Abstract:
According to the present invention, a key box is provided to include: a body; a cover, pivotally connected with the body to render an open state and a closed state; and a panel set, embedded on the cover, comprising a keypad module and a lock module. Wherein, by manipulating either the keypad module or the lock module, the open state and the closed state can be switched.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a safety box apparatus, and more particularly, to an electronic key box. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Conventional safety boxes are mostly locked by mechanical means, and can only be opened by a key that is carried by a user. Further, for electronic safety boxes locked by electronic passwords, it is necessary that a user remembers a password set by oneself so that a safety box can be opened by pressing number keys. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    It is an objective of the present invention to provide an electronic key box, which offers dual functions of electronic password and mechanical locks to optimize utilization flexibilities. 
         [0004]    It is another objective of the present invention to provide an electronic key box, which covers a keyhole of a mechanical lock when the mechanical lock is not in use to offer both security and esthetic effects. 
         [0005]    To achieve the objectives above, the present invention provides a key box comprising: a body; a cover, pivotally connected with the body to render an open state and a closed state; and a panel set, embedded on the cover, comprising a keypad module and a lock module. Wherein, by manipulating either the keypad module or the lock module, the open state and the closed state can be switched. 
         [0006]    The key box of the present invention further comprises a switch module provided at an inner side of the cover. The switch module comprises: a plate; a sliding piece, slidably provided on the plate; a pair of rotating pieces, rotatably provided on the plate; and an solenoid switch, comprising a blocking section for blocking against the sliding piece under the closed state and being disengaged from the sliding piece under the open state. 
         [0007]    According to the key box of the present invention, the sliding piece comprises a push piece for coordinating with the keypad module for switching the key box between the open state and the closed state. 
         [0008]    According to the key box of the present invention, the panel set comprises an opening comprising at two sides thereof a pair of substantially parallel guiding tracks, and a button accommodated in the opening and is restrained to slide along a predetermined direction according to the guiding tracks. 
         [0009]    According to the key box of the present invention, the plate further comprises a positioning piece for positioning the blocking section. 
         [0010]    According to the key box of the present invention, wherein the positioning piece comprises non-magnetizing material. 
         [0011]    According to the key box of the present invention, another sliding piece is further comprised and is slidably provided on the sliding piece. 
         [0012]    According to the key box of the present invention, the another sliding piece comprises a push piece for coordinating with the lock module for switching the key box between the open state and the closed state. 
         [0013]    According to the key box of the present invention, a concealing cover is further comprised for movably covering the lock module. 
         [0014]    According to the key box of the present invention, a circuit board is further comprised near the keypad module and is electrically connected with the keypad module and the solenoid switch. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings: 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  is an elevational view of a key box according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a front view of the key box in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the key box in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is a front view of a panel set. 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is a rear view of a panel set. 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  is an elevational view of a switch module. 
           [0022]      FIG. 7  is a front view of a switch module. 
           [0023]      FIG. 8  is a partial enlarged view of a switch module. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0024]      FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3  respectively show an elevational view, a front view and a side view of an electronic key box according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the electronic key box according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a hollow body  1 , a cover  2 , a pivot  3 , a panel set  4  and a handle  5 . The cover  2  is pivotally connected to the body  1  via the pivot  3 , so that the cover  2  is allowed to become a closed state or an open state relative to the body  1 . Under a closed state, the cover  2  is closely engaged with the body  1  to prevent a risk of undesired peeping or undesired obtaining a content of the box, and so a shape of the cover  2  is necessarily formed to match a geometric shape of the body  1 . Further, the cover  2  and the body  1 , being rigid and endurable, are generally formed by a strong material such as metal or plastic steel. 
         [0025]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the handle  5  is fixed to the body  1 , and allows grasping of a user so that the user may move or carry the key box when the cover  2  is closed relative the body  1 . Further, the panel set  4 , embedded on the cover  2  at one side of the cover  2 , comprises a keypad and a lock for allowing a user to open or close the key box. The keypad and the lock shall be described below. 
         [0026]      FIGS. 4 and 5  respectively show a front view and a rear view of the panel set  4 . As shown, the panel set  4  comprises a keypad module  40 , a lock module  41  and a button  44 . The key module  40  comprises numeral keys of 0 to 9, and symbol keys of “*” and “#”, and is electrically connected to a circuit board  43 . Preferably, the circuit board  43  is provided closely to a rear side of the keypad module  40 , such that the circuit board  43  is facilitated to receive a corresponding electronic signal when a user presses the numeral keys or symbol keys of the keypad module  40 . The lock module  41  comprises a hook section  47  to be described shortly. The panel set  4  further comprises an opening  45 , and a pair of guiding tracks  46 A and  46 B (as shown in  FIG. 5 ) in the inner side of the opening  45  to accommodate the button  44  therein, such that the button  44  is slidable according to the restraints of the guiding tracks  46 A and  46 B along a predetermined direction. 
         [0027]      FIGS. 6 and 7  respectively show an elevational view and a front view of a switch module. The switch module is provided at a rear side of the cover  2 , and is a mechanical structure for coordinating with the keypad module  40  and the lock module  41  of the panel set  4 .  FIG. 8  shows a partial enlarged view depicting details of the switch module. Referring to  FIGS. 6 to 8 , all components of the switch module are provided on a plate  60 , and the switch module comprises a button sliding piece  62 , a lock sliding piece  64 , a pair of rotating pieces  66 A and  66 B, and a solenoid switch  68 . 
         [0028]    The rotating pieces  66 A and  66 B are spaced with a fixed distance in between, and are respectively rotatably provided on the plate  60  via rivets  661 A/ 662 A and  661 B/ 662 B. The rotating pieces  66 A and  66 B respectively comprise arched openings  663 A and  663 B. When the rotating pieces  66 A and  66 B respectively rotate around the rivets  661 A and  661 B as axes thereof, the rotating pieces  66 A and  66 B are enabled to rotate at closed positions or open positions since the rivets  662 A and  662 B respectively coordinate with the arched openings  663 A and  663 B. Referring to  FIG. 8 , the rotating pieces  66 A and  66 B are under a closed state. The rotating pieces  66 A and  66 B are tied closer by means of a spring  70 . When no external force is exerted on the key box, the rotating pieces  66 A and  66 B are rest on the closed positions by means of the spring  70  coordinating with the rivets  662 A and  662 B. 
         [0029]    The button sliding piece  62  may be slidably provided on the plate  60 , and the lock sliding piece  64  may be slidably provided on the button sliding piece  62 . In other words, the lock sliding piece  64  is superimposed on the button sliding piece  62 , and both are provided over the plate  60  via the rivet  644 . The lock sliding piece  64  and the button sliding piece  62  correspond to respective openings. As shown in  FIG. 8 , the rivet  644  coordinates with the opening  645  of the lock sliding piece  64  so that the lock sliding piece  64  is allowed to slide at the closed position or the open position. Similarly, the button sliding piece  62  also corresponds to an opening (not shown in the drawing) and coordinates with the rivet  644  so that the button sliding piece  62  is allowed to slide at the closed position or the open position. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the button sliding piece  62  actuates the lock sliding piece  64  to slide simultaneously. However, the button sliding piece  62  is not actuated to slide by the sliding of the lock sliding piece  64 . 
         [0030]    Referring to  FIG. 8 , the lock sliding piece  64  comprises strip sections  642 A and  642 B at two sides thereof. The strip sections  642 A and  642 B respectively butt against projecting portions  664 A of the rotating piece  66 A and the projecting portion  664 B of the rotating piece  66 B, and the strip section  662 B comprises a breach  643  at an end near the solenoid switch  68 . Further, the lock sliding piece  64  comprises a push piece  641  vertically extended from its one end near the rotating pieces  66 A and  66 B. When a user opens the box with a key, the hook section  47  of the lock module  41  thrusts force upon the push piece  641 , such that the lock sliding piece  64  respectively applies force on the projecting portion  664 A of the rotating plate  66 A and the projecting portion  664 B of the rotating plate  66 B. Accordingly, the rotating pieces  66 A and  66 B are rotated to deform and extend the spring  70  to open the box. When a user closes the box with a key, the hook section  47  of the lock module  41  is disengaged from the push piece  641 . Due to a restoring force of the spring  70 , the lock sliding piece  64  is pushed away from rotating pieces  66 A and  66 B by the projecting portion  664 A of the rotating plate  66 A and the projecting portion  664 B of the rotating plate  66 B and back to the closed position. 
         [0031]    The button sliding piece  62  comprises projecting portions  622 A and  662 B at two sides thereof for respectively butting against an end of the rotating pieces  66 A and  66 B. The button sliding piece  62  comprises a push piece  621  vertically extended from its one end near the rotating pieces  66 A and  66 B. When a user opens the box by pressing the button  44 , the button  44  thrusts force upon the push piece  621 , such that the button sliding piece  62  respectively applies force on one end of the rotating pieces  66 A and  66 B. Accordingly, the rotating pieces  66 A and  66 B are rotated to deform and extend the spring  70  to open the box. When the button  44  is not pressed by a user, due to a restoring force of the spring  70 , the button sliding piece  62  is pushed away from the rotating pieces  66 A and  66 B by the rotating pieces  66 A and  66 B and back to the closed position. According to the present invention, the button sliding piece  62  further comprises a long strip section  623  at one side near the solenoid switch  68 . A spring  72  is provided between the long strip section  623  and a projecting portion  601  of the plate  60  to coordinate with the spring  70 , so as to ensure that the button sliding piece  62  restores from the open position back to the closed position. 
         [0032]    The solenoid switch  68  comprises a blocking section  681  extended from one side of the solenoid switch  68  that is near the button sliding piece  62 . Further, the solenoid switch  68  is electrically connected to the circuit board  43  and is controlled by circuits on the circuit board  43 . When a password entered by a user is correct, the solenoid switch  43  withdraws the blocking section  681  inwards via controls of the circuits on the circuit board  43 . When the key box is under the closed state, the blocking section  681  of the solenoid switch  68  blocks against the long strip section  623  of the button sliding piece  62 . At this point, the button sliding piece  62  remains immobile even when the button  44  is pressed by a user. Only when a password entered by a user is correct, the solenoid switch  68  shall withdraw the blocking section  681  inwards. At this point, by pressing the button  44  to apply force on the push piece  621 , the button sliding piece  62  is enabled to slide via the projecting portions  622 A and  622 B to respectively apply force at one end of the rotating pieces  66 A and  66 B. Accordingly, the rotating pieces  66 A and  66 B are rotated to deform and extend the spring  70  to open the box. 
         [0033]    To coordinate with the blocking section  681 , the plate  60  comprises a positioning piece  682  for positioning. Further, to prevent a drawback that the blocking section  681  may fail to restore to its original position when electricity is cut off due to magnetization after the blocking section  681  of the solenoid switch  68  was electrically connected, the positioning piece  682  would be made of non-magnetizing material or covered with non-magnetizing material. Preferably, the positioning piece  682  may be made of plastic, or a plastic piece is enclosed around the positioning piece  682  to prevent the issue of position restoring failure of the blocking section  681 . 
         [0034]    With the lock module  41  of the key box of the present invention, a user may still open the key box with a key as an alternative solution in the event that a user forgets the password and cannot open the key box through the keypad module  40 . To achieve the alternative solution, the strip section  642 B of the lock sliding piece  64  comprises the breach  643 , which has a sufficient width to avoid any contact with the blocking section  681  of the solenoid switch  68 . Since the opening of the key box with the lock module  41  is rather an alternative solution which may not be utilized most of the time, a concealing cover  42  is provided to cover the lock module  41  for security and esthetic considerations when the lock module  41  is not in use. When a user needs to open the lock module  41 , the concealing cover  42  may be moved by sliding to reveal the keyhole of the lock module  41  to allow a user to insert the key. 
         [0035]    Therefore, the key box of the present invention provides dual functions of an electronic lock and a mechanical lock to optimize utilization flexibilities. Further, when the mechanical lock is not in use, the keyhole of the mechanical lock is covered to further offer security and esthetic effects. 
         [0036]    While the invention has been described in terms of what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention needs not to be limited to the above embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims which are to be accorded with the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures.