Magnetic alarm tag releasing device for a theft monitoring device

• US 5,864,290 A
• Filed: 05/07/1997
• Issued: 01/26/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.), Secom Company Limited
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.), Secom Company Limited
• Inventors: Arimoto, Hideki, Takai, Daisuke, Ichimiya, Nobuyuki, Namioka, Seisi, Kinouchi, Shin, Toyomi, Toshitaka, Miyake, Hideki
• Primary Examiner(s): SWANN III, GLEN R
• Application Number:
  US08/852,346
• Time in Patent Office: 629 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572, 340/571, 340/551, 340/693, 340/636, 70/57.1, 324/149, 220/230
• US Class Current: 340/572.9
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2434 Tag housing and attachment details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2448 Tag with at least dual detection means, e.g. combined inductive and ferromagnetic tags, dual frequencies within a single technology, tampering detection or signalling means on the tag
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5004 For antitheft signaling device on protected article

Abstract

An alarm tag releasing device is provided for a theft monitoring device. The theft monitoring device has a gate installed in a desired position and producing a theft monitoring region of a predetermined range by transmitting radio waves at a predetermined wavelength. A buzzer tag is attached to a protected item by a built-in lock mechanism so as not to be detached, and an alarm circuit operated by a built-in battery to sound an alarm when the radio waves at the predetermined wavelength are received when the buzzer tags enters the monitoring region, said alarm tag releasing device comprising: an insertion part having a shape corresponding to the outer diameter of the buzzer tag and into which the buzzer tag can be inserted, such that the lock mechanism provided in the buzzer tag is unlocked when the buzzer tag is inserted into the insertion part.

Claims

1. An alarm tag releasing device for a theft monitoring system, said theft monitoring system having a gate installed in a desired position and producing a theft monitoring region having a predetermined range by transmitting radio waves at a predetermined wavelength, and a buzzer tag attached to a protected item by a built-in lock mechanism so as to be securely connected to the protected item, said buzzer tag having an alarm circuit operated by a built-in battery to sound an alarm when the radio waves at the predetermined wavelength are received when the buzzer tag enters the monitoring region, said alarm tag releasing device comprising:

an insertion part, said insertion part having a shape corresponding to an outer diameter of the buzzer tag, said insertion part being configured such that the buzzer tag can be inserted therein so that the lock mechanism provided in the buzzer tag is released when the buzzer tag is inserted into the insertion part.

2. The alarm tag releasing device according to claim 1, wherein the buzzer tag has a detection terminal for providing the voltage of the battery driving the built-in alarm circuit to the outside, and wherein the insertion part has a detection pin to be connected to the detection terminal and a voltage detecting circuit for detecting the voltage of the battery built into the buzzer tag via the detection pin, and

the buzzer tag is unlocked and also the voltage of the battery is detected by the insertion of the buzzer tag into the insertion part.

3. The alarm tag releasing device according to claim 2, wherein, when the voltage of the battery in the buzzer tag is equal to or lower than a predetermined voltage, the voltage detecting circuit sends a corresponding notification signal.

4. The alarm tag releasing device according to claim 2, wherein the detection terminal is provided on the bottom of the buzzer tag,

the detection pin is projected into a position facing the detection terminal on the bottom of the insertion part, and

the detection terminal is connected to the detection pin by the insertion of the buzzer tag from above into the insertion part.

5. The alarm tag releasing device according to claim 1, wherein the buzzer tag has a casing and a loop-shaped wire that is led from the casing and is attached to the protected item,

the lock mechanism comprises a retaining member which is detachably provided for the casing and retains the loop-shaped wire when the retaining member is pushed into the casing, and

a lock member that locks the retaining member into the casing and is attracted and moved by a magnet so as to unlock the retaining member, and

the insertion part has the magnet in a position facing the lock member of the buzzer tag and the lock member is unlocked by insertion of the buzzer tag.