1. An alarm device configured to detect and deter an unauthorized opening of a lid of a product container, the alarm device comprising:
a circuit board portion and a sensing unit mounted under the lid of the product container, the lid having an open state and a closed state detectable by the sensing unit;
an audible alarm mounted on the circuit board portion;
the sensing unit comprising:
first and second cantilevers that extend generally parallel to each other and outward from a mounting base, the first and second cantilevers comprising first anchored ends extending generally out of the mounting base and second non-anchored ends, the second non-anchored ends crisscrossed, bowed outwardly in a relatively opposed direction and crisscrossed again to form an ovate-shaped opening therebetween before finally ending parallel to each other again, the first cantilever at the second non-anchored end having a first electrical terminal and having a nodule on a top side thereof that abuts an inner surface of the lid when the product container is in the closed state and acts to push the first cantilever towards the second cantilever at the non-anchored ends, and wherein the second cantilever at the second non-anchored end comprises a second electrical terminal facing said first electrical terminal biased by the cantilevers in an electrically non-contacted state maintained so long as the lid is in the open state;
wherein if the lid is in the closed state, the lid presses against the nodule that in turn presses on the first cantilever’s second non-anchored end such that the first and second facing electrical terminals are in an electrically-connected state;
a switching unit mounted on the circuit board portion and comprising a magnetically-operated pin capable of selectively extending into the ovate-shaped opening to lock the first and second electrical terminals of the first and second cantilevers into the electrically-connected state regardless of the openclosed state of the lid; and
wherein the audible alarm is activated upon opening of the lid if the switching unit does not have the magnetically-operated pin selectively extended into said ovate-shaped opening, and responsive to the first and second electrical terminals being in the electrically non-contacted state.
2. The alarm device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the circuit board portion comprises a 0.032\u2033 FR4 double sided printed circuit board.
3. The alarm device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the circuit board portion includes a microcontroller, wherein the microcontroller is in electrical communication with the first electrical terminal, the second electrical terminal, and the audible alarm.
4. The alarm device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the product container is a digital data storage case for housing a CD or DVD.
5. The alarm device in accordance with claim 4, wherein the circuit board portion fits snugly within a central indention of the digital data storage case.
6. The alarm device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the audible alarm means comprises an amplifying unit and a piezo buzzer.
7. The alarm device in accordance with claim 6, wherein the piezo buzzer emits a minimum 80 dB sound at 4 KHz when the audible alarm is activated.
8. The alarm device in accordance with claim 1, wherein a position of the magnetically-operated pin selectively changes from a retracted position to the extended position responsive to applying external electromagnetic force to the switching unit in a first direction, and wherein the position of the magnetically-operating pin selectively changes from the extended position to the retracted position responsive to applying external electromagnetic force to the switching unit in a second direction.
9. The alarm device in accordance with claim 8, wherein the first direction is different than the second direction.
10. The alarm device in accordance with claim 9, wherein the external electromagnetic force applied in the second direction originates from a de-magnetizing station at a retail checkout stand.
11. The alarm device in accordance with claim 1, wherein a position of the magnetically-operated pin with respect to the ovate-shaped opening corresponds to an arming state of the alarm device.
12. The alarm device in accordance with claim 11, wherein the arming state is one of armed or disarmed, and wherein the alarm device can be reused by way of a resetting of the arming state.
13. The alarm device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the mounting base is rectangular in shape and comprises a plastic exterior.
14. The alarm device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the alarm device is battery-powered.
15. A method of installing and implementing the alarm device in accordance with claim 1, the method comprising:
placing the alarm device in the product container;
inserting product contents into the product container;
closing the lid;
arming the alarm device at an arming station, said arming comprising selectively retracting the magnetically-operated pin from the ovate-shaped opening while the lid firmly engages the nodule and the product container is in the closed state; and
authorizing a user to open the product container by disarming the alarm device at a checkout stand, said disarming comprising extending the magnetically-operated pin into the ovate-shaped opening while the lid firmly engages the nodule and the product container is in the closed state.
16. The method in accordance with claim 15, further comprising sealing or shrink-wrapping the product container following closing the lid.
17. A method of detecting and deterring an unauthorized opening of a lid of a product container, the method comprising:
monitoring an open state and a closed state of the lid by way of an alarm device, the alarm device comprising:
a circuit board portion and a sensing unit mounted under the lid of the product container, the lid having an open state and a closed state detectable by the sensing unit;
an audible alarm mounted on the circuit board portion;
the sensing unit comprising:
first and second cantilevers that extend generally parallel to each other and outward from a mounting base, the first and second cantilevers comprising first anchored ends extending generally out of the mounting base and second non-anchored ends, the second non-anchored ends crisscrossed, bowed outwardly in a relatively opposed direction and crisscrossed again to form an ovate-shaped opening therebetween before finally ending parallel to each other again, the first cantilever at the second non-anchored end having a first electrical terminal and having a nodule on a top side thereof that abuts an inner surface of the lid when the product container is in the closed state and acts to push the first cantilever towards the second cantilever at the non-anchored ends, and wherein the second cantilever at the second non-anchored end comprises a second electrical terminal facing said first electrical terminal biased by the cantilevers in an electrically non-contacted state maintained so long as the lid is in the open state;
wherein if the lid is in the closed state, the lid presses against the nodule that in turn presses on the first cantilever’s second non-anchored end such that the first and second facing electrical terminals are in an electrically-connected state;
a switching unit mounted on the circuit board portion and comprising a magnetically-operated pin capable of selectively extending into the ovate-shaped opening to lock the first and second electrical terminals of the first and second cantilevers into the electrically-connected state regardless of the openclosed state of the lid; and
wherein if the switching unit does not have the magnetically-operated pin selectively extended into said ovate-shaped opening and the lid is opened, the first and second electrical terminals are in the electrically non-contacted state;
determining, by the alarm device, if the lid is in the unauthorized open state by determining if the first and second electrical terminals are in the electrically non-contacted state; and
activating the audible alarm responsive to determining that the first and second electrical terminals are in the electrically non-contacted state.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An apparatus for modeling a skeletal structure before and after a surgical procedure is performed on the structure, the apparatus comprising:
a base, the base including a generally planar surface;
a first bone member coupled to the base, the first bone member representing a bone involved in the surgical procedure, and the first bone member being coupled to the base generally parallel to the surface of the base;
a second bone member coupled to the first bone member to simulate a skeletal joint, the second bone member being movably coupled to the first bone member so that the second bone member may be moved between an extended position and a flexed position relative to the first bone member, and the second bone member being movably coupled to the base and adapted to move generally parallel to the surface of the base;
at least one bone portion movably coupled to the bone member, the bone portion representing a part of the bone involved in the surgical procedure that is repositioned in the surgical procedure from a preoperative position to a postoperative position;
wherein the bone portion may be selectively moved between a preoperative position, representing the position of the part of the bone before the surgical procedure is performed, and a postoperative position representing the position of the part of the bone after the surgical procedure is performed; and
at least one stopping member coupled to the base, wherein the stopping member is adapted to stop the second bone member from being moved past a predetermined location on the base.