Device for the protected storage of objects

• US 4,942,831 A
• Filed: 09/23/1988
• Issued: 07/24/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seculock BV 23 Nieuwe Hescheweg 5342 CE OSS The Netherlands
• Original Assignee: Seculock B. V.
• Inventors: Tel, Teunis
• Primary Examiner(s): Wolfe, Robert L.
• Application Number:
  US07/265,136
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 109/35, 109/20, 109/29, 109/30, 109/31, 109/32, 109/33, 109/34, 109/41, 109/42
• US Class Current: 109/29
• CPC Class Codes: E05G 1/10 with alarm, signal or indicator E05G1/14 takes precedence; burglar, theft or intruder alarm per se G08B13/00; fire or explosion alarm per se G08B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05G 1/14 with means for masking or destroying the valuables, e.g. in case of theft

Abstract

Device for the protected storage of objects, comprising a closable container having an electrical security shield enclosing a storage space, damaging means (10) for rendering the objects useless, and means (4) for feeding in from the outside a command which disables the damaging means (10), the security shield comprising one or more electrical systems which at least togther extend over essentially the entire surface of the shield and which cooperate with a processing circuit (14) which detects an electrical parameter of each system, and which is capable of delivering an activation command to the damaging means (10) when a detected parameter value deviates from a reference value.

Claims

1. A device for the protected storage of objects comprising:

a closable container, comprising a slide having a recess defined in it for accommodating objects therein and a cassette into which the slide is insertable;

the cassette, the slide and the recess being respectively so shaped that with the slide fully inserted into the cassette, access into the recess in the slide is blocked.

damaging means in the container and communicating into the recess and being operable for damaging objects in the recess;

command feeding means accessible from the exterior of the container and operable for disabling the damaging means from operating;

an electrical security shield comprising at least one electrical system which extends essentially over the entire surface of the container, including the cassette and the slide;

a processing circuit connected to each of the electrical systems for detecting an electrical parameter of the respective system, the processing circuit being connected with the damaging means for delivering an activation command to the damaging means when a detected parameter value in any of the electrical systems deviates from a reference value and when the command feeding means has not disabled the damaging means;

each of the cassette and the slide having respective matable connecting means wherein one part of the connecting means is on the cassette and the other part is on the slide, and the connecting means being so placed on the cassette and on the slide that the matable connecting means are in engagement when the cassette is inserted into the slide and the connecting means are disengaged as the cassette is separated from the slide;

a respective set of the connecting means of the slide and of the cassette being connected with each of the electrical systems, such that when the set of connecting means of the cassette and the slide are in engagement, they are connected to the respective electrical system and are connected to the respective processing circuit.

12. Device according to claim 1, wherein at least one system comprises a layer of piezoelectrical material having electrodes applied to the layer.

13. Device according to claim 1, wherein at least one system comprises a layer of electret material having electrodes applied to the layer.

14. Device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the systems comprises two electrically conducting layers which are connected to the processing circuit and an electrical insulating layer, the parameter of the system corresponding to the capacitance between the conducting layers.

15. Device according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuit differentiates the parameter value preceding comparison with the reference value.

16. Device according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is suitable for detection of a short-circuit between two of the systems and on detection thereof for delivery of the activation command to the damaging means.

17. Device according to claim 1, wherein the connecting means comprise contacts pads and flexible sliding contacts mating therewith.

18. Device according to claim 17, wherein the slide of the cassette has an infeed opening;

and part of the connecting means is disposed a short distance away from the infeed opening.

19. Device according to claim 1, wherein the damaging means comprise a cartridge with a damaging medium which is explosive by means of the activation command and the cartridge is disposed along an edge of the recess of the slide and, the cartridge is surrounded on all sides except the side facing the recess by essentially the shape-retaining material when the cartridge explodes, and the recess at the slide is suitable for placing a stack of flat objects therein with slight play in the recess of the slide and against the cartridge.

20. Device according to claim 19, wherein the cartridge has a curved surface to be rested against the object in the recess, and an opposite upright edge of the recess of the slide is of a complementary shape.

21. Device according to claim 1, wherein the slide of the cassette has an infeed opening;

a head part of the slide which is closest to the infeed opening when the container is closed has a collar which extends over the edge part of the infeed opening of the cassette when the container is closed, and at least a part of at least one of the systems running opposite the connecting means disposed at the infeed opening.

22. Device according to claim 1, wherein the cassette includes opposite walls, at least part of at least one of the systems is provided on each of two of the opposite walls of the cassette, the walls having edges and along the edges of the walls are connecting strips of insulating material with a large number of electrically conducting filaments running at right angles to the walls, the filaments for ensuring the connection between parts of at least one of the systems.

23. Device according to claim 1, further comprising a carrier on which a system is disposed, the carrier is to be fitted opposite and against the walls of the cassette and has overlapping edge parts in which recesses are provided opposite each other in conductors of the system formed on the carrier, and an electrically conducting adhesive provided in the recesses.

24. Device according to claim 1, wherein the means for feeding in from the outside a command for disabling the damaging means comprise a keyboard which is fixed to the container and at least part of at least one of the systems and cooperating with the processing circuit.

25. Device according to claim 1, comprising an electromechanical locking mechanism which, on receipt of an unlocking signal produced in response to the infeed of the command for disabling the damaging means, is positioned and operable for unlocking a passage for the objects of the container.

26. Device according to claim 25, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a bistable element which in receipt of the unlocking signal maintains the state which unlocks the container until a subsequent energization.

27. Device according to claim 25, wherein the locking mechanism is connected to moves the slide relative to the cassette on receipt of the unlocking signal.

2. Device according to claim 30, wherein each system is comprised of a layer of electrically conducting material having two electrodes which are connected to the processing circuit and are arranged at a distance from each other, the parameter of the system corresponding to the resistance of the layer.

3. Device according to claim 2, wherein each system includes respective connections to it, the processing circuit comprises a voltage source for connection to the connections of the system, and the processing circuit is for measuring the current through the system for determination of the resistance value of the system corresponding to the current.

4. Device according to claim 2, wherein each system includes respective connections to it, the processing circuit comprises a current source for connection to the connections of the system, and the processing circuit is for measuring the voltage between the connections of the system for determination of the resistance value of the system corresponding to the voltage.

5. Device according to claim 2, wherein the material has a high resistance temperature coefficient.

6. Device according to claim 2, wherein the between the electrodes thereof, the layer has such high cross-sectional resistance that the processing circuit can detect partial rupturing of the layer.

7. Device according to claim 2, wherein the layer is at least partially of a fine-mesh structure.

8. Device according to claim 2, wherein the layer is formed by at an electrical insulating layer, the parameter of the system corresponding to the capacitance between the conducting layers.

9. Device according to claim 8, wherein opposite the spaces between the track parts of a track of one of the layers there are the track parts of a track of another of the layers insulated relative to the one layer.

10. Device according to claim 8, wherein each layer has connection pads, and part of one layer extends opposite the connection pads of another layer.

11. Device according to claim 8, wherein the respective tracks of a plurality of the layers are connected in series when the container is closed.