Safe

Abstract

 The invention relates to a safe for storing a key. The safe consists of a case, a body that can be put inside the case and a lock that can be mounted inside the body. According to the invention, the body is provided with a recess in which a key can be placed, in such a way that the key can be taken out together with the case.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a safe for putting away a key, comprising a case, a body that can be put into the case and a lock that can be mounted into the body. A safe of this type is known from EP 0 839 246. For this known safe, the body is in fact a cover of the safe and the key lies behind the cover inside the case.

[0002] A safe for putting away a key is for example used in the extramural health care. A health visitor makes her rounds and sees patients who are often bedridden. For each patient she may open now a safe with one universal key and take out an individual key for the front door of this patient.

[0003] The disadvantage of the known safe is that it is relatively big, which means that for a new patient a relatively large hole must be made in for example the front door. Moreover this hole must be made on a convenient location, to enable the health visitor to take the key out of the case. In fact the known safe cannot be made smaller, as this would make it user-unfriendly.

[0004] The safe according to the invention is very compact and may be placed in any location, even on a less obvious place, which in due course significantly will simplify the restoration of the door to its original state. The inventive safe is thereto characterised in that the body is provided with means into which or onto which at least one key can be placed or attached. In this way, the key may be taken out of the case together with the body, which means that it is no longer necessary to find the key by grooping.

[0005] A favourable embodiment is characterised in that the case has a tubular shape and is on one side provided with a collar. A case of this kind may be produced in a simple and cheap manner and the collar forms a neat and safe finishing on the outside.

[0006] A favourable embodiment which may be produced in a simple manner and which enables a further compactification is characterised in that the body is cylindrically shaped and is provided with a first recess into which at least one key may be placed.

[0007] A further favourable embodiment is characterised in that at least a first side of the case is provided with a second recess and that the body is provided with a notch which may cooperate with the second recess, or that a first side of the case is provided with a notch and the body is provided with a second recess which may cooperate with the notch, which on the one hand makes it easier to place the body in the proper position in the case, while on the other hand it will become impossible to rotate the body inside the case.

[0008] A further favourable embodiment is characterised in that the body is provided with a third recess into which a europrofile cylinder or half a europrofile cylinder may be placed and with a fourth recess via which a bit of the europrofile cylinder may rotate until it projects outside the body. The application of a europrofile cylinder makes the use of the safe attractive from a logistics point of view. A user, for example a health care institution, has a number of health visitors which each have keys fitting in the safes of their patients. If a patient is assigned to another health care worker, the europrofile cylinder of this patient may easily be exchanged.

[0009] A further favourable embodiment is characterised in that the case is provided with a fifth recess into which the bit rests when the safe is in a locked position. In this way, a reliable locking is obtained with a minimal number of components.

[0010] A further favourable embodiment is characterised in that on a second side, positioned opposite to the first side, the case is provided with means of attachment. The means of attachment may comprise a locking plate, provided with at least one opening via which the case may be attached in a door or in a wall, but the means of attachment may also comprise a thread, cut into an inside or onto an outside of the case. In that case, also a complete europrofile cylinder may be mounted, in which case the safe may be opened from the inside as well, for example in order to remove a key or to add a key.

[0011] The invention also relates to a case or body, as part of a safe as described in the previous paragraphs. Usually, a safe will be delivered without a europrofile cylinder, in order to enable a client to mount a europrofile cylinder according to his choice.

[0012] Although the advantages of the safe have been explained with a reference to the issue of extramural health care, the application of the safe is by no way not limited to it. The inventive safe may be used in every situation in which it is desirable that with one key access may be obtained to spaces which are locked with different types of locks.

[0013] The invention will now be explained with a reference to the following figures, in which:

Fig. 1A

represents in a partly cut-away view a safe, showing a key stored inside;

Fig. 1B

represents in a partly cut-away view a safe, showing a half europrofile cylinder;

Fig. 2A

represents a body, provided with a half europrofile cylinder in front view;

Fig. 2B

represents a case in front view;

Fig. 3A

represents a body in a first perspective;

Fig. 3B

represents a body in a second perspective;

Fig. 4A

represents in a partly cut-away view an alternative embodiment, showing a key stored inside;

Fig. 4B

represents this embodiment in a partly cut-away view showing the europrofile cylinder;

Fig. 5A

represents in a partly cut-away view a further alternative embodiment, showing the europrofile cylinder;

Fig. 5B

represents a case which is part of this embodiment in perspective;

Fig. 6A

represents in a partly cut-away view a further alternative embodiment, showing a key stored inside;

Fig. 6B

represents a body which is part of this embodiment in back view.

[0014] Fig. 1A represents in a partly cut-away view a safe according to the invention, consisting of a case 1 which is mounted in an opening of a door 4 with the aid of a collar 2 and a cap 3, and a body 5 that can be taken out of case 1 and that is provided with a recess 6 into which one or more keys 7 may be stored. Body 5 is provided with a half europrofile cylinder, not visible in this figure, of which the bit is positioned in a recess 8 in case 1 in a locked position, so that body 5 cannot be removed. In an open position, the bit is rotated out of recess 8, so that body 1 can be removed without any problem, together with keys 7. Fig. 1B represents in a partly cut-away view a safe, showing a half europrofile cylinder 9, provided with a cylindrically shaped part 10 which contains the actual lock, a plate-shaped mounting part 11, provided with a mounting hole 12 and a bit 13 that is rotated inside recess 8 in a locked position. In the embodiment shown here, the outside of case 1 is partly provided with a thread, onto which a ring-shaped mounting part 14 is screwed in order to fix case 1 into door 4.

[0015] Fig. 2A represents a body 5, provided with a half europrofile cylinder 9 in front view, with cylindrically shaped part 10 which contains the actual lock 15, and plate-shaped mounting part 11 and bit 13 which may rotate together with lock 15 if the correct key is inserted into lock 15. Body 5 is moreover provided with a recess 16 into which a pin 17 is pressed. Fig. 2B represents a case 1 in front view, with collar 2 and a recess 18 into which pin 17 may slide if body 5 in slid into case 1, as a result of which the position of body 5 with respect to case 1 is determined.

[0016] Fig. 3A represents a body 5 in a first perspective, with an opening 19 into which a half europrofile cylinder may be slid, an opening 20 into which a screw may be inserted which may subsequently be screwed into opening 12 in plate-shaped mounting part 11, recess 8 into which bit 13 of the half europrofile cylinder can be rotated, as well as recess 16 into which pin 17 may be pressed. Fig. 3B represents a body 5 in a second perspective, with an opening 19 into which a half europrofile cylinder may be slid, a recess 6 into which one or more keys 7 may be stored, a recess 8 into which bit 13 of the half europrofile cylinder can be rotated, as well as recess 16 into which pin 17 may be pressed.

[0017] Fig. 4A represents in a partly cut-away view an alternative embodiment of a safe according to the invention, consisting of a case 1 which is mounted in an opening of a door 4 with the aid of a collar 2 and a ring-shaped mounting part 14, and a body 5 that can be taken out of case 1 and that is provided with a recess 6 into which one or more keys 7 may be stored. Body 5 is provided with a whole europrofile cylinder, not visible in this figure, of which the bit is positioned in a recess 8 in case 1 in a locked position, so that body 5 cannot be removed. In an open position, the bit is rotated out of recess 8, so that body 1 can be removed without any problem, together with keys 7, from the outside as well as from the inside of door 4. A user may now place or remove a key in recess 6, without opening the door. Fig. 4B represents this embodiment in a partly cut-away view showing a europrofile cylinder 21, provided with a cylindrically shaped part 10 which contains the actual lock, a plate-shaped mounting part 11, provided with a mounting hole 12 and a bit 13 that is rotated inside recess 8 in a locked position.

[0018] In the above explanation, the safe has always been placed in a door. Obviously, it is also possible to place a safe as described with a reference to Fig. 1A to Fig. 3B inside an opening in for example a wall and to fix it with the aid of screws or inside the cavity with a mushroom bolt, well known in the art.

[0019] Fig. 5A represents in a partly cut-away view a further alternative embodiment, showing the europrofile cylinder, consisting of a case 1 which is mounted in an opening of a door 4 with the aid of a collar 2 and a cap 22 which is screwed onto case 1, and a body 5 that can be taken out of case 1 and that is provided with a recess into which a key may be stored. Body 5 is provided with a whole europrofile cylinder 21 provided with a cylindrically shaped part 10 which contains the actual lock, a plate-shaped mounting part 11, provided with a mounting hole 12 and a bit 13 that is rotated inside recess 8 in a locked position. In a locked position, bit 13 is positioned in a recess 8 in case 1, so that body 5 cannot be removed outwardly. In an open position, bit 13 is rotated outside recess 8, so that body 1 can be removed without any problem, together with key, from the outside as well as from the inside of door 4 after cap 22 has been removed. In the embodiment shown here, case 5 is provided with an additional slot 23, which is designed so that body 5 may be pushed inwardly even in the locked position, after cap 22 has been removed. The advantage is that for example a locksmith may replace the key stored inside body 5 after he has replaced the cylinder of the lock in the door, without having a key for europrofile cylinder 21 at his disposal. Of course it is possible to mount instead of the europrofile cylinder a half europrofile cylinder, as shown in Fig. 1B. Fig. 5B represents a case 1 which is part of this embodiment in perspective, with recess 8 and additional slot 23 via which bit 13 of europrofile cylinder 21 may pass in a locked position.

[0020] Fig. 6A represents in a partly cut-away view a further alternative embodiment, showing a key stored inside, consisting of a case 1 which is mounted in an opening of a door 4 with the aid of a collar 2 and a cap 22 which is screwed onto case 1, and a body 5 that can be taken out of case 1 and that is provided with a recess into which a key may be stored. Special is that key 7 may be reached from the inside by unscrewing cap 22, after which it may be simply taken out. The advantage is that for example a locksmith may replace the key stored inside body 5 after he has replaced the cylinder of the lock in the door, without having a key for europrofile cylinder 21 at his disposal. Here, the recess is shaped as a cavity 24 in which a grip part 25 of key 7 partly enters and a milled-out slot 26 in which a bit 27 van key 7 can be placed. The use of a cavity 24 reduces the chance that key 7 slips out of body 5 when body 5 is taken out, while key 7 can is still within reach.

[0021] Fig. 6B represents a body 5 which is part of this embodiment in back view, with cavity 24 and milled-out slot 26.

Claims

1. Safe for putting away a key, comprising a case, a body that can be put into the case and a lock that can be mounted into the body, characterised in that the body is provided with means into which or onto which at least one key can be placed or attached.

2. Safe according to claim 1, characterised in that the case has a tubular shape and is on one side provided with a collar.

3. Safe according to claim 2, characterised in that the body is cylindrically shaped and is provided with a first recess into which at least one key may be placed.

4. Safe according to claim 2 of 3, characterised in that at least a first side of the case is provided with a second recess and that the body is provided with a notch which may cooperate with the second recess, or that a first side of the case is provided with a notch and the body is provided with a second recess which may cooperate with the notch.

5. Safe according to claim 4, characterised in that the body is provided with a third recess into which a europrofile cylinder or half a europrofile cylinder may be placed and with a fourth recess via which a bit of the europrofile cylinder may rotate until it projects outside the body.

6. Safe according to claim 5, characterised in that the case is provided with a fifth recess into which the bit rests when the safe is in a locked position.

7. Safe according to one of the claims 2 to 5, characterised in that on a second side, positioned opposite to the first side, the case is provided with means of attachment.

8. Safe according to claim 7, characterised in that the means of attachment comprise an a locking plate, provided with at least one opening.

9. Safe according to claim 7, characterised in that the means of attachment comprise a thread, cut into an inside or onto an outside of the case.

10. Case or body, as part of a safe according to one of the previous claims.

Drawing