[0001] The present invention concerns a cable spool assembly comprising a spool upon which a cable may be wound and a housing in which the spool is rotatably mounted.

BACKGROUND

[0002] One particular application for such a cable spool assembly is in security equipment for display mounting of valuable articles, such as mobile telephones, cameras, ipods, shavers, satellite navigation units, or indeed any other electrical or non-electrical articles of significant value, in retail outlets. Typically, for display purposes, a hollow mounting post upstanding from a display surface is provided for each item, each post having at its upper end a cradle adapted for reception of the relevant item. Each item has a plug or socket security fitment attached to its rear surface which rests in the cradle when it is not being handled for inspection. A cable spool assembly on which a security cable is wound is mounted below the display surface. One end of the security cable is connected to security alarm equipment while the other end of the cable is passed upwards through the central cavity of the hollow post and connected to the security fitment of the item. When the item is lifted from its cradle the cable is played out from the spool which rotates within its housing. Any unauthorised disconnection of the item from the cable, indicative of theft, will result in security alarm actuation.

[0003] Typically the cable spool assembly used for this purpose is of recoil type, that is to say the spool is provided with a spring mechanism which is loaded upon rotation of the spool in a first direction as the item connected thereto is lifted from the cradle and the cable is pulled out from the spool under tension so that it will automatically cause rotation of the spool in the opposite direction in order to rewind the cable once tension is released, namely as the item is replaced on the cradle.

[0004] For marketing purposes it is desirable to obtain data about the popularity of items offered for sale. Thus, it is of interest to gather data on the number of times an item is removed from its display post for inspection by a potential customer and the times of day when the item is inspected in this way. Hitherto such information has been gathered automatically by provision of a micro-switch on the cradle which detects when the item is lifted from the cradle and transmits signals via electrical connection to a data processor. Drawbacks of this arrangement are the installation of such a switch on an existing cradle mount and the presence of additional electrical leads from the micro-switch to the data processor, particularly when such a switch is retrofitted to an existing cradle.

[0005] An object of this invention is to provide an alternative means of collection of such marketing data. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0006] In accordance with the present invention a cable spool assembly comprising a spool upon which a cable may be wound and a housing in which the spool is rotatably mounted is characterised by provision of means, associated with the housing and/or the spool, operative to detect rotation of the spool in a first direction upon unwinding of cable therefrom and to detect rotation of the spool in an opposite direction upon rewinding of cable onto the spool.

[0007] Thus, in the context of the display of valuable items as outlined above, the lifting and replacement of an item from a display post cradle can be detected by detecting rotation of the spool in each direction. However, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to this application and may be applicable to many other devices and circumstances.

[0008] Linking detection of movement of the item to the cable spool assembly has the advantage that the spool assembly is mounted below the display surface and is not visible for aesthetic display purposes, nor vulnerable to damage as is the case with the existing micro- switch arrangement and its cabling.

[0009] In preferred embodiments in accordance with the invention the means for detecting rotation of the spool in the first direction and the opposite direction comprise a sensor mounted on the housing and circumferentially spaced markers on the spool, the sensor being positioned and configured to detect passage of the markers as the spool rotates.

[0010] In preferred embodiments the sensor is a photo-sensor and the markers are circumferentially spaced apertures in a disc which forms part of the spool. Furthermore, the detecting means typically also comprises data-processing means operatively connected to the sensor to receive signals from said sensor by electrical or wireless communication and optionally transmit further signals, for example to trigger operation of further equipment.

[0011] It is particularly advantageous if the means of detecting rotation of the spool is capable of differentiating between rotation of the spool in the first direction and rotation of the spool in the opposite direction, namely clockwise or anticlockwise rotation or vice versa, so that it is possible to determine whether the cable is being pulled outwards from the spool or rewound onto the spool when any sensor signal is initiated. This can enable different operations to be triggered upon cable withdrawal and cable retraction. In the context of the above described retail environment, a signal indicative of the cable being pulled outwards, which in turn indicates that the item has been lifted from its cradle for inspection, can be used to trigger an audiovisual presentation on a screen adjacent to the display mount from which the item has been lifted, whereas a signal indicative of cable rewinding, which in turn indicates replacement of the item, can be used to switch off the presentation. This can be particularly helpful when there is a single display screen used for viewing presentations relating to several different items which may be mounted adjacent thereto in the retail premises, as the switching off of one presentation will allow for initiation of a presentation relating to a different item.

[0012] Accordingly, in a specifically preferred embodiment, so that the sensor can specifically detect rotation of the spool in the first direction as different from rotation of the spool in the second direction at least three circumferentially spaced markers are provided on the spool with the distance between first and second adjacent markers being different from the distance between second and third adjacent markers. Thus, the sensor will detect a different time period between the first and second marker compared to between the second and third marker so that in a first direction it may be, for example, a longer time period followed by a shorter time period and the converse in the opposite direction, so that they are distinguished between.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the embodiment of the cable spool assembly of the invention;

Figure 2 is a side view of the same assembly showing how the recoil switch component may be connected to/disconnected from the spool housing;

Figure 3 is a cross-section through the spool assembly shown in figures 1 and 2; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing how the spool assembly of figures 1 , 2 and 3 may be mounted for use in conjunction with a retail display post. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] Referring to figures 1 to 3, a practical embodiment of the cable spool assembly of the invention comprises a spool 10 which is mounted within a housing 12, typically of plastics material, for rotation about a central axis 14. The housing 12 is provided with a cable outlet bush 16 and a cylindrical fitment 18 inserted in said bush 16 which assist mounting of the assembly in its location of use. A cable 20 is wound onto the spool 10. One end of the cable 20 extends through the outlet 16 and is retained in that position by connection to a known form of electrical plug in connector 22, which abuts an outer surface of the fitment 18. The other end of the cable 20 extends at 24 from a different side of the housing 12 to connect to security alarm equipment (not shown).

[0015] A spring-loaded mechanism (not shown) is incorporated which tends to keep the cable 20 wound onto the spool 10. Thus, as shown in broken lines in figure 3, the first end of the cable 20 fitted with the electrical connector 22 can be pulled out from the spool 10, but as soon as tension on that end of the cable 20 is released it will be rewound to the position shown in solid lines in figure 3. Such recoil type spool assemblies are known. Effectively the spool 10 is provided with a spring mechanism which is loaded upon rotation of the spool 10 in a first direction as the cable 20 is pulled out from the spool under tension so that it will automatically cause rotation of the spool 10 in the opposite direction in order to rewind the cable 20 once tension is released. As described so far, such a cable spool assembly is conventional.

[0016] A novel feature of this spool assembly in accordance with the invention is that the spool 10 incorporates a disc 1 1 in which three circumferentially arranged apertures 31 , 32, 33 are formed. Also, the housing 12 has an aperture 19 in its side wall adjacent the disc 1 1 , this aperture 19 being somewhat larger than each of the apertures 31 , 32, 33, but positioned in alignment with the radial location of the apertures 31 , 32, 33 so that these apertures will pass across behind the location of the aperture 19 as the spool 10 rotates, as is apparent in figures 2 and 3. Furthermore, a switch device 40 is provided which is attachable to the side of the housing 12 by respective catches 42 which engage into corresponding openings 43 in the side of the housing 10 adjacent the disc 1 1 . This switch device 40 includes an infrared transmitter 45 and an infrared receiver 46, together comprising a photo-sensor. These are located on/in the side of the switch device 40 which faces the spool housing 12 when the switch is fitted to same, between the respective clips 42. The location of the transmitter and receiver 45, 46 on the switch device 40 is such that that when the device is connected to the housing 10 they are appropriately positioned relative to the aperture 19 to detect there through the presence or absence of the respective apertures 31 , 32, 33. In this respect, the presence of an aperture is detected by the absence at that point of reflection of the infrared beam.

[0017] The switch device 40 incorporates circuitry and software to operate the optical transmitter at 45 and detect reception of reflected infrared at sensor 46 in conventional manner. It has cable connection at 47 for power supply and for output of electrical signals to trigger other equipment, such as an audiovisual display relating to equipment which may be attached to the connected 22 of the cable 20 in the manner explained in the introduction of this specification. An LED 41 is provided to indicate when the switch device 40 has power supply.

[0018] In this illustrated embodiment, starting from the initial position shown in figures 2 and 3 with the disc aperture 33 of the spool 10 in alignment with the housing aperture 19, as the cable 20 is pulled out causing anticlockwise rotation of the spool 10, as viewed in the figures, after almost one entire revolution of the disc 1 1 , the apertures 31 , 32 and 33 pass in succession into alignment with the aperture 19. The switch device 40, via photo-sensor 45, 46, detects a shorter time, shorter angular distance (between apertures 31 , 32) followed by a longer time, longer angular distance (between apertures 32, 33). The switch device 40 may then trigger the starting of an audiovisual display relating to an item of equipment for sale which is attached to the end of the cable 20 which has been pulled outwards. Conversely, when the cable 20 is released and rewound the spool 10 and its disc 1 1 rotate clockwise as viewed in the figures and the photo-sensor detects a longer time, longer angular distance (between apertures 33 and 32) followed by a shorter time, shorter angular distance (between apertures 32 and 31 ). The switch device software detects the different pattern of this signal and may then switch off aforesaid audiovisual display.

[0019] So long as the spool 10 incorporates a disc 1 1 provided with the relevant pattern of apertures 31 , 32, 33, and the housing 12 is formed with the aperture 19, the switch device 40 can be fitted to the spool housing 12 as required. Therefore, the switch device 40 can be supplied separately as an optional extra to a customer for cable spools, depending on whether the customer requires the sensor and switching capabilities of the device 40.

[0020] Figure 4 illustrates how an item of equipment (not shown) displayed for sale may be mounted in a practical situation onto a cradle 50 at the top of a hollow mounting post 51 projecting upwards from a display surface 52. The cable spool housing 12 of figures 1 to 3 is shown mounted below this display surface 52 by means of the cable outlet bush 16. The switch device 40 is out of sight at the other side of the housing 12. The cable 20 is partly drawn out from the spool 10 and extends through the hollow post 51 and cradle 50 where the plug in connector 22 is attached to a corresponding socket connector (not shown) fixed to the rear of the equipment being displayed.

[0021] The switch device software can, of course, be designed to gather similar marketing data as previously relating to the number of times the cable 20 is pulled outwards, indicative of the number of times the relevant item of equipment is lifted from its cradle 50 for inspection, and the time of day and any other relevant data.

[0022] The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment, which is by way of example only. For example, in other embodiments, the sensor used need not be a photo-sensor, and the markers used on the spool need not be apertures, and could instead be marks of reflective material or other material or formations which will be detectable by appropriate sensor means. Also a cable spool assembly in accordance with the invention may be mounted in a different manner to the example of figure 4 and may be used in circumstances other than in association with display mounting of items at point-of-sale.

[0023] Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the words "comprise" and "contain" and variations of them mean "including but not limited to", and they are not intended to (and do not) exclude other components. Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the singular encompasses the plural unless the context otherwise requires.