Security system

• US 5,402,000 A
• Filed: 03/04/1994
• Issued: 03/28/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mace Personal Defense, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Joe B. Owens II
• Inventors: Owens, Joe B. II
• Primary Examiner(s): SWANN III, GLEN R
• Application Number:
  US08/206,459
• Time in Patent Office: 389 Days
• Field of Search: 340/691, 340/545, 340/426
• US Class Current: 340/545.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 15/02 with smoke, gas, or coloured or odorous powder or liquid

Abstract

A room security system has a deterrent sprayer positioned on a ceiling of a room selectively inward and in front of an entryway to the room. A spray nozzle of the deterrent sprayer is directed at nose height of an average or anticipated person and adjustable to diverge conically to about three-to-six feet in diameter at a point of contact with the person after partial entry through the entryway. A position slightly on an open side of the entryway can be selected on a ceiling for an entryway with a closure that opens on side hinges like a conventional door. A position directly in front of the entryway can be selected for an entryway with a closure that slides vertically or horizontally like some windows and doors. A trip of the deterrent sprayer and/or other security devices can be actuated and an actuation signal transmitted by mechanical, electrical, electronic, light, magnetic or gaseous means in working relationship with the closure and the entryway. Tear gas, mace, cayenne pepper and/or other disabling substance can be dischargeable. In addition, identifiers such as scent and coloring can be emitted from nozzles of separate deterrent containers. Further in addition, audio signals such as a siren, various types of light beams, photography, communication directly to the intruder and communication to remote locations such as 911 can be directed from the trip. The trip can be set either manually or remotely by electrical, mechanical, telephonic or other remote-control means.

Claims

1. A room security system comprising:

a deterrent sprayer positioned inward from an entryway in a room,

a spray nozzle of the deterrent sprayer directed from a top portion of the room towards a top portion of a person anticipated to be entering the room through the entryway,

a spray-release means on the deterrent sprayer,

a sprayer trip positioned in closure-trip relationship to a closure of the entryway,

a cocking means for setting the sprayer trip in either cocked or uncocked mode selectively, and

an operational relay means in communication between the cocking means, the sprayer trip and the spray-release.

2. A room security system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the room comprises a plurality of walls, a floor and a ceiling,

the spray nozzle is on a deterrent sprayer that is suspended from the ceiling of the room,

the closure is a door on hinges attached to a side of the entryway, and

the spray nozzle of the deterrent sprayer is directed from a position relative to a side of a center of the entryway to direct spray from the deterrent sprayer onto the top portion of the person anticipated to be entering the room through the entryway when the door is open a select distance such that the door does not obstruct travel of the spray to the top portion of a person anticipated to be entering the room through the entryway after the sprayer trip has been set and tripped.

3. A room security system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the room comprises a plurality of walls, a floor and a ceiling,

the spray nozzle is on a deterrent sprayer that is suspended from the ceiling of the room,

the closure is a sliding door on a horizontal slide means, and

the spray nozzle of the deterrent sprayer is directed from a position relative to a slide opening of the entryway to direct spray from the deterrent sprayer onto the top portion of the person anticipated to be entering the room through the entryway when the door is open a select distance such that the door does not obstruct travel of the spray to the top portion of a person anticipated to be entering the room through the entryway after the sprayer trip has been set and tripped.

4. A room security system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the room comprises a plurality of walls, a floor and a ceiling,

the entryway is a window frame,

the closure is a window having a window-opening means,

the spray nozzle is on a deterrent sprayer that is suspended from the ceiling of the room, and

the spray nozzle of the deterrent sprayer is directed from a position relative to the window-opening means to direct spray from the deterrent sprayer onto the top portion of the person anticipated to be entering the room through the window frame when the window is open a select distance such that the window does not obstruct travel of the spray to the top portion of a person anticipated to be entering the room through the window frame after the sprayer trip has been set and tripped.

5. A room security system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the room comprises a plurality of walls, a floor and a ceiling,

the entryway is a window frame,

the closure is a window having a window-opening means,

the spray nozzle is on a deterrent sprayer that is suspended from a wall of the room, and

the spray nozzle of the deterrent sprayer is directed from a position relative to the window-opening means to direct spray from the deterrent sprayer onto the top portion of the person anticipated to be entering the room through the window frame when the window is open a select distance such that the window does not obstruct travel of the spray to the top portion of a person anticipated to be entering the room through the window frame after the sprayer trip has been set and tripped.

6. A room security system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the room is in a vehicle,

the entryway is a vehicle entryway,

the spray nozzle is suspended from a desired surface of the room, and

the spray nozzle is directed from a position relative to the vehicle entryway to direct spray from the deterrent sprayer onto the top portion of the person anticipated to be entering the room through the vehicle entryway when the vehicle entryway is open a select distance such that the vehicle entryway does not obstruct travel of the spray to the top portion of a person anticipated to be entering the room through the vehicle entryway after the sprayer trip has been set and tripped.

7. A room security system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cocking means is an on-site cocking device.

8. A room security system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cocking means is a remote cocking device.

9. A room security system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the deterrent sprayer has a deterrent container with a volumetric capacity to provide a select plurality of discharges of deterrent, and an incremental-discharge means in communication between the deterrent container and the spray nozzle such that the sprayer can not be disabled by a single opening and closing of the closure.

11. A room security system as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising at least one audio signaling device,

the audio signaling device being positioned where desired for desired effect, and

an audio relay in communication between the sprayer trip and the audio signaling device.

12. A room security system as claimed in claim 11 and further comprising at least one visual signaling device,

the visual signaling device being positioned where desired for particular effect, and

a visual-signal relay in communication between the sprayer trip and the visual signaling device.

13. A room security system as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising at least one of a selection of visual signaling devices such as flashing lights and pop-out objects,

the selection of visual signaling devices being positioned where desired for particular effect, and

a visual-signal relay in communication between the sprayer trip and the selection of visual signaling devices.

14. A room security system as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising at least one of a selection of trace sprayers of a traceable substance such as traceable scent and coloring material,

the selection of trace sprayers being positioned where desired for particular effect, and

a trace-sprayer relay in communication between the sprayer trip and the selection of trace sprayers.

15. A room security system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sprayer trip is operable magnetically by positioning of a first magnetic member on the closure in distance relationship to a second magnetic member on the sprayer trip.

16. A room security system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cocking means is a remote cocking device that is activated electrically by a switch positioned as desired in and about the room.

10. A room security system as claimed in claim I wherein the deterrent sprayer is designed to spray a temporarily disabling substance such as mace, tear gas or cayenne pepper.