WO2005124074A1

WO2005124074A1 - A device for unlocking a safety package

Info

Publication number: WO2005124074A1
Application number: PCT/NL2004/000392
Authority: WO
Inventors: Walters Ad
Original assignee: Adwa Investments Bv
Priority date: 2004-06-02
Filing date: 2004-06-02
Publication date: 2005-12-29
Also published as: EP1751382A1

Abstract

A device for unlocking a safety package adapted for theft protection, for example, of CDs, CD-ROMs, DVDs and various valuable items, wherein the safety package has essentially the form of a parallelepiped having one side wall provided with an opening where a stud fits to unlock the safety package, said arrangement comprising an insertion surface into which the safety package can be slid in the device and a lever arm which is moved, so that the lever arm is connected to a mechanism bearing the unlocking stud and depending on at least one dimension of the safety package, the unlocking stud is positioned in the right place, in order to be engaged into the opening.

Description

A device for unlocking a safety package

This invention relates to a device for unlocking a safety package adapted for theft protection, for example, of CDs, CD-ROMs, DVDs and various valuable items. It is known that safety packages can be unlocked and subsequently opened upon withdrawing them in, on or by an unlocking mechanism. When the package has been withdrawn in, on or by an unlocking mechanism, the package is opened and the product itself can be removed from it. Such unlocking mechanisms can operate in various ways. Such systems are to be handled by unauthorized people. The present unlocking mechanisms and safety packages do not offer any full solution against the inappropriate use by (un) authorized people, allowing for the unauthorized opening of safety packages. Implementing such systems consequently does not bring any full protection against theft within a company. The aim of this invention is to provide a device of the above-mentioned type to overcome the above-mentioned problems in a large extent. This aim is reached according to the invention in that the safety package has essentially the form of a parallelepiped having one side wall thereof provided with an opening where a stud fits so as to unlock the safety package, said arrangement comprising an insertion surface onto which the safety package can be slid in the device and a lever arm which is moved, so that the lever arm is connected with a mechanism bearing the unlocking stud and depending on at least one dimension of the safety package, the unlocking stud is positioned in the right place, so as to be engaged into the opening. This way, the unlocking stud is not directly visible and accessible and thus less likely to be misused. In addition, the stud can be implemented in various embodiments so as to improve the general safety. Other features and advantages will become apparent from the following description referring to the accompanying drawings wherein: Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a disconnecting device according to the invention, Fig. 2 is a side view illustrating a disconnecting device according to Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a top view of a disconnecting device according to Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV in Fig. 3 with the disconnecting device in the closed state, Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV in Fig. 3 with the disconnecting device in the opened state, Fig. 6 is a sectional view along line VI-VI in Fig. 3, Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing parts of the disconnecting device according to the invention being spaced apart from one another, Fig. 8 is a sectional view along line VI-VI in Fig. 3 where some parts are not shown, and Fig. 9 is a perspective view of Fig. 1 in another state of the covering plate. The disconnecting device described thereafter is of the type that could be used in combination with a safety package or an anti-theft package as disclosed in WO-A-01 59240, but it is obvious that the same principle could be applied to other types of safety packages for this system. As illustrated in Fig. 1, the disconnecting device comprises a framework member 1, essentially consisting in a U-shaped member, with a flat upper surface 3 on which the safety package can be slid. One leg of the U-shaped framework member 1 is therefore provided with a side guide 2 such that the safety package can be univocally slid in the disconnecting device, i.e. always in the same relative position with respect to the disconnecting device. Near to the cross connexion of the U-shaped framework member 1 this part is provided with two side vertical walls 4 and 5, with the edge 5 forming the extension of the guide 2. In the block 32 hinge studs 6 and 7 are arranged to support hingedly a covering plate 8. In the illustrated embodiment, the covering plate 8 is a plate consisting in one part with two forms, starting from the hinge studs 6, 7, i.e. a flat part 9 that, in the closed state, is almost parallel with the upper surface 3, and a V-shaped bent part 10 with the apex being oriented towards the upper surface 3 and with which the covering plate abuts, in the closed condition, on the upper surface 3. The V-shaped bent part 10 is shaped so that, when a safety package is slid along the upper surface 3 and the guide 2 towards the hinge studs 6, 7, the covering plate 8 is thereby lifted and pivots around the axis as defined by the hinge studs 6 and 7. Against the lower part of the covering plate 8 two parallel plate members 15, 16 are secured which are each provided with a elongated hole 17, 18 lying on one line as viewed in the axis direction of the hinge studs 6 and 7. Only the plate 15 with the elongated hole 17 can be seen on the drawings . Between the two plate members 15, 16, a block 20 is arranged, which has essentially the shape of a parallelepiped, with its bottom surface 23 being parallel with the surface 3, and two side surfaces being parallel with the guide 5. A hole 21 and 22 is arranged on each of such side surfaces. The stud 35 has a common axis parallel with the axis of the studs 6 and 7 and projects from both elongated holes 17, 18 and is locked at one side with a locking ring. A stud 26 is secured against the bottom surface 23 by means of a small plate 27. Such a stud 26 projects in the direction of the U-shaped recess in the framework 1 and actually serves for unlocking the safety package as is further disclosed in WO-A-01 59240. At the other side, the block 20 is provided with two guiding members 28, 29 which vertically project and laterally extend with respect to the side surfaces of the block 20. The guiding members 28, 29 are incorporated into U-shaped guides 30, 31 which are arranged in a block 32 being securely fixed on the framework and additionally supporting a hinge point 33, 34 for the studs 6 and 7 of the covering plate 8. The device operates as follows. In the resting state, the covering plate will rest, as a result of gravity, on the surface 3; in such a condition, the stud 26 is partially embedded in the bottom surface 3. As soon as a safety package is slid along the guide 5 on the bottom surface 3 in the direction of the stud 26, the covering plate 8 is thereby lifted and pivots around the studs 6 and 7. Consequently, through the plates 15, 16, the elongated holes 17, 18 and the holes 21 and 22 and the stud 35, the block 20 is simultaneously moved upwards, so that said block thereby vertically moves, as it is guided by the U-shaped guides 30, 31. Such a motion is possible by means of the elongated holes 17, 18. As a result of such a motion, the stud 26 also moves vertically upwards . The distance on which the stud 26 is moved depends on the relative distances between the hinge studs 6, 7, the plates 15, 16 with the elongated holes 17, 18 and the supporting point of the covering plate 8 and can thus be accurately set. In the illustrated embodiment, the relative distances are selected such that when a safety package with a vertical thickness ID is slid in the disconnecting device, the stud 26 is moved on a hD distance upwards. Therefore, the stud 26 can be positioned accurately relative to the opening in the package in order to have it unlocked. A small slot 37 is arranged in the covering plate 6, with which the device can be locked. In this respect, a lock 36 is arranged in the wall 4. At the external side, a key 137 can be inserted, whereas at the other side, a plate 38 is arranged being provided with a recess 39. The plate 38 can be pivoted through the key 137 so that that plate 38 partially projects through the small slot 37, resulting in the recess 39 being locked by engaging the edge of the small slot 37. Thus, the covering plate 8 can be locked and only unlocked by people who have the key 137. This way, an uncontrolled use of the unlocking device can be prevented. The locking mechanism can be provided with a electromagnetic locking device being fixed on the surface 3, and a common axis being parallel to the axis of the studs 6, 7 and the stud 35 is blocked against any vertical motion resulting in the whole unlocking mechanism being locked for use. To use the locking mechanism for the first time, an authorized access card is to be inserted into a card holder being mounted in the back of block 32, after what an integrated card reader in block 32 outputs a current supply to the electromagnetic locking mechanism, so as to unblock the stud 35. It should be understood that the invention is not limited to the described and illustrated embodiment, but numerous modifications may be carried out without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

Claims

1. A device for unlocking a safety package adapted for theft protection, for example, of CDs, CD-ROMs, DVDs and various valuable items, wherein the safety package has essentially the form of a parallelepiped having one side wall provided with an opening where a stud fits to unlock the safety package, said arrangement comprising an insertion surface onto which the safety package can be slid in the device and a lever arm which is moved, so that the lever arm is connected to a mechanism bearing the unlocking stud and depending on at least one dimension of the safety package, the unlocking stud is positioned in the right place, in order to be engaged into the opening.

2. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the lever arm is hingedly arranged on an axis being parallel with the side wall of the safety package which is provided with an opening where the unlocking stud fits.

3. A device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a longitudinal guide is provided for the safety package being perpendicular to the insertion surface.

4. A device according to any of precedent claims, characterized in that the unlocking stud is mounted on a block being moveable in a direction perpendicular to the insertion surface, and that a mechanism is provided by means of which the motion of the block is coupled to the lever arm shift.

5. A device according to claim 5, characterized in that the motion of the block is exactly proportional to the shifting height of the lever arm.

6. A device according to any of precedent claims, characterized in that the unlocking stud and the opening in the safety package have a matching shape.

7. A device according to any of precedent claims, characterized in that the device is provided with an electromagnetic unlocking element blocking the lever arm motion, and in that the electromagnetic unlocking element of the lever arm is unlocked by means of an electronic system for identifying the user.

8. A device according to claim 7, characterized in that the identification system comprises an electronic decoder for recognition of the personal identification means of the user.

9. A device according to claim 8, characterized in that the identification means is an authorized access card.