Sensing assembly for article to be monitored

• US 20050134458A1
• Filed: 12/18/2003
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Se-Kure Controls Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Se-Kure Controls Incorporated
• Inventors: Leyden, Roger, Surma, Terrance
• Granted Patent: US 7,081,822 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/568.200
• 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: G08B 13/149 with electric, magnetic, capacitive switch actuation

Abstract

A retractable sensing assembly having a housing, a sensor connectable to an article to be monitored, a conductive element operatively connected to the sensor and a mechanical cable. The sensor has a secured state and an unsecured state. The conductive element is selectively extendable from and retractable into the housing. The conductive element includes at least one conductive wire through which the state of the sensor can be detected. The mechanical cable is connected to the sensor and is connectable at an anchoring location so that movement of the sensor is confined by the mechanical cable relative to an anchoring location to which the mechanical cable is connected.

Claims

1. A retractable sensing assembly comprising:

a housing;

a sensor connectable to an article to be monitored and having a) a secured state and b) an unsecured state;

a conductive element operatively connected to the sensor and selectively extendable from and retractable into the housing,

the conductive element comprising at least one conductive wire through which the state of the sensor can be detected; and

a mechanical cable connected to the sensor and connectable at an anchoring location so that movement of the sensor is confined by the mechanical cable relative to an anchoring location to which the mechanical cable is connected.

2. The retractable sensing assembly according to claim 1 wherein the mechanical cable is connected to the housing at the anchoring location.

3. The retractable sensing assembly according to claim 1 wherein a drum assembly is provided in the housing and comprises at least a first drum that is movable around an axis, the conductive element is attached to the drum assembly and is a) wrapped around the first drum as the first drum moves around the axis in a first direction and b) unwrapped from the first drum as the first drum moves around the axis oppositely to the first direction.

4. The retractable sensing assembly according to claim 3 wherein the first drum is biased for movement around the axis in the first direction.

5. The retractable sensing assembly according to claim 3 wherein the cable is attached to the drum assembly to be selectively extended from and retracted into the housing together with the conductive element.

6. The retractable sensing assembly according to claim 5 wherein the conductive wire and mechanical cable each have a length and are joined together to define a unitary construction over a substantial length of the conductive wire and mechanical cable.

7. The retractable sensing assembly according to claim 1 wherein the conductive wire and mechanical cable are connected to the sensor at spaced locations.

8. The retractable sensing assembly according to claim 1 wherein the mechanical cable is connectable to an anchoring location spaced from the housing.

9. The retractable sensing assembly according to claim 1 wherein the mechanical cable is made from a hardened metal material.

10. The retractable sensing assembly according to claim 6 wherein the conductive wire and mechanical cable are surrounded by a sleeve over a substantial length of the conductive wire and mechanical cable.

11. The retractable sensing assembly according to claim 1 in combination with an article to be monitored and the sensor is bonded to the article.

12. The retractable sensing assembly according to claim 1 in combination with an article to be monitored and the sensor is attached to the article using a separate fastener.

13. The retractable sensing assembly according to claim 1 in combination with a processing system electrically connected to the sensor through the conductive element.

14. The retractable sensing assembly according to claim 13 wherein processing system comprises an alarm system and with the sensor in the unsecured state the alarm system is activated.

15. The retractable sensing assembly according to claim 14 wherein with the alarm system activated, the alarm system causes a detectable signal to be generated.

16. The retractable sensing assembly according to claim 14 wherein the alarm system is activated as an incident of the at least one conductive wire being severed.

17. The retractable sensing assembly according to claim 1 in combination with a support system to which the housing is attached and the cable is connected to the support system at the anchoring location which is spaced from the housing.

18. The retractable sensing assembly according to claim 1 wherein a repositionable element is provided on the sensor, the repositionable element in a first position with the sensor in the secured state and in a second position with the sensor in the unsecured state.

19. The retractable sensing assembly according to claim 18 in combination with an article to be monitored, and with the sensor connected to the article the repositionable element is moved by the article from the first position into the second position.

20. The retractable sensing assembly according to claim 1 wherein the mechanical cable comprises joined links.

21. The retractable sensing assembly according to claim 13 wherein the conductive wire is integrated through the processing system into an electrical operating circuit and the cable is not integrated into the electrical operating circuit.

22. The retractable sensing assembly according to claim 1 wherein the mechanical cable has a tensile strength that is substantially greater than a tensile strength for the conductive element.

23. The retractable sensing assembly according to claim 1 wherein mechanical the cable has a greater resistance to being cut than the conductive element.

24. In combination:

a support system;

a portable article;

a processing/alarm system mounted on the support system and capable of generating a detectable signal;

a conductive element comprising at least one conductive wire that is electronically connected between the processing/alarm system and the article,

the processing/alarm system generating a detectable signal as an incident of either a) the at least one conductive wire being severed, and b) the conductive element being separated from the article; and

a mechanical cable having a length and connected to the article and to the support system at a first location so that the mechanical cable restricts movement of the article away from the first location to a distance determined by the length of the mechanical cable between the first location and the article.

25. The combination according to claim 24 wherein the at least one conductive wire has a length and the mechanical cable and conductive wire are joined together and define a unitary construction over a substantial length of the mechanical cable and conductive wire.

26. The combination according to claim 24 wherein the mechanical cable is made from a hardened metal material.

27. The combination according to claim 25 wherein the conductive wire and mechanical cable are surrounded by a sleeve over a substantial length of the conductive wire and mechanical cable.

28. The combination according to claim 24 wherein the mechanical cable comprises joined links.

29. The combination according claim 24 wherein the mechanical cable has a tensile strength that is substantially greater than a tensile strength of the conductive element.

30. The combination according to claim 24 wherein the mechanical cable has a greater resistance to being cut than does the conductive element.

31. The combination according to claim 24 in combination with a housing and the conductive element is selectively extendable from and retractable into the housing.

32. The combination according to claim 31 wherein the mechanical cable is selectively extendable from and retractable into the housing.

33. The combination according to claim 24 wherein the mechanical cable is selectively extendable from and retractable into the housing.