Security container

• US 5,051,725 A
• Filed: 06/18/1990
• Issued: 09/24/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SOA Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: SOA Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Caccitolo, Michael F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, III, Glen R.
• Application Number:
  US07/539,920
• Time in Patent Office: 463 Days
• Field of Search: 340/571, 340/693, 340/689, 340/566, 220/210, 220/334
• US Class Current: 340/571
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1436 with motion detection

Abstract

An improved security storage assembly (9) that is lockable, that can store many different items, and that can warn the owner or user thereof if someone is attempting to break into it is disclosed. The assembly (9) includes a container (10) having walls (11,12), a closed bottom (16) and a cover (19) hingedly connected to the top (T) of a wall. A lock assembly (40) is disposed in the cover (19) for interconnecting the cover (19) to a wall (11). A motion-detecting alarm member (50) having a sensing mechanism for detecting a greater than threshold amount of motion and having a coupled alarm element therein for emitting an alarm signal when said greater than threshold amount of motion has been detected is removably mounted within the container (10). A fastening element (61) is fixedly secured to the motion-detecting alarm member (50) and a plurality of cooperating fastening receiving elements (60) are spaced apart on and fixedly secured to the upper portion of the interior of the walls (11,12 ). A plurality of apertures (13,14) being sized so as to permit the alarm to emanate from the container (10) and to prevent an entire adult hand from passing therethrough are also in the top portions of the walls (11,12).

Claims

1. A security container comprising:

a storage container having walls and a bottom, each said wall having a top, and a cover comprising at least one lid hingedly connected to one of said walls, said cover being movable between an open and a closed position;

means for locking said cover in said closed position to prevent improper entry into said storage container;

means within said storage container for detecting a greater-than-threshold amount of motion of said container;

means within said storage container for emitting an alarm signal when a greater-than-threshold amount of motion has been detected;

cooperating quick-release fasteners for mounting said detecting means and alarm signal means in any one of a plurality of locations within said storage container, one said fastener secured to said detection means and said alarm means and a plurality of fasteners secured to said storage container for selectively cooperating with said fastener secured to said detection means and said alarm signal means; and

,

means for permitting said alarm signal to emanate from said storage container.

2. The security container defined in claim 1 wherein said motion-detection means and said alarm signal means is an audio motion-detecting alarm member having a motion-sensor coupled with a speaker element therein for emitting an alarm siren when said greater-than-threshold amount of motion has been detected.

3. The security container defined in claim 2 wherein said cooperating quick-release fasteners are at least one strip of fastening material having a plurality of hook-like projections thereon fixedly secured to said audio motion-detecting alarm member and a plurality of strips of fastening material having hirsute material thereon fixedly secured to the interior of said walls at a location closer to said walls'"'"' top than said storage container bottom for receiving and cooperating with said hook-like material, said fastening materials being adherent to one another when in contact with each other.

4. The security container defined in claim 3 wherein said locking means is at least one lock assembly attached to said cover with a rotating cam thereon for cooperating with at least one said wall for interconnecting said wall to said cover.

5. The container defined in claim 4 wherein said cover is two interconnecting lids, each movable between an open and a closed position, each said lid being hinged at one end to said top of one of an opposed pair of said walls, said lids remaining in a closed position if said lids are interlocked and one said lid is locked to one said wall.

6. The security container of claim 5 further including means for identifying that said container is locked.

7. The security container of claim 6 wherein the identifying means is said cam projecting through a cooperating slot in one said wall.

8. A security container comprising:

a storage container having walls and a bottom, each said wall having a top, and a cover comprising at least one lid hingedly connected to one of said walls, said cover being movable between and open and a closed position;

means for locking said cover in said closed position to prevent improper entry into said storage container;

an audio motion-detecting alarm member within said storage container having a motion-sensor coupled with a speaker element for emitting an alarm siren when a greater-than-threshold amount of motion of said container has been detected;

means within said storage container for emitting an alarm signal when a greater-than-threshold amount of motion has been detected;

means for mounting said detecting means and alarm signal means in any one of a plurality of locations within said storage container; and

,

a wall with an aperture therein for permitting said alarm siren to emanate from said storage container, said aperture being located closer to said wall top than said storage container bottom and having a relatively small cross-sectional area to prevent an entire adult hand from passing therethrough.

9. A security storage assembly comprising:

a container for storing contents therein having an interior and an exterior, side walls, end walls, and a bottom, at least one said wall having an aperture therein, each said wall having a top, a cover comprising at least one lid movable between an opened and closed position hingedly connected to the top of one of said walls, said aperture in said wall being positioned closer to said wall top than said container bottom and said aperture having a relatively small cross-sectional area so as to permit said emitted alarm siren to emanate from said container and to prevent an entire adult hand from passing therethrough;

a lock assembly for coupling said cover to said container to keep said cover closed and for preventing improper entry into said container;

an audio motion-detecting alarm member removably mounted within said container having a sensing mechanism therein for detecting a greater-than-threshold amount of motion and having a speaker element therein for emitting an alarm siren when said greater-than-threshold amount of motion has been detected;

a first fastening element fixedly secured to sid audio motion-detecting alarm member; and

,

a second fastening element fixedly secured to said interior of said container for cooperating with said first fastening element to removably support said audio motion-detecting alarm member to said interior of said container in one of a plurality of locations on said walls.

10. The security storage assembly defined in claim 9 wherein said first fastening element is a strip of fastening material having a plurality of hook-like projections thereon and said second fastening element is a mating strip of fastening material having a plurality of loops thereon.

11. The security storage assembly defined in claim 10 wherein said second fastening element is a plurality of strips of fastening material having a plurality of loops thereon, each said strip being fixedly secured to said interior of said container at a location closer to said wall top than said container bottom.

12. The security storage assembly defined in claim 11 wherein there are a plurality of apertures in the upper portions of said walls, each said aperture being sized so as to have a relatively small cross-sectional area to prevent an entire adult hand from passing therethrough.

13. The security storage assembly defined claim 12 wherein said cover is two opposed interconnecting lids, each said lid being hinged at one end to said top of one said end wall and being movable between an open and closed position, said lids remaining in a closed position if said lids are interlocked at each said other end and one said lid is locked.

14. The security storage assembly defined in claim 13 wherein said lock assembly is connected to one said interconnecting lid and includes a rotating cam for cooperating with one said side wall for interconnecting said cover to said side wall.

15. In combination with a container having walls, a closed bottom and a cover hingedly connected to the top of a wall,

at least one lock assembly for preventing improper entry into said container, said lock assembly interconnecting said cover to a wall;

a motion-detecting alarm member removably mounted within said container having a sensing mechanism for detecting a greater-than-threshold amount of motion and having a coupled alarm element therein for emitting an alarm signal when said greater-than-threshold amount of motion has been detected;

a quick-release fastening element fixedly secured to said motion-detecting alarm member and a plurality of spaced cooperating quick-release fastening elements for cooperating with said fastening element secured to said motion-detecting alarm member, each one cooperating quick-release fastening elements being fixedly secured to the interior of a said wall; and

,

means for permitting said alarm to emanate from said storage container.

16. The combination in claim 15 wherein said alarm signal is an audio alarm siren and said means for permitting said alarm to emanate from said storage container is at least one said wall having an aperture therein, said aperture being sized so as to not only permit said alarm siren to emanate from said container but also to prevent an entire adult hand from passing therethrough.