EP3026204A1

EP3026204A1 - Security box that is ready to assemble and can be embedded within a structure

Info

Publication number: EP3026204A1
Application number: EP14382476.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Francisco Martin Uroz; Manuel Cuevas Matilla
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2014-11-27
Filing date: 2014-11-27
Publication date: 2016-06-01
Also published as: WO2016083556A1

Abstract

Security box that is ready to assemble and can be embedded within a structure. A security box (11) that can be embedded within a structure (10) constructed with a mouldable material (12) such as concrete which acquires strength after a given period of time. The security box (11) comprises a storage body (13) and an access conduit (15), to insert/remove items into/from the storage body (13), that are intended to be built into the structure (10) and be embedded within said mouldable material (12). The storage body (13) consists of several parts configured in such a way that it can be built in-situ by joining said parts using the appropriate means of connection.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention refers to a security box, for the storage of objects of value, that is ready to assemble and can be embedded into appropriate parts of the structure of an office, apartment or house.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The security boxes commonly used in offices or homes by companies or individuals are rigid boxes that are usually made from steel with a door of appreciable size and that are recessed in walls, floors or other parts of the structure to hinder their removal. The door of the security box, which usually occupies much of one side, is made flush with the outer surface of the structure or very close to it to allow its use and facilitate camouflage.
With this type of security box the primary reason for recessing is not so much to ensure their inviolability - which depends on the strength of the box and the safety devices of the door - as to facilitate their concealment.
This results in a high cost, because the cost of recessing the box has to be added to the cost of the box itself.
As an example of recessed boxes known in prior art that address specific problems of recessing it is worth citing those described in Spanish utility models 138408 and 244497 and in documents GB 2,107,755 A and US 3,747,541 ; although the aforementioned problem of cost is not resolved.
The present invention is directed to solving this problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a security box that can be embedded in a structure made of a mouldable material such as concrete which acquires strength after a certain period of time, and comprises a storage body and an access conduit, to insert/remove objects into/from the storage body, that are intended to be built into the structure and be embedded within said mouldable material. The storage body consists of several parts configured in such a way that it can be built in-situ by joining said parts using the appropriate means of connection. The storage body and access conduit include cooperating means of connection for joining the two together.
It is a security box that can be installed in homes and offices at an affordable cost, given that the storage body can be constructed with low cost materials such as plastics, not requiring the rigidity, volume or weight of ferrous materials.
In one embodiment the storage body has a cubic shape and consists of five identical panels and a panel of the same size for the face in contact with the access conduit. This significantly reduces the installation costs of the security box because of the ease of transport, storage and manipulation that this implies.
Advantageously, the panels have the form of a tray with their lateral faces forming an obtuse angle with the base and in which the means of connection of said panels are applied to the lateral faces. In this way said lateral faces are fully embedded in concrete.
The access conduit has the door to the security box at one end, and can be further provided with a sealing assembly, and the other end is attached to the storage body.
In one embodiment the access conduit includes at least two components configured with telescope means of attachment so that the access conduit can take different lengths. In this way the locating of the security box within the structure in question is facilitated. For example, locating under the floor of a home or office may require an access conduit of a different length to that required for location in a particular part of a garden, and these lengths may be different again if the security box is to be installed in a wall.
Advantageously, the access conduit comprises a tubular body and a locking nut connection to the storage body, configured with a telescopic-threaded connection.
Advantageously, the access conduit includes sealed joints to protect the storage body against the entry of water. This is especially necessary for security boxes installed under the floor. It is envisaged that the sealing assembly will be detachable, given that its use will not be necessary for installation in a wall.
Advantageously, the central tubular element of the access conduit is made of metallic material and the storage body of plastic material.
In one embodiment the storage body has a prismatic shape and includes, in one face, an element for connection with the access conduit, installed around an opening of suitable dimensions. The combination of a prismatic storage body with a tubular-shaped access conduit is considered particularly suitable for a security box installed on site.
Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will emerge from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an embodiment of the security box of the invention embedded in a structure delimited by a horizontal surface.
Figure 2 is a perspective view illustrating one embodiment of the security box of the invention.
Figures 3a and 3b are plan views of the panels with which the security box in Figure 2 is assembled in-situ.
Figure 4 is a perspective view illustrating the same embodiment as in Figure 2 in which the parts that make up the access conduit are shown.
Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the parts that make up the head of the access conduit illustrated in Figures 2 and 4.
Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the parts that make up the security door of the access conduit illustrated in Figures 2 and 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The security box 11 of the invention (see Figure 1) is designed to be embedded in a structure 10 made of a mouldable material 12 such as concrete. Its embedding should take place during the process of concreting the structure 10 so that the security box 11 is perfectly integrated within it.
The security box 11 consists of a storage body 13 and an access conduit 15 from the external surface 14 of the structure 10. The access conduit (15) facilitates the inserting/removal of items into/from the storage body (13). The storage body (13) and the access conduit (15) include cooperating means of connection between them (51, 29).
The storage body 13 is thus at a distance from the external surface 14 of the structure 10 defined by the length of the access conduit 15.
With this structure, the storage body 13 is fully embedded in the concrete 12 and need not therefore be made with the steel walls or plates utilised in conventional security boxes to provide an acceptable level of inviolability, but may be made any material that will simply resist the pressures of the concrete during the setting or curing process.
The storage body 13 and access conduit 15 may have any suitable shape which, most commonly, will be a prismatic shape or a cylindrical shape.
The storage body (13) consists of several parts configured in such a way that it can be built in-situ by joining said parts using the appropriate means of connection.
In the embodiment shown in Figures 2-6 the storage body 13 has a cubic shape (i.e. a prismatic shape) and is assembled in-situ by joining together five equal panels 53 along with a sixth panel 55 of equal dimensions and which includes a central hole 52 to which is connected a coupling nut 51 which serves as a connection between the storage body 13 and the access conduit 15.
The six panels 53, 55 have the form of a tray with a base 61 and lateral faces 63 forming an obtuse angle with the base 61. These are joined together via their lateral faces 63 using Allen head screws 67 passing through holes made in said lateral faces 63 cooperating with wing nuts 69.
The panels 53, 55 and include stiffening ribs 65 and are made of a plastic material.
This structure of the storage body 13 allows the lateral faces 63 of the panels 53, 55 to be completely embedded in the concrete ensuring the joining together of the panels 53, 55.
The ready-to-assemble configuration of the storage body 13 significantly reduces the costs of storage and transport of the security box 11 to the place of installation without significantly reducing security.
The access conduit 15 consists of a sealed head assembly 23, a security door 25, a tubular body 21, a locking nut 29 cooperating with the coupling nut 51 installed in the storage body 13 and a sealing gasket 39. The edges of the tubular body 21 and the locking nut 29 may be configured such that the length of the access conduit 15 can be telescopically adjustable by screwing.
The sealed head assembly 23 (see Figure 5) consists of a sealed cap 31, a sealing gasket 37, an adjustable neck 33 and a flat gasket 35.
The security door 25 (see Figure 6) consists of a security cylinder 41, a body 42, three locking latches 43 with compression springs 44, one Allen bolt with dog point 45 for fixing the lock cylinder 41, a clutch 46 that activates the locking latches 43, cylindrical pins 47 that guide the locking latches 43, a safety ring 48 that secures the assembly and a rear cover 49.
In another embodiment (not shown in the figures) the storage body 13 may have a cylindrical shape. In this case the parts that make up the storage body will be a cylindrical tubular part, a circular base and a lid, also cylindrical, that includes a central hole 52 to which is attached a coupling nut 51 which serves as the connection to join the storage body 13 with the access conduit 15. The access conduit is the same as described in the embodiment shown in Figures 2-6. The diameter of the tubular part of the cylindrical storage body 13 will logically be variable, it being possible to reduce the diameter to a minimum size that is similar to that of the access conduit 15.
Obviously it is understood that the cylindrical lateral wall of the storage body (13) need not be a round cylinder (and thus the base and lid parts circular) or a cylinder of revolution. In this case, the lower flat part forming the base will have a shape matching the cylinder base and the upper part or lid will also have a perimeter shape matching the upper part of the cylinder, which is in contact with the access conduit (15). The cross-section of the cylinder may therefore be circular, elliptical, fluted, or any other irregular shape, the perimeter shapes of the parts of the base and lid coinciding with said perimeter to ensure the sealing of the storage body.
Although the invention has been described in connection with various embodiments, it may be appreciated from the description that various combinations of elements are possible, as are variations or improvements therein which are within the scope of the invention defined in the accompanying claims.

Claims

Security box (11) embedded in a structure (10) made of a mouldable material (12) which acquires resistance after a given time, characterised in that:
- it comprises a storage body (13) and an access conduit (15), to insert/remove items into/from the storage body (13), that are intended to be built into the structure (10) and be embedded within said mouldable material;

- the storage body (13) consists of several parts configured in such a way that it can be built in-situ by joining said parts using the appropriate means of connection;

- the storage body (13) and the access conduit (15) include cooperating means of connection between them (51, 29).
Security box (11) according to claim 1, wherein said mouldable material is concrete.
Security box (11) according to any of the claims 1 to 2, wherein the storage body (13) has a prismatic shape and consists of five panels (53) and a panel (55) for the face in contact with the access conduit (15).
Security box (11) according to claim 3, wherein the storage body (13) has a cubic shape and consists of five identical panels (53) and a panel (55) of the same size for the face in contact with the access conduit (15).
Security box (11) according to any of the claims 3 to 4, wherein said panels (53, 55) have the form of a tray with their lateral faces (63) forming an obtuse angle with the base (61) and in which the means of connection (67, 69) of said panels (53, 55) are applied to the lateral faces (63)
Security box (11) according to claim 5, wherein said panels (53, 55) are embodied with a plastic material and include stiffening ribs (65) in the base (61).
Security box (11) according to any of the claims 1 to 2, wherein the storage body (13) has a cylindrical shape and consists of a cylindrical lateral wall, a lower flat piece with a perimeter shape coinciding with the base of the cylinder and a flat upper piece with a perimeter that also coincides with the upper part of the cylinder and which is in contact with the access conduit (15).
Security box (11) according to any of the claims 1 to 7, wherein the access conduit (15) includes at least two components (21, 29) configured with a telescopic means of connection so that the access conduit (15) can take different lengths.
Security box according to claim 8, wherein the access conduit (15) comprises a tubular body (21) and a locking nut (29) connection to the storage body (13) configured with a telescopic-threaded connection.
Security box according to claim 9, wherein the access conduit (15) also includes a sealed head assembly (23) and the security door (25) of the security box (11).
Security box (11) according to claim 10, wherein said security door (25) comprises a security cylinder (41) and three locking latches (43) operated with a clutch device.
Security box (11) according to any of the claims 9 to 11, wherein the access conduit (15) includes sealing gaskets (37, 39) in the sealed head assembly (23) and in the locking nut (29).
Security box (11) according to any of the claims 9 to 12, wherein the tubular body (21) is embodied in a metallic material.
Security box (11) according to claim 7, wherein the storage body (13) is embodied in a metallic material.
Security box (11) according to claim 7, wherein the storage body (13) is embodied in a plastic material.