Technical field

The present disclosure relates to a safe storage device, such as a safe, a strongbox, a safe-deposit box or a safe drawer. The disclosure particularly relates to a safe storage device having improved safety against attacks using a wedge, such as a crowbar or a chisel, to pry open the safe storage device by inserting the wedge into a gap between a closure member and a safe housing.

Background

Safe storage devices are known, e.g., in the form of a safe, a strongbox, a safe-deposit box or a safe drawer. Such safe storage devices typically comprise a safe housing having an opening and a closure member, such as a door, a hatch or a drawer front, which is arranged to selectively cover the opening. A locking mechanism is provided to selectively prevent the closure member from being opened relative to the safe housing.

In many safe designs, the locking mechanism comprises a plurality of bolts, which engage between an edge of the closure member and a safe housing wall surrounding the opening.

In other safe designs, the locking mechanism may secure a subset of closure member edges to the safe housing, or the locking mechanism may secure an innermost portion of a drawer to an innermost portion of the safe housing.

For some safe designs, one potentially viable attack may be to insert a wedge, such as a crowbar, a chisel, a tire iron, or the like, in a gap between the closure member edge and the opening edge. The wedge may then be forced inwardly and/or levered with a view to bending open the closure member.

Hence, there is a need for a safe storage device which has better resistance to attacks using a wedge.

Summary

It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a safe storage device having improved resistance to attacks using a wedge, such as a crowbar, a chisel, a tire iron, or the like, in a gap between the closure member edge and the opening edge.

The invention is defined by the appended independent claims, with embodiments being set forth in the appended dependent claims, in the following description and in the attached drawings.

According to a first aspect, there is provided a drawer safe, comprising a safe housing having safe housing walls and an opening, a closure member, adapted for selectively closing said opening, a safe drawer which is slidably receivable in the safe housing and which is connected to the closure member, and a locking mechanism, for selectively locking said closure member in a closed position relative to the safe housing. An edge portion of at least one of the closure member and a portion of the safe housing wall that delimits the opening has a deformable portion. The deformable portion has a first positive engagement member. The other one of the closure member and the portion of the safe housing wall that delimits the opening has a second positive engagement member, and the deformable portion is configured to be deformed when a wedge is inserted in a gap formed between the closure member and the portion of the safe housing wall that delimits the opening, such that the first positive engagement member engages the second positive engagement member.

A drawer safe having such engagement members has improved safety against attempts to forcibly open the drawer safe by means of a wedge tool, such as a crowbar or a chisel.

One of the positive engagement members may comprise a plurality of spaced apart protrusions which extend towards the other one of the positive engagement members, and wherein the other one of the positive engagement members comprises a plurality of spaced apart recesses, at least some of which being aligned with a respective one of the protrusions.

The use of protrusions and recesses has proved to provide enhanced strength when the engagement members come into engagement during an attack, while also allowing a more compact solution, interfering less with the opening area of the safe housing. In particular, protrusions engaging recesses, or even through holes have proven to provide enhanced resistance to attacks as compared to bent strips engaging each other. The deformable portion may be divided into at least two portions which are separated such that they are deformable at least partially independently of each other. In particular, the portions may be separated along the opening edge, such that the independently deformable portions are provided side by side.

The deformable portion may extend substantially perpendicular to the front portion. The portions may be separated by a slit extending perpendicular to the front portion.

Each deformable portion may present one or more, such as two or three, of said protrusions.

The protrusions may be provided on a closure member flange which is spaced from, and extends essentially parallel with a front portion of the closure member.

The protrusions may extend from the closure member flange in a direction substantially parallel with the front portion.

The closure member flange, and preferably also the protrusions, may be formed in one piece with the front portion.

The deformable portion may connect the closure member flange to the front portion.

The recesses may be formed in a safe housing flange, which is spaced from, and extends substantially parallel with one of said safe housing walls, such that the closure member flange is receivable between the safe housing wall and the safe housing flange.

The safe housing flange may be fixedly connected to the safe housing wall by a spacer portion.

The recesses may be formed as through holes, extending through the safe housing flange.

At least one safe housing flange may be formed in one piece with a safe housing wall.

At least one pair of opposing edges of the closure member may comprise a respective first positive engagement member extending along the edge of the closure member, and at least one corresponding pair of opposing edges of the portion of the safe housing wall that delimits the opening may comprise a respective second positive engagement member extending along the edge of the opening. Hence, a square or rectangular opening will have one positive engagement member extending along at least one pair of opposing edges, as will the closure member. Hence, at least two sides, preferably all four sides, of the closure member will be protected.

The opening may form a recess, into which the closure member is receivable, preferably such that the front portion is substantially flush with a surrounding safe housing wall surface.

When the closure member is received in a recess, then the only way of attacking it will be through the gap formed around the closure member and between the closure member and the safe housing wall.

The locking mechanism may operate between a drawer inner potion, such as a drawer rear wall or rear bottom portion, and a safe housing inner portion, such as a safe housing rear wall, a safe housing top wall or a safe housing bottom wall.

The provision of a deformable portion at the closure member together with a locking mechanism operating at a drawer inner portion enables the use of a locking mechanism having lower strength, as the gist of an attempt to break in will be absorbed by the deformable portion.

According to a second aspect, there is provided a safe storage device, comprising a safe housing having safe housing walls and an opening, a closure member, adapted for selectively closing said opening, and a locking mechanism, for selectively locking said closure member in a closed position relative to the safe housing. An edge portion of at least one of the closure member and a portion of the safe housing wall that delimits the opening has a deformable portion. The deformable portion has a first positive engagement member. The other one of the closure member and the portion of the safe housing wall that delimits the opening has a second positive engagement member. The deformable portion is configured to be deformed when a wedge is inserted in a gap formed between the closure member and the portion of the safe housing wall that delimits the opening, such that the first positive engagement member engages the second positive engagement member. One of the positive engagement members comprises a plurality of spaced apart protrusions which extend towards the other one of the positive engagement members, and wherein the other one of the positive engagement members comprises a plurality of spaced apart recesses, at least some of which being aligned with a respective one of the protrusions.

It is understood that the arrangement of the protrusions and recesses can be used not only on drawer safes but also on other types of safes.

The protrusions may be provided on a closure member flange which is spaced from, and extends essentially parallel with a front portion of the closure member.

The protrusions may extend from the closure member flange in a direction substantially parallel with the front portion.

The closure member flange, and preferably also the protrusions, may be formed in one piece with the front portion.

The deformable portion may connect the closure member flange to the front portion.

The deformable portion may be divided into at least two portions which are separated such that they are deformable at least partially independently of each other.

The deformable portion may extend substantially perpendicular to the front portion. The portions may be separated by a slit extending perpendicular to the front portion.

Each deformable portion may present 1, 2 or 3 of said protrusions.

The recesses may be formed in a safe housing flange, which is spaced from, and extends substantially parallel with one of said safe housing walls, such that the closure member flange is receivable between the safe housing wall and the safe housing flange.

The safe housing flange may be fixedly connected to the safe housing wall by a spacer portion.

The recesses may be formed as through holes, extending through the safe housing flange.

At least one safe housing flange may be formed in one piece with a safe housing wall.

At least one pair of opposing edges of the closure member may comprise a respective first positive engagement member extending along the edge of the closure member, and at least one corresponding pair of opposing edges of the portion of the safe housing wall that delimits the opening may comprise a respective second positive engagement member extending along the edge of the opening.

Hence, a square or rectangular opening will have one positive engagement member extending along at least one pair of opposing edges, as will the closure member. Hence, at least two sides, preferably all four sides, of the closure member will be protected.

The opening may form a recess, into which the closure member is receivable, preferably such that the front portion is substantially flush with a surrounding safe housing wall surface.

Fig. 1 schematically illustrates a safe storage device in the form of a safe.

Fig. 2 schematically illustrates a safe storage device in the form of a safe drawer, which is arranged in a cabinet.

Fig. 3 schematically illustrates an edge portion of a safe storage device opening.

Figs 4a-4b schematically illustrate the operation of the safe storage device illustrated in fig. 3.

Figs 5a-5c schematically illustrate a illustrate a design of a part of a safe housing and a closure member for a drawer safe.

Detailed description

Fig. 1 schematically illustrates a safe storage device in the form of a safe 10, comprising a safe housing 11 and a closure member 12 in the form of a door.

The safe housing 11 may comprise a bottom wall, a top wall, a back wall, a pair of side walls and optionally a front wall having an opening 101.

The closure member 12 may be pivotably connected to the safe housing by one or more hinges 15, and may further comprise a locking device 13 and an opening device 14.

The locking device 13 may be a mechanical or electronic locking device, which may be maneuvered by a dial, a keypad, biometric reader, a tag reader or via a wireless communication device that may connect to a user device in the form of a smartphone or the like that may contain authentication information. The opening device 14 may be a dial, a lever or the like that mechanically controls a boltwork.

Alternatively, the opening device 14 may comprise an actuator that may electronically, hydraulically or pneumatically control a boltwork.

The safe 10 may be a free-standing safe, it may be anchored to a fixed structure, such as a cabinet, a wall or a floor, or it may be built into a wall or a floor in a building.

Fig. 2 schematically illustrates a drawer safe 20, which is installed in a cabinet 24. The cabinet may form part of a kitchen cabinetry, a chest of drawers, a desk, a bedside table, or the like.

The drawer safe 20 comprises a safe housing 21 and a closure member 22 in the form of a drawer 211 having a drawer front 22.

The safe housing 21 may comprise a bottom wall, a top wall, a back wall, a pair of side walls and optionally a front wall having an opening 101.

The drawer 211 may comprise a bottom wall, rear wall and a pair of side walls.

The drawer 211 may be freely slidably arranged in the safe housing. Alternatively, the drawer 211 may be slidably connected to the safe housing 21 by means of a sliding mechanism 25, such as slide bearings.

The closure member 22 may form a drawer front. In some embodiments, an inner front wall may be provided, to which the drawer front may be fixed. Optionally, a decorative drawer front may be fitted to an outside of the drawer front 22 so as to conceal the drawer front 22 and make it blend in with e.g. closure members of adjacent drawers and/or cupboards.

The locking device 23 may be a mechanical or electronic locking device, which may be maneuvered by a dial, a keypad, biometric reader, a tag reader or via a wireless communication device that may connect to a user device in the form of a smartphone or the like that may contain authentication information.

The locking device 23 may operate between, on the one hand, the opening portion of the safe housing, and on the other hand a drawer front portion, such as the drawer front, drawer bottom or drawer side wall near the drawer front 22.

Alternatively, the locking device 23 may operate between a drawer inner portion, such as a drawer rear wall or rear bottom portion, and a safe housing inner portion, such as a safe housing rear wall, a safe housing top wall or a safe housing bottom wall.

In further embodiments, the safe storage device may be provided in the form of a safe or a drawer safe with a closure member provided in the top wall, such as in the form of a sliding or pivotable hatch.

In either embodiment, the safe storage device, and in particular the safe housing and the closure member, may be formed of a metallic material, such as steel and in particular sheet steel. Steel quality and thickness, as well as the design of the safe storage device may be selected so as to achieve a desired security classification.

Fig. 3 schematically illustrates an edge portion of a safe housing 11, 21 with a safe housing wall 111 and an edge portion of a closure member 12, 22.

The safe housing wall 111 is provided with a strip 112 that extends along the portion of the safe housing wall 111 that delimits the opening 101.

The strip 112 may be formed in one piece with the wall 111, or it may be fixedly attached to the wall by e.g. rivets, bolts, welding, brazing or the like. To this end, the strip 112 may comprise a mounting portion 1121 that may be provided with holes for rivets or bolts.

The strip 112 may further comprise a spacer portion 1122 and a housing flange portion 1123, wherein the spacer portion 1122 positions the housing flange portion 1123 spaced from the wall 111.

The housing flange portion 1123 may comprise a plurality of recesses 1124, such as bottom holes or through holes or protrusions adapted to provide a positive interlocking. The plurality of recesses 1124 or protrusions may be spaced along the strip 112.

The housing flange portion 1123 may be substantially flat and extend substantially parallel with, and spaced from, the wall 111, such that an elongate recess, which is open towards the opening, is formed between the wall 111 and the housing flange portion 1123.

The closure member 12, 22 comprises a front portion 121, which may have a generally flat outwardly facing front face. One or more edge portions of the closure member 12, 22 are provided with an edge spacer portion 122 and a closure member flange 123, wherein the edge spacer portion 122 positions the closure member flange 123 spaced from the front portion 121. The closure member flange 123 comprises a plurality of protrusions 124, which are aligned with the recesses 1124 or protrusions provided on the strip 112.

The closure member flange 123 may extend substantially parallel with the front portion 121. The protrusions may protrude from the closure member flange 123 in a direction that is substantially parallel with the front portion 121.

A gap 102 is formed between the wall 111 and the closure member 12, 22. The gap 102 should be as narrow as possible, but large enough to allow the closure member 12, 22 to move relative to the wall 111 such that the closure member can be manipulated between its opened and closed states.

A gap surface 116 may be formed on the wall, such that it faces a gap surface 125 formed on the closure member 12, 22 and in particular on the edge spacer portion 122.

The housing flange portion 1123 and the closure member flange 123 are positioned such that, when the closure member 12, 22 is in the closed position, i.e. the door, hatch or drawer front is in its closed state relative to the opening 101, the protrusions 124 are aligned with the recesses 1124 or protrusions provided on the strip 112.

As illustrated in fig. 3, the closure member 101 is received in a recess formed at the opening, such that a front surface of at least a closure member edge portion is substantially flush with a surrounding front surface of the safe housing.

A distance between the housing flange portion 1123 and the housing wall 111 may correspond to an extent of the closure member flange 123 plus some play allowing for relative movement between the closure member and the safe housing. The size of the play may be adapted depending on the tolerances of the safe storage device.

Figs 4a-4b schematically illustrates the operation of the edge portion when it is subjected to an attack using a wedge member 30, such as a chisel, a crow bar or a tire iron.

In fig. 4a, there is illustrated how the wedge member 30 is inserted in an insertion direction into the gap 102 between the wall 111 and the closure member 12, 22 edge portion. In fig. 4b, it is illustrated how the wedge member is being pivoted with its inner portion downwardly.

As can be seen in fig. 4b, the wall 111' is being deformed upwardly at its edge portion, drawing the strip 112 with it.

As can also be seen in fig. 4b, the edge spacer portion 122' of the closure member 12, 22 is being deformed downwardly.

Depending on the design of the wall 111' and the closure member 12, 22, and depending on the type of attack, deformation of at least one of the wall 111, 111' and the spacer portion 122, 122' can be expected.

In either case, as is illustrated in fig. 4b, the relative movement of the housing flange portion 1123 and the closure member flange 123 causes at least some of the protrusions 124 on the closure member flange 123 to enter into the corresponding recesses 1124, or behind the protrusions, as the case may be, on the housing flange portion 1123, whereby the closure member 12, 22 is effectively locked relative to the safe housing 11, 21. This has also positive effects on the locking system design. As described in the background section the locking system can be so installed in an innermost portion of the drawer and/or the housing and it could be also designed for a reduced strength capability because it is not directly involved in the resistance to an attack. The tooth/recess interaction indeed prevents that any force is directly transmitted to the locking system.

Figs 5a-5c schematically illustrate a design of a part of a safe housing 21 and a closure member 22 for a drawer safe 20. It is understood that the design principles illustrated in figs 5a-5c may be equally applied to the safe 10 illustrated in fig. 1.

Referring to fig. 5a, there is illustrated a part of a safe housing 21 comprising a bottom wall, a pair of side walls and a rear wall. The top wall is thus missing, in order to render the illustration more clear.

The safe housing has an opening 101, around which strips 112a, 112b, 112c, 112d are arranged. In particular, the opening 101 may be provided with a bottom strip 112a, a pair of side strips 112b, 112c and a top strip 112d. In the illustrated design, the bottom and side strips, 112a, 112b, 112c are formed in one piece with the bottom wall and the side walls, respectively, whereas the top strip 112d is formed as a separate part, which is attached to upper portions of the side walls and/or to an inside of the top wall. Referring to fig 5b, there is illustrated the top strip 112d. As can be seen, the top strip 112d has a mounting portion 1121, which is substantially flat and elongate with a plurality of holes for rivets or bolts. The strip 112d further comprises a spacing portion 1122, extending substantially perpendicular to the mounting portion 1121 and a housing flange portion 1123, which is also planar and extends substantially parallel with the mounting portion 1121. The housing flange portion 1123 presents a plurality of recesses 1124, which are here provided in the form of elongate slots.

The top strip 112d may be formed from a separate sheet blank, which may be cut or stamped into an intermediate shape and then bent to provide desired angles between mounting portion 1121, spacer portion 1122 and housing flange portion 1123.

It is understood that the top strip 112d may also be formed in one piece with e.g. a safe top wall, or in one piece with a safe front wall.

Fig. 5c schematically illustrates a closure member 22 for the drawer safe 20. The closure member 22 has a front portion 121, a spacer portion 122 extending essentially perpendicular to the front portion 121 and a closure member flange 123 extending essentially parallel to the front portion 121. An edge of the closure member flange 123 presents a plurality of protrusions 124, which are here provided in the form of elongate tabs.

As is understood from fig. 5c, the closure member may be formed from a metal sheet blank, which may be cut or stamped into an intermediate shape and with the spacer portions 122 and closure member flanges 123 being formed by bending edge portions of the metal sheet.

As illustrated, all edges of the closure member 22 may be provided with spacer portions 122 and closure member flanges 123 along at least one pair of opposing edge portions thereof, preferably along all pairs of opposing edge portions.

As is further illustrated in fig. 5c, the spacer portions 122 may be made up of a plurality of individually deformable tongues 1221, which are separated by slits 1222, that extend transversely of the front portion 121 at least part of the extent of the spacer portion 122 so as to divide the spacer portions into the individual tongues 1221. On each such tongue, 1 (as illustrated), 2, 3 or more protrusions may be provided. A safe may be designed in accordance with the design principles disclosed with reference to figs 5a-5c.

The edge portion design illustrated in above may be applied to any edge of a closure member 12, 22 and to any edge of an opening 101. In particular, a rectangular opening and closure member, which has four edges, may be provided with the edge portion design illustrated in fig. 3 on all of its edges.