U.S. patent application number 12/742727 was filed with the patent office on 2010-11-18 for security device for use with a bottle.
This patent application is currently assigned to MAINETTI (UK) LIMITED. Invention is credited to Michael Edward Jones.
Application Number | 20100288720 12/742727 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38925855 |
Filed Date | 2010-11-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100288720 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Jones; Michael Edward |
November 18, 2010 |
Security Device for Use with a Bottle
Abstract
A security device (200) for housing a security tag (2008), such
a security device being able to be fixably attached to a sealing
portion (214) of a bottle (216). The security device can be formed
by a two-part injection molding tool. The security device comprises
a planar surface (2006) for engaging a security tag and a plurality
inwardly protruding portions (212) having planar surfaces which are
parallel to the surface the tag is attached to. These protruding
portions obstruct access to a security tag mounted to the device.
The security device provides a low cost highly visible means for
attaching the tag to a bottle.
Inventors: |
Jones; Michael Edward;
(Ruthin, GB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
JACKIE JAY SCHWARTZ
245 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1902
NEW YORK
NY
10016
US
|
Assignee: |
MAINETTI (UK) LIMITED
Jedburgh
GB
|
Family ID: |
38925855 |
Appl. No.: |
12/742727 |
Filed: |
November 24, 2008 |
PCT Filed: |
November 24, 2008 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/GB2008/051100 |
371 Date: |
May 13, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
215/201 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E05B 73/0041 20130101;
B65D 55/14 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
215/201 |
International
Class: |
B65D 50/00 20060101
B65D050/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 22, 2007 |
GB |
0722876.0 |
Claims
1. A security device for use with a bottle, the device comprising a
body adapted to at least partially cover a sealing portion of a
bottle, said body having: a first surface for receiving adhesive
such that said security device can be fixed to said sealing portion
of said bottle; and a second surface adapted to engage at least one
security tag.
2. The security device according to claim 1, said body further
comprising at least one first body portion having a third surface
adjacent to and parallel to said second surface wherein said first
body portion is adapted to restrict access to said security tag
when said security tag is engaged with said second surface and said
security device is mounted to said sealing portion of said
bottle.
3. The security device according to claim 2, said body further
comprising at least one second body portion adapted to further
restrict access to said security tag when said security tag is
engaged with said second surface and said security device is
fixably mounted to said sealing portion of said bottle.
4. A security device according to claim 1, wherein the planes
defined by said surfaces of both said first and second body
portions are parallel.
5. A security device according to claim 1, wherein said first
surface is planar.
6. A security device according to claim 1 wherein said first
surface is cylindrical.
7. A security device according to claim 1, wherein said second
surface is planar.
8. A security device according to claim 1, wherein said second
surface is parallel to an axis defined by a portion of said bottle
to which said security device is attached.
9. A security device for use with a bottle, the device comprising a
body adapted to receive a tag, the body, and tag engaged to the
body, adapted to be fixedly attached to a sealing portion of a
bottle, wherein the body comprises: a cover portion adapted to
cover an uppermost surface of the sealing portion of the bottle;
and side portions extending from said upper portion and covering
the junction between the sealing portion of the bottle and the
cover portion.
10. A security device according to claim 9 wherein said body is
adapted to be fixed directly to said sealing portion of said
bottle.
11. A security device according to claim 9 wherein said body is
adapted to be fixed indirectly to said sealing portion by being
fixed to said security device which is in turn fixed to said
sealing portion.
12. (canceled)
Description
[0001] The present application relates to a security device and
relates particularly, but not exclusively, to a security device for
use with a bottle.
[0002] Security tags may be attached to items in a store so that if
an item, to which a security tag is attached, is removed from the
store an alarm system is activated.
[0003] Such security tags may be adhesively attached to items
directly. Alternatively, a security tag may be housed in a security
device which may then be removably attached to an item. Examples of
adhesively attached security tags are illustrated in FIG. 1 where a
plurality of such security tags 100 are shown to be fixedly
attached to a glass bottle 102. It is well known good practice to
recycle glass bottles. However, if a security tag has been
adhesively attached to the glass portion of a bottle it is common
that people do not remove the tag before recycling which leads to
contamination problems in the glass recycling process.
[0004] As mentioned above, security tags may be housed in a
security device that may be removably or fixedly attached to an
item. There are currently many security devices in existence able
to be removably attached to items wherein such security devices are
required to be removed at the checkout of the store in which the
item is sold. Subsequently, removed security devices may then be
reused by reattaching them to another item. The removal of reusable
security devices within a store slows down the transaction process.
Further, removed security devices need to be stored, collected and
reattached before reuse which is also time consuming. Many of such
security devices consist of a plurality of components that fix
together and require complex injection moulding tools. This leads
to high costs of manufacture.
[0005] Preferred embodiments of the present invention seek to
overcome the above disadvantages of the prior art.
[0006] According to an aspect of the present invention there is
provided a security device for use with a bottle, the device
comprising a body adapted to at least partially cover a sealing
portion of a bottle, said body having:
[0007] a first surface for receiving adhesive such that said
security device can be fixed to said sealing portion of said
bottle; and
[0008] a second surface adapted to engage at least one security
tag.
[0009] Because the security device of the present invention is
attached to a removable sealing portion (the top) of a bottle it is
easily separated from the glass portion of a bottle making it less
likely that the security device will not be removed prior to
recycling. As a result there will be less contamination associated
with the glass recycling process. Furthermore, because the device
can be easily manufactured it is inexpensive thereby not
significantly increasing the cost of adding the security device to
the bottle. This in turn allows such security devices to be used on
a larger range of bottled products, for example, including cheaper
products, than is the case with the bottle top mounted security
devices of the prior art, whilst still providing the deterrent
effect of clearly indicating the presence of the security device.
As a result it is possible to use the security device on, for
example, all bottles of alcoholic drink. It is then clear that any
bottles of alcoholic drink in a store that do not have the security
device have been tampered with. In contrast, security tags of the
prior art shown in FIG. 1 can be easily removed so that it is not
immediately obvious that tampering has occurred.
[0010] In a preferred embodiment said body further comprises at
least one first body portion having a third surface adjacent to and
parallel to said second surface wherein said first body portion is
adapted to restrict access to said security tag when said security
tag is engaged with said second surface and said security device is
mounted to said sealing portion of said bottle.
[0011] By providing a body portion adjacent the tag this restricts
access to a security tag fixably mounted to the device. This
provides the advantage that the security tag is less likely to be
tampered with or removed such that the theft of a bottle to which
such a security device is mounted is more likely to be alerted.
[0012] In another preferred embodiment said body further comprising
at least one second body portion adapted to further restrict access
to said security tag when said security tag is engaged with said
second surface and said security device is fixably mounted to said
sealing portion of said bottle.
[0013] In a further preferred embodiment the planes defined by said
surfaces of both said first and second body portions are
parallel.
[0014] In a preferred embodiment said first surface is planar.
[0015] By applying adhesive to a planar surface allows adhesive to
be applied cleanly and easily which increases the speed at which a
security device can be attached to a bottle.
[0016] In another preferred embodiment said first surface is
cylindrical.
[0017] In a further preferred embodiment said second surface is
planar.
[0018] By mounting the tag on a planar surface allows a security
tag to be easily mounted increasing the speed at which a security
device can be prepared for use. Furthermore, this allows existing
tags that are already used in conjunction with a stores existing
security system to be used. As a result existing security tags and
existing security systems can be used in conjunction with the
security device of the present application.
[0019] In a preferred embodiment said second surface is parallel to
an axis defined by a portion of said bottle to which said security
device is attached.
[0020] A security device in accordance with the present invention
is able to be formed by two part injection moulding. This provides
the advantage that the cost of manufacture will be small.
[0021] According to another aspect of the present invention there
is provided a security device for use with a bottle, the device
comprising a body adapted to receive a tag, the body, and tag
engaged to the body, adapted to be fixedly attached to a sealing
portion of a bottle, wherein the body comprises:
[0022] a cover portion adapted to cover an uppermost surface of the
sealing portion of the bottle; and
[0023] side portions extending from said upper portion and covering
the junction between the sealing portion of the bottle and the
cover portion.
[0024] By providing a security device including a tag and a body
that are stuck to the top of the bottle's seal and has sides that
extend down the seal to cover the junction between the seal and the
body, the advantage is provided that the security device is very
difficult to remove without damaging the bottle. Specifically it is
difficult to remove the tag from the bottle top without removing
the top. Typically this type of security device is used on bottles
having a metallic screw top that is divided into two portions, a
removable screw top and a ring that is retained on the bottle, the
two portions being separated by a perforated ring. As a result, in
order to steal a bottle that uses such a security device, it would
be necessary to remove the tag and carry the open bottle out of the
shop. If the purpose of the theft is resale then the value of the
stolen goods is significantly reduced by breaking of the perforated
seal. Similarly, because the tag can be easily adhered to the seal
with a force stronger than the perforations, even if the security
device can be removed from the bottle top it cannot be removed
without breaking the perforations which again significantly reduces
the value of the stolen goods.
[0025] In a preferred embodiment the body is adapted to be fixed
directly to said sealing portion of said bottle.
[0026] In another preferred embodiment the body is adapted to be
fixed indirectly to said sealing portion by being fixed to said
security device which is in turn fixed to said sealing portion.
[0027] Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be
described, by way of example only and not in any limitative sense,
with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
[0028] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a plurality of security tags
fixedly attached to the glass portion of a bottle;
[0029] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the security device of the
present invention prior to engagement with a security tag;
[0030] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the security device of FIG.
2 after engagement with a security tag;
[0031] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the security device of FIG.
3 being brought into engagement with a bottle;
[0032] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the security device of FIG.
3 in engagement with the receiving portion of a bottle;
[0033] FIG. 6 is a view from below the security device of FIG.
5;
[0034] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the security device of FIG.
3;
[0035] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the
present invention;
[0036] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the
present invention;
[0037] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the
present invention; and
[0038] FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of the device shown
in FIG. 10 together with a bottle.
[0039] With reference to FIG. 2, a security device 200 for use
particularly, but not exclusively, with a bottle includes a
substantially cylindrical first receiving portion 201 adapted to
receive and engage the sealing portion of a bottle. The sealing
portion of a bottle includes a screw fit top, a cork or other
stopper type seal. It should also be noted that the sealing portion
includes any packaging material used to cover a screw fit top or
cork such as a shrink wrap cover. The first receiving portion 201
includes a planar portion having an inside surface 202 and a
cylindrical portion having an inside surface 204.
[0040] The security device also includes a second receiving portion
205 which preferably does not engage the sealing portion of a
bottle. The second receiving portion 205 has a planar surface 206
which is adapted to engage a security tag 208. Protruding
internally from the inside surface 209 of the second receiving
portion 205 is a first body portion 210 which defines a surface 211
adjacent to and parallel to the planar surface 206 used to engage
the security tag 208. Also, parallel to, but displaced further from
the planar surface 206 for engaging a security tag 208 than the
first body portion 210 is a plurality of further body portions 212
which internally protrude from the inside surface 209 of the second
receiving portion 205.
[0041] The operation of the security device 200 will now be
described. Security tag 208 is engaged with and fixedly mounted to
planar surface 206 using adhesive as illustrated by the arrow in
FIG. 2.
[0042] FIG. 3 illustrates the security device 200 to which a
security tag 208 is fixedly mounted. The planar surface 202 and/or
the inside cylindrical surface 204 of the first receiving portion
201 are then coated with adhesive before being fixedly attached to
the sealing portion of a bottle. FIG. 4 illustrates an adhesive
coated security device 200 being brought into engagement with a
sealing portion 214 of a bottle 216 along the direction of the
arrow as shown.
[0043] FIG. 5 illustrates a security device 200 fixedly mounted to
the sealing portion 214 of a bottle 216. Outer planar surface 207
is the surface on the external side of the second receiving portion
205, opposite to surface 206 in FIG. 2. It is illustrated that a
vector 219 defining the direction of elongation of outer planar
surface 207 is perpendicular to an axis 217 of the sealing portion
of the bottle.
[0044] FIG. 6 illustrates a security device 200 which has been
fixedly mounted to the receiving portion 214 of a bottle 216. Body
portions 210 and 212 restrict access to the security tag 208 which
is fixedly mounted to the planar surface 206 of the second
receiving portion 205 of the security device.
[0045] As illustrated in FIG. 7 the second receiving portion 205 of
security device 200 further comprises an outer planar surface 207
opposite and external to that of planar surface 206. The outer
planar surface provides an opportunity to clearly display a message
or image. Such a message may for example warn that the bottle to
which the security device is mounted is security tagged.
Alternatively, the logo of the store in which the tagged item is to
be sold or of the product in the bottle may be displayed.
[0046] A second embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG.
8, in which parts common with FIGS. 2 to 5 are denoted with like
reference numerals increased by 100. This second embodiment differs
from the first embodiment in that when the security device 300 is
mounted to the sealing portion 314 of a bottle 316 a vector 319
defining the direction of elongation of outer planar surface 307 is
parallel to an axis 317 of the sealing portion of the bottle. This
second embodiment also differs from the first in that the planar
portion of the device comprising outer planar surface 307, the
opposite side 310 of which is adapted to engage a security tag, is
an extension of the first receiving portion 301 in the absence of a
second receiving portion.
[0047] FIG. 8 further illustrates the presence of a hole 318 in the
first receiving portion 301 of the second embodiment of the present
invention 300. This allows the removal of a cork when the device is
used on a bottle which uses a cork to contain liquid. A hole
similar to 318 may also be incorporated into the first receiving
portion 201 of the first embodiment of the security device 200
illustrated in FIG. 2.
[0048] A third embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG.
9, in which parts in common with FIGS. 2 to 5 are denoted with like
reference numerals increased by 200. The third embodiment differs
from the first embodiment, shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, in that the first
receiving portion 201 shown in these figures has been removed so
that an upper surface 420 which opposes the inside surface 402 from
the top of the second receiving portion 405. The fins 412, although
not visible in FIG. 9, are present in essentially the same form
shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. As a result of the removal of the first
receiving portion 201, the third embodiment shown in FIG. 9 is
shorter than that shown in FIGS. 2 to 5.
[0049] A fourth embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS.
10 and 11, in which parts in common with FIGS. 2 to 5 are denoted
with like reference numerals increased by 400. This fourth
embodiment differs from the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 to 5
in that the security tag 508 is attached to the tag in a different
place than the tag 208 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The tag 508 is
bonded to inside surface 502 of the security device 500. These two
components are then stuck to the sealing portion 514 of bottle 516.
This sticking can either be by having adhesive on both sides of the
tag 508 so that it sticks to inside surface 502 and top surface 522
of sealing portion 514 or by sticking the tag 508 to inside surface
502 and then sticking the device to the sealing portion 514 for
example using the inside surfaces 504 or 509.
[0050] The tag 508 is typically a Radio Frequency ID tag (RFID tag)
as opposed to tag 208 which is typically an Acousto Magnetic tag
(AM tag).
[0051] In a variation of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 10 and 11
the security device could be simplified by simply having a cover
portion in the form of upper surface 520 and side portions 524
extending therefrom the whole device being formed essentially as
receiving portion 501 with an RFID tag 508 stuck to planar surface
502. The side portions 524 mean that direct access to the tag 508
cannot be made and that the security device cannot be levered off
the top of the bottle without applying considerable forces to the
bottle top. The application of such will inevitably result in the
damage to the bottle top and in particular the breaking of the
perforated band 526 that separates the removable top 528 from the
ring 530 that is retained on the bottle.
[0052] It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that
the above embodiments have been described by way of example only
and not in any limitative sense, and that various alterations and
modifications are possible without departure from the scope of the
invention as defined by the appended claims. For example, a
security device may not include a plurality of further body
portions, illustrated as 212 in FIG. 2.
* * * * *