AU600619B2 - An alarm - Google Patents

Description

6006 9 COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA FORM PATENTS ACT 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR OFFICE USE: Class Int.Class Application Number: Lodged: Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Th;i documen t conta:l-,; (i; amelndments m ;ad Priority: Section 49 and is cor.. printing.

Related Art: Name of Applicant: SREKA INDUSTRIES LIMITED Address of Applicant: 39 Lansford Crescent, Avondale, Auckland 7, New Zealand Actual Inventor: Kenne!h Sidney Akers and Lance Tremayne Address for Service: SHELSTON WATERS, 55 Clarence Street, Sydney Complete Specification for the Invention entitled: "AN ALARM" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us:- This invention relates to an alarm.

Whenever valuable items or important documents are transported from one location to another, there is an increased risk of those items or documents being taken by Spersons unauthorised to do sc. It is usual to have some i. form of lock on the briefcase or container being used although this does not provide any deterrent to soi.eone taking the entire case and later forcing it open. One solution has been to provide the briefcase with a device which, if triggered, would give the person holding the case an electric shock.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a security device which can be fitted into a briefcase or other portable receptacle, and which has an audible alarm able to be activated by movement of the security device, or alternatively, 'is able to be activated by a remote transmitter when the recepticle is being carried by a user 20. and the means for activation by movement of the security device is not in use.

In a first aspect, the present invention consists in a -security device comprising an audible alarm, first activating means to activate the audible alarm in response 2 to movement of the security device, second activating means which in use enables the audible alarm to be activated from a position remote from the security device when the first activating means is not in use, and switching means to allow the user to select either the first activating means or the second activating means.

In a second aspect, the present invention consists in a method of securing a portable receptacle, the method comprising the steps of providing an audible alarm mechanism, providing a first activating means for the alarm mechanism, arranged to activate the alarm mechanism upon sensing movement, and providing a second activating means arranged to activate the alarm mechanism upon receipt of a signal transmitted from a remote location, and operating a selecting device to choose a selected one of the two activating means.

The above gives a broad description of the present invention, one preferred form of which will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a block diagram giving the relation of the various components of the preferred form of security device.

In the preferred form of the invention as illustrated in the 3 drawing, there is a module 1 of components. At the centre of the module is an audible alarm which, as shown, comprises a siren and siren driver.

The audible alarm may be activated in response to vibratory movement by first activating means which comprise a local movement sensor and a local alarm delay which activates an alarm latch and logic circuit.

l0 When the first activating means are not in use, the audible alarm is able to be activated by a second activating means which can be operated from a position remote from the module 1. The second activating means comprises a remote transmitter and encoder 2, which send a fixed frequency short-wave signal to a receiver and decoder, which in turn is connected to the alarm latch and logic circuit.

Power to the module 1 is supplied from a battery. The battery may typically be a nine volt nickel cadmium rechargeable. If desired there may be included in the module 1 a battery charger to which an electrical mains supply can be connected to charge the battery.

Alternatively, the unit may simply have an electrical socket connexion to which an external battery charger may be connected from time to time to recharge the battery. This -4- L latter arrangement is a little less cumbersome.

A local/remote select switch on the unit allows the user to select between the first activating means (local) and the second activating means (remote) There is typically a light emitting diode or any other suitable indicating device to indicate which activating means are in use and which also serves as a battery low indication.

Irrespective of which activating means has been selected, the module 1 is turned on by an arm/disarm key switch and, by means of a power on delay component, there is a delay period, which may typically be ten seconds, before either of the activation means can activate the audible alarm which gives the user time to turn on the arm/disarm switch and S close or position the case to which the security device may be fitted. If desired the arm/disarm switch may be accessible from outside the case and operable by means of a key, but alternatively it could be located on the module itself inside the case. The built-in delay period allows time for the case to be locked and positioned.

All the individual components and circuits illustrated in the drawing are known, and.the drawing mer-ly serves to show how such known components are combined, into the unique configuration of this invention.

As indicated, the security device may have either local or remote operation. With local operation and the security device fitted to a briefcase, for example, the operation is as follows. The user would open the case and turn the select switch to local, and turn the unit on. The case would then be closed (and the external key switch, if any, turned on). Due to the power-on delay component the device would automatically arm after a ten second delay. After this initial delay period the alarm will be activated by any form of movement of the case, such as if it is knocked over, picked up, or shaken. Through the function of the local alarm delay component, however, the alarm is only activated after another delay period, which is also typically ten seconds. This second delay period allows for accidental contact and allows the user time to disarm the device when the case is picked up.

With remote operation, the case is opened and the select switch switched to remote and the unit is turned, on which again would automatically arm the device after a ten second delay. The case is closed during that delay period.

Either of the delay periods may be adjustable, either by 6 means of an adjusting knob or the like, or by means of an internal setting, accessible only when the casing is removed.

To ctivate the alarm the user would press a button on the remote transmitter and the alarm would immediately sound.

To silence the alarm it i5 necessary to turn the key switch on the device off. The range of the remote transmitter is preferably up to 100 metres, although this can vary according to the circumstances under which the unit is proposed to be used.

An alternative would be to have the security device able to be totally controlled from the remote transmitter. This may be in addition to the previously described means of control.

This means a local/remote select switch and an arm/disarm key switch in the device would be operable by remote control. With this arrangement it could be possible to eliminate both the power on delay component and the local alarm delay component. Under local operation the case could be positioned and then remotely armed, and subsequently disarmed prior to moving it or opening it.

Another alternative is to replace the audible alarm with a second radio transmitter so that when activated the owner of 7 the case with the device fitted can track the case using a separate receiver. In this situatibn the owner would have an audible sounder on the remote transmitter to confirm activation of the second radio transmitter.

The chief advantage of the present invention is that the security for goods while being transported is increased.

While the goods may normally be protected by a device which responds to vibratory movement, the use of a remote activation means allows activation of the alarm while the goods are being moved. The alarm can be set off by the remote tranmitter as soon as it is realised that the bag or box has been snatched.

The invention is particularly suitable for use with a briefcase or portable strong box or any other portable receptacle. It can be built in as part of the receptacle, or it can .be a discrete unit able to be stored within the receptacle, or be transferred from one receptacle to another.

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Claims (8)

1. 2. A security device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the security device is fitted into a portable carrying case.
2. 3. A security device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the portable case is a briefcase.
3. 4. A security device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the portable case is a strongbox. A security device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a delay mechanism is provided and arranged so that there is a delay period after turning on the security device before the first or second activating means is operable. 9
4. 6. A security device is claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a delay mechanism is provided and arranged so that there is a delay period once the security device is triggered before the audible alarm is activated by the first activation means.
5. 7. A security device substantially as herein described with reference to accompanying drawing.
6. 8. A method of securing a portable receptacle, the method comprising the steps of providing an audible alarm mechanism fitted to the portable receptacle, providing a first, movement-sensitive activating means for the alarm mechanism, arranged to activate the alarm mechanism upon being triggered by movement of the portable receptacle, and providing a second activating means comprising a receiver fitted to the portable receptacle and arranged to activate the alarm mechanism upon being triggered by 0 receipt of a signal transmiitted from a remote location, and operating a selecting device to choose a selected one of the two activating means.
7. 9. A method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising the step of providing for a delay period after turning on the activating means before the selected activating means is operative. A method as claimed in claim 8 or 9, further comprising the step of providing for a delay period between the triggering of the activating means, and the activating of the alarm mechanism by the activating means. 10
8. 11. A method of securing a portable receptacle, substantially as herein described with reference to accompanying drawings. DATED this 28th day of MAY, 1990 SREKA INDUSTRIES LIMITED Attorney: LEON K. ALLEN Fellow Institute of Patent Attorneys of Australia of SHELSTON WATERS 11 I i