1. Technical Field
The invention relates to a security device, and more particularly, to a security device which wraps around and secures a box-like structure in a secure locked position. Even more particularly, the invention relates to such a cable security device which includes a device that reduces a force which is applied to the cable loops from being fully transmitted to a spool and ratchet mechanism within the security device to prevent malfunction of the ratchet mechanism.
2. Background Information
Retail stores have a difficult time protecting objects such as boxes containing various expensive merchandise, books and other similarly structured packages, or protecting such containers from being opened and the contents thereof being removed without authorization from store personnel or damaged while on display. Consumers often want to visually inspect the packaged expensive articles before deciding to purchase them. The store is faced with the problem of how to protect these expensive articles from theft while displaying them for sale.
One manner used to protect these packages and the articles contained therein is to enclose the article within a transparent glass display case which can only be accessed from behind a counter of the retail store. The consumer can view the article through the glass but is not able to handle the article or read any of the information about the article that may be printed on the box unless a store clerk removes the article from the case. However, in large retail stores, the problem then arises of getting the selected merchandise to the customer after the customer wishes to purchase the same without subjecting the merchandise to theft. One manner is to maintain a supply of the boxes containing the expensive articles or merchandise close at hand for delivery to or pick-up by the customer for subsequent taking to a check-out clerk. However this makes the boxes susceptible to theft and requires additional sales personnel.
Another manner used by retail stores is to list the article in a catalog and require consumers to place an order from the catalog. The article is delivered from a back storage area and the consumer must simultaneously pick up and pay for the merchandise at the same location to prevent unauthorized removal from the store. The consumer does not get to inspect the article before purchasing and if they are not satisfied they must undergo the hassle of returning the article for a refund.
Boxes and similar objects are also subjected to unauthorized openings while being shipped via a courier. These objects can be easily opened and resealed when packaged and taped-shut in the conventional manner without the recipient or the sender knowing of such actions. Shipped packages can be secured within a security container with a locking mechanism but these containers are expensive to purchase and add size and weight to the package making it more expensive to ship. Also, would-be thieves can gain unauthorized access to the contents of these containers by “picking” the locking mechanisms or possibly guessing the combination to a combination lock.
Many of these problems are solved by using a security device which includes a cable and an internal spool and ratchet mechanism for tightening a plurality of cable loops about the object to be protected. Some examples of these prior art security devices are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,611,760, 4,418,551, 4,756,171, 4,896,517, 4,930,324, 5,156,028, 5,794,464, 6,092,401, and 7,162,899.
However, it has been discovered that if an abrupt force is exerted on the cable loops, such as by lifting a heavy package by the security device and simulating a sudden dropping of the package while continuing to grasp the security device, it would exert a large abrupt force on the cable loops that is transmitted directly to the internal ratchet mechanism possibly causing breakage of the ratchet mechanism enabling the cable to unwind freely from the cable storage spool mounted within the security device exposing the protected object to unauthorized entry or removal of the security device cable loops therefrom due to the unwinding of the cable loops from the internal spool of the security device.
Therefore, the need exists for a cable wrap security device which includes a ratchet mechanism for securing a plurality of cable loops which are placed about an object under sufficient tension to prevent their removal from the object and which is provided with a tension reducing device which prevents large abrupt forces exerted on the cable loops from being exerted directly onto the internal ratchet mechanism and cable storage spool to prevent breakage of the ratchet mechanism and possibly unwinding of the cable loops from around the protected object.
The present invention provides a security device to be placed on an object having first and second opposed sides, the device comprising: a housing adapted to be positioned on the first side of the object; a rigid member adapted to be positioned on the second side of the object; first, second, third and fourth cables; a rotatable spool in the housing; a tightening mechanism operatively connected to the cables and spool for maintaining the cables tensioned around the object; a collar secured to the housing and extending radially outwardly therefrom to a circular outer perimeter; and first, second, third and fourth collar openings formed in the collar adjacent the circular outer perimeter; wherein the first, second, third and fourth cables extend outwardly from the spool respectively to and through the first, second, third and fourth collar openings and from the respective collar openings to a connection with the rigid member.
The present invention also provides a security device to be placed on an object having first and second opposed sides, the device comprising: a rotatable spool having an outer perimeter and adapted to be positioned on the first side of the object; a rigid member adapted to be positioned on the second side of the object; first, second, third and fourth cables; a tightening mechanism operatively connected to the cables and spool for maintaining the cables tensioned around the object; a collar comprising an annular ring and an arcuate projection which extends upwardly from the ring adjacent the outer perimeter of the spool so that the annular ring extends radially outwardly from adjacent the arcuate projection to a circular outer perimeter; and first, second, third and fourth collar openings formed in the collar adjacent the circular outer perimeter; wherein the first, second, third and fourth cables extend outwardly from the spool respectively to and through the first, second, third and fourth collar openings and from the respective collar openings to a connection with the rigid member.
The present invention further provides a security device to be placed on an object having first and second opposed sides, the device comprising: a spool; first, second, third and fourth cables; a handle operatively connected to the spool for rotating the spool to maintain the cables tensioned around the object; the spool and handle adapted to be positioned on the first side of the object; a rigid member adapted to be positioned on the second side of the object; a circular annular wall having a top adjacent the handle and a bottom; a collar comprising an annular ring which extends radially outwardly from adjacent the bottom of the annular wall to a circular outer perimeter; the handle and spool rotatable relative to the annular wall and collar; and first, second, third and fourth collar openings formed in the collar adjacent the circular outer perimeter; wherein the first, second, third and fourth cables extend outwardly from the spool respectively to and through the first, second, third and fourth collar openings and from the respective collar openings to a connection with the rigid member.
Preferred embodiments of the invention, illustrated of the best modes in which Applicant contemplates applying the principles, are set forth in the following description and are shown in the drawings and are particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims.
Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.
Security device 1 will include a ratchet mechanism which is indicated generally at 13, located within housing 11. Ratchet mechanism 13 will include a spool 15 having a pair of spaced annular flanges 17 and 19, which form a storage area therebetween for storing cable loops 5 which are attached in some manner to spool 15. The ratchet mechanism includes an outer ring 21 formed with a plurality of one-way gear teeth 23 which are adapted to be engaged by gear teeth 25 formed on a plurality of outwardly extending locking pawls 27 to secure the ratchet mechanism in a locked position after the spool has been rotated in the locking direction, such as by use of a flip-up handle 29 or other type of tightening mechanism such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,722,266 and 7,162,899, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Further details and operation of ratchet mechanism 13 are well-known in the art and are described in the above-mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 7,162,899. However, other types of ratchet mechanisms for tightening the cable loops about object 5 can be utilized.
After the loosened cable loops 5 are placed about object 3, the ratchet mechanism is rotated in the locking direction by flip-up handle 29 or other type of tightening mechanism, to place sufficient tension on the cable loops to prevent them from unloosening due to the engagement of locking pawl gear teeth 25 with gear teeth 23 until released by some type of release mechanism. When in this tightened position, cable loops 5 extend outwardly through housing opening 7 as shown in
It is readily seen that a large force when suddenly exerted on cable 5 as represented by Arrow F (
In accordance with the present invention, in order to reduce the amount of force F from being exerted directly onto the ratchet mechanism, a first embodiment of a tension reducer indicated generally at 30, and shown in
A second embodiment of the tension reducer which will achieve a similar abrupt change of direction of cable loops 5 is shown particularly in
Another embodiment of the tension reducer of the present invention is shown in
A fourth embodiment of the cable tension reducer of the present invention is indicated generally at 65 and is shown in
The cable loops 5 after exiting through openings 7 of spool housing sidewall 41 in a generally tangential direction will have a first change in direction indicated by letter A as shown in
One advantage of collar 69 with respect to collar 31 is that the cable loops extend between the top surface 79 of collar 67 and bottom surface 59 of housing 11 when passing through spaces 81 between projections 69. This enables bottom surface 85 of collar 67 to rest directly upon the surface of an object 3 being secured thereby, instead of between the bottom surface of the collar and the object as does the cable loops when used with collar 30 as shown in
The tension reducers of the present invention can have other configurations than annular collars 31 and 67, and rings 51 and 57 without affecting the concept of the invention so long as it provides some type of abrupt change in direction of the cable loops shortly after they exit the security device housing side wall openings. This change in direction which is usually between 90° and 180°, results in a large sliding frictional force being exerted on the cable loops as they engage and move about the contacting surface of the collar and/or annular rings reducing the force being exerted directly on the spool housing at the cable exit opening thereof. It has been found that the reduction of the heretofore applied abrupt force on the cable loops at the spool housing exit openings is absorbed sufficiently by the tension reducer, whether it be a ring or collar, to prevent damage and unlatching of the internal ratchet mechanism.
It is also understood that annular collars 31 and/or 67 can be formed integrally with security device housing 11 or be a retrofit item which is attached thereto in various manners such as the one-way snap fit attachment of tabs 37 and 73 in housing holes 39. Preferably, collars 31 and 67 and arcuate projections 35 and 69 are integrally molded as one-piece members of a rigid plastic material with rings 51 and 57 preferably being formed of metal. It is also readily understood that the tension reducers do not materially affect the manner and use of security device 1, nor interfere with the placement of the cables about an object and the subsequent tensioning of the cable loops by rotation of the internal ratchet mechanism in a manner well-known in the art. Furthermore, although the abrupt change in direction is shown to be generally between 90° and 180°, lesser changes in direction still would provide sliding friction on the cable loops to assist in reducing the force from being exerted directly on the ratchet mechanism.
Thus, in accordance with the invention, the tension reducing devices, whether it be the single or plural metal rings or snap-on collars, will provide an abrupt change in direction of the cable loops after the cable loops leave the spool housing openings in a generally tangential direction, just prior to the cable loops extending along the object being protected thereby. This abrupt change of direction exerts a large frictional force on the cable loops when a sudden force is applied thereto considerably reducing the amount of force which is transmitted from the cable loops onto the internal spool of the housing. Heretofore, this force was exerted directly onto the edge of the spool housing openings where much of the force was transmitted directly onto the internal spool and correspondingly the ratchet mechanism. Heretofore, this force could cause the ratchet locking mechanism to prematurely release, providing free-wheeling of the cable loops. Thus, the tension reducing devices of the present invention provide an abrupt change in direction of the cable loops and resulting large frictional forces to be exerted on the cable loops after the cable loops leave the housing openings in generally tangential directions before moving across and around the object being protected thereby.
In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed.
Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is an example and the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described.
This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/101,471 filed Apr. 11, 2008, which claimed priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/923,368 filed Apr. 13, 2007; the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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60923368 | Apr 2007 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 12101471 | Apr 2008 | US |
Child | 13179923 | US |