Abstract:
The present invention provides a security device for attachment to an electrical cord. The device includes a housing assembly having an exterior housing and an interior housing. The interior housing having means to securely attach the plug inside the interior housing. The device also includes an exterior housing for inwardly receiving the interior housing and the attached plug. The interior housing snap locks into the exterior housing to provide a locking non-removable engagement therewith. Additionally, the housing has means to provide a tight engagement of the plug with the housing assembly.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/688,181, filed on Jun. 7, 2005, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to a security device for electrical cord, more particularly to an electronic surveillance (EAS) security device securably attached to a plug of an electronic device.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     It is widely known to provide electronic surveillance (EAS) devices for theft deterrence. EAS devices may be placed on or attached to in various manners, to products which are susceptible to theft. Such products may include an electronic device or equipment having a means such as a plug to connect to a power supply. There has been an ongoing problem of securing these electronic devices from easy and quick theft. This problem is typically being solved by various locking arrangements. Many of these devices can be easily seen and removed thereby defeating the purpose of the device.  
         [0004]     Therefore, a need exists to provide an anti-theft device that is securely locked to the electronic device without the consumer being aware that the device is being protected.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     A security device for attachment to a plug of an electrical cord having a housing assembly. The housing assembly includes an interior housing for accommodating the plug. The interior housing includes an inwardly directed spring fingers. The assembly further includes an exterior housing for inwardly receiving the interior housing and the attached plug. The interior housing is non-removably engaged with the exterior housing. The exterior housing includes an internally directed ledges for forcing the spring fingers of the interior housing into locking engagement with the plug. The device additionally includes an EAS device supported within the assembly. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the security device of the present invention with an electric cord.  
         [0007]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a typical electrical cord.  
         [0008]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  are perspective views, respectively, of the outer and inner view of the interior housing.  
         [0009]      FIGS. 3C and 3D  are perspective views, respectively, of the outer and inner view of the exterior housing.  
         [0010]      FIG. 4A  is a perspective view of the rear portion of the housing device.  
         [0011]      FIG. 4B  is a cross-section plan view of the housing device taken along line  4 B- 4 B of  FIG. 4A . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0012]     Referring now to  FIG. 1  of the present invention, there is shown a security device  10  attached to an electric cord plug with a power cord.  
         [0013]     The device  10  includes a housing assembly  30  having an exterior housing and an interior housing. The device  10  is preferably shaped as a typical “mail box” with an open face and a cavity formed in the device  10 .  
         [0014]     The cord plug  20  as shown in  FIG. 2  typically contains three prongs  20   a ,  20   b  and  20   c  with two parallel prongs  20   a  and  20   b  as shown. The cord and plug are of conventional construction. The cord plug  20  is plugged into the cavity of the housing  30  as will be described in greater detail below.  
         [0015]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  show an exterior housing  30   a  with an outer and inner view respectively.  
         [0016]     The exterior housing  30   a  is preferably made of plastic and is clear in color. The exterior housing  30   a  includes an open face  31   a  and a cavity  31   b  formed in the exterior housing and further sized and shaped to accommodate the interior housing  30   b  within its cavity  31   b . The exterior housing  30   a  includes a pair of the oppositely directed, internally directed ledges  32  as can be clearly seen in the inner view  FIG. 3   b  of the exterior housing  30   a . The exterior housing  30   a  further includes an aperture  33  extending outwards at its back wall. The aperture  33  is sized and shaped to snap lock the interior housing  30   b  as is described in greater detail hereinbelow.  
         [0017]     Now referring to  FIGS. 3C and 3D , there is shown a perspective view of the interior housing  30   b  with an outer and inner view, respectively.  
         [0018]     The interior housing  30   b  is also preferably made of plastic. The interior housing  30   b  is shaped and sized to fit into the exterior housing  30   a . The interior housing  30   b  cavity also includes an open face  31   c  and a cavity  31   d  formed in the housing  30   b . The interior housing  30   b  includes a pair of inwardly directed spring fingers  34  from the side walls  31   e  and  31   f  of interior housing  30   b  and resiliently pivotal extending therefrom. The spring fingers are engaged with the two parallel prongs  20   a  and  20   b  of the plug upon insertion. As seen clearly in the inner view of the interior housing  FIG. 3B , the spring finger  34  further includes inwardly directed pins  35 .  
         [0019]     Certain typical plugs  20  as shown in  FIG. 2  may preferably include indentations or apertures  21   a  and  21   b  on the parallel prongs  20   a  and  20   b  respectively. Upon insertion of the plug  20 , the spring fingers  34  engage with the parallel prongs,  20   a  and  20   b  and the pins  35  snap directly into the indentations  21   a  and  21   b  of the parallel prongs  20   a  and  20   b , thereby providing a tight engagement between the interior housing  30   a  and the plug  20 .  
         [0020]     Looking at the outer view  FIG. 3B  of the interior housing  30   b , there is shown a pair of openings  36  on the back wall sized and shaped to receive the ledges  32  of the exterior housing  30   a  upon insertion of the interior housing  30   b  into the exterior housing  30   a.    
         [0021]     Also shown in  FIG. 3C  is a nib  38  extending outward from the back wall of the interior housing  30   b . The extending nib  38  provides a tight engagement with the exterior housing  30   a  as will be described herein. The extending nib  38  includes an enlarged tip  38   a . The extending nib  38  with its enlarged tip  38   a  is designed such that the tip  38  fits through the aperture  33  of the exterior housing  30   a  in an insertion direction. So, upon insertion of the interior housing  30   b  with attached plug  20  into the exterior housing  30   b , the nib  38  snap locks into the aperture  33 , with only the tip portion  38   a  extending out of the aperture  33 . The walls of the aperture  33  are constructed to allow only one plug insertion of the tip therethrough. This provides a locking non-removable engagement between the exterior  30   a  and the interior  30   b  housing.  
         [0022]     In order to unlock the security device  10 , one would have to cut the enlarged tip  38   a  of the nib  38 . This would cause the interior housing  30   a  to fall out of the exterior housing  30   b , unlocking the device  10  and allowing the plug  20  to be withdrawn. Thus, the security device  10  can only be removed by destroying it.  
         [0023]     The interior housing  30   b  shown in  FIGS. 3C and 3D  is designed to accommodate a standard EAS device, which, as well known in the art, is used with an EAS detection system to detect unauthorized movement of any product containing the EAS. While an EAS device is shown, the housing  30   b  may also accommodate other devices such as a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag.  
         [0024]     A standard EAS is a rectangular member having two sides with adhesive coated onto one side. The EAS is preferably made of paper or plastic. The EAS  40  of the present invention is adhesively secured to the upper curved surface  31   g  of the interior housing  30   b  as shown in  FIG. 3   d . While the EAS  40  is preferably secured to the upper curved surface  31   g  of the interior housing  30   a , it may be attached anywhere within the housing assembly  30 .  
         [0025]      FIG. 4A  shows a perspective view of the back wall of the housing assembly  30  of the security device  10 . A cross-section view taken along line  4 B- 4 B of  FIG. 4A  is shown in  FIG. 4B  to illustrate the tight engagement between the plug  20  and the housing  30 . Upon insertion of the interior housing  30   b  into the exterior housing  30   a , the ledges  32  are pushed into the openings  36  and bear against the spring fingers  34  forcing the spring fingers into tight engagement with the plug  20 . This provides the spring fingers  34  to be in engagement and also prevents removal of the housing device  30  from the plug  20 .  
         [0026]     Thus, the present invention provides an EAS security device which can be attached to a plug. The device can not be easily removed without destroying it, thereby indicating that the device has been tampered with and the security device removed.  
         [0027]     Various changes to the foregoing described and shown structures would now be evident to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the particularly disclosed scope of the invention is set forth in the following claims.