ANTI-THEFT DEVICE

• US 20100141455A1
• Filed: 12/18/2006
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Paolo Stefanelli
• Original Assignee: Paolo Stefanelli
• Inventors: Stefanelli, Paolo
• Application Number:
  US12/519,722
• Publication Number:
  US 20100141455A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.800
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 45/005 Chain-locks, cable-locks or padlocks with alarms
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0005 using chains, cables or the like chain- or cable-locks of the padlock type E05B67/003; lockable clothing hangers or hanger racks E05B69/006
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0017 Anti-theft devices, e.g. tags or monitors, fixed to articles, e.g. clothes, and to be removed at the check-out of shops
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1445 with detection of interference with a cable tethering an article, e.g. alarm activated by detecting detachment of article, breaking or stretching of cable furniture, e.g. shelves for displaying merchandise, incorporating tethers to prevent theft A47F7/024, A47F5/0861
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/025 System arrangements wherein the alarm criteria uses absence of reply signal after an elapsed time
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0275 Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS] tag technology used for parent or child unit, e.g. same transmission technology, magnetic tag, RF tag, RFID

Abstract

An anti-theft device comprising a main body (10) ; a circuit (20) at least partly housed in said main body (10) and designed to receive a request signal (100) and generate a corresponding response signal (110); an elongated element (30) attach to said main body (10) and extending at least partly externally of the main body (10) itself to define an annular structure (30a) suitable for engagement with a product (2) to be monitored. The elongated element (30) is part of said circuit (20). Also disclosed is a process for producing said device (1) and a goods-monitoring system, in particular a safety system, incorporating said device (1).

Claims

1. An anti-theft device comprising:

a main body (10);

a circuit (20) at least partly housed in said main body (10) and designed to receive a request signal (100) and generate a corresponding response signal (110);

an elongated element (30) attached to said main body (10) and extending at least partly externally of the main body (10) itself to define an annular structure (30a) suitable for engagement with a product (2) to be monitored,

wherein said elongated element (30) is part of said circuit (20).

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said elongated element (30) is an antenna (30b) of said circuit (20).

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said elongated element (30) has a first and a second ends (31, 32) secured to said main body (10).

4. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least one of said ends (31, 32) is secured to said main body (10) in a removable manner.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein both said ends (31, 32) are secured to said main body (10) in a removable manner.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said circuit (20) comprises a transmission module (21) for generating said response signal (110).

7. A device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said circuit further comprises a memory (22) to contain an identification code (ID) preferably univocally associated with said product (2).

8. A device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said memory (22) is operatively associated with said transmission module (21) for incorporating said identification code (ID) into said response signal (110).

10. A process for attaching an anti-theft device to a product to be monitored, comprising:

providing an anti-theft device (1) as claimed in claim 1;

introducing said elongated element (30) into a through cavity, or elongated hole, or annular structure of a product (2) to be monitored.

11. A process as claimed in claim 10, wherein the step of introducing said elongated element (30) into said through cavity, or elongated hole, or annular structure is performed before securing at least one of said ends (31, 32) of said elongated element (30) to said main body (10).

20. A monitoring system for goods, in particular a safety system, comprising:

a generation module (200) for generating a request signal (100) addressed to a predetermined area (A);

one or more anti-theft devices (1) as claimed in claim 1, each engaged to a respective product (2) to be monitored and designed to generate said response signal (110) following reception of said request signal (100);

a reception module (210) for detecting the response signal/s (110) generated by said one or more anti-theft devices (1);

a control unit (220) operatively associated with at least said reception module (210) to control reception of said response signal/s (110) and generate a notification signal (120) if at least one predetermined signal among said response signals (110) is not received within a predetermined time interval.

9. (canceled)

12. A process for producing an anti-theft device, comprising the following steps:

providing a main body (10);

providing a circuit (20) designed to receive a request signal (100) and generate a corresponding response signal (110);

housing said circuit (20) at least partly in said main body (10);

attaching an elongated element (30) to said main body (10) in such a manner that said elongated element (30) extends at least partly externally of said main body (10) and defines an annular structure (30a) suitable for engagement with a product (2) to be monitored, said elongated element (30) being part of said circuit (20).

13. A process as claimed in claim 12, wherein said elongated element (30) is an antenna (30b) of said circuit (20).

14. A process as claimed in claim 12, wherein the step of attaching said elongated element (30) to said main body (10) comprises a sub-step of securing a first end and a second end (31, 32) of said elongated element (30) to said main body (10).

15. A process as claimed in claim 14, wherein at least one of said ends (31, 32) is secured to said main body (10) in a removable manner.

16. A process as claimed in claim 15, wherein both ends (31, 32) are secured to said main body (10) in a removable manner.

17. A process as claimed in claim 12, wherein said circuit (20) comprises a transmission module (21) for generating said response signal (110).

18. A process as claimed in claim 17, wherein said circuit (20) further comprises a memory (22) designed to contain an identification code (ID) associated with said product (2) preferably univocally.

19. A process as claimed in claim 18, wherein said memory (22) is operatively associated with said transmission module (21) in order to incorporate said identification code (ID) in said response signal (110).