Universal alarm system

• US 5,754,108 A
• Filed: 05/06/1996
• Issued: 05/19/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Benjamin I. Ungarsohn
• Original Assignee: Benjamin I. Ungarsohn
• Inventors: Ungarsohn, Benjamin I.
• Primary Examiner(s): SWANN III, GLEN R
• Application Number:
  US08/642,197
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• Field of Search: 340/568, 340/571, 340/427, 340/687, 340/686
• US Class Current: 340/568.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1463 Physical arrangements, e.g. housings devices to prevent theft or loss of purses, luggage or hand carried bags A45C13/18

Abstract

A universal alarm system includes a first main component and a second main component. The first main component contains an internally-disposed continuous loop alarm circuit and is attachable to a first object that is to be protected against an unauthorized removal thereof. The second main component replaceably engages the first main component, by non-magnetic means, and contains an internally-disposed circuit and is attachable to a second object. The internally-disposed continuous loop alarm circuit of the first main component is in electrical communication with the internally-disposed circuit of the second main component when the first main component is engaged with the second main component, so that when the first main component and the second main component are separated from each other the internally-disposed continuous loop alarm circuit of the first main component activates an alarm and since the first main component remains with the first object, location of the first object is facilitated.

Claims

1. A universal alarm system, comprising:

a) a first main component containing an internally-disposed continuous loop alarm circuit and being attachable to a first object that is to be protected against an unauthorized removal thereof;

said first main component including a hollow housing having an inner wall with a shape, an outer wall disposed in opposition to said inner wall of said hollow housing of said first main component, and a front wall spanning from said inner wall of said hollow housing of said first main component to said outer wall of said hollow housing of said first main component;

said first main component further including a main component key lock disposed on said hollow housing of said first main component, in proximity to said inner wall of said hollow housing of said first main component;

said main component key lock of said first component being in electrical communication with said internally-disposed continuous loop alarm circuit of said first main component; and

b) a second main component replaceably engaging said first main component, by non-magnetic means, and containing an internally-disposed circuit and being attachable to a second object;

said internally-disposed continuous loop alarm circuit of said first main component being in electrical communication with said internally-disposed circuit of said second main component when said first main component is engaged with said second main component, so that when said first main component and said second main component are separated from each other said internally-disposed continuous loop alarm circuit of said first main component activates an alarm and since said first main component remains with the first object, location of the first object is facilitated.

2. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein said hollow housing of said first main component is constructed of a strong molded plastic.

3. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein said first main component further includes a cable that is replaceably engagable with said hollow housing of said first main component and the first object;

said cable of said first main component is in electrical communication with said internally-disposed continuous loop alarm circuit of said first main component when engaged with said hollow housing of said first main component.

4. The system as defined in claim 3, wherein said cable of said first main component has a strong, flexible insulating material sheath that contains an internally-disposed conducting wire therein, and each of a pair of free ends that has disposed thereon an electrically-conductive plug that is in electrical communication with said internally-disposed conducting wire of said cable of said first main component;

said electrically-conductive plug of each of said pair of free ends of said cable of said first main component has a circumferencially-disposed groove that is disposed completely around said electrically-conductive plug of each of said pair of free ends of said cable of said first main component.

5. The system as defined in claim 4, wherein said first main component further includes a cable key lock release that is disposed on said hollow housing of said first main component in proximity to said cable of said first main component;

said cable key lock release of said first main component is in electrical communication with said internally-disposed continuous loop alarm circuit of said first main component.

6. The system as defined in claim 5, wherein said first main component further includes a key for turning said cable key lock release of said first main component.

7. The system as defined in claim 4, wherein said first main component further includes a pair of jacks that are embedded in a pair of throughbores with perimeters in said outer wall of said hollow housing of said first main component;

each of said pair of jacks of said outer wall of said hollow housing of said first main component has a non-electrically-conductive outer sleeve that extends inwardly from, and is integral with, a perimeter of a respective throughbore of said pair of throughbores of said outer wall of said hollow housing of said first main component;

said non-electrically-conductive outer sleeve of each of said pair of jacks of said outer wall of said first main component has a laterally-oriented throughbore;

said laterally-oriented throughbore of said non-electrically-conductive outer sleeve of each of said pair of jacks of said first main component is in alignment with said circumferencially-disposed groove of said plug of a respective free end of said pair of free ends of said cable of said first main component when said plug of said respective free end of said pair of free ends of said cable of said first main component is received by a respective one of said pair of jacks of said first main component.

8. The system as defined in claim 7, wherein each of said pair of jacks of said first main component further has an electrically-conductive inner sleeve that extends inwardly from said perimeter of said respective throughbore of said pair of throughbores of said outer wall of said hollow housing of said first main component;

said electrically-conductive inner sleeve of each of said pair of jacks of said outer wall of said first main component is internal to said non-electrically-conductive outer sleeve of a respective jack of said pair of jacks of said outer wall of said first main component;

said electrically-conductive inner sleeve of each of said pair of jacks of said outer wall of said first main component has a laterally-oriented throughbore that is in alignment with said laterally-oriented throughbore of said non-electrically-conductive outer sleeve of said respective jack of said pair of jacks of said first main component;

said electrically-conductive inner sleeve of each of said pair of jacks of said outer wall of said first main component is in electrical communication with said internally-disposed continuous loop alarm circuit of said first main component.

9. The system as defined in claim 8, wherein said cable key lock release of said first main component is operatively connected to a prong that passes into said laterally-oriented throughbore of said non-electrically-conductive outer sleeve of each of said pair of jacks of said outer wall of said first main component and said electrically-conductive inner sleeve of each of said pair of jacks of said outer wall of said first main component;

said plug of each of said pair of free ends of said cable of said first main component is securely engaged in said respective jack of said pair of jacks of said first main component by turning said cable key lock release of said first main component and causing said prong of said cable key lock release of said first main component to enter said circumferencially-disposed groove of said electrically-conductive plug of each of said pair of free ends of said cable of said first main component.

10. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein said first main component further includes a key for turning said main component key lock.

11. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein said second main component includes a hollow housing having an inner wall with a shape, an outer wall that is disposed in opposition to said inner wall of said hollow housing of said second main component, and a front wall that spans from said inner wall of said hollow housing of said second main component to said outer wall of said hollow housing of said second main component;

said shape of said inner wall of said hollow housing of said second main component and said shape of said inner wall of said first hollow housing of said first main component are contiguous when in contact with each other.

12. The system as defined in claim 11, wherein at least one of said first main component and said second main component further includes at least one electrically-conductive plug that is embedded in a respective throughbore in said inner wall of said hollow housing of said at least one of said first main component and said second main component and extends outwardly therefrom;

said at least one electrically-conductive plug of said inner wall of said hollow housing of said at least one of said first main component and said second main component is in electrical communication with at least one of said internally-disposed continuous loop alarm circuit of said first main component and said internally-disposed circuit of said second main component.

13. The system as defined in claim 12, wherein said at least one of said first main component and said second main component further includes at least one first jack that is embedded in a respective throughbore with a perimeter in said inner wall of said hollow housing of said at least one of said first main component and said second main component;

said at least one first jack of said inner wall of said hollow housing of said at least one of said first main component and said second main component is precisely aligned with said at least one electrically-conductive plug of said inner wall of said hollow housing of said at least one of said first main component and said second main component.

14. The system as defined in claim 13, wherein said at least one first jack of said inner wall of said hollow housing of said at least one of said first main component and said second main component has a non-electrically-conductive outer sleeve that extends inwardly from, and is integral with, said perimeter of said respective throughbore of said inner wall of said hollow housing of said at least one of said first main component and said second main component.

15. The system as defined in claim 14, wherein said at least one first jack of said inner wall of said hollow housing of said at least one of said first main component and said second main component further has an electrically-conductive inner sleeve;

said electrically-conductive inner sleeve of said at least one first jack of said inner wall of said hollow housing of said at least one of said first main component and said second main component extends inwardly from said perimeter of said respective throughbores said inner wall of said hollow housing of said at least one of said first main component and said second main component;

said electrically-conductive inner sleeve of said at least one first jack of said inner wall of said hollow housing of said at least one of said first main component and said second main component is internal to said non-electrically-conductive outer sleeve of said at least one first jack of said inner wall of said hollow housing of said at least one of said first main component and said second main component;

said electrically-conductive inner sleeve of said at least one first jack of said inner wall of said hollow housing of said first main component and said second main component is in electrical communication with said at least one of said internally-disposed continuous loop alarm circuit of said first main component and said internally-disposed circuit of said second main component.

16. The system as defined in claim 11, wherein said hollow housing of said second main component is constructed of a strong molded plastic.

17. The system as defined in claim 11, wherein said second main component further includes a cable that is replaceably engagable with said hollow housing of said second main component and the second object;

said cable of said second main component is in electrical communication with said internally-disposed circuit of said second main component when engaged with said hollow housing of said second main component.

18. The system as defined in claim 17, wherein said cable of said second main component has a strong, flexible insulating material sheath that contains an internally-disposed conducting wire therein, and each of a pair of free ends has disposed thereon an electrically-conductive plug that is in electrical communication with said internally-disposed conducting wire of said cable of said second main component;

said electrically-conductive plug of each of said pair of free ends of said cable of said second main component has a circumferentially-disposed groove that is disposed completely around said electrically-conductive plug of each of said pair of free ends of said cable of said second main component.

19. The system as defined in claim 18, wherein said second main component further includes a cable key lock release that is disposed on said hollow housing of said second main component, in proximity to said cable of said second main component;

said cable key lock release of said second main component is in electrical communication with said internally-disposed circuit of said second main component.

20. The system as defined in claim 19, wherein said second main component further includes a key for turning said cable key lock release of said second main component.

21. The system as defined in claim 18, wherein said second main component further includes a pair of jacks that are embedded in a pair of throughbore with perimeters in said outer wall of said hollow housing of said second main component;

each of said pair of jacks of said outer wall of said hollow housing of said second main component has a non-electrically-conductive outer sleeve that extends inwardly from, and is integral with, a perimeter of a respective throughbore of said pair throughbore of said outer wall of said hollow housing of said second main component;

said non-electrically-conductive outer sleeve of each of said pair of jacks of said outer wall of said hollow housing of said second main component has a laterally-oriented throughbore;

said laterally-oriented throughbore of said non-electrically-conductive outer sleeve of each of said pair of jacks of said outer wall of said hollow housing of said second main component is in alignment with said circumferencially-disposed groove of said plug of each of said pair of free ends of said cable of said second main component when said plug of each of said pair of free ends of said cable of said second main component is received by a respective jack of said pair of jacks of said outer wall of said hollow housing of said second main component.

22. The system as defined in claim 21, wherein each of said pair of jacks of said outer wall of said hollow housing of said second main component further has an electrically-conductive inner sleeve that extends inwardly from said perimeter of said respective throughbore of said pair of throughbores of said outer wall of said hollow housing of said second main component;

said electrically-conductive inner sleeve of each of said pair of jacks of said outer wall of said hollow housing of said second main component is internal to said non-electrically-conductive outer sleeve of a respective jack of said pair of jacks of said second main component;

said inner sleeve of each of said pair of jacks of said outer wall of said hollow housing of said second main component has a laterally-oriented throughbore that is in alignment with said laterally-oriented throughbore of said non-electrically-conductive outer sleeve of said respective jack of said pair of jacks of said outer wall of said hollow housing of said second main component;

said electrically-conductive inner sleeve of each of said pair of jacks of said outer wall of said hollow housing of said second main component is in electrical communication with said internally-disposed circuit of said second main component.

23. The system as defined in claim 22, wherein said cable key lock release of said second main component is operatively connected to a prong that passes into said laterally-oriented throughbore of said non-electrically-conductive outer sleeve of each of said pair of jacks of said outer wall of said hollow housing of said second main component and said electrically-conductive inner sleeve of said respective jack of said pair of jacks of said second main component;

said plug of each of said pair of free ends of said cable of said second main component is securely engaged in said pair of jacks of said second main component by turning said cable key lock release of said second main component and causing said prong of said cable key lock release of said second main component to enter said circumferencially-disposed groove of said electrically-conductive plug of each of said pair of free ends of said cable of said second main component.

24. The system as defined in claim 1;

further comprising an indicator light being in electrical communication with said internally-disposed continuous loop alarm circuit of said first main component for indicating when said alarm is armed and in condition to be actuated.

25. The system as defined in claim 1;

further comprising a light disposed on said inner wall of said hollow housing of said first main component and being in electrical communication with said internally-disposed continuous loop alarm circuit of said first main component, so that when said first main component and said second main component are separated from each other said light can be detected by a remote camera which can record the unauthorized removal of the first object.

26. The system as defined in claim 1;

further comprising a warning device being in electrical communication with said internally-disposed continuous loop alarm circuit of said first main component for warning that the unauthorized removal of the first object is occurring.

27. The system as defined in claim 26, wherein said warning device of said first main component generates at least a signal selected from the group consisting of audible, pager, video camera, still-camera, communication, and satellite.