WO1992016125A1

WO1992016125A1 - Security desk

Info

Publication number: WO1992016125A1
Application number: PCT/AU1992/000111
Authority: WO
Inventors: Herbert Kersten
Original assignee: Herbert Kersten
Priority date: 1991-03-14
Filing date: 1992-03-13
Publication date: 1992-10-01

Abstract

A desk (10) including a number of drawers (12), each drawer (12) being spring loaded and slidable into closed positions. Electrically actuable locking mechanisms lock the drawers (12) in the closed positions. Each drawer (12) can be maintained open, against the spring closing action, by a drawer catch which is both manually and automatically (electrically) releasable. The desk (10) includes a pseudo intelligent control mechanism which will operate the drawer catches and locking mechanisms so that, under certain predetermined conditions, the drawers (12) will be automatically closed and locked. Amongst those predetermined conditions for closing and locking the drawers (12) are (a) the sensing of a predetermined authorised person leaving the desk and (b) the sensing of movement of a drawer (12) when conditions indicate that the drawers should remain closed. The desk (10) includes an infra-red rim (13) for providing infra-red communication between the desk (10) and surrounding, similarly equipped furniture and radio frequency tags to be worn by authorised persons.

Description

SECURITY DESK BACKGROUND ART

The invention relates to furniture items such as desks and work-stations, typically desks and work-stations 5 to be used by executive businessmen or Government employees, which incorporate certain security devices including self-locking and automatic drawer retraction devices.

A company director, manager, Government employee or 10 official will frequently have sensitive documentation and items of value in their office desk or work-station. On occasions the desk or work-station will be left unattended and it is a common experience that a person intending to be absent for only a brief period of time becomes detained 15 elsewhere for a much longer period. In such a situation the documentation and contents of the desk or work-station might be accessed by unauthorized people. Thus there is a distinct advantage in having a desk or work-station which will, at least to some degree, automatically secure its 20 contents when it is unattended and unlocked.

The present inventor has identified this problem and has set about providing a solution by way of a desk or work-station incorporating automatic drawer retraction and locking mechanisms controlled by a pseudo intelligent 25 device.

Throughout this specification the term "desk" includes any furniture item such as a desk, table, work-station or similar article to which the invention may be applied. 30 DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION * Accordingly, one broad form of the invention can be

4 described as a desk including: - (i) at least one drawer slidable between fully open and closed positions and being biased towards the closed 35 position by a drawer closure device; (ii) a drawer catch for each drawer actuable so as to releasably retain each respective drawer in any position against the bias of the drawer closure device;

(iii) a drawer locking mechanism which, when actuated locks from movement said at least one drawer in the closed position; and

(iv) a locking control device which performs a locking procedure being, in sequence, release of each drawer catch and upon completing closure of each drawer the actuation of the drawer locking mechanism.

In one form of the invention the drawer closure devices include energy storing spring means and retraction movement damping means so that energy expended manually when opening a drawer is stored by spring means and effects a gradual drawer closure upon release of the drawer.

In a further embodiment of the invention the drawer catch is electrically controlled and both manually and automatically actuable. In a still further form of the invention the locking control device commences the locking procedure after a predetermined time delay.

In yet another embodiment of the invention the desk further includes an occupancy sensor that detects the presence or absence of a predetermined authorised person, the occupancy sensor being monitored by the locking control device which will perform said locking procedure whenever the sensor indicates a change, or a time delay after a change, from presence to absence of an authorized person.

There may be more than one predetermined authorised person.

The occupancy sensor may be a detector for detecting a radio frequency tag to be worn by any authorised person. In another embodiment the desk further includes seamless communication devices for the communication of signals between the desk device and co-operative other devices which may be associated with nearby furniture such as filing cabinets incorporating further drawer catches and locking mechanisms.

An embodaiment of the drawer locking mechanism comprises a locking component movable under electric control between locked and unlocked positions, and lock receiving portions being integral with each drawer and adapted to receive, when the drawer is in the closed position, a corresponding mating portion of the locking component as it moves to its locked position so that in the locked position each drawer cannot be moved from its closed position. In a particularly preferred embodiment low powered electrical devices are utilized to motivate the locking mechanism, to control the drawer catch and to run the locking control device, such electrical devices being supplied by conventional electrical power or electrical storage devices such as rechargeable batteries stored within the desk or work-station and trickle-fed by photo voltaic cell technology such as from an amorphous film inlaid into the working surface of the desk or work-station. Preferably the locking control devices actuate the locking mechanism to unlock the drawers on receipt of a programmed security signal. The signal may be derived from coded input data (P.I.N. data), palm or fingerprint reading, key-codes such as magnetic keys, optical retina recognition or the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

By way of example only, a preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a typical desk or work-station incorporating an embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of drawers and locking components of the desk or work-station of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a perspective representation of a status panel of the desk or work-station of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 shows a "coffee table" for use in conjunction with the desk of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 shows a typical filing cabinet to be used in conjunction with the desk of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a logic flow chart of control sequences applicable to a desk or work-station in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT INVENTION In the drawings, a desk 10 includes a number of perimeter region panels 11 which consist of amorphous film. The amorphous film 11 is connected to internal rechargeable batteries. The battery and amorphous film supply the small electrical demand of the desk or work-station. A user of the desk or work-station will normally occupy a chair. The chair monitors its own occupancy or non-occupancy by means of a sensor built into the chair. The chair communicates with the desk or work-station by means of seamless data transfer technology such as a wire-free infra red connection, which triggers microprocessor actions within the desk or work-station dependent upon the occupancy or otherwise of the chair. Non-occupancy of the chair activates the locking control device performed in the following sequence: (1) release of all drawer catches and (2) closure of all drawers.

When the authorized person has vacated the office suite, the actuation of the drawer locking mechanism is effected after a predetermined time delay period.

The desk or work-station may include certain ancillary equipment not essential to its functioning, such as audio speakers 14 driven by a high fidelity sound entertainment system. Incorporated proximate the occupancy area of the desk or work-station 10 is a status panel 15, shown in detail in Fig. 3. The status panel 15 provides on request, stored and current information regarding the activities that have been conducted by the desk or instances detected by the desk sensors. Such activities and incidences can include but are not restricted to: authorised control of the desk systems, detected occupancy of the chair, battery level monitor, infra red malfunction monitor, abnormal occurrences such as attempted forced opening of drawers, and unauthorized occupancy of the chair. The status panel furthermore delivers time and calendar information and a 24 hour proverb.

The main feature of the desk or work-station is its security system which effects automatic locking of the drawers 12. Three basic operational components exist: (1) one being for the automatic retraction of drawers, (2) another for automatic time delayed locking, and (3) a further for overall control including pseudo intelligent action sequence control.

(l)The automatic drawer retraction is based on individual units for each respective drawer 12, each unit including an energy storage component, such as a spring device, which is connected to its respective drawer so that when the drawer is manually opened some energy expended in opening the drawer is stored in the spring. The spring thus biases the drawer towards its closed position. This movement is slowed by a damping device to provide gradual closure of the drawer. So that the drawer may be freely accessed when desired, an electrically operated "catch" is incorporated, there being a catch/uncatch thumb switch proximate the top edge of each front drawer panel 12. When "catched" the drawer will remain open until it is "uncatched" either by further manual operation of the switch or by automatic operation to be described below. Once "uncatched" the automatic drawer retraction will commence. (2)The automatic time delayed locking is physically effected by the device shown in Fig. 2. Each drawer 12 has a rear panel 16 including a female dovetail 17 cut downward from the top rear surface of each panel 16. The area 19 is manufactured out of metal to ensure longevity of wear and provide for the fine tolerances necessary for the locking/unlocking functions.

Mating with the female dovetail 17 are respective male dovetails 18 attached rigidly to a locking rod 20. The vertical length of the dovetails 17 and 18 is somewhat less than the vertical gap "x" between the top of one drawer 12 and the bottom of the next highest drawer. The locking rod 20 is controllably slidable vertically upwardly and downwardly so as to engage the dovetails 17 and 18 when in the raised unlocked position. The locking rod 20 is constrained against movement other than the vertical sliding movement, by suitable bearing restraints along its length. In controlling the locking of the drawers 12 the locking rod 20 need only be moved from one appropriate position to another, and thus it requires the use of an electrical impulse only when the state of locking is being changed.

(3)Located at the rear of each panel 16 is a contact sensor assembly 21 which will detect the respective drawer 12 being in the closed position and further will detect any minor disturbance or movements in that drawer when it is in the closed position.

Within the desk or work-station is a microprocessor which controls the sequenced action of the various devices and is connected to the sensors of the chair and to a suitable device for receiving "unlocking" security clearance. The microprocessor will control writing and reading to storage devices and to the status panel 15. It may also be connected to conventional telephone lines so as to receive coded directives from remote locations, particularly for the purposes of unlocking.

The microprocessor can be programmed to control the various functions of the desk or work-station; for instance if the desk or work-station is "unlocked" and the chair or office suite is "occupied" by the authorized person, then a change to non-occupied will commence a delay countdown which will normally end in the movement of the locking rods to the locked positions. Thus the desk or work-station moves from an unlocked occupied stage to a locked unoccupied state and will only be unlocked on receipt of the appropriate pre-programmed security signal. The control can be more sophisticated. In the above procedure while counting down through the delayed time after drawer retraction, the following security incursions by unauthorised persons are addressed by the system:

(a) if movement of a closed drawer is sensed by any of the sensors 21 and the authorized person is absent, the delay count will immediately proceed to zero and automatic locking will instantly occur. (b) if the chair is occupied by an unauthorized person during the time delay period, the delay count will immediately proceed to zero and automatic locking will instantly occur.

The present system distinguishes between authorized person and non-authorized person by means of a radio-frequency tag worn by the authorized person. The infra-red rim 13 transmits a frequency to the tag. When the chair is occupied by a non-authorized person and the infra-red rim 13 detects that the radio-frequency tag is absent, the delay-count immediately proceeds to zero and lock up occurs.

Communication between desk (or work-station) and the radio-frequency tag is by means of seamless data transfer technology such as wire-free connection. Fig. 6 shows a logic flow chart which describes the operation in more detail. The initials AP; UP; and TDL, equate to Authorised Person(s); Unauthorised Person(s); and Time Delay Locking respectively. Thus T.D.L. commences when the authorised person leaves, it is cancelled if the authorised person returns, it proceeds without delay to complete locking if an unauthorised person disturbs the draws or occupies the desk and, in other cases, it proceeds to lock up the desk after the predetermined delay period expires. Fig. 1 features an infra-red rim 13 which encircles the desk or work-station in 360 degrees which performs two functions:

(1) A lock or unlock command can be transmitted by the desk (or work-station) and received by other items of furniture incorporating an infra-red rim 13 such as filing cabinets, side-boards, wall units in proximity to the desk or work-station. Such additional items of furniture also incorporate a locking mechanism similar to that contained within the desk or work-station enabling the locking or unlocking of drawers 12 or doors (not shown) . Such items of furniture are "finger-printed" to the appropriate desk or work-station by the programming of a frequency unique to the desk or work-station. Thus the seamless transmission of control signals can be effected between the desk and cooperative surrounding furniture or other devices.

(2) The detection of the presence or absence of the. authorized person within an office suite. When the chair is vacated, drawer retraction is immediately performed and the authorized person can move freely within the office suite without activation of the time-delay system. When the infra-red rim 13 detects the absence of the authorized person from within an office suite the time-delay mechanism is activated. The infra-red rim 13 distinguishes between an authorized and a non-authorized person by means of a radio-frequency tag worn by the authorized person. The time-delay is cancelled when the authorized person re-enters the office suite before the countdown has proceeded to zero. The time-delay proceeds to zero and activates the locking mechanism when an unauthorized person disturbs the drawer sensors 21 or occupies the chair. Associated with the desk 10 is a coffee table 22, shown in Fig. 4. The table 22 includes corner recesses 23 sized to accept typical cups, coffee mugs and drinking glasses. Each recess 23 includes a manual switch and an automatic temperature sensor to maintain a predetermined temperature for a hot or cold beverage. In the case of a hot beverage, an overhead light heating device such as quartz halogen heating, is activated whenever a sensor indicates the positioning of a beverage container in the recess 23. In the case of a cold setting, the supporting horizontal surface of the area 23 is cooled by a heat pump. A switch determines what setting is required. While the described embodiment utilises particular devices for effecting particular tasks, many alternatives may be available to effect the same tasks. For example seamless communication between the various articles of furniture can be provided by alternative means such as radio frequency means, and the determination of the presence of an authorised person need not be by radio-frequency tagging.

Claims

CLAIMS :-

1. A desk including:

(i) at least one drawer slidable between fully open and closed positions and being biased towards the closed position by a drawer closure device;

(ii) a drawer catch for each drawer actuable so as to releasably retain each respective drawer in any position against the bias of the drawer closure device;

(iv) a locking control device which performs a locking procedure being, in sequence, release of each drawer catch and after completing closure of each drawer the actuation of the drawer locking mechanism.

2. A desk as claimed in claim 1 wherein said drawer closure device comprises energy storing spring means and retraction movement damping means so that energy expended manually when opening a drawer is stored by the spring means and effects gradual drawer closure upon release of the drawer.

3. A desk as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein said drawer catch is electrically controlled and both manually and automatically actuable.

4. A desk as claimed in any one of claims 1 tO 3 wherein said locking procedure includes a predetermined time delay before said actuation of the drawer locking mechanism.

5. A desk as claimed in any one of the preceding claims further including an occupancy sensor that detects the presence or absence of a predetermined authorised person, or one of a number of predetermined authorised persons, the occupancy sensor being monitored by said locking control device, said locking control device being microprocessor controlled and programmed to perform said locking procedure whenever said occupancy sensor indicates a change from presence to absence of an authorised person.

6. A desk as claimed in any one of the preceding claims further including drawer movement sensors for detecting movement of said at least one drawer, and wherein said locking control device monitors said drawer movement sensor and is programmed to immediately, and with zero predetermined time-delay, commence, or complete if already commenced, the said locking procedure unless said occupancy sensor simultaneously detects the presence of an authorised person.

7. A desk as claimed in claim 5 further including seamless communication devices communicating signals between said locking control device and at least one co-operative other device for controlling the functions of said co-operative other device.

8. A desk as claimed in claim 7 wherein said at least one co-operative other device is an article of furniture comprising at least one drawer slidable between fully open and closed positions and being biased towards the closed position by a drawer closure device, a further said drawer catch and said drawer locking mechanism and a further locking control device being actuated by a predetermined signal communicated from said locking control device of said desk.

9. A desk as claimed in claim 5 wherein said locking control device is programmed so as to release said drawer locking mechanism upon recognition of a predetermined security signal.

10. A desk as claimed in claim 5 further including a status panel displaying system conditions and incidents occurring since the last occupancy by an authorised person.

11. A desk including:

(i) at least one drawer slidable between fully open and closed positions and being biased towards the closed position by a drawer closure device; (ii) a drawer catch for each drawer actuable so as to releasably retain the respective drawer in any position against the bias of the drawer closure device;

(iii) a drawer locking mechanism which, when actuated locks each drawer in its closed position;

(iv) a locking control device for performing a locking procedure being, in sequence, release of each drawer catch and, upon completing closure of each drawer, the actuation of the drawer locking mechanism. (v) an occupancy sensor detecting the presence or absence of a predetermined authorised person;

(vi) drawer movement sensor means for sensing and indicating movement of the drawers; and wherein said locking control device is controlled by a microprocessor programmed so as to operate in the manner defined in the flow chart of Figure 6 of the drawings.