FR2864305A1 - Forcible entry deterrence device for e.g. home, has case with cover mounted on base, and control circuit blocking and activating sonic alarm during absence and presence of detection of rapid movement of separating unit, respectively - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has a case with a cover mounted on a base (14). A sensor detects rapid movement of a separating unit having amplitude and acceleration higher than a determined threshold. A control circuit (32) blocks and activates a sonic alarm (34) during the absence and presence of movement detection, respectively. A switch (26) activates or deactivates the device, and is activated by a user from outside the case. The alarm (34) and the control circuit (32) are supplied by batteries (36, 38). An independent claim is also included for a separating unit e.g. door or window, comprising a forcible entry deterrence device.

Description

DEVIATION DISRUPTION DEVICE

  The present invention relates to a burglar deterrent device for deterring an individual from breaking into a dwelling, a vehicle, or, generally speaking, a protected area.

  There are many alarm systems or burglar deterrence systems in which a sound or light signal is emitted when an individual enters or attempts to break into a protected area. The alarm system generally comprises a sound or light emission system connected to one or more sensors adapted to detect an entry or attempted break-in. It may be presence sensors, for example of the ultrasonic or infrared type, contact sensors provided at doors or windows of a dwelling or opening of a vehicle. The emission system is generally connected to the sensors by electric cables. Some alarm systems provide for the exchange of data between the sensor (s) and the sound or light emission system by a remote communication system avoiding the installation of the electric cables.

  The alarm systems described above are generally expensive systems requiring complex installation since they require the establishment of electrical cables or remote communication systems. In addition, the maintenance of such alarm systems is generally expensive and complex since the sensor or sensors, the sound or light emission system and the means of supply thereof are generally dispersed in separate locations.

  The present invention aims to obtain an effective burglar deterrent device whose installation is particularly simple.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a burglar deterrent device whose maintenance is particularly simple.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a burglar deterrent device having a low manufacturing cost.

  To achieve these objects, the present invention provides a burglar deterrent device to be disposed at a support, comprising a housing consisting of a base and a cover removably mounted on the base, said housing in combination containing a sensor adapted to detect a rapid displacement of the support having an amplitude and an acceleration greater than determined thresholds; sound emission means; a control circuit, connected to the sensor, adapted to block the sound emitting means in the absence of detecting a rapid movement and to activate the sound emitting means for a determined duration at the detection of a rapid displacement ; a battery supplying the sound emission means and the control circuit; and a switch for enabling or disabling said device and adapted to be actuated by a user from outside the housing.

  According to one embodiment of the invention, the cover comprises slots arranged at the level of the sound emission means.

  According to one embodiment of the invention, the lid comprises a bulge at the sensor.

  According to one embodiment of the invention, the housing comprises a base having a substantially flat face intended to bear against the support, the sensor being a helical spring sensor whose axis is perpendicular to the face.

  According to one embodiment of the invention, the device further comprises a light indicator controlled by the control circuit, the cover comprising an opening for the passage of light provided by the indicator light.

  According to one embodiment of the invention, the base comprises a fixing means and is intended to be fixed to the support by means of said fixing means.

  According to one embodiment of the invention, the interrupter is a switch adapted to be controlled remotely.

  The present invention also provides a separating element, such as a door or a window, between an outer zone and an inner zone, comprising a burglar deterrent device according to the invention, adapted to deter an entry by breaking into the inner zone from the outer zone by deterioration of the separating element.

  According to one embodiment of the invention, the device passes through the separation element and comprises a face facing the outer zone and a face facing the inner zone.

  According to one embodiment of the invention, the face facing the outer zone comprises slots at the sound emission means.

  These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be set forth in detail in the following description of particular embodiments given as a non-limiting example in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. in perspective of an exemplary embodiment of the burglar deterrent device 35 according to the invention; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the burglar deterrent device of FIG. 1 with the device housing cover removed; and Figures 3 and 4 show schematic perspective views in two different directions of another embodiment of the burglar deterrent device according to the invention.

  FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of the burglar deterrent device 10 according to the invention in which the device 10 comprises a housing 12 consisting of a base 14 and a lid 15. The base 14 has a substantially rectangular shape and comprises a substantially flat bottom face 16 surrounded by a flange 17. The bottom face 16 is intended to be applied to a glazed surface of a window or French window, to a frame of a window or a French window, on a door of a dwelling, on a glazed surface or on a frame of an opening of a motor-vehicle, or more generally, on any separating element, separating an area to be protected called an inner zone of an outer zone, said separating element being susceptible to being damaged by a person breaking into or attempting to break into the inner zone. The cover 15 is fixed to the base 14, for example, by several screws not shown passing through the cover 15 and the base 14. The cover 15 comprises: a bulge 20 allowing the release of a sufficient space for some of the components contained in the housing 12 as will be explained in more detail later, and facilitating the gripping and handling of the housing 12 when it is placed on the separating element; parallel slots 22 to facilitate the diffusion of a sound signal; a circular opening 24 allowing the passage of a light signal; and a rectangular opening 25 for the passage of a switch 26 with two positions for activating or deactivating the device 10 according to the invention. The switch 26 is for example of the lateral sliding type.

  Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the device of Fig. 1 with the cover removed. The main electronic components constituting the device 10 according to the invention are shown schematically to highlight the relative positions of the components.

  The electric wires or conductive tracks connecting the electrical components have not been shown. According to the present exemplary embodiment, the device 10 comprises a printed circuit 30 to which the electrical components are connected. A control circuit 32, for example an integrated circuit, is connected to the printed circuit 30, connected to the electronic components and controls the triggering and stopping of a buzzer 34. The buzzer 34 is in the form of a disc of small thickness and is disposed at one end of the housing 12 vis-à-vis the parallel slots 22. This ensures optimal propagation of sound waves when the sounder 34 is activated. the horn 34 is provided by two batteries 36, 38. For example, the batteries consist of two lithium batteries 36, 38 in the form of thin discs.

  The switch 26 activates or interrupts the supply of the electronic components by the batteries 36, 38.

  The circuit 32 is connected to a shock sensor 40 and triggers the horn 34 as soon as the shock sensor 40 detects a displacement of the separating element having an amplitude and an acceleration exceeding specified thresholds. The shock sensor 40 behaves for example against a switch closing temporarily to the occurrence of a violent displacement of the separating element. The shock sensor 40 is for example of the type comprising a coil spring extending substantially in a direction transverse to the bottom wall 16 of the base 14. The bulge 20 thus releases sufficient space for the implementation of the shock sensor 40. The control circuit 32 is adapted, after triggering, to let the horn 34 operate for a predetermined period, for example from several tens of seconds to a few minutes, and to stop the buzzer 34 upon completion of the duration. This makes it possible to avoid prolonged and generally unnecessary operation of the buzzer when no user is present to stop the power supply of buzzer 34 via switch 26.

  A light-emitting diode 42 indicates the proper functioning of the device 10 when it is powered by the batteries 36, 38. The control circuit 32 can drive the light-emitting diode 42 to emit a fixed frequency light pulse, for example every 10 seconds. Conventional lithium batteries 36, 38 are sufficient to ensure the operation of the device 10 for five years in the standby state, that is to say when the electrical components are powered, the horn 34 is not triggered , and for seven hours when the buzzer 34 beeps continuously.

  The housing 12 of the device 10 is intended to be applied to a separation element which has a substantially flat surface at least at the device 10 and which is adapted to drive the device 10 in displacement so that violent displacements of the element separation portions are detected by the shock sensor 40. Adhesive portions (not shown) are for example applied to the face 16 of the base 14 on the opposite side to the printed circuit 30 and ensures the attachment of the device 10 to the separating element . Alternatively, the base 14 may be attached to the screw-on separation member, or to a clip mechanism or slide mechanism.

  When an individual applies to the separation element connected to the device 10 according to the invention a violent displacement having a sufficient amplitude and acceleration, the sensor 40 detects the violent displacement, which causes the emission of a sound signal by the alarm 34. The sensitivity of the shock sensor 40 is such that a sufficiently violent movement to trigger the horn 34 corresponds for example to the shocks resulting from breaking or attempting to break a window or when break or try to break a door.

  The device 10 is advantageously disposed on a surface of the separating element which is in the inner zone to prevent the person committing the break-in from accessing the switch 26. However, the device 10 according to the invention may also be arranged on a surface of the separating element in the outer zone if it is arranged at a location which is difficult to access by the person committing the break-in. The device 10 may be disposed on a glazed surface in the inner area so as to be permanently visible from the outer area. An individual wishing to break the glass surface will then be deterred from doing so by the very presence of the device 10 according to the invention.

  According to a variant of the invention, the housing 12 comprises a connection socket, allowing the connection of the housing 12 to an auxiliary buzzer by means of a connecting cable. When detecting a violent displacement, the control circuit causes the sound signal contained in the housing 12 to be emitted by an audible signal, and the auxiliary alarm to emit an audible signal. Such a variant makes it possible in particular to connect the device 10 to an auxiliary buzzer disposed in the outer zone. Such a variant also makes it possible to connect several devices 10 according to the invention equipping several separation elements with a single auxiliary audible alarm.

  According to another variant embodiment, the device 10 can be remotely controlled by a remote control. The device 10 then comprises a system adapted to interrupt or allow the supply of the control circuit 32 and the buzzer 34 by the batteries 36, 38 on receipt of control signals transmitted by the remote control. The mechanical switch 26 can then be provided as an option. A single remote control can selectively turn on or off several devices 10 according to the invention arranged, for example, at different windows or different doors of the same house.

  According to another variant of the invention, the device 10 comprises a connection socket for connecting the housing 12 to a contact sensor. The contact sensor is mounted at a window, a door or more generally of any opening and is adapted to detect the opening of the opening, even when such an opening is made without breaking. The control circuit 32 controls the buzzer 34 indifferently when the sensor 40 contained in the housing 12 detects a violent displacement at the sash or when the contact sensor detects an opening of the sash. The effectiveness of the burglary deterrent device 10 according to the invention is then improved.

  FIGS. 3 and 4 show, schematically, another embodiment of the device according to the invention according to which the device 10 is mounted directly at the level of the separation element (only a portion 50 of the separation element being represented in FIGS. 3 and 4).

  The device 10 extends over the entire thickness of the separating element 50 and has a face 52 which opens on the side of the separating element 50 located in the outer zone and a face 54 which opens on the side of the separating element 50 located in the inner zone. The slots 22, improving the passage of sound signals emitted by the buzzer of the device 10, are arranged on the face 52 to increase the intensity of the sound signal perceived from the outer zone. The switch 26 and the opening 24 for the passage of the light emitted by the light-emitting diode are arranged on the face 54 of the device 10 so that it is possible from the inner zone to switch on or off the device 10 and to check that it works.

  The face 54 can be removed from the rest of the device 10 so as to allow the change of the batteries 36, 38, and, more generally, the maintenance of the device 10 according to the invention. The face 54 is for example fixed to the rest of the device 10 by screwing, by a mechanism with clip or slide.

  The present invention has many advantages: firstly, it constitutes an effective means of deterrence of break-in insofar as it allows the emission of a sound signal at the very place where a break-in or an attempted break-in is committed ; secondly, it allows for a compact and autonomous burglar deterrent device since all the components that constitute it are arranged inside a single housing; third, the maintenance of the device according to the invention is simple since it is possible to directly access the electronic components constituting the device according to the invention by opening the housing; and fourth, the device according to the invention employing relatively common electronic components, it can be realized at low cost.

  Of course, the present invention is susceptible of various variations and modifications which will be apparent to those skilled in the art. In particular, the switch 26 may for example be of the pin type and comprise a pin connected to a ring that can be pulled or pushed by a user to respectively activate or interrupt the supply of the electrical components of the device 10 by the batteries. 36, 38.

Claims (10)

  A tamper-deterrent device (10) to be disposed at a support (50), comprising a housing (12) consisting of a base (14) and a cover (15) mounted removable on the base, said housing containing in combination: a sensor (40) adapted to detect a rapid displacement of the support having an amplitude and an acceleration greater than predetermined thresholds; sound emitting means (34); a control circuit (32), connected to the sensor, adapted to block the sound-emitting means in the absence of detecting a rapid movement and to activate the sound-emitting means for a determined period of time at the detection of fast moving; a battery (36, 38) supplying the sound emission means and the control circuit; and a switch (26) for enabling or disabling said device and adapted to be actuated by a user from outside the housing.   2. Device according to claim 1, wherein the cover (15) comprises slots (22) disposed at the sound emitting means (34).   3. Device according to claim 1, wherein the cover (15) comprises a bulge (20) at the sensor (40).   4. Device according to claim 1, wherein the housing (12) comprises a base (14) having a substantially planar face (16) intended to bear against the support (50), and wherein the sensor (40) is a coil spring sensor whose axis is perpendicular to said face.   5. Device according to claim 1, further comprising a warning light (42) controlled by the control circuit (32), the cover (15) comprising an opening (24) for the passage of light provided by the indicator light.   6. Device according to claim 1, wherein the base (14) comprises a fixing means and is intended to be fixed to the support by means of said fixing means.   7. Device according to claim 1, wherein the switch (26) is a switch adapted to be controlled remotely.   8. Separating element (50), such as a door or a window, between an outer zone and an inner zone, comprising a device (10) according to claim 1, adapted to deter a break-in into the inner zone from the outer zone by deterioration of the separating element.   9. separating element (50) according to claim 8, wherein the device (10) passes through the separating element and comprises a face (52) facing the outer zone and a face (54) facing the inner zone.   10. Separation element (50) according to claim 9, wherein the face (52) facing the outer zone comprises slots (22) at the sound emitting means (34).