Patent ID: 7048246

Claim:
A universal mount assembly for operably connecting an anti-theft device in one of a plurality of orientations to an article being monitored, said article being monitored including a threaded mounting aperture, the universal mount assembly comprising: a mounting member for bringing an anti-theft sensor assembly in operable contact with the article being monitored; the mounting member including an upper surface describing an article attachment region, a lower surface, a plurality of apertures for enabling restrainable and adjustable affixation of the mounting member to the article being monitored at said article attachment region, and further including a dedicated sensor region distinct from said article attachment region for fixedly attaching an anti-theft sensor assembly to the mounting member to enable operable contact with the article being monitored; the mounting member being sized relative to the article being monitored, and operably configured to facilitate the manual handling, inspection and demonstration of the article; an anti-theft sensor assembly fixedly attached to the mounting member at the sensor region for contacting the article being monitored to, in turn, detect tampering with the article being so monitored; said plurality of apertures in the mounting member further comprising at least three apertures with at least one of the at least three apertures not in linear alignment with at least two of the other at least three apertures, each of the at least three apertures being non-threaded; the at least three apertures extending from the upper surface to the lower surface of the mounting member to permit a threaded portion of a first fastener to pass therethrough into the threaded mounting aperture of the article being monitored, for restrainable yet reorientable affixation of the mounting member and the anti-theft sensor assembly to the article being monitored; said reorientable affixation extending into at least two substantially intersecting directions of movement to optimize the restrained positioning of said article being monitored along said mounting member for mounting said anti-theft sensor assembly, in at least one preferred attachment position; said sensor region positioned on the mounting member in a position laterally displaced from, and independent from, said plurality of apertures used to secure the mounting member to the article being monitored, said sensor region including an isolated aperture, displaced and segregated from said plurality of apertures in said article attachment region, for enabling passage therethrough of a switch member.