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US4722435A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Case for documents

Assignee: MAREELS
•
Filing: 1986-01-17
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Granted: 1988-02-02
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Expires: 2006-01-17
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Abstract

Abstract There is described a case for valuable documents, such as notably checks, credit cards, bank notes, etc., comprised of a box with a lid and a closure which may only be opened by inputting a code number, as well as a capsule or phial filled with a pressurized liquid which can destroy or make useless said documents, in which said capsule or phial is made completely or partly from fusible material, and said capsule or phial may be opened or unplugged electrically when electric or electronic means the case is fitted with, are operated due to any break-in attempt.

Inventors

  • 👤 Marc Mareels
  • 👤 Michel Moerman

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-06 19:43
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07F; G07F7/00; G07F7/08; E; E05; E05G; E05G1/00; E05G1/14; G07F7/0806; G07F7/0833; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T70/00; Y10T70/50; Y10T70/5611; Y10T70/5757; Y10T70/5765; Y10T70/577; Y10T70/5783; Y10T70/5788; Y10T70/5805; Y10T70/581; Y10T70/5814

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim 256 words
A case for the protection of documents, comprising: a closure having box and lid portions which are movable between a closed position and an open position which provides access to the interior of the closure; locking means for locking said closure in said closed position, said locking means being unlockable in response to a selected command to allow at least one of said box and said lid portions to be moved to said open position; an electrical energy source within said closure; capsule means within said closure containing a pressurized liquid material for at least partially destroying the documents when placed in contact therewith, said capsule means having a fusible portion which is openable in response to an electrical opening signal; microprocessor means having a plurality of logical OR gates, connected to said electrical energy source, having a plurality of inputs and an output connected to said capsule means for generating said electrical opening signal in response to at least one of said inputs being activated; reeiving means for receiving code numbers and having an output connected to said locking means to send said selected command to said locking means in response to a valid code number being received by said receiving means; and sensing means for sensing various modes of attempted unauthorized entry into said closure connected to electrically activate said microprocessor means inputs, whereby said electrical opening signal is applied to said capsule means to release said liquid material to to said documents upon the sensing of an attempted unauthorized entry into said closure.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 256 words
A case for the protection of documents, comprising: a closure having box and lid portions which are movable between a closed position and an open position which provides access to the interior of the closure; locking means for locking said closure in said closed position, said locking means being unlockable in response to a selected command to allow at least one of said box and said lid portions to be moved to said open position; an electrical energy source within said closure; capsule means within said closure containing a pressurized liquid material for at least partially destroying the documents when placed in contact therewith, said capsule means having a fusible portion which is openable in response to an electrical opening signal; microprocessor means having a plurality of logical OR gates, connected to said electrical energy source, having a plurality of inputs and an output connected to said capsule means for generating said electrical opening signal in response to at least one of said inputs being activated; reeiving means for receiving code numbers and having an output connected to said locking means to send said selected command to said locking means in response to a valid code number being received by said receiving means; and sensing means for sensing various modes of attempted unauthorized entry into said closure connected to electrically activate said microprocessor means inputs, whereby said electrical opening signal is applied to said capsule means to release said liquid material to to said documents upon the sensing of an attempted unauthorized entry into said closure.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 45 words
The case of claim 1 wherein said receiving means comprises electrical keyboard input means connected to said microprocessor means so as to initiate said electrical opening signal at said microprocessor output in response to an unvalid code number being received by said keyboard input means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 38 words
The case of claim 1 wherein said receiving means comprises electrical keyboard input means connected to said microprocessor means so as to neutralize keyboard entry upon two attempts to enter unvalid code numbers via said keyboard input means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 24 words
The case of claim 1 wherein said capsule means comprises a heat-softenable container surrounded by electrical heating means electrically connected to said microprocessor output.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 18 words
The case of claim 1 wherein said capsule means comprises a container having an electrically ignitable cap closure.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 273 words
A case for the protection of documents, comprising: a closure having box and lid portions which are movable between a closed position and an open position which provides access to the interior of the closure; locking means for locking said closure in said closed position, said locking means being unlockable in response to a selected command to allow at least one of said box and said lid portions to be moved to said open position; an electrical energy source within said closure; capsule means within said closure containing a pressurized liquid material for at least partially destroying the documents when placed in contact therewith, said capsule means having a fusible portion which is openable when energized by an electrical energy source; means for connecting said electrical energy source to said capsule means so as to energize said fusible portion to release said liquid material onto said documents; microprocessor means connected to said electrical energy source, having at least one input and at least one output connected to said locking means for generating said selected command in response to said at least one input being activated; electrical keyboard input means for receiving code numbers and having an output electrically connected to said at least one microprocessor input, said electrical keyboard input means and said microprocessor means being connected to send said selected command to said locking means in response to a valid code number being received by said keyboard input means; and said keyboard input means and said microprocessor means being connected so as to neutralize keyboard entry upon two attempts to enter at least one unvalid code number via said keyboard input means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 273 words
A case for the protection of documents, comprising: a closure having box and lid portions which are movable between a closed position and an open position which provides access to the interior of the closure; locking means for locking said closure in said closed position, said locking means being unlockable in response to a selected command to allow at least one of said box and said lid portions to be moved to said open position; an electrical energy source within said closure; capsule means within said closure containing a pressurized liquid material for at least partially destroying the documents when placed in contact therewith, said capsule means having a fusible portion which is openable when energized by an electrical energy source; means for connecting said electrical energy source to said capsule means so as to energize said fusible portion to release said liquid material onto said documents; microprocessor means connected to said electrical energy source, having at least one input and at least one output connected to said locking means for generating said selected command in response to said at least one input being activated; electrical keyboard input means for receiving code numbers and having an output electrically connected to said at least one microprocessor input, said electrical keyboard input means and said microprocessor means being connected to send said selected command to said locking means in response to a valid code number being received by said keyboard input means; and said keyboard input means and said microprocessor means being connected so as to neutralize keyboard entry upon two attempts to enter at least one unvalid code number via said keyboard input means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 119 words
The case of claim 6 wherein said means for connecting said electrical energy source to said capsule means so as to energize said fusible portion comprises an other microprocessor output connected to said capsule means and a plurality of microprocessor means inputs for initiating an electrical opening signal when at least one of said plurality of microprocessor means inputs is activated; and sensing means for sensing various modes of attempted unauthorized entry into said closure connected to electrically activate at least one of said plurality of microprocessor means inputs, whereby said electrical opening signal is applied to said capsule means to release said liquid material onto said documents upon the sensing of an attempted unauthorized entry into said closure.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1991-02-01 1991-08-03 1992-02-02 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1995-02-01 1995-08-03 1996-02-02 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1999-02-01 1999-08-03 2000-02-02 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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