EP3924256A1

EP3924256A1 - System for anti-break-in hygienic containment of personal items for passing security checks

Info

Publication number: EP3924256A1
Application number: EP20711642.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Luigi Romano
Original assignee: International Security Service Vigilanza SpA
Current assignee: International Security Service Vigilanza SpA
Priority date: 2019-02-13
Filing date: 2020-02-07
Publication date: 2021-12-22
Also published as: WO2020165705A1; IT201900002085A1

Abstract

System for anti -break-in hygienic containment of personal items for passing security checks, comprising: - scanning station (15) suitable for recognizing a user, generating a code uniquely associated therewith; - supply station (10) suitable to distribute at least one bag (1) for each user; said supply station (10) in turn comprising: o roller (12) constituted by a plurality of bags (1) for introducing the luggage and personal effects therein, constituted by an upper opening (2) and by a possible handle (3); said bags (!) being made of a common plastic polymer sufficiently rigid to bear 8 kg; o printing device (11) suitable to impart, on the bag (I), the previously generated identification code (5), o at least one cutting device (13) suitable to allow the disconnection between one bag (1) and the subsequent one still on the roller (12); - common control station (20).

Description

“System for anti-break-in hygienic containment of personal items for passing security checks”

Description

Field of the art

The present invention operates in the scope of disposable hygienic devices. Another scope of the invention, never before associated with the hygiene obtained through disposable devices, is that of security checks. In particular, such security checks are those for which it is provided to scan the person and his/her personal effects by means of devices known as metal detectors.

Prior art

The typical situation in which a user must cross security checks is that of airports. For many years now, and especially after the terrorist attacks that have characterized that last twenty years, the airport sector is that which has developed multiple procedures aimed to identifying possible terrorists or ill-intentioned individuals. The security checks that all passengers are subjected to are dedicated to identifying explosive contents within luggage, or hidden weapons, possibly also worn by the passengers themselves. The checks are also very sensitive to gunpowder, liquids or other substances that could be contaminated such as seeds, dirt, food or the like.

Analogous checks were installed at the entrances of public buildings of particular importance, such as parliament buildings or other institutional organization buildings, and also at the entrance of several museums or places of worship which could be targets for terrori sts or ill-intentioned individuals.

Several recent laws have striven to extend this type of preventive check also to other transportations modes, such as ships or trains.

Normally, the procedure provides that the passenger place all of his/her personal effects such as jackets, belts, wallets, keys or other metallic objects, as well as his/her own carry-on case (i.e. that which one wishes to have available also during the trip and which will be placed in the suitable overhead luggage compartments) on a roller or conveyor belt which will subject all that stated above to X rays in order to analyze the content thereof. Normally, all the objects subjected to checks must be contained in suitable rigid plastic trays that are open on the upper part, which prevent the spreading out of objects along the conveyor belt. The arrangement of all the objects in a same tray also prevents the exchange of personal effects among multiple passengers who are waiting in line in order to pass through the security checks.

While one’s own goods are conveyed on the roller, the passenger - sometimes even requested to take off their shoes - crosses through a portal with metal detector function. The passenger must be completely without metallic objects on him/her, in order to prevent such passenger from transporting weapons.

The procedure, which has optimal functioning from the standpoint of security and identification of objects that are dangerous for travel, has however critical issues that are as yet unresolved.

Firstly, there is no hygienic expedient for protecting the trays in which the objects are placed. Thus, shoes, suitcases with wheels which up to a moment before were in contact with the ground, jackets and cell phones are all in contact with each other, mixing dirt and bacteria without any possibility for the user to avoid this contamination. Just like with the dirt, also the diffusion of bacteria and viruses is without any control.

A second problem that is lamented by various passengers regards the theft of objects that are placed in the trays. Given the confusion that often occurs in airport halls for the security checks, and given the temporary release of the objects by the owner, it can happen that such personal effects disappear, taken by other passengers who took advantage of the owner’s distraction, or by checks personnel who have the power to freely handle the trays. Also for this problem, there has not yet been devised an effective solution.

Finally, among the main critical issues of the present procedures of checking the luggage and travelers, there is also the poor transparency of the ownership of the X-ray scanned goods. If a suspect case is found, in fact, the passengers present are vocally asked by the checks personnel to declare ownership of such case, with the possibility that the actual owner does not declare himself/herself, leaving the dangerous case behind.

Several international patents have as object security systems for determining dangerous luggage and/or passengers, such as the patent CN108453057 which claims a method for identifying and sorting cases. Such procedure comprises the depositing of luggage in a container and the first inspection, before then sorting the safe luggage from suspect cases, directing them onto different conveyor belts. The method also comprises the return, by means of an automatic transport system, of the containers into the load area.

It is clear that neither the just-described patent nor the systems and methods operating on the market are capable of resolving the aforesaid problems. The object of the present invention is therefore that of filling this void and this lack of efficiency in the field of security checks by means of a luggage containment system that not only resolves all the critical issues described but can also easily be adapted to the various needs of the users.

Description of the invention

According to the present invention, a system is attained for anti-break-in hygienic containment of personal items for passing security checks which effectively resolves the abovementioned problems.

Advantageously the system of the present invention can be modulated and personalized based on the various security needs such that it can be effectively applied in the area of the security checks of an airport, of a train station, of a sea port, at the entrance of a public building or at the entrance of a museum, historical site or artistic site.

Advantageously the present system comprises devices that are easy to install in an area dedicated for the security checks. Said devices comprise:

- at least one scanning station suitable for recognizing a user by means of scanning an identification document of a user, whether this is a personal document or a boarding pass, or by means of biometric scanning, of the iris or of the fingerprint. Currently, similar scanning stations are used in airports and are adapted to recognize the QRcode of the boarding pass in order to allow the passenger access. Similar stations could be equally useful for the system of the present invention. In particular, if a code uniquely associated with each entering user is not generated, the scanning station of the present invention will be adapted to generate it and send it to at least one printing device which will reproduce it as described hereinbelow;

- at least one supply station suitable to distribute at least one bag for each user identified previously by means of said scanning station. Advantageously the supply station comprises, preferably in the same pole-like structure, at least one of said printing devices, at least one roller constituted by a plurality of bags and at least one cutting device which serves to divide the single bags from said roller. Other embodiments of the supply station, advantageously, can provide for a plurality of rollers differentiated by size of the bags that they deliver. In particular, at each roller, the relative cutting device and the relative printing device will be arranged. As stated above, the printing device is advantageously adapted to reproduce the identification code of the user on the outer surface of at least one bag in order to ensure that each bag is traceable to his/her owner;

- at least one control station suitable for the X-ray scanning of the content of each bag in order to detect any hazardous objects or substances and then identify the user owner thereof. Also these stations are already in use in most airports.

In the simplest version of the invention, the bags are constituted by a plastic having tear resistance sufficient for containing objects equal to at least 8 kg. In addition, the bags preferably comprise a handle and have an upper opening on which a common reversible closure system is arranged.

Even more advantageous embodiments of the present invention provide that the supply station also comprises a sealing device which allows, after the introduction of one’s own personal effects in the bag, irreversibly closing the bag. In this manner, any attempt to steal from the bags - by non-owners - will be immediately visible by the owner who will act accordingly. Such irreversible closure can occur by means of gluing or by means of pressure and heat which cause the melting of the two flaps of the upper opening of the bag.

Advantageously the material of the bag can be opaque to protect the privacy of the user who owns the content thereof.

In addition said bags will preferably be biodegradable.

Given the variety of objects which the users can introduce into areas subjected to security checks, such as airports, it could happen that such objects have a particular need for protection. For this reason, the supply station, in several embodiments, could include an insufflation or suction device, suitable to introduce air within said bag, inflating it and then protecting its contents from possible impact, or to extract air from inside said bag, creating a vacuum therein, before its closure by means of any one irreversible sealing system.

In one variant of the bag, in the embodiment in which the system comprises the insufflation or suction device, this is provided with a double hide or skin, i.e. a double coating adapted to create an interspace which said insufflation device will inflate up to a pre-established pressure. Said interspace may possibly be constituted by a plurality of septa suitable to be inflated by said insufflation device, up to a pre-established pressure, taking on a predetermined geometric shape.

Still more advantageously, the two actions of vacuum creation and inflation of the interspace can be combined in the same bag. In such a manner, first of all, by creating the vacuum, the objects contained within the bag will be“immobilized”. Subsequently, by inflating said interspace, they will also be protected from impact, ensuring a near-total protection of fragile objects.

In addition, in order to comply with the safety norms of several places, which prevent the introduction of several substances deemed dangerous or illegal, the material constituting said bags can be advantageously admixed with chemical substances suitable to react in contact with the prohibited substances. In particular the reaction will determine a color change of the bag, rendering the suspect cases immediately identifiable to security personnel. Advantageously the system can be arranged in stand-alone form or configured as an appendage of the radiogenic apparatuses.

As is inferred from the preceding description, the system that is the object of the present invention is adapted for numerous variants and implementations, also of digital nature, including additional services that can be requested by the user who has particular needs, possibly upon payment of the service.

The first additional paid service could be the request for additional bags. Assuming that for each user only one bag is arranged, or one large bag and one smaller bag for the insertion of shoes or other items, a user, at the time of scanning by means of the suitable scanning device, can request the attribution of additional bags with preferred size. Following this request by the user, the printing device will impart the identification code on the required quantity of bags.

Imagining the application of the present system in airports, even if the use of the present invention is not limited to only this context, the airline companies could easily sell additional services tied to the management of hand luggage. One example could be the acceptance/taking of the carry-on case which has passed the security checks and its placement in the overhead luggage compartment corresponding to the place assigned to the passenger who owns such case. A similar service is finally made possible by the unique association of each pack with a passenger, which did not exist before the present invention. By means of the Apps which are presently used by all the airline companies, the user can be advantageously advised with a notification on his/her own smartphone of the occurred placement of the case in the pre-established place.

Due to the irreversible sealing of the bags, moreover, the user will entrust his/her own personal effects to the service employees, since the removal of goods from inside the bag will be immediately visible to the user with a single glance at the bag.

The advantages offered by the present invention are evident in light of the description set forth up to now and will be clearer due to the enclosed figures and to the relative detailed description. Description of the figures

The invention will be described hereinbelow in at least one preferred embodiment by way of a non-limiting example, with the aid of the enclosed figures, in which:

- FIGURE 1 shows an example of an area set for the security checks, in which the scanning station 15, the supply station 10 for the bags 1 and the control station 20 are present.

- FIGURE 2 illustrates an example of a bag 1 with the interspace 4 constituted by a plurality of septa 4’-4”-4”’, the handle 3 and the identification code 5 printed on the outer surface. Detailed description of the invention

The present invention will now be illustrated merely by way of a non-limiting or nonbinding example, with reference to the figures which illustrate several embodiments relative to the present inventive concept.

With reference to FIG. 1, the new arrangement of an area set for security checks of an airport is shown.

The user initially encounter a scanning station 15 which identifies the entering user by means of the scanning of his/her ticket (boarding pass). The QRcode which is normally found on said ticket will be registered by the scanning station 15 and sent to a pair of printing devices 11-11’ which are situated on a stand-alone pole, where the user can supply himself/herself with bags 1 for the insertion of the luggage that he/she intends to bring with him/her on the plane. Such pole is termed supply station 10 and is provided with a pair of rollers 12-12’ constituted by a plurality of bags 1. In particular a first roller 12 will have the bags 1 of larger size, whose maximum volume also corresponds with the maximum overall dimension allowed by the airline for the carry-on case. A second roller 12’ will be constituted by the bags 1 of smaller size in which the user can place his/her shoes or other loose personal effects which cannot be subjected to the metal detector.

At each roller 12-12’, the abovementioned printing device 11-11’ will be arranged which will impart the QRcode 5 on the outer surface of each bag 1 assigned to the user who just executed the scanning by means of the suitable station 15. Below each roller 12-12’, a cutting device 13-13’ is installed which will help the user to disconnect multiple consecutive bags 1 from each other.

Each bag, as represented in Fig. 2, is made of opaque biodegradable plastic to protect the privacy of the user, and is sufficiently rigid so to bear a weight at least equal to 8 kg. The upper opening 2, through which the user inserts his/her own objects, has a projecting handle 3 and, after the insertion of the objects, the user will subject the flaps of said opening 2 to a sealing device 14, placed on said supply station 10. Said sealing device 14 is adapted to close each bag 1 in an irreversible manner such that each possible theft of items from inside a sealed bag 1 is immediately visible. The sealing occurs by means of the heat which, applied on two contact strips of said bag 1, causes the melting thereof.

Still in the pole which forms the supply station 10, the most complete version with accessories of the present invention also includes an insufflation or suctioning device 16 suitable to introduce air within said bag 1 or to extract air from its interior before the closure thereof.

Once everything is inserted in the bag and closed, the user will place his/her bags 1 on the control station 20 which will inspect the luggage via X-rays in order to detect any hazardous objects or substances and then identify the user owner.

In periods or geographic areas exposed to specific risks, bags can be arranged whose plastic is admixed with chemical reagents in order to determine dangerous or illegal substances such as drugs, explosive or toxic substances or the like. Such chemical reagents will cause the color change of the bag 1, allowing the security officer personnel to immediately identify the suspect luggage as well as his/her owner.

Finally, it is clear that modifications, additions or variations that are obvious for a man skilled in the art can be made to the invention described up to now, without departing from the protective scope provided by the enclosed claims.

Claims

1. System for anti-break-in hygienic containment of personal items for passing security checks, suitable to allow at least one security officer to inspect luggage and the personal effects of a plurality of users to verify the appropriateness of said luggage and personal effects to be introduced into an area subjected to security checks; said system being characterized in that it comprises:

- at least one scanning station (15) suitable to recognize a user by scanning an identification document of a user, whether a personal document or a boarding pass, or through biometric scanning of the iris or of the fingerprint; said scanning station (15) generating a code uniquely associated with said user;

- at least one supply station (10) suitable to distribute at least one bag (1) for each user identified previously through said scanning station (15); said supply station (10) in turn comprising:

o at least one roller (12) consisting of a plurality of bags (1) of pre- established dimensions suitable to be gripped by the users for introducing the luggage and personal effects thereof to be subjected to security check thereinto; said bags (1) consisting of an upper opening (2) suitable to be subsequently sealed and a potential handle (3); said bags (1) being made of a common plastic polymer rigid enough to bear a weight at least equal to 8 kg;

o at least one printing device (11) suitable to impart, on the outer surface of at least one bag (1), the identification code (5) previously generated by said scanning station (15) so as to uniquely associate each bag (1) with its owner;

o at least one cutting device (13) suitable to allow the disconnection between a bag (1) gripped by a user and the subsequent bag (1) still on the roller (12); - at least one common control station (20) suitable for the X-ray scanning of the content of each bag (1) in order to detect any hazardous objects or substances and thus identify the owner user.

2. System for anti-break-in hygienic containment of personal items for passing security checks, according to the preceding claim 1, characterized in that said supply station (10) also comprises at least one sealing device (14) suitable to irreversibly seal each bag (1) so that each possible theft of items from the sealed bag (1) is immediately visible; said sealing being carried out using glue or by means of heat which, applied on two contact strips of said bag (1), causes the melting thereof.

3. System for anti -break-in hygienic containment of personal items for passing security checks, according to any one of the preceding claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said supply station (10) also comprises at least one insufflation or suctioning device (16) suitable to introduce air into said bag (1) or to extract air from inside said bag (1) before the closure thereof by means of any irreversible sealing system.

4. System for anti -break-in hygienic containment of personal items for passing security checks, according to the preceding claim 3, characterized in that said bags (1) are provided with a double hide or skin, or a double coating suitable to create an interspace (4) to be inflated by said insufflation device (16) up to a pre-established pressure so as to protect the content of said bag (1) against possible impact.

5. System for anti -break-in hygienic containment of personal items for passing security checks, according to the preceding claim 4, characterized in that said interspace (4) consists of a plurality of septa (4’-4”-4”’-...) suitable to be inflated by said insufflation device (16) up to a pre-established pressure, taking up a predetermined geometric shape.

6. System for anti-break-in hygienic containment of personal items for passing security checks, according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one part of said bags (1) are admixed with chemical substances suitable to react, determining a color change, should the content of said bag (1) contain predetermined explosive, toxic, narcotic substances or the like.

7. System for anti-break-in hygienic containment of personal items for passing security checks, according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said supply station (10) comprises a plurality of rollers (12-12’) suitable to distribute bags (1) of different sizes; a relative printing device (11-1 1') and a relative cutting device (13-13’) being present at each roller (12-12’).

8. System for anti-break-in hygienic containment of personal items for passing security checks, according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one part of said bags (1) is opaque, maintaining the privacy of the owner user of the content of said bag (1).

9. System for anti-break-in hygienic containment of personal items for passing security checks, according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the largest size of said bags (1) corresponds to the maximum overall dimension that a user can introduce into the area subject of security checks.

10. System for anti-break-in hygienic containment of personal items for passing security checks, according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said bags (1) are completely biodegradable.

11. Use of a system for anti -break-in hygienic containment of personal items for passing security checks, according to any one of the preceding claims, in the area of the security checks of an airport, a train station, a sea port, at the entrance of a public building or at the entrance of a museum, historical site, artistic site.