Cooler Lock
AssigneeTriTeq Lock and Security, LLC
InventorsWilliam Denison, Calin Roatis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cooler access control system locks a cooler when occurrence of an event is detected that requires limiting access to the inside of the cooler. Examples of such events include the loss of power to the cooler for a predetermined period of time, the opening of the cooler door for longer than an allowed time, the loss of functionality of a temperature probe and others. In an embodiment, a service mode is supported wherein the door is left unlocked despite the occurrence of such an event, to allow a stocker or other personnel to leave the cooler door open while stocking the cooler with product.
Claims34
A food or beverage vending cooler access control system for controlling access to a food or beverage vending cooler or freezer having a food or beverage vending cooler body, the food or beverage vending cooler body having walls forming a refrigerated food or beverage storage vending area for storing a plurality of food or beverage products, and a food or beverage vending cooler door operatively connected to the food or beverage vending cooler body, such that when the food or beverage vending cooler door is closed to the food or beverage vending cooler body the refrigerated food or beverage storage vending area is isolated, the system comprising:
- a locking element being on a first one of the food or beverage vending cooler body and the food or beverage vending cooler door;
- a locking mechanism mounted to a second one of the food or beverage vending cooler body and the food or beverage vending cooler door and configured to selectively engage the locking element to lock and unlock the food or beverage vending cooler door;
- the locking mechanism being in a locked position during operation of the food or beverage vending cooler or freezer at or below a temperature of 42 degrees F., such that the refrigerated food or beverage storage vending area is selectively accessible by presentation of an unlock signal;
- a controller configured to detect an event resulting in a change in temperature of the refrigerated food or beverage storage vending area that requires maintaining the food or beverage vending cooler or freezer in the locked position, wherein the event presents a risk of spoilage of one or more food or beverage products within the refrigerated food or beverage storage vending area, and, in response, to restrict the locking mechanism from selectively unlocking the food or beverage vending cooler door from the food or beverage vending cooler body, wherein restriction of unlocking the locking mechanism occurs after the temperature level of the refrigerated food or beverage storage vending area has exceeded 42 degrees F. for a time period of one or more minutes;
- and
- an electronic interface independent from the controller to selectively signal the controller to unlock the locking mechanism to make the plurality of food or beverage products accessible.
A food or beverage vending cooler or freezer, comprising:
- a food or beverage vending cooler body, the food or beverage vending cooler body having walls forming a refrigerated food or beverage storage vending area for storing a plurality of food or beverage products;
- a food or beverage vending cooler door operatively connected to the food or beverage vending cooler body, such that when the food or beverage vending cooler door is closed to the food or beverage vending cooler body the refrigerated food or beverage storage vending area is isolated;
- an access control system having a controller for selectively locking and unlocking the food or beverage vending cooler or freezer;
- a locking element being on a first one of the food or beverage vending cooler body and the food or beverage vending cooler door;
- a locking mechanism mounted to a second one of the food or beverage vending cooler body and the food or beverage vending cooler door and configured to selectively engage the locking element to lock and unlock the food or beverage vending cooler door;
- the locking mechanism being in a locked position during operation of the food or beverage vending cooler or freezer at or below a temperature of 42 degrees F., such that the refrigerated food or beverage storage vending area is selectively accessible by presentation of an unlock signal;
- an electronic interface adapted to selectively signal the controller to unlock the locking mechanism to make the plurality of food or beverage products accessible;
- and
- the controller configured to detect an event resulting in a change in temperature of the refrigerated food or beverage storage vending area that requires maintaining the food and beverage vending cooler or freezer in the locked position, wherein the event presents a risk of spoilage of one or more food or beverage products within the refrigerated food or beverage storage vending area, and, in response, to restrict the locking mechanism from selectively unlocking the food or beverage vending cooler door from the food or beverage vending cooler body, wherein restriction of unlocking the locking mechanism occurs after the temperature level of the refrigerated food or beverage storage vending area has exceeded 42 degrees F. for a time period of one or more minutes.
A method for controlling access to a food or beverage vending cooler or freezer having a food or beverage vending cooler body, the food or beverage vending cooler body having walls forming a refrigerated food or beverage storage vending area for storing a plurality of food or beverage products, and a food or beverage vending cooler door operatively connected to the food or beverage vending cooler body, such that when the food or beverage vending cooler door is closed to the food or beverage vending cooler body the refrigerated food or beverage storage vending area is isolated, the method comprising the steps of:
- maintaining a locking mechanism on a first one of the food or beverage vending cooler body and the food or beverage vending cooler door in a locked position in engagement with a locking mechanism mounted to a second one of the food or beverage vending cooler body and the food or beverage vending cooler door during operation of the food or beverage vending cooler or freezer at or below a temperature of 42 degrees F., such that the refrigerated food or beverage storage vending area is selectively accessible by presentation of an unlock signal;
- selectively signaling via an electronic interface an access control system to unlock the locking mechanism to make the plurality of food or beverage products accessible;
- and
- restricting the locking mechanism from selectively unlocking the food or beverage vending cooler door from the food or beverage vending cooler body via a controller configured to detect an event resulting in a change in temperature of the refrigerated food or beverage storage vending area that requires maintaining the food and beverage vending cooler or freezer in the locked position, wherein the event presents a risk of spoilage of one or more food or beverage products within the refrigerated food or beverage storage vending area, wherein restriction of unlocking the locking mechanism occurs after a temperature level of the refrigerated food or beverage storage vending area has exceeded 42 degrees F. for a time period of one or more minutes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.