Locks – Portable – Fetters
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-15
2001-06-12
Barrett, Suzanne Dino (Department: 3627)
Locks
Portable
Fetters
C070S014000, C070S049000, C070S065000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06244081
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to security devices for luggage.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
The security devices according to the invention have been devised particularly, although not solely, for travellers having luggage which is exposed to tampering or theft. The devices are particularly suitable for use with luggage such as rucksacks and other luggage packs which are carried by backpackers and low budget travellers.
A backpack is vulnerable to tampering, even when being worn on the back of a backpacker, as it is exposed and is out of sight of the backpacker. A thief may obtain access to the contents of the backpack simply by cutting the backpack. Additionally, when removed from the back of a backpacker, a backpack can be easily stolen if not held securely by the backpacker.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention seeks to provide security devices for an article of luggage such as a backpack or hand-carriable travel pack which restricts unauthorized access to the article of luggage.
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a security device for an article of luggage comprising a flexible cover adapted to surround or provide a container for articles of luggage, the device comprising a wire netting container having a peripheral opening formed by closed looped ends of parts of the netting, and a draw line for closing the device which is threaded through the open looped ends and arranged to draw the loops inwardly towards each other to close off or at least to effectively reduce the size of the opening, and a locking mechanism arranged to act on the draw line to prevent opening of the device.
The netting may be formed by one or more strands of metal wire in which adjacent parts of the strand are held together side-by-side at intervals along their lengths by metal clips or injection moulded ferrules in situ.
The netting may be formed as three separate nets generally shaped to extend over three lengthwise surfaces, a top surface, and a bottom surface of the luggage compartment respectively, the remaining lengthwise side surface corresponding to the opening of the device, and in which the three nets are joined together by clips or ferrules to form the completed device.
The locking mechanism may comprise a body anchored adjacent one end of the draw line and incorporates a brake to releasably and selectively secure the other end of the draw line to prevent unauthorized opening of the device.
The other end of the draw line may be fitted with spaced apart beads that can pass through an aperture in the body when the draw line is pulled through to close the opening, and arranged to receive lock shackle that fits through the aperture to prevent beads passing through the aperture whenever the shackle is in the aperture.
The netting may be supported between opposing layers of material, such as canvas or plastic, that constitute in whole or in part the container for the articles.
The draw line may have provision for tethering to a fixture to assist in preventing theft of the article of luggage when not being carried or otherwise held by a user. The draw line may also have a further section extending beyond a closed loop for anchoring the receptacle to a fixture thereby to protect the article of luggage against theft. The further section of the draw line may be adapted to be attached directly to the fixture, or to pass around the fixture and to be returned and releasably affixed to the cable.
The netting is preferably arranged to collapse into a compact condition for storage when not in use.
The netting may extend around a plurality of articles of luggage, or an article of luggage and some other loose article such as a sleeping bag if desired. The security device may be equally important to prevent illicit substances being “slipped” inside the backpack by criminals so that the backpack user might inadvertently carry such substances through a frontier at considerable danger to arrest and criminal prosecution.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of making security devices for luggage which includes winding a strand of metal wire in a zigzag array over pairs of spaced apart opposing pegs, bringing adjacent strands together in pairs at distance intervals between the opposing pegs and fixing the strands together, and lifting the fixed together strand off the pegs to perform the netting.
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