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Description  |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a locked security box and, in particular, to a
portable security box suitable for use by beach goers.
2. Brief Statement of the Prior Art
Locked portable boxes such as briefcases, bags, etc., have been proposed
for various applications. There are quite a few prior attempts which have
been made to provide attache or briefcases with an alarm. These cases have
inconspicuous exteriors so that the existence of the alarm is not
apparent. Some of these prior attempts have included repulsion systems
such as high voltage shock systems. Examples of patents on such prior
devices are the following U.S. Pat Nos. 4,843,371; 4,782,937; 4,272,763;
4,267,553 and 4,117,468.
A prior patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,118,692, discloses a portable bag having an
alarm device and an external latch for activation and deactivation of the
alarm. This device protects against intrusion but not theft of the bag
itself. Similar devices are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,755,802; 4,688,025;
4,255,745 and 1,291,051.
Some of the devices have been provided with a remote control which permits
the user to activate and de-activate the alarm without contact with the
box. While this is suitable for most applications, it is entirely unsuited
for beach goers and swimmers who have no secure place to position the
remote control.
An attempt to provide a motion sensor for attachment to items which are too
bulky to be placed in a box, such as skis, is shown in U.S. Pat. No.
4,833,456, in which repetitive movements are required to activate the
alarm.
The prior security devices for boxes compromise the capacity and bulk of
the case or bag as they require the use of bulky battery packs to provide
a dependable and constant source of electrical power for the alarm.
Further, all of the prior devices have attempted to disguise alarms in
otherwise conventional cases such as briefcases, attache cases, handbags
and the like, rather than to provide a highly conspicuous container with
obviously apparent security locks and alarms.
OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of this invention to provide a portable security container
useful for swimmers, beach goers and the like.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a portable security
device having obviously apparent locks and alarms.
It is a further object of the invention to provide the aforementioned
portable security container with an alarm that is activated by a motion
sensor.
It is also an object of the invention to provide the aforementioned
portable security container with a key pad on an external surface suitable
for alarm control and access.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide the aforementioned
portable security container with at least one solar panel on an external
surface, thereby minimizing the bulk and weight of the security system.
It is also a further object of the invention to provide the aforementioned
security device in highly conspicuous and preferably fluorescent colors.
BRIEF STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION
This invention comprises a container, e.g., case or bag, having an internal
compartment with an access opening that is entirely closed with a closure
member having a clasp that cooperates with a latch of an electronic lock
carried on the container. Preferably, the cover carries a key pad on its
external surface and the key pad is in circuit to an alarm system that
includes a microprocessor control unit, power supply, motion and/or shock
detector, and an audible alarm such as a siren. Most preferably, the power
supply comprises one and preferably a pair of panels of solar cells which
are also located on an external surface of the top cover. The container
has one or more handles which can include a shoulder carrying strap.
Preferably the container is formed of a thermally insulated material so
that the container also serves as a cooler for beverage cans and the like.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be described with reference to the figures of which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the container in its closed and locked
configuration;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the container with the cover open;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view through the lock mechanism of the
container; and
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the electronic and alarm circuits.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the secured container of the invention
comprises a portable box 10 having longitudinal side walls 12 and 14,
opposite end walls 16 and 18, and a bottom wall 20 which are permanently
secured and sealed together, preferably with an integral construction. The
box 10 has a lid, or top cover 22 which, preferably, is hinged along one
longitudinal side edge 24 to a longitudinal side edge 26 of the box. A key
pad 28 is conspicuously located on the top surface 30 of the cover 22. The
key pad 28 can be of various constructions or designs, preferably a
membrane type key pad is used to provide protection against the
environment. Beside the protection afforded by the membrane type key pad,
if desired a supplemental key pad cover 32 can be hinged along a
longitudinal edge 34 of the key pad 28 to provide additional protection.
Preferably, the top surface 30 of the cover 22 also supports a pair of
solar panels 36 and 38 which are preferably symmetrically positioned at
opposite ends of the cover 22. These solar panels are panels of
conventional galvanic solar cells which are available in appropriate
dimensions, voltage and power output sufficient to supply the requirements
of the system.
A plurality of light emitting diodes (LED) 39 is provided in the top cover
22. As will be described in greater detail with reference to the circuit
diagram of FIG. 4, these LEDs indicate the status of the container, and
one LED is provided for each of the status indications of: (1) armed and
locked or disarmed and unlocked; (2) tampering; (3) program mode; and (4)
battery low.
The portable box 10 is provided with one or more carrying handles such as
the handle 40 that is pivotally attached to the top surface 22 of the
cover to provide a hand grip for carrying of the box. Alternatively, the
box can be provided with a carrying strap 42 having its ends distally
secured to attachment brackets 44 located on the exterior surfaces of the
opposite end walls 16 and 18 of the box 10.
FIG. 2 illustrates the portable box 10 with the cover 22 opened, revealing
the interior. The box 10 carries a suitable clasp 46 which is engaged by a
cooperative latch 48 of the electrical lock on cover 22.
As shown in FIG. 3, the latch 48 has a latch pin 43 that is resiliently
biased into a closed or locked position by spring 47 of solenoid 45, and
that is unlocked against the bias of the resilient spring by the
energization of solenoid 45. To permit a momentary signal applied to the
solenoid 45 to release the cover, resilient means such as springs of
compressible plastic or rubber foam columns 29 can be located in opposite,
inside front corners of the cover 22, seating against bases 27 in the box
10.
The box 10 includes a suitable alarm such as a high audible output siren
that is internally mounted. Preferably, the siren is mounted on the
printed circuit board 23 for the container (see FIG. 2), and the printed
circuit board 23 is mounted on the inside of cover 22. For this purpose,
the cover 22 can have a protective liner 25 which extends across its
undersurface and overlies and protects the printed circuit board 23.
As described hereinafter, the container also has a standby power supply
that is maintained in a charged condition by the solar panels 36 and 38,
thereby precluding the possibility of disarming of the device by covering
the solar cells. For this purpose, a small rechargeable battery such as a
9-volt nickel/cadmium rechargeable can be used. Preferably all the active
circuit components are mounted on the inside of the top cover 22 of the
container 10.
Referring now to FIG. 4, the alarm circuit and control circuit of the
system will be described. The circuit comprises ten component circuits
which are enclosed in the dashed lines of the illustration. Briefly these
are the programmable electronic lock circuit 60, power supply and battery
status circuit 62, counter circuit 63, dual pulse delay circuit 64,
oscillator 65, motion sensor circuit 66, speaker circuit 67, unlock
circuit 68, arm/disarm circuit 69, and status circuit 71.
The control for the circuit is a key pad 28 (FIG. 1) which is connected in
circuit to the input terminals 3-10 of the programmable electronic lock,
which is an integrated circuit 61 that contains the necessary memory,
decoder and control logic circuits. A useful IC circuit is LS 7322, a
programmable digital lock circuit from LCI Components, Inc., 1235 Walt
Whitman Road, Melville, N.Y. 11747. The output signals from this circuit
are applied to each of the other circuits as described hereinafter.
The voltage from batteries 95 is applied to switch transistor 70 in the
power supply and battery status circuit 62, having its base grounded
through Zener diode 97. When the battery voltage falls below a safe value,
set by the value of the Zener diode 97, operational amplifier 73 conducts,
lighting LED 39a, which indicates a low battery condition.
The counter circuit 63 receives pulses from the tamper output pin 14 of the
electronic lock integrated circuit 61. The counter circuit 63 is set to
generate an output signal at ANDGATE 75 when it receives a binary value of
101 or decimal 5 pulses. A suitable counter circuit is available as S7493
from Signetics, Inc.
The output signal from the counter circuit 63 is applied to NANDGATE 81 and
the output from NANDGATE 81 is applied to the an input terminal 2 of the
timer circuit 86 in the dual pulse delay circuit 64. A suitable timer
circuit is SN74221 from Texas Instruments. This timer circuit 86 controls
the duration of the alarm signal from the circuit, preferably from about
60 to about 300 seconds.
The oscillator circuit 65 is a conventional circuit to pulse the alarm
circuit at a selected and desirable frequency. The alarm system has a
motion detector 56 which can be of various designs or construction, e.g.,
piezoelectric device, mercury switch, or an electromagnetic device such as
a magnet and pickup coil. The detector, e.g., the coil of an
electromagnetic pickup device, is connected through invertor 84 to the
enable terminal 10 of timer circuit 86 in the dual pulse delay circuit 64.
The output signal generated in the dual pulse delay circuit 64 is applied
to an electronic switch 83 in the speaker circuit 67, which closes to
apply the oscillator signal to the base of switch transistor 99. When the
container is locked, a signal from the unlock circuit 68 is applied to the
electronic switch 85 in the speaker circuit 67 which closes, so that when
switch 83 is closed and the oscillator signal is applied to the base of
transistor 99, an oscillating signal is applied across the speaker 77,
generating a high pitched alarm tone, which has a frequency determined by
oscillator 65 and a duration controlled by the duration of the signal from
the timer circuit 86 of the dual pulse delay circuit 64.
The solenoid 47 of the lock mechanism is in circuit with output leads 87
and 88 from the electronic lock integrated circuit 61. These outputs are
applied to ANDGATE 89 having its output applied through invertor 91 and
ANDGATE 92 to the base of switch transistor 93. When the output of ANDGATE
92 goes high, transistor 93 is biased into conducting, applying power to
the coil of the solenoid 47, withdrawing pin latch 43 from the clasp 46.
The status circuit 71 includes LEDs to indicate whether the container is
locked and armed (LED lighted); unlocked and disarmed (LED unlighted);
whether the circuit has detected tampering; and to indicate when the
circuit is being programmed. For this purpose, output signals are applied
from the electronic lock integrated circuit 61 through inverting buffers
100, and 101 to LED 39b and through inverting buffers 102 and 103 to LED
39c. These LEDs indicate that the status of the container is "PROGRAM",
i.e., being programmed, or the container is being or has been tampered
with by an improper sequence of keyboard entries.
The arm/disarm circuit 69 also includes output leads 105 and 106 which
extend to NANDGATE 107 to activate the armed LED 39dwhen the container has
been closed and the alarm circuit has been activated by entry of the
proper code sequence through the keyboard 28.
The power supply and battery status circuit 62 includes rechargeable
emergency standby batteries 95, a charging circuit with an input socket 72
for the charging of the batteries 95 from household current, and the
aforementioned solar panels 36 and 38. The socket 72 can be conveniently
and inconspicuously located on the container, preferably in the cover 22,
immediately adjacent the printed circuit board 23.
The programs of the circuit can be the following: (1) arm; (2) disarm; (3)
reset; (4) variation in alarm duration; and (5) sensitivity of motion
detection. Code sequences are provided for setting these programs. At
least the first three of these programs are provided in all embodiments,
and the preferred embodiment provides all five programs.
The box 10 can be formed of any suitable material, preferably of plastic,
and can be injection molded, thermoformed or rotationally molded,
depending on the selected material. The case can be lined with a suitable
insulation, e.g., closed cellular foam such as polystyrene, polyurethane
foam, and the like or, alternatively, the entire case could be fabricated
of a cellular foam material, e.g., polyurethane. As previously mentioned,
it is preferred that the sidewalls and bottom of the box 10 be of unitary,
integral construction. Preferably, the box has a highly visible appearance
and, for this purpose, various fluorescent colors, indicative of
beachgoers', or California styles, can be molded into the case or coated
on the container after its fabrication.
The invention has been described with reference to the illustrated and
presently preferred embodiment. It is not intended that the invention be
unduly limited by this disclosure of the presently preferred embodiment.
Instead, it is intended that the invention be defined, by the means, and
their obvious equivalents, set forth in the following claims:
* * * * *
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