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US 7,721,660 B1Granted
Deal drawer
AssigneeDiebold, Incorporated
InventorSteven R. Davis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A deal drawer apparatus includes a mechanism coordinating movement of the drawer between retracted and extended positions with movement of a panel that controls access to a holding area of the drawer, between open and closed positions. The mechanism includes a clutch assembly that may be disengaged to allow independent movement of either the drawer or the access panel. Subsequent movement of the drawer or the access panel may re-engage the clutch assembly. The clutch assembly includes a housing, a detent plate rotatably mounted to the housing, and a detent mechanism. When the housing and the detent plate are in an aligned position, the clutch assembly is in an engaged configuration. When the housing and the detent plate are offset from the aligned position, the clutch assembly is disengaged.
Claims34
Apparatus comprising:
- a deal drawer adapted to pass items between persons on opposed sides of a wall, wherein the wall divides an interior area and an exterior area, including:
- a housing, wherein the housing includes an opening therein;
- a panel, wherein the panel is movably mounted in operatively supported connection with the housing;
- a drawer, wherein the drawer is movably mounted in operatively supported connection with the housing, wherein the drawer includes a holding area adapted to hold items therein, and wherein the drawer is movable between a retracted position wherein the holding area is accessible through the opening, and an extended position wherein the holding area is accessible from outside the housing from the exterior area;
- a mechanism operatively connecting the drawer and the panel, wherein the mechanism is operative to cause the panel to move in coordinated relation with movement of the drawer, wherein the panel moves between an open position and a closed position, wherein when the drawer is moved from the extended position to the retracted position the panel is moved to the open position responsive to the mechanism whereby the holding area is accessible through the opening, and wherein when the drawer is moved from the retracted position toward the extended position the panel is moved from the open position to the closed position responsive to the mechanism;
- and
- wherein the mechanism includes a clutch, wherein the clutch enables panel movement that is not coordinated with the drawer movement.
4 more elements
Apparatus comprising:
- a deal drawer adapted to pass items between persons on opposed sides of a wall, wherein the wall divides a first area and a second area, including:
- a housing, wherein the housing is adapted to extend through the wall, wherein the housing includes a first surface having a first opening therein, wherein in an operative position of the deal drawer the first surface extends generally horizontally and in the first area, wherein an interior area of the housing is accessible generally vertically through the first opening, and wherein the housing includes a second opening, wherein in the operative position of the deal drawer the second opening extends generally vertically and enables accessing the interior area of the housing from the second area through the second opening;
- a panel movably mounted in operatively supported connection with the housing, wherein the panel is movable between a panel closed position wherein the panel closes the first opening, and a panel open position wherein the panel is positioned relative to the first opening such that the interior area is accessible through the first opening;
- a drawer, wherein the drawer is movably mounted in operatively supported connection with the housing, wherein the drawer includes a holding area therein, and wherein the drawer is movable between a retracted position wherein the holding area is generally aligned with the first opening and the holding area is accessible through the first opening, and an extended position wherein the holding area is accessible through the second opening from the second area;
- a mechanism in operative mechanical connection with the panel and the drawer, wherein the mechanism is operative to cause the panel to move in coordinated relation with movement of the drawer, wherein the mechanism is operative to cause the panel to move to the panel open position responsive to movement of the drawer to the retracted position, and wherein the mechanism is operative to cause the panel to move to the panel closed position responsive to movement of the drawer from the retracted position toward the extended position,
- wherein the mechanism includes two relatively movable members, wherein the two relatively movable members are non-rigidly operatively engaged by a structure such that the members move together as the panel moves with movement of the drawer, and wherein the non-rigid operative engagement through the structure enables moving the panel between the open panel position and the closed panel position without movement of the drawer,
- wherein the mechanism includes a clutch, wherein the clutch enables panel movement that is not coordinated with the drawer movement.
4 more elements
A method comprising:
- (a) moving a drawer from a retracted position to an extended position, wherein the drawer is part of a deal drawer adapted to pass items between persons on opposed sides of a wall that divides an interior area and an exterior area, wherein the deal drawer includes a housing, a panel, and a mechanism, wherein the mechanism operably connects the drawer and the panel, wherein the panel is movably mounted in operatively supported connection with the housing, wherein the drawer is movably mounted in operatively supported connection with the housing, wherein the drawer includes a holding area adapted to hold items therein, wherein when the drawer is in the retracted position the panel is in an open position enabling access to the holding area through an opening in the housing, wherein when the drawer is in the extended position the panel is in a closed position preventing access through the opening, wherein when the drawer is in the extended position the holding area is accessible from the exterior area, wherein the mechanism includes a clutch, wherein the clutch enables panel movement that is not coordinated with the drawer movement;
- and
- (b) causing the mechanism to move the panel from the open position to the closed position in coordinated relation with movement of the drawer in step (a).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.