ANTI-THEFT DEVICE, PARTICULARLY FOR PALLETS LOADED WITH GOODS

The present invention relates to an anti-theft device, particularly for pallets loaded with goods.

As is known, a frequent problem in the management of the supply chain, i.e., the set of business management processes that allow to optimize the delivery of products, services and information from the supplier to the customer, is constituted by theft occurring during transport or storage of the goods.

The problem of theft can entail important costs in the general economy of a haulage company, such as for example the transport carrier, It is also known that a considerable amount of goods is carried by means of pallets and this is the step during which many thefts occur.

A typical air freight pallet is generally made of metal, with dimensions that can vary according to the type, and the load is packaged by wrapping by means of one or more layers of film having an insulating and protective function which is transparent or not, smooth or rough, and can be further covered by what is known as a cocoon, an actual bag with a zip fastener in which the loaded pallet is inserted.

In general, a theft incident relates to a limited number of items for each pallet, i.e., the theft produces a lesion in the protective film where the lesion is large enough to allow to extract one or more items. The aim of the present invention is to provide a system that is capable of coping with the problem of thefts.

Within the scope of this aim, the object of the invention is to provide a device that is capable of indicating that a theft has been attempted.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device that is versatile, i.e., usable in any type of pallet or similar structures, in general in any type of packaging, including bags and suitcases, and for different purposes.

Another object is to provide a device that is intended simultaneously to detect, record and report data regarding the theft attempt.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device which, by virtue of its particular constructive characteristics, is capable of giving the greatest assurances of

reliability and safety in use.

This aim, these objects and others that will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by to an anti-theft device, particularly for pallets loaded with goods, characterized in that it comprises a conducting path that surrounds a pallet and is powered by a power supply that generates a signal, such as an electrical signal; said conducting path is connected to a receiver that is capable of detecting any interruption of the signal in case of theft.

Further characteristics and advantages will become better apparent from the description of preferred but not exclusive embodiments of the invention, illustrated by way of non- limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of an air freight pallet that is loaded and packaged;

Figure 2 is a schematic view of the device according to the invention;

Figures 3 and 4 are schematic views of the device respectively in the normal condition and in the condition of intervention due to a breach that has occurred;

Figure 5 is a constructive diagram of the device according to a first aspect of the invention;

Figure 6 is a constructive diagram of the device according to a further aspect of the invention; Figure 7 is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of the device according to the invention;

Figure 8 is a view of a portion of membrane that illustrates schematically a possible arrangement of the conductor;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a loaded pallet provided with a device constituted by a conducting net with independent meshes, according to a further aspect of the invention;

Figure 10 is a schematic perspective view of a pallet modified to accommodate a device according to a further aspect of the invention;

Figure 11 illustrates a zip fastener according to an aspect of the invention;

Figure 12 illustrates a zip fastener according to a further aspect of the invention; Figure 13 schematically illustrates the device as applied to a bag provided with a zip

fastener;

Figure 14 schematically illustrates the device of the preceding figure when the zipper is opened;

Figure 15 schematically illustrates the implementation of the device according to the invention for protecting a truck or similar.

With reference to the cited figures, the device according to the invention, generally designated by the reference numeral 1 , is described in its implementation to an air freight pallet 2, which is shown schematically, loaded and packaged, in Figure 1.

The device according to the present invention can be applied to any type of pallet and, as will be described in greater detail hereinafter, also to any type of package, including suitcases and bags.

The air freight implementation is of particular interest, because the system, in its simplest embodiment, does not have problems linked to the production of electromagnetic fields and transmission of waves that can interfere with so-called avionics, i.e., the set of the electronic devices installed on board an aircraft.

The implementation of the device according to the present invention to the field of air freight is also advantageous because goods travelling by air are in fact targeted more easily for being generally goods with high added value.

The pallet 2 is generally made of metal, with dimensions that can vary according to the type.

The load is packaged by wrapping by means of one or more layers of film 3, which has an insulating and protective function and is transparent or not and smooth or rough.

The protective film can be covered by what is known as a cocoon, an actual bag with a zip fastener in which the loaded pallet is inserted. According to the invention, a conducting path 4 surrounds the pallet 2 and is powered by a power supply 5, which generates a signal, for example an electrical signal.

The conducting path 4 is connected to a receiver 6, which is capable of detecting any interruption of the signal, as will be explained in detail hereinafter.

The conducting path 4 can be coupled to the protective film 3. This coupling can be provided in various manners: with conducting ink, with conducting

paint, with conducting wire, preferably with a low thickness, with optical fibers, plastic fibers, or with any system capable of surrounding the entire packaged pallet with a conducting path.

The conducting path may also not be an integral part of the protective film, but may be provided as an independent component, such as for example a net that includes the conducting path and surrounds the packaged pallet.

The term "conducting" must be extended not only to the conduction of electric power but also to the conduction of any signal, such as light signals that can be transmitted by means of optical fibers, The conducting path forms a closed circuit and any breach interrupts the circuit.

It is preferable for the circuit to have a resistance to cutting that is comparable to that of the basic material, so that the thief is unable to detect its existence in any way.

The circuit preferably has a random path, in order to make it more complicated or physically impossible to cut through it without interrupting it. The examples shown hereinafter illustrate a conducting path that is coupled to the packaging film which has rather simple patterns because greater simplicity is equivalent to lower costs.

According to a first aspect of the invention, the receiver 6 is constituted by a timer and the power supply 5 is constituted by an ordinary dry battery that is capable of generating an electric current that flows through the circuit.

According to a first embodiment of the device, the power supply-timer circuit is activated at the time when the package is wrapped; in another embodiment, instead, the system is activated when a breach occurs.

In both cases, the power supply 5 and the timer 6 are preferably arranged in the least accessible place of the packaged pallet, such as for example the center of the pallet 2 or inside a dummy package.

In this manner, the thief might damage the timer and the power supply only by breaking down the packaged pallet completely, an operation which is more demanding, is more evident and requires more time. The power supply 5 and the receiver 6 are preferably protected by an enclosure, such as

for example a metal box, of compact size, especially in terms of thickness, which is associated with the pallet, is insulated and has a sufficient resistance to impacts.

As shown schematically in Figure 10, a pallet 2 may be modified by providing a special recess 7 for accommodating the power supply 5 and the receiver 6. If the device is provided in such a manner that the activation of the power supply-timer circuit occurs when the pallet is wrapped, if a theft has occurred the operator is able to establish how long after wrapping it occurred: the timer stops at the time at the moment when the circuit is interrupted, indicating the time of day.

If the device instead provides for activation of the system when the theft occurs, the operator who takes delivery of the pallet, for example the forwarding agent at the end of transport, can know how much earlier the theft occurred.

Reading can occur by direct inspection, i.e., the operator breaks down the pallet, opens the enclosure, which might be provided with its own lock, and personally examines the display of the timer. Reading can also occur by means of an additional device that is capable of establishing a contact with the timer and of reading its data at relatively short distances, for example by means of a radio link.

This system allows to speed up the procedures.

Figures 3 and 4 are schematic views of the operation of the device according to the embodiment which provides for the activation of the power supply-timer circuit at the instant when the pallet is wrapped.

In this embodiment, the device includes a switch 8 for starting the timer 6.

The timer 6 is capable of storing the time of day when the main circuit was interrupted.

The interruption is designated schematically by the reference numeral 9 in Figure 4. The timer 6 can be provided with a secondary power supply, which is activated when the primary one fails. In any case, even if the power supply is reactivated, the timer will not resume counting the time and will remain fixed on the time of day when the theft occurred.

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate two embodiments of a packaging web, designated respectively by the reference numerals 10 and 1 1. The webs 10 and 1 1 are provided with two

different embodiments of the coupled conducting circuit 4.

The possible measurements of the packaging film are different, and so is the design of the conducting circuit.

The thickness, width, length and degree of conductivity of the material used for coupling must ensure a power supply that is sufficient for the operation of the receiver.

Optionally, it is possible to choose a system with two separate circuits, each having its own independent power supply.

This embodiment with independent circuits is shown schematically in Figure 7, in which the independent circuits are designated by the reference letters A, B and C. Preferably, the conducting track is adequately insulated, for example by superimposing an insulating layer on the film.

One thus obtains a multilayer covering composed of a main film, the one to which the circuit is coupled, and a secondary one, which has insulation as its only function.

Also, the various parts will be joined by means of adapted insulating tape, better if of the two-sided type, or with an adapted adhesive or any system that bonds the overlapping flaps so that it is no longer possible to separate them.

There is a trend in standards, as regards the safety of goods transport, toward using transparent packaging.

Transparent containers already exist, and films for packaging goods transported by means of pallets also can be transparent.

In the case of use of fully transparent packaging, the conducting path 4 would be visible externally, allowing the thief to cut the packaging in such a manner as to not interrupt the circuit.

To obviate this drawback, a lattice 12 is used which is printed on the conducting path 4 with a masking function, maintaining good visibility of the content of the pallet, as shown schematically in Figure 8.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the device can be provided with a receiver-alarm.

In this case, instead of the timer one uses an alarm, such as for example a siren. This alarm is preferably powered by a power supply that is independent of the power supply

of the conducting path. The positioning of the siren in fact remains the same as that of the preceding receiver and this position might hinder the diffusion of sound; therefore, the siren has an adequate power supply of sufficient power.

According to the further aspect of the invention, the device is provided with a receiver- transmitter.

In this case, a transmitter is coupled to the receiver and has the task of warning the operator at the very moment when the theft is detected.

The transmitted data is chronological and identify the specific pallet that is the subject of the attempted theft. The system with transmitter must be suitable for in-flight use, to avoid possible interference with the onboard instruments if the pallet is in flight.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the device is provided with a receiver- alarm-transmitter.

This case combines the two preceding ones: in addition to an alarm on site, data transmission to the operator occurs. According to a further aspect of the invention, the device is provided with a timer receiver without a display.

Some operators might prefer a timer without display, for example with an internal memory that can be downloaded by means of a wired connection, for example a USB port, radio link or similar system. This would allow to save on the cost of the display in the case of the production of a large number of units.

The device according to the present invention might be the subject of tampering by means of apparatuses that allow to alter its operation from outside, for example by influencing the precision of the timer. The device can therefore be provided with a unit which, by interacting with the circuit by means of an electromagnetic field, alters the potential difference and intensity, introducing the destruction of the receiver.

Another possibility is that the thief might identify the conducting path, despite not seeing it, to provide an occasional connection to an external circuit in order to supply excessive power to the receiver and destroy it. The device can therefore be provided with units that are capable of neutralizing any

induced overcurrents, such as stabilizers or, more simply, fuses. In the embodiments described above, the conducting path is in the form of a circuit in which the meshes never overlap, no matter how complex and articulated their path. According to a further aspect of the invention, the conducting path can be constituted by a circuit with overlapping meshes, similar to a net, in which a first layer of meshes 41 , for example horizontal ones, is isolated from a second layer of vertical meshes 42. Figure 9 schematically illustrates an example of this embodiment which, differently from the example of Figure 8, does not require concealment systems. According to this embodiment, there is a single circuit, which forms a conducting net that wraps around the entire pallet and is capable of detecting any theft, even one characterized by an incision that is aimed at not interrupting the circuit.

According to the present invention, it is possible to use modified pallets capable of accommodating the receiver and/or receiver-transmitter device (transponder) and arrange in a functional manner the film for covering the packages with which the pallet has been loaded.

One example is a pallet provided with a conductive connecting zip fastener. The base, the upper surface or, in the case of a double layer, the intermediate surface, is already provided with a system of conducting tracks 4, which lead to the receiver-transmitter (transponder) or the receiver alone, in the simplest case. These tracks affect a base surface, for example a rectangular surface with rounded corners, the perimeter of which is surrounded by a special zip fastener, designated by the reference numeral 13, shown at the bottom left in Figure 10. The zip fastener is in fact provided alternately with nonconducting teeth 14, made for example of plastic material, and conducting teeth 15, made for example of metallic material, each connected to a conducting track that is part of the circuit that is closed when an appropriately provided cocoon provided with a similar conducting track and a similar zip fastener is zipped to the preceding one.

The cocoon in this case can also be made of a special fabric, in which conducting strips are woven alternately with nonconducting strips. The costs would probably be higher, although they might be reducible in case of mass production.

For the sake of swiftness of execution, the conducting tracks for connection to only the zip fastener half that includes the right and lower sides of the system have been highlighted.

Figure 11 shows a zip fastener 100 constituted by an alternation of non conductive teeth 101 and conductive teeth 102.

The conductive teeth 102 are connected to conductors 103.

Figure 12 shows a zip fastener 200 constituted by set of conductive metal teeth 201 that are covered by an insulating material for creating non conductive zones 202.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the device may be used to protect a bag, purse or suitcase.

Figure 13 and 14 schematically illustrate the device as applied to a bag provided with a zip fastener. Figure 13 shows the system when the zipper is closed while figure 14 shows the system when the zipper is opened.

The device comprises a conductive path 300 surrounding the bag and connected to a zipper 301 , of type illustrated in figures 11 and 12.

The conductive path 300 is powered by a main power source 355.

The zipper 301 comprises a composite sliding piece 302.

The composite sliding piece 302 includes a magnet 303, a switch 304, a secondary power source 305, an alarm 306, and a fingerprint detector 307. The fingerprint detector 307 may be, for example, of the type manufactured by the firm

Xelios and marketed under the name "MSO 1300X".

The above described device will protect the bag both from an attempt of cutting through it and also from an attempt of opening the zipper.

Both attempts will start the alarm 306. In the case of cutting through the conductive path 300, the system operates as described above in the other embodiments.

Figure 14 shows the system in the condition when the zipper is opened by sliding the sliding piece 302.

If the sliding piece 302 is operated by the owner of the bag, the fingerprint detector will recognize the fingerprint and will deactivated the alarm system. If the sliding piece 302 is operated by an unauthorized person, the switch 304 closes and

starts the alarm 306.

Figure 15 schematically illustrates the implementation of the device according to the invention for protecting a truck or similar.

The truck or trailer 400 is covered by a conductive path 401 and comprises a receiver 402 and a power supply 403.

The receiver 402 is adapted to detect a theft attempt, as described above, and may be operatively associated with an alarm, a transponder, such as a GPS device, or other device adapted to send a signal when a theft is attempted.

The signal may be a signal adapted to be received by a receiver 404, such as cell phone or similar.

According to a further aspect of the invention the conductive path may be constituted by a chamber filled with gas or wherein vacuum is provided.

The chamber may be constituted by a double layer of film surrounding the goods and is connected to a gas sensor or similar device. When the chamber is breached, the sensor detects and records the breach.

In practice it has been found that the invention achieves the intended aim and objects, providing a device that is capable of reporting a theft or an attempted theft of a loaded pallet.

The device according to the invention is suitable in particular to send a signal to a receiver when the thief produces a lesion in the loaded pallet to remove one or more items.

Therefore, this is not merely an antitheft device, but a system which, depending on the manner of its embodiment, can also have an antitheft function.

It has been described how the anti-theft device according to the present invention can be applied to any type of packaging, including bags and suitcases.

According to the present invention, the bag or suitcase is provided with a conducting circuit that is similar to what has been described above with reference to the pallet.

The conducting circuit is preferably internal and not visible from the outside, and if the suitcase is provided with a zip fastener, it has a conducting zip fastener, in a manner similar to what has been described above.

The conducting circuit is connected to an alarm system, for example a buzzer.

The alarm system and/or the receiver can be deactivated by the user.

A deactivation system is constituted by a fingerprint recognition device located on the zip fastener itself. Another deactivation system is constituted by a switch arranged on the bag and/or suitcase itself. The anti-theft device according to the present invention might also be used in items of clothing or the like as an anti-pickpocketing device.

As is known, an old pickpocketing method is to slit the item of clothing directly on the person to be robbed in crowded places, such as public transport vehicles, et cetera. The device according to the invention can in fact be applied to internal pockets, external pockets, pouches and the like of items of clothing, both as regards the zip fastener or any closures, and as regards the internal path of the pocket itself.

A constructive example of the anti-theft device according to the present invention is constituted also by the provision of a lattice or circuit that is not conducting and imitates the conducting one, so as to confuse any thieves.

Once the anti-theft device according to the present invention has become known, the thief in fact might be discouraged by the presence of a grid printed on the canvas of the pallet, being induced to believe the device is actually present.

This application claims the priority of Italian Patent Application No. MI2007A002415, filed on December 21 , 2007, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.