A SECURE CONTAINER FOR USE WITHIN GLOVE BOXES

At the request of the International Atomic Energy Agency, a Secure Container System (SCS) is being developed by Sandia National Laboratories to provide continuity of knowledge of safeguards items, such as Agency standard weights and safeguards samples, stored within glove boxes. Incorporated into the SCS is the Authenticated Item Monitoring System (AIMS), also developed by Sandia Laboratories. The SCS allows the user to determine if an object stored within the container has been accessed or whether there have been any attempts to tamper with the system. The two components of the system are the Secure Container (SC), which is located within the glove box, and a remote receiver, located outside but nearby the glove box. The SC is comprised of a small battery operated RF transmitter base unit, including a motion-detecting switch, and a secured cover, which fits over the base unit. The SC is made of chemical- and water- resistant material, to allow for use in a corrosive atmosphere. Authenticated data is stored in the receiver and is accessed through the use of a personal computer or a small printer. The computer interface allows the user to view, sort, and print data, while the printer interface gives a summary of alarm events for each SC.