Theft preventive apparatus and radio wave receiving signaling device

• US 5,767,773 A
• Filed: 04/17/1997
• Issued: 06/16/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kubota Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kubota Corporation
• Inventors: Nakajima, Mitsuhiko, Okumura, Hisakazu, Uchida, Kenji, Saito, Akira, Noma, Yasuhiro, Saito, Yukio, Fujiuchi, Hiroyuki, Takatori, Shigeyoshi, Yao, Masayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huang, Sihong
• Application Number:
  US08/776,509
• Time in Patent Office: 425 Days
• Field of Search: 340/571, 340/572, 340/568, 340/693, 70/57.1
• US Class Current: 340/571
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1454 Circuit arrangements thereof
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5004 For antitheft signaling device on protected article

Abstract

The present invention relates to a theft preventive apparatus to be attached to an object of theft prevention for detecting a preliminary stealing act by e.g. issuing alarm, and relates also to a radio wave receiving signaling device to be used with the apparatus.

Conventionally, there has been a problem of the alarm output means being rendered inoperative when a sudden shock is applied to the theft preventive apparatus for example.

According to the present invention, a circuit board (6) of alarm output means (AO) disposed inside a box (2) to be attached to the object of theft prevention is retained to one first side wall portion (2a) of a pair of opposed wall portions (2a), (2c) of the box, and the other side second wall portion (2c) retains a first-kind constituting element (FE) of the alarm output means (AO).

A power-supply contact member (CE) formed integrally with the first-kind constituting element (FE) is adapted to contact a first-kind contact (FC) having a contact face extending toward the second wall portion of the circuit board (6).

And, the power-supply contact member (CE) is comprised of a coil spring which can expand and contract in the approaching/departing direction of the pair of wall portions (2a), (2c) and which is disposed under a state contracted from its maximally expanded state. Then, the electric contact may be maintained against sudden shock.

Claims

1. A theft preventive apparatus including a box (2) to be attached to an object of theft prevention, preliminary act detecting means (SD) provided in the box for detecting a preliminary theft act,

alarm output means (AO) disposed inside the box (2) for outputting alarm information based on detection information of the preliminary act detecting means (SD),

a first wall portion (2a) of a pair of opposed wall portions (2a), (2c) of the box (2) supporting a circuit board (6) of the alarm output means (AO),

a second wall portion of the pair of opposed wall portions of the box (2c) supporting a first-kind constituting element (FE) of the alarm output means (AO),

a power-supply contact member (CE) integrally formed with the first-kind constituting element (FE) is constructed so as to contact a first-kind contact (FC) having a contact face extending toward the second wall side of the circuit board (6);

wherein the power-supply contact member (CE) is comprised of a coil spring which can expand and contract in the approaching/departing direction of the pair of wall portions (2a), (2c) and which is disposed with being compressed from a maximally expanded state thereof;

a radio-wave receiving antenna (22) having a coil (22a) is provided;

the alarm output means (AO) is rendered operative when the receiving antenna (22) receives a sound generation instructing radio wave;

inside the box (2), there is provided a radio-wave receiving signaling device forming a resonance circuit by connecting the alarm output means (AO) with the entire or part of the coil (22a) of the receiving antenna (22); and

a transmitter (O) for transmitting the sound generation instructing radio wave to the receiving antenna (22) is installed at a predetermined site.

2. A theft preventive apparatus according to claim 1, wherein between the pair of wall portions (2a), (2c), a second-kind constituting element (SE) of the alarm output means (AO) is retained as being bound therebetween;

a power-supply relay member (71a) having one end contacting with a second-kind contact (SC) having a contact face extending toward the second wall portion side of the circuit board (6) and the other end contacting with the second-kind constituting element (SE) is disposed with an intermediate portion thereof retained to the first wall portion (2a); and

a pressing coil spring (78) which is retained to the second wall portion (2c) to be expandable and contractable in the approaching/departing direction of the pair of wall portions (2a), (2c) and which presses one end of the power-supply relay member (71a) against the second-kind contact (SC) is disposed with being compressed from a maximally expanded state thereof.

3. A theft preventive apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the box (2) includes a first casing member (2A) having a cylindrical wall portion (2b) projecting from the first wall portion (2a) and projecting also from the periphery of the first wall portion toward the second wall portion and a second casing member (2B) having a cylindrical wall portion (2d) projecting from the second wall portion (2c) and projecting also from the periphery of the second wall portion toward the first wall portion;

and

end faces of the first and second casing members (2A), (2B) fused to each other.

4. A theft preventive apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first-kind constituting element (FE) is a disc-shaped alarm buzzer (21);

the second-kind constituting element (SE) is a disc-shaped battery (V); and

this disc-shaped battery (V) is retained with being bound between the alarm buzzer (21) and the first wall portion (2a).

5. A theft preventive apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the preliminary act detecting means (SD) includes an attachment tool (3) to be connected with the box (2) for attaching the box (2) to the object of theft prevention and an attachment/detachment detecting switch (24) for electrically detecting attachment and detachment of this attachment tool (3) to and from the box (2);

and

the alarm output means (AO) outputs the alarm information based on the detachment detection signal from the attachment/detachment detecting switch (24).

6. A theft preventive apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the preliminary act detecting means (SD) includes an antenna (AN) disposed inside the box (2) for receiving a radio wave transmitted from the transmitter (O) installed at a predetermined site;

and

the alarm output means (AO) outputs the alarm information based on a reception signal from the antenna (AN).

7. A theft preventive apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a releasing tool (K) is formed in a predetermined shape;

and

inside an insertion hole (45) of the box, there is provided insertion preventing means (IS) for preventing insertion into the insertion hole (45) of a fake operating tool having a shape other than the predetermined shape while allowing insertion into the insertion hole (45) of the releasing tool (K) having this predetermined shape.

8. A theft preventive apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the insertion preventing means (IS) is comprised of a projection (45a), (45b) which projects from an inner wall portion of the insertion hole (45) into the inner space thereof as viewed in a longitudinal direction of the insertion hole (45);

and

the releasing tool (K) defines, in an outer face portion thereof, a concave groove (63a), (63b) into which the projection (45a), (45b) fits when the tool (K) is inserted into the insertion hole (45).

9. A theft preventive apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the projection (45b) is formed at a further inside portion than the entrance opening of the insertion hole (45).

10. A theft preventive apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the projection comprises a plurality of projections (45a), (45b) formed at different phases as viewed in the longitudinal direction of the insertion hole (45).

11. A theft preventive apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of projections (45a), (45b) are formed at different longitudinal positions of the insertion hole (45).

12. A theft preventive apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the projection (45a), (45b) is provided in the form of a projecting ridge extending along the longitudinal direction of the insertion hole (45).

13. A theft preventive apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, inside the box (2), there are provided a battery (V) for driving the preliminary act detecting means (SD) and the alarm output means (AO);

and

auxiliary power supplying means (Va) charged by the battery (V) and driving the preliminary act detecting means (SD) and the alarm output means (AO) when power supply from the battery (V) is cut off.

14. A theft preventive apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the alarm output means (AO) continuously outputs the alarm information even if the preliminary act detecting means (SD) makes no detection of preliminary stealing act, after the alarm output means (AO) has outputted the alarm information based on preliminary stealing act detection information of the preliminary act detecting means (SD).

15. A theft preventive apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the preliminary act detecting means (SD) includes an attachment tool (3) to be connected with the box (2) for attaching the box (2) to the object of theft prevention, and an attachment/detachment detecting switch (24) for electrically detecting attachment and detachment of the attachment tool (3) to and from the box (2);

and

the alarm output means (AO) outputs the alarm information based on a detachment detection signal from the attachment/detachment detecting switch (24) as the preliminary act detection information.

16. A theft preventive apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the preliminary act detecting means (SD) includes an antenna (AN) disposed inside the box (2) for receiving radio wave from the transmitter (O) installed at a predetermined site;

and

the alarm output means (AO) outputs the alarm information based on a reception signal of the antenna (AN) as the preliminary stealing act detection information.

17. A theft preventive apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising checking means (H) for allowing the alarm output means (AO) to output the alarm information only when the preliminary stealing act detection information outputted from the preliminary act detecting means (SD) continues to exist beyond a predetermined time period.

18. A theft preventive apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the preliminary act detecting means (SD) includes an attachment tool (3, 103) to be connected to the box (2) for attaching the box (2) to the object of theft prevention and an attachment/detachment detecting switch (SW) for electrically detecting attachment and detachment of the attachment tool (3, 103) to and from the box (2);

and

the alarm output means (AO) outputs the alarm information based on a detachment detection signal from the attachment/detachment detecting switch (SW) as the preliminary stealing act detection information.

19. A theft preventive apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the preliminary act detecting means (SD) includes an antenna (22) disposed inside the box (2) for receiving radio wave from the transmitter (O) installed at a predetermined site;

and

the alarm output means (AO) outputs the alarm information as preliminary stealing act detection information, based on a reception signal of the antenna (22).

20. A theft preventive apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises an attachment tool (3) having, at opposed ends thereof conductive connecting portions (30) to be connected by being inserted into an insertion hole (40a, 40b) of the box (2) for connection with the attachment tool and having also a conductive intermediate connecting portion (31) for electrically interconnecting the connecting portions (30) at the opposed ends;

engaged portions (30a) are provided at the opposed connecting portions (30);

inside the box (2), there are provided engaging members (41,

     42) which can engage with the engaged portions (30a) at the connecting portions (30) inserted into the insertion hole (40a, 40b) for connection with the attachment tool and which are urged toward the engaging side;

the alarm output means (AO) disposed inside the box (2) electrically connected with the opposed connecting portions (30) when the opposed connecting portions (30) are connected with the box (2) and outputting the alarm information based on a conductive path formed by the electrical connection becoming non-conductive; and

withdrawal of the connecting portions (30) inserted into the insertion hole (40a, 40b) is prevented by means of engagement between the engaged portions (30a) and the engaging members (41,

     42).

21. A theft preventive apparatus according to claim 20, wherein inside the box (2), there is provided a conductive spring (44a, 44b) which is contacted with and pressed against an end of the connecting portions (30) inserted into the insertion hole (40a, 40b) for connection of the attachment tool, with the spring being connected by means of a receiving member (48a, 48b) electrically connected with the alarm output means (AO).

22. A theft preventive apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the spring (44a, 44b) comprises a coil spring.

23. A theft preventive apparatus according to claim 21 wherein, inside the box (2), there are provided alarm releasing means (AR) for stopping operation of the alarm output means (AO) and engagement releasing means (D)for operating the engaging member (41, 42) into an engagement-released state;

an insertion hole (45) for releasing operation is defined to extend from the outer face of the box (2) toward the inside of the box;

the alarm releasing means (AR) is operated into the alarm releasing state and the engagement releasing means (D) is operated into an engagement releasing state by means of a releasing tool (K) to be inserted into the insertion hole (45) for releasing operation.

24. A theft preventive apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the spring (44a, 44b) is provided with an urging force which moves the connecting portion (30) to the outside of the box in association with an operation of the engaging member (41, 42) toward the engagement releasing side.

25. A theft preventive apparatus according to claim 21, wherein inside the box (2), there is provided an antenna (22) for receiving radio wave from the transmitter (O) installed at a predetermined site;

and

the alarm output means (AO) outputs the alarm information, based on a reception signal of the antenna (22).

26. A theft preventive apparatus according to claim 1, wherein there is provided a buzzer (21) having electric capacity;

the alarm output means (AO) causes the buzzer (21) to generate a sound when the receiving antenna (22) receives the sound generation instructing radio wave; and

the radio-wave receiving signaling device disposed in the box (2) forms a resonance circuit by connecting the buzzer (21) with the entire or part of the coil (22a) of the receiving antenna (22).

27. A theft preventive apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the alarm output means (AO) is constructed so as to cause the buzzer (21) to generate a sound in association with detection of preliminary act by the preliminary act detecting means (SD).

28. A theft preventive apparatus according to claim 26, wherein in the box (2), there is disposed alarm releasing means (AR) for stopping operation of the alarm output means (AO), and this alarm releasing means (AR) comprises sound generation releasing means;

an insertion hole (45) for releasing operation is formed to extend from the outer face to the inside of the box (2); and

said sound generation releasing means (AR) is operated into a sound generating releasing state by means of a releasing tool (63) inserted into the insertion hole (45) for releasing operation.