Escutcheon simulative of a radio for disguising electronic apparatus

• US 4,365,280 A
• Filed: 08/04/1980
• Issued: 12/21/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bicro Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bicro Incorporated
• Inventors: Crosetti, Michael A., Crosetti, Stephen M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Askin, Laramie E.
• Application Number:
  US06/174,863
• Time in Patent Office: 869 Days
• Field of Search: D 8/350, D 8/351, D 8/353, D14/6, D14/7, D14/11, D14/28, D14/68, D14/70, D14/72, D14/76, D21/112, D21/113, 40/538, 109/1 R, 248/27.1, 248/27.3, 248/551, 272/8 R, 272/8 N, 296/37.8, 296/37.12, 312/7 R, 312/204, 360/137, 361/422, 369/10-12, 428/15, 428/31, 428/39, 428/542, 428/919, 455/345-349
• US Class Current: 360/137
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 25/063 using tape inside container
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/027 Covers G11B33/022 takes precedence; with means for guiding the record carrier G11B17/34
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/919 Camouflaged article

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an escutcheon for concealing a relatively expensive electronic apparatus, particularly magnetic tape players disposed in automobiles and the like. The escutcheon includes a face plate having indicia disposed on a front face thereof suggestive of a relatively inexpensive AM radio. The escutcheon includes means insertable into a receptacle provided for receiving magnetic tape magazines for firmly anchoring the escutcheon onto the magnetic tape player. The escutcheon disguises the appearance of an expensive electronic apparatus as an inexpensive radio to conceal its identity so as to thwart thieves.

Claims

1. An escutcheon for disguising the appearance of electronic apparatus to conceal its identity from observation, said electronic apparatus having exposed functional indicia and operator controls from which its identity can be determined by observation, the escutcheon comprising:

a face plate configurated and dimensioned so that, when anchored to the electronic apparatus, it covers against observation of functional indicia and operator controls from which the identity of said electronic apparatus can be determined;

indicia disposed on the face plate so as to be exposed for observation when said face plate is anchored to the electronic apparatus, said indicia representing a radio tuning dial indicator;

and anchor means attached to the face plate for removably anchoring said face plate to the electronic apparatus to cover against observation of functional indicia and operator controls from which the identity of said electronic apparatus can be determined by observation, whereby the appearance of said electronic apparatus is disguised as a radio to conceal its identity from observation.

2. The escutcheon of claim 1 wherein the indicia represents an AM radio tuning dial indicator.

3. The escutcheon of claim 1 wherein the electronic apparatus has operator controls having the appearance of volume and station selection tuning controls characteristic of radios, and the configuration and dimensions of the face plate are selected so that said operator controls having the appearance of volume and station selection tuning controls remain exposed for observation, when said face plate is anchored to said electronic apparatus, to cooperate with the escutcheon to create the disguised appearance.

4. The escutcheon of claim 1 wherein the electronic apparatus to be disguised is of a type capable of functions other than that performed by a radio and includes functional indicia and operator controls associated with such functions from which the identity of said electronic apparatus can be determined, and the anchor means is configured and dimensioned for anchoring the face plate to said type of electronic apparatus.

5. The escutcheon of claim 1 wherein the electronic apparatus is a magnetic tape unit having a housing defining a receptacle for receiving magnetic tape magazines and functional indicia and operator controls associated with the operation of the magnetic tape unit from which the identity of said unit can be determined by observation;

and the configuration and dimensions of the face plate are selected so that the receptacle, functional indicia and operator controls associated with the operation of the magnetic tape unit from which the identity of said unit can be determined are covered against observation to give the disguised appearance of a radio to the magnetic tape unit.

6. The escutcheon of claim 5 wherein the magnetic tape unit has a pair of cylindrical operator controls having the appearance of volume and station tuning controls characteristic of radios, and the configuration and dimensions of the face plate are selected so that the pair of cylindrical operator controls remains exposed for observation to cooperate with the escutcheon to create the disguised radio appearance when said face plate is anchored to said magnetic tape unit.

7. The escutcheon of claim 6 wherein the magnetic tape unit has a face exposed for observation with the receptacle for receiving tape magazines opening through the exposed face, the pair of cylindrical operator controls is located relative to the exposed face with said controls spaced apart at each side of the receptacle opening in said exposed face, and the configuration and dimensions of the face plate are selected to cover the entire portion of the face of the magnetic tape unit between the pair of cylindrical operator controls.

8. The escutcheon of claim 5 wherein the anchor means is a structure extending from the face plate in a direction away from the indicia disposed on said face plate, said structure configured and dimensioned so that it is insertable into the receptacle for receiving magnetic tape magazines.

9. The escutcheon of claim 8 wherein the face plate has a narrow dimension extending in the direction of the anchor structure between generally parallel planes, and the anchor structure has a dimension in the direction it extends from the face plate so that the face plate abuts the magnetic tape unit when said anchor structure is inserted into the receptacle for receiving magnetic tape magazines.

10. The escutcheon of claim 8 wherein the anchor structure is a blank dimensioned to be received snuggly within the receptacle for receiving magnetic tape magazines.

11. The escutcheon of claim 10 wherein the blank has protuberances extending therefrom in the direction the anchor structure extends from the face plate, said protuberances disposed on said blank to prevent said blank from engaging electronic components communicating with the interior defined within the receptacle for receiving magnetic tape magazines.

12. The escutcheon of claim 8 wherein the anchor structure includes a pair of spring members disposed and tensioned to bear against structure defining the receptacle for receiving magnetic tape magazines and anchor the face plate to the magnetic tape unit.

13. The escutcheon of either claim 1 or claim 5 further comprising a plurality of simulative station selecting push buttons disposed on the face plate so as to be exposed for observation when said face plate is anchored.