FR3050754A1 - THERMAL ATTACK DEVICE - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for the protection against theft or attempted theft of values and / or valuable objects, consisting of a container comprising at least one means for thermal attack of said values and / or objects, at least one means of maculation thereof, and at least one means for triggering said thermal etching and maculation means capable of initiating a procedure for securing said values and / or objects when an attack of the container is detected, remarkable in that said thermal etching means is capable of generating a reversible deterioration of the physicochemical properties of at least one constituent of each of said values by causing an increase in the internal temperature of said container during a time interval tm up to a temperature of Attack Ta in the range extending between the lowest state transition temperature of the set of higher state transition temperatures the ambient temperature of the various constituents of the said values, and the lowest irreversible degradation temperature among all the irreversible degradation temperatures of the various constituents of the said values, the said maculation means being able to interact during the time interval tm with at least said altered constituent, said protection means generating an alteration which preserves the means for identifying said a posteriori values.

Description

Technical area

The present invention relates to the field of devices for protection against break-ins or attempted break-ins of a secure container containing valuables and / or valuables. The invention relates more particularly to a device combining two principles of value protection, on the one hand by thermal etching and on the other hand by smearing.

Prior art

Evidently, the evoked values and / or valuables consist of at least one base material, most often coated with an outer protective layer, for example in the form of a varnish. Such an outer protective layer makes it possible to ensure the durability of the values and / or documents, in particular by guaranteeing good resistance to water and dirt.

In most cases, the values that we seek to protect are fiduciary values (paper money, banknotes) that can be of the "paper", "polymer" or "hybrid" type, or official documents such as certificates. Their appearance is therefore that of leaves. In this case, the evoked values consist of a stack of layers: base layer, opacifying layer, security layer, printed ink, etc.

For a question of semantics, in the following of this document, in the case of values whose general appearance is that of a sheet, a "layer" is assimilated to a material (a constituent) global in its own right (for example , the printing ink, although composed of multiple components, is seen as a single material).

In order to protect such values and / or valuables, current devices use techniques of irreversibly degrading them by burning them thermally or chemically (for example with the aid of acids or strong bases), or staining them.

Thus known devices, as described for example in the patent application W01998010163A1, equipped with explosive systems or heating circuits which, once triggered will burn the values, the heat generated may exceed 1000 ° C. Such solutions are particularly effective, but have a major disadvantage, since they make it impossible to identify and / or later reuse damaged values, which can for example affect the compensation of the owner of said values by his insurance. Other devices use substances that can durably mark the values and / or objects targeted, leaving at least one primary deposit (the substance is absorbed or is directly attached to the object, without modification of its nature) or secondary (the substance reacts on contact with the object to be stained, and smearing is done through the product of the reaction). In all cases, it is important that the values and / or objects to be stained have a sufficient capacity for absorption of said smearing substances.

When valuables are jewels for example, the use of a smearing substance alone is not suitable because it has no effect. Devices capable of suddenly forming a coherent protection medium around such valuable objects are currently available, and are intended to prohibit or at least make it difficult to access objects when the container has been forced. Nevertheless, it is still possible for the thief to take the time and the means necessary to access said objects.

The protection techniques previously mentioned are usually used separately, since for example there is little use of staining burnt and / or fragmented residues. Also, it is understood that the presence of a protective layer and / or polymer affects the use of staining substances to protect said values and / or objects. Indeed, said protective layer confers inter alia a smoother finish on the surface of the values and / or objects, as well as, most often, properties of hydrophobicity and / or lipophobicity. As a result, the smearing substances are less effective, or at least the time required for their satisfactory effect to be lengthened. This is a real disadvantage when one seeks to protect values and / or objects effectively and quickly against external aggression.

To overcome these drawbacks, WO2013127715A2 is known which relates to security documents partially covered with a protective varnish and comprising one or more untreated areas. With such documents, a smearing substance can easily be introduced into the document at the level of the unglazed areas. However, the varnishing step of such documents is complex, which can cause manufacturing defects, and necessarily implies an additional cost to the production.

Presentation of the invention

The present invention aims to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks by proposing a device associating different means for protecting values and / or valuable objects. These are placed in a container which is then closed. The protection against possible aggressions (attempted break-in, theft) is ensured by the combined action of a smearing substance and a thermal attack. The invention thus relates to a device for the protection against theft or attempted theft of values and / or valuable objects, consisting of a container comprising at least one means for thermal attack of said values and / or objects, at least one means for staining them, and at least one means for triggering said thermal etching and staining means capable of initiating a procedure for securing said values and / or objects when an attack of the container is detected, remarkable in that said thermal etching means is adapted to generate a reversible deterioration of at least one constituent of each of said values by causing an increase in the internal temperature of said container to an attack temperature Ta in the range s extending between the lowest state transition temperature of the set of state transition temperatures above room temperature of the various constituents of said values, and the lowest irreversible degradation temperature among all irreversible degradation temperatures of the various constituents of said values, said staining means being able to interact with at least said altered constituent, said protection means generating an alteration which preserves means for identifying said values a posteriori.

The term "state transition temperature" means the temperature from which at least one layer constituting said values and / or objects has its physicochemical properties (elasticity, permeability, solubility / sensitivity to solvents, etc.) significantly modified. , reversibly, said layer being able to retain its shape, its appearance beyond said state transition temperature in the absence of mechanical stresses and to recover its original properties once the temperature at which it is exposed will be lowered below said state transition temperature.

The term "irreversible degradation temperature" the temperature from which at least one layer constituting said values and / or objects sees its physico-chemical properties irremediably changed and / or is itself visibly irremediably changed, for example because it is melted, dislocated or calcined and therefore will not regain its original shape and / or properties simply by cooling once the thermal attack is complete.

Said smearing substance may, depending on the variant used, be independent (means separate from the means dedicated to the thermal attack, and acting simultaneously or not to the latter), or combined with said thermal attack means (single means ensuring the two functions : thermal attack and smearing). In all cases, there is synergy between the two means, the means at the origin of the thermal attack allowing a better marking of the values by the means of maculation.

Moreover, the mode of action and / or the course of said thermal attack and / or smearing are provided in such a way as not to cause difficulties in identifying values and / or valuables afterwards when they are found. by the authorities or by their owner, that is to say once the implementation of said means of protection is completed and the values and / or objects are again at room temperature. The thermal attack is controlled so as to weaken at least one of the constituent layers of each of the values to be protected.

By thermal attack is meant to subject the values to be protected to a rise in temperature, by contact or remotely. The thermal attack can result from: - a chemical reaction between several compounds present in the chamber, independently of the materials constituting the values, - a chemical reaction between at least one compound present in the chamber and the constituent materials of the values themselves, - the putting into operation of a physical means such as a heating resistor.

Advantageously, in the first two previous cases, the one or more compounds are initially contained in one or more separate tanks, the contents of which are expelled, simultaneously or not, into the container via the triggering means, following the detection of a breaking in.

The triggering means comprise at least one means for detecting a possible attempted break-in.

By reversible alteration is meant that the values are subjected to a rise in temperature during a given time interval tm during which the properties of at least one of the constituent layers are modified (chemical, mechanical, permeability properties). , intramolecular ..,), then during cooling said values return to their initial properties.

Preferably, said staining means is chosen so as to avoid or limit its release by the values once these are returned to ambient temperature.

According to certain variants of the invention, said maculation means is capable of interacting with at least one constituent material of said values, that is to say that it is capable of penetrating, binding and / or reacting at least in and or with said constituent material.

According to other preferred variants, said maculation means is able to interact with at least the altered constituent material (with at least the altered layer or layers) of said values, that is to say that it is able to penetrate, bonding and / or reacting at least in and / or with the altered constituent material (s) (with at least the altered layer (s)).

Even more preferably, said staining means is able to interact with at least the altered constituent material of said values during the time interval tm. Nevertheless, a maculation means able to interact at any time (before and / or during and / or after the thermal attack taking place during the time interval tm) with at least one constitutive material (altered or not) of said values is possible.

Said thermal etching means and said maculation means are selected so as to act synergistically, i.e., the thermal etching facilitates the permeation of the staining means in said altered layer and / or allows the means maculation to cross or at least partially eliminate the barrier that is the altered layer to reach and smudge the more internal layers or values.

In the case where said thermal attack means does not come into contact with said values and / or objects, the thermal radiation it produces reaches them and is sufficient to induce the desired effects.

The maculation means has, for example, kinetics of action (penetration into the values, chemical reaction, etc.) improved compared with its isolated action, and / or its action is controllable because of the synergy that it maintains with said means. thermal attack.

The term "controllable kinetics" means that the choice of an attack temperature Ta given, for example by the election of a particular ratio between the chemical compounds involved in the thermal attack means, or by the selection of a particular intensity / voltage pair in the physical heat-etching means enables the prediction and control of the kinetics of action of the staining means. There is thus a control and / or regulation of the staining means by the thermal attack means.

In the case where the values and / or objects to be protected are constituted at least in part by one or more polymers, the state transition temperature advantageously corresponds to the glass transition temperature, and the irreversible degradation temperature advantageously corresponds, if relevant (eg in the case of semi-crystalline polymers), at the melting temperature (liquid flow). At such a temperature (or in such a temperature range) a polymer is in its rubbery state, in which its chains appear flexible (local mobility) but the flow is prohibited. In this state, the properties of the polymer (for example its permeability, its sorption capacity) are modified, compared with the vitreous state. The transition from the vitreous state to the rubbery state is reversible, especially in the absence of external mechanical stresses.

Advantageously, said thermal attack means makes it possible to bring the internal temperature of said container with an attack temperature Ta in a range from 50 ° C. to 150 ° C., and preferably 80 to 130 ° C.

Advantageously, in the target temperature range (and thus also at the temperature reached), at least one layer of said values and / or objects becomes more sensitive to the action of the staining means and / or sees its chemical properties and / or evolve (reversibly) under the influence of temperature rise.

Depending on the variant chosen, the device is parameterized during manufacture, upstream of its use or can be parameterized via a parameter setting device. In the latter case, the user can set one or more variables among which: the attack temperature, the quantity of products released in the container, in order to better adapt the protection conditions of the values and / or objects to be protected .

Preferably, when on the one hand the user knows the properties and / or materials of said values and on the other hand the device is adjustable, the target temperature range can be adjusted to selectively affect one or more particular layers of said values and / or objects.

Moreover, whatever the variant of the invention, in the temperature range referred values and / or objects are subjected to thermal attack and / or smearing that do not interfere with their identification a posteriori. For this, said protection means generate an alteration which preserves the identification means of said values such as: inscriptions, serial numbers, transparency zones, etc.

According to a first preferred main variant of the invention, said maculation means is in the liquid state, and chosen for example (in a non-limiting manner) from the group comprising indelible dyes, the solutions comprising odorous, biological, fluorescent markers or nanoparticles.

According to a second main variant of the invention, said maculation means is in the gaseous state, and consists for example of a suspension of markers in an oxygenated gas mixture.

According to secondary sub-variants of said device, the thermal etching means is a physical means and comprises for example at least one conductive element, capable of generating heat, connected to at least one power supply source.

In other secondary subvariants of said device, said thermal etching means is of a chemical nature, and comprises at least one reagent capable of being involved in an exothermic chemical reaction. In ternary sub-variants employing chemical etching means, the exothermic reaction occurs when said heat etching means is contacted with said staining means.

Advantageously and preferably, when there is an exothermic reaction, this is the result of a polymerization reaction. It may be a polycondensation or preferably a chain polymerization. A particularly preferred example of a polymerase chain reaction is reacting one or more polyols with one or more isocyanates to obtain a polyurethane foam.

In general (and also in the particular case of obtaining polyurethane), such a polymerization reaction is advantageously employed in a device according to the invention, not only by its exothermic nature, but also because the obtained product forms a coherent medium able to solidify around the values (in contact with them or not) and constitutes an additional means (in addition to thermal etching and staining) for protecting said values and / or objects.

As an alternative to carrying out a polymerization reaction, the use of chemically incompatible reagents can be envisaged in order to obtain the desired exothermic reaction. For example, an aqueous compound can be used in combination with oxides, strong acids or bases, or an alcohol / acid combination such as methanol / nitric acid.

Another possibility is the use of a cyanoacrylate / activator combination.

According to the variant envisaged for the invention, said thermal attack means, or the product resulting from a reaction implementing it, can be kept apart, for example in a specific compartment in the case of liquid products or gaseous, or separated from a safety distance in the case of a physical medium, so that on the one hand it does not come into contact with the values to be protected and on the other hand the values are subject to the thermal radiation released.

For this, by way of non-limiting example, the device may have a distribution circuit of the staining means. Thus, a first quantity of said staining means can be brought into contact with the values on the one hand, and a second quantity can be brought into contact with said thermal attack means independently. The opposite option (distribution circuit of the thermal attack means) is also conceivable.

The means for triggering the thermal etching and staining means are activated when an attempted burglary is detected at the container. As required, the use of a single trigger means or an individual trigger means for each means of protection values is possible.

Finally, in more elaborate variants of said device, when the one or more protective means are in liquid or gaseous form, the one or more means for triggering said thermal etching and staining means can synchronize the release in said container of the means of protection. values, or delay the successive release of said means. In the latter case, the thermal attack means is advantageously released first.

Possibility of industrial application

It is well understood that the device according to the invention makes it possible to protect values and / or objects against burglary and guarantees the preservation of an identification a posteriori.

Of course, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described; it embraces, on the contrary, all variants of implementation and application respecting the same principle.

Claims (10)

1 - Device for protection against theft or attempted theft of valuables and / or valuables, consisting of a container comprising at least one means of thermal attack of said values and / or objects, at least one staining means of these, and at least one triggering means of said thermal etching means and maculation capable of initiating a procedure for securing said values and / or objects when an attack of the container is detected, characterized in that said means of thermal attack is capable of generating a reversible alteration of the physico-chemical properties of at least one constituent of each of said values by causing an increase in the internal temperature of said container during a time interval tm up to an attack temperature Ta in the range extending between the lowest state transition temperature of the set of state transition temperatures above the temperature ambient temperature of the various constituents of said values, and the lowest irreversible degradation temperature among the set of irreversible degradation temperatures of the various constituents of said values, said staining means being able to interact during the time interval t ^ with least said corrupted component, said protection means generating an alteration which preserves the means for identifying said a posteriori values. 2 - Device for the protection of values according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said staining means is in the liquid state. 3 - Device for the protection of values according to claim 1, characterized in that said staining means is in the gaseous state. 4 - Device for the protection of values according to claim 1, characterized in that said thermal attack means is a physical means comprising at least one conductive element capable of generating heat, connected to at least one power source . 5 - Device for the protection of values according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said thermal attack means is of a chemical nature and comprises at least one reagent capable of being involved in an exothermic chemical reaction. 6 - Device for the protection of values according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said thermal attack means reacts in contact with the staining means. 7 - Device for the protection of values according to any one of claims 5 or 6, characterized in that the reaction is a polymerization reaction, and preferably a polymerization chain reaction. 8 - Device for the protection of values according to any one of claims 5 or 6, characterized in that the exothermic reaction is due to the chemical incompatibility of the reagents involved. 9 - Device for the protection of values according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said thermal attack means, or the product resulting from a reaction implementing it in the case of a thermal attack of a nature chemical, does not come into contact with the values to be protected. 10 - Device for the protection of values according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said thermal attack temperature Ta is between 50 ° C and 150 ° C and preferably between 80 and 130 ° C.