GB2295910A

GB2295910A - Personal alarm

Info

Publication number: GB2295910A
Application number: GB9504447A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Joseph Y Ko
Original assignee: TELKO Inc
Current assignee: TELKO Inc
Priority date: 1994-12-06
Filing date: 1995-03-06
Publication date: 1996-06-12
Also published as: GB9504447D0

Abstract

The present specification discloses a personal alarm provided with a high output signal and an adjustable strap 14 for securing the alarm to a wrist. The lightweight alarm has an ON/OFF switch 40 to activate the 110 db warning sound when a panic button 46 has been depressed, and the warning sound will continue for a specified time even if the switch 40 is moved to OFF. Thus, the personal alarm is ideal for joggers, persons with medical conditions, or other desiring the security of a compact, personal alarm. <IMAGE>

Description

DESCRIPTION PERSONAL ALARM The present invention relates to a personal alarm.

In particular the present invention relates to a portable alarm device for carrying on one's person.

As people have become more concerned about the possibility of crime occurring at home and on the street, various security devices have been designed to protect potential victims. Portable security devices have become popular with joggers and such, who are often out in the early morning or in the evening when it is dark, or who may exercise in remote or unsecured locales.

Typically, these devices are handheld units, requiring constant use of one of the user's hands.

Thus, the unit is easily set down and forgotten, or lost. Also, the unit may become covered with sweat and made slippery. This makes the unit awkward and uncomfortable to hold. These factors make handheld devices undesirable for use by persons with health problems who could otherwise benefit by having an alarm to sound if a medical emergency occurs.

In the event of an attack, the handheld unit may fall or be knocked out of the user's hand by the assailant before it can be activated. If the unit is activated in the user's hand, the strength of the signal may be diminished by coverage by the hand.

Also, the unit can be easily be taken from the victim and turned off or thrown away by the assailant.

The aim of the present invention is to provide an improved personal alarm that overcomes the problems mentioned.

According to the present invention there is provided a personal alarm for wearing.on a wrist, comprising: a high output alarm unit powered by a battery; a housing including compartments for the high output alarm unit and said battery; and an adjustable strap attached to the housing for securing the housing to said wrist.

The personal alarm of the present invention overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages by including an adjustable strap for securing the lightweight alarm to the user's wrist. The high output signal emitted by the alarm will preferably sound for a specific period of time, even if its ON/OFF switch is turned off. The switch is used to set the alarm after it is attached to the wrist reducing the risk of accidental activation.

Thus, the alarm of the present invention is ideal for joggers, persons with medical conditions, or others desiring the securing of a compact, personal alarm. Further advantages and applications will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description and the drawings referenced herein.

The present invention now being further described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the personal alarm of the present invention, illustrating attachment to a wrist shown in phantom; Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in Fig. 1, illustrating a hook and loop material used for the adjustable strap.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in Figs 1 and 2, illustrating the attachment of the adjustable strap to the housing of the personal alarm; and Fig. 4 is an exploded, perspective, bottom view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, illustrating the cover and compartments for the battery and alarm unit (not shown).

A preferred embodiment of the personal alarm of the present invention is illustrated in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings, and generally referenced by the numeral 10. The alarm 10 is, in use, attached to the wrist of a user shown in phantom. Although the alarm is shown with its generally rectangular housing 12 located on the bottom of the wrist, corresponding to the palm side of the hand, it is obvious that the alarm 10 may also be attached with the housing 12 located on the other side of the wrist, corresponding to the back of the hand.

The small, compact size of the alarm 10 is readily seen in Fig. 1. The alarm 10, when worn, resembles a pedometer or large wristwatch, thereby disguising the fact that the user has an alarm at his/her disposal. An adjustable strap 14, shown more clearly in Figs. 2 and 3, uses hook and loop fasteners 16a,b, such as VelcroTM, to attach around the wrist.

Alternatively, a buckle or other conventional fastening mechanism may be used.

The strap 14 can thus adapt to the smaller wrist of a youth or female, as well as the larger wrist of a grown man. Also, the hook and loop fasteners 16a,b are not readily released by pulling along the length of the strap 14, such as occurs of the housing 12 is pulled from the wrist during an attack. Release of the hooks from the loops is achieved by pulling the hook material 16b in a substantially perpendicular direction away from the plane of the loop material 16a, as indicated by an arrow in Figure 3.

The attachment of the strap 14 to the housing 12 is illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. The strap 14 extends through a lower portion 18 of the housing 12, through slots 20 formed longitudinally through legs 22 on the two longer sides of the lower portion 18. A generally rectangular section 24 located centrally on the lower portion 18 protrudes away from a lower face 26 that forms the bottom of the housing 12. The strap 14 extends through openings 28 in this section 24 which are parallel to the slots 20. Thus, the strap 14 is secured to the sides of the housing 12 and is also in contact with approximately at least one-quarter of the area of the bottom of the housing 12. This ensures that the housing 12 is not easily pulled away from the strap 14 that is attached to the wrist of the user.

The lower portion 18 of the housing 12 is more clearly illustrated in Fig. 4 where compartments 30, 32 are indicated in a main body 34 of the housing 12 for a replaceable battery 36 and an alarm unit (not shown). The lower portion 18 is press-fitted over the compartments 30, 32, with footed members 38 latching onto an inner lip (not shown) of the compartments 30, 32. A small screw (not shown) is used to further securely attach the lower portion 18 to the main body 34. Other fastening mechanisms well known to those skilled in the art may alternatively or additional be used to attach the lower portion 18 of the housing 12 to the main body 34.

The alarm unit is enabled, or connected to the battery power source, using an ON/OFF switch 40 located on the side of the housing 12. Alternatively, the switch 40 can be located on the top or on another side of the housing 12 as well. The switch 40 is kept in an OFF position until the alarm 10 is attached to the wrist and the user is in need of security.

The batter-operated alarm unit is preferably mounted beneath a frusto-conical portion 42 located in a circular depression 44 on the top face of the housing 12, as seen in Fig. 1. The slanted sides of the frusto-conical portion 42 serve to disperse the alarm signal upward as well as outward. A preferably 110 decibel signal is of sufficiently high output to be heard up to 1/4 mile away. The alarm unit construction is of any well known to those skilled in the art.

A panic button 46 is located on top of the housing 12 next to the frusto-conical portion 42. The button 46 has an upper surface which is raised higher than the top of the frusto-conical portion 42, as seen more clearly in Fig. 2, for quick location by the user in an emergency. The raised surface for the button 46 affords activation without precise positioning or by use of other than a finger. That is, pressure does not have to be applied to the exact center of the button for activation. Also, another body part, such as the hip or chest, or a nearby tree or wall, may be used to apply the pressure on the button for activation of the alarm.

When the button 46 is depressed, the 110 db alarm will sound for preferably at least 50 seconds, even if the switch 40 is turned to OFF during the alarm signal. This feature guarantees than an assailant cannot deactive the alarm 10 after only a few seconds.

In an attack with a high output alarm signal ongoing for more than a few seconds, the assailant is much more likely to be deterred from continuing his attack, since the longer the alarm 10 is on the more likely it is that a bystander will hear and respond.

The embodiment illustrated and described above is provided merely to indicate a preferred construction of the personal alarm of the present invention. Other changes and modifications may be made from the embodiment presented herein by those skilled in the art without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A personal alarm for wearing on a wrist, comprising: a high output alarm unit powered by a battery; a housing including compartments for the high output alarm unit and said battery; and an adjustable strap attached to the housing for securing the housing to said wrist.

2. A personal alarm as claimed in claim 1, in which said high output alarm unit is capable of approximately 110 decibels.

3. A personal alarm as claimed in claim 1, in which the housing further includes a button for activation of the high output alarm unit.

4. A personal alarm as claimed in claim 1, in which the adjustable strap utilizes hook and loop fasteners.

5. A personal alarm as claimed in claim 1, in which the housing further includes a switch for electrically coupling/decoupling the high output alarm unit from said battery.

6. A personal alarm for wearing on a wrist, constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.