GB2331278A

GB2331278A - Vehicle safe

Info

Publication number: GB2331278A
Application number: GB9725433A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Abraham Simantov; Ezra Nave
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-11-17
Filing date: 1997-12-01
Publication date: 1999-05-19
Also published as: GB9725433D0; IL122231A0; AU4684597A; CA2223066A1; ZA9711081B

Abstract

The safe 12 is secured to an outside surface of the vehicle, thereby making it possible for a person to safely lock up valuables including the vehicle keys in the safe without having to open the vehicle to gain access to the safe. The safe may be opened by a combination lock, a remotely controlled electronic lock, digital lock or any other type of lock. The safe may be welded to an underside of the chassis of the vehicle.

Description

2331278 VEMCLE SAFE The present invention relates generally to safes for

vehicles and particularly to a safe mounted on an outside surface of a vehicle.

It is well known to mount a safe for storing valuables therein in the interior of a vehicle. However, in certain situations an interiorlymounted safe poses problems. For example, a person parking a vehicle at a beach must retain the vehicle keys with him in order to gain access to 0 Z) the vehicle and the safe. Unfortunately, there is generally no safe place to keep the keys, thus making it possible to steal the keys and gain access to the vehicle and safe.

0 The present invention seeks to provide an improved vehicle and vehicle safe which solves the abovementioned disadvantace of the prior art. The safe of the present invention is secured to an outside surface of the vehicle, thereby making it possible for a person to safely lock up valuables including the vehicle keys in the safe without having to open the vehicle to gain access to the safe. The safe may be opened by a combination lock, a remotely controlled electronic lock, digital lock or any other type of lock. The safe may be welded to an underside of the chassis of the vehicle. The vehicle may be any kind of land vehicle, such as a car, truck or bus, or any watercraft such as a boat or any aircraft.

There is thus provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a safe mounted on an outside surface of a vehicle.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the safe is welded to the outside surface of the vehicle. Preferably the safe is welded to an underside of a chassis of the vehicle.

Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the safe may include a combination lock, a remote controlled electronic lock, a digital lock, or a lock openable by a key or an identification card. It is noted that throughout the specification and claims that the term identification card encompasses identification card, credit card, transaction card, library card, debit card, cash card, driver's license, etc.

There is also provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a vehicle including a chassis, a body attached to the chassis, an engine mounted to the chassis for propelling the vehicle, and a safe mounted on an outside surface of at least one of the body and the chassis.

1 The present invention will be understood and appreciated more fully from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a simplified pictorial illustration of a vehicle with a safe attached to an outer surface thereof, constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention., Fa 1 1 i >. 2 is a simplified pictorial illustration of the safe of Fig. 1 with an electronic lock, z 1 0 constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 3 is a simplified pictorial illustration of the safe of Fig. 1 with a combination and/or key lock, constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and Pla. 4 is a simplitied pictorial illustration ot the sate ot hg. 1 with a digital lock or a 0 _p lock openable by an identification card, constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Reference is now made to Fig. 1 which illustrates a vehicle 10 constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Vehicle 10 includes a chassis 12, a body 14 attached to chassis 12, and an engine 16 mounted to chassis 12 for propelling vehicle 10. A safe 18 is mounted on an outside surface of either body 14 or chassis 12. Preferably safe 18 is welded to the outside surface of vehicle 10. Most preferably, safe 18 is welded t o an underside of chassis 12. Alternatively, safe 18 may be welded to an outside surface of vehicle 10 behind a license plate (rear or forward) as shown in Fie. 1.

Safe 18 may be opened by any type of lock. Reference is now made to Figs. 2-4 which illustrate different preferred embodiments of safe 18. Fig. 2 illustrates safe 18 comprising an electronic lock 20 operable by a remote control unit 22. Fie. 3 illustrates safe 18 comprising a combination lock 24 and/or a key operated lock 26. Fig. 4 illustrates safe 18 comprising a digital lock 28 or a lock 30 openable by an identification card.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited by what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. For example, other locks may be readily used to lock safe 18. Safe 18 may be mounted on any outer surface in any position on vehicle 10, and in any manner besides welding, such as by means of mechanical fasteners or bonding. Rather the scope of the present invention includes both combinations and subcombinations of the features described hereinabove as well as modifications and variations thereof which would occur to a person of skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description and which are not in the prior art.

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Claims

1. A safe mounted on an outside surface of a vehicle.

2. The safe according, to claim 1 wherein said safe is welded to said outside surface of said vehicle.

3. The safe according to claim I wherein said safe is welded to an underside of a chassis of said vehicle.

4. The safe according to claim 1 wherein said safe comprises a combination lock.

5. The safe according to claim 1 wherein said safe comprises a remote controlled electronic lock. 6. 7, 8.

The safe accordin. to claim 1 wherein said safe comprises a digital lock.

The safe according to claim 1 wherein said safe comprises a lock openable by a key.

The safe according to claim 1 wherein said safe comprises a lock openable by an identification card.

9. A vehicle comprising a chassis, a body attached to said chassis, an engine mounted to said chassis for propelling said vehicle, and a safe mounted on an outside surface of at least one of said body and said chassis.

10. The vehicle according to claim 9 wherein said safe is welded to said outside surface of at least one of said body and said chassis.

11. The vehicle accordin. to claim 9 wherein said safe is welded to an underside of said chassis. 12, The vehicle according to claim 9 wherein said safe comprises a combination lock. 13. The vehicle accordina to claim 9 wherein said safe comprises a remote controlled electronic lock. 14, The vehicle according to claim 9 wherein said safe comprises a digital lock. 15. The vehicle accordine, to claim 9 wherein said safd comprises a lock openable by a key. 16. The vehicle according to claim 9 wherein said safe comprises a lock openable by an identification card.

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