Alarm system

• US 5,379,023 A
• Filed: 10/09/1992
• Issued: 01/03/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Volumatic Ltd. (Volumatic Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Volumatic Ltd. (Volumatic Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Dalton, Paul W.
• Primary Examiner(s): SWANN III, GLEN R
• Application Number:
  US07/958,925
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: 340/568, 340/524
• US Class Current: 340/568.8
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1454 Circuit arrangements thereof

Abstract

A strip (12) provides a plurality of alarm stations (16, 20) each associated with an article sensor (24) such as a microswitch. Each station (16, 20) functions independently of the others to activate a remote alarm unit (18) and has its own indicator light (50), to indicate which alarm station (16, 20) has been triggered. Resetting by a shorting plug at the alarm station (16, 20) illuminates a resetting indicator light (53) and the sensor (24) is then resettable during a short time period for which only the alarm station being reset is inoperative. All remaining alarm stations are fully operational throughout alarm and resetting at one alarm station.

Claims

1. An alarm system protecting products on display in a shop or store, the alarm system comprising:

an alarm unit having an alarm; and

a plurality of alarm stations, each associated with a respective product, each alarm station being independent of other alarm stations in the system, each alarm station having

indication means at the respective product for providing a reset indication signal such as a visual indication when an associated alarm station is in a reset mode and for providing an alarm indication signal such as an audio or visual alarm when the associated alarm station is in an alarm mode,

sensor means associated with each alarm station, for sensing the presence of said product and for providing an alarm signal to the alarm at the alarm unit and to said indication means for switching it from the reset mode to the alarm mode, and

reset means for selectively negating the alarm signal to said alarm unit, and for switching said indication means from the alarm mode to the reset mode.

2. An alarm system according to claim 1, wherein, each alarm station also has a timer circuit for disabling the alarm signal to said alarm unit for a short period after operation of the reset means to permit resetting of the sensor means.

3. An alarm system protecting products on display in a shop or store, the alarm system comprising:

an alarm unit having an alarm; and

a plurality of alarm stations, each associated with a product, each alarm station having an alarm output means connected to said alarm unit, sensor means associated with the alarm station adapted to sense the presence of said product and to produce a preselected signal, indicator means at the alarm station, each alarm station being independent of the other alarm stations of the system and, on receipt of said preselected signal from the sensor means, producing an alarm signal at said alarm output means to activate the alarm and to operate said indicator means, reset means selectively operable to negate the alarm signal at said alarm output means, for enabling the alarm to deactivate, and for rendering said indicator means at the alarm station inoperative, and for operating a reset indicator means at the alarm station during resetting.

4. An alarm system according to claim 3, wherein said sensor means includes a plug and socket connector associated with the alarm station adapted to sense the presence of said product and to produce the preselected signal.

5. An alarm system according to claim 3, wherein said sensor means includes means which has to be opened for removal of the garment for tripping a microswitch associated with the alarm station adapted to sense the presence of said product and to produce the preselected signal.

6. An alarm system according to claim 3, wherein said sensor means includes a microswitch and a socket connector associated with the alarm station adapted to sense the presence of said product and to produce the preselected signal.