Anti-theft case, particularly for compact disks, video cassettes, music assettes and the like

• US 6,497,125 B1
• Filed: 07/28/2000
• Issued: 12/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pietro Necchi
• Original Assignee: Pietro Necchi
• Inventors: Necchi, Pietro
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hernandez, Olga
• Application Number:
  US09/582,639
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: 70/571, 70/58, 70/63, 206/307, 206/308.1, 206/308.2, 206/387.1, 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

Abstract

An anti-theft case for products, particularly for compact disks, video cassettes, music cassettes, and the like. The anti-theft case is adapted to occupy as little space as possible during product exposition and to prevent unwanted twisting forces against it. The case is equipped with a locking and unlocking device completely inserted inside the case and cooperating with the case and a moving abutment member to lock the product into the case. The case is further equipped with anti-twisting structure to prevent unwanted extraction of the products by violent and abrupt torsion forces.

Claims

1. Anti-theft case comprising:

a box having a top surface, a bottom surface, and two pairs of parallel walls having lengths and widths appropriate to secure a product;

an abutment member mounted to said box to secure said product in the box when the abutment member is in an active position, the abutment member having a seat and being movable to an inactive position;

a resilient means for pushing said abutment member from said active position to said inactive position;

teeth cooperable with said abutment member to prevent said resilient means from pushing said abutment member from said active position to said inactive position; and

a lamellar locking and unlocking device configured to selectively lock said moving abutment member in said active position and to unlock said abutment member from said active position when said teeth are detached from said abutment member.

2. Anti-theft case according to claim 1, wherein said abutment member comprises ribs configured to prevent twisting of said box.

3. Anti-theft case according to claim 1, wherein said seat comprises a housing configured to house a tongue of said locking and unlocking device.

4. Anti-theft case according to claim 3, wherein said box comprises two inclined projections defining a dovetail-shaped opening configured to house said abutment member.

10. An anti-theft case according to claim 1, wherein said box contains electronic means for signaling an attempted theft of said product.

5. Anti-theft case comprising:

a box having a top surface, a bottom surface and two pairs of parallel walls, each having a length and width appropriate to secure a predetermined product inside said box;

an abutment member, which is substantially T-shaped, comprising a center portion and two arms substantially extending along one of said walls, configured to occupy an active position and an inactive position;

resilient means configured to push said abutment member from said active position to said inactive position;

a locking and unlocking device comprising a notch configured to prevent said resilient means from pushing said abutment member towards said inactive position by engaging with said abutment member, said locking and unlocking device configured to lock said abutment member in said active position or, when said notch is not engaged with said abutment member, to unlock said abutment member such that said resilient means can push said abutment member towards said inactive position, wherein;

said abutment member secures said product within said box in said active position and leaves said product unsecured by said locking and unlocking device in said inactive position.

6. Anti-theft case according to claim 5, wherein said arms of said abutment member comprise abutment elements configured to prevent twisting of said box.

7. Anti-theft case according to claim 5, wherein said abutment elements are substantially rectangular.

8. Anti-theft case according to claim 5, wherein said arms comprise at least one reinforcing rib configured to cooperate with a corresponding rib formed in said box.

9. An anti-theft case according to claim 5, wherein said locking and unlocking device comprises a first cylinder housed outside said box, and

a second cylinder, wherein:

said second cylinder has a larger diameter than said first cylinder.