EP1830025A1

EP1830025A1 - Safe for the secure transport of documents

Info

Publication number: EP1830025A1
Application number: EP04805136A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ángel LUCAS GÓMEZ; César SALL N ROSELLÓ
Original assignee: Proyectos y Tecnologia Sallen SL; Indra Sistemas SA
Current assignee: Proyectos y Tecnologia Sallen SL; Indra Sistemas SA
Priority date: 2004-11-17
Filing date: 2004-11-17
Publication date: 2007-09-05
Also published as: CR9188A; WO2006056626A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a safe for the transport of documents, which not only safeguards the documents stored therein, but which is also equipped with means for detecting acts of vandalism such that, in the event of any attempted unauthorised access, document-destruction means are activated. For said purpose, the safe is equipped internally with a document case and an anti-corrosive container containing the corrosive liquid to be emptied. According to the invention, the means used to activate an alarm condition comprise vibrators or sensors that detect moisture, light, the door being opened with an incorrect code and a low battery that is not recharged. The corrosive liquid spray means comprise a self-suction injection pump and nozzles which are positioned on opposing surfaces of the document case.

Description

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The object of this invention is a safe for the secure transport of documents which features the peculiarity of being able to self-destruct the documents contained inside it, in the event that a series of conditions occurs that activate the mechanisms with which the case is equipped for destruction of the documents it contains.
This invention is characterised by the high level of security of the safe and the impossibility of an unauthorised person accessing the documents contained inside it and, in the event of an attempt to access these documents through acts of vandalism or sabotage, some mechanisms are activated to proceed to destroy the documents contained inside.
Therefore, this invention is included in the range of security devices and means used for the secure transport of documents that prevent access to these documents by unauthorised personnel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The safes used to date for the secure transport of documents such that they cannot be removed or stolen, although they are equipped with sufficient, reinforced security means to prevent an initial access to said documents, do not impede the possible manipulation of the safe once it has been stolen so that the inside of the safe can be accessed and the documents contained in it stolen.
Although security systems have become considerably more sophisticated, the means for sabotaging these safes have also evolved correlatively, and for this reason, in the end, there is no means whatsoever to prevent access to the documents contained inside them.
Therefore, the real problem to be solved is to create a safe that is equipped with sufficient security to prevent someone from getting hold of the documents contained inside it, i.e. it is not only equipped with primary security to prevent access to the documents located inside it, but it is also equipped with additional means that, even in the event that the safe is sabotaged, it will not allow the documents to fall into the hands of anyone.
Therefore, the purpose of this invention is to develop a safe which, apart from the security means that any safe or strongbox should have, is equipped with means which, in the event of sabotage or opening of the safe, prevent the documents from falling into the hands of unauthorised persons, and to this end it is provided with document destruction means.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The safe for the secure transport of documents that comprises the object of the invention basically consists of a duly reinforced external structure which houses a document case inside it. The safe is equipped with security means to access the inside of the safe, as well as with means for destruction of the internal documents in the event that an act of manipulation intended to illicitly access the inside of the safe is detected.
The safe is equipped with a door on which a high-security lock is provided. Additionally, on another side of the safe, there is a security keyboard used to input the access code. Moreover, as a complementary security measure, a fingerprint reader and/or card chip reader can be installed on the door.
Inside the safe is an anti-corrosive container where the corrosive liquid used to destroy the documents is stored. This liquid is emptied onto the document carrier case through nozzles, for which purpose a self-suction injection pump is used.
The anti-vandalistic means to detect an attempt to access the interior without authorisation include the following:

Temperature sensors in case the safe is subjected to high temperatures in order to open it, e.g. with a blowtorch.
Moisture sensors in case an attempt is made to submerge the safe with the intention of sabotaging the electronics and discharging the batteries.
Internal light sensor in case, for any reason, the inside is successfully accessed after the other means have failed to detect sabotage.
Microphones that detect vibrations considered as vandalistic, for which data such as frequency, amplitude and duration can be parameterised. For example, if the safe has been continually dropped, this could be considered as a vandalistic act.

Additionally, as a complementary means, the safe is equipped with a location sensor of the document carrier case because, otherwise, the alarm system would not work. It is also equipped with a door open detector, as well as a battery to supply power to the assembly and control electronics.
In order for the document destruction system to be actuated via activation of the self-suction injection pump, which distributes the corrosive liquid over the document carrier case, a series of conditions must occur. We will call these alarm conditions and they will be as follows:

When the microphones detect vibrations considered as vandalistic.
When it is considered that there is an undue rise in temperature (temperature sensor).
When the moisture sensor has been activated.
When the internal light sensor has been activated.
When the door open sensor has been activated without having correctly input the code.
When the battery charge is practically exhausted.

The alarm condition ends with the activation time of the self-suction injection pump or, in the absence thereof, with an open condition.
The battery is housed inside the safe, it has a certain duration and, when the charge falls below a certain preset level, an acoustic alarm is activated to indicate that the battery should be recharged. For this purpose, there is a recharge connector located inside the safe and which is not accessible from the exterior in order to prevent possible acts of vandalism.
The low battery warning is sounded by acoustic means. When the battery falls below a second low threshold, these acoustic means are activated in a different way to indicate that the battery should be recharged within a certain predefined period of time because, on the contrary, the alarm condition will be activated with the resulting destruction of the documents.
To open the safe, the secret code must be correctly input, the electromagnet for opening the door is activated, and an acoustic signal is activated to indicate when the door can be opened. The open door condition ends with the opening of the door or, in the absence thereof, when the time permitted for opening the door ends, which is a period of a few predefined seconds.
The control electronics are designed so that, when the electronics start working, an alarm condition will not occur even though the open door detector is activated, and it will be necessary to close the door in order for it to function properly.

EXPLANATION OF THE DRAWINGS

To complement the following description and in order to better understand its characteristics, this descriptive report is accompanied by a set of drawings whose figures show, on an illustrative but not limitative basis, the most significant details of the invention.

Figure 1. Shows a simplified view of the safe that comprises the object of the invention.
Figure 2. Shows an elevated view, floor plan and cross-section of the safe.
Figure 3. Shows a view of the safe section indicated in drawing A-A.
Figure 4. Shows a view of the safe section indicated in drawing B-B.
Figure 5. Shows a view of the safe section indicated in drawing C-C.
Figure 6. Shows an elevated view, floor plan and cross-section of the document carrier case.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

With the above mentioned figures in view, following is a description of a form of preferred embodiment of the invention, as well as an explanation of the drawings.
Figure 1 shows the safe that comprises the object of the invention, on the inside of which is housed a document carrier case (1) where the documents to be securely safeguarded or transported are contained. The document case (1) does not occupy all of the internal space, as room is left to house the anti-corrosive container (2) in which the corrosive liquid to destroy the documents is contained.
The dimensions of the case (1) shall be those suited to the type of documents to be carried, and the type of corrosive liquid shall have properties in keeping with the type of material of the documents.
Figure 2 shows the views and sections of the drawings that are then developed in the subsequent figures. In Figure 3, we see how an anti-corrosive container (2) occupies part of the internal space at the top and on at least one of the sides, and inside this container is the corrosive liquid which, in the event of an alarm condition, is expelled through some nozzles (4) by the action of a self-suction injection pump (3). The nozzles are positioned on the surfaces opposite the case (1) and penetrate the grooves (11) (Figure 6) made in the case (1).
One side of the safe is equipped with a security keyboard (7) to input the access code, whereas another side is equipped with a security lock (5) installed on the door (10) (Figure 5). At the bottom of the available space for housing the case, there is a location sensor (6) of the case (1) placed on the inside of the safe. Some vibration, moisture, light and door open sensors are provided inside the case, although they are not shown, and these are used to activate an alarm condition.
In Figure 4, which shows the cross section of plane B-B of the safe, we see that the available space under the case serves to house the control electronics of the assembly, whereas the space left between the end of the document carrier case (1) and the bottom of the safe is used to house the power supply batteries (8) of the electronics.
In Figure 6, which shows the constructive specifications of the document case (1), among other characteristics, we see that there are some grooves (11) through which the liquid expelled by the nozzles (4) passes to destroy the documents, regardless of the position of the case. The case is also provided with a handle (12) to help introduce and remove the document case from the interior of the safe.
It is not considered necessary to enlarge on this description for any person skilled in the art to be able to understand the scope of the invention and the advantages that derive therefrom.
The materials, shape, size and arrangement of the elements shall be subject to variations, provided these do not alter the essential nature of the invention.
The terms used in this descriptive report shall always be understood in the broadest, non-limitative sense of the word.

Claims

Safe for the secure transport of documents of the type of safes that are equipped with means of security to prevent access to the interior of the safe, characterised by the fact that it has a reinforced external structure without any riveting and an internal space with:
- a document carrier case,

- an anti-corrosive container to store a corrosive document destruction liquid,

- a means to empty the corrosive liquid onto the documents,

- a means to activate an alarm condition that triggers the emptying of the corrosive liquid onto the documents.
Safe for the secure transport of documents, according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that the security measures to prevent access to the interior of the safe are:
- an anti-vandalism keyboard to input the security code for opening the safe,

- a door with a high-security lock, which is equipped with an electromagnet to block the lock and with a door open detector,

- acoustic signals.
Safe for the secure transport of documents, according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that the means for expelling the corrosive liquid contained inside the anti-corrosive container is a self-suction injection pump which, when in operation, causes the liquid to be expelled through some nozzles positioned on the container surfaces opposite the document case.
Safe for the secure transport of documents, according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that the means to activate an alarm condition are:
- Microphones to detect vandalistic vibrations.

- Moisture sensor.

- Internal light sensor.

- Temperature rise sensor.

- Low battery without having been recharged after a certain period of time.

- Door open sensor without having correctly input the code to open the door.
Safe for the secure transport of documents, according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that an anti-vandalistic light is provided on the exterior of the safe to indicate that the door may be opened.
Safe for the secure transport of documents, according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that the surfaces of the document carrier case have a series of elongated grooves, arranged according to the largest dimensions of the case and through which the corrosive liquid passes.
Safe for the secure transport of documents, according to claim 2, characterised by the fact that the acoustic signals are indicators that either the door may be opened, or else the battery has dropped to a low level of charge.
Safe for the secure transport of documents, according to any of the above claims, characterised by the fact that the exterior of the safe is made of steel and the interior of aluminium, and that the interior has some empty space to house the control electronics which is located under the document case, whereas the batteries are housed in the space between the end of the document case and the bottom of the safe, and inside these is the connector which is used to recharge the batteries.