Bottle security device

• US 7,350,655 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2005
• Issued: 04/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CHECKPOINT SYSTEMS, INC. (CCL Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CHECKPOINT SYSTEMS, INC. (CCL Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Belden, Dennis D. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stashick; Anthony D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ELOSHWAY, NIKI MARINA
• Application Number:
  US11/246,575
• Publication Number:
  US 20060027520A1
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: 215/215, 215/272, 215/293, 215/302, 215/206, 215/207, 220/210, 220/256, 220/284, 220/259.3
• US Class Current: 215/215
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 55/14 Applications of locks, e.g. of permutation or key-controlled locks
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0041 for essentially round objects, e.g. bottles or racket handles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5031 Receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7486 Single key

Abstract

A bottle security device includes an inner member, an intermediate member and an outer member that cooperate to lock the device on a bottle neck. The inner member includes a plurality of fingers adapted to fit under the bead on a bottle neck. The intermediate member slides over the inner member and forces the fingers against the bottle. The intermediate member includes a plurality of upwardly extending arms with inwardly projecting teeth that engage outwardly extending teeth on the inner member to lock the inner and intermediate members together. A key unlocks and rotates a rotatable member to separate the intermediate and inner members to unlock the device. Upon rotation of the cover cap, camming surfaces on the rotatable member engage the upwardly extending arms to move them radially outward to disengage them from the inner member.

Claims

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

an outer member defining a cavity;

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

the inner member being movable between locked and unlocked positions;

a portion of the inner member being disposed in the outer member cavity;

a plurality of engaging members disposed within the outer member cavity and engaging the inner member to lock the inner member in the locked position;

the engaging members defining therebetween a cavity;

wherein the locking fingers of the inner member each have a portion disposed within the cavity defined by the engaging members; and

a rotatable member for unlocking the device in response to rotation of the rotatable member.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein a portion of each engaging member is moved to disengage the engaging members from the inner member in response to rotation of the rotatable member.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the rotatable member engages and moves the engaging members to disengage them from the inner member.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein the rotatable member engages the engaging member at a camming surface to move the engaging member.

5. The device of claim 2 wherein the engaging members move radially in response to rotation of the rotatable member.

6. The device of claim 1 further including a locking mechanism having locked and unlocked positions for respectively preventing and allowing rotation of the rotatable member.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein the locking mechanism includes at least one movable piston which creates an interference between the rotatable member and another member of the device when in the locked position of the locking mechanism to prevent rotation of the rotatable member.

8. The device of claim 6 wherein the locking mechanism is magnetically actuated.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein a force must be applied to rotate the rotatable member from a non-rotated position to a rotated position to unlock the device;

and wherein the rotatable member automatically returns to the non-rotated position when the force is removed.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the outer member has a sidewall having an inner surface which bounds the outer member cavity;

and wherein a plurality of strengthening fingers are disposed within the outer member cavity and abut the inner surface of the outer member sidewall.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein the strengthening fingers are disposed between the inner member and the inner surface of the outer member sidewall.

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

an outer member having a sidewall defining a cavity;

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

the inner member being movable between locked and unlocked positions;

a portion of the inner member being disposed in the outer member cavity;

at least one engaging member disposed within the outer member cavity between the outer member sidewall and the locking fingers and lockably engaging the inner member to secure the inner member in the locked position to lock the device; and

a rotatable member for unlocking the device in response to rotation of the rotatable member.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein a portion of the at least one engaging member is moved to disengage the at least one engaging member from the inner member in response to rotation of the rotatable member.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein the rotatable member engages and moves the engaging members to disengage them from the inner member.

15. The device of claim 12 wherein the inner member includes a body from which the locking fingers extend downwardly.

16. The device of claim 12 wherein the outer member has a sidewall having an inner surface which bounds the outer member cavity;

and wherein a plurality of strengthening fingers are disposed within the outer member cavity and abut the inner surface of the outer member sidewall.

17. The device of claim 12 wherein a force must be applied to rotate the rotatable member from a non-rotated position to a rotated position to unlock the device;

and wherein the rotatable member automatically returns to the non-rotated position when the force is removed.

18. The device of claim 12 wherein the inner member moves downwardly from the locked position to the unlocked position.

19. The device of claim 12 further including a locking mechanism having locked and unlocked positions for respectively preventing and allowing rotation of the rotatable member.

20. The device of claim 12 in combination with the bottle having the neck;

wherein the locking fingers fit around and lockably engage the neck when the device is locked on the neck of the bottle.