Self-shunting security device

• US 8,094,019 B1
• Filed: 11/28/2006
• Issued: 01/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vanguard Products Group, Inc., DBA Vanguard Protex Global
• Original Assignee: Vanguard Products Group, Inc., DBA Vanguard Protex Global
• Inventors: Kelsch, Christopher A., Figh, John N. Jr., Meagher, Robert S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): WANG, JACK K
• Application Number:
  US11/563,724
• Time in Patent Office: 1,869 Days
• Field of Search: 340/568.2, 340/568.4, 340/568.8
• US Class Current: 340/568.2
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1454 Circuit arrangements thereof

Abstract

A security device for preventing the theft of merchandise or other articles that provides for a closed loop system that is self-shunting without the need for removable shunt plugs. The preferred device comprises a plurality of jacks attached to a circuit board for receiving connector plug assemblies that are operatively connected to the articles through sensors. When the connector plug assemblies are not within a jack, a jack contact will engage a nail contact to close a circuit, thereby shunting the jack. Insertion of the connector plug assembly will deflect the jack contact away from the nail contact and create a second closed loop indicating that the jack is in use, and which will monitor and warn of any tampering with the sensor on the article.

Claims

1. A system including a splitter box having a plurality of jacks having cavities for receiving connector plugs operatively connected to sensors for attaching to products and having conductors for sending signals to a warning indicator when the sensors are tampered with for preventing theft of one or more products operably connected to the system by generating a signal to indicate that unauthorized removal from the system is being attempted, the system comprising:

circuitry;

a sensor having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the sensor is operably attached to one of the one or more products;

the jacks being operably attached to the circuitry, wherein the sensor is operably connectable to one of the jacks at the second end;

a plurality of jack contacts operably connected to the circuitry and extending into each of the cavities of the jacks; and

a plurality of nail contacts operably connected to the circuitry, each nail contact having a resilient leg member that extends into one of the cavities of the jacks and is normally biased to operatively contact the jack contact to automatically form a first closed circuit when the second end of the sensor is not inserted in the cavity of the jack without the need for a shunt plug;

wherein insertion of the second end of the sensor into the cavity of the jack allows the end of the sensor to operatively move the nail contact from a first position contacting the jack contact to a deflected position to automatically form a second closed circuit with the warning indicator so that tampering with the sensor or removing the second end of the sensor from the cavity of the jack automatically open the second closed circuit to activate the warning indicator.

2. The system of claim 1 which further comprises a plurality of sensors, jacks, status indicators, first contacts and second contacts for protecting a plurality of products.

3. The system of claim 1 which further comprises a status indicator, wherein completion of the second closed circuit activates the status indicator.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the status indicator is a light.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein the status indicator is a LED.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the warning indicator is an audible alarm.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the warning indicator is a visual alarm.

8. A security device for receiving one or more connector plugs comprised of a conductive cable that is operatively attached to one or more articles through sensors to send signals to a warning indicator when the sensors are tampered with to prevent the theft of the articles, the security device comprising:

a circuit board;

at least one jack connected or attached to the circuit board, wherein the jack has a cavity for receiving one of the connector plugs;

a jack contact operatively connected to the circuit board and extending into the cavity of the jack; and

a nail contact operatively connected to the circuit board and having a resilient leg member that abuts against the jack contact to automatically form a first closed circuit without the need for a shunt plug when none of the connector plugs are inserted in the cavity;

wherein insertion of one of the connector plugs into the cavity of the jack allows the connector plug to engage the resilient leg member of the nail contact and deflect it away from the jack contact, and wherein engagement of the connector plug by the leg member automatically forms a second closed circuit with the warning indicator so that tampering with the sensor or removing the connector plug from the cavity of the jack will automatically break the second closed circuit and activate the warning indicator.

9. The security device of claim 8, which further comprises a status indicator for notifying when the jack has a connector plug inserted in its cavity.

10. The security device of claim 9, wherein completion of the second circuit will activate the status indicator.

11. The security device of claim 10, wherein the status indicator is a light.

12. The security device of claim 10, wherein the status indicator is an LED.

13. In a security system having a splitter box having a plurality of jacks having cavities for receiving connector plugs, the connector plugs being operatively connected to sensors for attaching to articles and having conductors for sending signals to an alarm when the system is activated and the sensors are tampered with, the improvement comprising:

at least one jack contact extending upward into each of the cavities of the jacks; and

at least one nail contact having a resilient leg member extending into each of the cavities of the jacks, the second contact having a first position wherein it engages the at least one first contact to automatically create a first closed circuit when the connector plug is not inserted within the cavity of the jack, and a second or deflected position wherein insertion of one of the connector plugs deflects the nail contact away from the jack contact to automatically create a second closed circuit with the alarm without the need for a shunt plug;

wherein tampering with the sensor or removing the connector plug from the jack will activate the alarm.

14. The security system of claim 13, which further comprises a status indicator for notifying when one of the jacks has a connector plug inserted in its cavity.

15. The security system of claim 14, wherein completion of the second circuit will activate the status indicator.

16. The security system of claim 14, wherein the status indicator is a light.

17. The security system of claim 14, wherein the status indicator is an LED.

19. The security system of claim 13 wherein the second contact is substantially U-shaped.

18. A method for protecting thefts of one or more articles operably connected to a system comprising an alarm box, with or without an integral splitter box, having a plurality of jacks for receiving connector plugs, the connector plugs being operatively connected to sensors for attaching to the one or more articles, the method comprises the steps of:

providing jacks for receiving the connector plugs to create a circuit and protect the articles operatively attached to the connector plugs;

providing an alarm for signaling when any of the sensors operatively attached to the connector plugs inserted into the jacks are tampered with or any of the connector plugs are removed from their respective jacks;

providing a jack contact extending into each of the cavities of the jacks; and

providing a nail contact operably connected to said jack contact and having a resilient leg member that extends into the cavities of the jacks and operatively contacts the jack contact to automatically form a first closed circuit so as to self-shunt the jacks in which no connector plugs are properly inserted therein without the need for a shunt plug and automatically form a second closed circuit with an alarm.

20. A system for preventing theft of one or more products operably connected to the system by generating a signal to indicate that unauthorized removal from the system is being attempted, the system comprising:

circuitry;

a sensor having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the sensor is operably attached to one of the one or more products;

a port being operably attached to the circuitry, wherein the sensor is operably connectable to the port at the second end;

a jack contact operably connected to the circuitry and extending into the port; and

a resilient nail contact operably connected to the circuitry and having a portion that operatively contacts the jack contact to automatically form a first closed circuit when the second end of the sensor is not connected in the port without the need for a shunt plug;

wherein insertion of the second end of the sensor into the port allows the sensor to operatively move the second nail contact from contacting the jack contact and automatically form a second closed circuit so that tampering with the sensor or removing the second end of the sensor from the port automatically opens the second closed circuit to activate the warning indicator; and

, a status indicator for notifying when the second end of the sensor is properly inserted within the port to form the second closed circuit.