Bottle security device

• US 7,007,523 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2005
• Issued: 03/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CHECKPOINT SYSTEMS, INC. (CCL Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Alpha Security Products, Inc.
• Inventors: Belden, Dennis D. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barrett, Suzanne Dino
• Application Number:
  US11/059,948
• Publication Number:
  US 20050144992A1
• Time in Patent Office: 383 Days
• Field of Search: 70/571, 206/1.5, 206/445, 220/210, 220/230, 220/750, 215/201, 215/202, 215/204, 215/206, 215/207, 215214-217, 215/221, 215/250, 215/251, 215/253, 215/254, 215/247, 215/272, 215/274, 215/278
• US Class Current: 70/57.1
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 55/14 Applications of locks, e.g. of permutation or key-controlled locks
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0017 Anti-theft devices, e.g. tags or monitors, fixed to articles, e.g. clothes, and to be removed at the check-out of shops
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0041 for essentially round objects, e.g. bottles or racket handles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5004 For antitheft signaling device on protected article
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7057 Permanent magnet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7751 With ball or roller

Abstract

A bottle security device includes an inner member, an outer member and a cap member that cooperate to lock the bottle security device on the neck of a bottle. The inner member includes a plurality of fingers that are adapted to fit under the bead on a bottle neck. The cap member and the outer member are connected to form an enclosure therebetween which houses a locking mechanism. The outer sleeve member of the device slides over the inner member and forces the fingers against the bottle neck. Pins are connected to the inner member and extend into the locking mechanism to lock the inner and outer members together when the inner member is inserted in the outer member. A magnetic key is used to separate the two pieces and release the security device from the bottle. The key attracts a portion of the locking mechanism to disengage the mechanism from the pin.

Claims

1. A bottle security device for use with a bottle having a neck, the bottle security device comprising:

an inner member adapted to fit around at least a portion of the neck of the bottle;

an outer member having a cavity and an enclosure separate from the cavity wherein the enclosure is disposed above the inner member;

a portion of the inner member disposed in the cavity and movable between locked and unlocked positions;

at least one pin connected to the inner member;

a plurality of balls which are disposed in the enclosure and are spring-biased to lockably engage the at least one pin;

wherein the outer member has an end wall and a sidewall extending downwardly therefrom;

wherein a plurality of splines extend from the sidewall of the outer member into the cavity thereof and define respective inwardly and upwardly tapering surfaces;

wherein the inner member includes a plurality of cantilevered locking fingers which in a locked position are adapted to secure the device to the neck of the bottle; and

wherein the locking fingers engage the tapering surfaces of the splines in the locked position.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the plurality of balls are part of a locking mechanism which is unlocked magnetically.

3. The device of claim 2 further including a key;

wherein a cap member is mounted on the outer member and partially bounds the enclosure; and

wherein the cap member defines at least one indentation for aligning the key with the locking mechanism to magnetically unlock them.

4. The device of claim 2 wherein the locking mechanism further includes a bell, a spring, and a race housed in the bell and housing the spring and the balls.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein at least one latch extends from the outer member into the cavity thereof for retaining at least a portion of the inner member within the cavity when the inner member is in the unlocked position.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein the outer member has an upper end and an end wall adjacent thereto;

wherein the outer member has a lower end through which the inner member enters the cavity of the outer member; and

wherein the at least one latch is disposed distal the lower end of the outer member.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the outer member has a lower end and an upper end adjacent which the end wall of the outer member is disposed;

and wherein the tapering surfaces of the splines are adjacent the lower end of the outer member.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the splines extend from adjacent the upper end to adjacent the lower end of the outer member.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein each spline has upper and lower opposed ends;

and wherein each spline is fixedly connected adjacent each of the upper and lower ends thereof to the sidewall of the outer member.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein the upper and lower ends of each spline defines therebetween a length;

and wherein each spline is connected to the sidewall in a continuous manner along the entirety of said length.

11. A bottle security device for use with a bottle having a neck, the bottle security device comprising:

an inner member adapted to fit around at least a portion of the neck of the bottle;

an outer member having a cavity and an enclosure separate from the cavity wherein the enclosure is disposed above the inner member;

a portion of the inner member disposed in the cavity and movable between locked and unlocked positions;

at least one pin connected to the inner member;

a plurality of balls which are disposed in the enclosure and are spring-biased to lockably engage the at least one pin; and

wherein the device is free of a spring mechanism disposed above the inner member for moving the inner member in a direction away from the enclosure.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein the plurality of balls are part of a locking mechanism which is completely out of view when the device is locked on the neck of the bottle.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein the locking mechanism is completely disposed within the enclosure.

14. The device of claim 11 wherein the at least one pin includes two pins;

wherein there are a pair of locking mechanisms each disposed in the enclosure and each including a plurality of balls which are spring-biased to respectively lockably engage the two pins.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein each locking mechanism which is unlocked magnetically.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein each of the locking mechanisms must be in an unlocked position simultaneously to unlock the bottle security device.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein the two locking mechanisms are unlocked by a single key.

18. A bottle security device for use with a bottle having a neck, the bottle security device comprising:

an inner member adapted to fit around at least a portion of the neck of the bottle;

an outer member having an end wall and a sidewall extending downwardly therefrom to define a cavity below the end wall;

a portion of the inner member disposed in the cavity and movable between locked and unlocked positions;

an enclosure disposed above the end wall and separate from the cavity;

a plurality of splines extending from the sidewall of the outer member into the cavity wherein the splines are free of a locking engagement with the inner member;

at least one pin connected to the inner member; and

at least one locking mechanism at least partially disposed in the enclosure and adapted to lockably receive the pin.

19. The device of claim 18 wherein each spline has upper and lower opposed ends;

and wherein each spline is fixedly connected adjacent each of the upper and lower ends thereof to the sidewall of the outer member.

20. The device of claim 19 wherein the upper and lower ends of each spline defines therebetween a length;

and wherein each spline is connected to the sidewall in a continuous manner along the entirety of said length.