ES2607459T3 - A safety device - Google Patents

Abstract

Apparatus for storing or transporting a valuable article, the apparatus comprises an inner cartridge (30) for receiving the valuable article and an outer housing (10) in which the inner cartridge (30) can be received, the inner cartridge (30) comprises means for communicating with the outer casing (10), means (100) for detecting interference with the inner cartridge (30) and a deterioration system (50), the outer casing (10) comprises means (82) for communicating with the cartridge interior (30), characterized in that the outer casing (10) further comprises means (80) for detecting interference with the outer casing (10), wherein the deterioration system (50) is configured to activate in the event that the means (100) for detecting interference with the inner cartridge (30) detecting interference with the inner cartridge (30) or in case the means (80) for detecting interference with the outer shell (10) detect interference with the outer shell (10) , and wherein the apparatus further comprises an optical system comprising a photodetector (104) positioned in the inner cartridge (30) and a phototransmitter (84) positioned in the outer housing (10), the optical system is configured to cause the deterioration system (50) is activated when a control system (118) of the deterioration system (50) detects that an infrared signal has been lost between the phototransmitter (84) and the photodetector (104) for a predetermined period of time .

Description

image 1

image2

image3

image4

image5

5

10

fifteen

twenty

25

30

35

40

Four. Five

fifty

55

A liquid sensor 108 is also provided in the detection system 100 of the inner cartridge 30, and is configured to detect the entry of conductive or non-conductive liquids into the inner cartridge 30. As described above, such liquids are typically used by the thieves to reduce the effectiveness of the inks used in deterioration systems.

The detection system 100 of the inner cartridge 30 also has an open cover sensor 110, which can be, for example, a microswitch or optical sensor to determine when the cover 34 of the inner cartridge 30 is open.

One or more sensors 112, which may be, for example, mechanical sensors such as microswitches or optical sensors, are associated with the feed door 38 of the inner cartridge 30 to detect attempts to access banknotes or something similar stored in the inner cartridge 30 through the feed door 38. An inclination sensor 114 is also provided to detect the inclination of an ATM in which the inner cartridge 30 is installed, while one or more metal detectors 116 are provided to assist to the inner cartridge 30 to be recognized when installed in an ATM. An accelerometer 117 or something similar is provided to detect movement indicative that the inner cartridge 30 has fallen from a height in an attempt to force it to open it.

The infrared communication system 102, the optical communication system 104 and the sensors 106, 108, 110, 112, 114 and 117 are connected to a control system 118 of the deterioration system 50, said control system 118 receives signals from the sensors 106, 108, 110, 112, 114, 117 and determines whether the activation mechanism 62 of the deterioration system 50 should be activated in response to signals received from the sensors 106, 108, 110, 112, 114, 116, 117 or the infrared communication system 102 or the optical communication system 104.

The inner cartridge 30 also includes a countdown timer 120 that can be activated by removing the inner cartridge 30 from the outer case 10 or an ATM in which it is installed. The countdown timer 120 is connected to the control system 118 of the deterioration system 50 so that when the inner cartridge 30 is removed from the outer shell 10 or from an ATM the countdown begins. If the countdown reaches zero before the inner cartridge 30 is installed in an ATM or outer shell 10 the deterioration system 50 is activated to deteriorate the contents of the inner cartridge 30.

The sensors 86, 88, 90, 92, 94, 96 of the detection system 80 of the outer shell 10 are located in appropriate positions in or on the outer shell 10. For example, one or more penetration sensors 86 can be placed in or on outer walls of the outer shell 10, while one or more liquid sensors 88 can be placed on inner surfaces of the outer walls of the outer shell 10. It will be appreciated that the sensors and communication systems 80 of the outer shell 10 they can be placed in a variety of positions, such positions will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Similarly, the sensors 106, 108, 110, 112, 114, 116, 117 of the detection system 100 of the inner cartridge are located in appropriate positions in or on the inner cartridge 30. Again, one or more sensors can be placed penetration 106 on or on the outer walls of the inner cartridge 30, while one or more liquid sensors 108 can be placed on an inner surface of the cartridge cover 34, or on inner surfaces of the outer walls of the inner cartridge 30. It will be appreciated that the sensors and communication systems 100 of the inner cartridge 30 can be located in a variety of positions, such positions will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

The security apparatus described above is typically used in delivery situations, where a cartridge such as an ATM cartridge could be vulnerable to attack or theft in transit between a delivery vehicle and its final destination, for example where an ATM cartridge Full is being delivered by a delivery guard to an ATM to replenish the ATM. A delivery method using the apparatus will now be described, with reference to the flow chart of Figure 6.

As the first stage 120 in the delivery process, the delivery guard, who will typically be in position within a delivery vehicle, opens the outer casing 10 using an electronic key or something similar, to allow access within it. The delivery watchman then removes an inner cartridge 30, which can be, for example, a complete ATM cartridge, from a shelf in the delivery vehicle and places it in the recess or enclosure 20 of the outer housing 10 (step 122) . The delivery guard closes and locks the outer casing 10 (step 124), at which time (step 126) the outer casing 10 communicates to the inner cartridge 30 an order to enter a transport mode. This order can be issued by the outer shell 10 using the infrared transmitter of its infrared communication system 82 and received by the inner cartridge 30 using the infrared receiver of its infrared communication system 102. In the transport mode of the inner cartridge 30, the sensitive systems that are redundant can be deactivated because they are duplicated in the outer housing 10. Such redundant sensors may include, for example, the penetration sensor 106 and the liquid sensor 108.

The outer shell 10 is also placed in a mode of transport in step 126, in which all of its sensitive systems are enabled, and the delivery guard leaves the delivery vehicle to transport the inner cartridge 30 to its destination (step 128). . It will be appreciated that when installed in the outer casing 10, the inner cartridge

7 5

10

fifteen

twenty

25

30

it is hidden from view and thus observers cannot identify what is being transported in the outer shell

10.

During transport of the inner cartridge 30 inside the outer case 10, the sensors 84, 86, 88, 90, 92, 94, 96 of the outer case 10 are active, constantly checking for unauthorized interference with the outer case 10 ( stage 130). If one or more of the sensors 84, 86, 88, 90, 92, 94, 96 detects interference with the outer housing 10, a signal is transmitted to the deterioration system 50 by means of the infrared communication systems 82, 102 to cause that the deterioration system is activated in step 132, as described above.

Upon arrival at the destination, the delivery watchman issues a release order to the outer casing 10, using an electronic key or something similar in step 134. This causes the outer casing 10 to issue an order to the inner cartridge 30 to enter a delivery mode (step 136) in which the inner cartridge 30 can be delivered and installed in an ATM or something similar. In the delivery mode, all the sensitive systems of the inner cartridge 30 are activated. The inner cartridge 30 then sends an acknowledgment message to the outer housing 10 to indicate that the delivery mode has been entered (step 138) and the housing outer 10 is unlocked, allowing the lid 14 to be opened by the delivery guard and the inner cartridge 30 to be removed (step 140). When the inner cartridge 30 detects that it has been removed from the outer casing 10, for example upon detecting the loss of an optical signal emitted by the optical emitter 84 of the outer casing 10, the countdown timer 120 is initiated (step 142) which counts back an expected delivery time. During delivery of the inner cartridge 30, the sensors 106, 108, 110, 112, 114 of the inner cartridge 30 are active to detect any unauthorized interference with the inner cartridge (step 144), and the timer 120 counts down the timing of preset delivery. If the interference is detected by one or more of the sensors 106, 108, 110, 112 or if the inner cartridge 30 has not been delivered to its destination (for example being installed in an ATM) or returned to the outer housing 10 within At this time, the deterioration system 50 is activated in step 132 to make the contents of the inner cartridge 30 run out of value. Countdown timer 120 can only be deactivated or reset (step 146) either by returning the inner cartridge 30 to the outer housing 10 or by successfully delivering the inner cartridge 30 to its destination.

It will be appreciated that the security apparatus described above can be used in a wide variety of situations in which the inner cartridge 30 may be vulnerable to attack. For example, the security apparatus can be used to transport an inner cartridge 30 containing cash or other valuable items to or from a storage shelf in a delivery vehicle, ATM or something similar, or to a machine such as a drawer of automated cash, ATM or shelf system in retail facilities.

8

Claims (1)

image 1