GB2353938A

GB2353938A - Security device for personal possessions

Info

Publication number: GB2353938A
Application number: GB0022061A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Edmund Reddy
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-09-08
Filing date: 2000-09-08
Publication date: 2001-03-14
Anticipated expiration: 2020-09-08
Also published as: IES990759A2; GB0022061D0; GB2353938B

Abstract

A personal item such as a wallet, purse or camera is connected by a strap 4 and/or screw 8 to a spring loaded retractable cable (not shown) contained in a housing 2. The housing may be placed in a pocket and is releasably joined to the clothing by a button 3 having pins 6 passing through the cloth into recesses 7 in the housing. The rewind opening incorporates a plurality of cable cleaning brushes. A governor limits the speed at which the cable is dispensed; steady withdrawal is allowed but on tugging rapidly the cable is locked.

Description

2353938 A SECURITY DEVICE The present invention relates to a security

device and in particular, to a security device for use in the protection of possessions carried on the person.

Protection of personal items such as wallets, purses, cameras and the like from accidental loss or pickpockets and thieves represents a significant security concern.

A variety of solutions have been proposed to overcome the risks of such loss. US Patent No. US 5,379,024 (Hsu) shows the use of a DC powered alarm to be fitted in a wallet, which activates when, removed from a carrier's pocket. While systems of this type provide an effective audible indication of an attempted theft, they are prone to accidental activation, bulky and complex.

To overcome these problems money belts are often used. These belts may be wom around the waist or wrist. One example of such as belt is described in US Patent No. US 5,433,359 (Flowers). Belts of this type while providing a good level of protection against theft they often make legitimate access to the secured object overly difficult. This is particularly the case with secured wallets or purses, which are regularly retrieved to obtain money.

There is therefore a need for a security device, which will overcome the aforementioned problems.

Accordingly, there is provided a security device for use in protecting a possession carried on the person, the device comprising a housing having: - means for connection to the person carrying the possession; means for connection to the possession to be protected from loss or theft; cable dispensing means to allow the possession to be moved from a secure position in a users pocket or on the person to an in use position; and, tension means for automatically retracting slack cable. 5 Advantageously, this allows cable to be easily dispensed when required and automatically rewound when not in use. As slack cable is actively withdrawn into the housing when not in use, the chance of accidental loss is eliminated. Furthermore, the cable is less likely to become entangled about obstructions as would be the case if the possession were secured with a string or chain.

Preferably, the housing is formed as a sealed unit.

In one arrangement, the housing is formed of a plastics material.

In a preferred embodiment, the housing defines a rewind opening for receiving retracted cable, the opening incorporating a plurality of cable cleaning brushes arranged about the cable for drying and cleaning rewound cable. Thus, as the cable. is cleaned of debris and moisture as it is retracted the inside of the housing is kept clean preventing damage and offensive smells from developing.

In one arrangement, the tensioning means is provided by a spring mechanism.

Ideally, the spring mechanism is suitably tensioned to ensure that cable is retracted or rewound in a controlled manner, thereby allowing cable to be easily dispensed and gradually rewound.

Preferably the spring mechanism is mounted within a rewind drum. This prevents rewound cable from becoming entangled with the mechanism.

In a preferred arrangement, the tensioning means incorporates a governor to limit the speed Z.2 at which cable is dispensed from the housing. In this way a thief is prevented from snatching a wallet, drawing out the cable to full extent and cutting the cable.

Preferably, the means for connection to the person is provided by a button having one or more locking members extending from the button, the or each member being formed for releasable engagement with a complementary formation on the housing. In this way the device can be secured to a persons clothing by passing the button through the carriers clothing to trap a portion between the button and the housing. This ensures that the device is securely fastened in position in a relatively simple manner.

Ideally, the means for connection to the possession is provided by an adjustable strap formed for engagement with the item in question.

In one arrangement the strap includes a locking screw for engagement with a corresponding formation on the possession. This is particularly useful when preventing loss or theft of a mobile phone as the screw can be screwed into the phone housing.

The invention is capable of supplying cable on demand to allow free and easy access to a protected possession for a user while preventing accidental loss or theft. When the cable becomes slack, device automatically re-coils the cable to remove any slack cable between the device and the possession. The possession cannot be grabbed or snatched as the governor dispenses cable in a slow and continuous way.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, which shows, by way of example only, one embodiment of a security device in which: - Fig.1 is a perspective view of a security device in accordance with the invention.

Referring to the drawing there is shown a security device in accordance with the invention indicated generally by the reference numeral 1. The device I is formed for use in protecting a possession carried on the person such as a wallet, purse, mobile phone camera or the like. The device I has a sealed plastics cable housing 2 with a means for connection to the person carrying the possession provided by a button 3 and means for connection to the possession to be protected from loss or theft provided, in this case by an adjustable strap 4.

The housing 2 is connected to the strap 4 by a cable (not shown) passing through a flexible rewind opening 5 of the housing 2. The opening 5 defines a cable dispensing means to allow the possession to be moved from a secure position in a users pocket or on the person to an in use position. The housing 2 has a tension means for automatically retracting slack cable provided by a governed spring rewind drum (not shown). The rewind drum operates in a similar manner to a car safety belt in that it allows slow and steady release of cable from the housing 2 but locks if an attempt is made to move the possession quickly. This allows cable to be easily dispensed when required and automatically rewound when not in use and prevents the item being snatched. The rewind drum actively withdraws into the housing cable, which is not in use eliminating the risk of accidental loss.

The rewind opening 5 incorporates cable-cleaning brushes along an interior surface for drying and cleaning rewound cable. Thus, as the cable is cleaned of debris and moisture as it is retracted the inside of the housing is kept clean preventing damage and offensive smells from developing. This allows the device I to be used in all weather conditions.

In more detail, the button 3 has two locking, members 6 extending from the button 3, formed for releasable engagement with a pair of recesses 7 on the housing 2. The strap 4 includes in this embodiment a locking screw 8 for engagement with a corresponding formation on the possession, which is particularly useful when preventing loss or theft of a mobile phone as the screw can be screwed into the phone housing.

In use, the device is fastened in. a users pocket by placing the housing 2 in the pocket and passing the locking members 6 through the material of the pocket and engaging the 0 members 6 with the recesses 7. The housing 2 is then anchored on the user. The I adjustable strap 4 is then drawn from the pocket and securely fastened to the item using either the strap 4 or the locking screw 8 as appropriate. As the strap 4 is drawn from the pocket the cable attached to the strap 4 is drawn from the housing 2 under tension through the flexible opening, 5. The flexible opening 5 allows the housing 2 to be secured in any desired orientation and prevents snagging. The possession is then returned to the pocket. When a user requires access to the possession, it may be simply drawn from the pocket in a slow and even manner. If the possession is tugged or snatched from the pocket the governor will activate to prevent cable from being dispensed. As the cable is mounted in the housing 2 under tension, accidental loss is prevented, as the spring mechanism will act to retract slack cable. As the possession is connected to the user a pickpocket is prevented from removing the possession without the user noticing. The invention is therefore capable of supplying cable on demand to allow free and easy access to a protected possession for a user while preventing accidental loss or theft.

It will be understood that the cable may be provided with a reinforcing metal strand to prevent the cable from being cut.

It will also be understood that that the cable may be coated with a rubberised material to prevent is use as a weapon. Additionally, the device may be configured such that the force required to sever or break the cable is sufficient to alert a user to the attempted theft of imminent loss but is less than that required to seriously injure someone if used as a weapon. Furthermore, the cable may be replaced entirely by a telescopic arm extending from the housing to the object being protected.

The spring mechanism and governor are not described in detail, as it will be understood by those skilled in the art that a variety of mechanisms may be used.

It will of course be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details as herein described, which are given by way of example only, and that various alterations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS:

I A security device for use in protecting a possession carried on the person, the device comprising a housing having: 5 means for connection to the person carrying the possession; means for connection to the possession to be protected from loss or theft; cable dispensing means to allow the possession to be moved from a secure position in a users pocket or on the person to an in use position; and, tension means for automatically retracting slack cable.
2. A security device as claimed in claim I wherein the housing defines a rewind opening for receiving retracted cable.
3. A security device as claimed in claim 2 wherein, the opening incorporates a plurality of cable cleaning brushes arranged about the cable for drying and cleaning rewound cable.
4. A security device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the tensioning means is provided by a spring mechanism suitably tensioned to ensure that cable is retracted in a controlled manner.
5. A security device as claimed in claim 4 wherein the spring mechanism is mounted within a rewind drum.
6. A security device as claimed in claim 5 wherein the rewind drum incorporates a governor to limit the speed at which cable is dispensed from the housing.
7. A security device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the means for connection to the person is provided by a button having one or more locking members extending from the button, the or each member being formed for releasable engagement with a complementary formation on the housing.

1 1
8. A security device according to any preceding claim, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.