Rapid access firearm safe
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing firearm safes are not designed for rapid access, which can be catastrophic in situations requiring immediate retrieval of larger firearms like shotguns and rifles, such as during a shooting attack at educational institutions.
Innovation Solution
A rapid access firearm safe with a hinged door that opens outwardly from the bottom, featuring a biometric or coded locking mechanism that allows for automatic or manual opening, and an adjustable mount system to securely hold and present long guns for immediate use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If a traditional locking mechanism (combination dial) is used, then security is maintained, but access time is slow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical locking mechanisms (combination dials) with electronic locking systems including keypads and biometric scanners. This substitution dramatically reduces access time from minutes to seconds while maintaining security through multiple authentication methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements pre-positioning of firearms on the door interior surface, held by holders that automatically present the weapon to the user upon door opening. This preliminary arrangement eliminates the need to search or retrieve firearms from deep within the safe, further reducing access time.
2Speed
If firearms are stored deep inside the safe, then security is improved, but access time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent moves the firearm storage location from the interior compartment to the door itself (a different spatial dimension). Firearms are mounted on the interior surface of the door, allowing them to be presented outward when the door opens, eliminating retrieval time while maintaining security through the locked door barrier.
Solution Approach 2:
Firearms are pre-positioned on the door in holders that automatically orient and present the weapon to the user. This preliminary arrangement ensures that upon unlocking and opening the door, the firearm is immediately accessible without requiring search or manipulation.
3Ease of operation
If the door opens from the top, then access is provided, but the firearm is not immediately presented to the user
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional door opening approach by hinging the door at the bottom rather than the top. The door opens upward and outward, automatically presenting the firearm (mounted on the door interior) directly to the user's position. This inversion optimizes the presentation geometry for rapid deployment.
Solution Approach 2:
The firearm holders on the door interior are pre-configured to present the weapon in the optimal position for immediate use as the door opens. The mounting system ensures the firearm is already oriented correctly before the door even begins to open, maximizing access efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A rapid access firearm safe having a rigid body with a secure interior storage compartment and a door for accessing a firearm. The door is hingedly attached to the lower portion of the body such that the door swings open from an upper portion of the body, and a firearm retaining mechanism is located on the interior side of the door and releasably holds at least one firearm thereto. A locking mechanism is integrated into the upper portion of the safe body and accessible from the exterior, and the locking mechanism selectively holds the door firmly against the body thereby securely enclosing the interior storage compartment and releases the door from the body upon deactivation by receiving user input.