ANTI-THEFT DEVICE FOR COMPACT DISCS

Abstract: Anti-theft device for packed compact discs, comprising a sleeve of rigid material into which the box-type pack with the compact disc can be slid, said sleeve being provided with a lock for locking the box after it is slid into the sleeve, and said lock acting upon a recess in the box, and a signal emitter which can influence a detection system, which sleeve has at one of its flat sides an essentially U-shaped flat cover, one leg of which covers the lock, and at the other side has a rectangular cover which runs about halfway along a surface of that side.

Description: The invention relates to an anti-theft device for packed compact discs, comprising a sleeve of rigid material in which the box-type pack with the compact disc can be slid, said sleeve being provided with a lock for locking the box after it is slid into the sleeve, and said lock acting upon a recess in the box, and a signal emitter which can influence a detection system, which device comprises three side walls, a flat front wall and a rear wall. Such devices are known from EP-A-0 223 760 and are used, inter alia, in shops, department stores and the like, in order to prevent compact discs from being stolen. The packaging of a compact disc is generally a flat box made of rigid clear plastic. The label of the compact disc is generally fixed against the inside of the lid of the flat box and is held in place by tabs. For manufacturing reasons, apertures are provided under these tabs on the side walls of the box. The known device is designed as a rigid flat sleeve which is largely open, and into which the box with the compact disc can be slid, while the sleeve contains a locking mechanism which slots into one of the apertures of the box. The sleeve is provided on the inside with a signal emitter which makes it possible for a detection system at the exit of the shop or a department store to detect the passage of the sleeve with its contents. It has, however, been found that the known device does not entirely come up to standard. For example, due to the fact that the sleeve is completely open at one side and is open over most of the surface on the other side, it is possible to insert a screwdriver or the like between the box of the compact disc and the sleeve in order to break the lock in this way. The lock can also be broken from the outside of the sleeve using pliers or the like. The object of the invention is to produce a device which does not have these disadvantages. The device according to the invention is characterized in that said front wall is formed as an essentially U-shaped flat cover, one leg of which covers the lock, and the rear wall is formed as a rectangular flat cover which runs about halfway along a surface of that side and covers the opposite side of the lock. The leg of the essentially U-shaped flat cover has the special effect of protecting the lock, for example from the insertion, by an unauthorized person, of a screwdriver or any other kind of tool between the box of the compact disc and a sidewall to open or brake the lock. The large front wall protects also the lock. Other features will emerge from the description which follows and from the subclaims. The invention will be explained in greater detail with reference to the drawing, in which: Fig. 1 is a top view of the device according to the invention, in fig. 3 seen from the left; Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the device, in fig. 3 seen from the right; Fig. 3 is a cross section along the line III-III of fig. 1 or 2; and Fig. 4 is a cross section of the lock, on a larger scale. The device according to the invention is in the form of a flat sleeve and is made in a known manner of rigid clear plastic. The rear wall is indicated by 1, the front wall by 2, the side walls by 3, and the strips connecting the parallel side walls 3 to each other at front and back by 4 and 5. In the drawing the compact disc (not shown) with its pack is slid from the bottom into the sleeve between the strips 4 and 5. In practice, the sleeve will generally be arranged flat. Both the rear wall 1 and the front wall 2 are a flat U shape, one leg of which always extends past the lock, which is accommodated in a protuberance 6 of one of the side walls. The rear wall 1 is made up of the already mentioned U-shaped part 1a, but also has a part 1b which makes the rear wall 1 into a rectangle. The lock comprises a locking catch 7, which has a slanting run-on face 7a. A metal bush 8, loaded by a coil spirng 9, is connected thereto. When a compact disc in its pack is slid into the sleeve the catch 7 is pressed outwards by the slanting run-on face 7a. On further movement of the compact disc the catch 7 falls into a recess provided in the pack. A special magnet is the only method of moving the catch 7 outwards against the action of the spring 9. Only authorized persons have such a magnet. In order to prevent a thief from trying to break the lock with pliers or the like, the walls of the protuberance 6 are slanted, and ribs 6a are also provided. Due to the special shape of rear wall 1 and front wall 2, the lock is not accessible by means of a screwdriver or the like either. In order to prevent the sleeve from acquiring a scratched and dull surface through repeated use, and in order to prevent the signalling medium from being damaged by the box, the sleeve can be provided with low lobes or ribs on the inside (not shown).

Claims: Anti-theft device for packed compact discs, comprising a sleeve of rigid material in which the box-type pack with the compact disc can be slid, said sleeve being provided with a lock for locking the box after it is slid into the sleeve, and said lock acting upon a recess in the box, and a signal emitter which can influence a detection system, which device comprises three side walls (3), a flat front wall (2) and a rear wall (1), characterized in that said front wall (2) is formed as an essentially U-shaped flat cover, one leg of which covers the lock, and the rear wall (1) is formed as a rectangular flat cover which runs about halfway along a surface of that side and covers the opposite side of the lock. Anti-theft device according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing of the lock is provided with slanting faces on the outside of the sleeve. Anti-theft device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the housing of the lock is provided with ribs on the outside of the sleeve. Anti-theft device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sleeve is provided with low lobes and/or ribs on the inside.

Inventors: ANGEL, WILLEM, DE NOOD, CORNELIS SIMON ADRIAAN
Applicants: ID SYSTEMS PRODUCTIE B.V.
Application year: 1988
Main classification: E05B73
IPC codes: E05B73