Tether assembly for a security device

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a tether assembly for securing an item of merchandise. In one example, the tether assembly includes a tether configured to be secured to an item of merchandise and a housing configured to receive the tether. The tether is configured to be extended and retracted relative to the housing. The tether assembly also includes a motor coupled to the tether that is configured to extend and/or retract the tether relative to the housing.

That which is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tether assembly for securing an item of merchandise from theft, the tether assembly comprising:
 a tether configured to be secured to an item of merchandise;   a housing configured to receive the tether, the tether configured to be extended and retracted relative to the housing; and   at least one motor coupled to the tether and configured to extend and/or retract the tether relative to the housing.   
     
     
         2 . The tether assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one rotatable element operably engaged with the motor and configured to engage the tether during extension and/or retraction of the tether. 
     
     
         3 . The tether assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one rotatable element comprises a wheel or a gear. 
     
     
         4 . The tether assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the motor is configured to rotate the at least one rotatable element for extending and/or retracting the tether. 
     
     
         5 . The tether assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a fixed guide disposed within the housing configured to guide the tether into the housing when the tether is retracted therein. 
     
     
         6 . The tether assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the fixed guide is not a rotatable reel. 
     
     
         7 . The tether assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the tether is not wound about a rotatable reel during extension and/or retraction. 
     
     
         8 . The tether assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the motor does not require a slip ring for electrically communicating with the tether. 
     
     
         9 . The tether assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the tether is not coupled to a spring for retracting the tether within the housing. 
     
     
         10 . The tether assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a tension mechanism operably engaged with the tether and the motor, wherein the tension mechanism is configured to actuate the motor in response to tension applied to the tether to facilitate extension and retraction thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The tether assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the motor is disposed within the housing. 
     
     
         12 . The tether assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a clutch operably engaged with the motor and configured to facilitate extension and/or retraction of the tether. 
     
     
         13 . The tether assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the motor is configured to rotate in a first direction to retract the tether within the housing, and wherein the clutch is configured to allow the tether to be extended from the housing while the motor is rotating in the first direction. 
     
     
         14 . The tether assembly of  claim 13 , further comprising a rotatable reel operably engaged with the motor, wherein the motor is configured to rotate the rotatable reel in the first direction to wind the tether about the rotatable reel. 
     
     
         15 . The tether assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the clutch is operably engaged with the rotatable reel and is configured to allow the rotatable reel to rotate in a second direction, opposite the first direction, to unwind the tether from the rotatable reel. 
     
     
         16 . The tether assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the clutch is adjustable such that a tension applied to the tether required to rotate the rotatable reel in the second direction is adjustable. 
     
     
         17 . The tether assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the clutch is a slip clutch operably engaged with the motor. 
     
     
         18 . The tether assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a rotatable reel operably engaged with the motor, wherein the tether is configured to be wound on, or unwound from, the rotatable reel in response to rotation of the rotatable reel by the motor. 
     
     
         19 . The tether assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a triggering mechanism configured to detect motion of the tether, wherein the motor is configured to be actuated in response to a signal provided by the triggering mechanism. 
     
     
         20 . A security system for securing an item of merchandise from theft, the security system comprising:
 a tether configured to be secured to an item of merchandise;   a housing configured to receive the tether, the tether configured to be extended and retracted relative to the housing;   at least one motor coupled to the tether and configured to extend and/or retract the tether into the housing; and   an alarm unit operably engaged with the tether and configured to detect that the tether has been severed and/or separated from the item of merchandise.   
     
     
         21 . A method for securing an item of merchandise from theft, the method comprising:
 installing a tether assembly to a display surface or stand, the tether assembly comprising at least one motor coupled to a tether for extending and/or retracting the tether relative to the display surface or stand; and   securing the tether to an item of merchandise.   
     
     
         22 . A tether assembly for securing an item of merchandise from theft, the tether assembly comprising:
 a tether configured to be secured to an item of merchandise;   a housing configured to receive the tether, the tether configured to be extended and retracted relative to the housing; and   a mechanism coupled to the tether and configured to automatically extend and/or retract the tether relative to the housing without unwinding or winding the tether about a rotatable reel.   
     
     
         23 . The tether assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the mechanism is a motor. 
     
     
         24 . The tether assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the mechanism is a spring configured to retract the tether into the housing.