Sensor for merchandise security system
First Claim
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1. A sensor for use in a security system for safeguarding display merchandise, the sensor comprising:
- a housing having a wall with an opening therein, the housing having an outer surface extending about said opening;
a microswitch enclosed within the housing;
an overtravel actuator for operating the microswitch, the actuator being in alignment with said opening and biased to project therefrom; and
means for attaching the sensor to an article of merchandise with the outer surface of the sensor proximate the surface of the article, thereby depressing the microswitch actuator and changing the state of the switch.
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Abstract
A merchandise security system sensor encloses a microswitch operated by an overtravel actuator projecting from the sensor housing. The microswitch is adapted to be electrically connected to a monitoring system which generates an alarm signal in response to a change of state of the microswitch. Attachment of the sensor to a protected article operates to depress the microswitch actuator and places the microswitch in a first state. Unauthorized removal of the sensor from the article releases the actuator causing the microswitch to revert to its initial state thereby triggering the alarm.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A sensor for use in a security system for safeguarding display merchandise, the sensor comprising:
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a housing having a wall with an opening therein, the housing having an outer surface extending about said opening; a microswitch enclosed within the housing; an overtravel actuator for operating the microswitch, the actuator being in alignment with said opening and biased to project therefrom; and means for attaching the sensor to an article of merchandise with the outer surface of the sensor proximate the surface of the article, thereby depressing the microswitch actuator and changing the state of the switch. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A security system for safeguarding display merchandise, the system comprising:
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a. a sensor including; i. a housing having a wall with an opening therein, the housing having an outer surface extending about said opening; ii. a microswitch enclosed within the housing, the switch having an overtravel actuator in alignment with said opening and biased to project therefrom; and iii. means for attaching the sensor to a surface of an article of merchandise with the outer surface of the sensor proximate the surface of the article, thereby depressing the microswitch actuator to change the state of the microswitch; and b. circuit means coupled to the microswitch and responsive thereto for activating an alarm in response to a change of state of said microswitch. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. A security system for safeguarding display merchandise, the system comprising:
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a. a monitoring device including; i. a housing having a removable cap; ii. a switch mounted within the housing, the switch having a projecting actuator; and iii. an electrical conductor having one end connected to the switch, a portion of said conductor being slidably received between said cap and said switch actuator thereby depressing the actuator, the electrical conductor forming a variable length closed loop for attaching the monitoring device to an article of merchandise, removal of the cap or withdrawal of the conductor from the cap releasing the actuator and changing the state of the switch; and b. circuit means for activating an alarm, the other end of the electrical conductor being coupled to said circuit means, said alarm being activated in response to a change of state of said switch. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. An article protection sensor for use with a security system having alarm-activating means, the sensor comprising:
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a housing having an opening; a microswitch enclosed within the housing, the microswitch having an overtravel actuator in alignment with the opening and biased to a first position placing the microswitch in a first state; means connected to the microswitch for controlling the alarm-activating means in response to a change of state of the microswitch; and means operatively associated with the housing for attaching the sensor to an article to be protected, the switch actuator being moved to a second position to throw the microswitch to a second state in response to attachment of the sensor to the article, the microswitch reverting to its first state in response to detachment of the sensor from the article. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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Specification