EP1049847B1 - Anti-theft case - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a housing anti-theft device intended in particular to protect articles against shoplifting.

Such cases are well known in their general principles. They usually have a movable trigger preventing removal of the protected article in locked position, the trigger being held in position locked by an organ capable of interacting with a magnetic unlocking tool.

The trigger is positioned at rest to partially block the insertion slot of the article, or to prevent the opening of an access hatch or housing cover, or to block a housing comprising two rotating parts.

Generally, the locking member is formed by a metal blade. However, this solution presents some disadvantages. This blade can hang enough easily, which results in the need for multiple operations before unlocking the trigger. Through elsewhere, this blade must necessarily be positioned very close to the surface of the case, to allow a satisfactory interaction with the tool magnet release. An example of such a case is given in EP-A-0 508 201.

We also know in the state of the art an anti-theft case described in European patent EP-A-0 666 954, This patent discloses a box provided with a movable element axially and transversely. This mobile element is lockable by a rod which can engage in a hole provided in the housing. This mobile element is subject to the action of a solicitation means - a spring - which tends to move the locking element transversely and to engage it in the hole when the locking element is brought into alignment with the hole.

Such a device does not turn out completely satisfactory. In the locked position, the rod, the cavity provided in the trigger to guide the rod, and the hole provided in the housing are necessarily aligned.

A transverse shock is enough for a transverse mechanical force comes to oppose the action of spring so that the trigger can be released without using the unlocking tool. For that, he just tap the case against a support, according to a movement with a main transverse component and a component of lesser force oriented towards the front of the housing, so that the end of the rod comes out of the hole provided in the housing, and releases the trigger which then moves forward. Once the trigger has moved to the front of the case, the rod is no longer in the alignment of the hole, and the trigger then remains in position unlocked.

The object of the present invention is to remedy to the disadvantage of the devices of the prior art, in offering a new form of housing based on a operation different from that of the device described in patent EP666954, and avoiding the risk of opening untimely by the simple exit of the rod from the hole under the effect of a shock.

To this end, the invention relates to a housing lock with movable trigger preventing removal of the protected item in the locked position, the trigger being kept in the locked position by a clean member to interact with a magnetic unlocking tool, characterized in that said member is formed by a metal counterweight with a shoulder coming from lean in the locked position against a shoulder provided on the fixed part, the two shoulders being substantially perpendicular to the direction in which the movable trigger to switch to the unlocked position.

According to a preferred embodiment, the housing anti-theft device comprises means for repelling the trigger in a position in which both shoulders interact to immobilize the counterweight.

According to a preferred variant, the trigger is movable according to a first longitudinal unlocking movement, parallel to the contact plane of the shoulders, with a stroke corresponding substantially to the length of the area of contact of said shoulders, and a second movement transverse possible when the counterweight is in position unlocked.

According to another advantageous variant, the housing according to the invention comprises an elastic means repelling the trigger at rest in a longitudinal direction of blocking.

According to a particular embodiment, it has at least one longitudinal protuberance capable of come into a complementary longitudinal cavity of the trigger of a depth substantially equal to the shoulder contact length.

According to an advantageous variant, the counterweight consists of a cylindrical metal part.

Preferably, the trigger is made in one single plastic part with housing for the flyweight.

An additional object of the invention is to allow unlocking with different types of tools previously known for specific applications.

Art cassette locks are not suitable for unlocking using a tool specifically intended for unlocking anti-theft devices for textiles, which generally have a hole at the bottom of which is the magnet.

The secondary aim of the invention is to remedy to this disadvantage by proposing an unlockable case with the same tool as that used for the articles textiles, and with great robustness and safety operation.

To this end, the trigger has a substantially cylindrical protuberance within which is the housing of the counterweight, the counterweight coming under the effect of a magnet against the wall front of this accommodation.

• la figure 1 représente une vue partielle du boítier et de la gâchette, en position fermée ;
• la figure 2 représente une vue partielle du boítier et de la gâchette, en position ouverte ;
• la figure 3 représente une vue partielle d'une variante de réalisation du boítier et de la gâchette, en position fermée ;
• les figures 4 à 7 représentent une vue en coupe d'une variante de réalisation, en position ouverte et fermée.

The invention will be described in the following by way of nonlimiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

• Figure 1 shows a partial view of the housing and the trigger, in the closed position;
• 2 shows a partial view of the housing and the trigger, in the open position;
• Figure 3 shows a partial view of an alternative embodiment of the housing and the trigger, in the closed position;
• Figures 4 to 7 show a sectional view of an alternative embodiment, in the open and closed position.

The housing (1) is formed by a frame made of material plastic opening through a slot (1) for insertion an item such as a compact disc or cassette. A trigger (3) partially closes this slot in locking position. It thus prevents the withdrawal of Article. It can be moved to a position shown in Figure 2, where it completely releases the slot (2). This trigger is formed by a hollow molded part, closed at the rear by a wall (4) having a light (5). The housing behind the trigger a stop (6) extending transversely, extended by a longitudinal protruding element (7) constituting a means of guiding the movement of the rear part of the trigger. The cooperation between this protruding element (7) and the light (5) allows on the one hand a displacement of the trigger according to a longitudinal direction, and on the other hand a tilting of the trigger by pivoting around the contact area between the edge of the light (5) and the longitudinal element (7).

The trigger (3) has at its front part a housing (8) into which comes into position lock, a longitudinal stop (9) preventing the transverse movement of the trigger (3). This stop is placed in the extension of a protuberance (10) of the housing extending inward of the trigger. The rear part of this protuberance (10) has a shoulder (11). This shoulder (11) extends rearward of the housing, over a length 1 of a few millimeters.

At its rear, the trigger has a transverse chamfer (30) allowing tilting between a locking position shown in Figure 1 and the unlocking position shown in Figure 2.

The trigger (3) also has a cylindrical housing (12) inside which is placed the metal counterweight (13). This flyweight is pushed back transversely, towards the housing, by a spring (14).

The counterweight (13) is extended on the side of the housing by a rod (15) on which is fixed a head (17) having a shoulder (16) extending in a plane longitudinal.

This shoulder (16) comes into contact, locked position, with the shoulder (11) of the housing. he thus prevents the removal of the counterweight (13), even when this is subjected to the action of a magnet.

The flyweight can be produced in the form a rod made of a ferromagnetic material, or steel, presenting an annular rib or by the association of a cylindrical magnetic or ferromagnetic part and a foot forming the blocking shoulder.

The housing also has a blade elastic (17) coming to rest against the housing (12) of the counterweight (13), or against another transverse wall trigger (3), to apply longitudinal pressure tending to keep the shoulders (11) and (16) in support One against the other. The flyweight cannot therefore move under the effect of a magnet approached the surface of the trigger that when, at the same time, pressure is exerted on the front face of the trigger to decouple the shoulders (11) and (16).

The trigger and the flyweight are both locked in the closed position. The tilting of the trigger in order to move the front part transversely in a position where it releases the slot (2) is not possible, because the stop (9) cooperates with the cavity (8). For separate the stop (9) and the cavity (8), it would be necessary to make advance the trigger, which is not possible because the head (17) abuts against the protuberance (10) of the housing.

Nor is it enough to approach a magnet, because the protrusions (11) and (16) prevent the withdrawal of the counterweight (13).

To unlock, you must have everything first apply longitudinal pressure on the trigger (3), backwards. This pressure can be exerted on the front face (20) of the trigger, where by cooperation between the unlocking tool and an anchoring well (18) provided on the lateral face (19) of the trigger (3).

This pressure is opposed to the pressure exerted by the spring (17) and causes the disengagement of the shoulder (11) and (16). The flyweight (13) is always pushed back to the housing by the spring (14). However, if a magnetic unlocking tool is approached from the wall (19) at the metal counterweight (13), the latter is drawn into a position where the head (17) comes position itself above the ramp (21) forming the face exterior of the protuberance (10).

The trigger (3) can then advance, which releases the cavity (8) from the stop (9), and this allows then tilt the trigger (3) around the light (5) and the longitudinal guide (7). This guide presents a protruding bead (22) to avoid uncoupling unexpected trigger. This bead has a thickness determined so as to allow the strength assembly of the trigger (3) on the housing (1).

Figure 3 shows a view of a variant of production. This variant essentially differs in the the side face (19) of the trigger is not flat, but has a protuberance (12) of shape cylindrical, comprising a cavity (23) inside which exceeds the housing (12) of the counterweight (13). This protuberance (12) is determined so as to allow cooperation with a textile unlocking tool, where the magnet is placed at the bottom of a cylindrical recess of complementary shape to that of the protuberance (12). The protuberance (12) is intended to allow either and without modification the use of a first type of tool unlocking having a cylindrical well at the bottom of which is a magnet, and a second type of tool release having a flat surface provided with a magnet.

Figures 4 to 7 show variants of realization of a case allowing the use of two types of unlocker.

The movable member (40) has teeth (41) coming to cooperate with lugs (42) provided on the housing to prevent the opening of the case in position locked.

The movable member (40) is pushed back by a spring in the unlocked position. It can be blocked in locking position by magnetic means modular locking.

The first means consists of a blade (43) which is flat at rest, as shown in Figure 6. In this rest position, a stud (45) is housed in the light (44) of the blade. This nipple (45), shaped cylindrical in the example described, forms a projection on the movable member (40). The blade being fixed relative to the housing, the movable member (40) and immobilized when the nipple (45) enters the light (44). When a magnet is approached the surface of the housing, at the location of the blade (43), it deforms as shown in Figure 5, to take a convex shape. The pin (43) is then released, and the movable member (40) is moves under the action of the spring (46) in position unlocking.

The arming of the case is done by pushing back the movable member (40) in the locked position using the button (48) extending the movable member (40).

The housing can be easily adapted for use with a well release, usually used for textile articles.

It has for this purpose a housing (50) in dome or cylinder shape, inside which is housed a counterweight (51) pushed back towards the movable member (50) by a spring (52). This movable member (50) has a groove annular (54) delimiting a shoulder (55).

The movable member (40) has a stop (56) having a shoulder (57) coming to cooperate, in position closed, with the shoulder (55) of the cylindrical counterweight (51).

To lock the case, we push back the movable member (40) in the locked position using the arming button (48). The ramp (58) forming the face rear of the stop (56) pushes the counterweight (51) back into his accommodation. When the counterweight (51) is in front of the stop (56), it is pushed back towards the movable member by the spring (53). When you release the pressure on the arming button (48), the movable member advances under the action spring (46) until the stop (56) come into contact with the counterweight (51). The housing is then locked.

To unlock the case, we push back the moving part backwards using the arming button (48). The shoulders (57, 51) are then disengaged, and a magnet approached the surface of the well (50) attracts the counterweight in a position separated from the movable member, allowing passage of the stop (56). We then release the press the arming button, and the moving part is pushed back by the spring (46) in the unlocked position.

Adaptation of the housing to one or the other type unlocking is done by setting up either the blade (43), or the counterweight (51).

Claims (10)

1. Anti-theft chamber comprising a mobile trigger (3) preventing the extraction of the protected article in locked position, the trigger (3) being maintained in locked position by an organ appropriate for interacting with a magnetic unlocking tool, characterised in that said organ is formed by a metallic cylindrical counterweight (13) mobile in a cylindrical housing (12) of the trigger, said cylindrical counterweight (13) having a shoulder (16) coming to rest in locked position against a shoulder (11) provided on the fixed part, the two shoulders (11, 16) being substantially perpendicular to the direction in which the mobile trigger (3) moves to pass to unlocked position.
2. Anti-theft chamber according to claim 1 characterised in that it comprises a means for pushing the trigger (3) into the rest position, in a position in which the two shoulders (11, 16) act together to immobilise the counterweight.
3. Anti-theft chamber according to claim 2 characterised in that the trigger (3) is mobile according to a first longitudinal de-blocking movement, parallel to the contact plane of the shoulders, with a run corresponding substantially to the length of the contact zone of said shoulders, and a second possible transversal movement when the counterweight (13) is in an unlocked position.
4. Anti-theft chamber according to claim 3 characterised in that it comprises an elastic means pushing back the trigger (3) into the rest position according to a longitudinal blocking direction.
5. Anti-theft chamber according to at least one of the preceding claims characterised in that it has at least one longitudinal protuberance capable of penetrating a complementary longitudinal cavity of the trigger (3) of a depth substantially equal to the length of contact of the shoulders.
6. Anti-theft chamber according to at least one of the preceding claims characterised in that the counterweight (13) is constituted of a cylindrical metallic part.
7. Anti-theft chamber according to at least one of the preceding claims characterised in that the trigger (3) is made out of a single part in plastic material providing a housing for the counterweight (13).
8. Anti-theft chamber according to at least one of the preceding claims characterised in that the trigger has a substantially cylindrical protuberance (12) inside which there is the housing for the counterweight, the counterweight arriving, under the effect of a magnet, against the front wall of this housing, the protuberance being intended to allow utilisation of a first type of unlocking tool with a cylindrical well with a magnet at the base, and a second type of unlocking tool with a plane surface provided with a magnet.
9. Anti-theft chamber according to claim 1 characterised in that the trigger comprises a mobile organ (40) pushed by a spring into unlocking position, said mobile organ (40) having magnetic means for modular locking formed by a blade (43) which is plane in the rest position and which co-operates at rest with a locking stud (45) that moves in to lodge in the port (44) of the blade, and a second means formed by a counterweight (51) pushed towards the mobile organ (50) by a spring (52), this mobile organ (50) having an annular throat (54) defining a shoulder (55).
10. Anti-theft chamber according to one or the other of claims 1 or 9 characterised in that the trigger comprises a mobile organ (40) provided with teeth, and a stop (56) with a shoulder (57) coming to co-operate, in closed position, with the shoulder (55) of the cylindrical counterweight (51), the mobile organ moving according to a linear movement between a locked position in which the teeth then move in to retain the complementary parts integral with the chamber, and an open position in which the complementary parts are freed.

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