Safe Protection Mechanism Using Reactive Foam for Weight Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional high-security safes rely on steel reinforcement, which increases manufacturing costs and weight, making them difficult to transport and install, while existing solutions for portable and insulating safes do not effectively address the need for enhanced protection without the use of expensive materials.

Innovation Solution

A safe apparatus with walls featuring a gap containing a safe protection mechanism, such as woven fabric, thin films with reactive chemicals, or pressure-activated chemical mixtures that produce hard foam to impede penetration, constructed from lighter materials like hard plastic, reducing the need for steel and enhancing security.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If steel reinforcement is used to enhance safe protection, then security strength is improved, but weight increases making transport and installation difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesafe protection strengthVSAvoidsafe weight
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSWeight of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the material parameters from traditional steel to alternative materials such as high-strength plastics, composites, or reactive materials that provide equivalent or superior protection with reduced weight. This involves modifying the physical and chemical properties of the safe's construction materials to achieve the desired strength-to-weight ratio improvement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Strength

If steel reinforcement is used to enhance safe protection, then security strength is improved, but manufacturing costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesafe protection strengthVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs cost-effective materials and design approaches that reduce manufacturing expenses while maintaining protection standards. This may involve using affordable composite materials, modular components, or design configurations that minimize material usage and production complexity, thereby lowering overall manufacturing costs without sacrificing security performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Strength

If conventional safe materials are used, then protection is provided, but portability is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection levelVSAvoidsafe weight
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent utilizes composite material structures that combine lightweight substrates with high-strength reinforcement layers or reactive elements. These composites provide enhanced protection equivalent to traditional heavy materials while significantly reducing weight, thereby improving portability and ease of installation without compromising security performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution provides lighter, cost-effective safes with improved protection by thwarting attacks without the use of expensive steel, facilitating easier transportation and installation, while maintaining high security standards.

Implementation Method 1

a thin film having two different chemicals separated by the thin film that when mixed together produce a hard foam

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectChemical reaction producing foam: Foam

Implementation Method 2

a chemical mixture under pressure that when pressure is eased and/or air interacts with the chemical mixture a hard foam is produced

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure-induced foam expansion: Foam

Data Source

PatentEP3409871B1Safe protection apparatuses and methods
Publication Date: 2021.04.14 NCR VOYIX CORP
  • EP3409871B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP3409871B1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP3409871B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

A safe (100) includes at least one wall having a gap (112) with a safe protection mechanism (111) inserted into the gap. The at least one wall when penetrated by an attack tool attempting to penetrate an interior of the safe activates the safe protection mechanism to thwart and/or impeded progress of the attack tool.