Patron-accessible memorialization structures

Abstract

Memorialization structures, niches, and methods for manufacturing niches having a recess or cavity that is accessible after installation of the memorialization structures and/or post-burial or post-entombment of a deceased are generally described. In some embodiments, a memorialization niche may include a recess and a door configured to enclose the recess. The door may include a lock configured to prevent public access to the recess. A patron associated with the niche may unlock the door and access the recess. The patron may remove objects from and/or insert objects into the recess post-burial or -entombment of the deceased without disturbing the memorialization structure and/or adjacent memorialization structures and/or requiring a memorial operator to unseal the recess. Accordingly, the patron may continually update the personalization effects of a memorialization structure and achieve a dynamic memorial for the deceased while maintaining the security of any bodily remains and/or personal objects stored in the recess.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A memorialization structure comprising:
 a niche arranged on a surface of the memorialization structure, the niche comprising:
 a recess, 
 a door configured to enclose the recess, and 
 a lock configured to secure the door in a closed position enclosing the recess, the lock being configured to be unlocked via an unlocking mechanism to allow patron access to the recess post-entombment or post-burial of human bodily remains associated with the niche. 
   
     
     
         2 . The memorialization structure of  claim 1 , wherein the niche further comprises a niche surface configured to couple the niche to the memorialization structure. 
     
     
         3 . The memorialization structure of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one display component removably affixed to the niche. 
     
     
         4 . The memorialization structure of  claim 1 , wherein the niche is configured to overhang the surface of the memorialization structure. 
     
     
         5 . The memorialization structure of  claim 1 , wherein the niche is formed from bronze and a front surface of the door is formed from glass. 
     
     
         6 . The memorialization structure of  claim 1 , wherein the lock comprises at least one of an electronic keypad locking mechanism, a biometric locking mechanism, a voice-recognition locking mechanism, an iris-scanning locking mechanism, and a software-controlled locking mechanism. 
     
     
         7 . The memorialization structure of  claim 1 , further comprising an electronic media system coupled to the niche. 
     
     
         8 . The memorialization structure of  claim 1 , wherein the memorialization structure is formed as one of a grave stone, a grave marker, a crypt, a mausoleum, a columbarium, a burial vault, and a cremation niche. 
     
     
         9 . The memorialization structure of  claim 1 , wherein the memorialization structure is configured to store cremated human bodily remains entombed within the recess. 
     
     
         10 . The memorialization structure of  claim 1 , wherein the memorialization structure is configured to store non-cremated, full-body remains entombed within an entombment cavity arranged within the memorialization structure. 
     
     
         11 . A memorialization niche for installation on a surface of a memorialization structure, the memorialization niche comprising:
 a niche surface configured to be coupled to the surface of the memorialization surface;   a recess;   a door configured to enclose the recess; and   a lock configured to secure the door in a closed position enclosing the recess, the lock being configured to be unlocked via an unlocking mechanism to allow patron access to the recess post-entombment or post-burial of human bodily remains associated with the memorialization niche.   
     
     
         12 . The memorialization niche of  claim 11 , further comprising at least one display component removably affixed to the memorialization niche. 
     
     
         13 . The memorialization niche of  claim 11 , wherein the memorialization niche is configured to overhang the surface of the memorialization structure. 
     
     
         14 . The memorialization niche of  claim 11 , wherein the memorialization niche is formed from bronze and a front surface of the door is formed from glass. 
     
     
         15 . The memorialization niche of  claim 11 , wherein the lock comprises at least one of an electronic keypad locking mechanism, a biometric locking mechanism, a voice-recognition locking mechanism, and an iris-scanning locking mechanism, a software-controlled locking mechanism. 
     
     
         16 . A method of manufacturing a memorialization niche for installation on a surface of a memorialization structure, the method comprising:
 providing a niche surface configured to be coupled to the surface of the memorialization surface;   providing a recess;   affixing a door configured to enclose the recess to the niche surface; and   installing a lock configured on the door, the lock being configured to secure the door in a closed position enclosing the recess, the lock being configured to be unlocked via an unlocking mechanism to allow patron access to the recess post-entombment or post-burial of human bodily remains associated with the niche.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising providing a niche surface configured to couple the niche to the memorialization structure. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising providing at least one display component configured to be removably affixed to the memorialization niche. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising forming the memorialization to overhang the surface of the memorialization structure. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the lock comprises at least one of an electronic keypad locking mechanism, a biometric locking mechanism, a voice-recognition locking mechanism, and an iris-scanning locking mechanism, a software-controlled locking mechanism.