The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 21, 2012
Filed:
Jul. 27, 2009
Thomas Mckeown, Pennsauken, NJ (US);
Thomas McKeown, Pennsauken, NJ (US);
Checkpoint Systems, Inc., Philadelphia, PA (US);
Abstract
A device to protect an article from theft is disclosed. The device includes a pointed pin member to enable attachment of the device to the article to be protected from theft. A housing disposed within the device includes a floor and a wall tapering towards a confining end. The housing includes coaxial openings for insertably receiving the pin member. A ball clutch mechanism is located within the housing and includes a plurality of balls. As the balls are urged towards the confining end of the housing, they wedge between the tapering wall and the pin member to apply increasing radial pressure against the pin member to prevent it from being withdrawn from the device. The floor includes a member which deflects downwardly upon insertion of the pin member into the housing to apply a radial force against the pin member to frictionally engage it within the device.