Communications: electrical – Condition responsive indicating system – Specific condition
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-19
2001-11-20
Lee, Benjamin C. (Department: 2632)
Communications: electrical
Condition responsive indicating system
Specific condition
C340S571000, C340S643000, C315S129000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06320506
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a home security device.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many homeowners have security lights mounted on or near their home. Some of these lights are designed to turn on automatically if a motion detector is triggered and the ambient light level is low. These lights are a deterrent to burglary. Unfortunately, they can be easily defeated if the lamps are unscrewed or loosened either prior to the burglary or during the attempt.
In addition, if the lights are loosened by natural forces, such as vibrations from passing heavy trucks, etc., abrupt jarring motions, such as foundation loosening, machinery movement, sound, repetitive motions etc., then the lamps will also be loosened. Moreover, a loosened lamp would not be noticed during daylight hours.
Various attempts have been made to provide lamp failure devices. U.S. Pat. No. 5,099,177 of Taniguchi discloses a lamp circuit with disconnected lamp detecting device. U.S. Pat. No. 4,980,672 of Murphy discloses an overhead socket smoke detector with theft alarm.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,396,868 and 5,168,198 of Watanabe discloses a lamp circuit with disconnected lamp detecting device and a lamplight failure detection system respectively. U.S. Pat. No. 5,359,325 of Ford discloses an automatic monitoring system for airfield lighting systems.
Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 5,387,909 of Neel discloses a lamp sensing system for traffic light. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,034,659 of Taniguchi describes a lamp circuit with a disconnected lamp detecting device. U.S. Pat. No. 4,700,126 of Hill shows a vehicular lamp circuit tester.
Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 4,438,421 of Toyomura discloses an electronic device having a warning means and U.S. Pat. No. 4,295,079 of Otsuka describes a lamp circuit with a disconnected lamp detecting device. U.S. Pat. No. 4,422,068 of Helft discloses an intrusion alarm system for preventing actual confrontation with an intruder.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 3,975,627 of Huber shows a burglar-proof guard for light bulbs and U.S. Pat. No. 4,936,789 of Ugalde shows a method and apparatus for preventing the theft of a fluorescent lamp and ballast transformer.
Among other prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 4,812,827 of Scripps which describes a detector and light assembly and U.S. Pat. No. 5,406,129 of Gilmartin which describes a flashing locator switch control with built-in lamp operation test.
Other prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 3,382,494 of Mahacsek which describes a theft alarm for an electrical device; U.S. Pat. No. 4,021,679 of Bolle et al., which describes a method and apparatus for automatic switching; U.S. Pat. No. 4,369,435 of Adachi et al., which describes a fire detector and fire alarm system having circuitry to detect removal of one or more detectors at a signal station; U.S. Pat. No. 5,155,474 of Park et al., which describes a photographic security system; U.S. Pat. No. 5,160,000 of Agha et al., which describes an attache and umbrella carrying case; U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,098 of Leyden et al., which describes an alarm system sensing and triggering apparatus; U.S. Pat. No. 5,266,920 of Langner which describes a magnet for use on a refrigerator or the like; U.S. Pat. No. 5,293,115 of Swanson which describes a method and system for sensing removal of a utility meter from its socket; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,434,558 of Zeder which describes an annunciator apparatus for monitoring electrical connections.
While the prior art teaches a variety of methods for failed lamp detection and even an alarm for detecting removal of a smoke detector from a socket, the applications are very specialized.
In contrast to the prior art, the present invention sets off an audible or silent alarm when an ordinary bulb or flood lamp is loosened or removed from the socket of a single or multi-lamp security light fixture. Furthermore, the alarm remains on or otherwise indicates that an incident had occurred even if the lamp is immediately retightened in its socket. This action is achieved using inexpensive switch elements and electronic subsystems consistent with the product cost limitations dictated by this consumer market.
In other embodiments, the present invention allows the alarm to be set off even before a bulb is removed from a socket, while still lit. The present invention can also detect removal of a lamp by detecting changes in current in the lamp socket.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a home security device which detects unwarranted removal of a flood light lamp.
It is yet another object to provide a flood light lamp removal alarm which is a deterrent to burglary.
It is yet a further object to provide a flood light lamp removal alarm which is activated if the lamps are unscrewed or loosened, either prior to a burglary or during an attempt to disable the flood light assembly.
It is yet another object to provide a flood light lamp removal alarm which detects if lights are loosened by natural forces, such as vibrations from passing heavy trucks, etc., abrupt jarring motions, such as foundation loosening, machinery movement, sound, repetitive motions etc.
It is yet another object to provide a flood light lamp removal alarm which causes a discernible alarm to go on, thereby startling a burglar and alerting the neighbors if a lamp is unscrewed from a security light.
Another object of this invention is to modify the central contact of a lamp socket so that it maintains contact with the lamp for a longer distance as the lamp is unscrewed. This would insure that the removal alarm switch is triggered before the light from the lamp is disabled.
Another object of this invention is to modify the central contact of a lamp socket so that it maintains contact with the lamp until the lamp is totally unscrewed from the socket. The lamp would not be disabled simply by loosening it.
A further object of this invention is to detect current draw by the lamps and send this signal to a controller so that an alarm is set off if no current is drawn by a lamp after the motion detector had signaled to switch on the power to the lamps. This would detect missing lamps, loosened lamps as well as burned out lamps.
Yet another object of this invention is to use a combination of a motion detector with auxiliary battery and radio transmitter in a distributed lamp security system along with current sensors to detect tampering with the lamp fixture even if the power line to the motion detector is severed.
It is yet another object to improve over the disadvantages of the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In keeping with these objects and others which may become apparent, the present invention includes a flood light lamp removal alarm for security lights mounted on or near a home, wherein the lights are designed to turn on automatically if a motion detector is triggered and the ambient light level is low. The alarm detects if any of the flood light lamps are unscrewed or loosened, either prior to a burglary or during the attempt to disable the flood light assembly.
The alarm can also be used for other lighting fixtures, wherein a lamp is screwed into a socket, such as in a decorative lighting system, an industrial building, or a signaling system, and the like.
In the preferred embodiment, the central contact of a lamp socket is modified so that it maintains contact with the lamp therein for a longer distance as the lamp is screwed out, so that the alarm is triggered before the light from the lamp is disabled.
In yet another embodiment, current detectors verify when a lamp is loosened from a socket by detecting changes in current draw across the socket.
In addition, the alarm also detects if the lights are loosened by natural forces, such as vibrations from passing heavy trucks, etc., abrupt jarring motions, such as foundation loosening, machinery movement, sound, repetitive motions etc.
If one or more lamps are loosened, the alarm of the present invention causes the discernible alarm to go on, thereby startling a burglar and alerting the neighbors if a flood light lamp is unscrew
Lee Benjamin C.
Walker Alfred M.
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