Portable fire and heat resistant storage unit for electronic media

Abstract

A fire and heat resistant storage unit for housing electronic media includes a core body portion of heat resistant material surrounded by an outer shell. An opening in a bottom wall of the outer shell allows a user access to a housing unit that is placed in the core body portion. A locking cap seals off the opening in the outer shell and a handle attached to the outer shell aids a user in flipping the storage unit from an access position in which a user can access the housing, to a storage or in-use position in which the bottom wall is directly adjacent a relatively planar support surface. Such a configuration significantly increases the fire and heat resistance of the storage unit and allows electronic media to be stored safely without being damaged.

1 . A fire and heat resistant storage unit for storing electronic media comprising: 
 a body portion formed at least in part by calcium silicate having top, bottom and multiple opposing side walls, the bottom wall including a storage cavity formed substantially centrally therein;    a housing including a bottom portion, at least one side portion and a lip portion opposite the bottom portion that establishes an access opening, said housing extending into the storage cavity of the body portion with the access opening being exposed;    an outer shell having top, bottom and multiple opposing side walls that collectively encase the body portion, said outer shell including a substantially central opening formed in the bottom wall and leading into the housing; and    a cap adapted to extend across and close the access opening of the housing, the cap being formed, at least in part, by a material selected from the group consisting of: calcium silicate, vermiculite, perlite, and a combination thereof, wherein, when electronic media is placed in the housing, the access opening of the housing is closed by the cap, the bottom wall of the storage enclosure is supported upon a substantially planar support surface, and the storage enclosure is subjected to high temperatures developed by a fire, a temperature in the housing does not exceed 125 degrees Fahrenheit (52 degrees Celsius) for at least 30 minutes.    
   
   
       2 . The storage unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing fits snugly within the storage cavity of the body portion.  
   
   
       3 . The storage unit according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a first rim formed about the periphery of the storage cavity, wherein the lip portion is positioned adjacent the rim.    
   
   
       4 . The storage unit according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a second rim formed about the periphery of the storage cavity, wherein a stepped portion of the housing is positioned adjacent the second rim.    
   
   
       5 . The storage unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing is formed of plastic.  
   
   
       6 . The storage unit according to  claim 5 , wherein the outer shell is formed of sheet metal.  
   
   
       7 . The storage unit according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a handle attached to one of the multiple opposing side walls of the outer shell.    
   
   
       8 . The storage unit according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a locking mechanism carried by the cap for selectively securing the cap to the body portion.    
   
   
       9 . The storage unit according to  claim 8 , wherein the locking mechanism includes at least one locking pin extending into the body portion.  
   
   
       10 . The storage unit according to  claim 1  wherein, upon exposing the enclosure to high temperatures developed by a fire, a humidity level in the housing does not exceed 80 percent for up to 30 minutes.  
   
   
       11 . A method of storing electronic media in a fire and heat resistant storage unit comprising: 
 positioning the storage unit, which includes an outer shell encasing an internal body portion formed from a fire resistant material, in an access position wherein a removable cap, formed at least in part from a fire resistant material selected from the group consisting of: calcium silicate, vermiculite, perlite, and a combination thereof, is exposed along a bottom wall of the storage unit;    removing the cap from a central opening formed in the bottom wall of the outer shell in order to expose an access opening in a housing positioned in a storage cavity formed substantially centrally in the internal body portion;    placing electronic media into the housing through the central opening and the access opening;    closing the access opening in the housing by replacing the cap across the central opening formed in the bottom wall; and    flipping the storage unit from the access position to a storage position in which the bottom wall of the outer shell is placed against and supported on a substantially planar support surface, wherein upon exposing the storage unit to high temperatures developed by a fire, a temperature in the housing is prevented from exceeding 125 degrees Fahrenheit (52 degrees Celsius) for at least 30 minutes.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 utilizing a handle attached to one of multiple opposing side walls of the outer shell to flip the unit from the access position to the storage position.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 securing the cap to the outer shell using a locking mechanism.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the cap is secured to the outer shell with at least one locking pin of the locking mechanism extending into the internal body portion.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein placing the electronic media into the housing constitutes placing the electronic media in a plastic housing.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein, upon exposing the storage unit to the high temperatures developed by a fire, a humidity level in the housing does not exceed 80 percent for up to 30 minutes.  
   
   
       17 . A method of forming and arranging a fire resistant enclosure for storing electronic media comprising: 
 forming a body from a fire resistant material including calcium silicate, while creating a region in the body which is void of the fire resistant material and includes a first rim;    positioning a plastic insert in the region, said plastic insert including a bottom portion, a side portion and a lip portion that defines an access opening to a housing created by the bottom and side portions;    covering the body with an outer shell including top, bottom and multiple opposing side walls, while aligning a substantially central opening formed in the bottom wall of the outer shell with the access opening of the plastic insert;    placing electronic media into the housing of the plastic insert through the aligned central and access openings;    closing the access opening with a cap member formed, at least in part, from a fire resistant material selected from the group consisting of: calcium silicate, vermiculite, perlite, and a combination thereof; and    placing the bottom wall of the outer shell and cap member on a supporting surface wherein, upon exposing the enclosure to high temperatures developed by a fire, a temperature in the storage cavity does not exceed 125° F. (52° C.) for at least 30 minutes.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the enclosure is formed and arranged such that, upon exposing the enclosure to high temperatures developed by a fire, the temperature in the storage cavity does not exceed 125° F. (52° C.) and a humidity level in the storage cavity does not exceed 80 percent for up to 30 minutes.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 positioning the plastic insert with the lip portion adjacent the first rim.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 positioning the plastic insert with a stepped portion of the plastic insert adjacent a second rim located about the periphery of the first rim.