U.S. patent number RE37,590 [Application Number 08/807,120] was granted by the patent office on 2002-03-19 for retractable sensor for an alarm system.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Se-Kure Controls, Inc.. Invention is credited to Roger J. Leyden, Terrance J. Surma.
United States Patent |
RE37,590 |
Leyden , et al. |
March 19, 2002 |
Retractable sensor for an alarm system
Abstract
A retractable sensor assembly for use with an alarm system to
prevent theft of valuable products while eliminating the problem of
entangled and unsightly sensor cords is disclosed. The retractable
sensor allows the user to grasp the product and pull it to a
comfortable position. The invention consists of a housing, a
retraction means contained in the housing, a sensor having two
states, 1) secured when attached to the product and 2) unsecured
when detached from the product, a multiconductor cable having a
first end connected to the sensor, cooperating with the retraction
means and a second end extending out of the housing, where the
retraction means urges the sensor to the housing, yet allows the
sensor to be pulled from the housing when an external force is
exerted on the sensor, while maintaining a continuous electrical
path from the first, sensor end of the cable to the second end of
the cable.
Inventors: |
Leyden; Roger J. (Willow
Springs, IL), Surma; Terrance J. (Bloomingdale, IL) |
Assignee: |
Se-Kure Controls, Inc.
(Franklin Park, IL)
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Family
ID: |
22981577 |
Appl.
No.: |
08/807,120 |
Filed: |
February 19, 1997 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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Reissue of: |
258663 |
Jun 10, 1994 |
05552771 |
Sep 3, 1996 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
340/568.1;
340/548; 340/571; 340/665 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G08B
13/1418 (20130101); G08B 13/1445 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G08B
13/14 (20060101); G08B 013/14 () |
Field of
Search: |
;340/568,691,651,652,665,548,571 ;200/61.13,61.93
;191/12.1R,12.2R,12.4 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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3518157 |
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Nov 1986 |
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DE |
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0063313 |
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Oct 1982 |
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EP |
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2549308 |
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Jan 1985 |
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FR |
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Other References
IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, W.L. Dollenmayer, "Cable Storage
Reel" vol. 6, No. 7, p. 69-70, Dec. 1963..
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Primary Examiner: Horabik; Michael
Assistant Examiner: Wong; Albert K.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Wood, Phillips, VanSanten, Clark
& Mortimer
Claims
We claim:
1. A retractable sensor assembly, as used with an alarm system,
comprising;
a housing;
means for retraction contained in said housing;
a sensor having two states, 1) secured when attached to a product
and 2) unsecured when detached from said product, said sensor being
outside the housing;
a multiconductor cable, having a first end attached to the sensor
then extending into the housing, cooperating with the retraction
means and a second end extending out of the housing;
said retraction means urging the cable into the housing and thereby
urging the sensor to the retraction means, yet allowing the sensor
to be pulled from the housing when an external force is exerted on
the sensor, while maintaining a continuous electrical path from the
first, sensor end of the cable to the second end of the cable;
and
means for connecting said second end of the cable to an alarm
system able to detect if said sensor is in the secured or unsecured
state,
whereby a user can grasp and pull on a product attached to the
sensor to place the product in a comfortable position, but if the
user detaches the product from the sensor the alarm system detects
the unsecured state.
2. The retractable sensor assembly of claim 1 wherein said sensor
has an indicating means for indicating the state of the sensor.
3. The retractable sensor assembly of claim 2 wherein said
indicating means is a light-emitting diode.
4. The retractable sensor assembly of claim 1 wherein said
multiconductor cable is a phone cord.
5. The retractable sensor assembly of claim 1 wherein said
retraction means includes;
a spool mounted in the housing upon which said multiconductor cable
is wound; and
biasing means operatively associated with said spool in said
housing for urging said spool in a direction to wind the cable on
the spool, yet to permit unwinding of the cable when an external
force is exerted on the sensor.
6. A retractable sensor assembly, as used with an alarm system,
comprising;
a housing;
a pulley mounted for rotation in said housing, having a pair of
hubs, a sensor hub and an alarm system hub, and a disk between the
sensor and the alarm system hub has a hole;
a multiconductor cable wound about the sensor hub through said hole
in said disk and then wound around the alarm system hub of said
pulley, the cable having opposite near and remote ends;
a sensor, outside the housing, connected to the remote end of said
cable and being attachable to a product, said sensor having two
states, 1) secured when attached to the product and 2) unsecured
when detached from the product, and the sensor including means for
electrically connecting or disconnecting conductors in said cable
according to the state of the sensor;
biasing means operatively associated with said pulley in said
housing for urging said pulley and the pair of hubs in a direction
to wind the cable around the sensor hub and thereby pull the sensor
to the housing yet to permit the sensor to extend from the housing
when an external force is exerted on the sensor; and
a connector, outside the housing, attached to the near end of the
cable, for connecting to an alarm system,
whereby a user can grasp and pull on a product attached to the
sensor to place the product in a comfortable position, but if the
user detaches the product from the sensor the alarm system detects
the unsecured state.
7. The retractable sensor assembly of claim 6 wherein said sensor
includes a means for visually indicating whether the sensor is in
the secured or unsecured state.
8. The retractable sensor assembly of claim 7 wherein said
indicating means is a light-emitting diode.
9. The retractable sensor assembly of claim 6 in combination with a
product and including means for attaching the sensor to the product
so that the sensor is in the secured state.
10. The retractable sensor assembly of claim 9 wherein the sensor
and cable are the only elements connecting between the product and
housing.
11. A retractable cable assembly, as used with an alarm system,
comprising;
a housing;
means for retraction contained in said housing;
a multiconductor cable, having a first end attached to a
.Iadd.sensor attachable to a .Iaddend.product then extending into
the housing, cooperating with the retraction means and a second end
extending out of the housing.Iadd., said sensor having two states,
1) secured when attached to the product with at least two
conductors of the cable electrically connected and 2) unsecured
when detached from the product with said at least two conductors
electrically disconnected.Iaddend.;
said retraction means urging the cable into the housing and thereby
urging the first end connected to .[.a product.]. .Iadd.the sensor
.Iaddend.to the retraction means, yet allowing the first end to be
pulled from the housing when an external force is exerted on the
first end, while maintaining a continuous electrical path .Iadd.in
said at least two conductors .Iaddend.from the first end of the
cable to the second end of the cable; and
means for connecting the second end of the cable to an alarm system
which detects a) .[.a.]. .Iadd.the .Iaddend.secured state with the
.[.electrical path continuous between the first and second ends of
the cable.]. .Iadd.at least two conductors of the cable
electrically connected .Iaddend.and b) an unsecured state with the
.[.continuity of the electrical path between the first and second
cable ends broken.]. .Iadd.at least two conductors of the cable
electrically disconnected.Iaddend.,
whereby a user can grasp and pull on a product attached to the
first cable end to place the product in a comfortable position, but
if the user breaks the .[.continuity of the electrical path.].
.Iadd.electric connection of the at least two conductors of the
cable .Iaddend.the alarm system detects the unsecured state.
.Iadd.
12. A retractable cable assembly, as used with an alarm system,
comprising;
a housing;
a cable having first and second conductors extending between
opposite first and second ends of said cable;
means for attaching said cable first end to a product;
means for electrically connecting said first and second conductors
at said first end of said cable whereby 1) said first and second
conductors form an alarm loop extending from said cable second end
through said first conductor to said cable first end and back
through said second conductor to said cable second end when said
attaching means attach said cable to a product and 2) said alarm
loop is broken by detaching said cable from a product;
a connector for connecting said cable second end to an alarm system
responsive to any break of the alarm loop; and
a retracting mechanism in said housing continuously urging the
cable first end toward the housing yet allowing the cable first end
to be pulled away from the housing when an external force is
exerted on the cable first end. .Iaddend..Iadd.
13. The retractable cable assembly of claim 12, wherein said
retracting mechanism continuously urges the cable first end toward
the housing, whereby a user can grasp and pull on a product
attached to the cable first end to place the product in a
comfortable position with a minimum amount of cable extending from
said housing. .Iaddend..Iadd.
14. The retractable cable assembly of claim 13, wherein said
retracting mechanism comprises:
a pulley mounted for free rotation relative to said housing and
including a sensor hub and an alarm system hub separated by a disk,
said disk having a hole therein, whereby said cable extends from
said cable first end into said housing where it winds around said
sensor hub then extends through said pulley disk hole and winds
about said alarm system hub then extends from said housing to said
cable second end; and
a spring continuously biasing said pulley toward winding said cable
onto said sensor hub. .Iaddend.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to security alarms and anti-theft
devices and, particularly, to an improved sensor design which
allows limited freedom of movement of a consumer item to which it
is attached.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In recent years, retail and wholesale merchandisers have directed
substantial attention to the nagging and costly problem associated
with the theft and/or damage of costly display products on their
premises. With the advent of smaller and more portable electronic
apparatus, the ease with which pilferers and shoplifters can
quickly and easily remove such goods from display cases and display
racks has intensified. At the same time, the availability of new
products, such as video cassette recorders, small portable radios
and televisions, calculators and the like has skyrocketed,
resulting in more and more valuable products being taken or
tampered with. As locks and other security devices have become more
sophisticated, so too have the individuals and methods for
circumventing the operation of conventional security devices and,
particularly, alarm sensing devices. The alarm system described in
U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,098, to Leyden, has solved many of these
problems. Some products, such as remote controls, are designed to
be held and moved about. A sensor which can move freely with the
product for a limited distance but returns the product and sensor
to a set position when not being handled by a customer is
optimal.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above invention is specifically directed to overcoming the
above problems in a novel and simple manner. The invention is
particularly directed to use with remote controls but is not
limited to this use.
According to the present invention, a retractable sensor is
provided for use with an alarm system to prevent the theft of
valuable products, such as video cassette recorders, small portable
radios and televisions. The retractable sensor consists of a
housing, a retraction device contained in the housing, a sensor
having two states, 1) secured when attached to the product and 2)
unsecured when detached from the product, and a multiconductor
cable with one end attached to the sensor, then extending into the
housing, cooperating with the retraction device and the second end
extending out of the housing, the retraction device urging the
sensor to the housing, yet allowing the sensor to be pulled from
the housing when an external force is exerted on the sensor while
maintaining a continuous electrical path from the first end to the
second end of the cable.
Preferably, the sensor has an indicating device on its housing for
displaying the state of the sensor. In a highly preferred form, the
indicator is a light-emitting diode.
One embodiment uses a phone cord as the multiconductor cord.
Preferably the second end of the cable contains a connecting device
to mate with an alarm system, such as the alarm system described in
U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,098.
A preferred form of the invention has a retraction structure
consisting of a spool mounted for rotation in the housing on which
the multiconductor cable is wound and a device operatively
associated with the spool for urging the spool in a direction to
wind the cable onto the spool, yet permitting the unwinding of the
cable when a user pulls the product, attached to the cable by the
sensor, away from the housing.
With the above apparatus, the user can grasp and pull a product to
a comfortable position. But if the user attempts to detach the
product from the sensor, the alarm system detects this and warns
the merchant.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a shelf with an electronic
device thereon, a remote control for operating the electronic
device and a retractable sensor according to the present invention
attached to the remote control for allowing movement of the remote
control from the solid position of FIG. 1 to the phantom line
position;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the retractable sensor
according to the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a top view of the retractable sensor with a remote
control attached thereto and shown in phantom;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the retractable sensor taken along
line 4--4 of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the retractable sensor taken along
line 5--5 of FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a side view of the pulley as used in the retractable
sensor of the present invention;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an alarm system which cooperates
with the retractable sensor of the present invention:
FIG. 8 is a partial schematic view of the retractable sensor
showing one embodiment of the sensor; and
FIG. 9 is a schematic view of the alarm system shown in FIG. 7.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The disclosed invention is shown as used with a remote control for
an electronic device. The invention can be used with a wide variety
of products and the choice of a remote control is just for
convenience. It is understood that the particular product used to
illustrate the invention is shown by way of example only and not as
a limitation of the invention.
In FIG. 1, a typical point-of-purchase display is shown at 10 for
an electronic device 12 which is operable through a portable,
hand-held control 14 from a location remote from the device 12. A
display shelf 16 defines an upwardly-facing surface 18 for
supporting the device 12. The shelf 16 has a peripheral,
vertically- extending edge 20 to which the remote control 14 is
attached through a retractable sensor assembly 22, according to the
present invention. The retractable sensor assembly 22 is designed
to allow free movement of the remote control 14 thereon from the
stored/solid line position of FIG. 1, to the phantom position in
FIG. 1, wherein it can be conveniently manipulated by the
consumer.
The details of the retractable sensor assembly 22 are shown in
FIGS. 2-6. The retractable sensor assembly 22 consists of a
rectangular housing 24 defined by first, and second housing parts
26, 28 respectively. The first and second housing parts 26, 28,
operatively connected as in FIGS. 2-4, define an internal space 30
which contains a retraction mechanism at 32 for a multiconductor
cable 34, see FIG. 4. A sensor 35 is connected to the cable 34 and
attaches to the remote control 14. For a description of several
methods of attaching the sensor to a product, see U.S. Pat. No.
5,172,098 which is incorporated herein by reference.
The first and second housing parts 26, 28 are held together by a
plurality of screws 36. To facilitate anchoring of the housing 24,
flanges 38, 40 are integrally formed thereon and have openings 42
therein to accept conventional fasteners, such as screws and nails
44 (FIG. 1).
A plurality of threaded posts 78 are provided for the screws 36 to
secure the two housing parts 26, 28. The posts 78 are made of two
halves, one half extending from housing part 26 and the other half
extending from housing part 28 and meeting in the middle.
The retraction mechanism 32 has a double pulley 46, with a top disk
48, middle disk 50 and bottom disk 52. The double pulley 46 has
three hubs with three different radii, a sensor hub 54, a recoil
hub 56 and an alarm system hub 58. In the preferred embodiment the
radius of the alarm system hub 58 is smaller than the sensor hub
54. The double pulley 46 has a tube 60 running through the center
of the hubs 54, 56, 58, as shown in FIG. 5. The double pulley 46
rotates around a rod 62 (see FIG. 4) which is formed by a male post
64, attached to the housing part 28, mating with a female post 66,
attached to the housing part 26.
A coil spring 68 attaches to the double pulley 46 at the recoil hub
56. In an embodiment, the coil spring 68 has a T-shaped end (not
shown) which is inserted in a slot 70 in the recoil hub 56. The end
is then rotated so that it cannot be removed from the slot 70.
The coil spring 68 sits in a circular cup 72. The cup has an
opening 74 through which the end of the coil spring 68 extends out
onto the recoil hub 56. When the coil spring 68 is placed in the
cup 72, it expands until it meets an interior surface 76 of the cup
72, where it is held. The opening 74 is chosen so that the coil
spring 68 cannot pass through the opening 74 when the sensor 35 is
fully extended.
The cable 34 is continuous through the housing 24, from the sensor
35 to a phone plug 80. From the sensor 35 the cable 34 winds around
and spirals into the sensor hub 54. Then the cable 34 extends
through a hole 82 (shown in FIGS. 4-6), near the edge of sensor hub
54, in middle disk 50 where the cable 34 winds around and spirals
out from the alarm system hub 58, and then extends out of the
housing 24 to the phone plug 80. The cable 34 is wrapped on the
sensor hub 54 and the alarm system hub 58 in such a way that when
the sensor 35 is pulled from the housing 24, the cable 34 unwinds
around the alarm system hub 58 (i.e. the cable 34 unwinds from the
hubs 54, 58 simultaneously). This unwinding results in the cable 34
forming a looser spiral around the alarm system hub 58. The cable
34 is prevented from extending out towards the phone plug 80 by a
U-shaped catch 84. The catch 84 is designed so that cable 34
tightly engages the catch 84.
The retractable sensor assembly 22 is designed to work with an
alarm system 200 of FIG. 7. The retractable sensor assembly 22 has
a cable 34 that mates with a splitter box 202 of the alarm system
200. The details of the alarm system are described in U.S. Pat. No.
5,172,098.
Each splitter box 202 can control up to six sensors 204 as best
seen in FIG. 9. The splitter boxes 202 can be daisy-chained to add
additional sensors 204. The sensors 204 can be the retractable
sensor assembly 22 disclosed herein or any of the variety of
sensors described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,098.
The alarm system 200 includes an alarm housing 210 enclosing an
alarm circuit 212 having a horn 214. A lock 216 enables and
disables the alarm circuit 212 via a key (not shown). An AC adapter
218 provides a nine volt DC voltage from a 110 VAC source. The
electrical cord 220 connects the alarm circuit 212 to the splitter
box 202. The alarm housing 210 also includes an LED 222 in addition
to the horn 214 to indicate the state of the alarm circuit 212. The
electrical cord 220 may consist of a phone cord and include a
connector 224 (one shown), one from the splitter box 202 and the
other form the alarm circuit 212.
FIG. 8 shows a schematic view of the sensor 35. When the sensor 35
is adhered to the remote control 14 the button 160 is depressed as
shown in FIG. 8 and FIG 3. The depression of button 160 causes a
first conductor 161 to come into contact with a second conductor
163 to complete an electrical circuit. Due to the completion of the
electrical circuit, a detector circuit 201, contained in the
splitter box 202 (as shown in FIG. 7), determines that the sensor
35 is attached to the remote control 14. The detector circuit 201
is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,098 which is incorporated by
reference herein. The detector circuit 201 induces an electrical
current to flow in one direction through indicator 164. Since the
indicator 164 has two LED's 165,167 connected in antiparallel, one
of the LED's 165 is conducting and emits red light. The red light
indicates the sensor 35 is in the secured state. Alternatively,
when the sensor 35 is removed from the remote control, the button
160 is released and the first conductor 161 breaks contact with the
second conductor 163 to break the electrical circuit. The detector
circuit 201 induces an electrical current to flow in a second
direction through the indicator 164. This results in LED 167
conducting and emitting a green light, which indicates the sensor
35 is in the unsecured state.
With the above structure, it can be seen that consumers can
conveniently grasp the remote control 14 and operate it in a normal
manner. At the same time, the merchant is afforded the security of
knowing that the remote control 14 cannot be removed from the
premises. The device can be made sufficiently low in cost that it
can be affordably purchased and used for even low-price remote
controls.
The foregoing disclosure of specific embodiments is intended to be
illustrative of the broad concepts comprehended by the invention
and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
* * * * *