JPH11126277A - Locker device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a locker device in which a portable telephone with charging executed can be left without anxiety even in public. SOLUTION: This locker device 1 has a box aggregate 3 which has plural storage boxes 2, doors 5 that individually open and close the front opening 4 of each storage box of the aggregate 3 and locking devices 6 which can lock with the door 5 closed, and a connecting port for portable telephone charging is attached in each box 2 of the device 1.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention makes it possible to easily charge a mobile phone in a business hotel or a theater or a conference hall where use of the mobile phone is prohibited during a long business trip, by using the non-use period of the mobile phone. In particular, by providing a connection port for charging a mobile phone in each of the lockable storage boxes, the mobile phone can be left in a public place with peace of mind while being charged, particularly in a public place. Related to the locker device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the improvement of performance of portable telephones (including PHS), continuous talk time and continuous standby time have become considerably long. If the user loses the opportunity to charge the battery, the mobile phone may not be able to be used on the go because of the so-called dead battery.

[0003]

However, it is rare for hotels and the like to be equipped with this type of mobile phone charger in a guest room or the like, and even more so in public places such as station yards and theaters. It is almost impossible to obtain such a charging opportunity, and even if there is such a charger in a public place, it takes a certain amount of time to charge it. If not, it would not be practical. Also, if it is possible to easily charge a mobile phone in a theater or conference room where the use of the mobile phone is prohibited, it can be very convenient for busy business people, etc. It is likely.

[0004] The present invention has been made in view of the above-described background, and an object of the present invention is to allow a portable telephone to be left safely and charged even in a public place. A locker device is provided.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a box assembly having a plurality of storage boxes, and a door body for individually opening and closing a front opening of each storage box of the box assembly. And a locking device that can be locked with the door closed.
The locker device is characterized in that a connection port for charging a mobile phone is provided in each storage box of the locker device.

Here, the size of the "storage box" is appropriately determined depending on whether the use of the present apparatus is exclusively for storing a mobile phone, or whether it is also used for general luggage storage such as a coin locker at an existing station. Will be. In the case of exclusive use, the capacity of the storage box will be small according to the size of the mobile phone, and the installation space will be small.

[0007] As the configuration of the "locking device", various existing systems can be arbitrarily adopted. For example, a required amount of coins and a mechanical key are used in combination, such as a coin locker installed at a station, or a required amount of coins and a PIN code input (such as a golf course valuables locker). Electric lock system etc. in combination with the user's arbitrarily determined).

According to the first aspect of the present invention, since each of the lockable storage boxes is provided with a connection port for charging a mobile phone, the user can use the connection box even in a public place. The mobile phone can be left without worry while being charged.

[0009] The invention described in claim 2 of the present application is characterized in that the connection port for charging the mobile phone is adapted to the shape of the data transmission / charging insertion port of the mobile phone. Item 1. The locker device according to Item 1.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the shape of the data transmission / charging slot of the mobile phone is common to most mobile phones regardless of the model.
You can expand the models that can be charged. This is because a normal stand-type charger sold as a set with a mobile phone adopts a structure in which the mobile phone is held upright, so that the battery ( This is because the outer shape of a large-capacity battery, a small-capacity battery, or the like) may limit its use.

The invention according to claim 3 of the present application is the locker device according to claim 1, wherein the door has a transparent window.

Here, the term "transparent window" refers to a window made of a transparent material such as acrylic or glass. still,
The transparent window includes a case where the entire door body is a transparent plate.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the user can change the state of the charging lamp (charging completed or charging not completed) attached to the portable telephone with the door closed. Can be confirmed through

According to the invention described in claim 4 of the present application, the charging from the connection port for charging the mobile phone is performed when a predetermined locking operation procedure including payment of money is completed. 2. The charging method according to claim 1, wherein the charging is started and the charging is permanently performed, but if the charging is not completed, the charging is started and then the charging is forcibly terminated with a lapse of a short period of time. In the locker device.

Here, “permanent” is a word used in comparison with “slight”, and does not always mean forever. For example, it means only a predetermined number of hours or until charging is completed.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, power is supplied only for a short period of time at the start of charging regardless of whether or not a fee for use is paid. Or incomplete connection, this can be confirmed by the fact that the charging lamp attached to the mobile phone does not light up, but for unauthorized users who close the door and charge without paying the usage fee, Since the energization is not continued, it is possible to reliably prevent such misconduct.

[0017]

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of an embodiment of the locker device according to the present invention. As is clear from the figure, the locker device 1 has a plurality of storage boxes 2 and 2.
, And a metal door body 5, which individually opens and closes the front openings 4, 4,... Of the storage boxes 2, 2,... Of the box assembly 3. 5 ...
And a locking device 6 that can be locked with the doors 5, 5,... Closed.

Each of the storage boxes 2 has a relatively small capacity such that one mobile phone 7 can be accommodated with a margin, and is formed in a vertically elongated rectangular parallelepiped shape having a small depth and a vertically long shape. Then, as shown in FIG. 2, in this example, the mobile phone 7 is stored in the storage box 2 in a state of leaning against the rear wall 8.

The metal door body 5 that individually opens and closes the front opening 4 is configured to open one side with the right edge of the front opening 4 as a fulcrum. The door body 5 is provided with a transparent window 9 into which a transparent acrylic plate is fitted, so that the inside of the storage box 2 can be viewed through the transparent window 9. Therefore, by observing the state of the charging lamp 7a of the mobile phone 7 housed inside through the transparent window 9, it is possible to confirm whether the charging of the mobile phone 7 is completed or not completed.

The locking device 6 includes storage boxes 2, 2,.
An electric lock 10 attached to the box, an operation panel 11 attached to the front side of the box assembly 3, and a control device (microcomputer) that controls opening and closing of the electric lock based on a signal from the operation panel 11. ). Note that various configurations of the control device of the locking device 10 of this type are known by those skilled in the art. Briefly, the operation panel 11 is provided with a coin slot (coin receiving machine) 11a for paying a usage fee, a numeric keypad 11b used for inputting a password, a box number, and the like, and a liquid crystal display 11c. . When locking, the user inserts a required amount of coins into the coin insertion slot 11a, inputs a box number and a password (determined by the user himself) using the numeric keypad 11b, and furthermore, a predetermined guide. The locking command is given according to the following. Then, the electric lock 10 of the corresponding storage box is locked by the operation of the control device (not shown). Conversely, when unlocking, the user inputs the box number and the password (determined by the user himself) from the numeric keypad 11b, and gives an unlocking command according to a predetermined guide. Then, the electric lock of the corresponding storage box is unlocked by the operation of the control device.

Next, the main part of the locker device 1 according to the present invention will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, from the rear wall 8 of each of the storage boxes 2, 2,..., A charging cord 12 connected to a charger main body for charging a mobile phone (not shown) is drawn out. After being pulled out from the rear wall 8, it is curled into a helical shape so that it can expand and contract. A connector plug 13, which is a charging connection port of the mobile phone 7, is attached to an end of the charging cord 12. The connector plug 13 conforms to the shape of the data transmission / charging slot of the mobile phone. By doing so, the shape of the data transmission / charging insertion port (usually a slit-shaped insertion port formed at the bottom of the mobile phone 7) of the mobile phone is compatible with most mobile phones regardless of the model. Because they are common, it is possible to expand the models that can be charged. This is because a normal stand-type charger sold as a set with a mobile phone adopts a structure in which the mobile phone is held upright, so that the battery ( This is because the outer shape of a large-capacity battery, a small-capacity battery, or the like) may limit its use.

The charging from the connector plug 13 serving as the connection port for charging the portable telephone is started when the predetermined locking operation procedure including the payment of money described above is completed. If the charging is not completed, the charging is started and the operation is forcibly terminated after a short period of time. FIG. 3 shows a main part of a circuit configuration related to this operation.

As shown in the drawing, in the middle of the charging path toward the connector plug 13 of each storage box, the current sensor 14 for detecting the charging current and the current detected by the current sensor 14 exceed the reference value. Comparator 15 that determines
, A timer 16 started by the output of the comparator 15, and a switch 1 that is turned off in response to a time-up output of the timer 16.
7, 17 are provided. On the other hand, the switches 17 and 1
7, switches 18 and 18 are connected in parallel with the switch 7. The switch 18 is turned on by a lock signal for the electric lock and turned off by an unlock signal. Therefore, if the mobile phone 7 is connected to the connector plug 13, the timer 1
Although charging can be performed only during the set time of 6 (for example, a short period of about 1 to 2 minutes), the switches 17 and 17 are turned off after that, so that charging cannot be continued. On the other hand, when a predetermined locking operation procedure including payment of money is completed on the operation panel 11, the switches 18 and 18 are turned on at the same time as the locking signal arrives. Charging will be continued throughout the entire operation. As a result, unauthorized users who try to receive charging without paying money can be eliminated, while legitimate users can be charged for a short period of time even before payment. , Connector plug 1 with charging lamp 7a
There is no hindrance in checking the connection status of 3.

According to the locker device 1 having the above configuration, each of the lockable storage boxes 2, 2,... Is provided with a connector plug 13 which is a connection port for charging a mobile phone. The person can safely leave the mobile phone charged in a public place. Therefore, this locker device 1 can be used in a station yard,
It will be extremely convenient for mobile phone users if installed in theaters and cinema break rooms, business hotel lobbies, international conference hall entrance halls, underground shopping centers and underground passages in urban areas. . Also, in this embodiment, the shape of the data transmission / charging connection port of the mobile phone is common to almost all mobile phones regardless of the model, so that the number of models that can be charged can be expanded. The reason is that a normal stand-type charger sold as a set with a mobile phone adopts a structure that leans and holds the mobile phone,
This is because, even in the case of mobile phones of the same model, use may be limited by the external shape of a battery (such as a large capacity battery or a small capacity battery) to be mounted. Further, the user can check the state of the charging lamp 7a attached to the mobile phone 7 (charging completed or not completed) through the transparent window 9 with the door 5 closed. Further, the charging of the mobile phone 7 is performed permanently after the charging is started when a predetermined locking operation procedure including payment of money is completed, whereas the charging is not completed when the charging is started. Since charging is forcibly terminated after a short period of time after charging is started, power is supplied only for a short period at the start of charging regardless of whether or not a fee has been paid. In the case of poor connection or incomplete connection at the connection port, this can be confirmed by the fact that the charging lamp 7a attached to the mobile phone 7 does not light up, while charging is performed without closing the door 5 and paying the usage fee. Since the energization is not continued for the unauthorized user, such illegal acts can be surely prevented.

The configuration of the cellular phone connection port is as follows.
If it is configured exclusively for a specific telephone company, or if the boxes are divided into zones and dedicated to each telephone company, a so-called stand-type charger could be used.

[0027]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, there is provided a locker device which allows a portable telephone to be left safely and charged even in a public place. Can be.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall appearance of a locker device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view showing a state where a mobile phone is stored in a storage box of the locker device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing an embodiment of an unauthorized use prohibition function of the locking device of the locker device according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 locker device 2 storage box 3 box assembly 4 front opening 5 door 6 locking device 7 mobile phone 8 rear wall 9 transparent window 10 electric lock 11 operation panel 12 charging cord 13 connector plug (connection port for charging mobile phone) 14 Current sensor 15 Comparator 16 Timer 17 Switch for minute period charge 18 Switch for permanent charge

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A box assembly (3) having a plurality of storage boxes (2), a door body (5) for individually opening and closing a front opening (4) of each storage box of the box assembly.
Locking device capable of locking with the door closed (6)
A locker device (1), comprising: a connection port (13) for charging a mobile phone in each of the storage boxes (2) of the locker device. 2. A connection port (13) for charging the mobile phone.
The locker device according to claim 1, characterized in that the locker is adapted to the shape of the data transmission / charging slot of the mobile phone (7). 3. The locker device according to claim 1, wherein the door body has a transparent window (9). 4. The charging from the connection port for charging the portable telephone is performed permanently after the charging is started if a predetermined locking operation procedure including payment of money is completed. 2. The locker device according to claim 1, wherein if the charging is not completed, the charging is started and the charging is terminated with a short period of time.