BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

THIS invention relates to a modular security cabinet. More particularly, the invention relates to heavy, theft resistant modular security cabinet for the securement of electronic equipment for, amongst other applications, cellular phone base stations.

The theft of electronic equipment from cellular phone base stations, primarily the theft of batteries, has become particularly prevalent in third world countries suffering from high unemployment rates and a shortage of power capacity.

Many attempts have been made to house vulnerable electronic equipment. One such attempt includes surveillance and alarm systems that work well to alert concerned parties of a theft in progress, but do not provide response teams with sufficient time to catch the culprits in the act of theft.

Another attempt includes the fitting of the electronic equipment in steel and concrete reinforced security cabinets. Although these security cabinets are better at curbing theft, they are generally very time consuming and expensive to manufacture and due to their excessive weight, equally time consuming and expensive to transport and erect on-site, requiring heavy duty transportation, lifting and rigging equipment.

It is an object of the present invention to address the disadvantages of the known prior art devices and to provide a modular security cabinet that through its unique design is more affordable to manufacture, and easier and safer to transport and erect on-site. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention there is provided a modular security cabinet including: a pair of opposing sidewall panels, a rear wall panel, a top panel and a base panel being securable to one another to form an enclosure defining an opening thereinto; a pivotally supported door panel being moveable over the opening of the enclosure between respective open and closed conditions; a lock mechanism for locking the door panel in the closed condition, each of the panels: being made up of opposing inner and outer wall skins spaced from one another by peripheral end walls thereby to define a panel cavity therein; comprising rebars fixed within the panel cavity; and defining a port through which a settable material is pourable into the panel cavity.

Typically, the modular security cabinet includes a concrete-like material filling the panel cavity that together with the rebars provide a high security theft resistant barrier to entry into the enclosure, wherein the concrete-like material is a hardened form of the settable material pourable into the panel cavity.

Generally, the modular security cabinet further includes one or more rebar support members fitted within the panel cavity. Each of the rebar support members typically defines a plurality of support slots for locating therein the rebars orientated in a first orientation, and cut-outs for allowing flow of the settable material therethrough thereby to enable the efficient filling of the panel cavity. Typically, the rebars are made by of primary rebars being those orientated in the first orientation, and secondary rebars being those locatable in the panel cavity in a second orientation being transverse the first orientation of the primary rebars.

Preferably, the rebar support members are elongate and fitted in position within the panel cavity through the location of corresponding locating formations on the rebar support members and the panels.

More preferably, the primary and secondary rebars are secured to one another. Most preferably, the primary and the secondary rebars are orthogonally orientated relative to one another and secured to one another by spot welding.

Generally, the inner wall skin, the outer wall skin and the peripheral end walls of each of the panels are welded together to form such panel, wherein the port is defined in one of the peripheral end walls thereof.

Typically, one or more of the panels, on the inner wall skin thereof, comprise equipment supporting formations thereon for supporting equipment inside the modular security cabinet.

Preferably, the panels are securable to one another from inside the enclosure by one or more securing means thereby to prevent access to the securing means and to an interior of the closed, locked modular security cabinet from an exterior thereof. More preferably, the securing means is welding or a plurality of fasteners.

Generally, the panels are transportable separately from one another, and securable to one another to erect the modular security cabinet on-site. Typically, the erected modular security cabinet is securable to, from an inside of the enclosure, a cast-in-situ support plinth thereby making the erected modular security cabinet heavy and consequently further theft resistant.

The locking mechanism may be located on the door panel and actuatable between respective locked and unlocked conditions on-site, or remotely through the receipt of a wireless signal. The modular security cabinet may further include a communications module for at least receiving wireless signals and an actuator for actuating the locking mechanism between the locked and unlocked conditions.

Typically, the locking mechanism comprises at least one locking rod moveable between the locked and the unlocked conditions.

In the locked condition, the locking rod is extendible beyond the door panel and into engagement with the respective adjacent panel thereby to lock the door panel to such adjacent panel.

In the unlocked condition, the locking rod is retractable to within a peripheral boundary of the door panel thereby disengaging the door panel from the respective adjacent panel thereby to unlock the door panel from such adjacent panel.

Preferably, the at least one locking rod is three locking rods respectively being engageable with the top panel, the base panel and the sidewall panel opposing the sidewall panel on or adjacent which the door panel is pivotally supported.

More preferably, the locking rods are pivotally connected to a rotating locking wheel, wherein rotation of the rotating locking wheel in respective clockwise and counter clockwise directions, or vice versa, drive the locking rods into their respective locked and unlocked conditions.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a panel for a modular security cabinet including: opposing inner and outer wall skins spaced from one another by peripheral end walls thereby to define a panel cavity therein; and rebars fixed within the panel cavity; wherein the panel defines a port through which a settable material is pourable into the panel cavity. Generally, the panel includes a concrete-like material filling the panel cavity that together with the rebars provide a high security theft resistant barrier, wherein the concrete-like material is a hardened form of the settable material pourable into the panel cavity.

The panel may further include one or more rebar support members fitted within the panel cavity, each of the rebar support members defining a plurality of support slots for locating therein the rebars orientated in a first orientation, and cut-outs for allowing flow of the settable material therethrough thereby to enable the efficient filling of the panel cavity.

Typically, the rebars are made up of primary rebars orientated in the first orientation, and secondary rebars locatable in the panel cavity in a second orientation being transverse the first orientation of the primary rebars.

Preferably, the rebar support members are elongate and fitted in position within the panel cavity through the location of corresponding locating formations on the rebar support members and the panels.

More preferably, the primary and secondary rebars are secured to one another. Most preferably, the primary and the secondary rebars are orthogonally orientated relative to one another and secured to one another by spot welding.

Generally, the inner wall skin, the outer wall skin and the peripheral end walls of each of the panels are welded together to form such panel, and further wherein the port is defined in one of the peripheral end walls thereof.

Typically, on the inner wall skin thereof, the panel comprises equipment supporting formations thereon for supporting equipment inside a modular security cabinet erectable from a plurality of such panels.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a first perspective view of a modular security cabinet in an open condition and in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a second perspective view of the modular security cabinet of Figure 2 in a closed and locked condition;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of one of the opposing sidewall panels of the modular security cabinet of Figure 1 ;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the other of the opposing sidewall panels of the modular security cabinet of Figure 1 ;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the rear panel of the modular security cabinet of Figure 1 ;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the top panel of the modular security cabinet of Figure 1 ;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the base panel of the modular security cabinet of Figure 1 ;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the door panel of the modular security cabinet of Figure 1 ;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the hinge panel of the modular security cabinet of Figure 1 ;

Figure 10 is a perspective exploded view of the rear panel of the modular security cabinet of Figure 1 ; and

Figure 11 is a perspective view of the lock mechanism of the modular security cabinet of Figure 1 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A modular security cabinet according to a preferred embodiment of the invention is designated generally in the accompanying figures with reference numeral 10. The modular security cabinet 10 includes a pair of opposing sidewall panels 12, 14, a rear wall panel 16, a top panel 18 and a base panel 20 being securable to one another to form an enclosure 22 defining an opening 24 thereinto.

The modular security cabinet 10 further includes a pivotally supported door panel 26 being moveable over the opening 24 of the enclosure 22 between respective open and closed conditions as illustrated in Figure 1 and Figure 2, respectively. Although the door panel 26 could be pivotally supported to adjacent sidewall panel 14, it is preferable that the door panel 26 is pivotally supported on hinges 29 of a hinge panel 28, as illustrated in Figure 1 and Figure 9.

The modular security cabinet 10 also includes a lock mechanism 30, substantially housed within a lock mechanism housing 31 , for locking the door panel 26 in the closed condition as illustrated in Figure 2. The lock mechanism 30 will be more fully described later in this specification.

Figures 3 to 9 illustrate each of the individual panels 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 26, 28 that are modularly securable to one another to erect the modular security cabinet 10. Each of the panels are configured much in the same manner and as such Figure 10, illustrating the rear panel 16, will be used to describe in detail the configuration of the rear panel 16 as well as the other panels 12, 14, 18, 20, 26.

With reference to Figure 4 and Figure 10, the rear panel 16 is made up of opposing inner and outer wall skins 150, 152 spaced from one another by peripheral end walls 154, 156, 1548, 160 thereby to co-operatively define, when secured to each other by welding or other means, a panel cavity 162 therein.

The panel cavity 162 is sized to receive therein primary rebars 164 orientated in a first orientation, and secondary rebars 166 orientated in a second orientation being substantially orthogonal relative to the first orientation of the primary rebars 164. In the preferred illustrated embodiment of the invention, the rear panel 16 includes one or more elongate rebar support members 168 fitted within the panel cavity 164.

Each of the rebar support members 168 defines a plurality of support slots 170 and locating formations 172. The support slots 170 are sized and shaped to locate the primary rebars 164 therein such that the primary rebars 164 lie substantially parallel and spaced from each other in the first orientation.

The locating formations 172, in the form of locating projections, are locatable with corresponding locating formations 174, in the form of locating recesses, defined in the rear panel 16, more specifically the peripheral end wall 154 of the rear panel 16.

The peripheral end wall 154 of the rear panel 16 further defines a port 176 therein through which a settable material is pourable into the panel cavity 162. The rebar support members 168 define a plurality of cut-outs 178 for allowing flow of the settable material therethrough thereby to enable the efficient filling of the panel cavity 162.

With the rebar support members 168 located and fitted in the panel cavity 162, and with the primary rebars 164 located in the support slots 170, the secondary rebars 166 are positioned upon and secured by spot welding to the primary rebars 164 such that the secondary rebars 166 lie substantially parallel and spaced from each other in the second orientation. Although not necessary, the rebar support members 168 and primary rebars 164 may also be secured in position by spot welding.

The rear panel 16, on the inner wall skin 150 thereof, comprises equipment supporting formations 180 thereon for supporting equipment (not shown) inside the modular security cabinet 10.

With the individual panels 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 26, 28 formed as illustrated in Figures 3 to 9 the settable material (not shown) is poured through the port 176 thereby to substantially fill the panel cavity 162 therewith. The settable material is then left to cure and harden into a concrete-like material thereby to provide, together with the rebars 164, 166 and the rebar support members 168, a high security theft resistant barrier to entry into the enclosure, being largely impenetrable using hand tools.

With the panels 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 26, 28 filled with the hardened concrete-like material, the panels 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 26, 28 are transportable to site and securable to one another on-site to erect the modular security cabinet 10. Once erected and secured from inside to a cast-in-situ support plinth (not shown), the modular security cabinet 10 is securely anchored and extremely heavy making theft thereof extremely difficult and cumbersome.

The panels 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 26, 28 are by securable to one another from inside the enclosure by one or more securing means, typically in the form of welding or a plurality of fasteners.

In this manner, access to the securing means and to an interior of the closed, locked modular security cabinet 10 from an exterior thereof is restricted, if not entirely prevented, at least for enough time for response teams to be dispatched to a location where a tampering alert has been triggered.

To provide such functionality, it will be appreciated that the modular security cabinet 10 can be outfitted with surveillance equipment including cameras, alarms, sensors for detecting tampering and a wireless communications module for sending and/or receiving wireless signals.

It will be appreciated that the modularity of the invention makes the modular security cabinet 10 in a collapsed individual panel form easier, safer and cheaper to manufacture, transport and erect.

With reference to Figure 1 , the lock mechanism 30 is located on the inner wall skin 150 of the door panel 26 and actuatable between respective locked and unlocked conditions either on-site, or remotely through the receipt of a wireless signal via the communications module. The modular security cabinet 10 further includes an actuator for actuating the locking mechanism between the locked and unlocked conditions. With reference now also to Figure 11 , the lock mechanism 30 comprises three locking rods 32, 34, 36 being moveable between the locked and the unlocked conditions.

In the locked condition, the locking rods 32, 34, 36 are extendible beyond a peripheral boundary of the door panel 26 and into engagement with the respective adjacent top panel 18, sidewall panel 12 and base panel 20 thereby to lock the closed door panel 26 to such adjacent panels.

In the unlocked condition, the locking rods 32, 34, 36 are retractable to within the peripheral boundary of the door panel 26 thereby disengaging the door panel 26 from the respective adjacent panels, 18, 12, 20 thereby to unlock the door panel 26 from such adjacent panel such that the door panel 26 is free to move between the closed and open conditions.

The locking rods 32, 34, 36 are pivotally connected to a rotating locking wheel 38 such that rotation of the rotating locking wheel 38 in respective clockwise and counter clockwise directions, or vice versa, drive the locking rods into their respective locked and unlocked conditions.

Although the invention has been described above with reference to preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that many modifications or variations of the invention are possible without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

For example, and although the concrete-like material may be any such material, it is preferrable that the concrete-like material has the following specific material properties:

• highly abrasive, to be resistant to damage by hand tools;

• elasticity that make it shrink less during curing as opposed to the shrinkage associated with normal concrete curing;

• increased adhesion, to better adhere to the panel and the re-bars; and

• self-levelling and self-compacting.

In a preferred embodiment, a polymer fibre is mixed into the concrete-like material to provide increased strength properties and resistant to chipping and breakage. Furthermore, the polymer fibre provides greater resistance to plastic shrinkage cracking and service-related cracking, and also provides increased resistance to impact, vibration, and blast damage.