GB2430865A

GB2430865A - Carrying case with a plurality of lockable compartments

Info

Publication number: GB2430865A
Application number: GB0520587A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Graham David Francis Sharp
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-10-10
Filing date: 2005-10-10
Publication date: 2007-04-11
Also published as: GB0520587D0

Abstract

A carrying case 2 for valuables comprises a body portion 4, a lid 6 lockable 8 to the body portion and a container 10 secured within the body portion and comprising a plurality of compartments 12 each having a lockable, electronically controlled 16, door 14. The electronic controller may be set up in a variety of ways including setting a one minute delay, allowing one or all the compartments to be opened at once, and may have a control panel with a keypad. The carrying case may be provided with theft prevention features such as a dye canister operable to spray the valuables with dye or an alarm and/or position indicator such as a radio frequency tag that transmits information to a remote location when activated.

Description

A CARRYING CASE FOR VALUABLES

This invention relates to a carrying case and, more especially, this invention relates to a carrying case for valuables.

Carrying cases for valuables such for example as paper money are well known. These known carrying cases are designed with a view to preventing theft of the valuables. As a result, the known carrying cases are usually designed to receive valuables at a location and not be opened again until they are at a secure location. The known carrying cases are not designed for repeated opening and use at a plurality of locations which are remote from the secure location.

It is an aim of the present invention to reduce the above mentioned problem.

Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention there is provided a carrying case for valuables, which carrying case comprises a body portion, a lid, locking means for locking the body portion and the lid together, and a container secured in position in the body portion, the container comprising a plurality of compartments, a plurality of lockable doors with one of the lockable doors for each compartment, and electronic control means for controlling opening of the lockable doors.

The carrying case of the present invention is especially useful for carrying out transactions in a plurality of different locations. More specifically, with the carrying case of the present invention, each separate location can have its own compartment for valuables collected at that location. Valuables collected at each location are able to be separated from valuables collected at other locations by virtue of the fact that each compartment has its own lockable door. An opportunist thief at any one location is only able to obtain valuables from a compartment with an open door. The carrying case may be especially suitable for enabling an appropriately authorised person to collect and deliver valuables in different villages that used to have their own post offices but which are now without post offices due to the post offices being permanently closed by the Postal Authorities.

The carrying case preferably includes time delay means whereby the lockable doors are not able to be opened for a predetermined time delay after the electronic control means has been operated for door opening purposes. The predetermined time delay may be, for example one minute.

Longer or shorter time delays may be employed as desired.

The electronic control means may operate with different modes of operation. Thus, in a first mode of operation, the electronic control means may enable only one of the lockable doors to be opened at a time. The other door or doors then remain closed, thereby ensuring that valuables in any compartment with a closed door remain secure and are not compromised by transactions being effected at another location.

The electronic control means may be such that in a second mode of operation it enables all the lockable doors to be opened at once. In this mode of operation, the valuables can be taken out at a secure location quickly and easily. The secure location may be, for example, a main post office or a bank.

The electronic control means may include a control panel for enabling different codes to be input into the electronic control means for the purpose of opening the lockable doors. The control panel may thus have keys numbered 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. Such keys may enable appropriate numerical opening codes to be entered into the electronic control means.

The control panel may have visual and/or audio indicator means for providing an indication of when at least one of the lockable doors is able to be opened. The visual indicator means may be a light. The light may be a continuous light or a flashing light. The audio indicator means may be a buzzer. The buzzer may be continuoUS or intermittent.

The container will usually be made of metal. Preferably, the carrying case is one in which the container contains a removable inner container, and in which the removable inner container has the compartments. Usually, the removable inner container will be made of metal. Preferab'y, the metal is metal wire or metal mesh. The wire or mesh enable a user of the carrying case to see valuables in compartments that are locked, whilst transacting business with one of the compartments open for the purpose of placing valuables in that compartment. Also, at appropriate times and conditions, the removable inner container can be removed, for example to facilitate counting of col'ected money. Thus, if desired, reconciliation of money can be effected at a location separate from the carrying case.

If desired, the removable inner container may be provided to an authorised person who is about to start work such that the removable inner container has money in it. The money may then form a float in case it should be needed for conducting transactions at different places. The removable inner container may initially be provided in a sealed bag. The person receiving the removable inner container in the sealed bag would then be able to break a seal on the bag, put the removable inner container in the container in the carrying case, and then be ready to commence business.

The entire operation may be reversed at the end of a day's trading, in which case the container may be opened at an appropriate time at the end of the day's trading, the removable container may then be removed from the carrying case, and the removable inner container may be placed inside the sealable bag to be counted and reconciled later. The sealable bag may be a zip sealable bag or any other suitable and appropriate sealable bag.

The carrying case may include theft counter-measure means.

The carrying case may be one in which the container is mounted on a metal strip in the body portion of the carrying case, and in which movement of the container and/or the metal strip with a view to forcing the container out of the body portion causes activation of the theft counter-measure means.

The theft counter-measure means may comprise a dye canister positioned in the carrying case and operable to spray the valuables with a dye. The dye canister is preferably located in a bottom part of the container.

The theft counter-measure means may include audio and/or visual alarm means. Preferably both of these alarm means are employed. The audio alarm means may be a siren. The visual alarm means may be a flashing light. Other types of audio and visual alarm means may be employed.

The carrying case may be one in which at least one of the lockable doors has a slot in it, the slot being of a size for enabling valuables in the form of paper money to be inserted into a compartment without having to open the lockable door of that compartment. Preferably, the slot is of such a length that the paper money can be inserted without being folded. The carrying case may be one in which two of the lockable doors are each provided with one of the slots.

Preferably, the lockable doors are positioned in a top part of each compartment. The lockable doors may be provided at other positions if desired so that, for example, the lockable doors may be positioned in a front of each compartment.

The carrying case may include transmitter means for transmitting an alarm signal to a central control station in the event of an attempted theft of the carrying case. The transmitter means may be activated consequent upon a user of the carrying case pressing an alarm button. Alternatively or in addition, the transmitter means may operate automatically consequent upon an unauthorised attempt to open the carrying case and/or the container.

The carrying case may include receiver means for receiving a command signal from the central control station to counteract the attempted theft. Thus, for example, the command signal from the central control station may be to change opening codes set in the control panel, or to block the opening codes. The transmitter means and the receiver means may be in the form of a transceiver.

The carrying case may include position location means for use in determining the position of the carrying case.

The position location means may be for determining the position of the carrying case in normal operation and/or the position of the carrying case if it is stolen. The position location means for determining the position of the carrying case in normal operation may be a radio frequency tag. The radio frequency tag may give the position of the carrying case over a restricted area, for example of up to one mile or within a mobile telephone cell site.

The position locating means for determining the position of the carrying case if it is stolen may be a graphical user interface giving the position of the carrying case on a map of a large area.

The carrying case of the present invention may be of a wide variety of designs. Thus for example, the carrying case may be made to look like a briefcase, an attaché case, or a small suitcase.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a carrying case which is in an open position; Figure 2 is a plan view of a body portion of the carrying case as shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan view of an interior bottom wall of a container forming part of the carrying case shown in Figure 1; and Figure 4 is a section through the container as shown in Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a carrying case 2 for valuables such for example as paper money, coins and official documents.

The carrying case 2 comprises a body portion 4 and a lid 6. Locking means 8 are provided for locking the body portion 4 and the lid 6 together.

The carrying case 2 has a container 10 secured in position in the body portion 4. The container 10 comprises a plurality of compartments 12.

The container 10 also comprises a plurality of lockable doors 14, with there being one of the lockable doors 14 for each compartment 12. The container also comprises electronic control means 16 for controlling operation of the lockable doors 14.

The carrying case 2 includes time delay means which will normally form part of the container 10. The time delay means (not shown) is such that the lockable doors 14 are not able to be opened for a predetermined time delay after the electronic control means 16 has been operated for door opening purposes. By way of example only, it is mentioned that a typical predetermined time delay may be one minute.

The electronic control means 16 is such that in a first mode of operation it enables only one of the lockable doors 14 to be opened at a time. The other lockable doors 14 must remain shut. Thus business to be conducted at any specific location can be conducted with one or more dedicated compartments 12 being made available, and there is no chance of the security of valuables obtained at, or to be obtained at, other locations being compromised.

The electronic control means 16 is also such that in a second mode of operation it enables all of the lockable doors 14 to be opened at once. In this second mode of operation, the valuables can then quickly and easily be taken out of all the compartments 12, as will be explained in more detail hereinbelow. This second mode of operation may be required when it is desired to empty the carrying case 2 at a central control station such for example as a main post office or a bank.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the electronic control means 16 includes a control panel 18 for enabling different codes to be input into the electronic control means 16 for the purpose of opening the lockable doors 14. The control panel 18 has keys numbered 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. The control panel 18 also has visual and audio indicator means 20 for providing an indication of when at least one of the lockable doors 14 is able to be opened. The indicator means 20 is in the form of a light which becomes illuminated, and a buzzer which sounds.

The container 10 contains a metal wire removable inner container 11.

The removable inner container 11 has the components 12 as can be appreciated for Figure 1. The use of the metal wire for the removable inner container 11 enables a person carrying the carrying case 2 to see into compartments other than a compartment 12 which may be open whilst a transaction is taking place, whilst at the same time being confident that valuables cannot be taken from those compartments 12 because their lockable doors 14 will be in a locked condition. With all the lockable doors 14 open, the removable inner container 11 can be removed from the container 10, for example for cash reconciliation purposes at a central control station such as a main post office or a bank.

The carrying case 2 includes theft counter-measure means. The theft counter-measure means includes a metal strip 22 which is provided in the body portion 4 as shown. The metal strip 22 forms a hanger on which the container 10 is mounted. Movement of the container 10 and/or the metal strip 22 with a view to forcing the container 10 out of the body portion 4 causes activation of one or more different types of specific theft counter- measure means. One of these theft counter-measure means comprises a dye canister 24 positioned in a bottom compartment 26 in the body portion 4 of the carrying case 2. Access to the bottom compartment 26 is via a slot 28 in a bottom wall 30 in the body portion 4. The dye canister 24 is operable to spray the valuables in the compartments 12 with a permanent dye. Another one of the theft counter-measure means may be an audio and/or visual alarm means (not shown).

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the two right hand lockable doors 14 are each provided with a slots 32. The slots 32 are each of a length that enables paper money (not shown) to be inserted into the compartments 12 of these two lockable doors 14 without the paper money being folded.

As can best be appreciated from Figure 1, the lockable doors 14 are in a top part of each compartment 12. The lockable doors could alternatively be in a front part of each compartment 12.

The carrying case 2 includes transmitter means for transmitting an alarm signal to a central control station in the event of an attempted theft of the carrying case 2. The carrying case 2 also includes receiver means (not shown) for receiving a command signal from the central control station to counteract any attempt theft.

The carrying case 2 further includes position location means for use in determining the position of the carrying case 2. The position location means may be for determining the position of the carrying case 2 in normal operation and/or the position of the carrying case 2 if it is stolen. The position location means for determining the position of the carrying case 2 in normal operation may be a radio frequency tag. The radio frequency tag may transmit a general radio frequency signal, or it may transmit an identity code. The position location means for determining the position of the carrying case 2 if it is stolen may be a graphical user interface giving the position of the carrying case 2 on a map of a large area. The map will usually be at a central control station.

The transmitter means and the receiver means may be separate from each other or they may be in the form of a transceiver. They are located in the housing 34 in the body portion 4. The position location means are also provided in the housing 34. The housing 34 is provided with an alarm button 36 which is pressed to activate the theft counter-measure means provided in the carrying case 2.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiment of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings has been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, the carrying case 2 may be of various shapes and sizes and it may be made to look like a small suitcase, a briefcase or any other suitable and appropriate type of carrying case. The carrying case may carrying any suitable and appropriate valuables including paper money, cash and security bonds.

Claims

1. A carrying case for valuables, which carrying case comprises a body portion, a lid, locking means for locking the body portion and the lid together, and a container secured in position in the body portion, the container comprising a plurality of compartments, a plurality of lockable doors with one of the lockable doors for each compartment, and electronic control means for controlling opening of the lockable doors.

2. A carrying case according to claim I and including time delay means whereby the lockable doors are not able to be opened for a predetermined: *..:.

time delay after the electronic control means has been operated for door * opening purposes. S. * * . S S. S

3. A carrying case according to claim 2 in which the predetermined time.. *S*S S...

delay is one minute. .. :

4. A carrying case according to any one of the preceding claims in which the electronic control means is such that in a first mode of operation it enables only one of the lockable doors to be opened at a time.

5. A carrying case according to claim 4 in which the electronic control means is such that in a second mode of operation it enables all the lockable doors to be opened at once.

6. A carrying case according to any one of the preceding claims in which the electronic control means includes a control panel for enabling different codes to be input into the electronic control means for the purpose of opening the lockable doors.

7. A carrying case according to claim 6 in which the control panel has keys numbered 0, 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9.

8. A carrying case according to claim 6 or claim 7 in which the control panel has visual and/or audio indicator means for providing an indication of when at least one of the lockable doors is able to be opened. * * *..

9. A carrying case according to any one of the preceding claims in which the container contains a removable inner container, and in which the removable inner container has the compartments. S. * S... * S *

10. A carrying case according to claim 9 in which the removable inner container is made of metal wire or metal mesh.

11. A container according to any one of the preceding claims and including theft counter-measure means.

12. A container according to claim 11 in which the container is mounted on a metal strip in the body portion of the carrying case, and in which movement of the container and/or the metal strip with a view to forcing the container out of the body portion causes activation of the theft counter- measure means.

13. A carrying case according to claim 11 or claim 12 in which the theft counter-measure means comprises a dye canister positioned in the carrying case and operable to spray the valuables with a dye.

14. A carrying case according to claim 13 in which the dye canister is located in a bottom part of the container. * *

S.....

S **S.

15. A carrying case according to any one of claims 11 - 14 in which the * theft counter-measure means comprises audio and/or visual alarm means. *:. SS * * S S *S S

16. A carrying case according to any one of the preceding claims in *.

which at least one of the lockable doors has a slot in it, the slot being of a *. : : : size for enabling valuables in the form of paper money to be inserted into a compartment without having to open the lockable door of that compartment.

17. A carrying case according to claim 16 in which the slot is of such a length that the paper money can be inserted without being folded.

18. A carrying case according to claim 16 or claim 17 in which two of the lockable doors are each provided with one of the slots.

19. A carrying case according to any one of the preceding claims in which the lockable doors are positioned in a top part of each compartment.

20. A carrying case according to any one of the preceding claims and including transmitter means for transmitting an alarm signal to a central control station in the event of an attempted theft of the carrying case.

21. A carrying case according to claim 20 and including receiver means for receiving a command signal from the central control station to counteract the attempted theft. * I

I..... S...

22. A carrying case according to any one of the preceding claims and 1 including position location means for use in determining the position of the: :..

carrying case. S... * S...

23. A carrying case according to claim 22 in which the position location means is for determining the position of the carrying case in normal operation and/or the position of the carrying case if it is stolen.

24. A carrying case according to claim 23 in which the position location means for determining the position of the carrying case in normal operation is a radio frequency tag.

25. A carrying case according to claim 23 or claim 24 in which the position location means for determining the position of the carrying case if it is stolen is a graphical user interface giving the position of the carrying case on a map of a large area.

26. A carrying case for valuables, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. * *

I- * p i..

S ** S * S S S. S S... * *5*. *.sS * .