Apparatus and method for vending securely stored products to consumers

摘要

A lock mechanism is disclosed, the lock mechanism having a rotary latch configured for rotation between a locked position and an unlocked position, the rotary latch rotating in a first plane and the rotary latch is retained in the locked position after it has been rotated into the locked position from the unlocked position, the rotary latch being spring biased into the unlocked position by a biasing member; and a first lock mechanism for retaining the rotary latch in the locked position after rotation of the rotary latch into the locked position, the rotary latch being capable of being manipulated back into the unlocked position from the locked position after actuation of the first locking mechanism into a release position, wherein actuation of the first lock mechanism is in a second plane that is not parallel to the first plane.

主权项

1. A lock mechanism, comprising:
a rotary latch configured for rotation between a locked position and an unlocked position, the rotary latch rotating in a first plane and the rotary latch is retained in the locked position after it has been rotated into the locked position from the unlocked position, the rotary latch being spring biased into the unlocked position by a biasing member; and a first locking mechanism for releasing the rotary latch from the locked position after rotation of the rotary latch into the locked position, the first locking mechanism having a planar member being configured to directly contact a latch trigger of the rotary latch and move from a first position to a second position, wherein the rotary latch is only capable of being manipulated back into the unlocked position from the locked position only after movement of the planar member of the first locking mechanism into the second position, wherein movement of the planar member of the first locking mechanism from the first position to the second position is only in a second plane that is not parallel to the first plane and wherein the planar member of the first locking mechanism must be returned to the first position in order to subsequently re-release the rotary latch from the locked position, further comprising a second locking mechanism, the second locking mechanism engaging a projection depending away from the planar member of the first locking mechanism after the first locking mechanism has released the rotary latch from the locked position and has moved into the second position, the second locking mechanism being configured to prevent the planar member of the first locking mechanism from subsequently returning to the first position from the second position by contacting the projection.