EP0670007B1

EP0670007B1 - Compartmented safe

Info

Publication number: EP0670007B1
Application number: EP94903127A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jurjen Roelof Van Der Honing
Original assignee: VoF Hedon Electronic Developments
Current assignee: VoF Hedon Electronic Developments
Priority date: 1992-11-23
Filing date: 1993-11-23
Publication date: 1997-07-02
Anticipated expiration: 2013-11-23
Also published as: WO1994012752A1; EP0670007A1; AU5719094A; NL9202032A; DE69311910D1; CA2149895A1

Abstract

A number of cylinder sector-shaped safe compartments are formed within a cylindrical protective housing (2). Each safe compartment has an access opening which can be closed by means of a door (16). The safe compartment access openings are covered by a rotatable disc (20) or a rotatable cylinder (52) which is provided with an opening (22; 54) which can be brought into line with any safe compartment access opening in order to gain access to the safe compartment in question.

Description

In many public places the need is felt for a facility where valuable personal belongings can be locked away and left safely for a short period up to a maximum of a few days. Examples which could be mentioned are a swimming pool, sauna, sports place, library, restaurant, railway station, airport, hotel and the like, where luggage, a car radio, a purse or the like can be temporarily deposited. This need was met in the past by providing a collection of individually accessible safe deposit boxes in many different embodiments for rental. Since the safe deposit boxes in this case are set up in a socially controlled environment, such safes need not be highly burglarproof, but it is sufficient if they can withstand simple breaking tools and if the safe deposit box which has been rented can be opened again at the end of the rental period only by the person with the rightfully obtained means of access.
In a simple embodiment, the collection of safe deposit boxes comprises an array of individual rectangular safes. Each safe defines a compartment to which access can be obtained by means of a lockable door. After the insertion of a certain sum into a coin-operated machine, the door of the safe can be closed and locked by means of a unique key. In a more recent embodiment of this type of safe, operation by electronic means is centralized for a number of safes, and a safe door can be locked and unlocked from a control unit set up centrally for a number of safes. Instead of a key being used, the control unit produces a card with a magnetic strip containing a unique code, following which the card in question is used to open the door of the safe module again.
The mechanical construction of the collection of safe deposit boxes is complex, and a relatively large quantity of strong material is needed, since each individual safe must afford sufficient protection to personal belongings accommodated in it.
EP-A-0 140 839 further discloses a safe, comprising a protective housing which is provided with a safe access opening which can give access to the inside of the housing, and a number of safe compartments formed inside the housing, which safe compartments are disposed in a row along a segment of a circle and are each provided with a safe compartment access opening which is situated at the side of the safe compartments facing the housing, in the case of which each safe compartment access opening can be brought into line with the safe access opening, and access can be obtained to the corresponding safe compartment by putting selective safe access control means into operation. In this embodiment, the housing is provided with only one closable safe access opening for access to a compartment, and the safe compartments inside the housing can be moved towards and away from the safe access opening, in order to move the safe compartment access opening in front of the safe access opening of the housing by means of instructions to be fed to the safe access control means. A major disadvantage of this safe is the fact that the safe compartments filled with personal belongings have to be moved at least twice inside the housing: once after personal belongings have been left in a safe compartment, in order to move the safe compartment away from the safe access opening and make space for another safe compartment, and once in order to take the safe access opening of the safe compartment back in front of the safe access opening of the housing, so that the personal belongings can be removed from the safe compartment again. During the movement of the safe compartment, the personal belongings could be damaged as a result of the acceleration forces occurring, in particular if the safe compartment is subjected not only to a translation movement, but also to a rotational movement in addition to or combined with said translation movement.
FR-A-2 539 804 describes a safe, comprising a protective housing which is provided with a protective member containing a safe access opening which can give access to the inside of the housing, and a number of safe compartments formed inside the housing, which safe compartments are disposed in a row and are each provided with a safe compartment access opening which is situated at the side of the safe compartments facing the protective member of the housing, which protective member extends over the safe compartment access openings, in which case each safe compartment access opening can be brought into line with the safe access opening, and access can be obtained to the appropriate safe compartment by putting selective safe access control means into operation, the safe compartments being set up in a fixed manner and the protective member being movable.
The safe according to FR-A-2 539 804 has a rectangular configuration and the protective member accordingly consists of a plurality of interconnected plates.
The object of the invention is to provide a safe with a large number of individually accessible compartments, which safe is simple in design and can be manufactured with a minimum of reinforced parts, and therefore at low cost.
The object of the invention is also to provide a safe in which a large number of individually accessible safe compartments are available, and in which no damage can occur to personal belongings as the result of movements of safe compartments.
For this purpose, the invention provides a safe of the type described above in connection with FR-A-2 539 804, which is characterized in that the housing is essentially cylindrical or cylinder segment-shaped, and a number of partitions extending radially relative to the axis of the cylinder and forming the safe compartments are provided therein, the safe compartment access openings lying in a flat plane at right angles to the axis of the cylinder, and the protective member being essentially disc-shaped or disc sector-shaped and rotatable about the axis of the cylinder. The safe according to the invention is compact in construction, with the result that relatively little reinforcing material is required on the outside thereof. Moreover, the contents of a safe compartment cannot become damaged through movements of a safe compartment. A particularly compact design is obtained. The accessibility of all safe compartments is optimal if in this case the axis of rotation of the protective member extends essentially horizontally.
In a preferred embodiment, the protective member may consist of a single disc or disc sector which is provided with a free safe access opening or with a safe access opening in which a lockable door is provided. In other advantageous embodiments, the protective member consists of a first rotatable disc or disc sector which is provided with a free safe access opening, and a second rotatable disc or disc sector extending over the first disc or disc sector at the side thereof facing away from the safe compartments, and with a free safe access opening, or with a safe access opening in which a lockable door is provided.
The invention further provides a safe of the type described above in connection with FR-A-2 539 804, having a number of stacked rows of safe compartments, which is characterized in that the housing is essentially cylindrical or cylinder segment-shaped, and a number of partitions extending radially relative to the axis of the cylinder and forming the safe compartments are provided therein, the safe compartment access openings lying in a cylindrical surface which is coaxial with the axis of the cylinder, the protective member being essentially cylinder surface-shaped or cylinder surface sector-shaped, each row of safe compartments, having a separate protective member which can be rotated independently from the other protective members, the axes of rotation of the protective members coinciding. It is preferable here for the axis of rotation of the protective member to extend vertically, in order to ensure good accessibility of the safe compartments.
The protective member can consist of a single cylinder or cylinder sector which is provided with a free safe access opening, or a safe access opening in which a lockable door is fitted. In another embodiment, the protective member consists of a first rotatable cylinder or cylinder sector which is provided with a free safe access opening, and a second rotatable cylinder or cylinder sector which extends over the first cylinder or cylinder sector at the side thereof facing away from the safe compartments and is provided with a free safe access opening or with a safe access opening in which a lockable door is fitted.
A lockable door is preferably provided in the safe compartment access openings, because in the first place this leads to additional security for the contents of a safe compartment and, secondly, prevents any risk of undesirable contact between the contents of a safe compartment, when the protective member is in motion.
The safe access control means preferably are designed for blocking or releasing the safe access opening or the safe compartment access opening after a code selected by a user of a safe compartment has been fed to the safe access control means. This means that when a user of a safe compartment has deposited personal belongings in the safe he can enter a code which is easy for him to remember, and when he is collecting the personal belongings again all he has to do is to enter the code again, without having to use another means of access such as a key, magnetic strip card or the like, which can be lost or stolen.
The invention is explained with reference to the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 shows diagrammatically and in perspective a first embodiment of the safe according to the invention, in exploded view;
Fig. 2 shows diagrammatically and in perspective a second embodiment of the safe according to the invention, in exploded view;
Fig. 3 shows diagrammatically and in perspective a third embodiment of the safe according to the invention, in exploded view;
Fig. 4 shows diagrammatically and in perspective a fourth embodiment of the safe according to the invention, in exploded view;
Fig. 5 shows diagrammatically and in perspective another embodiment of a safe, in exploded view;
Fig. 6 shows diagrammatically and in perspective another embodiment of a safe, in exploded view;
Fig. 7 shows diagrammatically and in perspective another embodiment of a safe, in exploded view;
Fig. 8 shows diagrammatically and in perspective another embodiment of a safe, in exploded view;
Fig. 9 shows a detailed perspective view of the embodiment according to Fig. 1, in exploded view and partially cut-away form; and
Fig. 10 shows a view in perspective of a safe which is made up of a number of units which are shown in Fig. 6.

In the various figures the same reference numbers relate to the same part or parts with a similar function. Arrows indicate possible directions of movement of parts.
Fig. 1 shows a safe with a cylindrical housing 2, which has a cylinder surface-shaped outside wall 4, a cylinder surface-shaped inside wall 6 and a disc-shaped rear wall 8 which is not visible in the figure. The diameter of the inside wall 6 is smaller than the diameter of the outside wall 4. Provided between the outside wall 4 and the inside wall 6 are a number of partitions 12 - in the present case twelve - extending radially relative to the axis 10 of the housing 2 from the inside of the outside wall 4 to the outside of the inside wall 6, thus forming twelve safe compartments in the housing 2. Such a safe compartment is in principle cylinder sector-shaped, as shown in Fig. 1 by means of dashed lines for one safe compartment, but it will be clear that it is possible to form a space of a different shape within the boundary faces of a cylinder sector-shaped compartment by means of other walls, for example a rectangular space. The safe compartments are completely closed at the side where the outside wall 4, the inside wall 6, the rear wall 8 and the two partitions 12 are located, while at the side where the front wall 14 of the housing 2 is located they have an access opening. This access opening can be closed by means of a lockable door, for example a door 16 which can pivot about an axis 18.
In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the safe compartments are set up in a fixed manner and the axis 10 extends horizontally. However, it is also possible to set up the housing 2 in such a way that the axis 10 runs vertically or its orientation is such that it lies between the horizontal and the vertical. The same applies to the embodiments shown in Figs. 2 - 4, which will be discussed later.
Fig. 1 shows a protective member in the form of a protective disc 20, which extends at right angles to the axis 10 of the housing 2. For the sake of clarity, the protective disc 20 is shown at a distance from the front wall 14 of the housing 2, but in reality the protective disc 20 will extend over and virtually abut the front wall 14 of the housing 2. The protective disc 20 is provided with an opening 22 which is essentially the same shape as the access opening to a safe compartment in the housing 2. The protective disc 20 can be rotated relative to the axis 10 by means of a suitable drive, which makes it possible to bring the opening 22 into line with one of the access openings of the safe compartments in the housing 2. During the movement of the protective disc 20 the doors 16 of the safe compartments are all closed and locked in a manner not shown in any further detail. When the opening 22 of the protective disc 20 has come to a standstill in front of a preselected safe compartment, the door 16 thereof can be unlocked and opened through the opening 22. The inside of the safe compartment in question is then available for inserting or removing personal belongings. The rotation of the protective disc 20 and the unlocking of a door 16 of a safe compartment are controlled by safe access control means which are not shown in any further detail, and which will be discussed in further detail below.
The embodiment of a safe according to the invention shown in Fig. 2 corresponds essentially to the one shown in Fig. 1. In Fig. 2 the opening 22 in the protective disc 20 is provided with a door 24, which - like the door 16 - can be locked in a manner not shown in any further detail. The door 24 can be pivoted about an axis 26 from a position in which the door 24 closes the opening 22, to a position in which the opening 22 is cleared completely, and back. The door 24 provides additional protection against unlawful opening of a door 16 of a safe compartment. Here, account is taken in particular of the fact that the opening 22 of the protective disc 20 during its rotation will pass a number of doors 16 of safe compartments before the door 16 of the selected safe compartment is reached. Should the protective disc 20 stop or be stopped in a position which differs from the desired position, owing to a fault in the drive system of the protective disc 20 or owing to external influences, the door 16 is protected at the position of the opening 22 by the door 24, which would not be the case in the embodiment according to Fig. 1.
The degree of protection to be achieved with the embodiment according to Fig. 2 is also given if the embodiment according to Fig. 3 is selected. In addition to that of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, this embodiment comprises a second protective disc 28 which, although it is shown at a distance from protective disc 20, in reality virtually directly abuts the side of the protective disc 20 facing away from the housing 2. The protective disc 28 is provided with a through opening 30, the shape of which corresponds essentially to that of the opening 22 in the protective disc 20. The protective disc 28, like the protective disc 20, is rotatable about the axis 10 of the housing 2. When all doors 16 of the safe compartments in the housing 2 are closed, the protective discs 20 and 28 can be rotated independently from each other in the same or opposite directions. For the highest possible degree of protection, the openings 22 and 30 will be brought into line with each other only above a door 16 of a predetermined compartment which is to be opened. For this purpose, the opening 22 of the protective disc 20 is first positioned above the door 16 in question, following which the opening 30 in the protective disc 28 is brought into line with the opening 22 in the protective disc 20. The door 16 of the selected safe compartment can then be unlocked and opened through the openings 22 and 30.
Fig. 4 shows a variant of the embodiment shown in Fig. 3 with both greater safety and a greater degree of protection. The greater degree of protection is obtained by providing a door 34 which pivots relative to an axis 32 and can close the opening 30 in the protective disc 28. The door 34 is normally locked, and this locking is not released until the openings 22 and 30 are in line with the door 16 of a selected safe compartment. Greater safety is achieved by designing the safe access control means in such a way that the drive of the protective discs 20 and 28 cannot be activated until after the door 34 has been closed and locked. This ensures that fingers or the like cannot become trapped in the openings 22 and 30 through the openings 22 and 30 being moved away from each other.
Fig. 5 shows a safe with a cylindrical housing 2 comprising a cylinder surface-shaped inside wall 6, a disc-shaped bottom wall 40, a disc-shaped top wall 42 and a number of partitions 44 extending radially. The partitions 44 extend from the outside of the inside wall 6 to the outer perimeter of the bottom and top wall 40, 42, and thus define a number of safe compartments in the housing 2. These safe compartments are in principle cylinder sector-shaped, as indicated by dashed lines for one safe compartment in Fig. 5. The safe compartments are completely closed at the sides where the inside wall 6, the bottom wall 40, the top wall 42 and the partitions 44 are located, while they have an access opening at the side where the outside wall 46 of the housing 2 is located. These access openings can be closed by means of a lockable door 48, which can pivot relative to an axis 50.
In the embodiment shown in Fig. 5, the safe compartments are set up in a fixed manner and the axis 10 extends vertically. The same applies to the embodiments according to Figs. 6 - 8, which will be discussed below.
Fig. 5 shows a protective member in the form of a protective cylinder 52, which extends parallel to the axis 10 of the housing 2. For the sake of clarity, protective cylinder 52 is shown at a distance from the top wall of the housing 2, but in reality the protective cylinder 52 will extend over and virtually abut the outside wall 46 of the housing 2. The protective cylinder 52 is provided with an opening 54 which is essentially the same shape as the access opening to a safe compartment in the housing 2. The protective cylinder 52 can be rotated relative to the axis 10 by means of a suitable drive, which makes it possible to bring the opening 54 into line with one of the access openings of the safe compartments in the housing 2. During the movement of the protective cylinder 52 the doors 48 of the safe compartments are all closed and locked in a manner not shown in any further detail. When the opening 54 of the protective cylinder 52 has come to a standstill in front of a preselected safe compartment, its door 48 can be unlocked and opened through the opening 54. The interior of the safe compartment in question is then available for the insertion or removal of personal belongings. The rotation of the protective cylinder 62 and the unlocking of a door 48 of a safe compartment are controlled by safe access control means which are not shown in any further detail, and which will be discussed in further detail below.
A comparison of Figs. 5 - 8 with Figs. 1 - 4 shows that the first-mentioned figures differ from the last-mentioned figures only as regards the position of the access openings to the safe compartments and the corresponding position and shape of the protective member. The comments made with regard to the design and functioning of the protective member in respect of the embodiments shown in Figs. 1 - 4 are therefore equally applicable to the embodiments shown in Figs. 5 - 8. Protective disc 20 and opening 22 of Figs. 1 and 2 have the same functions as the protective cylinder 52 and opening 54 of Figs. 5 and 6; the protective discs 20 and 28 and openings 22 and 30 shown in Figs. 3 and 4 have the same functions as protective cylinders 52 and 56 and openings 54 and 57 of Figs. 7 and 8; door 24 of Fig. 2 has the same function as door 58 of Fig. 6; and door 34 of Fig. 4 has the same function as door 60 of Fig. 8. It will be clear that the inner diameter of the protective cylinder 52 of Figs. 5 - 8 is slightly greater than the outer diameter of the housing 2, in order to permit rotation of the protective cylinder 52 about the housing 2. In a similar way, the inner diameter of protective cylinder 56 is slightly greater than the outer diameter of protective cylinder 52.
Fig. 9 shows details of a safe designed according to the principle described with reference to Fig. 1. A number of safe compartments 70, which can be closed by means of lockable doors 16, are formed in the cylindrical housing 2. One of the safe compartments cannot be used for storing personal belongings, because it contains a motor 72 in which a gear wheel 74 disposed on the drive shaft drives a toothed belt 76. The teeth of the belt 76 can engage grooves 78 which are provided along the outer perimeter of a cylinder 80, which is fixed to protective disc 20 and has such a diameter that it can be accommodated inside the cylindrical inside wall 6 of the housing 2. A reinforcement ring 82 is provided around the housing 2, in order to foil attempts to break into it. At the place where the cylinder 80 merges into the protective disc 20, the opening of the cylinder 80 is closed by means of a frame 84, in which the electronic control elements of the safe can be accommodated, and on which a control panel 86 can be placed. The control panel 86 comprises a screen 88 on which instructions, messages and the like for the user of the safe can be displayed. A slot 90 for the insertion of money payable for the rental of a safe compartment is disposed near the screen 88. Rejected coins are returned into a tray situated behind flap 92. The control panel 86 is also provided with a keyboard 94, by means of which alphanumeric codes can be keyed in. The control of the safe is preferably designed in such a way that at the beginning of the rental of a safe compartment the user keys in an alphanumerical code which he has thought of himself, and at the end of the rental period this code has to be keyed in again for the purpose of opening a safe compartment. All that the user therefore has to do is to remember his personal code during the rental period; he does not have to have a key, magnetic strip card or the like which are necessary for the safes according to the prior art. A radially inward projecting lip 96, which covers the opening 22 in the protective disc 20 in an initial position thereof, is fixed to the reinforcement ring 82. This initial position is preferably selected in such a way that the compartment 70 in which the motor 72 is situated, the opening 22 and the lip 96 lie in line with one another.
Fig. 10 shows a safe of the type shown in Fig. 6, accommodated in a wall 100. For an increase in the number of safe compartments of the safe, a number of the units shown in principle in Fig. 6 are stacked in layers, i.e. a layer 2a, a layer 2b, a layer 2c and a layer 2d, while between the layer 2b and the layer 2c there is a layer which is not provided with safe compartments and has a casing in which operating and control elements are accommodated.
In the embodiment shown in Fig. 10, compartments are fitted only over 180° of the housing. The protective cylinders 52 extend over 360°, half of the protective cylinder 52 extending behind the wall 100. The cylinders 52 can be driven independently of each other by means of motors 104, on the output shaft of which a drive wheel 106 which acts upon the outer perimeter of the protective cylinders 52 is provided. If no safe compartment need be opened in a layer 2a, 2b, 2c or 2d, the protective cylinders 52 are rotated by means of their drives in such a way that the access openings 54 with the doors 58 are situated behind the wall 100.
Within the scope of the invention it is easily possible to select the design of the doors of the safe compartments and the door of a protective disc or a protective cylinder freely within the technical limits. Instead of pivoting doors, sliding or folding doors can thus also be used.

Claims

Safe, comprising a protective housing (2) which is provided with a protective member (20) containing a safe access opening (22) which can give access to the inside of the housing (2), and a number of safe compartments formed inside the housing (2), which safe compartments are disposed in a row and are each provided with a safe compartment access opening which is situated at the side of the safe compartments facing the protective member (20) of the housing (2), which protective member (20) extends over the safe compartment access openings, in which case each safe compartment access opening can be brought into line with the safe access opening (22), and access can be obtained to the appropriate safe compartment by putting selective safe access control means into operation, the safe compartments being set up in a fixed manner and the protective member (20) being movable, characterized in that the housing (2) is essentially cylindrical or cylinder segment-shaped, and a number of partitions (12) extending radially relative to the axis (10) of the cylinder and forming the safe compartments are provided therein, the safe compartment access openings lying in a flat plane at right angles to the axis (10) of the cylinder, and the protective member (20) being essentially disc-shaped or disc sector-shaped and rotatable about the axis (10) of the cylinder.
Safe according to claim 1, characterized in that the axis (10) of rotation of the protective member (20) extends essentially horizontally.
Safe according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the protective member (20) consists of a single disc or disc sector which is provided with a free safe access opening (22).
Safe according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the protective member (20) consists of a single disc or disc sector which is provided with a safe access opening (22) in which a lockable door (24) is provided.
Safe according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the protective member consists of a first rotatable disc (20) or disc sector which is provided with a free safe access opening (22), and a second rotatable disc (28) or disc sector extending over the first disc (20) or disc sector at the side thereof facing away from the safe compartments and provided with a free safe access opening (30).
Safe according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the protective member consists of a first rotatable disc (20) or disc sector which is provided with a free safe access opening (22), and a second rotatable disc (28) or disc sector extending over the first disc (20) or disc sector at the side thereof facing away from the safe compartments and provided with a safe access opening (30) in which a lockable door (34) is provided.
Safe, comprising a protective housing (102) which is provided with at least one protective member (52) containing a safe access opening (54) which can give access to the inside of the housing (102), and a number of safe compartments formed inside the housing (102), which safe compartments are disposed stacked rows (2a-2d) and are each provided with a safe compartment access opening which is situated at the side of the safe compartments facing the protective member (52) of the housing (102), which protective member (52) extends over the safe compartment access openings, in which case each safe compartment access opening can be brought into line with the safe access opening (54), and access can be obtained to the appropriate safe compartment by putting selective safe access control means into operation, the safe compartments being set up in a fixed manner and the protective member (52) being movable, characterized in that the housing (102) is essentially cylindrical or cylinder segment-shaped, and a number of partitions (44) extending radially relative to the axis (10) of the cylinder and forming the safe compartments are provided therein, the safe compartment access openings lying in a cylindrical surface which is coaxial with the axis (10) of the cylinder, the protective member being essentially cylinder surface-shaped or cylinder surface sector-shaped, each row (2a-2d) of safe compartments, having a separate protective member (52) which can be rotated independently from the other protective members, the axes of rotation (10) of the protective members coinciding.
Safe according to claim 7, characterized in that the axis (10) of rotation of the protective member (52) extends essentially vertically.
Safe according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the protective member consists of a single cylinder (52) or cylinder sector which is provided with a free safe access opening (54).
Safe according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the protective member consists of a single cylinder (52) or cylinder sector which is provided with a safe access opening (54) in which a lockable door (58) is fitted.
Safe according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the protective member consists of a first rotatable cylinder (52) or cylinder sector which is provided with a free safe access opening (54), and a second rotatable cylinder (56) or cylinder sector which extends over the first cylinder (52) or cylinder sector at its side facing away from the safe compartments and is provided with a free safe access opening (57).
Safe according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the protective member consists of a first rotatable cylinder (52) or cylinder sector which is provided with a free safe access opening (54), and a second rotatable cylinder (56) or cylinder sector which extends over the first cylinder (52) or cylinder sector at its side facing away from the safe compartments and is provided with a safe access opening (57) in which a lockable door (60) is fitted.
Safe according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that a lockable door (16;48) is fitted in the safe compartment access openings.
Safe according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the safe access control means are designed for blocking or releasing the safe access opening or the safe compartment access opening after a code selected by a user of a safe compartment has been fed to the safe access control means.