Cable lock system

• US 7,253,733 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2005
• Issued: 08/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vector Products Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Vector Products Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Krieger, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass; Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): Walk; Samuel J
• Application Number:
  US11/098,466
• Publication Number:
  US 20050237192A1
• Time in Patent Office: 854 Days
• Field of Search: 340/542, 3405681-5684, 340/571, 340/572.8, 340/572.9, 340/584, 340/600, 340/432
• US Class Current: 340/568.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1004 Alarm systems characterised by the type of sensor, e.g. current sensing means using door lock sensors B60R25/1001
• CPC Class Codes: B62H 5/003 using chains or cables chain or cable locks per se E05B67/003; with alarm E05B45/005
• CPC Class Codes: B62H 5/20 indicating unauthorised use, e.g. acting on signalling devices alarm locks in general E05B45/00, e.g. alarm cable or chain lock E05B45/005

Abstract

A cable alarm system is provided that includes: a lock; a cable coupled to the lock and operative to conduct a current; a secondary wire coupled to the lock and parallel to the cable and operative to conduct a current; a current detector coupled to the cable and the secondary wire, operative to detect an interruption of a current in at least one of the cable and the secondary wire; a battery operative to supply power to the current detector; an alarm coupled to the current detector and receiving power from the battery; and a heat sensor coupled to the cable and the secondary wire.

Claims

1. A cable alarm system comprising:

a lock;

a cable coupled to said lock and operative to conduct a current;

a secondary wire coupled to said lock and to said cable and operative to conduct a current;

a current detector coupled to said cable and said secondary wire, operative to detect an interruption of a current in at least one of said cable and said secondary wire;

a battery operative to supply power to said current detector;

an alarm coupled to said current detector and receiving power from said battery; and

a heat sensor coupled to said cable and said secondary wire.

2. The cable alarm system of claim 1, wherein said alarm is at least one of an audible siren, an infra-red (IR) transmitter and a radio-frequency (RF) transmitter.

3. The cable alarm system of claim 2, further comprising at least one of an RF receiver and an IR receiver.

4. The cable alarm system of claim 1, further comprising a coating covering said cable and said secondary wire.

5. The cable alarm system of claim 1, wherein said cable is steel.

6. The cable alarm system of claim 1, wherein said secondary wire holds off a bias current from said alarm and wherein said alarm is triggered when said secondary wire is severed and said bias current flows to said alarm.

7. The cable alarm system of claim 1, wherein said alarm is triggered when said battery is removed or tampered with.

8. The cable alarm system of claim 1, wherein said alarm is triggered when said heat sensor detects heat.

9. A cable lock, comprising:

a lock;

a cable having a first end and a second end configured to be coupled to the lock to form a closed loop and adapted to conduct current;

a secondary wire coupled to the lock and adapted to conduct current;

a current detector coupled to the cable and the secondary wire and configured to detect an interruption in a current on at least one of the cable and the secondary wire;

an alarm to transmit at least one of an infrared alarm signal or a radio frequency alarm signal coupled to the current detector; and

a heat detector coupled to the alarm and to at least one of the cable and the lock.

10. The cable lock of claim 9, wherein the cable and the secondary wire are connected in series.

11. The cable lock of claim 9, wherein the cable and the secondary wire are connected in parallel.

13. The cable lock of claim 9, wherein the heat detector is adapted to provide a signal to the alarm when the interruption in heat is detected.

12. A cable lock, comprising:

a lock;

a cable having a first end and a second end configured to be coupled to the lock to form a closed loop and adapted to conduct current;

a secondary wire coupled to the lock and adapted to conduct current;

a current detector coupled to the cable and the secondary wire and configured to detect an interruption in a current on at least one of the cable and the secondary wire;

an alarm to transmit at least one of an infrared alarm signal or a radio frequency alarm signal coupled to the current detector, wherein the current detector is adapted to provide a signal to the alarm when the interruption in the current is detected, and a heat detector coupled to the alarm and to at least one of the cable and the lock.