US20150151901A1

US20150151901A1 - Apparatuses, systems and methods for concealing floor safes and other containers

Info

Publication number: US20150151901A1
Application number: US14/614,178
Authority: US
Inventors: Christie Richards; Jacob Richards
Original assignee: Universal Interiors LLC
Current assignee: Universal Interiors LLC
Priority date: 2014-02-04
Filing date: 2015-02-04
Publication date: 2015-06-04

Abstract

A cover for concealing the identity of a container, such as a safe, is configured to be positioned over the container. The cover may have the appearance of another item or group of items, such as a less valuable item that may be found in the environment where the container is kept (e.g., a freezer, a cabinet, a collection of tools, etc., in a garage; etc.). The cover may include an access portion, or panel, that lifts to reveal a door or other entry point of the container. The access portion may be configured to rest atop the container, which may eliminate the need for further manipulation while the inside and any contents within the container are accessed.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

A claim for the benefit of priority to the Feb. 4, 2014 filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/935,339, titled APPARATUSES, SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONCEALING FLOOR SAFES AND OTHER CONTAINERS (“the '339 Provisional Application”) is hereby made pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119(e). A claim for the benefit of priority to the Sep. 29, 2014 filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/057,141, titled APPARATUSES, SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONCEALING FLOOR SAFES AND OTHER CONTAINERS (“the '141 Provisional Application”) is hereby made pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119(e). The entire disclosure of each of the '483 Provisional Application and the '141 Provisional Application is hereby incorporated herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates generally to covers for containers and, more specifically, to covers for safes. In particular, this disclosure relates to covers for hiding the identities of safes and other containers.

RELATED ART

Individual consumers purchase safes for a variety of reasons, including, without limitation, to securely store valuables, documents, guns and other items. Safes that accommodate guns are typically quite large, and occupy a substantial amount of floor space.
Gun safes are often kept in workshops, garages and other locations that may be readily visible from outside of the residence or other building in which the safes are stored, often enabling others to readily discover the precise location of the safe within the building. Thus, although space considerations may necessitate the placement of a floor safe in a workshop, garage or another location that is readily perceptible to others, such placement also partially defeats the primary purpose of the safe—security.

SUMMARY

A cover according to this disclosure is configured to be placed over at least portions of a safe to at least partially conceal the safe. In various embodiments, at least a portion of the cover is configured to be placed over the door of a safe. The cover may be configured to be positioned over one or more distinctive features that make the container readily identifiable; for example, features that typically appear on a safe door, such as indicia on the safe (e.g., a brand name, logo, etc., that appears on the door of the safe), a locking mechanism, a handle or the like. The cover may include a design (e.g., an image, etc.) that makes the safe appear to be some other item and, thus, to provide an added level of concealment.
In some embodiments, a cover may also be configured for placement over other surfaces of a safe, such as some or all of the top of the safe, one or both sides of the safe and even the back, or rear, of the safe. A cover for a safe may be configured to cover the top of the safe, both sides of the safe and the front of the safe. A portion, or panel, of the cover that is configured to be positioned over a door of the safe (e.g., on the front of the safe, etc.) may be configured to be at least partially removed from the safe to provide access to the door, while remaining portions, or panels, of the cover (e.g., those that are configured to be positioned over the top, back and sides of the safe, etc.) may be configured to remain in place over their corresponding surfaces of the safe. Such a portion or panel may be referred to as a “concealment portion” or a “concealment panel,” or as an “access portion” or an “access panel.”
In a specific embodiment, a cover may include a top panel, two side panels that are secured to and extend downward from side edges of the top panel. In some embodiments, the front panel may be secured to and extend downward from a front edge of the top panel, but may not be secured to the front edge of either side panel of the cover. In other embodiments, the front panel may be secured to and extend from a front edge of one of the side panels, but not from the front edge of the opposite side panel or from the front edge of the top panel. Such a cover may also include one or more securing elements. When concealment of a safe is desired, the securing element(s) may hold the front panel of the cover in place over the front of the safe and, thus, may hold its unsecured side and/or top edge(s) in place adjacent to their corresponding front edges of the top and/or side panel(s) of the cover. Optionally, such a cover may also include a back panel that is secured to and extends downward from a rear edge of the top panel and is secured to and extends laterally from rear edges of the side panels of the cover.
Such a cover may be configured to protect the safe. Without limitation, a cover may be made with a material that is resistant to fire and/or moisture, and may provide thermal insulation. Such a cover may impart or enhance the fire-resistance and/or heat-resistance of a safe, as well as impart the safe with resistance to water or other types of moisture.
A cover according to this disclosure may be also be used to conceal items other than safes, including, but not limited to, other security containers, tool boxes, cabinets, filing cabinets, freezers, refrigerators or other containers.
Methods for securely storing items and methods for concealing containers include positioning a cover over features of a container that make the container identifiable as such. Placement of a cover over distinctive features may conceal the identity of the container, especially from passersby and others who do not need to access the contents of the container. Without limitation, such a method may include placing a cover over at least a front surface of the container to conceal the front surface. Portions of the cover may also be placed at least partially over other surfaces of the container (e.g., top, side and/or back surfaces, etc.). Placement of the cover may include one or more securing elements, which may hold the cover or portions thereof in place over a covered container. In some embodiments, in addition to concealing one or more distinctive features of the container, the cover may include one or more designs that impart the cover, and the container over which the cover is placed, with the appearance of something else (e.g., one or more other items that are often found in the place (e.g., workshop, garage, etc.) where the container is stored, etc.).
In another aspect, concealed storage systems are disclosed. A concealed storage system may include a container, such as a safe, a tool chest, a cabinet or the like and a cover that conceals the container. In some embodiments, the cover may have the appearance of another item (e.g., a less valuable item, etc.) or collection of items, such as a refrigerator, a freezer, shelves, tools hanging from a wall, a cabinet or virtually any other item that might be found in the environment where the container is kept.
When access to the inside of the container is desired, the cover, or a portion thereof, may be pulled away, or removed, from the surface over which it was positioned to reveal a door or other opening for the container. In embodiments where one or more portions of the cover are also positioned over one or more other surfaces of the container, or over portions of the other surface(s), those portions of the cover may remain in place. The container may then be opened to provide access to the interior of the container. Once access to the interior of the container is no longer needed, the container may be closed and the cover or the portion thereof that was removed may be repositioned and secured in place to again conceal the container.
Other aspects, as well as features and advantages of various aspects, of the disclosed subject matter will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art through consideration of the ensuing description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a cover according to this disclosure, in place over a container, such as a floor safe, to conceal the container and cover a door or other opening thereof;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the embodiment of cover shown in FIG. 1, illustrating some interior features of the cover;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the embodiment of cover shown in FIG. 1, with a portion of the cover positioned to reveal a door or other opening of the container on which the cover has been placed;

FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of cover; and

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate embodiments of covers bearing different designs.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to FIGS. 1 through 3, an embodiment of a cover 10 for a container 50, such as a floor safe (e.g., a gun safe, etc.), a toolbox, a cabinet, a filing cabinet, or the like, is depicted. At least an access portion 20 of the cover 10 may be configured to be positioned over one or more distinguishing features 52, 54, etc., of the container 50 (seen in FIG. 3), and/or over at least a portion of a surface 60 of the container 50 by or through which access to an interior of the container 50 is obtained. In the depicted, non-limiting embodiment of the cover 10, the surface 60 over which the access portion 20 of the cover 10 is configured to be placed comprises the door of a floor safe.
In addition to including a portion that covers at least a portion of a container 50 that includes distinguishing features 52, 54, etc., or that includes a surface 60 by or through which an interior of the container 50 may be accessed, a cover 10 according to this disclosure may include one or more portions that cover part or all of one or more other surfaces (not shown) of the container 50. In the depicted embodiment, the cover 20 includes a top portion 24 configured to cover a top surface (not shown) of the container 50 and side portions 26 configured to cover side surfaces (not shown) of the container 50. Optionally, the cover 10 may include a back portion 28, which may be configured to cover all or part of (e.g., an uppermost portion of, etc.) a back surface (not shown) of the container 50. In the illustrated embodiment, the top portion 24, side portions 26 and optional back portion 28 of the cover 10 comprise panels that are secured to (e.g., sewn together, etc.) or continuous with one another.
The dimensions, shapes and arrangement of the top portion 24, side portions 26 and/or optional back portion 28 of the cover 10 may hold the cover 10 in place over a container 50 with which the cover 10 is designed to be used. In addition, a cover 10 may include one or more features, or “securing elements” 30, that hold the cover 10 or one or more portions thereof in place over one or more corresponding portions of the container 50. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, one or more securing elements 30 may be positioned along one or more of the front edge 24 f and or the rear edge 24 r of the top portion 24 (FIG. 1) and the front edge 26 f of one or both side portions 26 (FIG. 2) of the cover 10. In a specific, but non-limiting embodiment, each securing element 30 may comprise a magnet (e.g., an elongated magnet, a series of smaller magnets, etc.). In another specific embodiment, securing elements 30 positioned along the rear edge 24 r of the top portion 24 may be configured to mechanically engage or be mechanically engaged by corresponding features along the rear top edge of a container 50 (e.g., eyelets and hooks, complementary snaps, etc.).
In the embodiment of cover 10 depicted by FIGS. 1 through 3, the access portion 20 may be secured to (e.g., sewn to, hingedly secured to, etc.) or continuous with a front edge 24 f of the top portion 24 of the cover 10. In such an embodiment, the access portion 20 may, as depicted by FIGS. 1 and 2, be permitted to cover (e.g., hang down over, etc.) the surface 60 of the container it is configured to conceal or, as shown in FIG. 3, the access portion 20 may be folded, rolled or otherwise oriented to reveal the surface 60 and, thus, to provide access to the surface 60. In embodiments where the access portion 20 of the cover 10 is configured to be lifted, it may rest upon the top of the container 50 while providing access to the container 50 (i.e., to one or more doors, drawers or other access features thereof). Thus, the access portion 20 may provide access to the container 50 without requiring further manipulation (e.g., securing, holding, movement, etc.) while accessing the container 50. In addition, by lifting upward, the access portion 20 may provide access to and accommodate opening and closing of doors, drawers and other features that open from a variety of different directions and/or in a variety of different ways (e.g., doors with left side hinges, doors with right side hinges, doors are configured to tilt open, drawers that slide open, etc.).
The cover 10 may include one or more securing elements 21 associated with the access portion 20. Each securing element 21 may be configured to secure the access portion 20 of the cover 10 in place relative to appropriate portions of the cover 10 or to the container 50. When the access portion 20 of the cover 10 is positioned over its corresponding surface 60 of the container 50, each securing element 21 will be positioned adjacent to an appropriate portion of the cover 10 and, thus, may secure the access portion 20 in place relative to adjacent portions of the cover (e.g., to areas of the side portions 26 located adjacent to the front edges 26 f of the side portions 26, etc.) or to the container 50 itself (either directly or through another portion of the cover). Without limitation, each securing element 21 may comprise a magnet, which may be oriented in a manner that enables it to be secured to a corresponding securing element 30 that holds another portion of the cover 10 to the container 50, or in such a way that the securing element 21 may “stick” to the container 50.
In some embodiments, lateral extensions 22 l and 22 r may be secured to or are continuous with corresponding side edges 20 l and 20 r of the access portion 20. Each lateral extension 22 may be configured to extend backwards from its corresponding side edge 20 l, 20 r of the access portion 20. When the access portion 20 is positioned over its corresponding surface 60 of the container 50, the lateral extensions 22 may extend partially over opposite surfaces of the container 50 (e.g., sides 26, etc.) that are adjacent to surface 60, and may overlap portions of the cover 10 (e.g., the front edges 26 f and adjacent areas of side portions 26, etc.). Thus, when the cover 10 is oriented in the manner depicted by FIG. 1, the lateral extensions 22 may eliminate gaps between the access portion 20 and adjacent portions of the cover (e.g., side portions 26, etc.) and further conceal the container 50.
A cover 10 that includes lateral extensions 22 extending backwards from its access panel 20 may include one or more securing elements 21 carried by each lateral extension 22. More specifically, a securing element 21 may be positioned adjacent to a rear edge of a lateral extension 22, and may secure the lateral extension 22 in place over its corresponding side portion 26 of the cover 10.
The cover 10, or at least portions thereof, such as the access portion 20, may be formed from a pliable material, such as a fabric. Some examples of fabrics that may be used to make a cover 10 include, without limitation, nylon and nylon-based fabrics, such as those marked under the CORDURA® trademark by Invista of Wichita, Kans. Other embodiments of materials that may be used to form a cover 10 include, but are not limited to, plastics, plastic-based films or sheets and the like. In some embodiments, including, but not limited to, embodiments where a cover 10 is configured to cover the top, sides and rear of a container (e.g., a floor safe, a portable safe, a lock box, etc.) and, optionally, the bottom of the container, the cover 10 may be formed from a fire-resistant material, a thermally insulating material, a water-resistant material or any other material with desired properties. In a specific embodiment, the material from which a cover 10 is made may be configured to prevent a container 50, such as a safe, over which the cover 10 is positioned from being exposed to fire or other high temperature sources, as well as to moisture, while providing thermal insulation. More specifically, such a material may include a thermal insulator positioned, or sandwiched, between inner and outer layers. The thermal insulator may comprise spun fiberglass or a so-called “mineral wool” insulation (e.g., that marketed as THERMAFIBER® insulation by CertainTeed Corporation of Valley Forge, Pa., etc.). The inner and outer layers may comprise a fire-resistant material, such as a woven fiberglass material, coated in or impregnated with a water-resistant material (e.g., a polymer, such as a fire rated silicone; etc.). A material that has fire-resistant, water-resistant and thermally insulative properties may be particularly useful for embodiments of covers 10 that are designed to completely cover the top, front, sides and rear surfaces of a container 50 and, when positioned over the container, may protect the container 50 and its contents from water damage, fire damage and/or thermal damage.
Turning now to FIGS. 5 and 6, some embodiments of a cover 10′, 10″ may include a design 12′, 12″. The design 12′, 12″ may be configured to impart a container 50 (FIG. 3) with the appearance of one or more other objects, such as a refrigerator (FIG. 4) or a collection of items that are typically found in a garage (FIG. 5) (e.g., gardening tools, etc.). Alternatively, a design may be decorative. Examples of decorative designs include, but are not limited to, camouflage patterns, logos, images and the like.
With returned reference to FIGS. 1 through 3, a cover 10 may be used to conceal a container 50, such as a floor safe, a toolbox, a cabinet, a file cabinet or the like, or a portion thereof. The cover 10, or a portion of the cover 10 (e.g., an access portion 20, etc.), may be positioned at least partially over one or more distinguishing features 52 of the container 50 and/or over at least a portion of a surface 60 by or through which access to an interior of the container 50 is accessed. One or more securing elements 30 may engage the container 50 or (a) corresponding feature(s) on or of the container 50 to at least partially hold the cover 10 in place over its corresponding surface(s) of the container 50. With the cover 10 in place, the identity of the container 50 may be at least partially concealed. In embodiments where the cover 10 includes a design 12′, 12″ (FIGS. 4 and 5), the design 12′, 12″ may further conceal the identity of the container 50.
When access to the interior of the container 50 is desired, the cover 10 or a portion thereof (e.g., the access portion 20, etc.) may be at least partially removed from the container 50 to expose an area of the container 50 by or through which such access may be obtained. In the embodiment depicted by FIGS. 1 through 3, and as shown in FIG. 3, one or more securing elements 21 on the access portion 20 may be released and the access portion 20 may be lifted and, optionally, simultaneously folded or rolled to reveal a surface 60 by or through which the interior of the container 50 may be accessed. The container 50 may then be opened to provide access to its interior 56.
Once access to the interior 56 of the container 50 is no longer needed, the container 50 may be closed and the cover 10, or a portion thereof, may be replaced over at least a portion of the container 50 to re-conceal it.
With reference to FIG. 4, another embodiment of cover 110 is illustrated. Cover 110 is configured to be positioned over and to completely conceal a single surface 60 (FIG. 3) of a container 50 (FIG. 3), while merely engaging portions of other surfaces of the container 50. More specifically, the cover 110 shown in FIG. 4 includes a concealment panel 120 with a top attachment strip 124 and a pair of side attachment strips 126.
The top attachment strip 124 may include a central portion 124 c that is continuous with or secured to (e.g., sewn to, etc.) a top edge of the concealment panel 120. When the concealment panel 120 is positioned over a surface 60 (FIG. 3) of a container 50 (FIG. 3) (e.g., a door of a safe, etc.), the central portion 124 c of the top attachment strip 124 may fold over onto a portion of an adjacent surface of the container 50 (e.g., onto a portion of a top edge of a safe, etc.). Securing elements 21 on the central portion 124 c of the top attachment strip 124 (e.g., magnets, etc.) may secure the central portion 124 c to its corresponding surface of the container 50.
The top attachment strip 124 may additionally include end flaps 124 e on opposite sides of the central portion 124 c. Each end flap 124 e may be configured to extend beyond an edge of the surface of the container 50 over which the central portion 124 c of the top attachment strip is configured to be positioned. Accordingly, each end flap 124 e may be configured to fold over onto another surface of the container 50, which surface may be adjacent to both the surface 60 (FIG. 3) over which the concealment panel 120 is positioned and the adjacent surface to which the central portion 124 c of the top attachment strip 124 has been secured (e.g., a front, top portion of a side of a safe, etc.). Each end flap 124 e may be secured in place to the container 60 by one or more suitable securing elements 21. When the cover 110 is laid flat—the orientation shown in FIG. 3—each end flap 124 e may be positioned adjacent to, but be separate from, the top edge of a corresponding side attachment strip 126.
The side attachment strips 126 may, as depicted by FIG. 4, be located on opposite sides of the concealment panel 120 of the cover 110. Each side attachment strip 126 may comprise a side portion of the concealment panel 120, or it may be secured to (e.g., sewn to, etc.) a corresponding side edge of the concealment panel 120. In any event, when the concealment panel 120 is positioned over a surface 60 (FIG. 3) of a container 50 (FIG. 3) (e.g., a door of a safe, etc.), each side attachment strip 126 may be folded over onto a portion of an adjacent surface of the container (e.g., onto a front portion of a corresponding side surface of the safe, etc.). One or more suitable securing elements 21 may secure each side attachment strip 126 to its corresponding surface of the container 50.
Collectively, the top attachment strip 124 and the side attachment strips 126 may secure the cover 110 to a container 50 (FIG. 3), and secure the concealment panel 120 of the cover 110 in place over the surface 60 (FIG. 3) of the container 50. In some embodiments, the cover 110 may include a design, like those illustrated by FIGS. 5 and 6, which may, in some embodiments, impart a container 50 with the appearance of one or more other items, which may further conceal the container 50.
In some embodiments, a cover may lack a top or sides. Such a cover may simply comprise a single panel that has a shape and dimensions that enable it to cover and conceal the identity of one surface (e.g., a door, etc.) of a container, as well as securing elements for holding the panel in place on the surface of the container.
Although the foregoing description sets forth many specifics, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of any of the claims, but merely as providing illustrations of some embodiments and variations of elements or features of the disclosed subject matter. Other embodiments of the disclosed subject matter may be devised which do not depart from the spirit or scope of any of the claims. Features from different embodiments may be employed in combination. Accordingly, the scope of each claim is limited only by its plain language and the legal equivalents thereto.

Claims

What is claimed:

1. A cover for a container, comprising:

a concealment portion for concealing an identity of a container, the concealment portion comprising a pliable material and configured to be positioned over at least one of:

a distinguishing feature of the container; and

a surface by or through an interior of the container is accessible;

a top portion configured to be positioned over a top surface of the container, a front edge of the top portion secured to or continuous with a top edge of the concealment portion;

side portions on opposite sides of the concealment portion and configured to be placed adjacent to side surfaces of the container, a top edge of each side portion secured to or continuous with a corresponding side edge of the top portion; and

a back portion configured to be placed adjacent to a back surface of the container, a top edge of the back portion secured to or continuous with a rear edge of the top portion, each side edge of the back portion secured to or continuous with a rear edge of a corresponding side portion.

2. The cover of claim 1, wherein the concealment portion is configured to be rolled or folded.

3. The cover of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one securing element for securing the cover to the container.

4. The cover of claim 3, wherein the at least one securing element is located at a front edge of the top portion.

5. The cover of claim 3, wherein at least one securing element is located at a front edge of each side portion.

6. The cover of claim 3, wherein at least one securing element is located adjacent to each side edge of the concealment portion.

7. The cover of claim 6, wherein the at least one securing element located adjacent to each side edge of the concealment portion is configured to secure the side edge to a corresponding side portion.

8. The cover of claim 1, further comprising:

a design on at least the concealment portion.

9. The cover of claim 8, wherein the design further conceals the identity of the container.

10. The cover of claim 9, wherein the design imparts the cover with an appearance of at least one object other than the container.

11. The cover of claim 1, wherein the concealment portion, the top portion, the side portions and the back portion are formed from a material that is fire-resistant, water-resistant and/or thermally insulative.

12. A cover for a container, comprising:

a concealment portion for concealing an identity of a container, the concealment portion configured to be positioned over at least one of:

a distinguishing feature of the container; and

a surface by or through an interior of the container is accessible,

the concealment portion comprising a pliable material.

13. The cover of claim 12, further comprising:

a top portion configured to be positioned over a top surface of the container, a front edge of the top portion secured to or continuous with a top edge of the concealment portion.

14. The cover of claim 12, further comprising:

a pair of side portions on opposite sides of the concealment portion and configured to be placed adjacent to side surfaces of the container.

15. The cover of claim 14, wherein a first side edge of the concealment portion is secured to or continuous with a front edge of a first side portion of the pair of side portions and a second side edge of the concealment portion is separate from a front edge of a second side portion of the pair of side portions.

16. The cover of claim 15, further comprising:

at least one securing element at or adjacent to the second side edge of the concealment portion to enable the second side edge to be selectively secured in place relative to the front edge of the second side portion.

17. The cover of claim 12, further comprising:

a pair of lateral extensions, a lateral extension of the pair extending backward beyond each side edge of the concealment portion.

18. The cover of claim 17, further comprising:

at least one securing element at or adjacent to a rear edge of each lateral extension of the pair of lateral extensions to enable the second side edge to be selectively secured in place relative to the container.

19. The cover of claim 17, further comprising:

at least one design on the concealment portion and the pair of lateral extensions.

20. The cover of claim 19, wherein the at least one design is configured to further conceal the identity of the container.

21. A method for securely storing items, comprising:

placing at least one valuable item in a container; and

concealing an outer appearance of the container.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein concealing the outer appearance of the container comprises placing a cover over the container.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein placing the cover over the container comprises placing a cover with an appearance of another item over the container.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

lifting a front panel of the cover away from a front of the container to reveal the container; and

resting the front panel of the cover on top of the container.