GB2462725A - Flexible secure enclosure - Google Patents

Abstract

An enclosure 2 having a wall formed of flexible sheet material 10 which incorporates an electrically conductive layer 14, the enclosure 2 further incorporating electronic means for monitoring the structural integrity of the electrically conductive layer 14 and detecting any breach thereof. The electronic means may take the form of a radio frequency identification device (RFID). The enclosure 2 may have an opening which is provided with a secure closure (e.g. see fig 5). The secure closure (e.g. see fig 5) may include electrically conductive elements forming electrical pathways which are monitored by the electronic means to detect if the integrity of the pathways is breached. The secure closure may be in the form of a zip. The enclosure 2 may take the form of a tent 90. The enclosure 2 may have an anchor device (see fig 20) in the form of a corkscrew. The flexible sheet material may include a base layer (20) and a flexible substrate provided with a flexible electrical track (21) on an inner surface of the base layer (20) (see fig 2). The flexible electrical track (21) may be a conductive ink flexible electrical track. The enclosure 2 may include an integrated electronic alarm. A wide range of applications for the enclosure 2 are envisaged including: a rucksack, a security envelope, a tent 90, and laundry and dry cleaning bag, in addition to a general purpose bag.

Description

FLEXIBLE SECURE ENCLOSURE

This invention relates to an enclosure and, more especially, this invention relates to a flexible enclosure which can be used to hold items under secure conditions: There are numerous situations where it is necessary to keep or transport items under conditions of high security without adding significantly to weight or taking up large amounts of additional space. The present invention seeks to provide a new and inventive form of secure enclosure which meets these requirements.

Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment, the present invention provides an enclosure having a wall formed of flexible sheet material which incorporates an electrically conductive layer, the enclosure further incorporating electronic means for monitoring the structural integrity of the electrically conductive layer and detecting any breach thereof.

The flexible sheet material may be a supple but tough and durable sheet material.

The electronic means may comprise a radio frequency identification device (RFID), which may be active or passive, and may operate using Bluetooth (Registered Trade Mark) and other radio frequency protocols. The radio frequency identification device is preferably capable of providing a unique identifying code to distinguish one enclosure from another.

The enclosure preferably has an opening which is provided with a secure closure. The secure closure preferably incorporates electrically conductive elements forming electrical pathways which are monitored by the electronic means to detect if the integrity of the pathways is breached.

The enclosure may include an anchor device. The anchor device may be a corkscrew anchor. Other types of anchor device may be employed.

The flexible sheet material may comprise a base layer material and a flexible substrate on an inner surface of the base layer material. The flexible substrate may be provided with a flexible electrical track. The flexible electrical track may be a conductive ink flexible electrical track. Other types of flexible sheet material and other types of flexible electrical track may be employed.

The enclosure may include an integrated electronic alarm. The alarm may give an audible and/or visual alarm.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a general view of a first enclosure of the invention and in the form of a secure bag; Figure 2 is a cross section through a wall of the bag showing an alternative wall structure; Figure 3 shows a first form of closure for use with the bag; Figure 4 is a cross section through the closure of Figure 3; Figure 5 shows a second form of the closure; Figure 6 is a section through a locking device which is attached to one end of the closure of Figure 5; Figure 7 is another section showing the locking mechanism of Figure 5; Figure 8 shows the closure of Figure 5 in a part-opened condition; Figure 9 shows a detail of one side of the closure; Figure 10 shows a similar detail with two meshed sides of the closure; Figure 11 shows another detail of the closure; Figure 12 shows a form of the bag which is modified for secure attachment to an anchor; Figure 13 shows an enclosure of the invention in the form of a tent; Figure 14 shows how the bag may be used to secure assets in a garden shed; Figure 15 shows an RFID tag for use with the bag having PDA and USB connectivity; Figure 16 is a remote RFID fob which can be used for opening and closing the bag; Figure 17 shows a first form of temporary secure anchor for use with the bag; Figure 18 shows a second form of temporary secure anchor for use with the bag; Figure 19 shows the anchor of Figure 18 in a locking configuration; Figure 20 shows a secure ground anchor for use with the bag; Figure 21 shows an insert for a tote box or other container; Figure 22 shows the insert in a flat-pack configuration; and Figure 23 shows a detail of the insert in the region of its corner connections.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows a flexible enclosure in the form of a bag 2, which could have various shapes and configurations. The bag 2 is formed from a flexible but strong and durable material 10 which includes a base layer comprised of spun nylon, woven polyester or polypropylene or other such material. Woven polyester is a standard strong but flexible material used for example in the transport of aggregates, bricks and so on and has good durability. The inside surface of the bag 2 has a flexible substrate which is applied to the base layer, such as a waterproof electrically-insulating layer of flexible plastic, e.g. flexible PVC as used in table cloths and blood transfusion bags. The flexible substrate in turn receives a flexible electrical track 14 which is printed on the inside surface of the bag 2 in a zig-zag or similar configuration in very narrow strips, typically less than 0.05mm apart.

The track 14 may be printed on the substrate by ink-jet or other technology using a conductive ink that is flexible allowing the material to bend, as appropriate, without breaking the circuit. A suitable conductive flexible ink would be Xaar 1001. Other methods can be used to deposit an electrically conductive track on the substrate. The track may be protected and insulated by application of additional layers of flexible, durable and waterproof plastics materials. The track 14 terminates in end connectors 15 and 16.

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The bag 2 is also provided with a lockable closure (described below).

The track 14 and lockable closure are both electrically connected to an active or passive REID tag which allows wireless radio frequency identification of the bag 2. In addition, the electronic tag can be used for data recording purposes and is arranged to operate an integrated electronic audible alarm. If the lockable closure is subject to tampering, or if anything punctures the bag 2 SO that the electrical circuit through the track 14 is broken, the alarm sounds and the event is electronically recorded by the tag together with other relevant data such as time, date location etc. Thus, the enclosure is totally tamperproof and is capable of providing electronic evidence that tampering has occurred together with other related data.

Figure 2 shows an alternative structure for the sheet material. In this configuration the base layer 20 again carries an insulating substrate 21, as described above, but in this case a continuous electrode 22 of conductive ink is applied to the substrate followed by a thin intermediate insulating layer 23 to which a second continuous electrode 24 is applied followed by a final insulating layer 25 on the inside of the bag. The insulating layers 21, 23 and may all be of polyvinyl chloride polymer or other similar material as described above. If the material is punctured, the lower layer 22 will make contact with the upper layer 24 so that the circuit is completed between the two layers, allowing the alarm to be triggered and the event electronically recorded as described.

An advantage of using ink-jet printing, or a similar process, to deposit the conductive layer is that if any of the enclosures disclosed herein are punctured or broken it is possible to disconnect the electronic circuitry and then re-spray a new circuit over the top of the old one, thereby effecting a relatively cheap repair.

The REID enabled tag and audible alarm may be provided as a separate unit which is attached each time the bag is secured.

The closure devices are arranged to provide electrical continuity so that the closure is not a weak point that can be exploited to gain access to the inside of the flexible package. The electrical circuit via the closure may be formed by a continuation of the track 14 or a separately-monitored circuit.

A first form of electronically enabled fastener is shown in Figure 3 and 4. One edge of the bag opening is provided with a moulded ladder strip 30 having spaced fingers 31 joined by a bar 32. Each of the fingers 31 contains an electrical conductor 33 which terminates at an electrical contact 34 on the underside of the bar 32. The opposing side of the opening is provided with a moulded contact strip 35 having a number of projecting pegs 36 which are arranged to snap into the apertures formed between the fingers 31. At the same time, the contacts 34 make electrical contact with a conductive contact bar 37 on the strip 35 to complete an electrical circuit. Should any of the contacts be broken by tampering with the closure, this will be detected by the RFID tag to trigger an alarm condition as described.

The enclosure may be provided with a fastener in the form of a zip 50 as shown in Figure 5. The zip 50 may cover the ladder lattice of Figure 3 and 4 to provide additional security. The zip 50 could also be used alone to provide an alternative form of secure closure. The two sides of the zip 50 are secured tightly enough to make sure that there is no movement and maintain electrical continuity across the zip 50. In order to stop adulteration of the contents of the bag, e.g. someone putting a needle through the zip 50 to inject the contents, there is an overlap of electronically enabled sheet material, held in place by the zip 50, so that any such needle would puncture the sheet and trip the circuit and the alarm. The zip 50 itself may have the active RFID tag incorporated into zip end 51 such that when the fastener is zipped up and closed, the whole package is made secure. As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the zip end 51 has a head 52 with an electrical contact 53 which snap-locks into a receptacle 54 to make an electrical circuit and confirm that the zip 50 is shut. A key or button 55 may be provided for releasing the zip 50 via a mechanical or electrically-operated lock.

A second way of providing electrical continuity across the zip 50 is to have alternating insulated and electrically conductive teeth 61 and 62 on opposite sides of the zip 50 as shown in Figures 8 -11, either in addition to or as a replacement for the zip 50 shown in Figures 5 -7. Electrical continuity can also be made via the zip 50 through the zip end 51 as in Figures 6 and 7 to guarantee that the enclosure is secure. The conductive teeth 61 and 62 alternate with teeth or spacers 63 formed of electrical insulation material so that when the zip 50 is closed as in Figure 10, the enmeshed teeth provide electrical continuity via a series of separate electrical pathways down the length of the zip 50. Again, the zip end 51 can be provided with a secure RFID tag 64 as shown in Figure 11.

The bag 2 or other shaped container may be used to securely carry a consignment to a destination location at which a suitable anchor is provided to receive the package. As shown in Figure 12, the bag 2 may be adapted to incorporate an anchor plate 70 containing a hole 71 for engagement by a solenoid incorporated in the anchor. The anchor plate 70 may be integrated into the electronic continuity system of the bag 2 such that if the anchor plate is ripped from the package, the circuit is broken and the alarm is triggered.

Although a principal use of the invention lies in holding and transporting items under secure conditions, the invention could also be applied to other forms of flexible enclosure. For example, Figure 13 shows a tent 90 which, together with a bottom ground sheet, is formed of electronically enabled material with the door 91 secured by a zip 92 as described above.

Thus, when the zip 92 is closed, the whole tent becomes a secure package with an active REID tag alarming it. The tag may be in wireless communication with another tag held centrally, or by the tent owner, to allow valuables to be left in the tent with a certain level of protection when the owner is away. If the tent is broken into by cutting the canvas or by breaking the closed zip, an alarm sounds as appropriate.

Figure 14 shows how valuable power tools or other garden implements that would normally be storable in a garden shed 100 can be enclosed in an enclosure in the form of a secure package 101 connected to an anchor 102.

Once sealed, if the package is opened, an alarm sounds. Similarly, if the package is removed from its anchor, an alarm sounds. An RFID dongle 103 connected to a PC 104 communicates with the RFID tag incorporated in the package. The two devices can detect the distance between them, so that changes of distance indicate that the package has been moved and therefore, if not authorised, signals that the package is being stolen.

* Enclosures, for example packages, can either be opened by one REID tag provided with a computer or internet connection recognising the unique number of another and, with the appropriate code, allow the package associated with the second tag to be opened. However, there will be situations where an REID tag with a computer or internet connection will not be possible. Thus, as shown in Figure 15, a tag 80 which is used for closing or locking a package has a USB port 81 to connect to a computer, and/or a port 82 to connect with a Blackberry (Registered Trade Mark) or other hand-held PDA. This will then dispense with the need for each such device to have a keyboard for entering PIN numbers etc. Once connected, tags can then be coupled or grouped with other tags or a hand held tag or dongle via centrally held software in order to switch a particular tag on or off. This may be particularly useful for delivery men needing to lock new tags for the first time, or in the case of returns for example, to enter an appropriate PIN to release a particular package. The use of standard USB and Blackberry (Registered Trade Mark) ports is important to allow interconnectivity to the largest number of devices and commonality.

Two radio frequency identification devices, e.g. RFID tags, may detect the distance between them. Thus, significant changes of distance may indicate that the package has been moved and therefore, if not authorised, indicate that the package is being stolen.

An active REID tag 110 may also act as a means of opening or closing another device as shown in Eigure 16, much as a car electronic remote locking fob. The tag 110 on the secure package 111 can be automatically programmed to lock as soon as the package is closed and paired with the RFID fob 112 to allow the package to be opened or closed, as appropriate.

The fob will be small enough to be put in a pocket and not necessarily carried in a wallet or handbag. This is particularly important if the secure package is intended to be used like a purse and carried in a handbag for example, in which case for security reasons the fob needs to be carried on the person and not in the bag. The fob could be styled like a nurse's watch or similar pinned to personal clothing hidden from view. Thus, if a woman left her bag and the default detection distance was ten metres the alarm would sound if this distance was exceeded. This would be sufficient to allow the women to move around the house, but if she left it behind in a restaurant for example the alarm would sound allowing her to retrieve it before, for example, arriving at home and having to return to find it.

The anchors for use with the secure enclosures may be affixed to immoveable objects via a number of means. The most common and secure means are the type of masonry screws used to attach wall and gun safes to walls, with the screws on the inside of the anchor so that they cannot be accessed from the outside and therefore making them secure. Any breach of security, e.g. an attempt to remove the bolts, would again trip the alarm.

However, there will be situations, particularly for first-time users, when a permanent anchor will not yet be installed and a package is due to be delivered. Two forms of temporary anchor which are intended to allow first-time deliveries to be made are shown in Figures 17, 18 and 19.

The first such anchor 120 which is shown in Figure 17 allows anchors * to be attached to railings, door knobs and other fixing points by passing a chord 121 through the fixing point. The chord is serrated and incorporates a one-way ratchet much as plastic restraints used by the police, i.e. the chord can be pulled through the ratchet mechanism to tighten it but not back through again until released by the RFID lock. The lock can be opened or closed by means of a paired RFID fob as described, or it may connect to the internetlPDA. The paired fob could then be posted through a letter box to the recipient, but the anchor and the package will remain outside the building securely fastened. Because each such anchor has a unique number, they could be returned and a per use fee paid rather than the recipient having to pay the full cost of the anchor. However, the full price could be charged to ensure return, and if it is not, then no economic loss is sustained by the deliverer. Again the anchor would be made tamper proof and an electrically conductive circuit 122 passed through the chord, as shown in the inset detail, such that if the chord is broken an alarm will sound, for example on the RFID unit posted through the letter box or from the anchor unit 120.

In those instances where a railing, door knob or other attachment is not available, the anchor device 130 shown in Figures 18 and 19 could be used to affix the anchor to a letter box. The anchor has four retractable bayonets 131 which, when closed, allow the unit to be introduôed through the letter box.

Once the end is through, the bayonets 131 are extended to prevent the anchor from being pulled back through the letter box. The package would then be attached to the anchor and released by means of a dongle posted through the letter box. The unit can then be released by releasing the package or retracting the bayonets 131.

Figure 20 shows a corkscrew anchor 140, e.g. for use on the beach.

The RFID tag has the anchor attachment 141 for the intelligent bag. The user screws the corkscrew into the ground so that the sensor 142 is below the ground. Being below ground the sensor is covered, indicating that the anchor is firmly secured. If someone seeks to steal or vandalise the device once the alarm has been set, this will trip the light sensor, and possibly an anti-tilt sensor, causing an alarm to go off. The anchor could be enabled as described using a car key REID fob etc. Figures 21 -23 show an insert 150 to go into totes and other containers to make them secure. Again this is made from the same flexible materials as the secure bags, which is printed as an origami shape and then glued into the tote e.g. by an epoxy resin. The drawings also show a further form of secure closure which is a plastics strip 151, 152 provided with male and female pop connectors 153 and 154. Since the closure will be inside the tote lid and will be protected, it is not necessary to use the zip or other high security arrangements previously described. The strip and the lid is closed and an RFID tag closure 155 as per Figure 6 is used to close the tote/container to make it secure.

Various applications of the invention have already been mentioned, but in order to provide a better understanding of the utility of the invention a number of additional uses will now be briefly described.

Airport Security In an airport environment, luggage security is vital. From the passengers' point of view once locked and secured, the level of security must be good enough to prove that the luggage has not been adulterated, i.e. positive proof that nothing has been planted, in or removed from the luggage.

For airport authorities, the invention provides better security, but also the ability to better trace lost luggage. The bag can be used as an outer package to enclose a suitcase, rucksack or other container. Alternatively, material may be formed into a suitcase or rucksack as an integral part.

One problem often encountered by passengers is the fact that their bag is left in a hotel porter's lodge prior to going to the airport and so a traveller does not know if someone has, for example, tampered with the suitcase before the traveller checks it through security before boarding a plane. Given the significance of smuggling accidentally, people are not un-naturally concerned when travelling through borders where the death penalty is the consequence of smuggling drugs. From an airport point of view, it would be good to know the bag is secure and tamper-proof with a complete record and traceability. The present invention enables the provision of an intelligent bag as a cover to put the whole suitcase, rucksack or other into as it travels from the hotel lobby to the airport and on through to security all the way to the destination. The traveller would then have complete peace of mind that their luggage has not been tampered with when they were not looking.

Also, from the security point of view from the airport, there is provided a means to trace luggage more effectively and without the disadvantage of lost luggage labels. Finding lost bags would also be a lot easier.

This would be more secure and have a higher degree of functionality than systems that shrink wrap bags for luggage through airports etc. Mail handling and Delivery Post office mail bags can be made secure and trackable for transporting letters, parcels and other packages.

Mail bags are already made in substantial numbers out of woven polyethylene or similar fabrics. Therefore printing a security circuit and providing the zip closure and active REID tag would be especially useful, particularly in the context of business where mail bags are left unattended, representing a significant security risk.

Courier Services Courier bags and pouches can be used with the electronic anchor for unsupervised delivery.

Another application as the cross border security, especially for the Department of Homeland Security in the US, which is particularly concerned with this issue and where it would be possible to guarantee total track and trace and integrity of a package for an entire journey from beginning to end.

Bank Cash Security Despite being a "cashless society", significant amounts of cash still move around in security vans (Group 4 -Registered Trade Mark -and so on).

Secure pouches which are active RFID enabled would reduce risks and increase traceability considerably. It might also make it easier to administer, as the cash need only be counted once, and when opened one could be confident there is no change thereby obviating the need to count it again.

Industrial Currently, a lot of high value parts are moved from warehouse to warehouse necessitating a lot of stock inventory checking and security cost to make sure such parts do not get misappropriated. Pouches or intelligent bags of all sizes could be used (note the ink jet printing is so flexible that this could be done on demand for each package shape and size). Tags and closures would be common to all, and a zip or other closure means could be easily made to different lengths. Theoretically, in a just-in-time delivery manufacturing situation, there would be no need to have a warehouse at all, with the parts being opened on the line such that the opening of the package automatically constitutes a replacement order to send the next batch. Even if warehouses are still needed, inventory and stocktaking would still be significantly simplified and significant cost removed. This is quite apart from the track and trace element to improve operating efficiency in the manufacturing and logistics process.

Outer Case Packaging Typically, for televisions, computers and so on, this comprises a cardboard box which is one time use and which is then is expensive to dispose of or recycle. Intelligent bags with filler, could replace this completely and allow direct delivery to the home from the manufacturer without any intervention by a retailer. This would be a substantial market.

Laundry and Dry Cleaning There are a number of applications, in the laundry and dry cleaning space that could benefit from variations in the intelligent bag technology. The first would be simple laundry bags to take laundry from hotels and the like to the laundry, also for secure drops by return using the closing piece and anchor.

In the dry cleaning and laundry space, laundry is often returned in a cover for suits or in boxes. A specialist suit cover would be well adapted for this use -see below.

Returns of pressed shirts and the like could also be made in the intelligent RFID enabled bags.

Another interesting variation is to use the suit covers as a place to hide valuables under the application of the intelligent bag safe (see below), It is natural for suits to be hidden in wardrobes and therefore camouflage naturally with the other clothes, but with the inclusion of pockets in a "suit cover", this would be an intelligent bag safe in effect. This would make it more difficult to find when amongst other clothes, and not be an obvious place for hidden high value items.

Private Users The package can be either sold or rented to customers, as appropriate.

Document Archiving The document archive business can use the package for transporting boxes to and from offices under secure and traceable conditions.

Either the intelligent bag can be put around a conventional cardboard box, or a cardboard box can be put in a secure tote as described above. This is a good means of delivering and retrieving archive files and related securely with complete traceability as to who opened the package, its location and other relevant data.

Domestic Security The enclosures can provide a secure soft bodied safe for use in a house for example, to hold valuable items such as jewetlery, mobile phones and other items of value that could easily be stolen by a sneak thief having gained access to the inside of a house without tripping the house alarm. This compares favourably with conventional metal safes that are heavy, of limited size, high cost and difficult to install. The bag can be more easily hidden in drawers and/or clothing. The RFID and matching USB RFID dongle are able to measure the distance moved and, whenever the bag is moved more than say 10 meters, this would indicate it has been stolen and taken out of the house. Similarly, any breakage of the bag, REID closure and tag would indicate a thief breaking in and then sound the alarm. This would allow the owner to move the bag within certain parameters without the alarm going off or having to disarm it to move it.

Personal Security The bag may also be used in handbags, briefcases and such like as a means of securing assets. This time, instead of the RFID tag monitoring the tag on the bag, it would be a separate tag which would be kept on the person.

The tag would be connectable to a hand-held PDA or other computer system with software to allow tags to be linked together and the distance defaults from active RFID to another to be set at an appropriate distance. Thus for example, if a woman were to be worried about losing her bag or leaving it behind, the active RFID unit on her person would sound if the bag was ever more than 5 meters away, i.e. she has left it behind in a room when going to another or leaving a building. Furthermore, in order to find the bag, the personal RFID could send a signal to the bag telling it to emit a sound that can be heard. The device can be made to beep faster when moving closer, and slower when going away, to help find the bag.

Garden Equipment The bags could also be used in garden sheds to protect expensive assets like chainsaws, power tools and the like. Again any breach of the bag would sound the alarm. Also, if the bag is moved outside pre-set parameters, it would also cause an alarm to sound.

Camping Approximately three million people go to UK festivals such as Glastonbury every year, and many experience significant loss of personal effects. Many more people go on camping holidays. An RFID tag reader operated by an event organiser or campsite owner would allow people to secure their tents and alarm them to prevent sneak thieves, and to raise an alarm when there is a break-in.

Reusable Secure Packaging The bag may be used as a reusable replacement for cases or cardboard packaging, which is expensive and needs to be reformed or recycled to be reused more than once. The intelligent bag needs only have the inner packaging. (thinner and less cost) for the goods themselves and filler material of paper/polystyrene or similar material to cushion the goods. The intelligent package and filler material can be reused many times.

Storage Such a system may be used for a warehouse-free production system in which key parts come onto the production line without having to be kept in a warehouse with attendant loss and theft issues. As each package is opened and the goods used, an EDS system automatically orders the next delivery of parts.

SpaceSaving Secure Travel The bag may be used in all situations where totes cannot be folded down or collapsed to reduce space. The bag will fold down to very much less space for the return trip.

Medical Shipments The package would be useful for medical, dental, veterinary or pharmaceutical shipments where proof of delivery and tamperproof records are vital in the supply chain. This could also allow direct delivery of drugs to patients at home against a security PIN number which would only allow them to open the package and provide evidence to the physician or other that the drugs had been received by the patient. This is a useful alternative to travelling to the pharmacy to collect such items, which patients may not be able to do if ill.

Personal Electronic Devices The invention provides a secure case for ipods (Registered Trade Mark), mobile phones or similar devices.

Supermarkets and Retail Supermarkets are under increasing pressure (possibly regulatory over time as in the Republic of Ireland) to reduce substantially the number of plastic bags used. In the UK, the estimated number of bags used is about 13 billion per year. Marks & Spencer already charge 5p a bag and there is talk of Government introducing a mandatory lOp per bag fee. The driving of home a delivery vehicles, and also green recycling, are important factors to get supermarkets to adopt and show their green credentials. Tagging would allow easy accounting for these more important items and, if a pool of active RFID enabled bags were available, shoppers would not need (and often forget) to bring their own shopping bags for the purpose. Most shoppers would not really want to carry a bag into work to do the shopping on the way home, when the shoppers could alternatively pick up the bag at the store and drop it back later. The invention would also be able to add the anchor attachment to allow unsupervised delivery at home and also be easy to fold away and store.

This system would also be very good for inter-store transfers, in particular, high value items such as mobile phones. Often individual phones go missing from a shipment, whereas under this system of the present invention, each phone would have its own secure bag and be packed in one secure tote to facilitate the transfer. Returns from home deliveries would also be easily accommodated using this system. In addition, the bags described herein would be excellent for returning cash from the supennarket tills to the bank, decreasing security risks and petty theft considerably.

The home Large metal floor or wall safes are expensive to install often have limited capacity and are also located in positions in the house that are not that convenient when putting items away on a daily basis such as every-day jewellery where it is very easy for a sneak thief to pick up and pocket items surreptitiously. Thus, the bag or other container would be used as an easy, flexible and convenient safe that could be easily secured and then hidden in wardrobes and the like. It would provide a cheaper easier alternative to the conventional heavy metal safe. It would also be much more flexible when additional items need to be added, the solution being just to buy another security bag or other container.

Electronically Secure Dry Bag For Sailing Dry bags are routinely used by sailors to store valuables like wallets and mobile telephones and to prevent the valuables gefting wet. Generally, a heavy metal safe in a boat is not a viable solution. A bag safe of the present invention and presented as a dry bag is an excellent solution.

Safe Tent Some 3 million people go to pop concerts and festivals in the U.K. where the most common form of accommodation is a tent. It is noticeable that at the U.K. 2008 Glastonbury Festival there were some 180 reported thefts at the festival alone. Camping in Continental Europe is also significant where in France there are some 1,400 registered campsites, a significant addressable market. Due to the flexibility of the ink-jet process that may be used, a circuit may be put around the whole inner of the tent to make the tent secure and alarmed, for example as described in relation to Figure 13 above. This may then stop items being stolen either with an alarm like a car alarm or via the active RFID to a central point or to a dongle taken by the owner like a car fob.

Secure Dispenser Drugs are often dispensed by a dispenser, for example to remind an old person with failing memory to only take a limited amount of pills at any one time. The enclosure of the present invention in a small size could be used to only open when the dispensing needs to happen. The enclosure may also provide complete checks on where the drugs are at any one time to make sure that people who should not be taking the drugs are not stealing them.

Inserts For Handbags/Handbags A problem about fashion is that it changes all the time and items tend not to be uniform or the same. However, the enclosure of the present invention may be designed as a small insert (may be anchored to the inside of the bag itself) so that high value items like credit cards, purses etc. could be kept secure and traceable notwithstanding the outside of the bag (the fashion part) can vary materially. An active RFID tag may be used, like a car fob, that would be capable of locking and unlocking the insert. Also, by measuring the distance of between the fob and the insert, it is then possible to alarm the fob to go off if someone steals the bag or the owner inadvertently leaves without the bag. For example, a default distance to say lOm room to room may be used, with an alarm going off if the owner left the house, restaurant or other.

Alternatively, appropriate electrical/electronic circuitry could be directly incorporated into the fabric of the bag.

Inserts For Rucksacks/Enabled Rucksacks The above disclosures for handbags may be employed, either as inserts or incorporated directly into the rucksack. It is noticeable how many people have rucksacks to take to work, or as students to take to school or college.

Changing And Locker Rooms Sometimes lockers are expensive to install or there are not enough of them. A soft, secure container with an anchor according to the present invention is a cheap and effective alternative. Moreover a club or gym could justify renting the bags and thereby make a commercial profit in the bags.

Containers, for example bags, of the present invention may also be a significant market for schools and colleges, and not just health clubs and gyms.

Items On The Beach Persons often go to the beach and take a wallet to pay for food and drinks and then have nowhere to leave their wallet and valuables. A secure bag (or other container) and anchor of the present invention allows a person to secure the item with a water-proof fob to take to the water as an alarm or for central monitoring, for example as mentioned above for campsites. An active RFID enabled corkscrew anchor and sensor as described above in relation to Figure 20 may be employed. In this case, a person could screw the corkscrew into the ground such that the sensor goes below the surface. The apparatus is then activated by the fob, so that the alarm goes off with anyone tampering with the apparatus or wallet.

Inserts For Plastics Crates, Totes And Other Containers Many of the containers of the invention for the above applications may comprise soft sided bags with the electronic circuitry incorporated into the fabric. An alternative application is inserts for hard sided totes, plastics crates and other containers With hard sides, and an anchor. The inserts may be printed similarly as described above for bags, but done as an origami form (see Figure 22 above) and then glued with epoxy resin or other into the inside of a conventional tote. A special closing piece with active RFID tag (Figure 23 above) may complete the security of the tote. The applicable market for tagged totes is huge, especially for industrial and production lines and processes.

Whilst the above description places emphasis on the areas which are believed to be new and addresses specific problems which have been identified, it is intended that the features disclosed herein may be used in any combination which is capable of providing a new and useful advance in the art.

Claims (14)

1. CLAIMS1. An enclosure having a wall formed of flexible sheet material which incorporates an electrically conductive layer, the enclosure further incorporating electronic means for monitoring the structural integrity of the electrically conductive layer and detecting any breach thereof.
2. 2. An enclosure according to claim 1 in which the flexible sheet material is a supple but tough and durable sheet material.
3. 3. An enclosure according to claim I or claim 2 in which the electronic means is a radio frequency identification device.
4. 4. An enclosure according to claim 3 in which the radio frequency identification device is an active or passive radio frequency identification device.
5. 5. An enclosure according to claim 3 or claim 4 in which the radio frequency identification device is capable of providing a unique identifying code to distinguish one enclosure from another.
6. 6. An enclosure according to any one of the preceding claims and having an opening which is provided with a secure closure.
7. 7. An enclosure according to claim 6 in which the secure closure incorporates electrically conductive elements forming electrical pathways which are monitored by the electronic means to detect if the integrity of the pathways is breached.
8. 8. An enclosure according to any one of the preceding claims and including an anchor device.
9. 9. An enclosure according to claim 8 in which the anchor device is a corkscrew anchor.
10. 10. An enclosure according to any one of the preceding claims in which the flexible sheet material comprises a base layer material and a flexible substrate on an inner surface of the base layer material.
11. 11. An enclosure according to claim 10 in which the flexible substrate is provided with a flexible electrical track.
12. 12. An enclosure according to claim 11 in which the flexible electrical track is a conductive ink flexible electrical track.
13. 13. An enclosure according to any one of the preceding claims and including an integrated electronic alarm. 4.
14. 14. An enclosure substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.