Abstract:
A holder (10) exhibits a frame-like housing (11) having a base (12) for receiving a CD case (14). This case is inserted in the arrow directions (15, 16, 17). A closing element (13) is then pressed down in the arrow direction (18), whereupon it snaps in place. The CD case (14) is held by retaining wall parts (24, 25) disposed on the otherwise open housing-topside. For opening, a device having a vacuum source has to be attached to a connecting socket (28) in order for the closing element (13) to be re-released. The holder (10) is equipped with a signalling means, which, upon the passage of a contactless-working electronic barrier, triggers a signal if the holder containing the CD case were to be stolen.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a securing device which is designed to prevent an attempted theft and is connectable to an article to be secured; it also relates to an unlocking device for unlocking the securing device and to devices for holding or mounting such securing devices. 
     The securing device is designed, in particular, to secure a compact disc stored in a case, hereinafter referred to as a CD. 
     2. Discussion of the Background 
     Securing devices are known which trigger an acoustic signal whenever the article secured therewith is carried through a contactless-working barrier, for example on leaving sales premises. A barrier of this kind can exhibit, for example, an induction loop having an oscillatory circuit and the device can exhibit an inductance which gives rise to a resonance. Means of this type for triggering a signal do not however form the subject of the present invention and are assumed to be known, so they are not described in greater detail here. 
     A securing device known from EP-Al-0 405 155 can be opened on a mechanical or on a magnetic basis. Although special devices are designed for opening purposes, it cannot be ruled out that securing devices of this type might also be opened without any such special devices, using other means, e.g. magnets or other tools, and the therewith secured goods stolen. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the invention is therefore to provide a device for securing an article, in particular a CD stored in a case, and an interacting unlocking device which makes it considerably more difficult or even impossible to effect opening using means not designed for this purpose. In addition, CD cases of this kind are intended to be convenient and easy to use, in order to aid their sale. 
     In accordance with the present invention, a pressure or vacuum source. A source is advantageously utilized of this kind is far more difficult to carry along than means for the mechanical or magnetic opening of the locking device. Moreover, the locking device can be shaped such that it is not possible to tell directly from it by which means it can be opened. 
     A particularly preferred embodiment requires a vacuum source to open the locking device, with the vacuum source preferably difficult to readily obtain since it is different than that of an ordinary pressure source, e.g. a bicycle pump. Consequently, an embodiment of this kind guarantees even better protection from unauthorised opening. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     With reference to the drawings, illustrative embodiments of the invention are explained in greater detail in relation to the securing of a CD. 
     FIG. 1 shows a holder, configured as a securing device, exhibiting a locking device for a CD case, in top view, 
     FIG. 2 shows the holder according to FIG. 1 in a sectional view in the release position, as a CD case is being inserted. 
     FIG. 3 shows the holder according to FIG. 1, in the section III--III, exhibiting an inserted CD case, in the locking position 
     FIG. 4 shows a side view of the holder, 
     FIG. 5 shows a partial view of the holder exhibiting a locking device according to FIG. 1, 
     FIG. 6 shows a front view of the locking device according to FIG. 5 in the locking position, 
     FIG. 7 shows a front view of the locking device according to FIG. 5 in the release position, 
     FIG. 8 shows an unlocking device, designed to undo the locking device, in the untensioned position, exhibiting the locking device in the release position, 
     FIG. 9 shows the unlocking device according to FIG. 8 in the tensioned position, exhibiting the locking device in the locking position, 
     FIG. 10 shows the holder according to FIG. 1 pivotably mounted between two holding rails, 
     FIG. 11 shows a top view of a holding rail according to FIG. 10 and 
     FIG. 12 shows a front view of a stand device exhibiting holders inserted therein. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The holder 10, represented in FIGS. 1 to 4 as a securing device, exhibits a frame-like housing 11 and a closing element 13 which is displaceable therein at right-angles to the base 12 of the housing 11. In FIG. 2 the closing element 13 is represented in its release position and in FIG. 3 in its locking position. 
     The frame-like housing 11 is dimensioned for receiving a CD case 14. This is inserted according to FIG. 2, in the release position of the closing element 13, according to arrow directions 15, 16, 17. By being pressed down in the arrow direction 18 according to FIG. 3, the closing element 13 is then moved into its locking position, in which it is held by the snapping-in of a piston 20 under the force of a spring 19. The piston 20 serving as a locking element thereupon engages into a recess 21 disposed in the closing element 13. According to FIG. 1, the closing element 13 is guided displaceably, by means of dovetail guides 22, on the front side 23 of the housing 11. 
     In order to hold the CD case 14 in the locking position, the housing part or frame part 11 exhibits, on the essentially open side opposite the base 12, retaining wall parts 24, 25, fixed to the housing and disposed at two opposite-facing edges, one of which 25 is connected to the front side 23. In the locking position, the closing element 13 prevents any displacement of the inserted CD case 14 in the direction of the front side 23 of the housing 11, so that it is not possible for the CD case 14 lying under the retaining wall parts 24, 25 to be removed from the housing 11. 
     The base 12 of the housing 11 consists preferably of a transparent material to enable the inscription in the CD case to be read. Between its centre and the front side 23, it exhibits an inwardly directed arch 26 to aid the removal of the CD case 14 in the release position according to FIG. 2, by the front-sided end of the CD-case being pressed against the base 12. 
     The piston 20 is open at one end and hollow, so that the spring 19, configured as a helical spring, finds room therein, in particular in its tensioned position with the piston 20 retracted, in the release position according to FIG. 2. The piston 20 is displaceable in a piston chamber 27, which is disposed in a connecting socket 28 projecting out of the front side 23. The connecting socket 28 exhibits a concave end 28&#39;, within which the spring 19 is supported on the housing side. 
     According to FIG. 1, the housing 11 exhibits, on its front side 23, two foot parts 29, 29&#39;, between which the connecting socket 28 is disposed. 
     In the connecting socket 28, there is disposed a radially outwardly directed bore 30 leading into the piston chamber 27. Accordingly, this bore 30 extends at least approximately at right-angles to the longitudinal axis of the connecting socket 28 and hence in the direction of the one foot part 29. 
     The bore 30 serves to retract the piston 20, by means of a vacuum, counter to the force of the spring 19, in order to release the closing element 13. As a result of the arrangement of the bore 30 in the direction of the foot part 29, it is made difficult, in particular, for the piston 20 to be retracted by actuating it by mouth. Any such intention is rendered impossible, moreover, by the fact that the space between the connecting socket 28 and the foot part 29 is connected via a second bore 31 to the interior of the housing 11, which is open in air-technology terms, since the attainment of a vacuum is thereby virtually precluded. 
     The housing 11 preferably exhibits signalling means 32 disposed in the foot part 29&#39;, which, upon the passage of a contactless-working barrier (not represented), trigger a signal to indicate an attempted theft. These signalling means 32 can contain, for example, a magnetic platelet, an inductance or electronic elements. 
     FIGS. 1 and 4 show pins 33, 33&#39; disposed on the housing 11, of which two pins 33 are located on the front side 23 and two pins 33&#39; on the opposite side. 
     From FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, the displaceable arrangement of the closing element 13 can be particularly clearly seen, which closing element is pre-tensioned in the direction of the release position by a leaf spring 34. In FIG. 6, the closing element 13 is snapped in place in the locking position and in FIG. 7 it is located in the release position. 
     In FIGS. 8 and 9, an unlocking device 35 is in each case attached to the connecting socket 28 of the holder 10. The unlocking device 35 serves to generate a vacuum and hence to retract the piston 20 against the force of the spring 19. 
     The unlocking device 35 exhibits a mouthpiece 36 which, in FIGS. 8 and 9, is pushed over the connecting socket 28. Within the mouthpiece 36 is disposed an annular groove 37, in which there is inserted an O-ring 38 sealing the mouthpiece 36 against the connecting socket 28. 
     A piston 39 in the unlocking device 35 is prestressed, by means of a helical spring 40, into its rest position represented in FIG. 8. On the periphery, the piston 39 is provided with an annular groove 41, in which an O-ring 42 is inserted as a piston ring. The piston 39 is displaceably guided in a cylinder 43, the cylinder chamber of which is connected via a duct 44 to the mouthpiece 36. 
     A piston rod 45, connected to the piston 39, exhibits at its end opposite to the piston 39 a grip 46. A notch 47 in the piston rod 45 serves to detain the latter in the tensioned position shown in FIG. 9. In this connection, a trip element 49 under pressure from a helical spring 48 engages by a lug 50 into the notch 47, in order to hold the piston rod 45 together with the piston 39 in the tensioned position. The piston 39 and the trip element 49 are displaceably mounted, respectively, in a block 51 fastened in the cylinder 43. 
     In order to unlock the locking device which is connected to the holder 10 and exhibits the component parts 13, 19, 20, the unlocking device 35 is tensioned by actuation of the grip 46 in the arrow direction 52 and is pushed by the mouthpiece 36 onto the connecting socket 28 on the holder 10. By subsequently pressing down the pushbutton-like trip element 49, the piston rod 45 is released, so that the piston 39 springs back under the force of the spring 40. The vacuum which is thereby created is transmitted through the bore 30 (FIG. 5) in the connecting socket 28 to the piston chamber 27. The piston 20 of the locking device is retracted, by virtue of the vacuum, against the force of its spring 19. This releases the closing element 13, which is moved by its leaf spring 34 into the release position according to FIG. 7. The CD case 14 can now be removed, counter to the arrow directions 15, 16, 17 according to FIG. 2, from the holder 10. 
     As a result of the present invention, the unnoticed theft of an article secured according to the above description, in particular a CD, is rendered considerably more difficult. The fact that a vacuum source is necessary to unlock or open the locking device is not however directly recognisable from the holder. However, even if this recognition is made, a suitable vacuum source will still generally be lacking, since not only is it necessary to generate a vacuum, but a correct-fitting connecting piece, such as, for example, the mouthpiece 36, is also required. If no such connecting piece is at hand, then it is barely possible to transmit a vacuum into the piston chamber 27. 
     As a result of the position of the bore 30, through which the vacuum is transmitted by means of the unlocking device 35, and as a result of the arrangement of the bore 31, which lets through secondary air when any attempt is made to actuate it by mouth, the securing device according to the invention is an effective protection against theft. 
     In FIG. 10, a securing device or holder 10 is pivotably mounted having its pins 33, 33&#39; between two holding rails 60, 60&#39;. These holding rails 60, 60&#39; are suitable for fastening to a vertical surface 61, for example a wall. 
     FIG. 11 shows a top view of the upper holding rail 60, in which a plurality of holders 10 with CD cases located therein are pivotably fastened for leafing through. From FIG. 11, it can also be seen that the holding rail 60 exhibits a band 62 having notches 63 into which the holders 10 can be pressed by their pins 33, 33&#39; in the radial direction for snapping in place. Conversely, the holders 10 can also be snapped out again by their pins 33, 33&#39;. The holders 10 can be leafed through by means of the outer pins 33&#34;, 33. 
     The moulded bands 62 consists of a spring-elastic material, preferably a plastic. They are connected by means of bars to a base rail. 
     FIG. 12 shows a section of a stand device 70 designed for the mounting of holders 10. This exhibits adjacent-running, extended, trough-like recesses 71, matched to the holders 10 and having limit stops 72, 73. These are formed such that the holders 10 therein can be tilted in both directions up to a pre-determined angle without overturning, thereby ensuring that the holders 10 can be leafed through like cards. 
     The holding rails 60, 60&#39; according to FIGS. 10 and 11, and the stand device 70 according to FIG. 12, enable the securing devices configured as holders 10 to be mounted in the same way as CD cases without such holders. This ensures that the compact discs stored in the holders 10 can be presented without any restriction. 
     Although, in the above description of a preferred illustrative embodiment, the unlocking of the locking device has been described solely by means of a vacuum, it is equally possible to use pressure for the unlocking. In this case, the piston 20 would have to be pressurised from its other side and the unlocking device 35 would have to be configured as a pressure source. 
     In the illustrative embodiment, the piston 20 is moved by a pressure differential which overcomes the force of a spring 19, to release the CD, with the spring 19 serving for the return motion of the piston 20. The return motion can also however be effected by means of a magnet (not represented).