Anti-theft seal for commercial articles having rod-like portions

• US 5,119,652 A
• Filed: 05/03/1991
• Issued: 06/09/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Plast Di Costa Emilio & C SNC
• Original Assignee: International Plast Di Costa Emilio & C SNC
• Inventors: Costa, Emilio
• Primary Examiner(s): Luebke, Renee S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BARRETT, SUZANNE LALE DINO
• Application Number:
  US07/695,111
• Time in Patent Office: 403 Days
• Field of Search: 70/14, 70/57.1, 70/57-59, 292/307 R, 292/316, 292/322, 292/327, 292/DIG. 11, 24/704.1, 24/3 C
• US Class Current: 70/57.1
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0035 for eyeglasses or spectacles
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2422 using acoustic or microwave tags
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2434 Tag housing and attachment details
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/48 Seals
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5004 For antitheft signaling device on protected article

Abstract

An anti-theft seal for commercial articles having rod-like portions such as spectacles includes a box-like body for containing an electronic indication component. The body has a tab which is constituted by three consecutive elements which are articulated by reducing their cross section so that they can fold back onto the body and define a containment seat for a rod-like element to be secured. A slider engages, in a non-reversible manner, a guide which is rigidly associated with the box-like body; the slider has a mushroom-shaped head which is suitable for inserting, by translatory motion, in a seat of the tab so as to lock it in folded position.

Claims

1. Anti-theft seal for commercial articles having rod-like portions, comprising a box-like body which is suitable for containing an electronic indication component, said body having a tab constituted by three consecutive elements which are articulated by reducing their cross section, so as to be able to fold back onto said body and define a containment seat for a rod-like element to be secured, a slider being provided, said slider engaging, in a non-reversible manner, a guide which is rigidly associated with the box-like body, said slider having a mushroom-shaped head which is suitable for inserting itself, by translatory motion, in a seat of said tab so as to lock it in folded position,

wherein said box-like body, which is preferably made of plastic material, is substantially shaped like a parallelepiped and has, at one face, an opening for the insertion of said electronic indication component, a cover being insertable and lockable on said opening, and,

wherein the non-reversible engagement of said slider with said box-like body is performed by means of a saw-tooth rack which extends from said cover between said guides and is suitable for engaging a complimentarily shaped rack which extends from said slider.

2. Anti-theft seal, according to claim 1, wherein said slider has two diverging wings which are suitable for inserting in said seat for said rod-like element and for pressing on said rod-like element against a fitting which is rigidly associated with the middle one of said articulated consecutive elements which form said tab.

3. An anti theft seal for commercial articles having rod-like portions comprising;

a box-like body having an open face, a foldable tab connected to said box-like body, an element defined by said tab and lying opposite said box-like body, a slot formed in said element of said tab, a saw-tooth rack connected to said box-like body opposite said slot, a slider accommodated within said box-like body, a complimentarily shaped rack defined on said slider and engaging said saw-tooth rack, a raised portion connected to said slider and protruding externally of said box-like body through said slot in said tab, an externally accessible head defined by said raised portion for irreversibly moving said slider along said slot and simultaneously moving said complimentarily shaped rack along said saw-tooth rack, and a containment seat defined between said slider and said box-like body for accommodating at least a portion of a rod-like portion of a commerical article.

4. Anti theft seal according to claim 3, wherein said anti-theft seal further comprises an electronic indication component housed within said box-like body.

5. Anti theft seal according to claim 3, wherein said tab has formed thereon at least two portions having a reduced cross-sectional area, said tab being folded at said at least two portions to close said open face of said box-like body.

6. Anti theft seal according to claim 3, wherein said electronic indication component comprises at least one high-frequency diode having at least two terminals.

7. Anti theft seal according to claim 3, further comprising a bottom defined by said box-like body, at least two tubular lugs protruding from said bottom inside said box-like body, a cover having defined thereon said saw-tooth rack, and complimentarily shaped pins extending from said cover and being insertable into said tubular lugs, whereby to connect said cover to said box-like body.

8. Anti theft seal according to claim 3, further comprising at least one longitudinal fitting, at least two transverse holes defined opposite said slider in said containment seat, and pins extending from said longitudinal fitting and engaging said transverse holes, whereby at least a portion of a rod-like portion of a commercial article is accommodatable within said containment seat between said longitudinal fitting and said slider.

9. Anti theft seal according to claim 7, wherein said cover, said box-like body and said tab each have connected thereto at least two guides, said saw-tooth rack being defined between said at least two guides connected to said cover.

10. Anti theft seal according to claim 3, further comprising at least two diverging wings, said wings extending from said slider and being positioned within said containment seat, for exerting elastic pressure on at least two points of a portion of a rod-like portion of a commercial article contained therein.

11. Anti theft seal according to claim 3, wherein said raised portion of said slider protruding through said slot is breakable for permitting unfolding of said tab and release of a rod-like portion of a commercial article contained in said containment seat.

12. Anti theft seal according to claim 11, wherein said raised portion of said slider comprises a disk-like element.

13. An anti theft seal for commercial articles having rod-like portions comprising;

a box-like body having an open face, a foldable tab connected to said box-like body, an element defined by said tab and lying opposite said box-like body, a slot formed in said element of said tab, a saw-tooth rack connected to said box-like body opposite said slot, a slider accommodated within said box-like body, a complimentarily shaped rack defined on said slider and engaging said saw-tooth rack, a raised portion connected to said slider and protruding externally of said box-like body through said slot in said tab, an externally accessible head defined by said raised portion for irreversibly moving said slider along said slot and simultaneously moving said complimentarily shaped rack along said saw-tooth rack, and a containment seat defined between said slider and said box-like body for accommodating at least a portion of a rod-like portion of a commercial article,

wherein said anti-theft seal further comprises an electronic indication component housed within said box-like body,

wherein said tab has formed thereon at least two portions having a reduced cross-sectional area, said tab being folded at said at least two portions to close said open face of said box-like body, and

wherein said raised portion of said slider protruding through said slot is breakable for permitting unfolding of said tab for releasing a rod-like portion of a commercial article contained in said containment seat.

14. Anti theft seal according to claim 13, wherein said electronic indication component comprises at least one high-frequency diode having at least two terminals.

15. Anti theft seal according to claim 13, further comprising a bottom defined by said box-like body, at least two tubular lugs protruding from said bottom inside said box-like body, a cover having defined thereon said saw-tooth rack, and complimentarily shaped pins extending from said cover and being insertable into said tubular lugs, whereby to connect said cover to said box-like body.

16. Anti theft seal according to claim 13, further comprising at least one longitudinal fitting, at least two transverse holes defined opposite said slider in said containment seat, and pins extending from said longitudinal fitting and engaging said transverse holes, whereby at least a portion of a rod-like portion of a commercial article is accommodatable within said containment seat between said longitudinal fitting and said slider.

17. Anti theft seal according to claim 15, wherein said cover, said box-like body and said tab each have connected thereto at least two guides, said saw-tooth rack being defined between said at least two guides connected to said cover.

18. Anti theft seal according to claim 13, further comprising at least two diverging wings, said wings extending from said slider and being positioned within said containment seat, for exerting elastic pressure on at least two points of a portion of a rod-like portion of a commercial article contained therein.

19. Anti theft seal according to claim 13, wherein said raised portion of said slider comprises a disk-like element.