Vibration responsive barbed tape security system

• US 5,530,430 A
• Filed: 07/26/1994
• Issued: 06/25/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Allied Tube & Conduit Corporation (Atkore, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Michael Pavlov
• Inventors: Pavlov, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout, Brent A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wong, Albert K.
• Application Number:
  US08/280,309
• Time in Patent Office: 700 Days
• Field of Search: 340/566, 340/550, 340/541, 340/557, 340/600, 256/8, 256/32, 256/2
• US Class Current: 340/566
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/124 with the breaking or disturbance being optically detected, e.g. optical fibers in the perimeter fence

Abstract

The invention is a barbed tape barrier that includes a tube that acts as a support for the loops of barbed tape. Located within the tube is a fiber optic cable that is vibration sensitive and connected to a control unit. If an intruder disturbs the barrier, the resultant vibrations will be detected by the control unit and an alarm will be actuated.

Claims

1. A barrier comprising:

a length of barbed tape in the form of a plurality of interconnected loops in a helical configuration, said tape being composed of an elongated, thin metal strip having a plurality of outwardly-extending barbs spacedly located along opposite side edges of said strip;

a substantially straight tube adjacent to the barbed tape;

an attachment means located at each loop of barbed tape and functioning to attach each of said loops to said tube whereby each of said loops will be spaced from each other;

a fiber optic cable located within said tube, said cable having light transmission characteristics that change when said cable is subjected to a predetermined level of vibrations;

a control unit operatively connected to said fiber optic cable, said control unit having a light transmitting means capable of sending light through said cable, a light receiving means capable of receiving light that has passed through said cable, an analyzer for analyzing the received light, and an alarm means capable of issuing an alarm signal;

wherein the analyzer can cause the actuation of the alarm means when the cable has been subjected to a predetermined level of vibrations; and

wherein a plurality of the loops of barbed tape are oriented so that they are substantially perpendicular to the tube.

2. The barrier of claim 1 wherein the fiber optic cable is loosely retained within the tube.

3. The barrier of claim 1 wherein the tube is manufactured from a flexible material.

4. The barrier of claim 1 wherein the tube is manufactured from a semi-rigid material.

5. The barrier of claim 1 wherein the tube is manufactured from a rigid material.

6. The barrier of claim 1 wherein the tube is a flexible BX-type metal conduit.

7. The barrier of claim 1 wherein the tube is in direct contact with each loop of the barbed tape.

8. The barrier of claim 1 wherein a plurality of the loops of barbed tape are oriented so that an imaginary straight line joining a center point of each loop would extend substantially parallel to the tube.

9. A barrier system comprising:

a length of barbed tape in the form of a plurality of interconnected loops, said tape being composed of an elongated, thin metal strip having a plurality of outwardly-extending barbs spacedly located along opposite side edges of said strip;

a substantially straight tube;

an attachment means located at each loop of barbed tape and functioning to attach each of said loops to said tube whereby each of said loops will be spaced from each other;

a fiber optic cable located within said tube, said cable having light transmission characteristics that change when said cable is subjected to a predetermined level of vibrations and wherein said tube has an inner diameter that is greater than an outer diameter of the fiber optic cable whereby said cable can move about within said tube in response to predetermined levels of movement of said tube;

a control unit operatively connected to said fiber optic cable, said control unit having a light transmitting means capable of sending light through said cable, a light receiving means capable of receiving light that has passed through said cable, an analyzer for analyzing the received light, and an alarm means capable of issuing an alarm signal and wherein the analyzer can cause the actuation of the alarm means when the cable has been subjected to a predetermined level of vibrations; and

a support means to which the barbed tape is secured.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein a plurality of the loops of barbed tape are oriented so that an imaginary straight line joining a center point of each loop would extend parallel to the tube.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the support means is a vertically-oriented planar barrier.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the barbed tape is rigidly secured to said planar barrier and the tube is rigidly secured to said barbed tape and spaced apart from said planar barrier.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the planar barrier is in the form of a fence having a planar sheet of interconnected metal wires attached to and supported by a plurality of vertically-oriented spaced apart members.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the planar barrier forms a wall about an area.

15. The system of claim 9 wherein the tube is manufactured from a flexible material.

16. The system of claim 9 wherein the tube is manufactured from a semi-rigid material.

17. The system of claim 9 wherein the tube is manufactured from a rigid material.

18. The system of claim 9 wherein the tube is a flexible metal conduit.

19. The system of claim 9 wherein the tube and fiber optic cable function together as a microphone.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the tube is a BX-type of flexible metal conduit.