PERSONAL SECURITY DEVICE

• US 3,825,833 A
• Filed: 05/18/1972
• Issued: 07/23/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: John C. Bogue, Robert I. Sarbacher
• Original Assignee: John C. Bogue, Robert I. Sarbacher
• Inventors: Bogue, John C., Sarbacher, Robert I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Safourek, Benedict V.
• Application Number:
  US05/254,409
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: D26/1,5 136/90,90.3,90.4,112,113,182 325/66,105,111,113,114,115,116,118,119,185,186,102,310,352,361 340/224,258R,276,283 343/225,226 D56/4B
• US Class Current: 455/100
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/002 Distress signalling devices, e.g. rescue balloons vehicle optical signalling for indicating emergencies B60Q1/52
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/38 by mechanical means

Abstract

A self-powered electromagnetic signaling device having the appearance of a lipstick, ring, cigarette lighter, hotel or motel key or any other device commonly worn on the person or carried is disclosed. The device utilizes a reserve battery that remains inactive until actuated. Since the battery remains inactive unless actuated, the power source for the signaling device has a long stand-by life. The battery is actuated by a pushing, turning or pressing motion that can be accomplsihed without attracting attention. Once the battery is activated, the device emits a continuous signal until the energy of the battery has been exhausted.

Claims

1. A normally inactive security signaling system comprising:

a lipstick case;

a transmitter housed inside said lipstick case;

a reserve battery having electrodes housed inside said lipstick case, said electrodes being electrically connected to said transmitter but housed in a separate compartment fabricated inside said lipstick case, said compartment providing physical isolation between said transmitter and said electrodes, said battery also Having a liquid electrolyte stored inside said lipstick case but separated from said electrodes by means of a rupturable seal;

an antenna integrally fabricated into one end of said lipstick case, said antenna being connected to said transmitter;

a slot cut into one surface of said lipstick case; and

battery activating means including a button located in said slot in such a manner that said button protrudes only slightly above the surface of said lipstick case, a spring arm housed inside said lipstick case and secured to said button, a piston located inside said lipstick case, said piston having sharp projections extending toward said rupturable seal, and a movable baffle located inside said lipstick case between said spring arm and said piston, said battery being activated by pushing said button downward and toward said baffle to cause said baffle to push against said piston to rupture said rupturable seal by means of said sharp projections to thereby allow said electrolyte to flow into said compartment housing said electrodes to activate said battery and thereby activate said transmitter.

2. A normally inactive security signaling system comprising:

a cigarette lighter case having a hinged lid portion secured to a body portion;

a transmitter housed inside said cigarette lighter case;

a reserve battery having electrodes housed inside said cigarette lighter case, said electrodes being electrically connected to said transmitter but housed in a separate compartment fabricated inside said cigarette lighter case, said compartment providing physical isolation between said transmitter and said electrodes, said battery also having a liquid electrolyte stored inside said cigarette lighter case but separated from said electrodes by means of a rupturable seal;

an antenna integrally formed in the bottom of said cigarette lighter case; and

means to activate said reserve battery including movable button housed inside said hinged lid, and a movable piston housed inside said cigarette lighter case between said rupturable seal and said button, said piston having sharp projections extending toward said rupturable seal, said battery being activated by depressing said button to move said piston toward said rupturable seal to rupture said rupturable seal by means of said sharp projections to permit said electrolyte to flow into said compartment housing said electrodes to activate said battery, thereby activating said transmitter.

3. A normally inactive security signaling system comprising:

a finger ring having a compartment fabricated into the top of said ring and a slidably removable panel that covers said compartment, said panel having a conventional finger ring design thereon;

a transmitter housed in said compartment and coupled to said slidably removable panel which serves as the antenna for said transmitter;

a reserve battery housed in said compartment and connected to said transmitter, said battery having a battery container, electrodes housed in said container, a liquid electrolyte stored in said container but separated from said electrodes by means of a rupturable seal; and

means to activate said battery by rupturing said rupturable seal, said means to rupture said rupturable seal including a piston located in said battery container said, piston having projections on one end thereof extending toward said rupturable seal and a shaft integrally fabricated on the other end thereof, said shaft extending through and beyond said battery container and a button secured to the end of said shaft extending beyond said battery case, said button being located in said compartment directly beneath said panel whereby pressing downward on said button moves said piston toward said rupturable seal to rupture said rupturable seal thereby permitting said electrolyte to flow into said electrodes to activate said battery, thereby activating said transmitter.

4. A normally inactive security signaling system comprising:

a finger ring having a compartment fabricated into the top of said ring and a slidablY removable panel that covers said compartment, said panel having a conventional finger ring design thereon, said finger ring also having a finger band, a part of said finger band being hollow and having a slot cut therein, said slot communicating with said hollow part of said band at one end of said hollow part with the other end of said hollow part of said finger band extending into said compartment;

a transmitter housed in said compartment and coupled to said slidably removable panel which serves as the antenna for said transmitter;

a reserve battery housed in said compartment and connected to said transmitter, said battery having a battery container, electrodes housed in said container and a liquid electrolyte housed in said container but separated from said electrodes by means of a rupturable seal; and

means to activate said reserve battery by rupturing said rupturable seal, said means for activating said reserve battery including a piston having projections on one end thereof, said projections extending toward said rupturable seal and a shaft fabricated on the other end of said piston, said shaft extending out of said container and toward said hollow part, said shaft having its end extending toward said finger band bent at substantially a right angle to the axis of the shaft portion extending into said container such that a part of said shaft is substantially parallel with said slidably removable panel and a metal strap having an enlarged portion on one end and a button on its other end, said strap being located in said hollow part of said finger band with the enlarged portion adjacent said portion of said shaft that is substantially parallel to said slidably removable panel, whereby movement of said button toward said hollow part of said finger band causes said enlarged portion to move said piston toward said rupturable seal to rupture said seal by means of said sharp projections to permit said electrolyte to flow into said electrodes to activate said battery thereby activating said transmitter.

5. A normally inactive security signaling system comprising:

an identification tag for carrying a key, said tag having a channel therein;

an antenna embedded into said tag;

a transmitter housed in said channel and connected to said antenna;

a reserve battery housed in said channel and electrically connected to said transmitter but physically isolated from said transmitter, said reserve battery having electrodes, an electrolyte isolated from said electrodes by means of a rupturable seal, a piston having sharp projections on one of its surfaces, said projections extending toward said rupturable seal, and a flat metal band attached to another surface of said piston and extending in a direction away from said rupturable seal, said band having a button secured to its end opposite the end which is secured to said piston, said button extending at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of said band and being of such size that it barely extends above the surface of said tag, said rupturable seal being ruptured by pushing said button toward said piston to move said piston toward said rupturable seal to rupture said seal by means of said sharp projections to allow said electrolyte to flow into said electrodes to activate said battery thereby activating said transmitter.

6. A normally inactive security signaling system as defined in claim 1 wherein a gallium arsinite phosphite crystal is connected across said battery to give a visual indication that said battery has been activated.

7. A normally inactive security signaling system as defined in claim 2 wherein a gallium arsinite phosphite crystal is connected across said battery to give a visual indication that said battery has been activated.

8. A normally inactive security signaling system as defined in claim 3 wherein a gallium arsinite phosphite crystal is connected across said battery to give a visual indication that said battery has been activated.

9. A normally inactive security signaling system as defined in claim 4 Wherein a gallium arsinite phosphite crystal is connected across said battery to give a visual indication that said battery has been activated.

10. A normally inactive security signaling system as defined in claim 5 wherein a gallium arsinite phosphite crystal is connected across said battery to give a visual indication that said battery has been activated.