GOODS ANTI-THEFT DEVICE, MORE PARTICULARLY FOR CARDBOARD BOXES

Abstract

The invention relates to an anti-theft device configured to be attached to merchandise to be protected the anti-theft device including a housing, which comprises a winding apparatus rotatably arranged therein, at least one securing-loop arrangement designed and intended to loop around the merchandise to be protected such that the anti-theft device can be securely connected to the merchandise to be protected, and a locking mechanism.

Claims

1. Anti-theft device configured to be attached to merchandise to be protected, the anti-theft device comprising: a housing which comprises a winding apparatus rotatably arranged therein; at least one securing-loop arrangement, which comprises one or more securing loops, each having at least one securing cord connected to the winding apparatus, the securing cords being windable onto the winding apparatus in response to a rotational winding movement of the winding apparatus, and being unwindable from the winding apparatus in response to a rotational unwinding movement of the winding apparatus, the securing-loop arrangement being designed and intended to loop around the merchandise to be protected such that the anti-theft device can be securely connected to the merchandise to be protected; and a locking mechanism which is accommodated at least in part in the housing and is operatively connected to the winding apparatus, the locking mechanism having an unlocked state, in which the rotational unwinding movement of the winding apparatus in the housing is permitted, and a locked state, in which the rotational unwinding movement of the winding apparatus in the housing is prevented, wherein the locking mechanism further comprises a release element, which is made at least in part of a shape-memory alloy and is configured to cause the locking mechanism to be transferred from the locked state to the unlocked state when the shape-memory alloy is in an excited state.

2. Anti-theft device according to claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism is further configured so as to permit the rotational winding movement of the winding apparatus when the locking mechanism is in the unlocked state and when the locking mechanism is in the locked state.

3. Anti-theft device according to claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism further comprises external teeth that can be engaged with internal teeth formed on the housing.

4. Anti-theft device according to claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism further comprises an actuation element, which is configured to assume a locking position when manually actuated by an operator, whereupon the locking mechanism is transferred to the locked state.

5. Anti-theft device according to claim 4, wherein the locking mechanism further comprises a closure element which is operatively connected to the release element and configured so as to be releasably engageable with the actuation element in order to hold the actuation element in the locking position and to allow the actuation element, when actuated by the release element, to assume a release position such that the locking mechanism is transferred to the unlocked state.

6. Anti-theft device according to claim 1, wherein the anti-theft device further comprises a power supply unit.

7. Anti-theft device according to claim 6, wherein the anti-theft device further comprises an alarm generation apparatus configured to emit an acoustic and/or optical alarm signal in response to an attempt to remove the anti-theft device from the merchandise to be protected without authorization.

8. Anti-theft device according to claim 6, wherein the securing cords of the securing-loop arrangement are made at least in part of an electrically conductive material.

9. Anti-theft device according to claim 6, wherein the anti-theft device further comprises a light sensor, which is accommodated in the housing.

10. Anti-theft device according to claim 6, wherein the anti-theft device further comprises a signal-receiving unit, the anti-theft device being configured to cause the locking mechanism to be transferred to the unlocked state when the signal-receiving unit receives a release-initiation signal.

11. Anti-theft device according to claim 6, wherein the anti-theft device further comprises a storage apparatus, the anti-theft device further being configured to receive a product information signal and store it on the storage apparatus.

12. Anti-theft device according to claim 6, wherein the anti-theft device further comprises a signal-transmitting unit.

13. Anti-theft device according to claim 1, wherein the anti-theft device is assigned a unique identification code, which is provided for identifying the merchandise protected by the anti-theft device and/or determining a location of the anti-theft device.

14. Anti-theft device according to claim 1, wherein the anti-theft device further comprises an indicator apparatus provided on an external surface of the housing.

15. Anti-theft device according to claim 1, wherein the anti-theft device further comprises a securing element configured to interact with an article surveillance system.

16. Anti-theft device configured to be attached to merchandise to be protected, comprising: a housing, at least one securing-loop arrangement, which comprises one or more securing loops, each having at least one securing cord that can be connected to the housing, the securing-loop arrangement being designed and intended to loop around the merchandise to be protected such that the anti-theft device can be securely connected to the merchandise to be protected, a locking mechanism, which is accommodated at least in part in the housing, interacts with the securing-loop arrangement and has an unlocked state, in which removal of the anti-theft device from the merchandise to be protected is permitted, and a locked state, in which removal of the anti-theft device from the merchandise to be protected is prevented, and a power supply unit, wherein the anti-theft device further comprises a motion sensor, and a control unit which is configured to receive signals from the motion sensor and to set the anti-theft device selectively in an active or an inactive operating mode depending on the signals received from the motion sensor.

17. Anti-theft device according to claim 4, wherein the actuation element is a slide.

18. Anti-theft device according to claim 6, wherein the power supply unit is a battery.

19. Anti-theft device according to claim 8, wherein the securing cords of the securing-loop arrangement are operatively connected to the alarm generation apparatus.

20. Anti-theft device according to 9, wherein the light sensor is operatively connected to the alarm generation apparatus.

21. Anti-theft device according to claim 12, wherein the signal-transmitting unit is configured to transmit the product information signal to a mobile terminal in response to a product-information request operation.

22. Anti-theft device according to claim 16, wherein the power supply unit is a battery.

23. Anti-theft device according to claim 16, wherein the motion sensor is accommodated in the housing.

Description

[0035] The invention will be described below in more detail on the basis of the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0036] FIGS. 1a and 1b are each perspective views of an embodiment example of an anti-theft device according to the invention in the unlocked and locked state, respectively,

[0037] FIGS. 2a and 2b are each sectional views of the embodiment example of the anti-theft device according to the invention in the unlocked and locked state, respectively, and

[0038] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an embodiment example of an anti-theft device according to the invention, which is attached to a cardboard packaging box K.

[0039] FIG. 1a denotes an anti-theft device according to the invention in general as 100. The anti-theft device 100 comprises a housing 102, which in the embodiment example shown is formed from a main housing part 102a and a housing cover part 102b. In this regard, the main housing part 102a is rotatable relative to the housing cover part 102b. The anti-theft device 100 further comprises a securing-loop arrangement 104, although this is only shown by way of indication in FIG. 1a; it is designed and intended to loop around merchandise to be protected, for example a cardboard packaging box K shown in FIG. 3, such that the anti-theft device 100 according to the invention can be securely attached to the cardboard box K. For this purpose, the securing-loop arrangement 104 comprises one or more securing loops 105, which in the embodiment example shown are formed from an electrically conductive securing cable. To assemble the anti-theft device 100 on the cardboard box K, or to disassemble it therefrom, the securing-loop arrangement 104 may, respectively, be wound onto or unwound from a winding apparatus 112 that is accommodated in the housing 102 and connected to the housing cover part 102b for conjoint rotation. However, the winding apparatus 112 is not shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b and will be explained in more detail with reference to FIGS. 2a and 2b.

[0040] It should be noted at this juncture that the anti-theft device 100 according to the invention can be attached not only to cardboard packaging boxes of this kind, but also to unpackaged products, tools, crates, or the like.

[0041] The anti-theft device 100 further comprises a locking mechanism 108, although only a slide 110 thereof is visible in FIG. 1a. In FIG. 1a, the anti-theft device 100 according to the invention is in an unlocked state, as can be seen from the fact that the slide 110 of the locking mechanism 108 is protruding outwardly out of the housing 102 in the radial direction. In the unlocked state, the housing cover part 102b can be rotated both clockwise and counterclockwise relative to the main housing part 102a. In this regard, rotating the housing cover part 102b clockwise basically results in the securing-loop arrangement 105 shortening, i.e., being wound onto the winding apparatus 112 accommodated in the housing 102, whereas rotating the housing cover part 102b counterclockwise results in the securing-loop arrangement 105 elongating, i.e., being unwound from the winding apparatus 112 accommodated in the housing 102.

[0042] By contrast, FIG. 1b shows the anti-theft device 100 according to the invention in a locked state, as can be seen from the fact that the slide 110 of the locking mechanism 108 is displaced radially inwardly and latched in a locking position, such that the housing cover part 102b can no longer be rotated in the direction indicated by the arrows on the housing cover part 102b, i.e., counterclockwise, but rather only clockwise.

[0043] The locking mechanism 108 and further functional elements of the anti-theft device 100 according to the invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 2a and 2b, which are sectional views of the embodiment example of the anti-theft device 100 according to the invention in the unlocked and locked state, respectively.

[0044] FIG. 2a shows the anti-theft device 100 according to the invention in the unlocked state. As can be further seen in FIG. 2a, the slide 110 is connected to the winding apparatus 112 for conjoint rotation and so as to be radially displaceable. It should be noted that the part of the slide 110 shown in FIGS. 1a and 1 b, protruding outwardly out of the housing 102, has been omitted in FIGS. 2a and 2b for clarity, so FIGS. 2a and 2b only show the part of the slide 110 accommodated in the housing 102. The slide 110 is biased outward in the radial direction by a spring 113a. However, since a stop 113b associated with the spring 113a and connected to the winding apparatus 112 is provided, the slide 110 can only be moved so far radially outwardly until it abuts the stop 113b, such that it is in its release position shown in FIG. 2a. The slide 110 further comprises external teeth 114b that can be engaged with internal teeth 114a formed on the main housing part 102a. In this regard, the internal teeth 114a are formed around the entire inner circumference of the main housing part 102a. The external teeth 114a are attached to the slide 110 and can be engaged with the internal teeth 114b by radially displacing the slide 110 in the positive direction V. In the unlocked state shown in FIG. 2a, the external teeth 114a and the internal teeth 114b are not engaged with each other, and so the winding apparatus 112, which is connected to the slide 110 for conjoint rotation, can be rotated both clockwise and counterclockwise.

[0045] FIG. 2b shows the anti-theft device 100 according to the invention in the locked state after the slide 110 has been displaced from FIG. 2a in the positive direction V into its locking position. To prevent the slide 110 from being able to be pushed back by the spring 113a, the locking mechanism 108 further comprises a closure element 116, which in the embodiment example shown is in the form of a metal sheet bent at one end, for example made of spring bronze or the like. When the slide 110 is displaced in the positive direction V, the closure element 116 initially follows a gradient of a recess 118 formed on the slide 110 until it latches with another recess 120 formed on the slide 110 such that the slide 110 can no longer be displaced in the negative direction V. As a result, the external teeth 114a will remain engaged with the internal teeth and, as can be seen from the geometry of the teeth, will prevent the winding apparatus 112 from being rotated counterclockwise until the slide 110 is transferred back to its release position shown in FIG. 2a.

[0046] However, to allow the winding apparatus 112 connected to the slide 110 to move clockwise even when the locking mechanism 108 is in the locked state shown in FIG. 2b, the external teeth 114a are radially displaceably connected to the slide 110 by means of a further spring 122 and are biased radially outwardly by the spring 122 such that the external teeth 114a can initially be displaced radially inwardly over the gradient of the internal teeth 114b and, after a clockwise rotation, can each latch with adjacent teeth of the internal teeth 114b again so that counterclockwise rotation is still prevented.

[0047] In order to return from the locked state of the locking mechanism 108 shown in FIG. 2b to the unlocked state of the locking mechanism 108 shown in FIG. 2a, the locking mechanism 108 further comprises a release element 124, which in the embodiment example shown is in the form of a wire 124 made of a shape-memory alloy. The wire 124 is connected to the closure element 116. When the wire 124 is heated by applying electrical energy, it contracts, causing the closure element 116 to be moved away from the recess 120 formed on the slide 110, whereupon the slide 110 can be transferred back to its release position by the spring 113a. When heating of the wire 124 is terminated again, once the wire has cooled down it can return to the starting position shown in FIG. 2a, i.e., back into the recess 118. This is assisted by the spring action of the closure element 116. In this regard, the energy required to heat the wire 124 may be provided, for example, by a battery (not shown in detail in FIGS. 2a and 2b either), which is also accommodated in the housing 102. In the process, the heating of the wire 124 may be controlled, for example, by a chip unit 126 also accommodated in the housing 102.

[0048] In this case, the chip unit 126 may further be equipped with a signal-receiving unit and/or a signal-transmitting unit, which is/are configured preferably to communicate with a mobile terminal of a customer. By way of example, it is thus possible for the chip unit 126 to cause the wire 124 to be heated only after a release-initiation signal is received by the signal-receiving unit included in the chip unit 124. The release-initiation signal is preferably not sent by the mobile terminal to the signal-receiving unit until the customer has successfully completed a payment process.

[0049] Lastly, the chip unit 126 may further comprise a storage unit, which is preferably integrated therein and configured to store, inter alia, product information relating to the merchandise to be protected. To display this product information, the anti-theft device 100 may further comprise a display (not shown in FIG. 1a and FIG. 1b), which may preferably be arranged on an external surface of the housing cover part 102b.

[0050] To furthermore be able to ensure that the anti-theft device 100 according to the invention can be operated in a particularly energy-saving manner, the chip unit 126 further comprises a control unit which is configured to set the anti-theft device selectively in an active operating mode or an inactive, preferably energy-saving, operating mode. For this purpose, the anti-theft device 100 further comprises an acceleration sensor, which is preferably also comprised by the chip unit 126 and connected to the control unit, the control unit being configured such as to set the anti-theft device 100 in the active or the inactive operating mode depending on the signals received from the acceleration sensor.

[0051] The anti-theft device 100 may further comprise an LED light source 127 arranged on the housing cover part 102b, which may be in the form of a colored LED light source, for example. By way of example, it is conceivable that the LED light source 127 illuminates in the color red to indicate a locked state of the anti-theft device 127, whereas the color green may be selected as the illuminating color to indicate an unlocked state. However, it goes without saying that any such LED light source 127 may also have a plurality of other illumination states/colors that may be used, for example, to indicate other operational states of the anti-theft device 100.

[0052] To emit an alarm signal, the anti-theft device 100 may further comprise an acoustic alarm generation apparatus 128, which is operatively connected to the chip unit 126 but is indicated in FIGS. 1a and 1b only by holes provided for this purpose in the housing cover part 102b. By way of example, the alarm signal may be emitted when at least one of the securing loops 105 of the securing-loop arrangement 104 is severed in whole or in part. Additionally or alternatively, the chip unit 126 may further comprise a light sensor such that the alarm signal may also be emitted, for example, if an unauthorized person attempts to remove the housing cover part 102b for the purpose of tampering with the locking mechanism 108 while the anti-theft device 100 is in the locked state.

[0053] It should be added that the anti-theft device 100 can further comprise an electronic article surveillance element (EAS element) (not shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b) which is configured to interact with an electronic article surveillance system (not shown either) such that when a customer attempts to remove protected merchandise to which the anti-theft device 100 is attached from a store, for example, without authorization, the alarm signal is output as soon as the merchandise passes a detector unit associated with the electronic article surveillance system.