Adjustable dual loop cable security device

• US 8,890,689 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2010
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CHECKPOINT SYSTEMS, INC. (CCL Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CHECKPOINT SYSTEMS, INC. (CCL Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ezzo, Mark, Kozlowski, William J. Jr., Shute, Matthew R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang, Jack K
• Application Number:
  US12/938,124
• Publication Number:
  US 20110102179A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,477 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.11, 340/568.1, 340/568.6
• US Class Current: 340/568.1
• 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 73/0029 Tags wrapped around the protected product using cables, wires or the like, e.g. with cable retraction for tensioning
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0041 for essentially round objects, e.g. bottles or racket handles
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1445 with detection of interference with a cable tethering an article, e.g. alarm activated by detecting detachment of article, breaking or stretching of cable furniture, e.g. shelves for displaying merchandise, incorporating tethers to prevent theft A47F7/024, A47F5/0861
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/402 Fetters
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5009 For portable articles

Abstract

Various embodiments of the invention may be directed to a security device comprising a housing, a rotatable assembly, a locking assembly, and a cable. The rotatable assembly may include a plurality of locking teeth, a spool, and an engagement portion configured to facilitate rotation the rotatable assembly. The locking assembly may include biasing elements configured to apply a biasing force so that the locking assembly and the rotatable assembly may be configured in a locked position. Further, the locking assembly may include magnetically attractive elements configured to counteract the biasing force when a specifically configured key is applied to the housing of the security device. The security device may further include a security element, an alarm, and other components.

Claims

1. A security device structured for attachment to an object, the security device comprising:

a housing;

a cable defining first and second ends that are each rigidly anchored within the housing; and

a rotatable assembly supported within the housing, wherein the rotatable assembly further comprises a capture portion adapted to engage the cable between the first and second ends such that the cable penetrates through the rotatable assembly and the capture portion to define a first loop between the capture portion and the first end and a second loop between the capture portion and the second end, and wherein rotation of the rotatable assembly operates to tighten the first loop and the second loop;

wherein the first and second ends of the cable are anchored within the housing such that the rotatable assembly rotates relative to the first and second ends.

2. The security device of claim 1, wherein the rotatable assembly further comprises a spool, wherein rotation of the rotatable assembly causes the cable to be wound at least partially onto the spool.

3. The security device of claim 2, wherein the capture portion is defined by an aperture proximate the spool.

4. The security device of claim 1, wherein the first and second cable loops are configured for adjustment to differing sizes by sliding the cable through the capture portion.

5. The security device of claim 1, wherein the rotatable assembly further comprises locking teeth.

6. The security device of claim 1, wherein the rotatable assembly further comprises an engagement portion that is configured for grasping by a user during rotation of the rotatable assembly.

7. The security device of claim 6, wherein the engagement portion comprises a handle.

8. The security device of claim 1 further comprising a locking assembly, the locking assembly configured to move between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein in the locked position, the locking assembly is positioned to prevent the rotatable assembly from rotating in a first direction while allowing the rotatable assembly to rotate in a second direction, and wherein in the unlocked position, the locking assembly is positioned to allow the rotatable assembly to rotate in the first direction and to rotate in the second direction.

9. The security device of claim 8, wherein the locking assembly comprises at least two magnetically attractive elements.

10. The security device of claim 8, wherein the locking assembly comprises biasing elements configured to bias the locking assembly toward the locked position.

11. The security device of claim 1 further comprising a security element.

12. The security device of claim 1 further comprising an audio alarm.

13. The security device of claim 1, wherein the cable comprises an electrically conductive element.

14. The security device of claim 13, wherein the cable forms part of an electrical sense loop, and wherein the security device is configured to alarm in response to a disruption detected within the electrical sense loop.

15. The security device of claim 1, wherein the housing is an exterior housing and wherein the first and second ends of the cable are rigidly anchored within the housing such that the first and second ends of the cable are prevented from moving relative to the housing.

16. A security device structured for attachment to an object, the security device comprising:

a housing defining a cavity and a perimeter rim extending at least partly around the cavity;

a cable extending at least partly within the cavity and proximate the perimeter rim, the cable defining first and second ends that are each rigidly anchored within the housing; and

a rotatable assembly supported within the housing, wherein the rotatable assembly further comprises a capture portion adapted to engage the cable between the first and second ends such that the cable penetrates through the rotatable assembly and the capture portion to define a first loop between the capture portion and the first end and a second loop between the capture portion and the second end, and wherein rotation of the rotatable assembly operates to tighten the first loop and the second loop;

wherein the first and second ends of the cable are anchored within the housing such that the rotatable assembly rotates relative to the first and second ends.

17. The security device of claim 16, wherein the rotatable assembly further comprises a spool, and wherein rotation of the rotatable assembly causes the cable to be wound at least partially onto the spool.

18. The security device of claim 17, wherein the capture portion is defined by a recess within the spool.

19. The security device of claim 16, wherein the rotatable assembly further comprises locking teeth.

20. The security device of claim 16, wherein the rotatable assembly further comprises an engagement portion that is configured for grasping by a user during rotation of the rotatable assembly.

21. The security device of claim 20, wherein the engagement portion comprises a handle.

22. The security device of claim 16 further comprising a locking assembly, the locking assembly configured to move between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein in the locked position, the locking assembly is positioned to prevent the rotatable assembly from rotating in a first direction while allowing the rotatable assembly to rotate in a second direction, and wherein in the unlocked position, the locking assembly is positioned to allow the rotatable assembly to rotate in the first direction and to rotate in the second direction.

23. The security device of claim 22, wherein the locking assembly comprises two sliding elements that are each configured to move independently between the locked position and the unlocked position.

24. The security device of claim 23, wherein each of the two sliding elements comprise a magnetically attractive element.

25. The security device of claim 23, wherein each of the two sliding elements comprise a biasing element.

26. The security device of claim 16 further comprising a security element.

27. The security device of claim 16 further comprising a printed circuit board.

28. The security device of claim 16 further comprising an audio alarm, the audio alarm further configured to produce a sound that is channeled out the cavity.

29. The security device of claim 16, wherein the housing is further configured to at least partly define an audible alarm channel, the audible alarm channel comprising an anti-tamper portion and an exit gap.

30. The security device of claim 29, the security device further comprising an alarm module supported within the housing and configured to emit an audible alarm into the audible alarm channel, and wherein the anti-tamper portion is structured to reduce tampering with the alarm module through the exit gap.

31. The security device of claim 16, wherein the cable comprises an electrically conductive element.

32. The security device of claim 16 further comprising a collar member, wherein the cable is disposed at least partially between the housing and the collar member.

33. The security device of claim 32, wherein the collar member comprises a plurality of flanges, wherein rotation of the rotatable assembly and tightening of the first loop and the second loop operates to drive the plurality of flanges toward a center of the cavity.

34. The security device of claim 16, wherein the rotatable assembly is rotationally biased toward a tightened position.

35. The security device of claim 16, wherein the rotatable assembly is configured to rotate between a first position and a tightened position, wherein the security device defines a first object engagement diameter when the rotatable assembly is in the first position and a second object engagement diameter when the rotatable assembly is in the tightened position, and wherein the second object engagement diameter is smaller than the first object engagement diameter.