CABLE WRAP SECURITY DEVICE

• US 20110094274A1
• Filed: 01/03/2011
• Published: 04/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CHECKPOINT SYSTEMS, INC. (CCL Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CHECKPOINT SYSTEMS, INC. (CCL Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Goldstein, Mitchell S., Christianson, David P., Fawcett, Christopher J., Conti, Brian V.
• Granted Patent: US 9,447,611 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 70/57.1
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 45/005 Chain-locks, cable-locks or padlocks with alarms
• 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: E05B 73/0029 Tags wrapped around the protected product using cables, wires or the like, e.g. with cable retraction for tensioning
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0052 of the magnetic type
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1463 Physical arrangements, e.g. housings devices to prevent theft or loss of purses, luggage or hand carried bags A45C13/18
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2434 Tag housing and attachment details
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/402 Fetters
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/409 Shackles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/483 Flexible shackle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/50 Special application
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5004 For antitheft signaling device on protected article
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5009 For portable articles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5031 Receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7057 Permanent magnet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7904 Magnetic features

Abstract

A security device includes a locking member, a ratchet mechanism, and a plurality of cables. The cables are wrapped around an object. An attachment clip is releasably snap-fitted into the body of the security device. The ratchet mechanism includes a spool and a locking pawl or lever. A key is used to unlock the clip from the housing. An alarm system is contained in the housing and actuates an audible alarm upon certain unauthorized actions occurring. Insertion of the clip into the housing automatically actuates the ratchet mechanism preventing movement of the cable in the unwind direction and activates the alarm system.

Claims

1. A security device for placement about an object, comprising:

a cable;

a housing;

a spool carried by the housing for receiving the cable;

a ratchet assembly engagable with the spool and configured to maintain the cable tightened about the object;

a clip connected to the cable and engagable with the housing in a first position adapted to secure the cable about the object, and a second position adapted for tightening the cable about the object; and

a lock device to lock the clip to the housing when the clip is clipped to the housing in the first position and clipped to the housing in the second position.

2. The security device of claim 1 wherein the lock device further includes:

a locking pin, and wherein the clip further includes;

a first recessed area and a second recessed area;

wherein the clip is moved into the first recess area to lock the clip to the housing when the clip is in the first position, and wherein the clip is moved into the second recess area to lock the clip to the housing when the clip is in the second position.

3. The security device of claim 2 wherein the clip further comprises:

a first beveled portion;

second beveled portion; and

wherein the first beveled portion is shaped to guide the locking pin into the first recessed area and the second beveled portion is shaped to guide the locking pin from the first recessed area the second recessed area.

4. The security device of claim 2 wherein the clip further comprises:

a base;

at least one projection that is projecting from the base, wherein the first recessed area and the second recessed area are located on the projection.

5. The security device of claim 4 wherein the housing further comprises:

a chamber; and

wherein the at least one projection is partially inserted into the chamber when the clip is in the first position and the at least one projection is generally fully inserted into the chamber when the clip is in the second position.

6. The security device of claim 4 wherein the base is adjacent and external to the housing when the clip is in the first position, and wherein the at least one projection is generally fully inserted into the chamber when the clip is in the second position.

7. The security device of claim 5 wherein the cable further includes:

an electrical pin connected to at least one end of the cable; and

wherein the electrical pin is mounted in an end of the at least one projection that is inserted into the chamber.

8. The security device of claim 7 wherein the housing further includes:

an alarm logic configured to generate and audible alarm, wherein the cable further comprises;

a electrical loop, wherein at least part of the electrical loop is formed when the clip is in the second position with the electrical pin in contact with the alarm logic, wherein the alarm logic is configured to detect when the electrical loop is compromised to generate the audible alarm.

9. The security device of claim 1 wherein the spool is free wheeling when the clip is in the first position and is prevented from free wheeling in a cable loosening direction when the clip is in the second locked position.

10. The security device of claim 1 wherein the housing further includes:

a button in operative communication with the spool, wherein the spool is free wheeling when the button is depressed, wherein the cable cannot be unwound from the spool when the button is not depressed.

11. The security device of claim 10 wherein the button is configured to be depressed when the clip is in the first position, and wherein the button is configured so that it cannot be depressed when the clip is in the second position.

12. The security device of claim 1 wherein the cable further comprises:

a first cable section passing through the crossover device with a first end connected to the clip and a second end connect to the spool; and

.

a second cable section passing through the crossover device with a first end connected to the clip and a second end connect to the spool.

13. The security device of claim 1 further including:

a spring configured to bias the spool in a cable takeup direction.

14. The security device of claim 1 wherein the ratchet assembly is configured to ratchet the cable in a cable tightening direction when the clip is in the first position and when the clip is in the second position.

15. The security device of claim 1 wherein the clip is formed with first and second longitudinally aligned recesses;

and in which the locking member progressively engages the locking recesses to place the clip in the first position and then in the second position with the housing.

16. The security device of claim 1 wherein the ratchet assembly further includes:

a pivotally mounted flip-up handle for rotating the spool in a cable takeup direction to tighten the cable about the object.

17. The security device of claim 1 wherein the lock device further includes:

at least one magnetically attractable locking member moveable between locked and unlocked positions with the clip, and wherein the locking member is biased toward the locked position.

18. The security device of claim 1 wherein the cable further comprises:

a pair of cable loops with each loop terminating in an electrical connector, wherein the electrical connector engages electrical contacts of the alarm logic when the clip is locked to the housing in the second position.

19. The security device of claim 1 further comprising:

a crossover device with the cable passing through the crossover device at least twice, wherein the crossover device is configured to be place on a side of the object opposite from the side of the object that the housing is placed.

20. A method of securing a security device to an object comprising:

placing a housing of the security device on one side of the object, wherein the housing is connected to the object;

placing a clip of the security device into a first position with the housing, wherein the clip is connected to the second end of the cable;

wrapping the cable about the object;

tightening the cable about the object; and

placing the clip into a second position to lock the cable about the object, wherein when the clip is in the first and second positions the clip cannot be removed from the housing without a key.

21. The method of securing a security device of claim 20 to an object further comprising:

depressing a button on the housing when the clip is in the first position or the second position to place a spool holding the cable in the housing into a freewheel cable loosening position.

22. The method of securing a security device to an object of claim 20 further comprising:

sliding the clip into a chamber formed in the housing so that a pin in the housing enters a first recess on the clip to hold the clip in the first position; and

sliding the clip further into the chamber so that the pin enters a second recess on the clip to hold the clip in the second position.

23. The method of securing a security device to an object of claim 22 further comprising:

pushing the clip into the chamber so that an elongate portion of the clip is within the chamber and a handle portion of the clip that has surface corresponding to the housing is adjacent the housing.

24. The method of securing a security device to an object of claim 20 further comprising:

generating an alarm with an alarm logic associated with the housing when the clip is at least partially removed from the housing without the key.

25. The method of securing a security device to an object of claim 20 further comprising:

automatically re-winding the cable back onto the spool when a button on the housing is depressed.

26. The method of securing a security device to an object of claim 25 further comprising:

preventing the cable from being unwound from the spool when the button is not depressed.

27. The method of securing a security device to an object of claim 25 further comprising:

allowing the button to be depressed when the clip is in the first position; and

preventing the button from being depressed when the clip is in the second position.

28. The method of securing a security device to an object of claim 20 wherein the tightening the cable about the object further comprises:

using a ratchet assembly in the housing to tighten the cable about the object.

29. The method of securing a security device to an object of claim 20 further comprising:

placing the clip into the second position so that the cable is tighter in the second position than in the first position.

30. The method of securing a security device to an object of claim 20 further comprising:

placing a crossover device on a side of the object opposite to the housing, wherein the cable passes through the crossover device.