Device for securing a firearm, as well as for securing and/or storing objects

• US 6,510,642 B2
• Filed: 05/07/1999
• Issued: 01/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Karl Stefan Riener
• Original Assignee: Karl Stefan Riener
• Inventors: Riener, Karl Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Carone, Michael J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Buckley, Denise J
• Application Number:
  US09/230,370
• Publication Number:
  US 20020032976A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,362 Days
• Field of Search: 42/701.1, 342/44, 342/45
• US Class Current: 42/70.11
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 17/063 comprising a transponder

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for securing a firearm against unauthorised removal and/or firing and for securing and/or storing objects against unauthorised removal, which comprises a locking device (9, 10, 14) and an identification device (11, 16). The identification device (11, 16) is designed for the wireless exchange at least of unambiguous identification codes (30, 36) and comprises at least one transmission and/or receiving unit (18, 19, 20) assigned to an authorised user and another to the identification device (11, 16). At a distance or in a distance range between the transmission and/or receiving units (18, 19, 20) of 0 to 1000 mm, preferably 0 to 50 mm and corresponding identification codes (30, 36) of the transmission and/or receiving unit (19) of the user and the transmission and/or receiving unit (18, 20) of the identification device (11, 16) the locking device (9, 10, 14) is deactivated by the identification device (11, 16).

Claims

1. A security system for securing a firearm against unauthorized firing comprising:

(a) a firearm locking device and an identification device, which is designed for the wireless exchange of unique identification codes or recognition signals, the security system comprising;

(b) at least one transceiver unit assigned to an authorized user and designed to transmit, receive and analyze unique identification codes,

(c) another transceiver unit assigned to the identification device and designed to transmit, receive and analyze unique identification codes, and

(d) means for analyzing the unique identification codes, comprising;

(1) the authorized user transceiver being a non-battery operating transponder, and

(2) the identification device deactivating the locking device only in a distance range of 0 to 50 mm between the one and the other transceiver unit upon indication by the analyzing means that the identification codes of the one and the other transceiver units are valid.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the transmission and/or receiving unit (19, 219) of the user (17, 217) is arranged in a watch housing (41, 241), in a watch strap (40, 240) or a ring (242).

3. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the transmission and/or receiving unit (19, 219) is integrated into a piece of clothing and/or jewellery (39, 239) of the user (17, 217).

4. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the transmission and/or receiving unit (19, 219) is arranged in the region of the hand or the part of the lower arm facing the hand.

5. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the transmission and/or receiving unit (19, 219) of the user (17, 217) is designed for the continual or continually consecutive, intermittent signal emission.

6. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that a manually operable switch element (51, 247) is assigned to the transmission and/or receiving unit (18, 19, 20, 218, 219, 220).

7. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that a range of the transmission and/or receiving unit (18, 19, 20, 218, 219, 220) for the transmission of at least the identification codes (30, 36, 230) is greater than the distance or the distance range.

8. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the transmission and/or receiving unit (19, 219) is designed for detecting and if necessary transmitting its distance from the identification device (11, 16, 211, 216).

9. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the distance or the distance range between the transmission and/or receiving unit (19, 219) and the transmission and/or receiving unit (18, 20, 218, 220) can be predetermined or adjusted.

10. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the sensitivity or the range of the transmission and/or receiving units (18, 19, 20, 218, 219, 220) can be adjusted.

11. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the identification device (11, 16, 211, 216) comprises optical and/or acoustic and/or electromagnetic transmission and/or receiving units (18, 19, 20, 218, 219, 220).

12. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that encoding and/or decoding units (33, 34) are assigned to the transmission and/or receiving units (18, 19, 20, 218, 219, 220).

13. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the transmission and/or receiving units (18, 19, 20, 218, 219, 220) have a test circuit for the received electromagnetic alternating field (24, 224).

14. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that a distance measuring device (37) is assigned to the identification device (11, 16, 211, 216) and/or the transmission and/or receiving unit (19, 219) of the user (17, 217).

15. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the locking device (9, 10;

14) is assigned to a holding device (5, 6, 7) for the firearms (2, 3, 4) and a charging device (43) at the holding device (5, 6, 7) is coupled to the power supply system (22), preferably the identification device (16).

16. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the coupling between the power supply system (22, 222) of the identification device (16, 216) formed in particular by accumulators (23, 223) and of the charging device (43, 243) is in the form of contact-free power transmission devices and/or electrical contact devices.

17. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the identification device (16) is integrated invisibly in the firearm (2, 3, 4).

18. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the locking device (14) of the firearm (2, 4) is assigned to a trigger (42) and/or a lock (49).

19. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the holding device (7) for a handgun (52) comprises a mount (59) for a barrel (53) of the handgun (52) and the locking device (60, 61, 62) is assigned to the barrel (53).

20. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that a drive element (63, 64, 71) of the locking device (60, 61, 62) is coupled with a lock pin (65, 66, 69) and the drive element (63, 64, 71) is line-connected with the identification device (11).

21. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the lock pin (65, 66, 69) controlled by the identification device (16) with the drive element (63, 64, 71) is adjustable from a position in the inner space of the mount (59) into a position located outside the latter.

22. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the lock pin (65, 66, 69) interacts with a sight (67) and/or a recess (68) and/or a trigger safety clip (70).

23. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that in the region of an opening (58) of the mount (59) or in the region of the holding device (5, 6, 7) a sensor is arranged which is line-connected with the locking device (60, 61, 62) or the identification device (16).

24. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that a holding element (54) or a handle (55) of the handgun (52) projects out of the holding device (7).

25. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the holding device (7) is in the form of a pistol holster (74) and the identification device (11) is arranged on the pistol holster (74).

26. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the pistol holster (74) is made of hard plastic and the lock pin (69) of the locking device (62) on the pistol holster (74) in the locked position penetrates the trigger safety clip (70).

27. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the transmission and/or receiving unit (18) is arranged on a carrier belt (75) of the pistol holster (74) in the region of the handle (55).

28. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that a locking device (81) of the pistol holster (74) surrounds a handle (55) and via a coupling device (85) connected with the identification device (11) a pivotal movement of the locking device (81) is released or locked relative to the pistol holster (74).

29. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the identification device (11, 16, 211, 216) comprises a scanning device for person-related, body-specific features, such as e.g. finger prints, iris imaging, face shape or hand shape.

30. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the locking device (9, 10;

14;

60;

61;

62, 209, 210, 214) is released by the identification device (11, 16, 211, 216) if at least one body, person-related feature and one identification code (30, 36, 230) corresponds.

31. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the identification and/or locking device (11, 16, 9,10,14, 60, 61, 62, 211, 216, 209, 210, 214) is connected to an alarm signalling device.

32. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the identification and/or locking device (11, 16, 9, 10, 14, 60, 61, 62, 211, 216, 209, 210, 214) and/or a force field for supplying power is activated by the presence of a person in a room, in which the holding device (5, 6, 7) or the holding and/or storage device (205) is arranged.

33. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the release of the locking device (9, 10, 14, 60, 61, 62, 209, 210, 214) can be blocked by a timer.

34. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the switch device for the locking and/or identification device (9, 10, 14, 60, 61, 62,11, 16, 209, 210, 214, 211, 216) and/or power supply device can be activated by a remote control device, in particular by a voice recognition module.

35. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the locking device (209, 210, 214) is assigned to a holding and/or storage device (205) for the objects (202), and a charging device (243) at the holding and/or storage device (205) is coupled with the power supply system (222) of the identification device (211, 216).

36. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the identification device (216) is integrated invisibly in the holding and/or the storage device (205), e.g. in the form of a safe (206) or a locker.

37. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the locking device (209, 210, 214) is assigned to a door or a lid of the holding and/or storage device (205) or a holding member of a presentation carrier.

38. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that a drive element of the locking device (209, 210, 214) is coupled with a lock pin and the drive element is line-connected with the identification device (211, 216).

39. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the lock pin is controlled by the identification device (211, 216) from a position locking the object (202) into a position releasing the object (202) and vice versa.

40. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that in the region of the holding and/or storage device (205) and/or in the storage region for the object (202) a sensor is arranged, which is line-connected with the locking device (209, 210, 214) or the identification device (211, 216).

41. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the holding and/or storage device (205) is in the form of a portable storage container (208) and the identification device (216) is arranged on the user (217) himself or on a portable storage container (208).

42. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the transmission and/or receiving unit (220) is arranged on a carrier belt (248) of the portable storage container (208).

43. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the identification device (211, 216) and/or the locking device (209, 210, 214) is arranged in a safe (206) and/or in a locker and/or in a storage container (208), e.g. a magazine (207) or is assigned thereto.

44. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the identification device (211, 216) and/or the locking device (209, 210, 214) is assigned holding members, e.g. a holding clip for an object of value on a presentation carrier.

45. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that a control device (253) arranged in a regions spaced apart from the transmission and/or receiving unit (218, 220) for the identification codes (23) is assigned to the identification device (211, 216) and/or the locking device (209, 210, 214).

46. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the locking device (209, 210, 214) is deactivated with a positive control result of the control device (253) and with corresponding identification codes (230).

47. The security system of claim 1, wherein the identification codes vary from transmission to transmission.

48. A security system for securing objects with a safety device against unauthorized removal, which comprises:

(a) a safety locking device for safety device and

(b) an identification device designed for the wireless exchange of unique identification codes or recognition signals, the identification device comprising;

(1) at least one transceiver unit assigned to an authorized user and designed to transmit, receive and analyze unique identification codes, and being a non-battery operating transponder,

(2) another transceiver unit assigned to the identification device and designed to transmit, receive and analyze unique identification codes,

(3) means for analyzing the unique identification codes,

(4) the identification device deactivating the locking device in a distance range of 0 to 1000 mm between the one and the other transceiver unit upon indication by the analyzing means that the identification codes of the one and the other transceiver units are valid.

49. The security system of claim 48, wherein the distance range is only 0 to 50 mm.

50. The security system of claim 48, wherein the identification codes vary from transmission to transmission.

51. The security system of claim 48, wherein the object is a firearm.

52. The security system of claim 51, further comprising a holding device;

and wherein the firearm is assigned to said holding device.

53. The security system of claim 51, further comprising a storage device;

and wherein the firearm is assigned to said storage device.

54. The security system of claim 53, wherein said storage device is selected from the group consisting of a storage box and a storage container.

55. A security system for securing a firearm against unauthorized firing comprising:

(a) a firearm locking device and an identification device, which is designed for the wireless exchange of unique or unambiguous identification codes or recognition signals, the security system comprising;

(b) at least one transceiver unit assigned to an authorized user and designed to transmit, receive and analyze unique or unambiguous identification codes, and being a non-battery operating transponder

(c) another transceiver unit assigned to the identification device and designed to transmit, receive and analyze unique or unambiguous identification codes, and

(d) means for analyzing the unique or unambiguous identification codes, comprising;

(1) the authorized user transceiver being a non-battery operating transponder, and

(2) the identification device deactivating the locking device only in a distance range of 0 to 50 mm between the one and the other transceiver unit upon indication by the analyzing means that the identification codes of the one and the other transceiver units are valid.

56. A security system for securing objects with a safety device against unauthorized removal, which comprises:

(a) a firearm locking device and

(b) an identification device designed for the wireless exchange of unique or unambiguous identification codes or recognition signals, the identification device comprising;

(1) at least one transceiver unit assigned to an authorized user and designed to transmit, receive and analyze unique or unambiguous identification codes, and being a non-battery operating transponder,

(2) another transceiver unit assigned to the identification device and designed to transmit, receive and analyze unique or unambiguous identification codes,

(3) means for analyzing the unique or unambiguous identification codes,

(4) the identification device deactivating the locking device in a distance range of 0 to 1000 mm between the one and the other transceiver unit upon indication by the analyzing means that the identification codes of the one and the other transceiver units are valid.