Abstract:
A safe ( 10 ) comprising a housing ( 20 ) defining a storage chamber ( 21 ), a door ( 40 ) moveable between closed and opened positions, a locking mechanism ( 50 ) convertible between locked and unlocked conditions, and biometric identifier ( 60 ) which senses biometric features to identify a person attempting to access the storage chamber ( 21 ). A microprocessor ( 70 ) causes conversion of the locking mechanism ( 50 ) from its locked condition to its unlocked condition upon identification by the biometric identifier ( 60 ) of authorized use. The safe ( 10 ) can be used, for example, to store a handgun.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority under 35 USC. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/511,178 filed on Jul. 25, 2011. The entire disclosure of this provisional application is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Law enforcement personnel are part of every culture in our world and many of them carry handguns in the performance of their duties. In many organizations, each individual law enforcement officer is issued a firearm for which he/she is accountable both on and off duty. When the officer returns home after work, protocol usually requires that the gun be locked in a safe to prevent theft by criminals and/or contact by children. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    A handgun safe is provided which is especially suited for use in a home setting and/or for law-enforcement gun storage during off-duty hours. The safe can be opened only upon confirmation of biometric parameters of an authorized person. 
     
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         [0004]      FIGS. 1-2  show the handgun safe in a closed condition and in an open condition, respectively. 
           [0005]      FIG. 3  shows the handgun safe with its door being invisible so as to reveal the locking mechanism. 
           [0006]      FIG. 4  shows electronic components of the handgun safe. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       [0007]    Referring now to the drawings, and initially to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a handgun safe  10  is shown which can be used to store a handgun  11  in a home setting. The safe  10  comprises a housing  20  defining a gun-storage chamber  21  sized to receive the handgun  11 . When the safe  10  is closed ( FIG. 1 ), the walls  22 - 26  of the housing  20  define a strong and secure envelope around the gun-storage chamber  21 . The housing walls  22 - 26  can be relatively thick and/or comprise steel bars disposed within concrete. In any event, the housing  20  is constructed so at to prevent access to the gun-storage chamber  21  by breaking through its walls  22 - 26 . 
         [0008]    The housing  20  is preferably self-standing, that it is the housing  20  is not part of another piece of furniture or building structure. In this manner, the handgun safe  10  can be placed on a dresser, table, shelf or other convenient surface on a home setting. Additionally or alternatively, the housing  20  is compactly sized so as to not monopolize space in a bedroom or other domestic locale. The housing  20  can be, for example, less than twenty inches long, less than twenty inches wide, and less than ten inches tall. 
         [0009]    The housing  20  can comprise a cabinet  30  and a door  40 . The door  40  is movable between a closed position ( FIG. 1 ) whereat access to the gun-storage chamber  21  is prevented and an opened position ( FIG. 2 ) whereat access to the gun-storage chamber  21  is allowed. Thus, to introduce the handgun  11  to the storage chamber  21  or remove it therefrom, the door  40  is moved to its opened position. The housing  21  can include a hinge  22 , or other means, for movably mounting the door  40  on the cabinet  30 . 
         [0010]    The illustrated cabinet  30  comprises a front wall  32 , a rear wall  33 , side walls  34 , a top wall  35 , and a bottom wall  36 . The illustrated door  40  comprises a front face  42 , a rear face  43 , side edges  44 , a top edge  45 , and a bottom edge  46 . The cabinet&#39;s walls  33 - 36  form the corresponding walls  23 - 26  of the housing  20 , and the door  40  forms the front wall  22  of the housing  20 . The hinge  27  extends between the cabinet&#39;s top wall  35  and the door&#39;s top edge  45  whereby the door  40  pivots upward and downward when moving between the closed and opened positions. 
         [0011]    The cabinet  30  includes a window  37  which communicates with the gun-storage chamber  21 . The door  40  includes an inset  47  which fits inside window  37  when the door  40  is in the closed position. 
         [0012]    As is best seen by referring additionally to  FIG. 3 , the handgun safe  10  comprises a locking mechanism  50  which is convertible between a locked condition and an unlocked condition. In the locked condition, the door  40  is locked in its closed position. In the unlocked condition, the door is unlocked for selective movement between its closed position and its opened position. 
         [0013]    The illustrated locking mechanism  50  comprises two locking devices  51  contained within the inset  47  in the door  40 . In the illustrated embodiment, each locking device  51  includes two deadbolts  52  which shift between an extended stance and retracted stance to convert the locking mechanism between its locked condition and its unlocked condition. In the extended stance, the deadbolts  52  protrude laterally outward from the door inset  47  and into aligned cylindrical receipts  53  in the front wall  32  of the cabinet  30 . 
         [0014]    The locking mechanism  50  and/or the locking devices  51  are electronically activated to move from the locked condition to the opened condition. The locking device  51  can comprise, for example, solenoid structures having plungers operably coupled to the deadbolts  52 . The deadbolts  52  can remain in the extended stance in the absence of electrical activation and shift to the retracted stance upon electrical activation. In this manner, the safe  10  will remain locked in the event of a power outage. 
         [0015]    The handgun safe  10  comprises a biometric identifier  60  which allows only a pre-enrolled person to convert the locking mechanism  50  from its locked condition to its unlocked condition. The identifier  60  includes a biometric sensor  61  which, in the illustrated embodiment, resides on the top wall  25  of the housing  20  (i.e., also the top wall  35  of the cabinet  30 ) and is adapted to sense a person&#39;s fingerprint. A liftable lid  62  can cover the sensor  61  and camouflage it when the identifier  60  is not in use. 
         [0016]    As is best seen by referring additionally to  FIG. 4 , the handgun safe  10  comprises a microprocessor  70  which coordinates with the biometric identifier  60  to operate the locking mechanism  50 . Specifically, for example, the microprocessor  70  receives input from the biometric sensor  61  and its interpreter  63  verifying that an enrolled person wishes to open the handgun safe  10 . The microprocessor  70  then electrically activates the locking devices  51  so as to shift the deadbolts  52  from their extended stance to their retracted stance. The door  40  is then pivoted upwardly to allow access to the gun-storage chamber  21 . 
         [0017]    Enrollment of a person as an authorized user of the handgun safe  10  can be accomplished by one or more designated enrollment managers. Such a manager can be appointed, for example, by the law enforcement organization issuing firearms to personnel. The microprocessor  70  can be pre-programmed with the relevant biometrics of the managers so as to allow them (and only them) the ability to enroll a person with the right to open the safe  10 . 
         [0018]    When a specific handgun safe  10  has been assigned to a particular person, the manager inputs his/her biometrics into the sensor  61 , and initiates the enrollment progress via typing a code into the keypad  71 , and introduces the enrollee&#39;s biometrics via the sensor  61 . Thereafter, only this enrollee will be able to actuate opening of the handgun safe  10 . 
         [0019]    The keypad  71  (or other programming equipment) can be integrally formed with the handgun safe  10 , such as in its housing  20 . However, as shown, the keyboard  71  can be part of a personal computer connected to the microprocessor  70  to perform the enrollment progress. 
         [0020]    The handgun safe  10  can include an activity monitor  80  which works in conjunction with the microprocessor  70  to monitor activity. Upon insertion of the handgun  11  into the storage chamber  21 , a reader  81  can recognize this particular gun per a unique tag thereon and convey this information to the microprocessor  70 . The reader  81  and the gun tag can be, for example, an RFID reader and an RFID tag. 
         [0021]    The microprocessor  70  can confirm (e.g., with proximity switches) that the door  40  has been moved to its closed position and the locking mechanism has been converted to its locked condition. A data package is created containing the identity of the person opening the safe  10 , the recognition of the gun  11 , the closing of the safe  10 , and time stamps for these events. This data package can be conveyed via wireless module  82  to a remote supervisory station. Some or all of this data can be displayed on a screen  83  situated, for example, on the door  40  (i.e., the front wall  22  of the housing  20 ). 
         [0022]    The handgun safe  10  can comprise a music system  90  including, for example, a docking station  91  for a personal music storage device, speakers  92 , and control dials  93 . In the illustrated embodiment, the docking station  91  is built into the top wall  35  of the cabinet  30  (i.e., top wall  25  of the housing  20 ), the speakers  92  are built into the side walls  34  of the cabinet  30  (i.e., the side walls  24  of the housing  20 ), and control dials  93  are built into the door  40  (i.e., the front wall  22  of the housing  20 ). The door  40  can further include speaker-compatible compartments  94  aligned with the speakers  92  when in its closed position. 
         [0023]    The incorporation of a music system  90  into the safe  10  not only doubles its utility, but also disguises the seriousness of its primary purpose. Depending upon other aesthetics, the safe  10  could be overlooked as a gun-guarding receptacle by unfamiliar eyes. 
         [0024]    The locking mechanism  50 , the biometric identifier  60 , the microprocessor  70 , the activity monitor  80 , and the music system  90  can be supplied with electrical power via power supply  100 . The power supply  100  can include, as illustrated, a plug  101  for a standard 120 vac outlet found in most homes. Battery backup  102  can also be provided to accommodate power outages. 
         [0025]    In a residential setting, for example, where a citizen wants to store his or her handgun, the safe  10  can be shipped with the door  40  ajar. Once power is applied (e.g., via a battery or wall outlet), an administrative button can be pushed to begin authorization enrollment. This button can be located, for example, inside the cabinet  30  and/or within the storage chamber  21 . A signal can then be sent that swiping of fingerprint features (e.g., thumbprint features) can begin on the biometric identifier  60 . A plurality of “good swipes” can be required for enrollment, with signals verifying swipe sufficiency. The signals can comprise, for example, lights (e.g., leds) which shine green for good, red for bad, yellow for issues, etc. 
         [0026]    Once the person&#39;s fingerprint features are accepted, he or she is authorized to open the safe  10 . If the authorized person swipes the biometric identifier a signal can be provided and the locking mechanism  50  converted to its open condition by the microprocessor. If a nonauthorized person swipes the biometric identifier, a “no access” signal can be provided and the locking mechanism can remain in its closed condition. 
         [0027]    If the safe  10  is registered with the manufacturer or other monitoring entity, an alert (e.g., email or text) will be sent to the customer if and when a new authorized person is added. 
         [0028]    The safe  10  can include additional and/or alternative alerts, to indicate tampering, no power, heartbeats etc. Courtesy reminders, regarding safe-opening times, can be provided, which may have special applicability when the safe  10  is used to store pharmaceutical products which should be administered during certain time frames. 
         [0029]    One may now appreciate that a handgun safe  10  is provided with is especially suited for use in a home setting and/or can effectively monitored at a remote supervisory site. Although the safe  10 , the housing  20 , the cabinet  30 , the door  40 , the locking mechanism  50 , the biometric identifier  60 , the microprocessor  70 , the activity monitor  80 , the music system  90 , and/or the power supply  100  have been shown and described with respect to a certain embodiment or embodiments, equivalent alterations and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon review of this specification and the annexed drawings. For example, the safe  10  can be used to store sensitive items other than guns, such as pharmaceutical products. 
       REFERENCE NUMBERS 
       [0000]    
       
         
           
               10 =gun safe 
               20 =housing 
               21 =gun-storage chamber 
               22 =housing front wall 
               23 =housing rear wall 
               24 =housing side walls 
               25 =housing top wall 
               26 =housing bottom wall 
               27 =cabinet-door hinge 
               30 =cabinet 
               32 =cabinet front wall 
               33 =cabinet rear wall 
               34 =cabinet side walls 
               35 =cabinet top wall 
               36 =cabinet bottom wall 
               37 =window 
               40 =door 
               42 =door front wall 
               43 =door rear wall 
               44 =door side edges 
               45 =door top edge 
               46 =door bottom edge 
               47 =window inset 
               50 =locking mechanism 
               51 =locking units 
               52 =deadbolts 
               53 =cylindrical receipts 
               60 =biometric identifier 
               61 =sensor 
               62 =lid 
               63 =interpreter 
               70 =microprocessor controller 
               71 =keypad 
               80 =monitoring system 
               81 =reader 
               82 =wireless module 
               90 =music system 
               91 =docking station 
               92 =speakers 
               93 =dials 
               94 =speaker compartments 
               100 =power supply 
               101 =120 vac 
               102 =battery backup