Electromechanical parking meter door communications interface

US6467602B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• MEDECO SECURITY LOCKS, INC. · US
• J.J. MACKAY CANADA LIMITED · CA

Inventors

• James Bench · Roanoke, US
• David Lefevers · Roanoke, US
• Gary Hoss · Largo, US
• J. Lumpkin · Roanoke, US
• Gregory Emile Chauvin · Bambi Lane, CA

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 19, 2001
• Grant date: Oct 22, 2002
• Expiry date: Apr 19, 2021

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T70/7073
• WIPO field: Control
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An electronic security system for a parking meter includes a vault door having a spring-biased contact terminal for making breakable electrical contact with a housing hinge bracket contact terminal mounted in a vault opening. An electronic lock control circuit is able to communicate with a meter control (coin counting/auditing) circuit in the meter portion of the system through the vault door/housing hinge bracket contact terminals, thus eliminating a direct cable connection between the lock circuit and the meter circuit. The spring-biased contact may be substituted by equivalent breakable electrical contacts such as optocoupler contacts.