Patent Publication Number: US-11385023-B1

Title: Rapid access firearm safe

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/929,551, filed May 8, 2020, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,131,137, titled “RAPID ACCESS FIREARM SAFE”, which claims the benefits of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/845,219, filed May 8, 2019, the entirety of each of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to safes and reinforced storage cabinets and devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to a safe that provides secure storage of firearms while also allowing rapid access to the firearms secured therewithin. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Firearm safes and strongboxes are well known and used to store firearms and ammunition in a secure environment. It is common to also have the firearm safe be fire proof to protect the contents. These safes and strongboxes can have a variety of securing means to access the interior, and such securing means can be slowly accessible such as a combination dial, or quickly accessible, such as a keypad or biometric lock. When rapid access to stored firearms is desired, a fast access lock mechanism is used for the firearm safe or strongbox. 
     Unfortunately, acts of public violence have been increasing in modern times. Mass shootings at public fora have increased, and even occur at educational institutions. Educational institutions in the United States, such as secondary schools and universities, now have police officers and “resource officers” that work at the institution and who can carry and handle firearms. These officers are in place to handle potential violence, including a shooting attack. 
     In the instance of a shooting attack, it is desirable for an officer to have access to larger and more powerful firearms, such as shotguns and rifles. It is impractical for the resource officer to carry around large weapons at the educational institution so secure storage of those weapons in a gun safe or vault is normally done. However, if these weapons are needed by the officer, they are needed very quickly and any significant time that is needed to open the safe or vault could be catastrophic. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In summary, the present invention is a rapid access firearm safe that includes a rigid body, a locking mechanism, and a door that is hinged at the bottom and outwardly opens at the upper portion of the body. The interior of the door has means to hold firearms, which preferably can include at least one long gun such as a shotgun or rifle. The door can open automatically with the lock being deactivated, or can be pulled open once the lock is deactivated. The locking mechanism can be a biometric lock, or accept coded input from a person in order to be activated and/or at least be deactivated. 
     The safe is particularly advantageous to accommodate long guns and provide rapid access thereto by presenting the stock or pistol grip of the long gun immediately to a person opening the door of the safe. In one embodiment, the person accessing the safe can properly grasp the gun and trigger and use the firearm right after being pulled out of the safe. In other embodiments, the upper part of the long gun, such as the barrel grip/guard is the part of the gun immediately available for a person to grasp. 
     The invention achieves the above objectives, as well as other objectives and advantages that will become apparent from the description that follows, by providing a rapid access firearm safe. The safe includes a rigid body, a door, a lock, a firearm holder, an adjustable mount system, and a door-mount interface. The rigid body has an interior storage compartment and an exterior surface. The door is disposed within the body and defines a barrier portion. The barrier portion has an interior side facing the interior storage compartment and an exterior side. The lock is configured to selectively lock the door in a closed configuration relative to the body and to selectively unlock the door to enable the door to transition to an open configuration in which the door is free to move relative to the body. The firearm holder is configured to selectively hold a firearm in the interior storage compartment. The adjustable mount system is configured to selectively receive and secure the firearm holder at a variety of selectable positions on the adjustable mount system. A door-mount interface is coupled to the door and configured to selectively receive and secure the adjustable mount system to the interior side of the barrier portion at a variety of selectable positions on the door-mount interface. Accordingly, a variety of adjustable mounting positions for the firearm on the barrier portion is increased. 
     In some embodiments, the door defines a floor portion. In some embodiments, floor portion extends into the interior storage compartment from the barrier portion of the door and is configured to move with the barrier portion when the door swings open. 
     In some embodiments, the body has an upper portion and a lower portion. In some embodiments, the door is hingedly attached to the lower portion of the body such that the door swings open from the upper portion of the body. 
     In some embodiments, the firearm holder has hooks or loops, and the adjustable mount system has the other of hooks or loops. In some embodiments, hook-and-loop fasteners are configured to selectively couple the firearm holder to the adjustable mount system. 
     In some embodiments, the adjustable mount system has hooks or loops, and the door-mount interface has the other of hooks or loops. In some embodiments, hook-and-loop fasteners are configured to selectively couple the adjustable mount system to the door-mount interface. 
     In some embodiments, the firearm holder includes a holster or cup that is configured to removably hold a handgun. In some embodiments, the firearm holder includes a strap configured to extend across a stock end portion of the firearm with opposite end portions of the strap coupled to the adjustable mount system to removably hold the firearm. In some embodiments, the firearm is a shotgun or rifle, and no portion of the safe is configured to clamp or grip a barrel of the shotgun or rifle. 
     In some embodiments, the floor portion of the door is disposed below a barrel of the firearm and is configured to shield a distal opening in the barrel of the firearm from contents in the interior storage compartment as the door swings open. 
     In some embodiments, the adjustable mount system is larger than the firearm holder in at least one dimension, whereby a variety of adjustable mounting positions of the firearm holder on the adjustable mount system is increased, thereby increasing a variety of adjustable mounting positions for the firearm on the barrier portion. 
     In some embodiments, the door-mount interface is larger than the adjustable mount system in at least one dimension, whereby a variety of adjustable mounting positions of the adjustable mount system on the door-mount interface is increased, thereby increasing a variety of adjustable mounting positions for the firearm on the barrier portion. 
     In some embodiments, the door is spring biased toward the open configuration, whereby the door automatically opens responsive to unlocking the lock. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front see-through view of the rapid access gun safe, with the long guns illustrated as being held in position on the door of the safe. 
         FIG. 2A  is a side see-through view of the safe of  FIG. 1 , illustrating the top view of a shotgun being held on the door. 
         FIG. 2B  is a side-see through view of the safe in  FIG. 2A , with the door partially opened and a long gun shown in situ on the door. 
         FIG. 2C  is a side see-though view of the safe in  FIGS. 2A and 2B , with the door fully opened. 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-section of the door of the safe in one embodiment with the door recessed from the side wall of the body. 
         FIG. 4  is a front see-through view of a second embodiment of a rapid access gun safe, with the long guns illustrated as being held in position on the door of the safe. 
         FIG. 5  is a front see-through view of a third embodiment of a rapid access gun safe, with the long guns illustrated as being held in position on the door of the safe. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  is a front see-through view of the rapid access firearm safe  10 , with the long guns  12 , 14  illustrated in position on the door  16  of the safe  10 . Shown as long guns in outline here is a shotgun  12  and a rifle  14 . The rapid access firearm safe  10  has a rigid cubicle body  18  having an interior storage compartment  20  and an exterior surface  22 . The body  18  further has a top wall  24  at the upper portion  28  of the body  18 , a bottom wall  26  at the lower portion  30  of the body, and at least four side walls  32 , 34 , 36 , 38 , as illustrated between  FIGS. 1 and 2A . 
     The rigid body  18  can have any shape, not solely cubicle, but it is preferred that the shape assist in maintaining the structural integrity and rigidity of the safe  10 . The rigid material making the body  18  can be metals, such as iron, steel, or alloys, or alternately, rigid polymers or ceramics. It is preferable that the body  18  be at least 36 inches tall (1 meter) to accommodate longer guns on the interior side  40  of the door  16 . It should be noted that the door  16  can be flush or slightly recessed from the body  18 . The material should be sufficiently strong enough to resist attempts to drill or break into the safe  10 . The material can also be inflammable such that the safe  10  can withstand fire and significant temperature to be either fire-resistant or fireproof. Moreover, as is known in the art, the safe  10  can be bolted to or affixed to the ground and/or a wall such that the safe  10  cannot be dislodged or easily moved. 
     With reference again to  FIGS. 1 and 2A , there is a door  16  within a side wall  38  of the body  18 , the door  16  having an interior side  40  thereof facing the interior storage compartment  20  and an exterior side  42  (this can the front edge of the body  22  if the door  16  is recessed) thereof. The door  16  is hingedly attached (here, at hinge  44  which is inset in a recess in side wall  38  of the body  22 ) to the lower portion  30  of the side wall  38  of the body  18  such that the door  16  swings open from the upper portion  28  of the body  18 , as is shown through  FIGS. 2A to 2C , with the door  16  held firmly against the body  18  in  FIG. 2A  to being partially open in  FIG. 2B  to fully open and away from the upper portion  28  of the body  18  in  FIG. 2C . 
     A firearm retaining mechanism  48  is located on the interior side  40  of the door  16  and configured to releasably hold at least one firearm thereto, such as guns  12  and  14  in  FIG. 1 . Shown here as an example in  FIG. 1  is an adjustable clamp system  50  wherein the firearm retaining mechanism  48  is configured to hold at least one long gun releasably and mechanically thereto. The firearm retaining mechanism  48  can be configured to rigidly hold the firearm, such as with the adjustable clamp system  50 , or can loosely hold at least one long gun such that the long gun can be substantially vertically extracted therefrom, such as in an open holster affixed to the interior side  40  of the door  16 . The direction of vertical extraction of the gun from the open door  16  is shown as Arrow A in  FIG. 2C . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the retaining mechanism  48  includes door-mount interface  100  that is configured to couple an adjustable mount system, such as the adjustable clamp system  50  (see  FIG. 1 ) or the adjustable hook-and-loop system  130  or  166  (see  FIGS. 4 and 5 ), to the inside surface  40  of the door  16  without exposing fasteners to the outside surface  42  of the door  16 . As also shown in  FIG. 1 , the door-mount interface  100  is configured to facilitate selective adjustment of the vertical position at which the adjustable mount system is coupled to the inside surface of the door  16  (i.e., selective adjustment of the elevation of the adjustable mount system relative to the door  16 ). As further shown in  FIG. 1 , the adjustable mount system is configured to facilitate selective adjustment of the vertical and horizontal positions at which a firearm holder, such as a clamp, holster, or strap, is coupled to the adjustable mount system (i.e., selective adjustment of the elevation of the firearm holder relative to the adjustable mount system and selective adjustment of the horizontal position of the firearm holder relative to the adjustable mount system). The firearm holder is configured to hold handguns or long guns, such as the shotgun  12  or the rifle  14 . Accordingly, the safe  10  facilitates an increased variety of selective adjustable mounting positions for a wide variety of firearm types and quantities. 
     In the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the door-mount interface  100  includes a pair of bars  102 ,  104  welded to the inside surface  40  of the door  16 , and the bars  102 ,  104  each have a plurality of threaded holes, such as the threaded hole  106 , configured to receive fasteners, such as the fasteners  108 ,  110 , to facilitate fastening the adjustable mount system to the bars  102 ,  104  using a selected one or more of the holes, thereby enabling selecting the vertical position of the adjustable mount system relative to the door  16 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the adjustable mount system includes the adjustable clamp system  50 , which includes a set of rails  112  that are configured to couple to the bars  102 ,  104 . The set of rails  112  are configured to receive firearm holders, such as the clamps  114 ,  116 , at selective vertical and horizontal positions along the set of rails  112 . The firearm holders are configured to couple to the set of rails  112  and to hold handguns or long guns, such as the shotgun  12  or the rifle  14 . 
     In the embodiment of  FIG. 4 , the door-mount interface  100  includes a sheet  132  adhered to the inside surface  40  of the door  16 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 5 , the door-mount interface  100  includes a pair of bars  160 ,  162  welded to the inside surface  40  of the door  16 , and the bars  160 ,  162  each have a strip (not shown) adhered along the length of the side of the bars  160 ,  162  that is opposite the door  16 . The sheet  132  or each of the strips has a plurality of one of hooks or loops, such as found in hook-and-loop fasteners, to facilitate fastening the adjustable mount system to the sheet  132  or strips at a variety of selectable positions, thereby enabling selecting the vertical position of the adjustable mount system relative to the door  16 . In the embodiments of  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the adjustable mount system includes the hook-and-loop system  130  or the hook-and-loop system  166 , each of which includes a panel  134  that includes the other of hooks or loops on the side of the panel  134  that faces the inside surface  40  of the door  16  and thus is configured to couple to the sheet  132  or the strips. In the embodiment of  FIG. 4 , the sheet  132  is larger than the panel  134  in at least one dimension, such as the vertical dimension, and is thus configured to facilitate selectively positioning the panel  134  at a variety of heights. In the embodiment of  FIG. 5 , the strips are longer in at least one dimension than the corresponding dimension of the panel  134 , such as the vertical dimension, and are thus configured to facilitate selectively positioning the panel  134  at a variety of heights. The opposite side of the panel  134  (i.e., the side of the panel  134  that faces away from the door  16 ) includes one of hooks or loops (i.e., the opposite sides of the panel  134  may include the same or different ones of hooks or loops as each other), and the firearm holders, such as the straps  136 ,  138 , have the other of hooks or loops and are thus configured to couple to the panel  134  and to hold handguns or long guns, such as the shotgun  12  or the rifle  14 . The straps  136 ,  138  preferably have grips, such as the flaps  140 ,  142 ,  144 , that are devoid of hooks or loops of hook-and-loop fasteners to facilitate pulling the straps  136 ,  138  off the panel  134 . The panel preferably includes foam between the outer layers of hooks or loops and, in some embodiments, includes a rigid plate such that the foam is disposed between the plate and the outer layers of hooks or loops. 
     The safe is particularly advantageous to accommodate long guns such as long guns  12  and  14  and provide rapid access thereto by presenting the stock (stock  52  of shotgun  12 ) or pistol grip (grip  54  of assault rifle  14 ) of the long gun immediately to a person opening the door of the safe. In that embodiment, the person accessing the safe  10  can properly grasp the gun and/or trigger and use the firearm immediately after being pulled out of the safe  10 . In other embodiments, such as that shown in  FIGS. 2A to 2C , the upper part of the long gun, such as the barrel grip/guard  56  on shotgun  58 , is the part of the gun immediately available for a person to grasp. The guns within the safe can have ammunition stored on them, such as ammunition holder  60  on shotgun  58 , or the gun can be stored loaded or unloaded. 
     In the embodiment of  FIG. 2A , a locking mechanism  46  is integrated into the upper portion  28  of the body  18  and accessible from the exterior surface  22  of the body  18 . The locking mechanism  46  has at least an activation state wherein the locking mechanism  46  selectively holds the door  16  firmly against the body  18  thereby securely enclosing the interior storage compartment  20 , i.e. a lock holds the door  16  in place, and a deactivation state wherein the door  16  is releasable from the body  18 , i.e. the door  16  can either fall open, be automatically pushed open, or pulled open. In this embodiment, the locking mechanism  46  is configured to receive data for entering at least the deactivation state automatically, and can receive this data from an input pad  62 . 
     The input pad  62  is on the exterior surface  22  of the upper portion  28  of the body  18  and located separately from the locking mechanism  46  in this embodiment. It should be appreciated that the input pad can be placed anywhere on the body  18  of the safe  10 . Alternately, the input pad  62  can be physically integrated with the locking mechanism  46  and being in the same physical unit. The input pad  62  is configured to accept user input and is communicatively connected to the locking mechanism  46  in this embodiment to selectively communicate data thereto to cause the locking mechanism  46  to at least enter the deactivation state, i.e. allow the door  16  to be opened. The user input data can be in almost any form of physical interaction by a person with the input pad  62 , such as a numeric code, sequence of mechanical actions, a physical key, or an electronic proximity detection such as a specialized ring or bracelet worn by a person. The main attribute to consider for the input data needed to open the safe  10  is speed of the action needed to open the door  16  by an authorized individual. Consequently biometric data or numeric code input are preferable methods of collecting user input. 
     Thus, in one embodiment, the input pad  62  is a biometric data collector and the user input is biometric data, such as a fingerprint reader, iris scanner, or other biometric data gathering device. In such manner, only a person having the correct biometric data can open the door  16 . In an alternate embodiment, the input pad  62  is configured to receive a code input by a user, such as the input of a simple 4 or 6 digit number. 
     Given the need to immediately access the firearms, it is preferable that the door  16  automatically opens upon release from the locking mechanism  46 . Thus, as shown in  FIGS. 2A to 2C , the door  16  will fall open from the upper portion  28  of the body  18 .  FIG. 2A  is a side see-through view of the safe of  FIG. 1 , which shows an outline of a shot gun  58  as being physically held against the door  16 . The input pad  62 , here a biometric lock, can be seen on the top wall  22  of the safe.  FIG. 2B  is a side see-through view of the safe  10 , with the door  16  partially opened and the shotgun  58  shown in situ on the door.  FIG. 2C  is a side see-through view of the safe in  FIG. 2B , with the door  16  fully opened. 
     The safe  10  can automatically be open via a spring or other mechanical motivator on door  16  once the lock mechanism is deactivated, which will aid in the access time to the guns. Alternatively, the door  16  could be manually pulled open by the user upon release of the door  16  from the locking mechanism  46 , and the door can have a grip or handle, such as protuberance  64  ( FIGS. 2B-C ) on its exterior side  42  to allow a user to pull on the door  16  to open it. 
     As shown in the embodiment of  FIGS. 2A to 2C , there is a stop  64  on the bottom wall  26  that stops the door  16  at a predetermined point in its extension from the upper portion  28  from the body  18 . The door  16  can be seen as resting against the stop  64  in  FIG. 2C  with the door  16  fully open. 
     Also in the embodiment of  FIGS. 2A to 2C , the interior storage compartment  20  of the safe  10  can also contain storage space, such as one or more shelves  66 . In this embodiment, there are shelf holders  68  on the side walls  32  and  34  that allow shelves  66  to be selectively positioned within the interior storage compartment  20 . Thus, other valuable items can be placed within the safe  10 , or other firearms, such as pistols, or ammunition can likewise be placed on the shelves and accessible only when the door  16  is open. 
       FIG. 3  is a cross-section of the door  70  of the safe in one-embodiment with the door  70  recessed from the side wall  72  of the body  18 . Thus, the outer surface  74  of the door  70  is set back from the outer side wall  72  such that the locking mechanism handle  78  is held within the recess. The shotgun  58  is held to the interior side  76  of the door  70  in the same potential manner as described above, such as either with a clamp or holster. It can thus be seen that the door  70  can be embodied as recessed, flush, or resting outside from the side wall  72 . 
     While the invention has been described above in several embodiments, it is to be understood that this description is not intended to limit the spirit and scope of this invention as is particularly set forth in the claims below.