Patent Application
20200011548
This invention relates to anti-theft devices.
At present, an anti-theft device is usually employed for enclosing an outdoor air conditioner unit. The anti-theft device may employ a wire entanglement and/or a surrounding frame. However, the size of outdoor air conditioner units vary, resulting in the production of many different anti-theft devices of varying sizes.
In the prior art, an anti-theft device employs a plurality of connecting rods capable of extending and retracting to adjust the size of the anti-theft device. However, these anti-theft devices must be assembled prior to use and disassembled when not in use is inconvenient for use.
Accordingly, what is needed is an improved anti-theft device. However, in view of the art considered as a whole at the time the present invention was made, it was not obvious to those of ordinary skill in the field of this invention how the shortcomings of the prior art could be overcome.
All referenced publications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Furthermore, where a definition or use of a term in a reference, which is incorporated by reference herein, is inconsistent or contrary to the definition of that term provided herein, the definition of that term provided herein applies and the definition of that term in the reference does not apply.
While certain aspects of conventional technologies have been discussed to facilitate disclosure of the invention, Applicants in no way disclaim these technical aspects, and it is contemplated that the claimed invention may encompass one or more of the conventional technical aspects discussed herein.
The present invention may address one or more of the problems and deficiencies of the prior art discussed above. However, it is contemplated that the invention may prove useful in addressing other problems and deficiencies in a number of technical areas. Therefore, the claimed invention should not necessarily be construed as limited to addressing any of the particular problems or deficiencies discussed herein.
In this specification, where a document, act or item of knowledge is referred to or discussed, this reference or discussion is not an admission that the document, act or item of knowledge or any combination thereof was at the priority date, publicly available, known to the public, part of common general knowledge, or otherwise constitutes prior art under the applicable statutory provisions; or is known to be relevant to an attempt to solve any problem with which this specification is concerned.
The long-standing but heretofore unfulfilled need for an improved anti-theft device is now met by a new, useful, and nonobvious invention.
The present utility model is intended to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art. Specifically, the present invention includes an anti-theft device which may be applied to prevent the theft of outdoor air conditioner units and the like.
The anti-theft device has an enclosed state and a folded state, and comprises at least three side surrounding frames capable of extending and retracting along a width direction. The right edge of a side surrounding frame is rotatably connected to the left edge of a next side surrounding frame, and the left edge of the first side surrounding frame and the right edge of the last side surrounding frame being free edges, wherein when the anti-theft device is in the enclosed state, the left edge of the first side surrounding frame and the right edge of the last side surrounding frame are locked together and a closed area is formed by the side surrounding frames; when the anti-theft device is in the folded state, the at least three side surrounding frames stack on each other.
In an embodiment, the number of the side surrounding frames is an even number.
In an embodiment, the anti-theft device further includes a transverse surrounding frame, capable of extending and retracting along a width direction, that is detachably connected to two opposite side surrounding frames when in the enclosed state.
In an embodiment, one of the opposite two side surrounding frames is provided with a first connecting element and the other one is provided with a lock catch. An end of the transverse surrounding frame is provided with a second connecting element and another end is provided with a lock hook. When the transverse surrounding frame and the side surrounding frames are in a connected and locked state, the first connecting element is connected with the second connecting element, and the lock hook hooks the lock catch.
In an embodiment, the side surrounding frame provided with the first connecting element is provided with a stop block for preventing the first connecting element and the second connecting element from disengaging when in the connected and locked state.
In an embodiment, the transverse surrounding frame comprises at least two sections of transverse surrounding supports successively sleeved in the width direction.
In an embodiment, each of the side surrounding frames comprises at least two sections of side surrounding supports successively sleeved in the width direction.
In an embodiment, a disengaging prevention element is provided on the side surrounding supports for preventing the side surrounding supports sleeved together from disengaging.
In an embodiment, a burglar mesh is provided on the side surrounding frames.
In an embodiment, an upper surrounding frame is connected above the side surrounding frames, is capable of telescoping up and down, and is able to extend and retract along the width direction.
In an embodiment, two ends of the side surrounding frames have a hollow side support provided along the up and down direction, inside which the upper surrounding frame is slidably provided.
In an embodiment, a position limiting part is provided between the side surrounding supports and the upper surrounding frame for preventing the upper surrounding frame from disengaging from the side surrounding supports. In addition, a fixing part is provided between the side surrounding supports and the upper surrounding frame for fixing the side surrounding supports and the upper surrounding frame.
In an embodiment, a leg is connected at the bottom of the side surrounding frames rotatable by taking the connecting point with the side surrounding frames as a turning point.
In an embodiment, the left edge of the first side surrounding frame is connected with a left locking edge and the right edge of the last side surrounding frame is connected with a right locking edge. Moreover, the left locking edge and the right locking edge both are provided with lock holes.
In an embodiment, an angled first lock sheet is horizontally provided between the left edge of the first side surrounding frame and the left locking edge, and a quadrate second lock sheet is provided between the right edge of the last side surrounding frame and the right locking edge. The second lock sheet is located above or below the first lock sheet and fits closely with the first lock sheet when the left edge of the first side surrounding frame and the right edge of the last side surrounding frame are locked.
By rotatably connecting these side surrounding frames, extending and retracting these side surrounding frames when in use, and by contracting and folding them when not in use, the present utility model is more convenient to use than the existing anti-theft devices, and has a very simple structure.
An embodiment of the present invention includes a method of enclosing an outdoor air conditioner unit. The method includes unfolding a plurality of side surrounding frames arranged in a series. The plurality of side surrounding frames includes each of the side surrounding frames having an adjustable width and each side surrounding fame being permanently and rotatably secured to an adjacently arranged side surrounding frame in the plurality of side surrounding frames, with the exception of a first and a last side surrounding frame. The first side surrounding frame has a free end that is opposite an end that is permanently and rotatably secured to one of the adjacently arranged side surrounding frames. Likewise, the last side surrounding frame has a free end that is opposite an end that is permanently and rotatably secured to one of the adjacently arranged side surrounding frames.
The method further includes arranging the plurality of side surrounding frames around the outdoor air conditioner unit and adjusting the width of each side surrounding frame such that its respective width is greater than a width of an adjacently located side of the outdoor air conditioner unit. Then the free end of the first side surrounding frame is locked to the free end of the last side surrounding frame to enclose the outdoor air conditioner unit within the plurality of side surrounding frames.
In an embodiment, the method further includes permanently securing each of the plurality of the side surrounding frames, with the exception of the first and last side surrounding frame, to a ground surface on which the outdoor air conditioner unit resides. In an embodiment, the plurality of side surrounding frames includes an even number of side surrounding frames. In an embodiment, feet are rotatably secured to the side surrounding frames at the permanent interconnection points and those feet are secured to the ground surface. For example, if there are four side surrounding frames, there would be three feet secured to the ground and the foot located at the interconnection point of the free ends of the first and last side surrounding frames is not permanently secured to the ground. As a result, both the first and last side surrounding frames can pivot open to provide access to the air conditioner unit when the other sides surrounding frames are secured in place via the feet secured to the ground surface.
An embodiment of the method further includes attaching a transverse surrounding frame having an adjustable width to a top side of at least two oppositely arranged side surrounding frames in the plurality of side surrounding frames when the anti-theft device is in the enclosed state, such that the transverse surrounding provides at least a partial upper cover over the closed-in area. An embodiment further includes securing a first connecting element on a first end of the transverse surrounding frame to a second connecting element on a top rail of one of the plurality of side surrounding frames; and securing a lock hook on a second end of the transverse surrounding frame to a lock catch on a top rail of an oppositely arranged side surrounding frame.
In an embodiment, the side surrounding frame having the first connecting element further includes a stop block for preventing the first connecting element and the second connecting element from disengaging when in a connected and locked state.
In an embodiment, the transverse surrounding frame includes at least two sections of transverse surrounding supports successively sleeved in the width direction.
In an embodiment, each of the side surrounding frames includes at least two sections of side surrounding supports successively sleeved in a width direction.
In an embodiment, the method includes securing a burglar mesh on the side surrounding frames. An embodiment may also include adjusting a height of each of the plurality of side surrounding frames to be greater than a height of the outdoor air conditioner unit, wherein each of the plurality of side surrounding frames includes an upper portion having an adjustable width and being adapted to telescope upwards and downwards from the side surrounding frame.
An embodiment of the anti-theft device includes a plurality of sides surrounding frames arranged in a series, each of the side surrounding frames having an adjustable width. Each side surrounding fame is rotatably secured to an adjacently arranged side surrounding frame in the plurality of side surrounding frames, with the exception of a first and a last side surrounding frame. The first side surrounding frame has a free end that is opposite an end that is rotatably secured to one of the adjacently arranged side surrounding frames. The last side surrounding frame having a free end that is opposite an end that is rotatably secured to one of the adjacently arranged side surrounding frames and the free end of the first side surrounding frame and the free end of the last side surrounding frame are temporarily attachable to each other. Each of the plurality of surrounding frames further includes an upper portion having an adjustable width and being adapted to telescope upwards and downwards from the side surrounding frame. Furthermore, the anti-theft device has an enclosed state and a folded state, when in the enclosed state, the free end of the first side surrounding frame and the free end of the last side surrounding frame are locked together and a closed-in area is formed by the plurality of side surrounding frames, and when in the folded state, the plurality of side surrounding frames are folded and stacked on each other.
An embodiment further includes a transverse surrounding frame having an adjustable width. The transverse surrounding frame is secured to a top side of at least two oppositely arranged side surrounding frames in the plurality of side surrounding frames when the anti-theft device is in the enclosed state, such that the transverse surrounding provides at least a partial upper cover over the closed-in area.
These and other important objects, advantages, and features of the invention will become clear as this disclosure proceeds.
The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts that will be exemplified in the disclosure set forth hereinafter and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.
For a fuller understanding of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:
In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof, and within which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments by which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.
As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. As used in this specification and the appended claims, the term “or” is generally employed in its sense including “and/or” unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
In the following, the preferable embodiments of the present utility model are explained in detail combining with the accompanying drawings.
An anti-theft device comprises four side surrounding frames 10, 11, 12 and 13 capable of stretching out and drawing back along a width direction. The right edge of the side surrounding frame 10 and the left edge of the side surrounding frame 11 are rotatably connected, the right edge of the side surrounding frame 11 and the left edge of the side surrounding frame 12 are rotatably connected, and the right edge of the side surrounding frame 12 and the left edge of the side surrounding frame 13 are rotatably connected. The left edge of the side surrounding frame 10 and the right edge of the side surrounding frame 13 are free edges. The rotating manner between the side surrounding frames may employ a pivoting or hinging manner, and the manners capable of achieving the above-mentioned functions should be covered by the scope of the present application.
As shown in
When the left edge of the side surrounding frame 10 and the right edge of the side surrounding frame 13 are locked, the second lock sheet 131 is inserted above the first lock sheet 103 and fits closely with the first lock sheet 103 such that by locking the lock holes 1020 and 1030 together via a lock, and the first lock sheet 103 and the second lock sheet 131 fitting closely may limit the position in the up and down direction. When need to be folded, by removing the locking of the left edge of the side surrounding frame 10 and the right edge of the side surrounding frame 13, the side surrounding frames 10, 11, 12 and 13 are rotated and can folded, as shown in
As shown in
In this embodiment, the side surrounding frames 10, 11, 12 and 13 comprise two sections of side surrounding supports sleeved together in the width direction. Taking the side surrounding frame 10 for example, the side surrounding frame 10 comprises side surrounding supports 100a, 100b, 101a and 101b, wherein the side surrounding supports 100a and 100b are sleeved outside of the side surrounding supports 101a and 101b, and the sleeving structure may employ a tube-shaped nesting manner, the section of the structure where nesting is closed such as a hollow square shape as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, or non-closed such as a U-shape as shown in
A disengaging prevention element is provided on the side surrounding supports for preventing the side surrounding supports sleeved together from disengaging. As shown in
Similarly, the transverse surrounding frame 20 comprises two sections of transverse surrounding supports 200 and 201 sleeved together in the width direction, which may also employ the nesting structure of the side surrounding supports 100 and 101.
Furthermore, a plurality of legs 17 is connected at the bottom of the side surrounding frames 10, 11, 12 and 13, and legs 17 may rotate by taking the connecting points with the side surrounding frames 10, 11, 12 and 13 as a turning points to increase the supporting stability. Holes 170 may be opened on legs 17 for fixing on the ground.
This embodiment is basically the same with Embodiment 1 by differing in that a burglar mesh 5 is provided on the side surrounding frames 10, 11, 12 and 13, for example a metal mesh. Similarly, the side surrounding frame 10, 11, 12 and 13 comprise two sections of side surrounding supports sleeved together in the width direction, which employ a L-shaped nesting manner due to that the tube-shaped nesting manner of Embodiment 1 is not suitable for installing a burglar mesh. Taking the side surrounding frame 10 for example, the side surrounding frame 10 comprises side surrounding supports 100 and 101, wherein the upper and lower sections of the side surrounding supports 100 and 101 are symmetrical L-shaped structures between which the burglar mesh 5 is installed, and the side surrounding supports 100 is sleeved outside the side surrounding supports 101 to implement stretching out and drawing back. Other nesting manner capable of installing the burglar mesh 5 and implementing stretching out and drawing back may also be employed.
This embodiment is substantially the same with Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2 by differing in that, as shown in
two ends of the side surrounding frames 10, 11, 12 and 13 have side supports 16 which are hollow along the up and down direction and inside which the upper surrounding frame 30 are slidably provided, that is, a tube-shaped nesting manner is employed.
Furthermore, between the side surrounding support 16 and the upper surrounding frame 30, a position limiting part is provided for preventing the upper surrounding frame 30 from disengaging from the side surrounding support 16, and a fixing part is provided for fixing the side surrounding support 16 and the upper surrounding frame 30.
As shown in
As shown in
The embodiments described above are only for illustrating the technical concepts and features of the present utility model, and intended to make those skilled in the art being able to understand the present utility model and thereby implement it, and should not be concluded to limit the protective scope of this utility model. Any equivalent variations or modifications according to the spirit of the present utility model should be covered by the protective scope of the present utility model.
The advantages set forth above, and those made apparent from the foregoing description, are efficiently attained. Since certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matters contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention that, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCTCN2016071454 | Jan 2016 | CN | national |
This nonprovisional application is a continuation of and claims priority to provisional application Ser. No. 15/530,466, entitled “AC CAGE ANTI-THEFT DEVICE,” filed Jan. 19, 2017 by the same inventors.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 15530466 | Jan 2017 | US |
| Child | 16576002 | US |
