WO2001041146A1

WO2001041146A1 - Anti-theft device for cd, dvd, or video tape in a soft packing

Info

Publication number: WO2001041146A1
Application number: PCT/SE2000/002404
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bertil Holmgren
Original assignee: Mw Trading Sweden Ab
Priority date: 1999-12-06
Filing date: 2000-12-01
Publication date: 2001-06-07
Also published as: AR026628A1; SE9904446L; AU2035501A; SE9904446D0

Abstract

An anti-theft device for CD, DVD, or video tape in a parallelepipedic soft packing, comprising a frame (10) of plastic material which has two flat sides and four mutually perpendicular narrow sides (11, 12, 13, 17) and is designed to enclose the packing at the flat sides and three of the narrow sides, the fourth narrow side (17) being open for insertion of the packing into the frame and withdrawal of the packing therefrom. A slide (20) displaceable inside the frame along one of the narrow sides (11, 13) perpendicular to the open narrow side, between a lock position in which the slide by a hook-shaped end portion (12) blocks the open narrow side, and a release position in which said narrow side is uncovered. The frame has a latch means (22, 23) for latching the slide in the lock position. The frame forms at least one flap (18) in the plane of one flat side, which projects from the narrow side (12) opposite to the open narrow side (17), the flap being spaced from the adjacent perpendicular narrow sides (11, 13) and, when several flaps are provided, these are also mutually spaced.

Description

Anti- theft device for CD, DVD, or video tape in a soft packing

The invention relates to an anti-theft device for CD (compact discs) , DVD (digital versatile discs) , or video tape in a parallelepipedic soft packing, comprising a frame of plastic material, which has two flat sides and four mutually perpendicular narrow sides and is designed to enclose the packing at the flat sides and three of the narrow sides, the fourth narrow side being open for insertion of the packing into the frame and withdrawal of the packing therefrom, a slide which is located inside the frame said slide being plane-parallel with the narrow sides which are perpendicular to the open narrow side, and being guided for displacement on and along one of said latter narrow sides between an inner lock position and an outer release position the slide forming a hook-shaped end portion which blocks the open narrow side in said lock position said narrow side being uncovered in said release position, and a latch means for latching the slide to the frame in said lock position. An anti-theft device of this kind is disclosed in US-A-5 147 034.

Packings for CD as a rule are made of hard plastic, e.g. impact resisting styrene plastic while packings for DVD and also some packings for CD are made of cardboard or softer plastic such as polypropylene or polyethylene, or of a combination of these materials, which makes it easier to brake open such a packing when it is located in the anti- theft device, so that the thin CD or DVD can be removed from the anti -theft device. This could be prevented by making the anti-theft device completely closed, i.e. not as at present with the flat sides made as lattices but instead constructed as unperforated sides. However, the more plastic that is required for the manufacture of the anti- theft device, the more expensive it will be. The branch is very price sensitive and is not inclined to pay just any price for the protection against theft of the products mentioned when they are exposed at the outlet in such a way that the customer can freely make his choice among the exposed products and therefore also can feel tempted to appropriate a product without paying therefor.

The price sensitivity and the aim to keep the manufacturing costs low makes the lattice model considered the best alternative so far regarding anti-theft devices of the kind referred to above. Then, there is, however, another problem: it is desired that a bar code which is provided on the packing, mostly located on one flat side of the packing along the upper or lower edge thereof, can be read when the packing is located in the anti -theft device. Now, if the flat sides of the frame are made as a lattice as is customary as far as anti-theft devices for CD are concerned, reading of the bar code will be more difficult if the bar code, as m most cases cannot be avoided, is disposed under one or more edges of the lattice when the packing is located m the anti-theft device because the edges distort the reading. It is therefore desired to make the flat sides of the anti-theft device either completely covering or uncovered as much as possible, but the more open the frame is, the easier it will be to brake open the anti-theft device so much that a soft packing can be opened when it is located m the anti-theft device, and a CD or DVD enclosed therein can be removed from the anti -theft device. Braking of the anti-theft device can be facilitated by a gap existing between the package and the frame due to the fact that the anti-theft device is not accurately adapted to the dimensions of the packing. Since there is so far no agreement regarding standard dimensions of packings for DVD the dimensional difference and thus a play between the packing and the anti -theft device is not uncommon as far as packings for DVD are concerned. It is possible to make the anti-theft device very sturdy and to make the flat sides of the device completely covering in order to prevent braking of the anti -theft device or to make breaking much more difficult but as a consequence thereof the manufacturing cost will be increased which cannot be accepted.

The aspects regarding the safety against braking of the anti-theft device and the possibility to read the bar code are true also for anti -theft devices for packings which contain video tapes although there is hardly no possibility to take out the video tape from the packing when this is located in the anti-theft device.

The purpose of the invention is to provide an anti- theft device of the kind referred to above which - allows correct reading of the bar code on a packing located in the anti-theft device; is difficult to brake open for unauthorized removal of the packing or the content thereof only; - offers advantages as far as the manufacture is concerned; and can be produced at costs that can be accepted by the market . The object of the invention is achieved by providing an anti-theft device of the kind referred to above which is characterized in that the frame forms at least one flap in the plane of one flat side, which projects from the narrow side opposite to the open narrow side and is directed towards the open narrow side, the flap being spaced from the adjacent perpendicular narrow sides and, when several flaps are provided, these are also mutually spaced.

Further developments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims .

In order to adapt the anti -theft device to different types of packings which may differ from each other with regard to minor dimensional variations which may cause a play between the packing and the anti -theft device which in the worst case can be so large that it is possible without greater difficulties to insert the fingers between the packing and the anti -theft device in order to brake the packing open, it is proposed according to a preferred embodiment of the invention to provide the hook-shaped portion of the slide with a demountably attached spacer which equalizes existing play between the packing and the narrow side which is opposite to the open narrow side of the anti -theft device.

The invention will be explained in more detail below reference being made to the accompanying drawings which disclose an illustrative embodiment of the anti-theft device according to the invention wherein

FIG. 1 is a side view of the anti-theft device, FIG. 2 is a corresponding side view of the anti-theft device as seen from the opposite flat side, FIG. 3 is an end view of the anti-theft device as seen from the open narrow side,

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view along line A-A in FIG. 1,

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view along line B-B in FIG. 4 with the slide in lock position, and FIG. 6 is a corresponding cross-sectional' view as that in FIG. 5 with the slide in release position. The anti-theft device disclosed in the drawings is intended for a soft parallelepipedic packing which encloses a DVD. It comprises a flat rectangular frame 10 which is injection moulded of a preferably clear plastic, e.g. polycarbonate, but also can be made of another strong and for the purpose well suited plastic. The frame has three closed narrow sides 11, 12 and 13 and two flat sides one of which comprises a wall 14 which forms a border around a rectangular opening 15 provided in order to reduce the material consumption εtnd thus the manufacture costs, while the other flat side comprises a rail 16 which extends between the narrow sides 11 and 13 and is perpendicular to said latter sides. This rail defines together with the narrow sides 11 and 13 and the wall 14 an open narrow side 17 of the frame. At the narrow side 12 there are provided in the plane of said other flat side three paralleltrapezoid flaps 18 projecting from the narrow side

12 the longer one of the parallel edges of said flaps forming the base of the flaps. The flaps which are mutually spaced and are spaced from the adjacent narrow sides 11 and

13 are directed towards the open narrow side 17. For manufacturing reasons openings 19 having a corresponding shape as the flaps but being slightly larger than the flaps are provided in the wall 14 in register with the flaps.

The anti-theft device in a conventional manner shall be provided with an element which at movement through an electrostatic or electromagnetic field disturbs said field in order to trig an alarm. This element suitably is located on the inside of the wall 14.

A flat slide 20 of plastic suitably the same plastic as that the frame is made of or another plastic with properties which are particularly well suited for the slide has uniform width and is guided in the frame for displacement in the longitudinal direction of the slide along the narrow side 11 between a lock position disclosed in Fig. 5 and a release position disclosed in FIG. 6. At the left end as seen in FIGS. 5 and 6 the slide has a flange 21 which projects perpendicularly from the slide on the upper side thereof as well as the lower side thereof. In the lock position of the slide the downwardly directed part of the flange engages the end edge of the narrow side 11, and the upwardly directed part of the flange blocks the passage through the open narrow side 17, while the flange 21 in the release position of the slide is spaced from the narrow side 17 in front thereof. The slide is constructed such that it bows downwards when it is displaced out of the frame to the lock position.

In the narrow side 11 two tongues of spring steel are provided which are directed obliquely upwards. On the lower side of the slide there is provided for each tongue two recesses 23 and 24 which are mutually spaced, the slide between the recesses having such a thickness that there is between the lower side of the slide and the upper side of the narrow side 11 a gap 25 which allows the slide to pass over the tongues when these are depressed against the upper surface of "the narrow side 11. The tongues 22 have their ends in the recess 23 and engage with the right end wall thereof when the slide is in the lock position so that the tongues prevent displacement of the slide to the left as seen in FIG. 5 to the release position. By moving a magnet - permanent magnet or electro magnet - towards the lower surface of the narrow side 11 in register with each of the spring tongues these tongues are attracted to the magnets so that the tongues are disengaged from the right end wall of the recess 23 the slide being released for displacement to the left. The spring tongues at this displacement can pass through the gap 25 in order to engage in the recess 24 the right end wall thereof which happens in the release position of the slide. As a consequence thereof complete withdrawal of the slide from the frame is prevented. It cannot be withdrawn further than to the release position.

The latch mechanism is described in more detail in SE-A0-9901847-5. In order to mount the anti-theft device on the box this is pushed through the open narrow side into the frame. At the right end of the slide a projecting flange 26 is provided with which the box is engaged in order to carry along the slide to the right to the lock position in FIG. 5 in which the tongues are in the latch position to prevent the slide from being moved to the release position. The slide can be moved to the release position for removal of the box from the frame only after actuation of the spring tongues magnetically in the manner described above. If a packing inserted into the anti-theft device is provided with a bar code which usually is located along the upper or lower edge of the packing this can be read without edges of the frame 10 distorting the reading.

The person that wants to take out the DVD located in the packing when the packing is locked in the anti-theft device has in fact only one possibility of attacking the packing, viz. to try to prize the narrow side 12 outwards by the fingers which are inserted between the packing and said narrow side and then try to open the packing with the fingers and remove the DVD. This is not possible at the anti-theft device according to the invention; it is prevented by the flaps 18. This increased safety has been achieved without making the reading of a bar code on the packing more difficult and without larger material consumption or a complicated manufacturing method.

In order to equalize a play, if any, between the packing and frame a block 27 having pins 28 can be located behind the upwardly projecting part of the flange 21 which in that case forms apertures for receiving the pins 28 therein. Blocks of different dimensions can be available in order to match packings of different kinds. With a suitable block the packing can be kept closely engaged with the flange 26.

Claims

1. An anti -theft device for CD, DVD, or video tape in a parallelepipedic soft packing, comprising a frame (10) of plastic material, which has two flat sides and four mutually perpendicular narrow sides (11, 12, 13, 17) and is designed to enclose the packing at the flat sides and three of the narrow sides, the fourth narrow side (17) being open for insertion of the packing into the frame and withdrawal of the packing therefrom, a slide (20) which is located inside the frame said slide being plane- parallel with the narrow sides (11, 13) which are perpendicular to the open narrow side, and being guided for displacement on and along one (11) of said latter narrow sides between an inner lock position and an outer release position, the slide forming a hook-shaped end portion (21) which blocks the open narrow side in the said lock position, said narrow side being uncovered in said release position, and a latch means (22, 23) for latching the slide to the frame in said lock position, characterized in that the frame (10) forms at least one flap (18) in the plane of one flat side, which projects from the narrow side (12) opposite to the open narrow side (17) and is directed towards the open narrow side, the flap being spaced from the adjacent perpendicular narrow sides (11, 13) and, when several flaps (18) are provided, these are also mutually spaced.

2. The anti-theft device according to claim 1 wherein the flap (18) is paralleltrapezoid the longer one of the parallel edges forming the base of the flap.

3. The anti-theft device according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the other flat side (14) is intact or forms a border around an opening (15) the open narrow side (17) being defined between said other flat side and a rail (16) formed by the frame in the plane of said one flat side.

4. The anti -theft device according to any of claims 1-3, wherein a spacer formed as a block (27) is detachably mounted on the side of the hook-shaped portion (21) which faces the interior of the frame.