Theft deterrent device
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsDouglas S. Brown, John F. Kelley, Todd Seager
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus to deter theft of a movable product is provided. In one aspect, the apparatus comprises a housing, a plug connected to the housing to insert into an electrical socket to receive power, a bracket connected to the housing and having an opening to receive a locking cable while the opening of the bracket protrudes from the housing. A switch, within the housing, responsive to protrusion of the opening of the bracket from the housing to receive the locking cable. An electrical circuitry, within the housing, responsive to the switch being in a first state, and absence of power at the plug to sound an alarm, and responsive to the switch being in a second state or the presence of power at the plug to prevent sounding of the alarm.
Claims12
An apparatus to deter theft of a movable product, the apparatus comprising:
- a housing;
- a plug connected to the housing to insert into an electrical socket to receive AC power,
- a bracket connected to the housing and having an opening to receive a locking cable while the opening of the bracket protrudes from the housing;
- a switch, within the housing, responsive to protrusion of the opening of the bracket from the housing to receive the locking cable, to exhibit a first state and responsive to the opening of the bracket being substantially contained in the housing, to exhibit a second, opposite state;
- and
- electrical circuitry, within the housing, responsive to the switch being in the first state, and absence of AC power at the plug to sound an alarm, and responsive to the switch being in the second state or the presence of AC power at the plug to prevent sounding of the alarm.
A method for deterring theft of a movable property, the method comprising:
- a circuit arming an alarm of an apparatus responsive to a moveable property being mechanically secured to the apparatus;
- the circuit detecting an interruption of AC power to the circuit while the moveable property is mechanically secured to the apparatus;
- and
- responsive to detecting the interruption while the moveable property is mechanically secured to the apparatus, the circuit activating the alarm, wherein a bracket connected to the apparatus has an opening to receive a locking cable while the opening of the bracket protrudes from the apparatus, and wherein a switch, within the apparatus is responsive to protrusion of the opening of the bracket from the apparatus to receive the locking cable, to exhibit a first state and responsive to the opening of the bracket being substantially contained in the housing, to exhibit a second, opposite state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.