AU689339B2 - Anti-theft hang-up card - Google Patents

Description

1.

S F Ref: 319509

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

Name and Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: ASSOCIATED PROVISIONAL [31] Application No(s) PM9652 Cooper Tools Pty Limited 519 Nurigong Street Albury New South Wales 2640

AUSTRALIA

Brian S. Theros Spruson Ferguson, Patent Attorneys Level 33 St Martins Tower, 31 Market Street Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia Anti-Theft Hang-Up Card APPLICATION DETAILS [331 Country

AU

[32] Application Date 24 November 1994 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- 5815 -1A- DISPLAY CARD Field of the Invention This invention relates to theft deterrent devices, in particular, to a theft deterring display card for tools having belt clips or hooks, such as measuring tapes.

Further, this invention also relates to a theft deterring method of displaying and storing such tools.

Background of the Invention Shoplifting is a major problem for shopkeepers and their staff. Shoplifters "must be very quick to conceal goods without attracting the attention of staff, before 10 removing the goods from the store.

Consequently, some items, such as tools, are often displayed attached or blister packaged on larger display cards. The larger display card and blister packaging acts as an obstacle to a would-be thief. However, it is often difficult for a genuine customer to remove the item from the display card after purchasing the item, even more so if it is 15 blistr packaged.

Object of the Invention It is an object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the above disadvantages through provision of a theft deterring display card for tools with belt hooks, such as tape measures.

Summary of the Invention This invention in one broad form provides a display card for tools having belt hooks, comprising: a card of foldable material, slotted so as to define a flap and a tongue wherein; said flap is adapted to admit a belt hook of a tool; and said tongue is adapted to be folded towards said flap, said tongue being hingedly attached to said card and further comprising a tab adapted such that when said tongue is folded towards said flap, the tab of the tongue is inverted.

Preferably, said tab is adapted to engage a slot or aperture in said hook when said hook is inserted through said card.

The invention in another broad form provides a method of storing and/or displaying a tool having a belt hook, said method comprising the steps of: providing a display card as defined in any one of claims 1-11; folding said tongue towards said flap; inserting the belt hook of a tool through said flap; and engaging the tab of said tongue with a slot or aperture in said belt hook.

o.

Preferably, the display card and tool are then displayed by hanging, via said hole in the display card.

Brief Description of the Drawings A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the following drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a back or front view of a display card.

15 Figure 2 is a back view of the display card of Figure 1 with a belt clip of a tool inserted therein.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the display card of Figure 1, taken through line A-A, including a tape measure.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiment Referring to Figure 1, the display card is shown at In this preferred embodiment, the flap and the tongue are substantially rectangular in shape. The tab of the tongue is rounded in shape. The tongue (6) remains attached to the card at locations A and B, and can be folded towards the flap causing tab to project away from the flap Flap is cut as a substantially U-shaped cut in the card to facilitate a belt hook passing through. The flap can be tucked in between the measuring tape case and the belt clip after the belt clip has been positioned in the card (see Figure This arrangement impedes the belt hook's withdrawal.

-3- Tongue is also cut into the card in a position below the flap (2) described above. The tongue is hinged at points A and B, with tab cut in between.

In operation, the tongue is pushed out and folded back toward flap (2) before the belt hook is positioned, thus forming a double card thickness under the hook (see Figure When the tongue is folded up towards the flap the tab is inverted by means of hinged locations A and B, and presents itself to engage hole in the hook of the tool. This engagement impedes movement of the belt hook while the double thickness of the card, formed by the folded tongue maintains pressure on the tab's engagement.

Thus, the card is difficult for a thief to detach from the tool without drawing attention to himself, but not so difficult that a genuine buyer will be put off from further purchase of the brand by a difficult task of separating the measuring tape from the card after the purchase has been made.

15 Further, the card can display printed information about the product, such as a price ticket o- a security device.

Claims (14)

1. A display card for tools having belt hooks, comprising: a card of foldable material, slotted so as to define a flap and a tongue wherein; said flap is adapted to admit a belt hook of a tool; and said tongue is adapted to be folded towards said flap, said tongue being hingedly attached to said card and further comprising a tab adapted such that when said tongue is folded towards said flap, the tab of the tongue is inverted.

2. The display card of claim 1, wherein said tab is adapted to engage a 0 slot or aperture in said hook when said tongue is inverted and when said hook is 1o inserted through said card.

3. The display card of claim 1 or 2, wherein said tongue is substantially rectangular in shape.

4. The display card of any one of claims 1-3, wherein said flap is substantially rectangular in shape. 15

5. The display card of any one of-claims 1 to 4, wherein said tongue is hingedly connected to said card at both sides of said tab, said tab and hinged connection situated on the side of the tongue closest to said flap.

6. The display card of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said tongue is displaced a distance away from said flap approximately equal to the length of said tongue.

7. The display card of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the width of said tongue and said flap is approximately equal to the width of said belt hook of said tool.

8. The display card of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein said card further comprises a hole or slot adapted so that said card can be hung on a hook or bar.

9. The display card of any one of claims 1-8, wherein said tab is rounded in shape.

The display card of any one of claims 1-9, wherein said card is made from cardboard.

11. The display card of any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein said card is rectangular in shape.

12. A method of storing and/or displaying a tool having a belt hook, said method comprising the steps of: providing a display card as defined in any one of claims 1-11; folding said tongue towards said flap; inserting the belt hook of a tool through said flap; and 10 engaging the tab of said tongue with a slot or aperture in said belt hook.

S13. A display card substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

14. A method of storing and/or displaying a tool having a belt hook, said method being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the 15 accompanying drawings. DATED this Nineteenth Day of October 1995 Cooper Tools Pty Limited Patent Attorneys for the Applicant SPRUSON FERGUSON ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE DISPLAY CARD A display card for tools having belt hooks comprises a card of foldable material. The card is slotted so as to form a flap and a tongue The flap is adapted to admit the belt hook of the tool The tongue (6)'is adapted so as to be folded towards the flap The tongue is hingedly connected to the card and comprises a tab which is inverted when the tongue is folded towards the flap **S b C ft