EP3502383A1 - Electronic anti-theft system with clamping function - Google Patents

Abstract

Electronic anti-theft device (1) comprising electronic detection means, a first part (2) and a second part (3), each having an internal contact surface (20, 30), and the first part (2) being movable relative to the second part (3) so as to cooperate by gripping at their respective contact surfaces (20, 30), characterized in that at least one of the parts, preferably both parts ( 2, 3) have on their contact surface (20, 30) an abrasive coating (8).

Description

The invention relates to the field of electronic locks, more particularly the electronic store devices that can electronically protect the self-service items in stores.

An electronic store anti-theft device, known as the Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS), features an electronic system that triggers an alarm when the burglar crosses a detection gantry designed to detect the frequency transmitted by the electronic system. burglar.

An electronic lock can have various forms depending on the type of item to protect. It may be for example an electronic tag (usually called tag), or a lock whose shape is suitable for bottles, or textile articles, or glasses, etc.

The invention relates more particularly to an antitheft device that can be attached to an object to be protected, by bringing together two parts with a pinch effect or tightening after the object.

There are known anti-theft electronic locks such as those used for elongated articles of the type glasses.

This type of antitheft has two parts, articulated relative to each other and each having a pinch contact surface with the article to be protected. Usually, each contact surface has a plastic coating to prevent damage to the article, and preferably is provided with teeth-like relief means that engage by mutual engagement when both contact surfaces are clamped together. against the other, and which are elastically deformable when they are in support against the article. However, it has been found that such a pinch function lock is not always suitable for certain articles which, being pinched, can be damaged, marked or even deteriorated during the installation or removal of the burglar.

Items that can not be protected by this type of lock with pinch function include those with a flexible envelope, particularly paper of aluminum, such as flexible metal packaging of fresh products of the meat type, packet of coffee, foie gras, salmon, or returned leather articles such as gloves, boots, pumps.

In addition, aluminum packaging can not be protected with electronic burglar-proof labels either, since aluminum counteracts the anti-theft label; nor can they be protected with nail locks, because the nail would pierce the packaging which would introduce air into the packaging and render the product unfit for consumption.

Finally, the leather products that are now pierced by conventional nail locks are damaged by the holes left by the nails of the locks.

Therefore, even today, some self-service items can not be electronically protected by existing locks on the market, without the risk of damaging or damaging them.

The invention therefore aims to obviate these drawbacks by proposing an electronic anti-theft device that provides a locking and / or holding reliability on the object to be protected, without drilling, affecting, damaging said object, while being simple implementation.

For this purpose, according to the invention, the electronic antitheft device comprises electronic detection means, a first part and a second part, each endowed with a so-called contact surface, and the first part being mobile with respect to the second part. so as to cooperate by pinching at their contact surface, the antitheft device being characterized in that at least one of the parts, preferably both parts have on their contact surface an abrasive coating. The abrasive coating is intended to be in direct contact with the object to be pinched.

Surprisingly, it turns out that the abrasive-coated surface provides an optimal jamming of the object, preventing all the better the removal of the lock, in case of traction of the object or the lock when this last is in the closed pinch position.

Unexpectedly, the abrasive coating whose function is usually to scrub polish, renovate a surface, and therefore stripping, engenders during pinching and after removal of the device no marking on the object.

Thus, the abrasive coating which is totally diverted from its stripping function, is used, combined with the pinch function of both parts of the device, as locking means, and unexpectedly provides a mechanically secure lock, preventing any risk of damage to the article to be protected.

The first mobile part is advantageously rotatable relative to an axis of rotation. The axis of rotation is disposed in a central portion of the entire device. The first part is rotatable / pivotable relative to the second part between a first open end position and a second end position said closed where the two respective contact surfaces are intended to pinch the object to be protected electronically.

The size of the device and the opening angle of the two nipping portions will be a function of the thickness of the article to be pinched.

For example, a maximum angle of 60 ° is sufficient for articles with a thickness of at most 3 to 5 mm. Of course, the device can be adapted for larger thicknesses. According to one characteristic, the abrasive coating comprises, on the one hand, a support rendered integral by one of its faces with the part or parts capable of pinching, in particular the support being made of paper, textile, fabric, polymer or synthetic fibers, and on the other hand abrasive grains which are carried by the support opposite the fastening face of said support. The abrasive grains may be of mineral or synthetic material.

According to another characteristic, the abrasive coating has a roughness whose grain (according to the classification of the European Federation of Abrasives Producers, FEPA, which also corresponds to the ISO 6344 standard) is between P50 and P800, preferably between P50. and P400, even more preferred between P80 and P120.

Preferably, the abrasive coating is emery cloth.

According to another characteristic, the abrasive coating covers all or part of the contact surface or surfaces.

The abrasive coating is bonded or heat-welded to the nip portions, or the bodies of the nip portions are overmolded to the coating.

Advantageously, the contact surfaces are parallel to one another. Advantageously, the electronic detection means are housed inside the second mobile nipping part.

The antitheft device comprises means for locking the closed position of the two parts, in particular the locking means are arranged opposite the opening of the two parts.

In a preferred embodiment, the locking means comprise a notched tongue capable of cooperating with a notched retaining piece which is able to be movable and is associated with a magnetic material, said magnetic material being housed in a protruding element. to the body of the device and disposed opposite the first and second nipping portions.

The locking means of the device are designed to keep locked the second mobile part in pinch / closed position.

The magnetic material and the mobility of the retaining piece allow the unlocking, and the opening of the device (the opening of the movable nip). Advantageously, the locking means are operable via a support member (manual), preferably said support member having on its outer face facing the external environment a concave surface / a recess favoring the positioning of the finger of the 'user.

According to another characteristic, the first movable part is articulated in rotation with respect to an axis of rotation, preferably the device comprising a support member which is associated with the axis of rotation and participates in closing the device, in particular the support member being integral with a gripping portion extending the movable portion on the other side of the axis of rotation In the open position of the device, the support member is projecting from the rest of the body of the device .

The axis of rotation may be provided with a return spring for automatic opening of the nip portions once the device is unlocked.

The invention finally relates to the use of the electronic antitheft device of the invention for self-service articles, in particular the article being a flexible or semi-rigid or rigid packaging, such as a thickness of the order of at most 5 mm (between 0.1 mm and 5 mm), and / or the article having a cooperation surface of the type of aluminum, or plastic or leather returned.

• La figure 1 représente une vue en perspective depuis l'une des faces du dispositif antivol selon l'invention, en position ouverte ;
• La figure 2 est une vue en perspective de la face opposée du dispositif antivol de la figure 1 ;
• La figure 3 est une vue du dispositif antivol de la figure 2 en position fermée ;
• La figure 4 est une vue de côté du dispositif antivol de la figure 3 ;
• La figure 5 est une vue de dessus du dispositif antivol de la figure 1 ;
• La figure 6 est une vue en perspective du dispositif antivol de l'invention pincé après une paire de gants en cuir dont seule l'extrémité ouverte desdits gants est visible ;
• La figure 7 est une vue en perspective de dessus d'un emballage de produit, pincé par le dispositif antivol de l'invention.

The present invention is now described with the aid of examples which are only illustrative and in no way limit the scope of the invention, and from the attached illustrations, in which:

• The figure 1 represents a perspective view from one of the faces of the antitheft device according to the invention, in the open position;
• The figure 2 is a perspective view of the opposite face of the antitheft device of the figure 1 ;
• The figure 3 is a view of the anti-theft device of the figure 2 in closed position;
• The figure 4 is a side view of the antitheft device of the figure 3 ;
• The figure 5 is a top view of the antitheft device of the figure 1 ;
• The figure 6 is a perspective view of the antitheft device of the invention pinched after a pair of leather gloves of which only the open end of said gloves is visible;
• The figure 7 is a perspective view from above of a product package, pinched by the antitheft device of the invention.

The electronic antitheft device 1 according to the invention illustrated on the figures 1 and following is intended to be pinched on a store item to be protected and sold in self-service, such as a pair of gloves ( figure 6 ), or a semi-rigid or rigid flexible packaging of a food product for example, such as meat in flexible aluminum packaging or fish in semi-rigid packaging ( figure 7 ).

• deux parties de pincement 2 et 3 qui sont articulées l'une par rapport à l'autre selon un axe de rotation 4 pour procurer un dispositif à l'état ouvert, comme illustré sur les figures 1 et 2, ou à l'état fermé (figures 3 à 7), la première partie de pincement 2 (dite partie mobile) étant par exemple celle mobile par rapport à la seconde partie 3 (dite partie fixe) ;
• deux parties de préhension 2A et 3A qui sont en prolongement des parties de pincement respectives 2 et 3, transversalement et par rapport à l'axe de rotation 4 (donc à l'opposé de l'ouverture des parties de pincement du dispositif) ;
• des moyens de protection électronique non visibles et de préférence logés dans le corps un peu plus épais de la partie mobile de pincement 2, les moyens de protection électronique n'étant pas davantage décrits car connus en soi, tels que par radio fréquence, acousto-magnétique, RFID et autres technologies électroniques ;
• un organe d'actionnement/d'appui 5 pour la fermeture du dispositif qui forme avantageusement ou est porté par la partie de préhension 2A de la partie mobile 2 ;
• des moyens de verrouillage 6 permettant de verrouiller le dispositif en position fermée/pincée, et
• un élément 7 en saillie de la partie de préhension 3A de la partie fixe 3, ledit élément étant disposé à l'opposé des parties de pincement 2 et 3 et participant au déverrouillage des deux parties de pincement 2 et 3 lorsqu'elles sont fermées afin d'ouvrir le dispositif.

The electronic antitheft device 1 comprises according to the invention:

• two nip portions 2 and 3 which are hinged relative to one another along an axis of rotation 4 to provide a device in the open state, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 , or in the closed state ( Figures 3 to 7 ), the first nip portion 2 (said movable portion) being for example that movable relative to the second portion 3 (said fixed portion);
• two gripping portions 2A and 3A which are in extension of the respective gripping portions 2 and 3, transversely and with respect to the axis of rotation 4 (thus opposite to the opening of the gripping portions of the device);
• non-visible electronic protection means and preferably housed in the somewhat thicker body of the movable gripping portion 2, the electronic protection means not being further described as known per se, such as by radio frequency, acousto- magnetic, RFID and other electronic technologies;
• an actuating / supporting member 5 for closing the device which advantageously forms or is carried by the gripping portion 2A of the movable part 2;
• locking means 6 for locking the device in the closed / pinched position, and
• an element 7 protruding from the gripping portion 3A of the fixed part 3, said element being disposed opposite the gripping portions 2 and 3 and participating in the unlocking of the two gripping parts 2 and 3 when they are closed so as to to open the device.

The gripping parts 2 and 3, the gripping parts 3A, 2A, the support member 5, the locking means 6 and the projecting element 7 are made of rigid plastic, for example polyvinyl chloride (PVC ).

Each nip portion 2 and 3 has, in the example illustrated, a substantially parallelepipedal shape that is in no way limiting, the large dimension of which defines a longitudinal direction, which is also that of the axis of rotation 4.

• une position ouverte (figures 1 et 2), par exemple jusqu'à un angle d'ouverture maximal d'environ 60° ;
• une position fermée ou rabattue (figures 3 à 7) pour laquelle, lorsqu'il n'y a pas d'objet positionné entre les parties, les deux parties mobile 2 et fixe 3 portent l'une contre l'autre, et lorsqu'un objet est positionné entre les parties, ladite partie mobile 2 vient en pincement contre ledit objet tandis que la partie fixe est déjà en place sur la face opposée de l'objet.

The movable part 2 is rotatable relative to the fixed part 3 between two extreme positions, namely:

• an open position ( Figures 1 and 2 ), for example up to a maximum opening angle of about 60 °;
• a closed or folded position ( Figures 3 to 7 ) for which, when there is no object positioned between the parts, the two moving parts 2 and fixed 3 bear against each other, and when an object is positioned between the parts, said part mobile 2 pinches against said object while the fixed part is already in place on the opposite side of the object.

The movable gripping portion 2 is articulated via the axis of rotation 4.

The nip portions 2 and 3 and their respective gripping portions 2A, 3A are crossed relative to the axis of rotation 4 to form a gripper.

The axis of rotation 4 can be associated with a return spring. If there is a return spring, the return spring has a rest position when the movable portion 2 is fully open, and is constrained in the closed position / pinching of the movable portion 2 against the fixed portion 3. The return spring allows when the unlocking has been actuated to automatically open the moving part 2 of pinching.

The inside of each nip portion 2 and 3 has a contact surface 20, respectively 30 ( Figures 1 to 3 ) which will be described later. In the closed position of the immobilized anti-theft device, the contact surfaces 20 and 30 are in contact with one another, or in close contact with one another or very close to one another ( figure 4 ).

The movable part 2 (higher / thicker than the fixed part 3) invisibly houses the electronic protection means intended to cooperate in case of theft with means of detection and sensors arranged at the outputs of the store. These electronic protection means which are known per se are not further described.

The gripping portion 3A of the fixed portion 3 has on one of its main faces, opposite the face extending the movable portion 2 and between the axis of rotation 4 and the projecting element 7, a recess 31 so that the gripping portion 2A out of the movable part. By pressing on the gripping portion 2A of the movable portion 2, this causes the pivoting of the movable portion 2 relative to the axis of rotation 4. The recess 31 can accommodate or extract the gripping portion 2A carrying the actuating / supporting member 5. The support member 5 assists in the closing (and thus pinching) of said movable nipping part 2 when a pressure is applied to it, for example with the finger. Advantageously, the support member 5 has on its outer face facing the external environment a concave surface / a recess 50 promoting the positioning of the finger of the user.

The locking means 6 are provided to temporarily close (until unlocking) the two gripping portions 2 and 3 against each other.

The locking means 6 comprise ( figure 2 ) opposite the axis of rotation4, on the one hand a notched tongue 60 which extends in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation 4 and in a direction according to the thickness of the device, being integral with the free end of the support member 5, and on the other hand a receiving housing 61 carried by the inner face of the projecting element 7 opposite the recess 31, said housing 61 being of shape complementary to the tongue 60 and provided with a retaining piece 62 which is pivotally or translationally movable so as to be able to move away from the tongue 60 while shifting towards the inside of the element 7.

The retaining piece 62 is notched on its internal face to the housing 61 so as to mutually cooperate with the notched tongue 60 when it is inserted into the receiving housing 61, so as to lock the closure of the device.

The movable retaining piece 62 has on its opposite face, that housed inside the projecting element 7, a portion of magnetic material, here not visible.

The projecting element 7 has an outer end face 70 which is intended to cooperate with a common antitheft stain removal tool (not shown) generally called detacher and formed of a strong magnet to cause the opening of the nip portions 2 and 3. In the bearing position of the projecting element 7 against the detacher, the part the movable retaining piece 62 is attracted to the detacher generating the movement of the retaining piece 62 towards the interior of the element 7 and in the direction opposite to the support member 5 and to the notched tongue 60 , which frees the coupling of the notches of the tongue 60 and the retaining piece 62 and thus unlocks the closure of the two nip portions 2 and 3.

Both nip portions 2 and 3 can be pulled to open the clamp / device.

In the case of the presence of a return spring, because of the combination of the support member 5 (gripping portion 2A of the movable portion 2) to the return spring of the axis of rotation 4, when the toothed tongue 60 which is integral with the support member 5 is dissociated from the retaining piece 62 which has been attracted by the detacher, the tongue 60 is ejected from the housing 61 and the movable gripping portion 2 s' then opens automatically.

Preferably, the gripping portion 2A of the movable portion 2 with the support member 5, and the projecting element 7 have a thickness (height) dimension perpendicular to the axis of rotation 4 and the plane of the surfaces of contacting the nip portions 2 and 3, which does not exceed (or substantially not) the height / thickness of the two nip portions 2 and 3 in the closed position, as shown in FIG. figure 4 . The device is not bulky.

With respect to pinching, the contact surfaces 20 and 30 form pinch surfaces of the object between which the object is intended to be firmly sandwiched. For example, gloves ( figure 6 ) and the flexible envelope ( figure 7 ), are thus clamped or clamped between said contact surfaces 20 and 30.

According to the invention, the contact surfaces 20 and 30 are such that they allow an optimal tightening of the object ensuring a firm hold in place of the antitheft device 1 and without risk of opening the antitheft device, or tearing or deterioration of the pinched surface of the object, if it is accidentally pulled on the device in its closed state.

According to the invention, the contact surfaces 20 and 30 comprise an abrasive coating 8. In the preferred embodiment, the abrasive coating 8 is emery cloth. In particular, it has a grain between P80 and P120.

The coating 8 is secured to the inner face of the nip portions 2 and 3, preferably by gluing.

Preferably, the coating 8 is made integral with the entire internal face of the two nipping portions 2 and 3.

The use of the antitheft device 1 is as follows.

Advantageously, the user only needs one hand to manipulate the antitheft device and ensure its closure around the object that is grasped with the other hand.

The user having entered the lock 1 via the gripping parts 2A and 3A, the support member 5 projecting from the outer surface of the rest of the body of the device and the gripping portions 2 and 3 being in the open state, it positions the two pinching parts 2 and 3 astride the object to be protected. Then, he puts his thumb against the support member 5, more particularly on the positioning surface 50 of the thumb. By pressing on the support member 5 which tilts towards the inside of the device, at the same time as the movable nipping portion 2 is closed, the notched tongue 60 is inserted in the housing 61 and cooperates with the retaining piece notched 62 until the respective contact surfaces 20 and 30 press the object. The anti-theft device is locked.

The device of the invention thus makes it possible to attach to the object firmly and locked, while very effectively resisting tearing that would be operated on the object by pulling on the device without risk of deterioration of the object thanks to the abrasive coating 8 of the contact surfaces 20 and 30.

To open the anti-theft device 1, the user positions the projecting element 7 against a detacher, releasing the notched tongue 60 which allows the opening of the nip portions 2 and 3 and causes the return tilting of the organ 5. The user can then remove the anti-theft device from the object.

Claims (14)

Electronic anti-theft device (1) comprising electronic detection means, a first part (2) and a second part (3), each having an internal contact surface (20, 30), and the first part (2) being movable relative to the second part (3) so as to cooperate by gripping at their respective contact surfaces (20, 30), characterized in that at least one of the parts, preferably both parts ( 2, 3) have on their contact surface (20, 30) an abrasive coating (8). Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the abrasive coating (8) comprises on the one hand a support secured by one of its faces to the part or parts (2, 3) capable of pinching, in particular the support being made of paper, textile, fabric, polymer or synthetic fibers, and secondly abrasive grains carried by the support opposite the fastening face of said support. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the abrasive coating (8) has a roughness whose grain is between P50 and P800, preferably between P50 and P400, even more preferred between P80 and P120. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the abrasive coating (8) is emery cloth. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the abrasive coating (8) covers all or part of the contact surface (s) (20, 30). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the contact surfaces (20, 30) are parallel to one another. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the abrasive coating (8) is glued or heat-welded to the parts (2, 3), or the bodies of the parts (2, 3) are overmolded on the coating . Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electronic detection means are housed inside the second movable gripping part (3). Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises locking means (60, 62, 7) for the closed position of the two parts (2, 3), in particular the locking means being arranged opposite the opening of the two parts (2, 3). Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises means for locking (60, 62, 7) the closed position of the two parts (2, 3), via a magnetic material which is housed in a element (7) protruding from the body of the device and arranged opposite the parts (2, 3), preferably the locking means comprising a notched tongue (60) adapted to cooperate with a notched retaining piece (62). ) which is movable and is associated with a magnetic material, said magnetic material being housed in a member (7) projecting from the body of the device and disposed opposite the parts (2, 3). Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises means (60) for locking the closed position of the two parts (2, 3), which can be actuated via a support member (5), preferably said support member (5) having on its external face facing the external environment a concave surface (50). Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first movable part (2) is articulated in rotation with respect to an axis of rotation (4), preferably the device comprising a support member (5) which is associated with the axis of rotation (4) and participates in closing the device, in particular the support member (5) being integral with a gripping portion (2A) extending the movable portion (2) of the other side of the axis of rotation (4). Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the axis of rotation is provided with a return spring for an automatic opening of the first and second parts once the device is unlocked. Use of the device according to any one of the preceding claims for self-service articles, in particular the article being a flexible or semi-rigid or rigid packaging, and / or the article having a surface of cooperation of the aluminum type, or plastic or leather returned.

Images