Reduced-encumbrance anti-theft case, particularly for compact disks, musicassettes videocassettes and the like

• US 6,155,087 A
• Filed: 10/06/1998
• Issued: 12/05/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pietro Necchi
• Original Assignee: Pietro Necchi
• Inventors: Necchi, Pietro
• Primary Examiner(s): Gall, Lloyd A.
• Application Number:
  US09/168,397
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• Field of Search: 70/57.1, 70/58, 70/63, 70/276, 206/1.5, 206/308.2, 206/387.11
• US Class Current: 70/57.1
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0023 Containers, boxes, cases or the like, e.g. for compact discs or video-cassettes, specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5004 For antitheft signaling device on protected article
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5009 For portable articles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5031 Receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7057 Permanent magnet

Abstract

There is disclosed a reduced-encumbrance anti-theft case (1) for compact disks, musicassettes, videocassettes and the like, comprising a containing box (5), a movable abutment member (7, 7'"'"') and a locking and unlocking device (11, 11'"'"') of the abutment member (7, 7'"'"'). The box (5) is comprised of: an upper and a lower face (15, 17) substantially C-shaped; a rear holding wall (19) connected to the two faces (15, 17); and two elongated front holding walls (25, 27) connected to corresponding ends of the two upper and lower faces (15, 17). The abutment member (7, 7'"'"') is longitudinally slidingly connected to the lower face (17) and has a C-shape similar thereto. In a closing position, an engagement end (47) of the abutment member (7, 7'"'"') and the second holding wall (27) cooperate with the item (3) to prevent its undesired removal from the case (1).

Claims

1. Reduced-encumbrance anti-theft case (1) for items (3), particularly for compact disks, musicassettes, videocassettes and the like, comprising:

a box (5) to contain the item (3) to be protected;

a movable abutment member (7, 7'"'"') adapted to cooperate with a head (9) of said item (3) when said item (3) is inserted inside said box (5) in order to prevent said item (3) from being extracted from said box (5); and

a locking and unlocking device (11, 11'"'"') adapted to cooperate with said movable abutment member (7, 7'"'"') in order to take said member (7, 7'"'"') from an active abutment position wherein said item (3) is unmovably inserted into said box (5) to an inactive releasing position wherein said item (3) is able to be removed from said box (5);

characterized in that said box (5) is comprised of;

an upper face (15) substantially shaped as a C, said upper face (15) having maximum overall dimensions that are slightly greater than said item (3) to be protected;

a lower face (17) substantially shaped as a C, said lower face (17) having maximum overall dimensions that are slightly greater than said item (3) to be protected;

a rear holding wall (19), said rear holding wall (19) being connected to two corresponding longer sides (21,

     23), respectively, of the C of said upper and lower faces (15,

     17); and

two elongated front holding walls (25,

     27), a first one (25) of said front holding walls (25,

     22) being connected to two corresponding ends (29,

     31), respectively, of one (33,

     35) of the two shorter arms of the C respectively of said upper and lower faces (15,

     17), a second one (27) of said front holding walls (25,

     27) being connected to two corresponding ends (37,

     39), respectively, of another one (41,

     43) of the two shorter arms of the C respectively of said upper and lower faces (15,

     17), the second one (27) of said front holding walls (25,

     27) having a cross section shaped as an L so that an arm (45) of the L of said wall (27) abuts against said item (3) when said item (3) is completely inserted into said case (1) in order to prevent said item (3) from being removed from said case (1);

wherein said reduced-encumbrance anti-theft case (1) is characterized in that said movable abutment member (7, 7'"'"') is connected to said lower face (17) in a longitudinally sliding way with respect to a plane of said box (5), said movable abutment member (7, 7'"'"') being shaped as a C that is substantially similar to the C-shape of said lower face (17), said movable abutment member (7, 7'"'"') being equipped with a side engagement end (47) positioned with respect to said box (5) on an opposite side with respect to a side where said second front holding wall (27) is provided, said side engagement end (47) being adapted to cooperate with said head (9) of said item (3) in order to prevent said item (3) from being removed from said case (1) when said item (3) has been completely inserted into said case (1).

2. Reduced-encumbrance anti-theft case (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said locking and unlocking device (11) is located on said lower face (17) externally to said box (5).

3. Reduced-encumbrance anti-theft case (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that said locking and unlocking device (11) is comprised of a small cylinder (11) included inside a cylindrical seat (13), said locking and unlocking device (11) being adapted to be inserted, in a locking stage, into a hole (14) formed into said movable abutment member (7), said locking and unlocking device (11) being adapted to be taken out, in an unlocking stage, from said hole (14).

4. Reduced-encumbrance anti-theft case (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said locking and unlocking device (11'"'"') is located on said lower face (17) internally to said box (5).

5. Reduced-encumbrance anti-theft case (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that said locking and unlocking device (11'"'"') is comprised of a lamellar spring (11'"'"') fixed on one end to said lower face (17), said locking and unlocking device (11'"'"') being adapted to be inserted, in a locking stage, into a recess (70) formed in said movable abutment member (7'"'"'), said locking and unlocking device (11'"'"') being adapted to be taken out, in an unlocking stage, from said recess (70).

7. Reduced-encumbrance anti-theft case (1) according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that said movable abutment member (7'"'"') is equipped with a first tooth (76), said tooth (76) abutting against a free end of said lamellar spring (11'"'"') to stop said movable abutment member (7'"'"') from being completely removed from said box (5), said movable abutment member (7'"'"') being further equipped with a second tooth (78), said tooth (78) keeping a spring (80) engaged against said abutment member (7'"'"'), said spring (80) providing an outward-pushing force to said abutment member (7'"'"').

8. Reduced-encumbrance anti-theft case (1), according to any one of the previous claims 1-6 characterized in that said rear holding wall (19) is adapted to contain electronic signalling devices, said devices being provided against a theft of said item (3).

6. Reduced-encumbrance anti-theft case (1) for items (3), particularly for compact disks, musicassettes, videocassettes and the like, comprising:

a box (5) to contain the item (3) to be protected;

a movable abutment member (7, 7'"'"') adapted to cooperate with a head (9) of said item (3) when said item (3) is inserted inside said box (5) in order to prevent said item (3) from being extracted from said box (5); and

a locking and unlocking device (11, 11'"'"') adapted to cooperate with said movable abutment member (7, 7'"'"') in order to take said member (7, 7'"'"') from an active abutment position wherein said item (3) is unmovably inserted into said box (5) to an inactive releasing position wherein said item (3) is able to be removed from said box (5);

characterized in that said box (5) is comprised of;

an upper face (15) substantially shaped as a C, said upper face (15) having maximum overall dimensions that are slightly greater than said item (3) to be protected;

a lower face (17) substantially shaped as a C, said lower face (17) having maximum overall dimensions that are slightly greater than said item (3) to be protected;

a rear holding wall (19), said rear holding wall (19) being connected to two corresponding longer sides (21,

     23), respectively, of the C of said upper and lower faces (15,

     17); and

two elongated front holding walls (25,

     27), a first one (25) of said front holding walls (25,

     27) being connected to two corresponding ends (29,

     31), respectively, of one (33,

     35) of the two shorter arms of the C respetively of said upper and lower faces (15,

     17), a second one (27) of said front holding walls (25,

     27) being connected to two corresponding ends (37,

     39), respectively, of another one (41,

     43) of the two shorter arms of the C respectively of said upper and lower faces (15,

     17), the second one (27) of said front holding walls (25,

     27) having a cross section shaped as an L so that an arms (45) of the L of said wall (27) abuts against said item (3) when said item (3) is completely inserted into said case (1) in order to prevent said item (3) from being removed from said case (1);

wherein said reduced-encumbrance anti-theft case (1) is characterized in that said movable abutment member (7, 7'"'"') is connected to said lower face (17) in a longitudinally sliding way with respect to a plane of said box (5), said movable abutment member (7, 7'"'"') being shaped as a C that is substantially similar to the C-shaped of said lower face (17), said movable abutment member (7, 7'"'"') being equipped with a side engagement end (47) positioned with respect to said box (5) on an opposite side with respect to a side where said second front holding wall (27) is provided, said side engagement end (47) being adapted to cooperate with said head (9) of said item (3) in order to prevent said item (3) from being removed from said case (1) when said item (3) has been completely inserted into said case (1);

wherein said reduced-encumbrance anti-theft case (1) is characterized in that said locking and unlocking device (11'"'"') is located on said lower face (17) internally to said box (5);

wherein said reduced-encumbrance anti-theft case (1) is characterized in that said locking and unlocking device (11'"'"') is comprised of a lamellar spring (11'"'"') fixed on one end to said lower face (17), said locking and unlocking device (11'"'"') being adapted to be inserted, in a locking stage, into a recess (70) formed in said movable abutment member (7'"'"'), said locking and unlocking device (11'"'"') being adapted to be taken out, in an unlocking stage, from said recess (70); and

wherein said reduced-encumbrance anti theft case (1) is characterized in that said recess (70) is equipped with a projection (74), said projection (74) enabling said locking and unlocking device (11'"'"') to be removed from said recess (70) only by applying a force to said movable abutment member (7'"'"'), said force being directed inside said case (1).