WO2013006894A1

WO2013006894A1 - Security case

Info

Publication number: WO2013006894A1
Application number: PCT/AU2012/000807
Authority: WO
Inventors: Brian Lee; Geoff GERMON
Original assignee: Chubb Security Services Limited
Priority date: 2011-07-11
Filing date: 2012-07-05
Publication date: 2013-01-17
Also published as: AU2012283739A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a security case for transporting valuables, which is particularly advantageous for transporting cash to and from automated teller machines (ATMs). The security case includes a body having at least one side wall forming an enclosure for storing the valuables and an opening for inserting the valuables into the enclosure, wherein the body includes a hardened shell formed of a cut-resistant material; a lockable cover for securely sealing the opening; and one or more of a location device, for tracking the location of the security case or a human irritant substance housed within the body, wherein upon unauthorised tampering of the shell of the body, the human irritant substance is released outside of the body or a hot melt substance housed in a container within the body, wherein upon unauthorised tampering of the shell of the body, the hot melt substance is released outside of the container.

Description

SECURITY CASE

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a security case for transporting valuables, which is particularly advantageous for transporting cash to and from automated teller machines (ATMs).

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

ATMs have grown in popularity in recent years. They are now the most used mechanism for obtaining cash from financial institutions in commercialised countries.

The rise in use of ATMs has resulted in the need to refill the ATMs with cash on a regular basis, sometimes up to several times a day. Refilling ATMs involves security firms transporting cash cassettes from offsite cash vaults to the ATMs. Generally, the cash cassettes are transported to and from the ATMs in armoured vehicles which park within a close vicinity to the ATM to be refilled, and then personnel physically carrying the cash cassettes from the vehicles to the ATMs. The empty cash cassettes are removed from the ATMs and replaced with the new cash cassettes.

It has been known for thieves to target the personnel in an attempt to steal the new cash cassettes as they are being transported to the ATMs. This creates a particularly hazardous situation for the personnel who may be held up and threatened with weapons to hand over new cash cassettes.

Various security mechanisms have been introduced to attempt to reduce the instances of attempted theft of cash cassettes and hold ups. For example, personnel may carry firearms in some jurisdictions which may be deployed during attempted robberies. Additional personnel have also been added to the transportation teams to protect their colleagues while replacing the cash cassettes and to watch for suspicious activity. Canisters of permanent ink have also been placed inside cash cassettes which burst upon unauthorised opening of the cash cassettes, resulting in the cash ultimately becoming unusable.

While these security mechanisms have generally been effective, it is desirable to implement new and improved security mechanisms for transporting cash and other valuables to further enhance the safety of personnel. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a broad form, there is provided a security case for transporting valuables which is formed of a hardened, cut-resistant material and includes one or more anti-tampering security devices.

In a first aspect, there is provided a security case for transporting valuables, including a body having at least one side wall forming an enclosure for storing the valuables and an opening for inserting the valuables into the enclosure, wherein the body includes a hardened shell formed of a cut-resistant material; a lockable cover for securely sealing the opening; and a location device for tracking the location of the security case.

In a second aspect, there is provided a security case for transporting valuables, including: a body having at least one side wall forming an enclosure for storing the valuables and an opening for inserting the valuables into the enclosure, wherein the body includes a hardened shell formed of a cut-resistant material; a lockable cover for securely sealing the opening; and a human irritant substance housed within the body, wherein upon unauthorised tampering of the shell of the body, the human irritant substance is released outside of the body.

In a third aspect, there is provided a security case for transporting valuables, including: a body having at least one side wall forming an enclosure for storing the valuables and an opening for inserting the valuables into the enclosure, wherein the body includes a hardened shell formed of a cut-resistant material; a lockable cover for securely sealing the opening; and a hot melt substance housed in a container within the body, wherein upon unauthorised tampering of the shell of the body, the hot melt substance is released outside of the container.

The cut-resistant material may include a ballistic fibre material, for example one of a^* polyaramid, ultra high molecular weight polyethylene or an aromatic polyamide. Preferably, the material is Kevlar. The strength of these materials make it very difficult for a readily available cutting tool to cut through the material.

To protect the location device from tampering and damage, a layer of ceramic material may be included adjacent to the location device between the shell and the location device. Ceramic material is very strong and will generally damage a cutting blade. Preferably the location device includes a Global Positioning System (GPS) unit.

The present invention provides a security case which allow valuables to the securely transported from one location to another. The case provides various security devices which make it difficult for thieves to successfully access the valuables from inside the case. This enhances the safety of personnel transporting such valuables by mitigating the desire of thieves to target the personnel during transporting of the valuables - if the thieves cannot access the valuables, they will be less likely to attempt such robberies. Furthermore, including the location device/GPS unit in the case makes it much easier and faster for police to track the location of a stolen case and the thieves. The combination of each of the features in the case is particularly designed to mitigate the possibility of a thief accessing the cash in a mobile environment, since handheld mobile tools will generally not cut open the case. If a thief transports the case to another location to use industrial tools, the location device will allow the police to follow the thieves to the remote location.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An illustrative embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures. Further features and advantages of the invention will also become apparent from the accompanying description.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a security case in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the body of the security case of Figure 1 showing some of the internal components;

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the body of Figure 2 taken along line B-B';

Figure 4 is a plan view of the cover of the security case of Figure 1 showing some of the internal components; and

Figure 5 is a sectional view of the cover of Figure 4 taken along line A-A'. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description is presented to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention, and is provided in the context of a particular application and its requirements. Various modifications to the disclosed embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein.

Figure 1 shows a portable security case 1 including a body 2 and a cover

3.

The body 2 is formed of a substantially open box-like structure including a front wall 21 , a rear wall 22, two side walls 23, 24 and a base 25. As shown in Figure 3, each of the walls 21 , 22, 23, 24 and the base 25 include an outer shell 26 and an inner liner 27, with a void between the shell 26 and the liner 27.

The outer shell 26 is made from a hardened, cut-resistant material, such as any hardened ballistic fibre, for example- polyarylamide, ultra high molecular weight polyethylene, or aromatic polyamide. Preferably, the material is Kevlar. Kevlar is made up of fibres that are woven together which causes a high tensile strength that makes it cut resistant with most household tools. Preferably more than one layer of the material is used to strengthen the shell 26, most preferably, about four layers.

The inner liner 27 forms an additional security layer for thieves trying to access the contents of the case 1 . If a shallow cut is made into- the outer shell 26, the inner layer 27 will remain intact, requiring a second cut to access the contents of the case. This delays access to the contents of the case. The inner liner 27 may be formed of any suitably hardened material, for example fibreglass, Kevlar or other suitable material. Preferably fibreglass is used to reduce the overall weight of the case. A multitude of layers of the material may be used, for example two layers of fibreglass in an epoxy matrix. The inner liner 27 is attached to the outer shell 26 at two points 27a and 27b at the open end of the body 2 as shown in Figure 3.

Between the outer shell 26 and the inner liner 27 is a void 28 to house a human irritant substance, for example Capsaican, to further mitigate access to the contents of the case 1 . The irritant is housed under pressure in a length of aluminium tubing positioned throughout the void 28. The aluminium tubing 28 is sealed using a valve seal at one end and a cap seal at the other end. In the case that the outer layer 26 is cut through, the aluminium tubing 28 will also be cut through, resulting in the irritant being dispensed from the tube 28 and sprayed on the person cutting the case 1 . The spray is preferably caused as a result of the tubing being pressurised to avoid the need for pumps or electrical or mechanical parts in the case 1 , however pumps or other electrical or mechanical parts could be used if desired. The irritant used should be at a sufficient concentration to cause significant irritation to a human. The preferred irritant, Capsaican, is preferably used at a concentration of about 9% which causes irritation to the skin, eyes and mouth of humans, swelling in lung tissue, irritation of the mucous membranes in the mouth, coughing, difficulty breathing, tears, nausea, nasal irritation, and temporary blindness. The release of the irritant accordingly causes severe irritation and distress to a thief, adding a further barrier to gain access the interior of the case 1 . Figure 2 shows an exemplary placement of the tubing 28 within the void, which can be seen the cover the majority of the front and side walls (and corresponding back and other side walls although not shown in the drawings) so that it will be very likely the tube 28 will be cut and hence the irritant dispensed if the outer layer 26 is cut at any location on the shell 26. While the embodiment shows the aluminium tubing 28 as one long tube, in other embodiments a plurality of smaller tubes could be used.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, a location device 29, such as a standard

GPS (global positioning system) unit is also housed within the body 2, preferably between the outer layer 26 and inner liner 27. The location device 29 allows the location of the case 1 to be tracked at any point in time, assisting police to locate a stolen case 1 and the offenders as rapidly as possible. Ideally, the precision of the location device 29 will enable the location of the case 1 to within 10 metres. The location device 29 is preferably polled at high frequency to provide optimum ability to track the device. Ideally, this would be about every 10-30 seconds but may increase in frequency during an incident to allow more accurate tracking. The device 29 is powered by one or more batteries designed to have sufficient life for the purpose intended. For example, the battery life may be between 12-24 hours, allowing the case 1 to be used daily and charged once at the end of the day. It is preferred that the batteries are charged via induction to avoid the need for external contacts. An induction charging loop may be placed within one of the layers of the outer shell 26. The case 1 can then be placed on a corresponding charger plate to transfer the electrical energy through the outer shell 26 of the case 1 and into the batteries. As an alternative, electrical contacts may be flush mounted to the external surface of the case 1 . A small rebate may be formed into the base of the body 2 during manufacture, and a plastic moulding of thermosetting urethane with three brass contact strips may be attached. The contact strips may extend inside the outer shell 26 to connect to the location device 29 housed within. To charge the batteries, the contact strips can make contact with electrically charged pins on a recharger plate. As a further alternative, the location device 29 could be a portable unit which is removed from within the case 1 for external charging.

Preferably, a plurality of hardened ceramic tiles 30 are housed between the outer layer 26 and the location device 29 to further protect the location device 29 from damage if the outer later 26 is cut. The ceramic tiles 30 may be formed of Zirconia which contains illumine oxide, or a similar material. The effect of the Zirconia is the hardness of the ceramic material causes cutting tools to be damaged and ineffective, as the blades are blunted on the ceramic material. This makes it very difficult for thieves to easily access and remove the location device 29. The ceramic tiles 30 may be placed only around the location device 29 in the body 2, or in some embodiments throughout the entire body 2 depending upon the weight of the material used and the desire of the user.

Within the void 29 there is also ideally positioned a plurality of hot melt tubes 31 . The hot melt tubes 31 contain a mixture of wax, polyethylene and ethyl vinyl acetate. When the tubes 31 are cut into with a blade, the material melts onto the blade, resulting in the blade becoming inoperable. The position of the tubes 31 are located randomly within the void 29, generally between the aluminium irritant tubes 28. Each hot melt tube 31 is formed of an outer aluminium tube with the hot melt loaded inside, together with a compression spring. When the hot melt tube 31 is cut open, the spring releases and pushes the hot melt outside of the tube 31 and onto the blade of the cutting device. The hot melt tubes 31 are preferably bonded to the interior surface of the outer shell 26 with a methylmethacrylate or hot melt adhesive. The cover 3 is formed of a shallow, substantially open, box-like structure which is designed to fit securely within the opening of the body 2. The cover 3 includes a front wall 41 , a rear wall 42, two side walls 43, 44 and a top 45. Each of the walls 41 , 42, 43, 44 and top 45 are essentially made from the same material as the body 2. That is, they are each made from an outer layer of hardened cut resistant material such as Kevlar, and an inner liner of fibreglass or similar. A human irritant substance stored in aluminium tubes is housed in the void between the inner and outer layers.

While in the embodiment shown the cover 3 fits within the opening of the body 2, the cover 3 could fit over the opening of the body 2 in alternative embodiments.

As shown in Figure 4, a hinge cavity 46 is provided in one of the sides of the cover 3 to house a hinge 47 (shown in Figure 1 ) for connecting the cover 3 to the body 2 via suitable attachment means such as welding, screws or the like.

A plurality of locking devices 48, six in the embodiment shown in the figures, are provided to securely seal the cover 3 to the body 2. Each of the locking devices 48 include a locking rod 49 connected to an aluminium push rack housed within the cover 3, and a U-shaped steel eyelet 50 connected near the upper edge of the side walls of the body 2. The locking pins 49 engage and disengage the eyelets 50 upon actuation of a lock cam 51 in the cover 3. Alternative locking means may be used in other embodiments.

It is preferred that ceramic tiles 52 of the same construction as those in the body 2 are positioned around the lock cam 51 in the cover 3 to mitigate the possibility of thieves cutting into the cover 3 to release the lock.

The top 45 of the cover 3 also contains a cavity 53 for housing a handle to assist with transportation of the case 1 . A second handle may be provided on one of the side walls of the body 2 for additional ease of transportation. Two strengthening cross-members 54 may also be provided in the cover 2 for additional security.

The dimensions of the case 1 preferably allow at least two ATM cash cassettes to fit securely within the case 1 , although other dimensions and shapes could be used. As can be seen in the figures, the side walls 23, 24 of the body 2 include a curved profile for a more ergonomic design for the user. The curved profile allows the case 1 to be more conveniently carried by a user's side. However, any other suitable shape, for example a rectangular cross-section, could equally be used.

If a case is to heavy for a user to carry, it could be fitted with a retractable handle and wheels for transportation, and/or could be designed to anchor to an external trolley.

The combination one or more, or all, of the casing materials, the irritant, and the location device provide a more secure case for carrying valuables than previously available. The case also provides a less desirable target for thieves as it is very difficult to access the contents of the case. The location device means that police can very rapidly find the location of a stolen case, resulting in very little opportunity for a thief to open the case and take the cash inside. Any attempt at cutting open the walls of the case with household tools will be very difficult due to the strength of the materials used and blunting of the cutting blades. The irritant provides an additional barrier for the thieves to overcome in the short timeframe before police arrive. Accordingly, a more secure case is provided which is less desirable to thieves, resulting in a safer environment for cash transport personnel.

While the present embodiment has been described in the context of a case for transporting cash cassettes to and from ATMs, a person skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention could be used for many different applications in many environments. For example, the case could equally be used to transport or store jewellery and other valuables such as safety deposit boxes or cash to a business/commercial client.

Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the appearance of the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.

Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more combinations. It will be appreciated that persons skilled in the art could implement the present invention in different ways to the one described above, and variations may be produced without departing from its spirit and scope.

Any discussion of documents, devices, acts or knowledge in this specification is included to explain the context of the invention. It should not be taken as an admission that any of the material forms part of the prior art base or the common general knowledge in the relevant art, in any country, on or before the filing date of the patent application to which the present specification pertains.

Claims

THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1 . A security case for transporting valuables, including:

a body having at least one side wall forming an enclosure for storing the valuables and an opening for inserting the valuables into the enclosure, wherein the body includes a^' hardened shell formed of a cut-resistant material;

a lockable cover for securely sealing the opening; and

a location device for tracking the location of the security case.

2. A security case according to claim 1 , further including a human irritant substance housed within the body, wherein upon unauthorised tampering of the shell of the body, the human irritant substance is released outside of the body.

3. A security case according to claim 1 or 2, further including a hot melt substance housed in a container within the body, wherein upon unauthorised tampering of the shell of the body, the hot melt substance is released outside of the container.

4. A security case for transporting valuables, including:

a body having at least one side wall forming an enclosure for storing the valuables and an opening for inserting the valuables into the enclosure, wherein the body includes a hardened shell formed of a cut-resistant material;

a lockable cover for securely sealing the opening; and

a human irritant substance housed within the body, wherein upon unauthorised tampering of the shell of the body, the human irritant substance is released outside of the body.

5. A security case according to claim 4, further including a location device for tracking the location of the security case.

6. A security case according to claim 4 or 5, further including a hot melt substance housed in a container within the body, wherein upon unauthorised tampering of the shell of the body, the hot melt substance is released outside of the container.

7. A security case for transporting valuables, Including:

a lockable cover for securely sealing the opening; and

a hot melt substance housed in a container within the body, wherein upon unauthorised tampering of the shell of the body, the hot melt substance is released outside of the container.

8. A security case according to claim 7, further including a location device for tracking the location of the security case.

9. A security case according to claim 7 or 8, further Including a human irritant substance housed within the body, wherein upon unauthorised tampering of the shell of the body, the human irritant substance is released outside of the body.

10. A security case according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cut-resistant material includes a ballistic fibre material.

1 1 . A security case according to claim 10, wherein the cut-resistant material includes one of a polyaramid, ultra high molecular weight polyethylene or an aromatic polyamide.

12. A security case according to claim 1 , 5 or 8, further including a layer of ceramic material adjacent to the location device between the shell and the location device.

13. A security case according to claim 1 , 5 or 8, wherein the location device includes a Global Positioning System (GPS) unit.

14. A security case according to claim 2, 4 or 9, wherein the human irritant substance includes Capsaicin.

15. A security case substantially as herein described with reference to any one the embodiments illustrated in the accompanying figures.