Abstract:
A remote deployment gun safe assembly. An exemplary assembly includes a top plate mounted to a package tray in a vehicle, a drawer assembly, a drawer slide mechanism, a deploying mechanism, and a locking mechanism. The assembly is configured to securely conceal a variety of different weapons. Upon activation of a remote switch, the gun safe assembly will unlatch and automatically deploy to expose the weapons for use. In other embodiments, the safe assembly may hold articles other than guns or weapons.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is related to, and claims the priority benefit of, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/565,243 filed Nov. 30, 2011, the contents of which are hereby incorporated in their entirety into the present disclosure. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Weapons stored in vehicles need to be securely concealed, but also need to be quickly accessible. Existing gun racks are bulky, take up valuable space, are gun specific, provide little protection from damage, and leave weapons in plain view. In the alternative, existing gun vaults only supply a locking drawer assembly. Accordingly, improved gun storage devices that do not have these limitations would be appreciated in the marketplace. 
     SUMMARY 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a remote deployment gun safe assembly of the present disclosure, the assembly comprises a top plate mounted to the package tray of a vehicle, a drawer assembly, a drawer slide mechanism, a deployment mechanism, and a locking mechanism. In another embodiment, the assembly comprises a top plate mounted in an enclosure, wherein one or more enclosures may mount in a vehicle, a drawer assembly, a drawer slide mechanism, a deployment mechanism, and a locking mechanism. The assembly is configured to securely conceal a variety of different weapons. Upon activation of a remote switch, the gun safe assembly will unlatch and automatically deploy to expose the weapons for use. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a remote deployment gun safe assembly of the present disclosure, a drawer assembly comprises a bottom wall, a hinged front end wall, a rear end wall, a left side wall, and a right side wall; wherein the bottom wall, end walls and the side walls are connected to define an open top for receiving and removing contents. In another embodiment, the front end wall does not contain a hinge. The components of the drawer assembly may be composed of steel, wood, or plastic; and may be connected together by rivets, screws or welding as appropriate. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a remote deployment gun safe assembly of the present disclosure, a drawer slide mechanism is attached to the drawer assembly and top plate. The drawer slide mechanism comprises a first left drawer slide rail, a second left drawer slide rail, a first right drawer slide rail, and a second right drawer slide rail. With each of the side rails affixed, the top plate and the drawer assembly are joined to allow movement of the drawer assembly to an open and closed position. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a remote deployment gun safe assembly of the present disclosure, a deployment mechanism is attached to the drawer assembly. The deployment mechanism comprises a linear actuator member, a damper, a drawer mounting bracket, and a top plate mounting bracket. The linear actuator member connects to the drawer assembly and the top plate via the mounting brackets. The linear actuator member may be comprised of a spring, spring gas or a motorized device. After automatic deployment, the drawer assembly is returned to the closed position by applying manual pressure to the front end wall until the door latches, later described herein, are engaged. In embodiments that use a motorized device, current is reversed to drive the drawer assembly in a backward direction until the door latches are engaged. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of a remote deployment gun safe assembly of the present disclosure, a locking mechanism is attached to the front end wall. In some embodiments, the locking mechanism comprises an electrically powered latch release and a manually operated lock set. The electrically powered latch release, connected through the vehicle electrical system, is comprised of a solenoid, a relay, and a switch in electrical communication with one another and mechanically coupled to the manually operated lock set. The switch selected for the locking mechanism may be wired or wireless. In one embodiment, when the wired switch is actuated, current is sent from a source of power through the relay(s) to the solenoid(s) to turn the manually operated lock set and thus disengage the latches from the left and right side walls. In another embodiment, when the wireless switch is remotely actuated, current is sent from a source of power through the relay(s) to the solenoid(s) to turn the manually operated lock set and thus disengage the latches from the left and right side walls. In another embodiment, or in the alternative if the electrical system fails, a manually operated lock set is used to release the drawer assembly. In an exemplary embodiment, the manually operated lock set is mechanically coupled to a left lock latch and a right lock latch using cables or rods. Turning the manually operated lock latch disengages the left and right lock latches to allow the drawer assembly to deploy to the open position. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The embodiments described herein and other features, advantages and disclosures contained herein, and the manner of attaining them, will become apparent and the present disclosure will be better understood by reference to the following description of various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  shows an exemplary remote deployment gun safe assembly according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  shows an exploded view of an exemplary remote deployment gun safe assembly according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3  shows a bottom perspective view of an exemplary remote deployment gun safe assembly according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 4  shows a top perspective view of an exemplary remote deployment gun safe assembly according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     An overview of the features, functions and/or configuration of the components depicted in the figures will now be presented. It should be appreciated that not all of the features of the components of the figure are necessarily described. Some of these non-discussed features, as well as discussed features are inherent from the figure. Other non-discussed features may be inherent in component geometry and/or configuration. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the present disclosure, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawing, and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of this disclosure is thereby intended. 
     An exemplary embodiment of a gun safe assembly  100  of the present disclosure is shown in  FIG. 1 . In some embodiments, the gun safe assembly  100  may be mounted directly to a vehicle. In other embodiments, the gun safe assembly  100  may be mounted in an enclosure, which may be mounted to a vehicle or other surface. 
     In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , the gun safe assembly  100  comprises a top plate  102  having a top plate left side wall  104  and a top plate right side wall  106 , a drawer assembly  110  having a bottom wall  112 , front end wall  114 , rear end wall  116 , drawer assembly left side wall  118  and drawer assembly right side wall  120 , wherein the bottom wall, end walls and the drawer assembly side walls are connected to define an open top for receiving and removing contents. A hinge  122  connects the front end wall  114  and the bottom wall  112  to allow the front end wall  114  to swing down during deployment (as described in greater detail hereinbelow). It will be appreciated that hinge  122  may be omitted and the front end wall may be connected in a fixed position. The components of the drawer assembly may be affixed via any convenient means, such as via rivets, screws or welding, to name just a few non-limiting examples. It will be appreciated in view of the present disclosure that the means used for affixing the components to one another is not critical in the presently disclosed embodiments. Furthermore, top plate  102  and drawer assembly  110  may be composed of any convenient material, such as steel, wood, or plastic, to name just a few non-limiting examples. It will be appreciated in view of the present disclosure that the materials used for the components is not critical in the presently disclosed embodiments. In some embodiments, top plate  102  of the gun safe assembly is affixed under a package tray in the trunk of a vehicle (not shown) using mounting brackets  124 . In other embodiments, top plate  102  of the gun safe assembly is affixed to the interior of an enclosure (not shown) using mounting brackets  124 , wherein the enclosure is affixed to the floor of a vehicle, such as the cargo compartment of a sport utility vehicle. Furthermore, a plurality of enclosures may be placed in a stacked configuration when more than one gun safe assembly  100  is desired. It will be appreciated in view of the present disclosure that the means used for affixing the enclosure to the floor of the vehicle is not critical in the presently disclosed embodiments. 
     In the exemplary embodiment, drawer assembly  110  is capable of movement between an open and closed position via a drawer slide mechanism. The drawer slide mechanism, as shown in  FIG. 2  comprises a first left drawer slide rail  132 , a second left drawer slide rail  134 , a first right drawer slide rail  136 , and a second right drawer slide rail  138 . The first left drawer slide rail  132  affixes for sliding engagement with an interior surface of the drawer assembly left side wall  118 ; the second left slide rail  134  affixes for sliding engagement with an exterior surface on the top plate left side wall  104 . The first right drawer slide rail  136  affixes for sliding engagement with an interior surface of the drawer assembly right side wall  120 ; the second right slide rail  138  affixes for sliding engagement with an exterior surface on the top plate right side  106 . With each of the side rails affixed, the top plate  102  and the drawer assembly  110  are joined to allow sliding movement of the drawer assembly  110  between an open and closed position. 
     In an exemplary embodiment, drawer assembly  110  is automatically deployed using a deployment mechanism. The deployment mechanism, as shown in  FIG. 3 , comprises a linear actuator member  302 , a drawer mounting bracket  304 , a top plate mounting bracket  306 , and a damper (not shown). The proximal end of linear actuator member  302  is affixed to drawer assembly  110  using drawer mounting bracket  304 . The distal end of linear actuator member  302  is affixed to one end of top plate mounting bracket  306 . The opposite end of top plate mounting bracket  306  is affixed to the bottom side of top plate  102 . A damper (not shown) is connected to the linear actuator member to control the speed at which drawer assembly  110  is deployed. Linear actuator member  302  may be comprised of any device that may be used to create linear motion, such as a spring, a gas spring or a motorized device such as a stepper motor and gear train or motor and lead screw, to name just a few non-limiting examples. It will be appreciated in view of the present disclosure that the means for causing linear displacement of the drawer assembly  110  is not critical to the presently disclosed embodiments. In the embodiments where linear actuator member  302  is a spring or a gas spring, drawer assembly  110  is returned to a closed position by applying manual pressure to front end wall  114  of drawer assembly  110  until the locking mechanism (described hereinbelow) is engaged. In the embodiments where linear actuator member  302  includes a motorized device, current is used to drive the motorized device to cause the drawer assembly  110  to move in a forward direction to an open position. To return drawer assembly  110  to a closed position, current supplied to the motorized device is reversed to drive the drawer assembly  110  in a backward direction. 
     In an exemplary embodiment, drawer assembly  110  comprises a locking mechanism. Locking mechanism  400 , as shown in  FIG. 4 , affixes to the interior of front end wall  114 . Locking mechanism  400  comprises at least one electrically powered latch release  404  mechanically coupled to a manually operated lock set  402  using attachment mechanism  410 . Each of the at least one electrically powered latch release  404  comprises a solenoid, a relay, and a switch in electrical communication with one another. Attachment mechanism  410  is comprised of rods or cables. In the illustrated embodiment, two electrically powered latch releases  404  are used. The size of the at least one electrically powered latch release is dependent upon the size and weight of the drawer assembly. 
     Manually operated lock set  402  is mechanically coupled to a left lock latch  406  and a right lock latch  408  by attachment mechanism  412 . Attachment mechanism  412  is comprised of cables or rods. Manually operated lock set  402  operates such that when a key is placed inside manually operated lock set  402  and turned, left lock latch  406  and right lock latch  408  are disengaged from left side wall  118  and right side wall  120  respectively such that drawer assembly  110  may be deployed to an open position. It will be appreciated that there may be only one lock latch located either on the left side, right side or in the center of front end wall  114 . 
     In one embodiment, when a wired switch (not shown) is actuated, current is sent from a source of power (not shown) through the relay(s) to the solenoid(s) to turn the manually operated lock set and thus disengage left lock latch  406  and right lock latch  408 . When the left lock latch and right lock latch are disengaged, linear actuator member  302  extends the drawer assembly to an open position. 
     In another embodiment, when a wireless switch (not shown) is remotely actuated, current is sent from a source of power (not shown) through the relay(s) to the solenoid(s) to turn the manually operated lock set and thus disengage left lock latch  406  and right lock latch  408 . When the left lock latch and right lock latch are disengaged, linear actuator member  302  extends the drawer assembly to an open position. 
     It will be appreciated from the above described embodiments that the gun safe assembly  100  may be mounted in an inconspicuous location, such as under the rear package shelf of a vehicle. In this location, the gun safe assembly  100  displaces very little of the usable cargo space in the vehicle and does not draw attention to itself. It will also be appreciated from the above described embodiments that an enclosure may be used to mount a gun safe assembly to a vehicle or other surface. Furthermore, when more than one gun safe assembly  100  is desired, multiple enclosures may be used, wherein at least one enclosure is mounted to the floor of a vehicle. 
     When a weapon or other item is to be removed from the gun safe assembly  100 , the lock set  402  may be disengaged and the drawer assembly  110  will open automatically. This is especially desirable in law enforcement applications, where an officer may need to retrieve a weapon quickly during an emergency. Use of a wireless remote entry device allows the officer to push one button to open the gun safe assembly  100  and extend the drawer assembly  110 , placing the contents within easy reach. It will be appreciated from the present disclosure that the assembly  100  may be used to securely store any item or items, such as jewelry by way of non-limiting example, and is not limited only for the storage of weapons. 
     While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only certain embodiments have been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.