Bottle security device
View Patent ↗A security device includes a housing and a strap which extends from the housing and loops around a bottle neck or other item to secure the device thereto. A locking mechanism lockably engages the strap when the strap is inserted into the housing to secure the strap in a locked position. The housing has first and second opposed outer surfaces which taper outwardly and toward one another in a manner which makes the housing difficult to grasp manually or otherwise, thus helping prevent the breakage and removal of the device from the bottle. The tapered outer surfaces also serve to deflect impact forces to the housing to help prevent unauthorized removal of the device.
1. A security device for attaching around a generally annular article to be protected from theft, said device comprising:
a rigid housing having first and second opposed ends, an inner perimeter, an outer perimeter, and upper and lower opposed outer surfaces each extending from adjacent the inner perimeter to adjacent the outer perimeter and from adjacent the first end to adjacent the second end;
an interior chamber formed in the housing with an entry port;
a strap secured to and extending outwardly from the housing; and
a locking mechanism disposed in the interior chamber for lockably engaging the strap when the strap is inserted through the entry port to secure the strap in a locked position in which the strap and inner perimeter of the housing define therebetween an article-receiving space adapted to receive the generally annular article and in which the strap and inner perimeter of the housing together assume a generally circular configuration which is generally concentric about a vertical axis; and
wherein the upper outer surface tapers radially outwardly and downwardly relative to the vertical axis from adjacent the inner perimeter to adjacent the outer perimeter and the lower outer surface tapers radially outwardly and upwardly relative to the vertical axis from adjacent the inner perimeter to adjacent the outer perimeter so that the upper and lower outer surfaces taper radially outwardly and toward one another from adjacent the inner perimeter to adjacent the outer perimeter; and
each of the tapered outer surfaces and a plane perpendicular to the vertical axis defines therebetween an angle of at least 25 degrees.
2. The device of claim 1 wherein each angle is within a range of 25 to 60 degrees.
3. The device of claim 1 wherein the outer surfaces extend circumferentially in a continuous manner from adjacent the first end to adjacent the second end.
4. The device of claim 3 wherein each of the tapered outer surfaces is smooth.
5. The device of claim 1 wherein each of the inner and outer perimeters extend from adjacent the first end to adjacent the second end.
6. The device of claim 1 wherein each of the tapered outer surfaces is circumferentially curved in a continuous manner along a horizontal path from adjacent the first end to adjacent the second.
7. The device of claim 1 wherein the inner perimeter defines an arc of a circle which is concentric about the vertical axis and extends from adjacent the first end to adjacent the second end.
8. The device of claim 1 wherein each of the tapered outer surfaces is generally frustoconical.
9. The device of claim 1 wherein the inner perimeter forms an arc of at least one fourth of a circle which is concentric about the vertical axis.
10. The device of claim 9 wherein the inner perimeter forms an arc of at least one third of a circle which is concentric about the vertical axis.
11. The device of claim 1 wherein the outer perimeter is a convex U-shaped curve which extends continuously from adjacent the first end to adjacent the second end.
12. The device of claim 1 wherein the housing defines an arcuate channel communicating with the entry port for receiving the strap; and wherein the arcuate channel is curved along an arc of a substantially circular pathway which is substantially concentric about the vertical axis.
13. The device of claim 12 wherein the strap has a preset curvature whereby the strap prior to insertion through the entry port into the arcuate channel assumes an arc which is of mating configuration with the arc of the arcuate channel.
14. The device of claim 1 in combination with the generally annular article; and wherein in the locked position the strap loops horizontally around the generally annular article and substantially concentrically around the vertical axis; a portion of the article is disposed within the loop and the article extends upwardly beyond the loop and downwardly beyond the loop; the upper outer surface tapers radially outwardly and downwardly from adjacent the article to adjacent the outer perimeter; and the lower outer surface tapers radially outwardly and upwardly from adjacent the article to adjacent the outer perimeter.
15. The combination of claim 14 wherein the generally annular article is a bottle having a neck which the strap loops around.
16. The combination of claim 15 wherein the neck of the bottle is circular; and the inner perimeter defines an arc of a circle which mates with the circular neck of the bottle.
17. The combination of claim 14 wherein the inner perimeter abuts the article and forms an arc of at least one fourth of a circle which is concentric about the vertical axis.
18. The combination of claim 17 wherein the inner perimeter forms an arc of at least one third of a circle which is concentric about the vertical axis.
19. The device of claim 14 wherein the outer perimeter is a convex U-shaped curve which extends continuously from adjacent the first end to adjacent the second end.
20. A security device for attaching around a generally annular article to be protected from theft, said device comprising:
a rigid housing having first and second circumferentially opposed ends, a concave inner perimeter, an outer perimeter, and upper and lower opposed outer surfaces each extending from adjacent the inner perimeter to adjacent the outer perimeter;
an interior chamber formed in the housing with an entry port;
a strap secured to and extending outwardly from the housing;
a locking mechanism disposed in the interior chamber for lockably engaging the strap when the strap is inserted through the entry port to secure the strap in a locked position in which the strap and inner perimeter of the housing define therebetween an article-receiving space adapted to receive the generally annular article and in which the strap and inner perimeter of the housing together assume a generally circular configuration which is generally concentric about a vertical axis; and
wherein the upper outer surface tapers radially outwardly and downwardly relative to the vertical axis from adjacent the inner perimeter to adjacent the outer perimeter and the lower outer surface tapers radially outwardly and upwardly relative to the vertical axis from adjacent the inner perimeter to adjacent the outer perimeter so that the first and second opposed outer surfaces taper radially outwardly and toward one another from adjacent the inner perimeter to adjacent the outer perimeter;
each of the tapered outer surfaces extends circumferentially from adjacent the first end to adjacent the second end and defines a respective substantially linear intersection with a vertical plane in which the vertical axis lies;
each linear intersection is disposed centrally between the opposed ends and extends from adjacent the inner perimeter to adjacent the outer perimeter; and
each linear intersection and a plane perpendicular to the vertical axis defines therebetween an angle of at least 25 degrees.