Patent Abstract:
A theft-deterring security apparatus for articles with handles is described. The apparatus consists of a bracket that substantially surrounds an article handle and a locking body into which the bracket is telescopically inserted, to in turn compress both the bracket and the locking body about the article handle so as to be releasably fastened thereto. Fastening devices, such as a threaded screw and nut, are used to initiate and maintain compression of the bracket and locking body about the article handle. The bracket is shaped to accommodate different types of article handles. The bracket may be hinged to accommodate the insertion of article handles into the bracket periphery. The apparatus is further equipped with an electronic article surveillance element capable of setting off an alarm if an attempt is made to remove the article from the store. Alternatively, a pair of locking body elements surrounds a knob on an article handle. The locking body elements each include a cavity portion that combine to form cavities within which the knob of an article handle and an electronic article surveillance tag and/or a tethered anchor may be placed.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to theft deterrent devices, and in particular, to anti-theft security tags attached to articles with handles, which security tags may possess an electronic surveillance capability. Various types of electronic surveillance devices are known, many of which utilize a tag affixed to an article intended to be protected against theft through the use of an alarm system. If a thief takes the article beyond a certain area, generally at the exit of a store, an electronic detection system senses the article passing over the perimeter, often by detecting the presence of a radio-frequency identification (“RFID”) tag, thus setting off the alarm and alerting store employees to the unauthorized removal of the article from the store premises. When the article is purchased, the security tags are usually removed or deactivated by store employees to ensure the legitimate customer&#39;s ability to exit the store without triggering the alarm. 
     Anti-theft article surveillance tags have been widely used in the clothing industry, with tags being secured to articles of clothing using pins or other means that pierce the article. This method of attaching surveillance tags to articles of clothing is desirable because it leaves no trace of the surveillance tag after a customer has made a legitimate purchase. Most importantly, the tags allow articles to be freely displayed and handled directly by customers, while preventing, or at least discouraging, thieves from removing the articles from the store without triggering an alarm. 
     Other retailers continue to seek ways to deter theft similar to clothiers, while still allowing customers to directly handle and/or test the merchandise. Merchandisers know that displaying their goods either in locked display cases or simply behind display counters and out of a customer&#39;s reach may decrease sales because customers often feel uncomfortable or unduly pressured to make a purchase when asking to handle or test items under the direct supervision of store employees. Indeed, merchants in the field of sporting goods merchandise, for example, must allow their customers to test the merchandise—to hold it, feel its material and weight and test its size, shape and manner of use, for example, by swinging it. Moreover, unlike the goods of clothiers, these types of merchandise cannot simply pierce the article to attach such tags. Rather, it is desirable to provide theft-deterring apparatuses that completely surround a portion of an article, attaching a tether or an electronic surveillance element thereto, while at the same time leaving such articles, once purchased, without a trace of the apparatus previously attached. 
     It is further desirable to create a low-cost theft-deterring apparatus that may be easily attached to the handles of several different types of articles. This universality—allowing a single apparatus to be used on different articles—is more helpful and less expensive for retailers to incorporate such devices into their businesses. Moreover, it would be beneficial to allow retailers to integrate such theft-deterring apparatuses into alarm systems that would immediately alert retailers to any attempted theft. These and other desirable characteristics of the invention will become apparent in view of the present specification, including the claims and drawings. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a theft-deterring security tag that can be attached to the handles of articles without leaving any trace of its previous securement. In one embodiment for articles with elongated handles, the security apparatus is comprised of a bracket and a locking body. The bracket, which surrounds portions of elongated handles, may be shaped in any number of ways to accommodate all sorts of article handles. Regardless of its overall shape, a portion of the bracket is substantially rectangular such that it may be inserted into a rectangular cavity within the locking body—thus compressing the article handle between the bracket and the locking body. This compression restrainably attaches the locking body to such an elongated handle by way of fastener elements positioned between the bracket and locking body. In one embodiment, the fastening elements are a threaded screw and a nut, but the fastening elements are not so limited. The differently-shaped brackets may be used interchangeably with the locking body, which is designed to hold—away from customer access—an RFID signaling member. The locking body telescopically receives the fitted, substantially rectangular portion of the bracket so as to compress the handle of an article between the locking body and the inside surface of the bracket. 
     The bracket is sized and shaped to fit around the handle of an article, and has a front end and back end. In one preferred embodiment, the bracket is in the shape of a rectangle to fit around the handle of a hockey stick, with the inside of the bracket&#39;s back end comprising one surface against which the article handle is compressed. While the bracket is shaped at its front end to be telescopically received snugly within the locking body, the rest of the bracket may be shaped, for example, substantially into a circle or a hexagon to accommodate the handles of baseball bats or tennis rackets, respectively. 
     In yet another embodiment, the bracket comprises a first portion, a second movable portion and a hinge between the first and second portions to enable rotation therebetween. Such a bracket is capable of accommodating articles over which a fixed, one-piece bracket cannot easily be slid. For example, baseball bats are known to have ends that are wider than the handle—the body being larger to hit a baseball with amplified force and the bottom end being larger to prevent the bat from slipping out of a player&#39;s hands. A single continuous bracket might not be used with such an article because it may not be able to fit over the article&#39;s larger end. However, a hinged bracket can be opened and the article inserted therewithin before enclosing the hinged bracket to surround the article handle. Alternatively, a bracket could be open-ended and made of resiliently sprung material such that it could be spread apart to facilitate the insertion of an article handle therewithin before the bracket returned to its natural, closed shape. In either case, once closed, a fitted portion of the front end of the bracket can be inserted and telescopically received by the locking body. 
     The locking body has a front side and a back side and is sized and shaped to enable the telescopic receipt of the front end of the bracket. The locking body contains at least one cavity region into which the bracket will be inserted, and, in one embodiment, contains another cavity region, in which an RFID tag or other electronic surveillance element can be affixed. In another embodiment, this second cavity region extends farther beyond the first cavity region to facilitate the placement of the electronic surveillance element farther away from article handle. This increased distance between the article handle and the electronic surveillance element helps ensure the reliability of the electronic surveillance element, which can be detrimentally affected by article handles which contain metal. In either embodiment, the top and bottom sides of the cavity region(s) correspond to the back side of the locking body. The top and bottom sides of the cavity region(s) form at least a portion of a bearing periphery that comes into direct contact with the article handle, serving to assist in compressing the article handle against the inside surface of the back end of the bracket. 
     The fastening elements aid in creating and maintaining compression of the apparatus on the article handle between the locking body and the inside back end of the bracket. In a preferred embodiment, the fastening elements are comprised of a threaded screw and flange nut, with the head of the screw being atypical such that the average shopper cannot readily defasten the screw and remove it. While a typical slotted or Phillips-head screw could be easily removed by a shopper, thus frustrating the purpose of the theft-deterring security device, the subject fastening elements are preferably of a type that is not utilized by the general public. Moreover, the aperture on the locking body is at least partially countersunk, such that the head of the screw is partially obscured by a protruding ridge. This ridge prevents a shopper from attempting to remove the screw head-on using pliers or, from the side, by inserting a tool beneath the head of the screw to in turn use leverage to sever or pry off the heads of and/or otherwise extract the screw. 
     The use of multiple pieces to comprise this embodiment of theft-deterring security tags—brackets and locking bodies—allows retailers to use such security tags on nearly any article with an elongated handle. A retailer can use one of many brackets pre-formed to specifically fit numerous standardized articles, such as the handles of hockey sticks, baseball bats, tennis rackets, golf clubs and the like. Moreover, retailers can order brackets to suit any other type of article with elongated handles like umbrellas, oars, hand tools, paintbrushes and other like products. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a rectangular bracket is shaped to fit around the handle of a hockey stick, with a compressible friction pad being affixed to the inside of the bracket&#39;s back end. The front end of the bracket includes an aperture and flanges, the flanges intended to maintain the position of a threaded flange nut. An aperture is also located in the front side of the locking body, opposite the locking body&#39;s cavity region into which the bracket will be inserted. Thus, with the bracket surrounding the handle of a hockey stick, the bracket&#39;s front end is placed into that cavity region. A threaded screw can then be inserted through the aperture in the locking body&#39;s front side, and then inserted through the aperture in the bracket&#39;s front end, before being threaded through the aligned, mated-thread flange nut located on the inside surface of the bracket&#39;s front end. Tightening this screw would thereby compress the bearing periphery on the locking body&#39;s back side against the handle, which in turn would be compressed against the friction pad on the inside surface of the bracket&#39;s back end. Somewhere within the locking body, preferably in a second cavity region, an RFID surveillance element is included, which element would trigger an alarm upon the hockey stick&#39;s removal from a preset perimeter. 
     Another embodiment of the theft-deterring security apparatus is intended for articles with knobbed handles and essentially comprises two locking body elements, which—when aligned—form a locking body in a substantially frusto-conical shape. Upon articulation, the two locking body elements combine to define a first cavity, which surrounds and encapsulates the knob of the article handle. The articulated locking body also contains fastening elements that secure the locking body elements around the knob, and a second anti-theft cavity. This second cavity may contain a theft-deterring RFID tag or an anchor connected to a tether wire attached at its opposite end to a stationary object within the store (such as a wall) so that the article with a knobbed handle cannot physically be moved from its location beyond the length of the tether wire. While the anti-theft cavity originates at the knob cavity in one embodiment, forming two connected cavities, the anti-theft cavity in an alternative embodiment is separate and distinct from the knob cavity to facilitate the placement of the electronic surveillance element farther away from knobbed handle. Again, this increased distance between the knobbed handle and the electronic surveillance element helps ensure the reliability of the electronic surveillance element, which can be detrimentally affected by article handles which contain metal. 
     In this embodiment, as well as those above, the RFID signaling member would itself trigger an alarm should any attempt be made to remove the article from the store without first removing the theft-deterrent apparatus—here, from the knob of the handle. Alternatively, a tether may comprise a pair of electronic conducting wires to integrate the theft-deterrent apparatus into a product or display alarm system. This second, tether option thus physically restrains the security apparatus-equipped article to further prevent theft. 
     The fastening elements aid in restrainably fastening the locking body elements about the knob enclosed within the two locking body elements. In a preferred embodiment, the fastening elements are comprised of two threaded screws and threaded regions within each locking body element. Each locking body element is pre-formed to include a built-in threaded region ready to engage a like-threaded screw. The threaded regions are arranged on opposite sides of each locking body element, with a corresponding aperture for each threaded region located on the opposing locking body element. When the locking body elements are aligned—forming a single locking body, a threaded screw may be inserted into the aperture in each locking body element and threaded through the threaded region built into the opposing locking body element. 
     As before, the head of the screws should be atypical such that the average shopper cannot readily defasten the screws and remove them. While a typical slotted or Phillips-head screw could be easily removed by a shopper, thus frustrating the purpose of the theft-deterring security device, the subject fastening elements are preferably of a type that is not utilized by the general public. Moreover, as before, the apertures on either side of the locking body are countersunk such that the head of each screw is partially obscured by a protruding ridge, which prevents a shopper from attempting to remove each screw head-on using pliers or, from the side, by inserting a tool beneath the head of the screw to in turn use leverage to sever or pry off the heads of and/or otherwise extract the screws. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the invention intended for baseball bats, two substantially identical locking body elements each contain two cavity portions, and each comprises one-half—a cross-section—of a frusto-conical shape. The knob of the baseball bat fits partially within the first cavity portion in one locking body element and the first cavity portion on the other locking body element may be placed thereon, thus enclosing the knob within the first cavity—the knob cavity—formed by the articulated locking body. On the end of each locking body element opposite the first cavity portion lies a threaded region on one side, an aperture for a threaded screw on the other side and a second cavity portion, which second cavity portions align to form a second anti-theft cavity when the locking body elements are articulated together around the knob. Once both locking body elements are aligned about the knob of the baseball bat, a screw must be inserted in the aperture of each locking body element and threaded through the built-in threaded region located on the opposing locking body element. As the screws tighten, the locking body elements are contracted into one another to form the articulated locking body, in which the anti-theft cavity contains a theft-deterring element. In one embodiment, the theft-deterring element is an electronic surveillance element such as an RFID tag, which element would trigger an alarm upon the baseball bat&#39;s removal from a preset perimeter. In another embodiment, an anchor attached to a tether wire is placed within the anti-theft cavity before the locking body elements are fastened around the knob by way of the screws and threaded regions. The tether wire, which protrudes through an aperture on the surface of the articulated locking body, can be attached to a counter, display, bracket or wall, or some other stationary object, to impede the bat&#39;s removal beyond a certain distance. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1   a  is an elevated side view of a bracket and locking body restrainably positioned about the elongated handle of an article, such as a hockey stick, in which the keyed tool for the fastening element is shown in exploded fashion. 
         FIG. 1   b  is an elevated top view of a bracket and locking body restrainably positioned about the elongated handle of an article, such as a hockey stick. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded, elevated side view of an elongated article handle, such as a hockey stick, a bracket, a locking body and fastening elements, including a threaded screw and flange nut (shown within the front end of the bracket) and the keyed tool used to operate the atypical screw. 
         FIG. 3   a  is an elevated view of the front side of one embodiment of the locking body. 
         FIG. 3   b  is an elevated view of the back side of one embodiment of the locking body. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the locking body. 
         FIG. 5   a  is a top view of a preferred embodiment of the bracket. 
         FIG. 5   b  is an elevated view of the front end of a preferred embodiment of the bracket. 
         FIG. 5   c  is a perspective view from the front end of a preferred embodiment of the bracket. 
         FIG. 5   d  is a perspective view from the back end of a preferred embodiment of the bracket. 
         FIG. 6  is a top view of another embodiment of the bracket, in which the bracket is hinged, enabling it to open, receive an article handle therein, and close, and in which the bracket is shaped like a circle to accommodate articles with handles shaped substantially cylindrically. 
         FIG. 7  is a top view of one embodiment of a screw head with accompanying keyed tool. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the invention intended for knobbed handles, showing the two locking body elements articulated into a single locking body attached to the knob of a baseball bat. 
         FIG. 9  is an exploded view—partially in cross-section, taken along line  9 - 9  of  FIG. 8  and looking in the direction of the arrows—of the alternative embodiment of the invention of  FIG. 8  intended for knobbed handles, in which the invention is seen oriented about the knob of a baseball bat, showing two locking body elements on either side of the knob, along with the screws and keyed tool used to secure the screws within each locking body element. 
         FIG. 10  is an exploded, rotated perspective view of the two unsecured locking body elements of the embodiment of the invention intended for knobbed handles of  FIG. 8 , showing the screws, apertures and threaded regions comprising the fastener elements, as well as an anchor and tether wire and an RFID tag. 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the invention intended for knobbed handles, showing the two locking body elements articulated into a single locking body attached to the knob of a baseball bat, in which the anti-theft cavity is separated from the knob cavity, thus ensuring the reliability of an electronic surveillance element. 
         FIG. 12  is an exploded view—partially in cross-section, taken along line  12 - 12  of  FIG. 11  and looking in the direction of the arrows—of the alternative embodiment of the invention of  FIG. 11  intended for knobbed handles with a separated anti-theft cavity, in which the invention is seen oriented about the knob of a baseball bat, showing two locking body elements on either side of the knob, along with the screws and keyed tool used to secure the screws within each locking body element. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While the invention will be described in conjunction with the preferred embodiments, the invention is intended to cover alternatives, modifications and equivalents, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims. Furthermore, in the detailed description of the present invention, several specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, one of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that the present invention may be practiced without all of these specific details. Thus, while the invention is susceptible to embodiment in many different forms, the subsequent description of the present disclosure should be considered only as an exemplification of the principles of the invention, one that is in no way intended to limit the invention to the embodiments so illustrated. 
       FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b  show views (side and top, respectively) of a complete preferred embodiment of the invention, in which the invention is secured around rectangular article handle  14 , such as the handle of a hockey stick. Rectangular article handle  14  is substantially surrounded by bracket  30 , with rectangular article handle  14  being compressed against compressible friction pad  32  affixed to the back end of bracket  30 . When bracket  30  is inserted into top cavity  22  at back side  23  of locking body  20 , top cavity  22  of locking body  20  fits over and around the front end  35  of bracket  30 , as seen in  FIG. 5   b . A bearing periphery— 28   a ,  28   b  and  28   c , collectively, as shown in  FIG. 3   b —is positioned on back side  23  of locking body  20 , and compresses rectangular article handle  14  against compressible friction pad  32  when screw  40  is tightened into flange nut  42  using screw driving element  44 . Bottom cavity  24 , as shown in  FIG. 3   b , of locking body  20 , preferably contains an electronic surveillance element  25 , such as an RFID tag, which is capable of setting off an alarm when the article is carried beyond a preset perimeter. 
     In  FIG. 2 , a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in exploded view, which enables a description of all of the invention&#39;s components for securement thereof to rectangular article handle  14 . At least a portion of rectangular article handle  14  is inserted up through and into bracket  30 . Front end  35  of bracket  30  can then be inserted into top cavity  22  at back side  23  of locking body  20 . Bottom cavity  24  contains electronic surveillance element  25  capable of setting off an alarm when the article is carried beyond a preset perimeter. Then, threaded fastener screw  40  is inserted into aperture  26  on front side  21  of locking body  20 , which screw  40  continues through aperture  36  in front end  35  of bracket  30  to engage like-threaded fastener flange nut  42 . Screw  40  and flange nut  42  can be tightened using screw driving element  44 . As screw  40  is tightened, top cavity  22  of locking body  20  telescopically receives front end  35  of bracket  30 , such that the bearing periphery  28   a - c  on back side  23  of locking body  20 , shown in  FIG. 3   b , compresses rectangular article handle  14  against compressible friction pad  32  fitted on the back end of bracket  30 . With rectangular article handle  14  being compressed between back side  23  of locking body  20  and compressible friction pad  32  at the back end of bracket  30 , electronic surveillance element  25  is contained within bottom cavity  24  on the inside surface of front side  21  of locking body  20 , making it substantially inaccessible to customers to in turn prevent its removal therefrom. The overall length of locking body  20  from front side  21  to back side  23 —in combination with the length of screw  40 —ensure that screw  40  avoids contact with handle article  14 . 
     Front side  21  of a preferred embodiment of locking body  20  is shown in elevated view in  FIG. 3   a . Front side  21  of locking body  20  contains aperture  26  through which screw  40 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , may be inserted. Aperture  26  is surrounded by annular ridge  27 , which—as seen in FIG.  7 —facilitates the fastening and defastening of screw  40  by screw driving element  44 . The head of screw driving element—seen in FIG.  7 —contains annular ridge  45  that fits snugly around the head of screw  40  and snugly within annular ridge  27 , resting within annular groove  47 . As  FIGS. 3   a  and  7  show, annular ridge  27  protrudes away from aperture  26  such that the former partially obscures the head of screw  40 . Annular ridge  27  thus prevents a shopper from attempting to remove screw  40  head-on using pliers or, from the side, by inserting a tool beneath the head of screw  40  to in turn use leverage to sever or pry off the heads of and/or otherwise extract screw  40 . 
     Back side  23  of a preferred embodiment of locking body  20  is shown in elevated view in  FIG. 3   b . Top cavity  22  of locking body  20  includes aperture  26 , which aligns with aperture  36  on front end  35  of bracket  30 , shown in  FIG. 5   b , when front end  35  is inserted into top cavity  22  of locking body  20 . Bottom cavity  24  of locking body  20  contains electronic surveillance element  25 , again, capable of setting off an alarm when the article is carried beyond a preset perimeter. 
     As  FIG. 3   b  shows, top cavity  22  of locking body  20  is formed by top side  28   a , left side  29   a , right side  29   b  and bottom side  28   b , which bottom side  28   b  corresponds to the top side of bottom cavity  24  of locking body  20 —making side  28   b  the shared side between top cavity  22  and bottom cavity  24 . Bottom cavity  24  is thus formed by its top side—shared side  28   b , bottom side  28   c , left side  29   c  and right side  29   d . The distance between left and right sides  29   a - b  of top cavity  22  is barely greater than the length of the front end  35  of bracket  30 , and the distance between top side  28   a  and shared side  28   b  is barely greater than the height of the front end  35  of bracket  30 , shown in  FIG. 5   b . Thus, the front end  35  of bracket  30  fits snugly within top cavity  22  of locking body  20 . Sides  27   c - d  isolate the position of electronic surveillance element  25  to render it inaccessible to customers. When back side  23  of locking body  20  is compressed against rectangular article handle  14 , as in  FIG. 1   a , top side  28   a , shared side  28   b  and bottom side  28   c  form the bearing periphery  28   a - c  on back side  23  of locking body  20 , making contact with rectangular article handle  14  and compressing it against the inside back end of bracket  30 , at which location the compressible friction pad  32  is affixed, as shown in  FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b . Thus, compressible friction pads  28   d ,  28   e  and  28   f  may be fitted to horizontal bearing periphery  28   a ,  28   b  and  28   c , respectively, to ensure that all surfaces that bear against rectangular article handle  14  protect rectangular article handle  14  from being scratched or scuffed. 
     An alternative embodiment of locking body  20 ′ with deeper bottom cavity  24 ′ is shown in perspective view in  FIG. 4 . In comparison with the other embodiment, front side  21 ′ here of the bottom portion of locking body  20 ′ is farther away from back side  23 ′ to create deeper bottom cavity  24 ′. The increased depth of deeper bottom cavity  24 ′ facilitates the placement of electronic surveillance element  25 ′ farther away from article handle  14  when same is secured with locking body  20 ′ as demonstrated in  FIG. 1   a . The increased distance ensures the functionality of electronic surveillance element  25 ′ in cases where article handle  14  contains metal, which can detrimentally affect the reliability of electronic surveillance element  25 ′. 
     A top view of a preferred embodiment of bracket  30  is seen in  FIG. 5   a . On the left—the back end—bracket  30  is fitted with compressible friction pad  32 , against which rectangular article handle  14  is compressed, as in  FIG. 1   a . On the right, near front end  35 , two flanges  34  hold flange nut  42  in place to ensure its proper receipt of screw  40 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . Aperture  36  on front end  35  of bracket  30  is visible in dotted lines through both front end  35  and flange nut  42 . 
       FIG. 5   b  shows a view of front end  35  of a preferred embodiment of bracket  30 . Aperture  36  in front end  35  of bracket  30  aligns with aperture  26  in top cavity  22  of locking body  20 , seen in  FIG. 3   b , so that screw  40  can be inserted through both apertures  26  and  36 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     A perspective view of bracket  30  sitting on its side and viewed from front end  35  is seen in  FIG. 5   c . Front end  35  contains aperture  36 , through which screw  40  will be inserted, while the back end is fitted with compressible friction pad  32 , against which rectangular article handle  14  is compressed by bearing periphery  28   a - c  on back side  23  of locking body  20 , as demonstrated in  FIG. 2 . Flanges  34  protrude from the sides of bracket  30 , so as to maintain the position of flange nut  42  for alignment and threaded engagement with screw  40 . 
       FIG. 5   d  shows a perspective view from the back end of bracket  30 , sitting on its side. Aperture  36  in the front side  35  is seen through the hole of flange nut  42 , which is held in position by flanges  34 . On the right, compressible friction pad  32  is fitted to the back end of bracket  30  to facilitate the maintained position of rectangular article handle  14 , as shown in  FIG. 1   b.    
     An alternative embodiment of bracket—bracket  50 —is seen in  FIG. 6 . As shown, bracket  50 , being in the shape of a circle, accommodates articles with handles shaped substantially cylindrically. However, as the phantom lines of periphery  57  make clear, bracket  50  may also take the shape of a hexagon, thus accommodating articles with handles shaped substantially hexagonally. Notably, bracket  50  can be used with locking body  20  because, regardless of the shape of bracket  50 , front end  55  of bracket  50  is rectangular and sized to fit snugly within top cavity  22  of locking body  20 , as seen in  FIG. 3   b . Like rectangular bracket  30 , shown in  FIG. 5   a , bracket  50  uses flanges  54  to hold flange nut  58  in place, to enable its receipt of screw  59  upon the insertion of front end  55  of bracket  50  into the top cavity  22  of locking body  20 . 
       FIG. 6  also demonstrates how alternative bracket  50  may be designed to accommodate article handles with ends wider than their bodies (such as baseball bats—see above paragraph 7). In one embodiment, bracket  50  is formed of a resilient, spring-loaded material and is operably rotatable around pivot point  52 . Alternatively, bracket  50  is comprised of first portion  51 , second, movable portion  53  and hinge  52  operably connecting first portion  51  and second, movable portion  53 . In the first case, pivot point  52  facilitates the spreading of bracket  50  to enable the placement of an article handle (not pictured) therewithin. Then, bracket  50  may be collapsed around the article handle (not pictured), with the end of second portion  53  overlapping the opposite end of first portion  51 , such that rectangular front end  55  of bracket  50  may be inserted into top cavity  22  of locking body  20 . In the second case, hinge  52  facilitates the rotation of second, movable portion  53  to enable the opening of bracket  50  and placement therewithin of an article handle (not pictured). The second portion  53  can then swing shut, with the end of second portion  53  overlapping the opposite end of first portion such that rectangular front end  55  of bracket  50  may be inserted into top cavity  22  of locking body  20 . Thus, as  FIG. 6  makes clear, a bracket could be any number of shapes and/or comprised of movable portions or a resilient, spring-loaded material to accommodate all types of article handles. 
       FIG. 7  shows a top view of one embodiment of screw driving element  44  with accompanying screw  40 . While the fastening elements that compress locking body  20  to bracket  30  (or bracket  50 ) are by no means limited, the fastening elements here are threaded screw  40  and mated threaded flange nut  42 . Screw  40 , however, preferably avoids a typical, widely available, screw head to prevent any customer with the appropriate common screwdriver from unfastening the screw and removing the security apparatus. As such, atypical screw heads—such as the one shown in FIG.  7 —are contemplated. Threaded screw  40  has a smooth, planar head except for a cylindrically-shaped hole  46 . Screw driving element  44  has a corresponding operating element  48 —a cylindrical protrusion—capable of being inserted into hole  46  in the head of screw  40  to turn screw  40 . As previously noted, annular ridge  27  facilitates the fastening and defastening of screw  40  by screw driving element  44 . Annular ridge  45  on the head of screw driving element  44  fits snugly around the head of screw  40  and snugly within annular ridge  27 , resting within annular groove  47 . While a screw head is shown in  FIG. 7  as an example of an atypical mechanism for turning the screw, it should be appreciated that the invention is not limited in this respect, and can be used with any screw  40  that contains an atypical operating mechanism, to ensure that customers cannot remove the security apparatus from the handles of articles with commonplace phillips, alien, and/or slotted screwdrivers. 
     An alternative embodiment of locking body  60 , intended for articles with knobbed or specially shaped handles, is shown in  FIG. 8  surrounding knob  62  of baseball bat  61 . Locking body elements  63   a  and  63   b  articulate together to form locking body  60 , which is sized and shaped to fit around knob  62 . When locking body  60  is articulated, first cavity portions  64   a  and  64   b , seen in  FIG. 10 , combine to form knob cavity  64 , which surrounds knob  62 , while second cavity portions  65   a  and  65   b , also seen in  FIG. 10 , combine to form anti-theft cavity  65 . Locking body elements  63   a  and  63   b  are joined together using threaded screws  66   a  and  66   b  and threaded regions  68   a  and  68   b , shown in  FIG. 10 . As in the embodiments above, threaded screws  66   a  and  66   b  are positioned such that the head of each screw  66   a  and  66   b  is at least partially obscured by a protruding ridge extending outward from apertures  67   a  and  67   b , seen in  FIG. 10 . As previously discussed, the protruding ridge prevents a typical shopper from attempting to remove screws  66   a  and  66   b —either head-on using pliers or, from the side, by inserting a tool beneath the head of screws  66   a  and  66   b  in an attempt to sever or pry off the heads of and/or otherwise extract same. 
     An exploded view of locking body  60 —shown in partial cross-section, taken from line  9 - 9  of  FIG. 8  and looking in the direction of the arrows—is seen in  FIG. 9  around knob  62  of baseball bat  61 . Locking body elements  63   a  and  63   b  are held with first cavity portions  64   a  and  64   b  on opposite sides of knob  62 . Locking body elements  63   a  and  63   b  are then restrainably fastened to one another, with first cavity portions  64   a  and  64   b  combining to form knob cavity  64 , which surrounds knob  62 , as shown in  FIG. 8 . This orientation is achieved when threaded screws  66   a  and  66   b  are tightened through threaded regions  68   b  and  68   a , respectively. Screw driving element  69  is used to operate and turn threaded screws  66   a  and  66   b . Threaded screws  66   a  and  66   b  preferably avoid a typical, widely available, screw head to prevent any customer with the appropriate common screwdriver from unfastening the screw and removing the security apparatus. As such, atypical screw heads—such as the one shown in FIG.  7 —are contemplated. 
       FIG. 10  is an exploded, rotated perspective view showing how locking body elements  63   a  and  63   b  join together to restrainably fasten about knob  62  of baseball bat  61 , as seen in  FIG. 9 . Locking body elements  63   a  and  63   b , as shown herein, may be substantially identical: each locking body element includes (1) an aperture  67   a  (or  67   b ) on one side, (2) a threaded region  68   a  (or  68   b ) on the other side, (3) a first cavity portion  64   a  (or  64   b ) and (4) a second cavity portion  65   a  (or  65   b ), which cavity portions align with one another in an articulated locking body to form knob cavity  64  and anti-theft cavity  65 , seen in  FIG. 8 . Thus, with cavity portions  64   a  and  64   b  combining to form knob cavity  64  and cavity portions  65   a  and  65   b  combining to form anti-theft cavity  65 ,  FIG. 10  demonstrates the location of theft-deterring elements contained within locking body  60 . In one embodiment, anti-theft cavity  65  contains electronic article surveillance element  70 , such as an RFID tag, which is capable of setting off an alarm when baseball bat  60  is carried beyond a preset perimeter. Alternatively, anti-theft cavity  65  may contain anchor  71  affixed to an aircraft-grade tether wire  72 , the opposite end of which may be affixed to a stationary object within the store (not shown), thus impeding the removal of baseball bat  61  beyond the perimeter defined by the length of tether wire  72 . Alternatively, tether wire  72  may contain two electricity-conducting wires (not shown) that would enable the use of an alarm system, whereby the severing of tether wire  72  would sound an alarm alerting store employees to potential theft. 
       FIG. 10  also shows how threaded screws  66   a  and  66   b  are used to restrainably fasten locking body  60  into its fully enclosed position around knob  62  of baseball bat  61 . Threaded screw  66   a  is inserted through aperture  67   a  in locking body element  63   a  before it is inserted into and threaded through threaded region  68   b  of locking body element  63   b . Likewise, threaded screw  66   b  is inserted through aperture  67   b  in locking body element  63   b  before it is inserted into and threaded through threaded region  68   a  of locking body element  63   a . Thus, locking body  60  is only fully restrainably fastened when threaded screws  66   a  and  66   b  are tightened and threaded fully through threaded regions  68   b  and  68   a , respectively. As noted above, apertures  67   a  and  67   b  are each deep enough to partially obscure threaded screws  66   a  and  66   b  when locking body elements  63   a  and  63   b  are articulated together, such that the heads of screws  66   a  and  66   b  are inaccessible except when operated by screw driving element  69 , as seen in  FIG. 9 . Again, this partial obscuring of screws  66   a  and  66   b  frustrates attempts by customers to insert a tool beneath the head of screws  66   a  and  66   b  in an attempt to sever or pry off the heads of and/or otherwise extract screws  66   a  and  66   b.    
     An alternative embodiment of locking body  60 —locking body  80 —is also intended for articles with knobbed or specially shaped handles, and is shown attached to knob  82  of baseball bat  81  in  FIG. 11 . As in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , when locking body  80  is articulated, first cavity portions  84   a  and  84   b  combine to form knob cavity  84 , which surrounds knob  82 , while second cavity portions  85   a  and  85   b  combine to form anti-theft cavity  85 . However, compared to anti-theft cavity  65 , seen in  FIG. 8 , anti-theft cavity  85  is positioned farther from knob  82  to facilitate the placement of electronic surveillance (RFID) element  90  at a greater distance from knob  81  when locking body  80  is secured. This increased distance ensures the functionality of electronic surveillance element  90  in cases where baseball bat  81  contains metal, which can detrimentally affect the reliability of electronic surveillance element  90 . Locking body elements  83   a  and  83   b  are joined together using threaded screws  86   a  and  86   b  and threaded regions  88   a  and  88   b , shown in  FIG. 12 . Threaded screws  86   a  and  86   b  are positioned such that the head of each screw  86   a  and  86   b  is at least partially obscured by a protruding ridge, similar to apertures  67   a  and  67   b  in  FIG. 10 , so as to prevent prying of the heads of screws  86   a  and  86   b.    
     An exploded view of locking body  80 —shown in partial cross-section, taken from line  12 - 12  of  FIG. 11  and looking in the direction of the arrows—is seen in  FIG. 12  around knob  82  of baseball bat  81 . In  FIG. 12 , locking body elements  83   a  and  83   b  are oriented about first cavity portions  84   a  and  84   b  on opposite sides of knob  82 . Locking body elements  83   a  and  83   b  are then restrainably fastened to one another, with first cavity portions  84   a  and  84   b  combining to form knob cavity  84  and second cavity portions  85   a  and  85   b  combining to form anti-theft cavity  85 . Anti-theft cavity  85  is separate and positioned at a greater distance from knob cavity  84  such that anti-theft cavity  85  facilitates the placement of electronic surveillance element  90  in a position farther from knob  8  when it is secured with locking body  80 , again to ensure the reliability of electronic surveillance element  90 . The articulation is achieved when threaded screws  86   a  and  86   b  are tightened through threaded regions  88   b  and  88   a , respectively. As shown in  FIG. 12 , screw driving element  89  is used to operate and turn threaded screws  86   a  and  86   b . Threaded screws  86   a  and  86   b  preferably avoid a typical, widely available, screw head to prevent a customer with a common screwdriver from unfastening the screw and removing the security apparatus. As such, atypical screw heads—such as the one shown in FIG.  7 —are contemplated.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4