EP0452606A2

EP0452606A2 - Pocket antitheft device for wallets and the like

Info

Publication number: EP0452606A2
Application number: EP90830191A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Luciano Bracaccini; Giuseppe Zitti
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1990-04-20
Filing date: 1990-05-03
Publication date: 1991-10-23
Also published as: IT9000620A0; EP0452606A3; IT9000620A1

Abstract

This invention relates to a pocket burglar alarm for wallets or other valuable objects consisting of a card having an acoustic alarm supplied by an electric battery; the acoustic alarm being activated automatically by a switch consisting of a photoelectric cell that transmits current only when excited by rays of light.

Description

This invention relates to a pocket burglar alarm which can be fitted to wallets, wads of bank-notes, credit cards etc. It is common knowledge that wallets and other small objects of value which are generally kept in pockets or handbags can be stolen by pick-pockets without the owner realizing what is happening.
This is particularly concerning since these robbers are trained to operate in crowded areas and in situations where people are close to each other: namely in all those cases when a person may be distracted and cannot distinguish casual contact with another person from a premeditated and dangerous contact, so that the pick-pocket manages to slip a hand into his pocket or bag, and the person concerned may only become aware that a particular object of value has been stolen after several hours.
These robbers have to date proved to be so cunning as to overcome all the various precautions that people may take, such as closing a bag tightly or buttoning pockets containing objects of value.
Accordingly, this inexpensive and practical device offering excellent results, has been designed.
Having considered the fact that the large majority of victims of a robbery do not realize that they are being robbed and having ascertained that the normal precautions adopted are not efficient, a special, suitably small device which is applied to the object of value, has been developed. This device automatically signals an attempted robbery or even accidental loss of the object.
The principle is based on the application to the object of a tiny card fitted with an acoustic alarm or buzzer supplied by an electric battery; this acoustic alarm is activated automatically by a switch consisting of a photoelectric cell which transmits current to the buzzer only when excited by light.
To make this device practical, the same is fitted with a small mobile screen covering the above photoelectric cell when the object to which the burglar alarm card is applied, is used normally, so as to prevent the electric photocell from being constantly activated by light and consequently setting off the acoustic alarm continuously.
When, on the other hand, the card is to be activated in its function of burglar alarm - the object to which the card is applied must first be placed into a pocket or bag to which light cannot filter - and then the screen which covers the photoelectric cell is removed.
In the dimness, the photoelectric cell operated switch is not activated and consequently does not enable the buzzer; if however a potential robber attempts to slide the object with the card from the pocket or bag, the photoelectric cell of the card - without its covering screen - is exposed to light which excites the same and indirectly activates the buzzer.
Obviously, if the owner of the object wishes to remove the object from his pocket or bag with the burglar alarm device switched on, he should remember to move the mobile cover over the photoelectric cell before he does so in order to protect the same from exposure to light.
This means that the buzzer of the card in question switches on - to warn of any attempted robbery - only when the object with the card is taken from the owner either by a potential robber or by a person who is not aware of how the device according to the invention operates; obviously if the device in question is used with care, it will create no problems or inconvenience to the owner.
The card in question is consequently not only useful as a burglar alarm but can also prevent the owner from losing the same in that when the device is applied to the object and activated, the alarm will go off even if the object is dropped accidentally from the bag or pocket, and is consequently exposed to light.
In order to explain how the card in question is fitted to the object, it should be noted that an elastic clip which is attached to the wallet, wad of bank-notes or credit card, is fitted on the back, that is on the opposite side to that on which the photoelectric cell is fitted; alternatively, an elastic band could be fitted on the back into which the object can be fixed, or the card in question could be fitted into a specially designed compartment made on special wallets having an opening through which the photoelectric cell of the card can be exposed to light.
For major clarity, the description of the invention continues with reference to the enclosed drawings, which are intended for illustrative purposes and not in a limiting sense, whereby:

figure 1 is a back view of an axonometric representation of the burglar alarm card according to the invention;
figure 2 is the front view of an axonometric representation of the card in question, applied to a wallet.

With reference to the enclosed drawings it should be noted that the device in question consists of a light and thin card (1) - made possibly in plastic - on which a battery (2) is installed for supplying power to an acoustic alarm (3) connected with a switch consisting of a photoelectric cell (4) between the same; when this photoelectric cell (4) is exposed to light, the same transmits the battery (2) current to the buzzer (3) thereby setting off the acoustic alarm of the same (3).
The card in question (1) is also fitted with a mobile screen (5) - which may be realized either in a version revolving around a pin having an eccentric support (refer to figure 2) or in a shutter version, sliding parallel to the same - so as to cover the photoelectric cell (4) in a position in which it can totally cover the same so as to interrupt the flow of electric current from the battery (2) to the acoustic alarm (3).
A spring (6) is fitted on the back of this burglar alarm card (1) for fixing the device in question to the objects of value to be protected.
As mentioned, this spring (6) may be replaced by any other equivalent means of fixing, such as an elastic band.

Claims

A pocket burglar alarm for wallets or similar objects characterized in that the same consists of a light and thin card (1) - preferably produced in plastic - on which a battery (2) is fitted which supplies power to an acoustic alarm (3) which is connected with a switch consisting of a photoelectric cell (4) between the same. When the photoelectric cell (4) is exposed to light, the current of this battery (2) flows to the acoustic alarm (3) and activates the same. On the contrary it can interrupt this flow of current from the battery (2) to the acoustic alarm (3) when the same is covered with a special mobile screen (5) fitted on the card (1) thereby preventing exposure to light.
A pocket burglar alarm for wallets and similar objects according to claim 1, characterized in that the same is fitted - generally on the back - with a spring (6) or any other fixing means for securing the same to the object to be protected.