Container with a selective opening and closing mechanism

• US 9,697,663 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2006
• Issued: 07/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kenneth R. Johnson, Ronald L. Johnson
• Original Assignee: Kenneth R. Johnson, Ronald L. Johnson
• Inventors: Johnson, Ronald L., Johnson, Kenneth R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jiang, Yong Hang
• Application Number:
  US11/529,445
• Publication Number:
  US 20070018791A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,933 Days
• Field of Search: 340 528, 340 573, 340 561, 340 564, 340 51, 340 52, 340 55, 340 554, 340 58
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/18 Devices to prevent theft or loss of purses, luggage or hand carried bags
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 29/141 comprising electronically controlled locking means
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 17/0079 Locks with audio features E05B45/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0096 Mechanical aspects of locks whose actuation is dependent on geographical location, e.g. by means of a GPS system electronic locks G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 43/005 Timer devices controlling electrically operated locks
• 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: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/08 With time considerations, e.g. temporary activation, valid time window or time limitations
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00571 operated by interacting with a central unit
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/38 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7006 Predetermined time interval controlled

Abstract

A system and apparatus which includes one or more locking container devices comprising a closeable container for holding at least one object; lock coupled to the container and moveable between a lock position and an unlock position; and programmable timer circuit for actuating the lock at a programmed time which is either specified or randomly set. The container device alternatively includes a receiving component for sensing a change an external condition including but not limited to, geographic location, temperature, sound and one or more predetermined operations. The timer circuit is alternatively unlocked by receiving an unlock signal via an appropriate communication medium from a remote source. The container device also includes a transmitter for transmitting an appropriate signal to the remote source. An interface terminal is coupled to the remote source and configured to accept at least one external condition instruction to be transmitted to the receiving component.

Claims

1. A locking container device comprising:

a. a closeable container for holding at least one object;

b. a lock coupled to the container and moveable between a lock position and an unlock position; and

c. a programmable circuit for automatically actuating the lock between the lock position and the unlock position at an unlock time, wherein the lock is moved to the lock position at activation and does not move to the unlock position until the unlock time and further wherein the container is biased toward an open position such that the container automatically opens upon the lock moving to the unlock position, and wherein after the circuit is programmed with an automatically assigned single unlock time within an input time range, the container is not openable by a recipient until the programmed unlock time, wherein after the container is opened, the container remains unlocked until it is programmed with a new unlock time.

2. The container device according to claim 1 wherein the object within the container is inaccessible until the unlock time.

3. The container device according to claim 1 wherein the unlock time is a specified time.

4. The container device according to claim 1 further comprising a display for displaying an amount of time remaining until the unlock time.

5. A locking container device comprising:

a. a closeable container for holding at least one object;

b. a lock coupled to the container and moveable between a lock position and an unlock position; and

c. a programmable circuit coupled to the lock and configured to automatically actuate the lock between the lock position and the unlock position at a programmed time subsequent to activation, wherein the lock does not move until the programmed time and further wherein the container is biased toward an open position such that the container automatically opens upon the lock moving to the unlock position, and wherein after the circuit is programmed with an automatically assigned single unlock time within an input time range, the container is not openable by a recipient until the programmed unlock time, wherein after the container is opened, the container remains unlocked until it is programmed with a new unlock time.

6. The container device according to claim 5 wherein the object within the container is inaccessible until the programmed time.

7. The container device according to claim 5 wherein the container is accessible only until the programmed time.

8. The container device according to claim 5 wherein the programmed time is a specified time.

9. The container device according to claim 5 further comprising a display for displaying an amount of time remaining until the programmed time.

10. A portable locking container device comprising:

a. a closeable container for holding at least one object;

b. a lock coupled to the container and moveable between a lock position and an unlock position and further wherein the container is biased toward an open position such that the container automatically opens upon the lock moving to the unlock position;

c. an electronic sensor for sensing a change in at least one external condition; and

d. a circuit coupled to the electronic sensor and for actuating the lock to move between the lock position and the unlock position in response to the change in the external condition,

and wherein after the circuit is programmed with an automatically assigned single unlock time within an input time range, the container is not openable by a recipient until the lock is moved to the unlock position at the programmed unlock time, wherein after the container is opened, the container remains unlocked until it is programmed with a new unlock time.

11. The container device according to claim 10 wherein the external condition is signal dependent, wherein the circuit actuates the lock to move between the lock position and unlock position upon the sensor receiving an unlock signal from a remote source location.

12. The container device according to claim 11 further comprising a transmitter for transmitting an appropriate signal to the remote source.

13. The container device according to claim 11 wherein the external condition is time dependent.

14. The container device according to claim 13 wherein the time dependent external condition is selected to be a desired time.

15. The container device according to claim 11 wherein the circuit further comprises a timer circuit for actuating the lock a selected amount of time after receiving the activation signal.

16. The container device according to claim 15 further comprising a display for displaying the selected amount of time.

17. The container device according to claim 11 wherein the external condition is a geographically dependent parameter, wherein the circuit instructs the lock to move between the lock position and unlock position when the container is in an appropriate geographical location.

18. The container device according to claim 11 wherein the external condition is dependent on one or more predetermined operations being satisfied.

19. The container device according to claim 11 wherein the external condition is temperature dependent.

20. The container device according to claim 11 wherein the unlock signal is sent via wireless medium.

21. The container device according to claim 11 wherein the unlock signal is sent via a hard-wire medium.

22. The container device according to claim 11 further comprising an interface terminal coupled to the remote source location, the interface terminal configured to accept at least one external condition instruction to be transmitted to the circuit.

23. A selectively locking container device comprising:

a. a container for holding one or more objects;

b. a lock for locking the container, wherein the lock is moveable between a lock position and an unlock position; and

c. a circuit for selectively moving the lock between the lock position and the unlock position upon receiving an unlock signal from a remote transmitting source, wherein the container is biased toward an open position such that the container automatically opens upon the lock moving to the unlock position,

and wherein after the circuit is programmed with an automatically assigned single unlock time within an input time range, the container is not openable by a recipient until the lock is moved to the unlock position at the programmed unlock time, wherein after the container is opened, the container remains unlocked until it is programmed with a new unlock time.

24. The container device according to claim 23 wherein the circuit further comprises a receiver for receiving the unlock signal.

25. The container device according to claim 23 wherein the circuit further comprises a transmitter for transmitting an appropriate signal to the remotely located source.

26. The container device according to claim 23 wherein the unlock signal transmitted via a wireless medium.

27. The container device according to claim 23 wherein the unlock signal is transmitted via a hard-wired medium.

28. The container device according to claim 24 wherein the receiver further includes a sensor, wherein circuit moves the lock between the lock position and the unlock position in response to the sensor sensing a change from a first environmental state to a second environmental state.

29. The container device according to claim 28 wherein the first and second environmental states are dependent on at least one predetermined operation being satisfied.

30. The container device according to claim 28 wherein the first and second environmental states are temperature dependent.

31. The container device according to claim 23 wherein the unlock signal includes a time component instruction, wherein the time component instruction instructs the circuit to actuate the lock at a specific time.

32. The container device according to claim 31 wherein the specific time provided by the time component instruction is predetermined.

33. The container device according to claim 23 wherein the unlock signal includes a geographical component instruction, wherein the circuit actuates the lock to move between the lock position and unlock position when the container is in a specific geographical location specified by the geographical component instruction.

34. The container device according to claim 23 wherein the circuit is placed in an operating mode upon receiving an operation signal from the remotely located source.

35. The container device according to claim 23 wherein the container unlocks and is manually openable upon the lock moving to the unlock position.

36. The container device according to claim 23 further comprising an interface terminal coupled to the remote source location, the interface terminal configured to accept at least one external condition instruction to be transmitted to the circuit.

37. A system including a plurality of selectively locking container devices comprising:

a. a plurality of container devices, each comprising an internal cavity, each device located at a separate isolated geographic location, and each further comprising;

i. a container for holding one or more objects;

ii. a lock coupled to the container and moveable between a lock position and a unlock position; and

iii. a receiver circuit coupled to the lock, the receiver circuit configured to actuate the lock between the lock and unlock position;

iv. a GPS system for transmitting a location signal; and

b. a single transmitting source for selectively transmitting one or more instruction signals individually to each of the plurality of container devices, wherein the one or more instructions signals are based upon the location signal and an automatically assigned predetermined time, and wherein the receiver circuit in the plurality of container devices automatically moves the lock between the lock position and the unlock position in response to receiving the one or more instruction signals.

38. The system according to claim 37 wherein the one or more instruction signals include a time dependent parameter, wherein the lock moves between the lock position and unlock position at an appropriate time specified by the time dependent parameter.

39. The system according to claim 37 wherein the receiver circuit moves the lock a predetermined amount of time after receiving the one or more instruction signals.

40. The system according to claim 37 wherein the receiver circuit moves the lock a simultaneously upon receiving the one or more instruction signals.

41. The system according to claim 37 wherein the transmitting source is remotely located from the plurality of container devices.

42. The system according to claim 41 wherein the one or more instruction signals are wirelessly transmitted.

43. The system according to claim 41 wherein the one or more instruction signals are transmitted via hard wire.

44. The system according to claim 38 wherein the time based parameter is predetermined.

45. The system according to claim 37 wherein the one or more instruction signals include a geographically dependent parameter, wherein the receiver circuit instructs the lock to move between the lock position and unlock position when the container device is in an appropriate geographical location.

46. The system according to claim 37 wherein the instruction signal is dependent on a predetermined operation being satisfied prior to the lock moving between the lock and unlock positions.

47. The system according to claim 37 wherein at least one of the receiver circuits in the plurality of container devices actuates the lock in response to an appropriate change in temperature.

48. The system according to claim 37 wherein at least one of the container devices automatically opens upon the lock moving to the unlock position.

49. The system according to claim 37 wherein at least one of the containers unlocks and is manually openable upon the lock moving to the unlock position.

50. The system according to claim 37 further comprising an interface terminal coupled to the transmitting source, the interface terminal configured to accept at least one external condition instruction to be transmitted to one or more of the receiver circuits.

51. A locking container device comprising:

a. a closeable container for holding at least one object;

b. a lock coupled to the container and moveable between a lock position and an unlock position; and

c. a programmable circuit for automatically actuating the lock between the lock position and the unlock position at an automatically assigned single unlock time, wherein the lock is moved to the lock position at activation and does not move to the unlock position until the unlock time and further wherein the container is biased toward an open position such that the container automatically springs open upon the lock moving to the unlock position,

and wherein after the circuit is programmed with the single unlock time within an input time range, the container is not openable by a recipient until unlock time, wherein after the container is opened, the container remains unlocked until it is programmed with a new unlock time.

52. A portable locking container device comprising:

a. a closeable container for holding at least one object;

b. a lock coupled to the container and moveable between a lock position and an unlock position and further wherein the container is biased toward an open position such that the container automatically opens upon the lock moving to the unlock position;

c. an electronic sensor for sensing a change in at least one external condition;

d. a circuit coupled to the electronic sensor and for actuating the lock to move between the lock position and the unlock position in response to the change in the external condition; and

e. a transmitting means for transmitting one or more activation signals for activating the electronic sensor and further transmitting one or more programming signals for programming the closeable container,

and wherein after the circuit is programmed with an automatically assigned single unlock time within an input time range, the container is not openable by a recipient until the lock is moved to the unlock position at the programmed unlock time, wherein after the container is opened, the container remains unlocked until it is programmed with a new unlock time.

53. A system including a plurality of selectively locking container devices comprising:

a. a plurality of container devices, each comprising an internal cavity, each device located at a separate isolated geographic location, and each further comprising;

i. a container for holding one or more objects;

ii. a lock coupled to the container and moveable between a lock position and an unlock position; and

iii. a receiver circuit coupled to the lock, the receiver circuit configured to actuate the lock between the lock and unlock position; and

b. a single transmitting source for transmitting one or more instruction signals individually to each of the plurality of container devices, wherein the single transmitting source transmits an automatically assigned predetermined time at which a plurality of containers are to be opened based on their location;

wherein the receiver circuit in at least one selected container device automatically moves the lock between the lock position and the unlock position in response to receiving the one or more instruction signals, and wherein the instruction signals are from a group consisting of satellite, antenna, and WIFI.

54. A locking container device comprising:

a. a closeable container for holding at least one object;

b. a lock coupled to the container and moveable between a lock position and an unlock position; and

c. a programmable circuit for automatically actuating the lock between the lock position and the unlock position at an unlock time, wherein the programmable circuit enables a user to input a time range wherein the unlock time is automatically assigned to a time within the time range;

wherein the lock is moved to the lock position at activation and does not move to the unlock position until the unlock time and further wherein the container automatically opens upon the lock moving to the unlock position, wherein the container cannot be opened until the lock is in the unlock position.