As an engineer, I’m constantly thinking about solutions to problems I encounter in my life and in the world around me.
Several years ago, I heard about one of the many recent school shootings that occurred in the United States. I believed there had to be a way to keep firearms in a safe and secure place, without compromising quick access for the gun owner in an emergency.
I began thinking about different solutions, and after months of research, prototypes and testing, my team and I had invented The GunBox.
Until The GunBox, gun owners had to decide if they wanted their gun to be safe from children and others, or easily accessible in a time of need. They couldn’t have both. Many gun safes have combination locks or keys that take time to open. In an emergency, shaky hands and adrenaline can greatly increase the time it takes to open a safe. Those who wanted quick access often put their handgun in a drawer or under the mattress: places where a child could find the firearm and potentially hurt himself or herself or someone else.
I designed The GunBox to overcome this challenge. Gun owners can rest assured that the aircraft grade aluminum shell and carefully designed opening mechanism will keep their gun safe from curious hands, while also allowing the owner to gain access to the gun within seconds of an emergency. This is accomplished through RFID technology that opens The GunBox with a swipe of the hand (through a wristband or RFID sticker). I also added a fingerprint scanner to two of the three The GunBox options as an additional method of opening The GunBox.
I knew going in that The GunBox would have to be tough. I know from experience that kids can get into just about anything. One of my sons opened a can of paint and sent it careening down the stairs. The result was a very blue staircase and child. Another one of my sons climbed fifteen feet up a tree in about 30 seconds after I turned my back to take a phone call. Kids are curious, so I designed The GunBox to keep them out.
We have tested the strength and toughness of the GunBox. I even let my sons get in on the action. You can see some of the stress tests we conducted in our video here: http://bit.ly/1eH4Iel. If you watch the video you will also see a picture of the paint and my boy in a tree. Along with the strength, I also added an alert feature to The GunBox that produces a loud alarm if The GunBox is moved. If your son or daughter gets curious and plays with The GunBox, the loud alarm will quickly discourage them from continuing and alert you to their actions.
I have had people tell me that you can’t sell life insurance to a man until he turns 45 and you won’t be able to sell The GunBox to an individual until he is old enough to care about safety. I personally believe that you can’t place a price on security, but during the development of The GunBox, I felt that if I made it super nice looking, even those not thinking of safety would find the design appealing. Whenever I search for gun safes, all I find are unattractive, bulky containers. I believe The GunBox will keep your firearm safe from little hands and will fit the decor of any home.
For more information about the GunBox, head to our website: www.thegunbox.com.
Connect with Us!
Engage with us on Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1baW06g
Follow us on Twitter: http://bit.ly/1iIJ4qN
- Ryan Hyde, CEO The Gunbox, LLC
