GB2259173A

GB2259173A - Alarm device

Info

Publication number: GB2259173A
Application number: GB9118332A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Sanderson; Leonard George Maxwell
Original assignee: STATUS INNOVATIONS Ltd
Current assignee: STATUS INNOVATIONS Ltd
Priority date: 1991-08-27
Filing date: 1991-08-27
Publication date: 1993-03-03
Also published as: GB9118332D0

Abstract

An alarm device 10 comprises a portable unit 11 and a receiver unit 12 the portable unit being receivable by the receiving unit, the device being operable when the portable unit is received by the receiver unit, to detect a disturbance in an area protected by the alarm device, and to issue an alarm signal in response. The portable unit is also operable as a manually operable alarm device when it is removed from the receiving unit, eg by operation of a switch 17. The portable unit and receiving unit preferably have co-operating means, eg a rotatable member, which enables the disturbance detection function of the portable unit when the latter is received in the receiving unit. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: Alarm Device Description of Invention This invention relates to an alarm device and to an alarm system.

Alarm devices are known which comprise a portable unit including a manually operable means to cause the unit to sound an alarm signal. Such alarm devices are commonly known as "personal alarms".

Alarm systems are also kaown which comprise means for detecting a disturbance within a protected area, and for sounding an alarm signal in response.

The present invention seeks to provide an alarm device comprising a portable unit and a receiver unit, the portable unit being receivable by the receiver unit, the device being operable when the portable unit is received by the receiver unit, to detect a disturbance (as herein defined) in an area protected by the alarm device and to issue an alarm signal in response. The portable unit when separated from the receiver unit, may be operable manually to sound an alarm signal.

Thus the alarm device in accordance with the invention may comprise a multi function alarm device capable both of operation as a personal alarm and a disturbance detector alarm.

By "disturbance" in a protected area, we mean a movement of a person or item.

According to a second aspect of the invention we provide an alarm system comprising a portable unit and a plurality of receiver units, each of the receiver units being adapted to be located in an area to be protected, the portable unit being receivable by any of the receiver units to provide an alarm device which is operable to detect a disturbance (as herein defined) in an area protected by the alarm device in which the receiver unit is located, and to issue an alarm signal in response.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an alarm device in accordance with the invention, FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the alarm device of Figure 1, and, FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentaiy cross sectional side view through part of tile device of figures 1 and 2.

Referring to the drawings, an alarm device 10 comprises a portable unit 11 and a receiving unit 12.

The portable unit 11 comprises a casing 13 having internally, the necessary electronic circuitry, battery supply, transducers etc. to enable the unit 11 to function either as a personal alarm, as hereinafter described, or as an infrasonic detector alarm, by which we mean, an alarm which detects sound waves below aural frequency, typically a frequency of about five Hertz.

The casing 13 has a first opening therein 14 in which a transducer 15 is mounted, the transducer 15 being operable both to sense low frequency sound waves, and to provide audible frequency sound waves, to give an alarm signal.

The casing 13 has a second opening 16 in which a slidable type of switch 17 is mounted. When the switch 17 is in the position shown, the personal alarm function of the unit 11 is disabled, whereas when the switch 17 is slid downwardly as seen in the drawings, the alarm sounds. Hence the unit 11 may be operated as a personal alarm, particularly when not received by the receiving unit 12.

The casing 13 has on a rear surface 18 thereof, a clip formation 19 which includes a resilient limb 20 which terminates in a bulbous formation 21.

The clip formation 19 enables the portable unit 11 to be clipped to, for example, an item of dothing, to facilitate carrying of the unit 11, and to enable the unit 11 to be received by, and locked in, the receiving unit 12 as hereinafter described.

The receiving unit 12 is adapted to be mounted on a support surface such as a wall, and is configured to enable the portable unit 11 to be received thereby as shown in the drawings, with a lower end 25 of the portable unit enclosed by front and side wall parts 26 of the receiving unit 12.

Integrally provided with, or secured to, a back wall part 27 of the receiving unit 12, is a channel shaped wall 28 so that a recess 29 is provided between the back wall part 27 and the channel wall 28.

The recess 29 is open at the top T and the bottom B and is configured to receive the clip formation 19 therein, as the portable unit 11 is slid downwardly with respect to the back wall part 27 of the receiving unit 12, to the received position as shown in the drawings. The recess 29 and clip formation 19 are configured so that when the portable unit 11 is received fully home, the bulbous formation 21 of the clip formation is located just below the bottom B of the recess 29, and a connection part C which connects the resilient limb 20 of the clip formation to the rear wall 18 of the portable unit 11, is located adjacent the top T of the recess 29.

The receiving unit 12 further comprises a barrel lock 30 which is key operable, to enable a cam member 31 thereof, to be rotated about a barrel rotational axis 32, between a first position at which a tip 33 of the cam member 31 is located in a void 34 of the receiving unit 12, and a second position as shown, when the tip 33 of the cam member 31 is received within the recess 29 between the limb 20 of the clip formation 19 and the back wall part 27 of the receiving unit. Hence movement of the bulbous formation 21 towards the back wall part27 is inhibited by the cam member 31, and by virtue of the bulbous formation 21 engaging the bottom of the channel wall 28, it is thus not possible to release the portable unit 11 from the receiving unit 12, by sliding the portable unit 11 upwardly.Hence the barrel lock 30 is operable to lock the portable unit 11 within the receiving unit 12 in the position shown.

As mentioned above, the portable unit 11 is capable of functioning as an infrasonic detector alarms Movement of the cam member 31 to the second position shown in the drawings, ables this function of the portable unit 11. This is achieved by virtue of the tip 33 of the cam member 31 comprising a magnet M embedded therein, and the electronic circuitry of the portable unit 11 including a reed switch (not shown) which is closed only when the tip 33 of the cam member 33 is in the second position When the tip 33 of the cam member 31 is moved to the first position in void 34 of the receiving unit 12, the infrasonic detector alarm function of the portable unit 11 is disabled by virtue of the magnet M being moved out of the vicinity of the reed switch carried in the portable unit 11.

Thus the portable unit 11 of the alarm device 10 may be carried on the person, if desired, using the clip formation 19. In the event of the person carrying the portable unit 11 wishing to give an alarm signal, the slide switch 17 is slid downwardly from the position shown to an "on" position when the alarm will sound.

Alternanvely, the portable unit 11 may be received as described, by a receiver unit 12, and the infrasonic detector alarm function of the portable unit 11, abled by operating the barrel lock 30 to move the cam member 31 to the second position shown. The electronic circuitry of the portable unit 11 may, after a preset interval, arm the alarm device 10, so that the portable device 10 will react to a given infrasonic signal, to sound the alarm. The infrasonic signal may be generated, by the opening of a door of a room in which the alarm device 10 is located, or the striving of a vehicle in which the alarm device 10 is located, for examples only. Preferably, in order to give a key holder time in which to approach the alarm device 10 and disable the infrasonic detector alarm function of the device 10 before the alarm sounds, the electronic circuitry delays sounding the alarm for a given period, for example up to 12 seconds, from when the infrasonic signal is sensed.

The sensitivity of the alarm device 10 as an infrasonic detector, may be adjusted so that the alarm is only sounded when an infrasonic signal of a level above a given threshold, is sensed, so that for example, the alarm device 10 does not react to infrasonic signals generated outside of a room or other protected area in which the alarm device 10 is located.

Many modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, instead of the personal alarm function of the portable unit 11 being actuated by operating a slide switch 17, any other suitable manual actuating means may be provided as required. The configuration of the receiver unit 12 and of the portable unit 11 may be changed as desired, although preferably the portable unit 11 is lockable relative to the receiver unit 12 to enable the device 10 to function adequately as an infrasonic detector alarm i.e.

to prevent its unauthorised removal from the receiver unit 12.

Although as described, the device 10 is operable as an infrasonic detector alarm, it will be appreciated that the portable unit 11 may comprise an alternative type of transducer which is otherwise sensitive to disturbance within a protected area e.g. by ultrasonic detector, although this would require an ulrrasonic transmitter in the receiver or portable units 12,11.

Although in the example described, the receiver unit 12 merely performs the mechanical function of receiving the portable unit 11 and arming the detector function of the device 10, if desired, the receiving unit 12 and portable unit 11 may comprise co-operating electrical contacts, whereby for example, an infrasonic or other transducer may be mounted on the receiving unit 12 instead of the portable unit 11, or otherwise both the receiver and portable units 12,11, may contain some electronic circuitry which enables the device to operate as described.

It is envisaged that an alarm system may comprise a plurality of receiving units 12 in different locations, the portable unit 11 being receivable by any of the receiving units 12 to protect an area in which the receiving unit 12 is located.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, the accompanying drawings or the following claims, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, or a class or group of substances or compositions, as appropriate, may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

CLAYS

1. An alarm device comprising a portable unit and a receiver unit, the portable unit being receivable by the receiving unit, the device being operable when the portable unit is received by the receiver unit, tO detect a disturbance (as herein defined) in an area protected by the alarm device, and to issue an alarm signal in response.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the portable unit when separated from the receiver unit, is operable manually to sound an alarm signal.

3. A device according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the portable unit and receiver unit have co-operating means to enable the disturbance detection and alarm functions of the device.

4. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the portable unit comprises all the necessary electronic circuitry, power supply, and transducers to function either by manual operation when separated from the receiver unit, or when enabled by the receiver unit, to detect a disturbance in the protected area and to sound the alarm 5, A device according to claim 3 or claim 4 wherein, the receiver unit includes a rotatable member which is rotatable from a first position in which the portable unit may be received in the receiver unit with the disturbance detection function of the portable unit disabled, and a second position in which disturbance detection function of the device is enabled when the portable unit is received by the receiver unit.

6. A device according to claim 5 wherein the receiver unit comprises a magnet and the portable unit a magnet sensitive switch which closes when the rotatable member is moved to the second position.

7. A device according to claim 5 or claim 6 wherein the rotatable member is rotated by means of a key operable lock.

S. A device according to any one of claims S to 7 wherein when the rotatable member is in the second position, the portable unit is locked relative to the receiver unit with the disturbance detection and alarm function of the device enabled and wben the rotatable member is in the first position the portable unit is readily separable front the receiver unit and the disturbance detection and alarm function of the device is disabled.

9. A device according to claim 8 wherein the portable unit comprises a clip formation which facilitates attaching the portable unit to a support when the portable unit is separated from the receiver unit, the rotatable member cooperating with the clip formation when the portable unit is received in the receiver unit and the rotatable member is in its second position, to lock the portable unit relative to the receiver unit.

10. An alarm device substantially as hereinbefore desCribed with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

11. An alarm system comprising a portable unit and a plurality of receiving units, each of the receiving units being adapted to be located in an area to be protected, the portable unit being receivable by any of the receiver units to provide an alarm device which is operable to detect a disturbance (as herein defined) in an area protected by the alarm device in which the receiver unit is located, and to issue an alarm signal in response.

12. An alarm system according to claim 11 wherein each of the receiver units of the system comprises a key operable lock, all of the locks being operated by a comnlon key, each lock being operable to cause rotation of a member of the respective receiver unit to a position in which the rotatable member activates the portable unit to enable the device to detect a disturbance within the protected area and to issue an alarm signal in response.

13. A system according to claim 11 or claim 12 in which the device provided by receiving the portable unit in one of the receiver units, comprises a device having any of the features of the device claimed in any one of claims I to 10.

14. Any novel feature or novel combination of features herein defined and/or shown in the accompanying drawings.