This invention relates to merchandise anti-theft devices. More specifically, it relates to an anti-theft device intended for monitoring the connection between a male plug and receptacle of a Type C universal serial bus (“USB”).
Retailers often prefer to present their merchandise to consumers in a way that allows the consumers to touch, inspect, and otherwise interact with the products at a display counter. Many merchandise items, especially portable electronic devices, are relatively expensive and, therefore, are under a serious threat of theft. Retailers often face a dilemma pertaining to how to interactively display their merchandise to attract customers and increase sales, while, at the same time, safeguarding the merchandise against theft.
A number of anti-theft devices are known in the art. Some anti-theft solutions involve various types of brackets that secure an electronic gadget to the display counter. Others involve protective sheaths and cases. What is needed, however, is an anti-theft device that discretely monitors the electronic gadget against unauthorized removal from the display counter without interfering with its aesthetic or functional features.
One such solution is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,517,748 and 8,696,377. The anti-theft device disclosed in those patents comprises a male USB plug that is inserted into a corresponding female USB, mini USB, or micro USB receptacle to supply electric current to the gadget. The male plug two conductive members electrically insulated from one another. When the male plug is within the receptacle, the inner conductive surface of the female USB receptacle contacts both conducive members, thereby closing an electric circuit between them. An alarm module is used to monitor this closed circuit and trigger an alarm when the circuit is broken.
The anti-theft device of the '748 and '377 Patents, however, cannot be used to monitor the connection between a male plug and a receptacle of a Type C USB connector due to significant changes in the connector's structural configuration. Accordingly, there is a need for a new anti-theft device for monitoring the connection between a male plug and a receptacle of a Type C USB connector without diminishing the functionality provided by the Type C USB connector.
In an embodiment, the invention is an anti-theft device for monitoring an electrical gadget having a female receptacle, such as a Type C universal serial bus (USB) female receptacle. The anti-theft device includes an alarm module. The alarm module has a first and second terminals. The alarm module further includes an electric circuitry residing therein configured to monitor electron flow between the first and second terminals. A male plug has an electrically conductive sheath and at least one electrically conductive latch disposed therein. When the male plug is inserted into the female receptacle the latch engages a lateral edge of the mid-plate establishing an electrical communication therewith.
In an embodiment, the male plug includes two latches residing within the sheath. The latches are configured to simultaneously contact the mid-plate of the female receptacle when the male plug is inserted therein. In an embodiment, distal ends of the first and second latches are distanced apart from one another by a distance less than a width of the mid-plate, whereby the mid-plate causes the latches to elastically deform when the male plug is inserted into the female receptacle. The mid-plate may further include notches configured to receive bends or protrusions at distal ends of the latches.
In an embodiment, the first latch is connected to a first terminal of the alarm module and a second latch is connected to the second terminal of the alarm module. When the male plug is inserted into the female receptacle, the mid-plate becomes an electrical conduit between the first and second latches thereby enabling electron flow between the first and second terminals of the alarm module. The alarm module supplies electric current to the first terminal and detects electric current flowing to the second terminal. The alarm module monitors the electron flow between its terminals and transmits an alarm signal responsive to detecting an interruption in the flow of the electric current between the first and second terminals.
In an alternative embodiment, both latches of the male plug are connected to the first terminal of the alarm module, and the sheath of the male plug is connected to the second terminal of the alarm module. In this embodiment, the electric current flows from the first terminal to the conductive latches which are in electrical communication with the mid-plate of the female receptacle. The mid-plate and the shell of the female receptacle are in electrical communication with one another, thereby enabling electric current to flow from mid-plate to the shell. The shell is in electrical communication with the sheath of the male plug, which is connected to the second terminal. The alarm module monitors the circuit described above and transmits an alarm signal responsive to interruption in the electron flow between the first and second terminals.
The latches do not form an electrical connection with the sheath. The anti-theft device may comprise an insulating material disposed on the latches or an inner surface of the sheath to insulate the latches from the sheath. Alternatively, the latches may be shaped such that they do not contact the sheath when the male plug is inserted into the female receptacle.
In an alternative embodiment, the latches are eliminated. Instead, a first conductive pin of the male plug is connected to the first terminal of the alarm module, and a second conductive pin is connected to the second terminal of the alarm module. When the male plug is inserted into the female receptacle, the conductive pins of the male plug engage ground electric contacts of the female receptacle. This configuration enables an electric current to flow between the conductive pins of male plug, thereby enabling an electric current to flow between the first and second terminals of the alarm module. The alarm module monitors the circuit described above and transmits an alarm signal responsive to interruption in the electron flow between the first and second terminals.
In yet another embodiment, at least one of the conductive pins of the male plug is connected to the first terminal of the alarm module, and the sheath is connected to the second terminal of the alarm module. The shell and the ground contacts of the female receptacle are in electrical communication with one another. Accordingly, when the male plug is inserted into the female receptacle, a closed circuit is formed between the terminals of the alarm module, wherein electric current flows from a conductive pin of the male plug to a ground contact of the female receptacle. The electric current flows from the ground contact to the shell of the female receptacle and then to the sheath of the male plug, which is connected to the second terminal of the alarm module. This configuration enables an electric current to flow between the first and second terminals of the alarm module. The alarm module monitors the circuit described above and transmits an alarm signal responsive to interruption in the electron flow between the first and second terminals.
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 embodiment, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and within which specific embodiments are shown by way of illustration 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.
The distal ends of first and second latches 20 and 22 are adapted to simultaneously contact mid-plate 24 of receptacle 12 when male plug 14 is inserted therein, as depicted in
Continuing reference to
A circuitry is disposed within alarm module 32. The circuitry is in electrical communication with first and second terminals 34 and 36 of alarm module 32 and is used by alarm module 32 to detect disturbances in the electron flow between first and second terminals 34 and 36. Upon detection of an interruption of the electron flow, alarm module 32 transmits an alarm signal. The alarm signal is intended to alert the store staff about potential unauthorized activity or a theft attempt. The alarm signal may be audible, visual, or may be a communication to an appropriate party via any means known in the art, including an automated phone call, text message, or an email.
Sheath 16 of plug 14 is electrically conductive. Therefore, in the embodiment disclosed above, first and second latches 20 and 22 do not directly contact the inner surface of sheath 16. For this reason, an electrically insulating layer 30 may be disposed either on the inner surface of sheath 16 in locations where first and second latches 20 and 22 contact sheath 16, on first and second latches 20 and 22 themselves, or both. Insulating layer 30 ensures that electrically conductive sheath 16 of plug 14 does not interfere with an electric circuit formed by first and second latches 20 and 22 and mid-plate 24. In an alternative embodiment, the shape of first and second latches 20 and 22 is such that first and second latches 20 and 22 bend inwardly away from inner surface of sheath 16. This structural feature of first and second latches 20 and 22 eliminates the contact points between first and second latches 20 and 22 and sheath 16. In this embodiment, an insulating layer is superfluous.
In an alternative embodiment schematically illustrated in
In this embodiment, it is only necessary that either the first pin 40 or second pin 42 engages the corresponding ground contact 36 or 38 at any given time. This configuration reduces occurrences of false alarms by permitting some movement of plug 14 within receptacle 12 without interrupting the electron flow between first and second terminal 34 and 36 of alarm module 32. In a variation of this embodiment, plug 14 may have only a single contact—either first pin 40 or second pin 42—connected to first terminal 34 as this will be sufficient to close the circuit between first and second terminals 34 and 36 of alarm module 32.
Anti-theft device 10 is unobtrusive and allows the customers to fully interact with the electronic gadget being displayed. Furthermore, anti-theft device 10 may be used in conjunction with other anti-theft measures, including various brackets and security sensors attached to the gadget. Anti-theft device 10 may supply electric current to the gadget through the USB connection to power the gadget, thereby allowing for continuous demonstrations without a need to recharge.
Alarm module—a component of the anti-theft device configured to monitor the flow of an electric current between its first and second terminals when the male plug is inserted into the female receptacle. The alarm module is configured to transmit an alarm signal in response to detecting an interruption in the electron flow between the first and second terminals.
Pin—an electrically conductive member disposed within the sheath of the male plug configured to engage a corresponding electric contact of the female receptacle to establish an electrical communication therewith.
Female receptacle—a port generally residing within an electronic gadget configured to accept a corresponding male plug. Female receptacle generally comprises a shell and a plurality of electric contacts disposed within the shell. The female receptacle is used for transferring data to and from the electronic gadget, supplying electric current to the electronic gadget, and allowing the electronic gadget to communicate with other electronic devices.
Latch—an elongated electrically-conductive member disposed within the sheath of the male plug. The latch is configured to contact a lateral edge of a mid-plate disposed within the shell of the female receptacle.
Ground contact—an electric contact disposed within the shell of the female receptacle configured to engage a corresponding conductive pin of the male plug to establish an electrical communication therewith, wherein the electrical communication is grounded.
Male plug—a component intended for insertion into a corresponding female receptacle. The male plug comprises a sheath and a plurality of conductive pins disposed within the sheath. The male plug is configured for insertion into the female receptacle. In the inserted configuration, the conductive pins of the male plug are in electrical communication with the electric contacts of the female receptacle, and the sheath of the male plugs is in electrical communication with the shell of the female receptacle.
Mid-plate—a conductive component generally disposed in the center of the shell of the female receptacle used to support the electric contacts residing within the shell.
Sheath—a metal casing of the male plug partially enclosing the conductive pins disposed therein. The sheath is configured for insertion into the shell of the female port, wherein the sheath and the shell establish electrical communication with one another when the male port resides within the female receptacle.
Shell—a metal casing of the female receptacle partially enclosing the electric contacts. The shell is configured to receive the sheath of the male plug making an electrical contact therewith.
Terminal (of an alarm module)—an electrically-conductive member of an alarm module in electrical communication with the circuitry disposed therein. The alarm module monitors the flow of electric current between the first terminal and the second terminal and transmits an alarm signal in response to interruption in the electron flow between the two terminals.
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.
This patent application claims priority to a U.S. Non-Provisional application Ser. No. 14/969,629 filed Dec. 15, 2015 entitled “Security Monitoring Device for a Universal Serial Bus Type C Connector,” which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/091,978 filed Dec. 15, 2014 having the same title, which is incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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5699591 | Kane | Dec 1997 | A |
6285283 | Rand et al. | Sep 2001 | B1 |
8517748 | Kelsch et al. | Aug 2013 | B1 |
8696377 | Kelsch et al. | Apr 2014 | B2 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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62091978 | Dec 2014 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 14969629 | Dec 2015 | US |
Child | 15795939 | US |