Patent Publication Number: US-8528372-B2

Title: Alarm device

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a nationalization under 35 U.S.C. 371 of PCT/EP2009/056184, filed May 20, 2009 and published as WO 2010/009916 A1 on Jan. 28, 2010, which claimed priority to Sweden Patent Application No. 0801723-8, filed Jul. 22, 2008; which applications and publication are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention is related to the field of security devices. More specifically it is related to alarm devices activating an alarm when a force is applied to one part of the alarm device. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     Today a number of security devices for protecting goods inside containers exist on the market. Some are RFID (Radio Frequency Identification)-based preventing thieves leave the shop with the container, while others are related to security devices enclosing the container, thus preventing the opening of the container and taking of the goods inside it. 
     One example of a latter device is given in U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,266. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,266 discloses a security device that includes a plurality of wires or cables which encircle and lock all six sides of a box or the similar. The cable extends between a ratchet member which includes a gear with a plurality of teeth and a one-way pawl which engages the teeth, and a locking member remote from the ratchet member which includes a fastener which snap-fits to a base and requires an unlocking tool to unlock. The device is adjustable to tighten around different sizes of the goods to be protected. However, the device is complex in terms of construction and operation. 
     One improvement of the security device in U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,266 is the security wrapper described in the published European patent application EP1870547 by the same applicant as the present patent application. 
     The security wrapper in EP1870547 comprises essentially a rotatable locking member, a retaining member in the form of a wire which may be placed around the object to be protected, whereby the locking member by means of rotation is arranged to tighten the wire loop around the object. Locking of the rotatable locking member is achieved by means of a first and a second main part, whereby the latch member of the gear member is arranged to fasten into the teeth arranged in the second latch member. A container thus secured may only be opened by means of a detachment device which by magnetic pull raises the latch member from the teeth of the second part. 
     While being an improvement over present technology on the market it would still be desirable to further improve the reliability of the security device in case outer force is applied to it. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention solves this problem by means of a security device which comprises a security device comprising: a clasping member for enclosing an object to be secured, whereby clasping member comprises a conducting member; a locking member connected to the clasping member, such that the locking member and the clasping member form a loop, where the locking member in turn comprises a gear member which in turn comprises a protruding profile, the gear member extending in a first plane with a protruding profile raised from the first plane, furthermore a manoeuvring member extending in a second plane parallel to the first plane, where the manoeuvring member is rotatable relative the gear member and comprises a latch member biased towards the first plane arranged to engage the gear ring, such that rotation of the manoeuvring member in one direction causes a narrowing of the loop whereas rotation in the opposite direction causing a widening of the loop is prevented through the engagement of the latch member with protruding profile, where the security device further comprises a drum for winding up the clasping member such that rotation of the manoeuvring member causes rotation of the drum and thereby adjustment of the width of the loop, the clasping member and the locking member further forming part of an alarm circuit whereby the locking member further comprises a movable element electrically connected to the alarm circuit and positioned next to an elastic element, so that an external pulling force applied to the clasping member with the locking member locked in one of the elements of the protruding profile causes a movement of the movable element towards the elastic element deforming the latter and thereby interrupting the alarm circuit and activating an alarm signal. 
     The advantage of such a security device lies in the improved security against use of a pulling force in order to pull the clasping member with which the object is protected out of the security device. Also moderate use of pulling force will activate an alarm. 
     However, accidental pulling of the clasping member will not result in alarms, thus preventing false alarms. 
     These and other advantages will become more apparent through study of the detailed description below. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective side view of an embodiment of the security device according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of the locking member according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates an exploded perspective view of the locking member from  FIG. 1  from a different angle. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a part of the locking member according to the present invention, with the alarm not activated. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates the part of the locking member from  FIG. 3  with the alarm activated. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a sectional view of the security device according to the present invention seen from below with the alarm not activated. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a sectional view of the security device from  FIG. 5  with the alarm activated. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present patent application is based on the earlier European patent application EP1870547. Therefore, elements in the Figures described below which are identical to those in EP1870547 will not be described in detail in order to increase readability of the description. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective side view of the security device  10  comprising a clasping member  100 , a locking member  200  and a support member  300 . 
     The clasping member  100  is secured both in the locking member  200  and the support member  300  forming a loop into which an object to be secured can be brought. The width of the loop around the object to be secured may be adjustable by turning the locking member  200  in order to fit the dimensions of the object and to tightly enclose the object. Details on how this will be achieved will be explained later. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates an exploded perspective view of one embodiment of the security device  10  from a first angle. 
     As shown in the figure, the clasping member  100  may comprise one or more cables  110 ,  120  comprising enlarged cable ends  112 ,  114  and  122 ,  124  via which the cables are attached to the locking member  200 . The cables  110 ,  120  are arranged to form an electrical alarm circuit together with the locking member  200  which will be described later. While the clasping member  100  in  FIGS. 1-4  comprises two cables it may be understood that it may also comprises a single cable or more than two cables, as needed. 
     As seen in  FIG. 1 , the locking member  200  comprises an essentially annular gear member  290  extending in a first plane where at least a portion of the annular gear member  290  comprises an annular protruding profile  292  protruding from the first plane. In the embodiment in  FIG. 1  this protruding profile is illustrated as a saw-tooth profile covering a part of the gear member  290 . Additionally, the gear member  290  comprises recesses at its periphery which may be snap fit into the protruding elements in the bottom part  295 . 
     Moreover, the locking member  200  further comprises an essentially circular manoeuvring member  220  which is rotatable relative to the gear member  290  and arranged in a second plane parallel to the first plane. The manoeuvring member  220  also comprises a gripping portion  222  vertically protruding from the locking member  200  for facilitating rotation of the manoeuvring member  220  relative to the gear member  290  when adjusting the loop formed by the cable ends  112 ,  114  and  122 ,  124  around an object to be secured. 
     Furthermore, the manoeuvring member  220  comprises latch members  231 ,  232 , T-shaped movable elements  245 ,  246  and the elastic elements  247 ,  248  all arranged on a side of the locking member  220  opposite the gripping portion  222  as seen in  FIG. 2 . 
     In the embodiment illustrated, the latch members  231 ,  232  are curved with a radius of curvature essentially equal to the radius of curvature of the protruding profile  292 . Both latch members  231 ,  232  are spaced apart in the second plane and inclined from the second plane towards the protruding profile  292  in the first plane. In this fashion the latch members  231 ,  232  are adapted to glide over the teeth of the protruding profile  292  when the manoeuvring member  220  is rotated in one direction relative to the gear member  290  and to lock into the teeth of the protruding profile  292  when rotated in the opposite direction. Moreover, the latch members are made of metallic and flexible material in order to be able to be raised from the protruding profile  292  by means of a magnetic attraction force. In this fashion the security device  10  can be unlocked and detached from the object using a so called magnetic detacher (not shown) which may be placed on top of the locking member  200  thereby separating the latch member  231 ,  232  from the teeth of the protruding profile  292 . Such a detacher is already known from the European application EP1870547. 
     On the other hand, the T-shaped movable elements  245 ,  246  and the elastic elements  247 ,  248  follow the curvature of the second part  210  and are in this embodiment arranged in the curved grooves  241 ,  242  protruding from the lower surface of the manoeuvring member  220 . Also, the T-shaped movable elements  245 ,  246  are in contact with the elastic elements  247 ,  248 . 
     In addition, the manoeuvring member  220  comprises spaces  243 ,  244  which are adapted for receiving activation protrusions  288 ,  289  from an activation member  280  therein. This is more clearly shown in  FIG. 5 . On the inside surface of the grooves  241 ,  242  metal contacts  249 ,  250  are arranged which in the default position are electrically connected to the T-shaped movable elements  245 ,  246  in the fashion shown in  FIG. 6 . Also, the T-shaped movable elements  245 ,  246  comprise an electrically conducting coating or part (not shown) which in the non-activated state of the alarm is in electrical contact with the metal contact  249 ,  250  thus also comprising part of the alarm circuit. 
     Additionally, the locking member  200  comprises a drum  260  with a circumferential surface  261  onto which the cables  110 ,  120  of the clasping member  100  may be wound. In the circumferential surface  261  of the drum  260  apertures  262 ,  263  are located through which the cables  110 ,  120  are led to the interior of the drum  260 . In the interior of the drum stables  264 ,  265  connecting the cable ends  112 ,  122 ,  114 ,  124  to a contact plate  224  made of metal and located on the bottom surface of the drum  260  are located. Via the contact plate  224  and the stables  264 ,  265  the cables  110 ,  120  of the clasping member  100  form an alarm circuit. Additionally, the alarm circuit comprises a capacitor  228  housed in the interior of the drum  260  which in the event of a breaking of the alarm circuit discharges a current causing a membrane in a sound chamber  270  to produce the alarm sound. The sound chamber  270  also comprises a guide ring  226  for the membrane of the sound chamber  270 . 
     Also, the drum  260  comprises bores  266 ,  267  for receiving an activation member  280  therein. 
     The activation member  280  in the embodiment in  FIGS. 2-7  is essentially circular in shape and comprises legs  283 ,  284  protruding from one side of the activation member  280  and adapted to be fitted into the bores  266 ,  267  of the drum  260 . Moreover, the activation member  280  comprises activation elements  288 ,  289  protruding from a side of opposite the legs  283 ,  284  of the activation member  280  and adapted to be fitted into the spaces  243 ,  244  of the grooves  241 ,  242  in the manoeuvring member  220 . 
     Hence, the activation member  280  may be connected to the manoeuvring member  220  by inserting the activation elements  288 ,  289  into the spaces  243 ,  244  and the legs  283 ,  284  into the corresponding bores  266 ,  267  of the drum  260 . In this fashion, rotation of the manoeuvring element  220  is transferred to the activation element  280  and thus also to the drum  260  when the manoeuvring member  220  is rotated in the non-locking direction relative the gear member  290 . Rotation of the manoeuvring member  220  in the locking direction however, will be stopped due to the engagement of the latch members  231 ,  232  in the teeth of the protruding portion  292  of the gear member  290 . 
     Here, the non-locking rotation direction may be defined as the direction in which the manoeuvring member  220  is rotated relative to the gear member  290  when the latch members  231 ,  232  glide over the teeth of the protruding profile  292 . Conversely, the locking rotation direction may be defined as the direction where rotation of the manoeuvring member  220  results in the locking of the latch member  231 ,  232  into the teeth of the protruding profile  292  of the gear member  290 . 
     In addition the locking member  200  further comprises a battery  274  housed in the lower part of the drum  260  as shown in  FIG. 3 . Also, the battery is connected to a connector  227 . 
     In order to show the power status of the battery  274  for the alarm circuit, a LED diode  255  is arranged through an opening in the manoeuvring member  220 . 
     There are many different ways to indicate the status of the battery  274 , of which a LED-diode is only one example. A skilled person should be well aware of other ways of battery status indication and therefore these will not be elaborated further. 
     Finally, the locking part  200  comprises an annular shaped bottom element  295  having an essentially flat portion located in a third plane parallel with the first and second planes and a bowl shaped protruding portion raising from the flat portion which together with an outer ring  210  and the manoeuvring member  220  is arranged to form a housing and to contain and protect the remaining elements of the security device  10 . Moreover, the locking part  200  comprises a cover plate  293  arranged to be attached to bore holes in a bottom plate  294  which is to be fitted into the bottom portion of the bottom element  295 . In addition, the annular shaped bottom element comprises openings through which the clasping member  100  may be transported to the supporting element  300 . 
     The support member  300  in turn is assembled by snap fitting the protruding sections of the cables into stables or the like arranged in the housing section  330  and arranging an EAS tag in the housing section  330 . The housing section is closed off by a top section  320  fastened to the housing section e.g. by a snap lock fit, fastening elements, gluing, welding or the like. The housing section  330  and the top section have in an embodiment of the invention recesses in the circumferential sides arranged to fit the cables  110 ,  120 . The illustrated support member  300  is in hexagonal shape but may be in any suitable shape, such as circular, rectangular or the like. It should also be understood that the EAS-tag may be contained in the locking member  200 . 
     Finally, when the cables  110 ,  120  are secured in the housing section  330  and the housing section is sealed of by the top section  320 , the friction layer  310  is provided to the top section  320 , either by gluing it, welding it or the like, to the top section  320 . This may also be done in a separate process, whereby the top section  320  and the friction layer  310  are assembled before being secured to the housing section. 
     Now, the function of the security device  10  according to the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 1-6  will be described. 
     Firstly, the security device  10  with the clasping member is placed around the object to be secured. Thereby the support member  300  is adapted to receive portions of cables  110 ,  120  opposite ends  112 ,  114 ,  122 ,  124  of the cables and to be placed with its upper surface  310  below a bottom surface of the object to be secured. 
     Then, using the gripping element  222  in the manoeuvring member  220  and turning it in the non-locking direction will narrow the loop formed by the cables  110  and  120  until the circumference of the loop is adjusted to the circumference of the object, such that the cables  110 ,  120  of the clasping members tightly enclose the object and such that the support member  300  tightly engages the bottom surface of the object. In this position, the object is regarded as secured. Since the latch members  231 ,  232  are arranged to be inclined towards the protruding profile  292  of the gear member  290  such that they glide along the teeth of the protruding element no locking action will be achieved by the rotation of the manoeuvring element  220  relative the gear member  290  in the non-locking direction. 
     It may be mentioned that the support member  300  is not necessary in order to secure the object. This may still be achieved only with the combination of the clasping member  100  and the locking member  200  tightly enclosing the object to be secured in a tight loop. This loop may comprise the two ends of the clasping member  100  secured in the manoeuvring member  220 . In order to achieve higher security the cables  110 ,  120  of the clasping member may be coated by or comprise an outer layer of high friction, such as, for example rubber. 
     Here it may be added that the narrowing of the loop is achieved through the transfer of rotation from the manoeuvring member  220  to the activation element  280  which in turn effectuates rotation of the drum  260  relative to the gear member  290 . This rotation of the manoeuvring member  220  effectively winds the cables  110 ,  120  around the circumferential surface  261  of the drum  260 . 
     At the secured position, the latch members  231 ,  232 , due to their inclination towards the plane in which the protruding profile  292  is located, will be locked into the teeth of the protruding profile  292 . Hence, widening of the cable loop by attempting to use the gripping portion  222  of the manoeuvring member will not be possible. As described earlier, the widening of the cable loop may be possible by using a magnetic detacher. 
     A forceful attempt to free the object thus secured by for example attempting to cut one of the cables  110 ,  120  will immediately break the alarm circuit and activate the alarm by discharging the capacitor  228  and supplying the discharge current to the sound chamber  270  producing an alarm sound. 
     However, the security device according to the present invention is also protected against attempts to pull out one or more of the cables  110 ,  120  of the clasping member out of the openings  262 ,  263  of the second main part  260 . This is achieved as follows: If an external pulling force illustrated by the arrows next in the upper part of  FIG. 5  is applied to the cables  110 ,  120  of the clasping member when they are tight and secured around an object to be protected a pulling force will cause a displacement  251 ,  252  of the activation elements  288 ,  289  in the direction of the arrow in the middle part of  FIG. 5  and thereby a displacement  253 ,  254  of the T-shaped movable elements  245 ,  246  in the direction of the arrow in the lower part of  FIG. 5 . If the pulling force is strong enough it will cause the displacement of the T-shaped movable elements away from the alarm contacts  249 ,  250  and a contraction of the elastic elements  247 ,  248  as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 7 . However, since the alarm contacts  249 ,  250  and the T-shaped movable elements  245 ,  246  were in electrical contact in the situations depicted in  FIGS. 4 and 6  and this contact is broken, the use of the external pulling force will break the alarm circuit and activate an alarm signal. It should also be mention that it may be possible to realize the security device  10  also without the T-shaped movable members  245 ,  246 . 
     In this case, the activation member  280  may be constructed so that at least a part of the activation elements  288 ,  289  is in electrical contact with the alarm contacts  249 ,  250  and that the activation member  280  also forms part of the alarm circuit. Then, when an outer pulling force is applied to the cables  110 ,  120  the activation elements  288 ,  289  of activation member  280  are displaced towards the elastic elements  247 ,  248 , the electrical contact between the activation elements  288 ,  289  and the alarm contacts  249 ,  250  is broken and the alarm signal is activated. 
     Thus attempts to remove the object secured by the cables  110 ,  120  of the clasping member  100  by widening the loop formed by it using a pulling force will be safely prevented. The clasping member  100  may in order to increase security be flexible and at the same time resilient to pulling forces. 
     In order to avoid false alarms, the material of the elastic elements  247 ,  248  may be chosen so as to not to be contracted when accidentally pulling one of the cables  110 ,  120  of the clasping element  100 . However, the material may be chosen, such that the elastic elements  247 ,  248  contract when a moderate pulling force is exerted on the cables  110 ,  120  thereby activating the alarm signal. 
     Also, the elastic elements  247 ,  248  may be present in the form of a rubber element, such as a rubber hose, an elastic plastic element or a spring element. The T-shaped movable elements  247 ,  248  may preferably be rigid and partly made of plastic and partly of a conducting material. The conducting side may then in the “no-alarm” state be connected to the alarm contacts  249 ,  250 . 
     It may be understood that there may be many other embodiments of the present invention which may be plausible to a skilled person having read the above description. Ultimately, the scope of the present invention is only limited by the wording of the accompanying patent claims.