by the outside surface
of the door, or a
surface provided by a slot within either the door or the cabinet.
100281 As noted above, in an embodiment, the lockable enclosure is a freezer.
Moreover,
whether a freezer or a cooler, enclosures having sliding rather than hinged
doors may also benefit
from application of the disclosed principles. Referrin.g to FIG. 113.
typically such enclosures IA
include two doors mounted in tracks adjacent to but offset from one another,
with one or both
doors being slidable across the front of the cooler. In such coolers, each
door may also include a
gasket on one or both of the door and the cabinet, used to seal the door and
cabinet together
when the door is closed. The sliding doors are typically biased to slide back -
to the closed
position in the event that the user does not properly slide the door to the
closed position. For
sliding door coolers, the lock can be applied to either the door or the
cabinet of each door. or, a
lock can be applied to one door and the strike can be applied to the other
door, such that when
the lock and strike are engaged, neither door can slide open or parallel to
the other door.
100291 In any case. the lock mechanism consists of a number of components as
labeled in FIG.
4 and as shown in different views in FIGS. 5-7. The components include the
mounting base 5,
latch base 6, claw 7, claw spring 8, shaft 9, circuit board 10, manual release
push rod 11, slider
12, slider spring 13, cam 14, cam sensor 15, claw sensor 16, and motor 17. The
components are
primarily mounted to the latch base 6 and the mounting base 5, which are
stationary. The latch
base 6 has a "Y" shaped opening and serves to help guide the strike to connect
to the claw 7
properly when the door is closed. The claw 7 rotates clock-wise and against
the force of the
claw spring 8 as the door is closed and it receives the strike. Th.e force of
the claw spring 8 is
ideally light enough so the force of the door closing will overcome the claw
spring force and the
claw 7 will receive the strike and rotate clock-wise.
100301 In the strike received position of FIG. 9, the claw sensor 17 will
detect that the claw 7
has received the strike. The claw spring 8 is biased to push the claw 7 out so
when the door is
opened the claw 7 will rotate counter-clockwise to move to the receive
position as in FIG-. 8.
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This cycle whereby the claw 7 rotates clockwise to counterclockwise while the
door moves from
closed to open repeats over and over again as food or other material is being
vended from the
cooler, as shown in FIGS 8 and 9.
100311 The slider 12 when extended to the right acts to lock the claw 7
holding the strike in the
clockwise rotated position during certain conditions while the door is closed,
as shown in FIG.
10. The slider 12 is biased to the locked extended position by the slider
spring 13 when the door
is intended to be locked. The cam 14 connected to the motor 17 will act to
move the slider 12
via the inner surface of the slider 12 to the unlocked position upon being
energized by the circuit
board 10 as shown in FIG. 9. A cam sensor 16 on the circuit board 10 senses
the position of the
cam 14 to determine the slider 12 has moved to the required position.
100321 Once the slider 12 moves to the far right extended position behind the
rear surface of
the claw 7. the claw 7 will no longer be able to rotate counter-clockwise as
the door is attempted
to be opened as shown in FIG. 11; the rear surface of the claw 7 is blocked
from rotating
counterclockwise by the right extended edge of the slider 12. Thus, the claw 7
and extended
slider 12 will serve to hold the strike in the position in FIG. 11 to keep the
door closed or locked.
Once the electronics determine the door should be unlocked, the motor 17
rotates and moves the
cam 14 so that it applies a three to the slider 12 to make it retract, such
that the slider 12 will no
longer be in a position to hold the claw 7 in the full clockwise position as
in FIG. 9. The claw
will then be free to rotate counterclockwise as the door is pulled opened as
in FIG. 8.
100331 The manual release 11 serves to manually force the slider 12 from the
rightward
position to the leftward retracted position to release the slider interference
from the claw 7, and
allowing the door to be opened. The feature is useful in the event that a
person, for example a
child, climbs into the cooler and the cooler door closes and locks. A person
inside the cooler can
push the manual release 11, serving to apply a force to the inclined surface
of the slider 12 so the
slider 12 retracts by overcoming the force of the slider spring 13 and
retracting to the left to
release the lock. As an alternative to the push-rod method, a cable can be
attached to, for
example, the left end position of the slider 12 to pull the slider 1210 the
retracted position to
release the claw 7 and unlock the unit.
[0034] In this embodiment, the cooler controller 10 comprises sensors and
inputs for
measuring a temperature of the enclosure 1 it is locking and unlocking; see
FIG. 13. In one
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example. the cooler controller will control the actuator of an electronic lock
mechanism based on
the temperature of the enclosure. The cooler 1 has a refrigerator for
maintaining products at a
temperature around or below 42 F. As long as the temperature is maintained
below the desired
temperature of 42 F, the cooler can be opened by any patron who desires to
open the door, so
that the patron can select a product to be purchased.
[00351 When the door is closed, the strike mounted on the door is engaged with
the latch
mounted to the cabinet tor vice versa in an alternative embodiment). lithe
temperature is
proper, for example 42 F or less, and when the door is pulled open, the latch
mechanism allows
the strike to be released and the door will swing open. The temperature of the
cooler can be
communicated remotely over a local or wide-area network.
100361 In the event that the temperature of the cooler exceeds a pre-
determined limit for a
period of time such as 45 minutes, there is a risk of spoilage of the food or
beverage in the
cooler. Thus, in an embodiment, when this occurs, the cooler controller
proceeds to enable the
lock controller and in turn the lock controller energizes the motor and
latches the strike so that
the door is locked and cannot be withdrawn from the cabinet. The locking event
can be
communicated remotely over a local or wide-area network. If the temperature
returns to a
safe/proper temperature. it may be possible for the controller to determine
the contents are safe to
consume because the cooler temperature only stayed in the elevated range for a
short period of
time, i.e., too short for the food to spoil. In such a case, the controller
may unlock the door.
100371 In another example, the status of the sensors is communicated to a
person remote to the
cooler over a local or wide-area network, and this person may send a remote
signal or command
the controller to unlock the controller. As an alternative, the lock
controller can also provide a
local interface to an electronic or mechanical key or a keypad to signal the
controller to unlock
the door as shown in FIG. 13.
10038] The latch provides a sensor for detecting the strike releasing from the
latch and thus the
door swinging open. This door opening sensor can be useful by the controller
for measuring the
time the door remains open, and alerting someone either locally or remotely
(and/or storing this
data remote to the cooler) that the door is open for too long to avoid
spoilage of food or other
items in the cooler.
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=
[0039] The latch also comprises a sensor for detecting the locked / unlocked
position of the
latch. As the motor controls the latch to change states from locked to
unlocked, or from
unlocked to locked, the sensor will detect the change of state so the lock
controller can properly
control the state of the latch and report the state of the latch to a device
external to the cooler.
[0040] The controllers may be powered by AC line voltage and by a battery as a
back-up for
example. The advantage of the combination of both the AC power and the battery
is that the
lock controller will be powered primarily from the AC power while it is
assumed the cooler will
also have the same AC power for operating the refrigerator. Thus the
refrigerator should
normally be successful keeping the temperature at or below 42 F. If and when
the AC voltage is
lost for an extended time period, it is expected the temperature in the cooler
will increase to a
temperature and for a time period that could cause the food and/or beverages
to spoil. In the
event of lost power, the controller has the capability, in an embodiment, to
control the lock
actuator to lock the door, or to latch the strike so the door cannot be
withdrawn.
100411 Duriag the time that AC power is lost, the controller may be configured
to continue to
monitor all the sensors, such as for example, the temperature sensor, and also
to measure elapsed
time. Thus by conducting these measurements during a power outage, the
controller(s) can
determine if the temperature has exceeded certain undesirable levels for an
extended period of
time, in order to determine if the cooler can be unlocked to allow products to
be distributed once
the AC power resumes. In addition, the controllers can communicate status of
the power and the
sensor measurements during the power outage event.
100421 In the event of a temperature limit event, the controllers may also
serve to control
alternative devices related to the cooler, such as the lighting for the
cooler. For example, if the
temperature limit is exceeded, the controller may be configured to turn off
the lights of the
cooler, to discourage patrons from trying to access the cooler (a cooler
without lights would
visually indicate the cooler has a malfunction).
100431 Another feature of the cooler lock is to lock the door based on a timer
or a schedule
regardless of cooler temperature. For example, if the cooler is in an office
that is typically closed
after 6PM, the cooler may be automatically locked after 6PM to discourage
maintenance or
cleaning crews from taking items from the cooler. lithe office re-opens at
8AM, the cooler
would unlock at approximately that time.
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100441 In another example, the cooler lock can be in a default locked state.
In this
embodiment, the patrons can select which products they intend to purchase
before opening the
cooler door and removing the products. After the products are selected and
payment is collected
or authorized by credit or debit card, the cooler door can be unlocked for
either a) a short period
of time, or b) a single access event so the customer can remove the purchased
products. In this
example, in the event the cooler temperature exceeds certain limits or power
is lost as described
above, the cooler would remain locked and the customers would be discouraged
from paying for
products.
100451 In another embodiment, the access control system further includes
additional features
for providing locking and access to a refrigerated cooler as in FIG. IA. As
shown in FIG. 14,
while the cooler door is open the slider can move from the unlocked position
shown initially in
FIG. 8 to the locked position shown in HG. 14. In FIG. 8, the cooler door is
open, the claw is
rotated counter clockwise, and the slider is in the unlocked position and
retracted from touching
the claw. In the event the door is unlocked and a customer opens the door to
select a product, it
is possible the controller could send a locked signal to the lock. This
situation could take place
if, for example, the door is left open for too long of a period of time. In
this situation, it is
desirable to move the slider to the extended locked position while the claw is
rotated counter
clockwise and to rest on the curved surface of the claw before the door is
closed and before the
claw is rotated clockwise.
100461 Once the door is closed and then after the strike rotates the claw
clockwise, the slider
will continue to move to the extended position and block the movement of the
claw, and will
maintain the claw in the locked counterclockwise position as shown in FIG. 11.
This feature
provides for locking the cooler door upon closing the cooler door if a lock
event is triggered
while the cooler door is open. In another embodiment, if the cooler door is
open and a lock
event is triggered by a failed probe or an over temperature event, the lock
delays the locking
event until the cooler door is properly shut. This is accomplished by
monitoring the door
position, and if the door is open during the lock trigger event the lock,
delaying going to the
locked condition; later upon sensing the cooler door is closed, the lock then
moves to the locked
position and the door is locked.
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[0047] In the embodiment, the lock controller can provide a reset signal to
the cooler controller
as described below. The reset signal source can come from another source, for
example from a
separate switch in a secured location (not shown) that is only reached via
authorized access. In
the event the cooler controller senses a cooler fault and sends the lock
signal to the lock
controller, and the lock controller locks the cooler door, the service
technician must provide a
system for repairing the equipment and resetting the lock and cooler
controller. Once the lock
controller has locked the cooler door, the lock controller is configured to
sense a secured signal
to indicate the cooler has been repaired and should be reset back to the
unlocked condition. In
this embodiment, the lock controller will sense a signal via the keypad or the
key sensor, and
when this signal is received the lock controller will unlock the cooler door
and send a reset signal
to the cooler controller, and the cooler controller will release lock signal
to the lock controller.
In another embodiment, the lock or cooler controller will sense a reset signal
from a mechanical
switch accessible by a mechanical or electronic lock.
100481 Upon either a power-up condition or upon receiving a reset signal from
the lock
controller, the cooler controller will wait for the cooler to begin cooling
and the temperature to
reach a low temperature, for example 37 F. before proceeding to the lock
control measurement
algorithm. Prior to reaching the lower temperature, e.g., 37 F, the cooler
controller will continue
to output the unlock signal. Once a temperature of 37 F or below is attained,
the cooler
controller begins the lock control algorithm and continues to output the
unlock signal since the
temperature is proper. Once the cooler controller measures a higher than
normal temperature for
a certain time period (over-temperature time), for example 42 F for 15
minutes, the cooler
controller will send the lock controller the lock signal.
[0049] The cooler or lock controller may be powered by a battery and may be
programmed to
lock the cooler door after loss of AC power, regardless if the temperature has
exceeded the
temperature limit of 42 F. This will insure the cooler door will be locked
before the back-up
battery has depleted, and it would be too late to lock the cooler door.
[0050] In an embodiment a service mode of operation is provided, whereby the
cooler and lock
controllers are placed into an operation mode that will not provide for the
cooler door to be
locked for a period of time typically longer than the over-temperature trigger
time (for example
'/2 hour), so that the cooler can stand open and be loaded with products.
After the service mode
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CA 2844382 2017-06-19
time period, the cooler controller resumes monitoring for a temperature
default. It is desirable to
exit the service mode after one single service mode time period, and to
restrict consecutive
service mode time periods.
100511 As an alternative to a manually-entered service mode, in an embodiment,
the cooler
controller intelligently controls the service mode of the cooler by measuring
the temperature rate
of change. For example, if the temperature of the cooler rises above 42
degrees this could be due
to either a fault of the cooler, or due to the cooler being refilled or
serviced. After being filled or
serviced, the door is closed and the temperature should begin to decrease
rapidly toward the
proper level provided the cooler is functioning properly. In this embodiment,
when the cooler
temperature exceeds the over-temperature trigger time while it is in the
process of rapidly
cooling down, the controller logic refrains from locking the cooler because as
the controller
measures the rapid rate of temperature change it can determine that a service
condition is in
process and determine to not lock the door, since it has determined that he
temperature variation
is not a faulty cooler refrigeration condition.
[0052] The cooler controller may also sense for a finled temperature probe in
an embodiment,
and may communicate a cooler lock event with the lock controller. The time
period that the
cooler controller senses for the failed probe before the lock signal is
communicated from the
cooler controller to the lock controller is typically shorter than the over-
temperature delay time
as described above. It is desirable to quickly lock the door in the event of a
temperature probe
fault because the integrity of the entire cooler system is in question, and
the risk of serving
spoiled food is minimized by locking the door. The cooler locking system may
also include a
test switch (not shown, typically mounted in a location that is easily
accessible without the use of
tools) that will be used by an equipment technician or health inspector to
simulate an over-
temperature condition or a failed probe condition to determine if the lock if
functioning properly.
In a working system, when the test switch is activated, the controller will
sense (erroneously)
that there is a malfunction of the cooler or the probe and will send a lock
signal to the lock, and
the cooler will proceed to lock. The system will return to normal operation
after the switch is
deactivated or if the system receives another signal, such as an access signal
from the key or a
reset signal.
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[0053] FIGS. 15 and 16 describe an example of the control logic of the cooler
controller (CC)
and the cooler lock (CL) in greater detail. Referring to FIG. 15 first, the
cooler controller
process begins at stage 25, wherein the system powcrs up. Subsequently at
stage 26, the cooler
is unlocked. e.g., the cooler controller outputs a OV signal to the lock. The
cooler controller then
determines at stage 27 whether the internal temperature of the cooler is at or
below a threshold
value such as 38 F. If the temperature is determined to be at or below the
threshold value, the
process continues to stage 28, Wherein the cooler controller determines if the
system is in service
mode as described above. In the event that the system is in service mode, the
process flows to
stage 29, wherein a 30 minute delay, or other suitable delay period, is
imposed and the process
flows back into stage 28.
[0054] If instead it was determined that the system is not in service mode,
the process flows to
stage 30, wherein the cooler controller determines whether there has been a
power loss
exceeding some time threshold, such as 2 minutes. Ti so, the process flows to
stage 31, wherein
the cooler controller determines whether there is a probe fault, and if there
is not, the process
continues to stage 31a. At stage 31a, if the measured temperature is
decreasing at a rapid rate, it
is assumed the cooler is working properly and it may have been recently opened
for service or
re-filling, and thus it should remain unlocked and should not proceed to stage
32. If the
temperature is not decreasing at a rapid rate, the process flows to stage 32.
At stage 32, the
cooler controller determines whether the internal temperature has been above a
second threshold
temperature, e.g., 42 F, for greater than a predetermined period, e.g., 15
minutes.
100551 In the event that the temperature has not been above the second
threshold temperature
for greater than the predetermined period, the process flows back to stage 28.
Otherwise. the
process flows to stage 33, wherein the cooler controller locks the cooler,
e.g., by sending a 12V
signal to the lock motor. From stage 33, the cooler controller determines at
stage 34 whether a
reset signal has been received, and if such a signal has been received, the
process returns to stage
26. Otherwise, the process flows back to stage 33.
100561 Returning to the decision stages 30 and 31, if either of these stages
results in an
affirmative determination (yes, probe faulted and/or yes power lost for
greater than the
prescribed period.), then the process .flows immediately to stage 33. From
there, the process
continues as described above.
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100571 Turning to FIG. 16, this figure shows the control process from the
standpoint of the
cooler lock controller. Starting at stage 40, the cooler is unlocked. Next at
stage 41, it is
determined whether a 12v (lock) signal is received from the cooler controller.
If so, the cooler
lock locks at stage 42. Subsequently at stage 43, the lock controller
determines whether CC is
set. e.g., whether it reads 12V. If so, the controller checks for a valid key
access at stage 44. If a
valid key access is detected at stage 44, the process continues to stage 45,
wherein the lock
controller unlocks the cooler and sends a cooler controller reset signal.
100581 If at stage 43 it is determined that CIF is not set, then the process
flows to stage 46 to
unlock the cooler and then returns to stage 41. If at stage 44 it is
determined that there is no
valid key access, then the process returns to stage 43.
[0059] If at stage 41 it determined that a 12v (lock) signal is not received
from the cooler
controller, the process looks for a valid key access at stage 47, and if such
access is not found,
proceeds back to stage 41. Otherwise, the process flows to stage 48, and the
cooler is locked.
Subsequently at stage 49, is again determined whether a valid key access has
occurred. If so, the
process moves on to stage 46 and continues thence as described above. If,
however, no valid key
access is found, the process loops at stage 49.
[0060] As noted above, FIG. 13 is a simplified schematic of a control system
usable to
implement the processes described herein. The illustrated system includes
primarily a cooler
controller 50 and a lock controller 51. Both controllers may be, for example,
microcomputer or
microprocessor-based controllers. In an alternative embodiment, the two
microcomputers may
be integrated together into a single microcomputer controller.
100611 The cooler controller 50 includes inputs for power 52 and a temperature
probe 53. the
cooler controller 50 also includes outputs, e.g., for light control 54, lock
control 55, lock
controller power 56, as well as an Ethernet or other data connection 57 to
access a LAN or a
WAN, such as the Internet. The cooler controller 50 may also include a battery
58 for back-up
purposes.
[0062] The lock controller 51 includes a clock 60 and a lock actuator 61. The
lock controller
51 also includes inputs for a key sensor 62, a keypad 63, a door sensor 64,
and a latch position
sensor 65. In an embodiment wherein a reset capability is included, the system
also includes a
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reset line 66 providing input from the lock controller 51 to the cooler
controller 50, as shown in
FIG. 14.
10631 it will be appreciated that a new and useful system 14 cooler lock
function and control
has been disclosed and described herein. However, while the foregoing detailed
description has
been given and provided with respect to certain specific embodiments, it is to
be understood that
the scope of the disclosure should not be limited to such embodiments, but
that the same are
provided simply for enablement and best mode purposes. The breadth and spirit
of the present
disclosure are broader than the embodiments specifically disclosed and are
encompassed within
the claims appended hereto.
100641 While certain features are described in conjunction with specific
embodiments of the
invention, these features are not limited to use with only the embodiment with
which they are
described, but instead may be used together with or separate from, other
features disclosed in
conjunction with alternate embodiments of' the invention.
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