Patent Application
20220349135
The presently disclosed subject matter is generally directed to a portable base for use with a kiosk or other large equipment.
Millions of drivers park their vehicles daily in parking lots or in garage facilities. Conventional parking lot and garage systems include a plurality of parking spaces and a kiosk that accepts payment and produces tickets, allowing a user to access the parking spaces. Often, drivers will interact with the parking kiosk when they enter the parking lot or garage to receive an entry ticket. The driver will then insert the ticket into the kiosk when they leave the parking lot or garage, with payment for the length of the time spent parked in the facility. In other situations, drivers interact with the parking kiosk a single time to pre-pay for time to be spent in the parking facility. However, conventional kiosks are inconvenient in that they are permanently mounted at a desired location. When the kiosk is no longer used or needed, the base is destroyed, and a new base constructed for use at a later location. It would therefore be beneficial to provide a portable kiosk base that can be moved from a first location to a second location as desired by the user.
In some embodiments, the presently disclosed subject matter is directed to a kiosk base. The kiosk base comprises a foundation defined by a top face with an outer edge, an opposed bottom face, and a sidewall that extends between the top face and bottom face. The base further includes one or more bollards positioned on the top face of the foundation, at or adjacent to the outer edge. The sidewall includes one or more apertures that extend into an interior of the sidewall.
In some embodiments, the foundation top face further includes a recess.
In some embodiments, the kiosk base further incudes a kiosk positioned within the recess.
In some embodiments, the recess is positioned in an approximate center portion of the foundation top face.
In some embodiments, the apertures extend into the interior of the sidewall about 10-30 inches.
In some embodiments, a first aperture differs from a second aperture with regard to size, shape, or both.
In some embodiments, the kiosk base comprises two apertures.
In some embodiments, a first aperture is spaced 6-24 inches from a second aperture on the sidewall.
In some embodiments, the foundation sidewall is rotatable relative to the top face, bottom face, or both.
In some embodiments, the kiosk base comprises about 1-6 bollards.
In some embodiments, the bollards are releasably attached to the top face of the foundation.
In some embodiments, the kiosk base includes a distance between adjacent bollards of about 3-15 inches.
In some embodiments, the foundation, at least one bollard, or both further includes at least one light source.
In some embodiments, the presently disclosed subject matter is directed to a method of moving a kiosk base from a first location to a second location. Particularly, the method includes positioning the disclosed kiosk base at a first location. The method includes relocating the kiosk base to a second location by inserting an object into each aperture to lift the kiosk base and transport it to the second location. The method includes removing the objects from the apertures, whereby the kiosk base is moved from a first location to a second location.
In some embodiments, each object is a fork of a forklift.
In some embodiments, the bollards are removed prior to the relocating step.
In some embodiments, the method further includes releasably attaching a kiosk onto the top face of the kiosk base.
The presently disclosed subject matter is introduced with sufficient details to provide an understanding of one or more particular embodiments of broader inventive subject matters. The descriptions expound upon and exemplify features of those embodiments without limiting the inventive subject matters to the explicitly described embodiments and features. Considerations in view of these descriptions will likely give rise to additional and similar embodiments and features without departing from the scope of the presently disclosed subject matter.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood to one of ordinary skill in the art to which the presently disclosed subject matter pertains. Although any methods, devices, and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the presently disclosed subject matter, representative methods, devices, and materials are now described.
Following long-standing patent law convention, the terms “a”, “an”, and “the” refer to “one or more” when used in the subject specification, including the claims. Thus, for example, reference to “a device” can include a plurality of such devices, and so forth. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” and/or “including” when used herein specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing quantities of components, conditions, and so forth used in the specification and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “about”. Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in the instant specification and attached claims are approximations that can vary depending upon the desired properties sought to be obtained by the presently disclosed subject matter.
As used herein, the term “about”, when referring to a value or to an amount of mass, weight, time, volume, concentration, and/or percentage can encompass variations of, in some embodiments +/−20%, in some embodiments +/−10%, in some embodiments +/−5%, in some embodiments +/−1%, in some embodiments +/−0.5%, and in some embodiments +/−0.1%, from the specified amount, as such variations are appropriate in the disclosed packages and methods.
As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
Relative terms such as “below” or “above” or “upper” or “lower” or “horizontal” or “vertical” may be used herein to describe a relationship of one element, layer, or region to another element, layer, or region as illustrated in the drawing figures. It will be understood that these terms and those discussed above are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in addition to the orientation depicted in the drawing figures.
The embodiments set forth below represent the necessary information to enable those skilled in the art to practice the embodiments and illustrate the best mode of practicing the embodiments. Upon reading the following description in light of the accompanying drawing figures, those skilled in the art will understand the concepts of the disclosure and will recognize applications of these concepts not particularly addressed herein. It should be understood that these concepts and applications fall within the scope of the disclosure and the accompanying claims.
The presently disclosed subject matter is generally directed to a portable kiosk base that can be used for a variety of purposes, such as (but not limited to) a parking kiosk base. The term “portable” refers to a device that is capable of being transported or moved from a first location to a second location. The term “kiosk” refers to any standalone structure from which items can be vended.
Foundation 10 can have length 40 and/or width 41 of about 10-100 inches (e.g., at least/no more than about 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, or 100 inches), as illustrated in
In some embodiments, sidewall 35 can include one or more apertures 40 that extend into the interior of the foundation, as shown in
Foundation can include any number of apertures 40, such as about 1-10 (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10). The apertures can be positioned about the circumference of the foundation sidewall. For example, the distance 41 between first and second apertures 40a, 40b can be about 6-24 inches apart, as shown in
Apertures 40 can be positioned at any location on sidewall 25. In some embodiments, the apertures can be positioned adjacent to bottom face 30 to prevent damage when moving the base from one location to another. Thus, the apertures can be positioned about 0.5-5 inches from bottom face 30. However, any configuration of apertures 40 can be used with the disclosed base.
In some embodiments, the sidewall can rotate relative to the top and/or bottom face of the foundation to allow the position of apertures 40 to be adjusted, such as for optimal access by a forklift or other machinery. Specifically,
In some embodiments, the foundation can optionally include holder 27 configured on top face 25, as shown in
It should be appreciated that although foundation 10 is illustrated as circular in shape (e.g., top plan view), the foundation can have any desired shape, such as oval, square, rectangular, triangular, and the like.
Foundation 10 can be constructed from any desired material, such as (but not limited to) metal (e.g., steel), concrete, wood, plastic, or combinations thereof. For example, the foundation can be constructed from 0.5 inch steel flatbar and 40 inch flat steel circle, filled with 4000 psi high strength concrete. It should be appreciated that this is merely one example, and the foundation can be constructed from a wide variety of materials.
The foundation can have a weight substantial enough to prevent movement of the base without proper machinery (e.g., a forklift). For example, the foundation (and/or base) should have a weight such that it cannot be knocked over by a person or vehicle. Thus, the weight of the foundation can be greater than about 300 pounds (e.g., between about 300-2000 pounds). However, the weight of the foundation is not limited and can be less than or greater than the range set forth herein.
Top face 25 of the foundation further includes a plurality of bollards 15 that ensure that the centrally located kiosk is undamaged. The term “bollard” refers to any of a wide variety of structural posts. As shown in
Each bollard 15 includes first end 45 and opposed second end 50 with body 51 therebetween, as shown in
Bollard 15 includes length 55 (e.g., the longest horizontal distance of the bollard). The bollard can have any desired length, such as (but not limited to) about 3-15 inches (e.g., at least/no more than about 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, or 15 inches). The bollard further includes height 56, which is the longest vertical distance of the element, from first end 45 to second end 50. Height 56 can range from about 20-60 inches (i.e., at least/no more than about 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, or 60 inches). The bollard width is the longest straight line distance perpendicular to both the length and height and can be about 3-15 inches (e.g., at least/no more than about 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, or 15 inches). It should be appreciated that the bollard length, width, and height can be configured outside the ranges given herein.
In some embodiments, bollards 15 can be cylindrically shaped. However, the bollard can have any desired cross-sectional shape, such as (but not limited to) square, rectangular, oval, circular, pentagonal, hexagon, octagonal, and the like, as illustrated in
Bollards 15 can be constructed from any desired material, such as (but not limited to) metal, cement, wood, plastic, or combinations thereof. For example, the bollards can be configured as a 10 inch×4 inch rectangular steel tube. The bollards can be structurally reinforced and adapted to resist impact (e.g., by a vehicle). Thus, the interior of bollards 15 can include reinforcement elements to strengthen the bollard. For example, a square tube with its corners coextensively engaged with and/or welded to the inner wall of the bollard greatly resists collapse. Further, the presence of disc-shaped transverse bulkheads at frequent intervals within the interior of the bollards resist collapse. Any structural elements can be used.
As set forth above, first end 45 of each bollard is attached to the top face of foundation 10. The bollards can be positioned about the perimeter of the foundation, as shown in
Foundation 10 and/or bollards 15 can optionally be painted or stained to achieve any aesthetic desired by the user. For example, the foundation can include dyed concrete. Alternatively or in addition, the foundation or bollards can be painted (e.g., powder coated steel paint). The base can further include any desired designs or words (e.g., branding, instructions for use, etc.).
Base 5 can optionally include lighting to help users see the kiosk during low light conditions, such as evening or dark garages. For example, one or more bollards 15 and/or foundation 10 can include lighting 52, as shown in
Kiosk 20 can be permanently or releasably attached to the top face of the foundation using standard techniques. Specifically, the kiosk is positioned such that it is surrounded by bollards 15. In this way, the kiosk is shielded from damage, such as from accidental car bumps and the like. Any desired elements can be used to attach the kiosk to the top face of foundation 10. For example, the kiosk can be sized and shaped to fit into foundation recess 26. In some embodiments, bolts, fasteners, and other mechanical elements can be used.
Kiosk 20 is not limited and can be any device that interacts with a user. The kiosk can include a graphical user interface that allows the user to directly insert or remove one or more items (e.g., money, tickets, receipts) into or from the kiosk.
In use, base 5 is deposited at a desired location, such as at the entrance or exit of a parking garage or parking lot, as shown in step 60 in the flowchart of
When an owner decides to relocate base 5, it can be easily repositioned from a first location to a second location. Specifically, apertures 40 enable the base to be easily and conveniently relocated. In some embodiments, the arms of a forklift can be inserted into the foundation apertures. The forklift arms can then be raised and lowered to reposition the base at a new location. Optionally, kiosk 20 and bollards 15 are permanently attached to the foundation such that the base can move as a single unit. However, the kiosk and/or bollards can be releasably attached to the foundation, allowing them to be added, removed, replaced, or switched out as desired by the user or by a particular application.
Base 5 offers many benefits over prior art kiosk cases. For example, the disclosed base is portable, allowing a user to change the location of the base as desired. In this way, the base can be easily moved depending on user preferences, a particular event, and the like.
The inclusion of apertures 40 ensures that the base can be safely and efficiently moved without damaging the foundation, kiosk, and/or bollards. Because the apertures extend into the interior of the foundation, the likelihood of damage to the base components are minimized.
Bollards 15 further reduce the likelihood of damage to the base or kiosk, acting as a protective shield. Thus, if a car intentionally or accidentally contacts the base, the bollards will protect the kiosk from damage.
Further, the weight of the base prevents theft or other illegal activity. Specifically, the weight of the base prohibits an unauthorized third party from attempting to remove the base from a first location.
These and other advantages would be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art after a review of the present disclosure.
As described above, although a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.
