WO1995002742A1

WO1995002742A1 - Portable safety box

Info

Publication number: WO1995002742A1
Application number: PCT/SE1994/000686
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kjell Jägerskog
Original assignee: Jaegerskog Kjell
Priority date: 1993-07-12
Filing date: 1994-07-11
Publication date: 1995-01-26
Also published as: SE9302390D0; AU7240894A

Abstract

Portable security container for documents, valuables and the like. The container is equipped with a wall or walls containing at least one mat of signal-conducting filament material. The mats of signal-conducting material are inserted between mats of conventional reinforcing material such as, for example, glass-fibre reinforcement, and both the mats of signal-conducting material and the glass-fibre reinforcement are inlaid in plastic material such as, for example, polyester resin. At least one optical fibre is used as the signal-conducting filament material.

Description

PORTABLE SAFETY BOX

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a portable security container having a low weight and a wall or walls comprising at least one mat of signal-conducting filament material, with damage to the filament material resulting in a signal being emitted, which signal triggers an alarm and/or other security measures.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION AND STATE OF THE ART Containers of the type indicated in the introduction are disclosed, inter alia, by the US Patent 4 852 502. This US patent describes a case in which the mat of signal-conducting material can consist, for example, of electrically conducting metal wire. However, in a practical embodiment, the wire is often replaced by one or more printed circuits arranged on a flexible material. These printed circuits or mats of electrically conducting material can be inserted into a reinforcing laminate in, for example, glass fibre-reinforced plastic. Suitable plastic materials in this case are thermosetting resins, such as, for example, polyester resin or epoxy resin.

Containers of the type in question are used for transporting valuables, for example banknotes. Substantial sums can be accommodated in a case which is not much larger than an ordinary attache case. Such cases are equipped with electrical apparatus which, if the electrical wall material is damaged, for example by a wire being broken, triggers signals which activate inking cartridges and other elements so that the banknotes in the case are either destroyed or else marked so that they can no longer be used.

These cases, whose walls contain electrical signalling circuits, are relatively widely used for transporting banknotes. However, a disadvantage of the cases in question is that the plastic material in the wall can be ground down carefully until the electrical wires are reached without the security device being activated. Once the electrical wires have been exposed, the person interested in gaining access to the contents of the case can connect bridges at those places where he wishes to sever the wires. In this way, it is possible to open a hole through which the banknotes can then be taken out.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The object of the invention is to provide a container of the type specified in the preamble, which container makes it possible to eliminate the disadvantages which are associated with devices in accordance with known technique. This object has been achieved by using at least one optical fibre for the signal-conducting filament material.

By means of replacing the electrically conducting metallic material with an optical fibre, a mat of signal-conducting material can be built up, which mat, with expedient choice of remaining reinforcing material, for example glass fibre, can be difficult to distinguish from mats consisting entirely of reinforcing material. In addition to this, mats of optical fibres can be inserted into doubly curved surfaces, thereby rendering it easier to design the case.

The mat of signal-conducting optical fibre can consist of a single light-conducting filament which is laid in loops so that it forms a mat. An electricity/light energy transformer and a light/electricity energy transformer, respectively, are arranged at the ends of the filament. In this way, in the event of damage to the optical fibre, a signal can be supplied to a control unit which then triggers a security device. Such a security device is previously known from security cases which are equipped with a signal-conducting mat containing electrical circuits.

In this context, the optical fibre affords the advantage that it is virtually impossible to identify or locate when it is inserted, in the form of a mat or mats, into the matrix of plastic material which is intensely and homogeneously dyed. In addition to this, the optical fibre cannot be bridged.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be described in more detail on the basis of the attached drawings, which show embodiments of the device according to the invention.

Fig. 1 shows a perspective vieλv of an embodiment of a security case in accordance with the present invention, Fig. 2 shows a transverse section through the case according to Fig. 1 ,

Fig. 3 shows a diagram which depicts how the signal-conducting mat is coupled to the security devices, Fig. 4 shows a diagram which, like Fig. 3, depicts how a conducting mat is coupled to security devices, the signal-conducting mat in Fig. 4 containing two optical fibres,

Fig. 5 shows a simple design for a signal-conducting mat consisting of one optical fibre, Fig. 6 shows the same arrangement as Fig. 5 with a thicker optical fibre,

Fig. 7 shows a signal-conducting mat consisting of two optical fibres, the one fibre constituting the warp and the other fibre the weft, Fig. 8 shows a signal-conducting mat consisting of a single optical fibre, Fig. 9 shows a signal-conducting mat consisting of a single optical fibre, the weaving pattern being the same as the weaving pattern in Fig. 7, Fig. 10 shows a signal-conducting mat in which the warp consists of one optical fibre and the weft of another optical fibre, and in which the weaving pattern is the same as in Fig. 8, Fig. 1 1 shows a transverse section through a signal-conducting mat which is arranged in the form of a weave in accordance with Fig. 7 or 9, Fig. 12 shows a transverse section through a signal-conducting mat in the form of a weave in accordance with Fig. 8 or 10, Fig. 13 shows a signal-conducting mat which consists of two layers, each of the two layers constituting a mat in accordance with Fig. 11,

Fig. 14 shows a transverse section through a signal-conducting mat in the form of a weave having double warp filaments arranged one above the other, Fig. 15 shows a signal-conducting mat which is arranged in the form of a tricot-like weave having loops which interlink.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The security container shown in Fig. 1 comprises a box-like part 2 and a lid 1. The container in accordance with Fig. 1 is shown transsected in Fig. 2. The box part 2 is connected to the lid 1 by means of hinges 16 which permit the container to be opened and closed. In a manner known per se, the hinges 16 are, on the one hand, of sturdy construction and, on the other, equipped with electrical security devices which result in an alarm being triggered or in the contents of the container being destroyed in association with damage to the hinges. The container is also equipped with one or more locking devices 4, which are known per se, which are so arranged that an alarm is triggered and/or the contents of the container are destroyed in association with damage to the locking device.

Both the box 2 and the lid 1 are manufactured from a composite material, for example glass fibre-reinforced plastic, for example polyester resin or epoxy resin, which is intensely and homogeneously dyed. In a preferred embodiment, the glass fibre reinforcement consists of two layers of glass fibre material, and a mat 3 of fibre-optical material has been laid between these two layers. In its simplest form, this mat 3 of fibre- optical material consists of a single optical fibre 13 which is laid out in loops as shown in Fig. 5 and 6. The optical fibre can have a core of, for example, silica glass. Light which is generated by a light-emitting diode, for example, is conducted in the core.

The mat 3 of signal-conducting material shown in Fig. 5 consists of a single optical fibre which is connected to an electricity/light energy transformer 7 at its one end and is connected to a light/electricity energy transformer 9 at its other end. The energy transformer 7 can consist of a light-emitting diode which generates light, provided that the transformer 7 is fed with an electrical signal in the form of electrical energy which is obtained from an energy source which is known per se and is not therefore described here. The energy transformer 9 consists of a light-sensitive electrical element which emits a first signal, for example that a voltage U is greater than a certain value J\, when light is conducted to the transformer 9 via the fibre 13, and which emits a second signal, for example that a voltage U is less than a certain value \J\, when light is not conducted through to the transformer 9. The signal emitted by the energy transformer 7 can be continuous or pulsating.

Fig. 3 shows how the transformer 9 is connected to a control unit 10 via a connecting line 8. The signals from the transformer 9 are in this way transferred to the control unit 10 which, in turn, is connected to an alarm and/or destruction unit 11, which is activated when a signal is received that the light signal from the transformer 7 is not reaching the transformer 9.

For the sake of clarity, no connection has been arranged between the control unit 10 and the transformer 7 in Fig. 3. Such a connection is not required per se for the security container to work, but it can be expedient to arrange such a connection in order to ensure that the alarm and/or destruction device 11 is not triggered if the transformer 7 is not being supplied with electrical energy and thus does not emit any light signal. Connections of this type, which are primarily intended to check that the device is in a fully functional state before it is used, are known per se and have not, therefore, been included in the description. The attachments of the optical fibre to the transformer 7 and to the transformer 9 have been designated with the reference numbers 5 and 6 in Fig 3.

Fig. 4 shows how two mats 3 are connected to one control unit 10 which, in turn, is connected to an alarm and/or destruction unit 11. These two mats can be so arranged that one of the mats lies in the lid 1 while the other mat lies in the box 2. In this case, there is a transformer 9 for the lid 1 and a transformer 9' for the box 2. The transformers 9, 9' are linked to the control unit 10 which, in turn, is linked to an alarm and/or destruction device 11. Alarm and/or destruction is/are triggered if a light signal does not reach transformer 9 or transformer 9'. This, of course, presupposes that light signals are being emitted by the transformers 7, 7.

Fig. 2 shows how the control unit 10 is placed in the box 2 and also an example of how the energy transformers 7, 9 are placed in the lid 1 and the energy transformers 7', 9' in the box 2. The connection 8' between the transformer T and the control unit 10 does not have to be flexible since no movement occurs between the control unit 10 and the transformer T. By contrast, the connection 8 between the transformer 7, which is fixed to the lid 1, and the control unit 10 must be relatively long and flexible in order to allow the lid to be opened.

In Fig. 5 and 6, it has been shown how loops of optical fibres are arranged in order to form a mat of signal-conducting material. If a filament in such a mat is snapped or damaged, the light signal from the transformer 7 will not reach the transformer 9 and an alarm and/or destruction device is then triggered. As the figure shows, these loops can be laid relatively close together, ensuring that it is virtually impossible to penetrate through the wall without damaging the optical fibre, resulting, in this case, in the alarm and/or destruction device being triggered.

When manufacturing the lid 1 and the box 2, an optical fibre can be selected which is as similar as possible in appearance to the glass-fibre reinforcement, making it virtually impossible to distinguish between fibres which are and which are not signal-conducting. Any attempts to chart the course of the optical filament in association with carefully grinding down the dyed plastic material, for example, are thus utterly doomed to failure.

The mat of signal-conducting material 3, 3' can also be designed as shown in Fig. 9, namely in the form of a weave which comprises a single optical fibre 13. Fig. 7 shows that such a weave can also be arranged using two optical fibres 13, 13', with the fibre 13, for example, constituting the warp and the fibre 13' constituting the weft. As is evident from the figures, the woven mats of signal-conducting optical fibre in accordance with Fig. 7 and 9 can be made to be extremely similar in appearance to ordinary glass fibre- reinforced weave intended for plastic reinforcement. These mats of signal-conducting material can be layered with mats of glass fibre-reinforced plastic so that a very compact pattern of signal filament is obtained. At the same time, a box wall or a lid wall which contains alternating layers of signal-conducting mats and reinforcing mats of glass fibre will be very difficult to penetrate through, even if openings of the order of size of 1 mm in diameter were adequate, due to the difficulty in identifying a pattern of signal- conducting filaments. Fig. 11 shows a section perpendicular to the plane of the warp in a signal-conducting mat in accordance with Fig. 9 or Fig. 7. Fig. 13 shows the corresponding section if two mats in accordance with Fig. 7 or Fig. 9 are laid on top of each other. As is evident from Fig. 13, the warp filaments have been arranged to be displaced in relation to each other so that they have a zigzag pattern in Fig. 13. By means of laying the mats in several layers in this way, an extremely compact filament pattern can be obtained. Fig. 12 shows a section through the weave in accordance with Fig. 10 or Fig. 8.

Modifications of the embodiment described other than those cited above are also possible without, for that reason, deviating from the general principles of the invention and without the modified device falling outside the scope of the appending patent claims.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS

1. Portable security container (1, 2) having a wall or walls containing at least one mat (3) of signal-conducting filament material which is so arranged that, when the filament material is damaged, a signal is emitted which triggers an alarm and/or other security measures, characterized in that the signal-conducting material consists of at least one optical fibre.

2. Portable security container according to Claim 1, characterized in that the said mat of signal-conducting material comprises at least one optical fibre and is inserted between mats, or layered in at least one mat, of glass-fibre reinforcement or the like.

3. Portable security container according to Claim 2, characterized in that the filament or filaments (13) in the signal-conducting mat(s) (3,3') is/are selected such that it/they resemble(s) the reinforcing fibres.

4. Portable security container according to any of the preceding claims, charac¬ terized in that the mat or mats of signal-conducting material (3, 3') is/are arranged in the form of loops or in the form of a weave and in that the signal-conducting mat(s) (3, 3') is/are layered or inserted between one or more mats of glass-fibre reinforcement or similar material, these reinforcing mats being arranged in the form of loops or weave resembling that used for the signal-conducting mat(s) (3,3').

5. Portable security container according to any of the preceding claims, charac¬ terized in that the signal-conducting mat(s) (3, 3') is/are arranged in the form of a weave, with each of the mats comprising at least two optical fibres (13) and with at least one of the optical fibres (13) being arranged in the form of a warp.

6. Portable security container according to any of the preceding claims, charac¬ terized in that the signal-conducting mat(s) (3,3') is/are arranged in a weave having double warp filaments.

7. Portable security container according to any of the preceding claims, charac¬ terized in that the signal-conducting mat(s) (3, 3') comprise(s) an optical fibre which is arranged in the form of a tricot weave having loops which interlock.

8. Portable security container according to any of Claims 1-7, characterized in that it comprises a box (2) and a lid (1) which are both equipped with at least one signal- conducting mat (3) each, with each of the signal-conducting mats (3) comprising at least one optical fibre whose ends are connected to an electricity/light energy transformer (7) and a light/electricity energy transformer (9), respectively.

9. Portable security container according to Claim 8, characterized in that the light/electricity energy transformers (9, 9') are connected to a device (11) for alarm and/or destruction of the contents of the container if a light signal emitted by the electricity/light transformers (7, 7') does not reach the respective light/electricity transformers (9, 9').

10. Portable security container according to Claim 9, characterized in that the electricity/light transformers (7, 7') consist of light-emitting diodes.

11. Portable security container according to Claim 10, characterized in that the light/electricity energy transformers (9, 9") consist of photocells.