Safe with nitinol wire locking mechanism

• US 9,422,745 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2014
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chow, Leslie Ho Leung
• Original Assignee: Chow, Leslie Ho Leung
• Inventors: Chow, Leslie Ho Leung
• Primary Examiner(s): Barrett, Suzanne
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCCLURE, MORGAN J
• Application Number:
  US14/273,769
• Publication Number:
  US 20150322695A1
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 70/63, 702/781, 702/783, 109/49, 109 50- 52, 109 59 R- 63, 109 64- 66
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0084 Key or electric means; Emergency release
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/00 Operating or controlling locks or other fastening devices by electric or magnetic means electric permutation locks E05B49/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0009 with thermo-electric actuators, e.g. heated bimetals
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/02 Movement of the bolt by electromagnetic means; Adaptation of locks, latches, or parts thereof, for movement of the bolt by electromagnetic means by means in the striker E05B63/248
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/026 the bolt moving rectilinearly
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/06 Controlling mechanically-operated bolts by electro-magnetically-operated detents
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 49/00 Electric permutation locks; Circuits therefor ; Mechanical aspects of electronic locks; Mechanical keys therefor arrangements for sensing or reading record carriers G06K7/00; mechanisms including electronic locks actuated by nonmechanical keys such as passive and active electrical keys and other data carriers G07C9/00, G07F7/00; electronic switching H03K17/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 51/00 Operating or controlling locks or other fastening devices by other non-mechanical means
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 51/005 by a bimetallic or memory-shape element heated by electricity E05B47/0009; for panic door actuation E05B65/104
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 65/00 Locks or fastenings for special use
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 65/0075 for safes, strongrooms, vaults, fire-resisting cabinets or the like safes, closures and fastenings therefor E05G
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 65/0082 with additional locking responsive to attack, e.g. to heat, explosion in general E05B17/2092
• CPC Class Codes: E05G 1/00 Safes or strong-rooms for valuables savings boxes A45C1/12; floatable safes B63C7/30; storage containers without attack or fire-retardant features B65D; bank buildings in general, e.g. modular construction or floor plan, E04H1/06; buildings resistant to earthquakes or war action E04H9/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05G 1/005 Portable strong boxes, e.g. which may be fixed to a wall or the like E05G1/08, E05G1/14 take precedence; devices to prevent theft or loss of bags, trunks, baskets, or the like A45C13/18; coin boxes for coin freed apparatus G07F9/06
• CPC Class Codes: E05G 1/02 Details safe hinges E05D7/14
• CPC Class Codes: E05G 1/04 Closure fasteners locks E05B
• 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 2700/00 Safes or accessories thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7068 Actuated after correct combination recognized [e.g., numerical, alphabetical, or magnet[s] pattern]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7107 And alternately mechanically actuated by a key, dial, etc.

Abstract

A safe. A safe lid is connected to a safe box via a hinge attachment. The safe is locked shut by utilization of a latch assembly. A Nitinol wire is connected to a latch assembly opening device. The latch assembly opening device is connected to the latch assembly. A user can open the safe by inputting the correct pass code into a keypad. An electrical signal is then transferred to the Nitinol wire causing the Nitinol wire to shorten. The shortening of the Nitinol wire causes the latch assembly opening device to open the latch assembly. In a preferred embodiment a key lock is also configured to control the latch assembly opening device and the key lock may be used as another method to open the safe.

Claims

1. A safe comprising:

A. a box,

B. a lid connected to said box via a hinge,

C. two latch assemblies for locking said lid onto said box,

D. two latch assembly opening devices respectively connected to the two latch assemblies,

E. two electronic circuits each comprising one Nitinol wire each connected to one of the latch assembly opening devices, wherein said two Nitinol wires shorten after receiving said electronic signal causing said latch assembly opening devices to move from their original positions and to open said two latch assemblies to release said lid from said box so that said safe can be opened,

F. a user controllable keypad connected to said electronic circuit for allowing a user to transmit an electronic signal to said two Nitinol wires,

G. a user controlled key lock, two lock levers, two push rods, two rotatable push plates, two internal spring mechanisms, a key mechanism and a key which when the key is turned to an unlocked position a top portion of the two lock levers are pushed apart by the key mechanism causing the two lock levers to pull the two push rods to push the two rotatable push plates causing the activation of the two internal spring mechanisms to release the two latch assemblies from the lid.

2. The safe as in claim 1, further comprising a low melt metal rod connected to said at least one Nitinol wire so that said Nitinol wire will lose its anchor after said low melt metal rod has melted.

3. The safe as in claim 1, wherein said safe is a fire safe.

4. A safe comprising:

A. a box,

B. a lid connected to said box via a hinge,

C. a latch assembly for locking said lid onto said box,

D. an electronic circuit comprising at least one Nitinol wire, said electronic circuit comprising;

i. a user controllable keypad,

ii. an electrode plate connected to said keypad

iii. an electrode rod removably connected to said electrode plate,

iv. an electrical connection wire connected to said electrode rod,

v. a Nitinol wire connected to said electrical connection wire,

E. a latch assembly opening device connected to said latch assembly, said latch assembly opening device comprising;

i. a rotatable push plate connected to said Nitinol wire,

ii. a push rod connected to said rotatable push plate,

iii. a lock lever connected to said push rod,

iv. a lock lever spring anchored to said safe and connected to said lock lever, wherein said at least one Nitinol wire shortens after receiving said electronic signal causing said latch assembly opening device to move from its original position and to open said latch assembly to release said lid from said box so that said safe can be opened,

F. a user controlled key lock, two lock levers, two push rods, two rotatable push plates, two internal spring mechanisms, a key mechanism and a key which when the key is turned to an unlocked position a top portion of the two lock levers are pushed apart by the key mechanism causing the two lock levers to pull the two push rods to push the two rotatable push plates causing the activation of the internal spring mechanisms to release the latch assembly from the lid.

5. The safe as in claim 4 wherein said lock lever spring returns said latch assembly opening device to its original position.

6. The safe as in claim 5, wherein said lock lever spring is two lock lever springs.

7. The safe as in claim 4, further comprising a low melt metal rod connected to said at least one Nitinol wire so that said Nitinol wire will lose its anchor after said low melt metal rod has melted.

8. The safe as in claim 4, wherein said safe is a fire safe.