FR2843155A1 - ANTI-THEFT DEVICE AND METHOD FOR ARTICLES COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE END OR SECTION OF SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL SHAPE - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an anti-theft device (1) for articles comprising at least one end or a section substantially in the shape of a cylinder, such as for example alcohol bottles, tennis rackets, fishing rods or clubs. golf, constituted by a body engaging on the cylinder-shaped end of the article, characterized in that said body comprises a plurality of portions (4, 5, 6) of complementary shape capable of surrounding the circumference of said end, said body comprising at least one sliding means for sliding at least a portion of said portions (4, 5, 6) one inside the other, so as to grip and adapt to all sizes and shapes of the end in the form of a cylinder, by simple pressure on at least a portion of said portions (4, 5, 6) so as to bring them into contact with the walls of said end.

Description

ANTITHEFT DEVICE AND PROCESS FOR ARTICLES

  COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE EXTR MIT OR A SHAPE SECTION

SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL

  The present invention relates to an article device and method comprising at least one end or a section of substantially cylindrical shape. It applies in particular, but not exclusively, to bottles or containers of liquid, generally in

  glass, sold in supermarkets.

  Theft of bottles in supermarkets now represents around a third of all thefts in stores, which constitutes a considerable financial loss for sellers of this type of goods, this having the direct consequence of causing a proportional increase in the cost

purchase for consumers.

    at present, there are anti-theft devices on the market which are each used for a particular type of bottle, that is to say that the anti-theft device cannot adapt to the diameter of the neck of the bottle, in particular when the shape of said neck is not a regular cylindrical but rather appears

in a flared form.

  Furthermore, the existing devices are often bulky and therefore bulky and therefore, the bottles provided with this anti-theft device can no longer be easily placed in the shelves of large surfaces and other stores. In general, the larger these anti-theft devices, the more they have a very hard, or robust, fixing mechanism, which

  often damages bottle necks.

  Finally, anti-theft devices for bottles are often either fragile or disposable, which makes them unusable after the customer has checked out. This drawback has the consequence of considerably increasing the cost of anti-theft devices for

  the operator of the big box or store.

  Thus, patent application N0WO 0175254 is already known which describes a safety device intended for a bottle comprising a neck provided with a closure. This safety device comprises a sheath designed to receive the neck of a bottle as well as a retaining element mounted to pivot relative to this sheath for movement between a free position and a locked position. This retaining element comprises an internal part projecting through an opening made in said sheath, that is to say in its bore. This internal part is designed to engage with a shoulder of the neck of the bottle or with an edge of its closure so as to prevent the withdrawal of the sheath from the neck of the bottle when the device has been placed there. A magnetic frame is connected to the retainer so that an applied magnetic field acts on the frame and moves the retainer to its free position, which allows the sheath to be removed from the bottle. A housing houses the release mechanism as well as a high frequency responder or the like, unauthorized removal of a bottle fitted with this safety device from

  a protected area triggering an alarm.

  Also known is the French patent N'FR 2735751, filed in the name of the applicant, which relates to an anti-theft device for an article having a substantially cylindrical end provided with a substantially annular bulge, for example a bottle or a vial, constituted by a body removable comprising means capable of enclosing, in the closed position, said cylindrical end and a locking means to prevent the opening of said means without the use of a specific tool. This device is characterized in that the body is formed by a substantially tubular element having a diameter greater than the diameter of the annular bulge provided with a member movable relative to the tubular element between a closed position in which it delimits a lower section to the section of the annular bulge and an unlocking position in which it delimits a section greater than the section of the annular bulge. Finally, the European patent application N'EP 1121300 is known which relates to an anti-theft device for bottles comprising an interior element and an exterior element, which cooperate to lock said device on the neck of a bottle. The inner element comprises a plurality of tabs designed to be housed under the collar counter-ring. The inner member also has teeth projecting outward. The outer element slides on the inner element and pushes the tabs against the bottle. The outer member further includes a plurality of upwardly extending tabs, which tabs have teeth projecting inwardly to contact the teeth of the inner member. A key is used to separate the interior and exterior elements so as to remove the device from the bottle, the tabs extending towards

  the top then being extracted from the cooperating teeth.

  The invention therefore aims to remedy the drawbacks of the devices of the prior art. To this end, it provides an anti-theft device for articles comprising at least one end or a section substantially in the form of a cylinder, such as for example alcohol bottles, tennis rackets, fishing rods or golf clubs, consisting of by a body engaging the cylinder-shaped end of the article, characterized in that said body comprises a plurality of portions of complementary shape capable of surrounding the circumference of said end, said body comprising at least one means of sliding to slide at least a portion of said portions into each other, so as to grip and adapt to all sizes and shapes of the cylinder-shaped end, by simple pressure on at least a portion of said portions so as to bring them into contact with the walls of said end and in that at least two of the portions comprise at least one rail, situated on its internal face, therefore t at least one part has a section of shape substantially complementary to part of the above

cylinder-shaped end.

  Thanks to these features, the invention therefore makes it possible to propose a universal stopper that can be adapted to all types of bottle necks (wine, whiskeys, alcohols, champagne, digestives, aniseed, spirits) or other cylindrical shapes. When the device according to the invention is placed on the end of the article, it is impossible to remove it, moreover the fixing mechanism of said device makes it possible to resist the leverage of a screwdriver, or analog, used to destroy and

remove said anti-theft device.

  Advantageously, the sliding means will consist on the one hand of grooves forming notches and on the other of teeth of shape complementary to said grooves, for example arranged on a comb or the like

  attached to a part of said device.

  Advantageously, the sliding means will comprise a plurality of springs arranged along the axis of

  sliding portions into each other.

  Preferably, the body will have a section of substantially triangular shape, for example an equilateral triangle. In this case, the body will comprise three portions, each having a substantially V-shaped section. Advantageously, the portions comprise at least

  two rails, one upper and the other lower.

  Preferably, each of the portions forming the body

includes at least one rail.

  Advantageously, the rail is located at 22 + 2

  millimeters (mm) from the top of the anti-theft device.

  Similarly, the spacing between the bottom rail and the top rail is between 28 and 32

mm, preferably 30 mm.

  According to a possibility offered by the invention, the body of the anti-theft device may include at least one

  cover fixed on the external face of one of the portions.

  Advantageously, said body will include two covers.

  Preferably, the external face of the cover will include a

  display, for example an advertisement relating to the article.

  According to an advantageous aspect of the invention, the anti-theft device will comprise at least one blocking means able to maintain fix or block the portions of said body

relative to each other.

  In a particular embodiment of the invention, the blocking means will comprise a push button activating the fixing or blocking of the above portions when it is pressed; the push button then being in its depressed position, as opposed to its

initial withdrawal position.

  Advantageously, the blocking means will comprise at least one counterweight capable of holding the press button

in its depressed position.

  Preferably, the anti-theft device will comprise an unlocking means, comprising at least one magnet, capable, when placed in said unlocking means, of attracting said counterweight so as to reposition the press button in the withdrawn position and thus unlock the above-mentioned portions. In this case, thanks to the device according to the invention, the unlocking of the portions of the body brings said portions back to a position where the latter are

  as distant as possible from each other.

  According to a possibility offered by the invention, the body will comprise at one of its ends a substantially flat patch so as to cover the upper part of said end, for example to attach an advertisement o the property of the purchaser of said device

  is written in order to differentiate the articles to be protected.

  According to an interesting feature of the invention, the body, once fixed on the end of the article, will constitute an extension of said end by at least 5 millimeters. Advantageously, the anti-theft device will comprise, fixed to the outer walls of said portions or to the inner wall of the cover, at least one detection means capable of triggering an alarm, for example when crossing gates; said detection means being contained in the housing formed between the cover and a

portion.

  Advantageously, the detection means may consist of a label for detecting EAS systems (electro-acoustic system), that is to say operating by radio frequency and / or magnetoacoustic and / or

electromagnetic or other.

  Advantageously, the rail will usually comprise a portion of a circle having a diameter between 30 and 40 millimeters, preferably a diameter of 37.5 + 0.5 mm. This preferential dimension allows the rail (s) to adapt to all types of bottles, that is to say the different diameters and shapes of bottle necks. An embodiment of the invention will be described below, by way of nonlimiting example, with reference to the appended figures in which: - Figure 1 illustrates an exploded view of all the elements making up an embodiment of the device anti-theft device according to the invention in which the three parts of identical dimensions visible forming the final device in the form of an equilateral triangle; - Figures 2 and 3 are respectively a top view and a bottom view of one of the parts of the device according to the invention shown in Figure 1; - Figures 4, 5 and 6 illustrate views respectively from one side, from the front and from the other side of one of the parts shown in the previous figures; Figure 7 is a side view of the device according to the invention mounted and fixed on the neck of a bottle; the device comprising here only two of the three parts necessary to completely close said device; - Figure 8 illustrates the device according to the invention seen from above once fixed on a part

  cylindrical of an article to be protected.

  The anti-theft device 1 according to the invention, that is to say the different parts making it up, is conventionally obtained by molding, extrusion and / or injection, and assembly of the molded parts with other elements, such as

  that the springs 2 or the flyweight (s) 3.

  Indeed, the different portions 4, 5 and 6, the fixing rails 7, 7 ′ as well as the pad 8 of circular shape are ideally made of plastic, while the springs 2 and the counterweight (s) 3 are

conventionally made of metal.

  As can be seen in particular in FIGS. 1 to 3, the example chosen to illustrate the device 1 according to the invention in the form of an equilateral triangle rising vertically. Indeed, each portion 4, 5, 6 of equivalent dimensions, in this case three in number, constituting the body of the anti-theft device 1 corresponds to a third of an equilateral triangle, that is to say that it forms a end of said triangle and extends horizontally on either side of this end of a certain length forming two walls 9, 10 and

  vertically over the entire length of the above body.

  The above two walls 9, 10 respectively have parallel grooves 11 forming a notch on one of the walls 9 and teeth disposed on a comb or the like fixed on the inner face of the part of the device 1, not visible in the appended figures, of shape complementary to said grooves 11 so that the walls 9, 10 of each of the portions 4, 5, 6 of the body can slide one into the other; the walls 9, facing portions 4, 5, 6 being respectively

  provided with said grooves 11 or said teeth.

  As can be seen in particular in FIGS. 1 and 5, each portion 4, 5, 6 is provided with two fixing rails 7 and 7 '. The two fixing rails 7, 7 'have a substantially identical profile. Each of them has a first substantially circular part and more particularly intended to come into contact with the external cylindrical surface of the article to be protected, in this case the neck of a bottle, during the tightening of the portions 4, 5, 6 and their consecutive blockages. This first circular part usually constitutes a portion of a circle having a diameter of between 30 and 40 millimeters, preferably a

diameter of 37.5 + 0.5 mm.

  The two fixing rails 7, 7 'are ideally placed in the lower part of each portion 4, 5, 6 because the neck of the bottles stretches flared down said neck and the distance, on the one hand from the first fixing rail 7 at the top of the device 1 and on the other hand the distance separating the two 7 and 7 ′ allow perfect fixing of the anti-theft device 1. This distance from the rail 7 and the spacing chosen between the upper rail 7 and the rail lower 7 'allows that the device 1 cannot be removed from the cylindrical part of the article to be protected but also, in the particular case where the article is for example a bottle, to avoid tearing of the plastic film, made of iron white or aluminum

  present on bottle necks.

  The anti-theft device 1 also comprises a blocking means 13 of the portions 4, 5, 6 when an operator has made the sliding of the aforesaid portions 4, 5, 6 one inside the other so as to reduce the size of the body in the form of triangle so that the neck of the bottle to watch, not shown in the different

figures, be well enclosed.

  This locking means 13 consists of a protective shell 14, ideally made of plastic, at least one spring 2 and a push button 15 extending to the outside of said protective shell 14. Thus, an operator may, once the portions 4, 5, 6 of the body correctly enclose the neck of the bottle, press this push button 15, or locking trigger, so as to definitively fix the position of the portions 4, 5, 6 relative to each other conventionally by insertion of a counterweight 3 into an orifice, or housing; unlocking also operating in a conventional manner using a magnet or magnetic device attracting the aforementioned counterweight 3 to unlock the portions 4, 5, 6 which, under the effect of

  springs 2, automatically move away from each other.

  il In the example chosen to illustrate the invention, visible in FIG. 9, the position of the above portions 4, 5, 6 is fixed by a metal counterweight 3, but the anti-theft device 1 according to the invention may include other metal weights 3. In FIG. 7, we can also visualize a conventional locking system, called

"textile" system.

  Thus, the store case is also provided with an unlocking means, not shown in the various figures, of the aforesaid means 13 for locking the position of the portions 4, 5, 6 forming the body of the invention. This unlocking means will of course be adapted to release the locking means 13, which, once unlocked, will place the different portions 4, 5, 6 constituting the body as far as possible from each other, so that the cashier will have no effort to make to remove the anti-theft device 1 from the end of the article, the latter in no way risking being damaged. According to a characteristic of the anti-theft device 1 of the invention, the body object of the invention, once fixed on the end of the article, constitutes an extension of said end by a length less than or equal to 5 millimeters, of so that the bottles fitted with the anti-theft device can always be placed on the shelf, without any modification of said shelf or

the position of the bottles.

  As can be seen in the last figure, the anti-theft device 1 will include, inside the body and / or fixed to the interior walls of said portions, at least one detection means, not shown in the figures, capable of triggering an alarm for example when crossing gantries; the present anti-theft device 1 can here comprise a maximum of six detection means, placed respectively on each portion of the body object of the invention. This detection means may consist of a detection tag for EAS systems (ElectroAcoustic System), that is to say operating by radio frequency.

  and / or magneto acoustic and / or electromagnetic.

  In addition, for the essential purpose of placing the detection labels far enough away from a metal source likely to be present on the article to be protected, such as for example the tin or aluminum film protecting the neck of certain bottles. , there are provided at least two covers capable of being fixed on the external faces of the portions 5, 6. Of course, insofar as the locking means 13 is present on the portion

  4, the latter cannot receive a similar cover 16.

  The cover 16 is fixed to the portions 5 or 6 by simply clipping one of its ends into a slot made on the corresponding portion 5 or 6. Of course, the shape and the dimensions of the covers 16 are substantially the same as those of the part of portions 5 and 6 on which said covers 16 are fixed. These covers 16 have an internal housing, defined between its internal wall and the external wall of the portion 5 or 6, which makes it possible to insert at least one of the above-mentioned detection means, whatever its dimensions thanks to the structural and dimensional choices for the design of the cover 16. In addition, the external face of the covers 16 is perfectly suited for attaching a poster, or the like,

  for example an advertising or sign poster.

  Thanks to the cover according to the invention, the detection means or means is / are located or is located between 2 millimeters and 25 millimeters, preferably between 13 and 20 millimeters, of the surface of the cylindrical article of the article to be protected, in this case the

surface of the bottle neck.

  The invention is described in the foregoing by way of example. It is understood that a person skilled in the art is able to produce different variants of the anti-theft device 1 according to the invention, in particular concerning the shape of said body, said portions 4, 5, 6 as well as the choice of the sliding means, without however, outside the scope of the patent.

Claims (23)

  1. Anti-theft device (1) for articles comprising at least one end or a substantially cylinder-shaped section, such as, for example, alcohol bottles, tennis rackets, fishing rods or golf clubs, consisting of a body engaging the cylinder-shaped end of the article, characterized in that said body comprises a plurality of portions (4, 5, 6) of complementary shape capable of surrounding the circumference of said end, said body comprising at least one sliding means for sliding at least a portion of said portions (4, 5, 6) one inside the other, so as to grip and adapt to all the sizes and shapes of the shaped end cylinder, by simple pressure on at least part of said portions (4, 5, 6) so as to bring them into contact with the walls of said end and in that at least two of the portions comprise at least one rail, located on its internal face, at least part of which has a section of shape substantially complementary to part of the   the aforementioned cylinder-shaped end.   2. anti-theft device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said sliding means consists on the one hand of grooves (11) forming notches and on the other in teeth of shape complementary to said grooves (11 ), for example arranged on a comb or   analog attached to a part of said device.   3. Anti-theft device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the sliding means comprises a plurality of springs (2) arranged along the sliding axis of the portions (4, 5, 6) one in the other.   4. Anti-theft device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the body has a section of substantially triangular shape, for example an equilateral triangle. 5. Anti-theft device (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the body comprises three portions each having a substantially V-shaped section. 6. Anti-theft device (1) according to one of   previous claims, characterized in that the   portions (4, 5, 6) comprise at least two rails (7, 7 '),   one higher and the other lower.   7. Anti-theft device (1) according to one of   previous claims, characterized in that each   portions (4, 5, 6) forming the body comprises at least a rail (7).   8. Anti-theft device (1) according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the rail (7) is located at 22 + 2   millimeters (mm) from the top of the anti-theft device.   9. Anti-theft device (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that the spacing between the lower rail (7 ') and the upper rail (7) is between 28 and 32 mm, preferably 30 mm.   10. Anti-theft device (1) according to one of   previous claims, characterized in that it   comprises at least one cover fixed on the external face of a portions.   11. Anti-theft device (1) according to claim 10,   characterized in that it comprises two covers.   12. Anti-theft device (1) according to claim 10, characterized in that the external face of the cover comprises a   display, for example an advertisement relating to the article.   13. Anti-theft device (1) according to one of   previous claims, characterized in that it   comprises at least one blocking means (13) capable of maintaining fix or block the portions (4, 5, 6) of said body the relative to each other.   14. anti-theft device (1) according to claim 13, characterized in that the blocking means (13) comprises a press button (15) activating the fixing or blocking of the above portions (4, 5, 6) when it is in a hurry; the press button (15) then being in its depressed position,   as opposed to its original withdrawal position.   15. Anti-theft device (1) according to claims   13 and 14, characterized in that the locking means (13) comprises at least one counterweight (3) capable of holding the   push button (15) in its depressed position.   16. Anti-theft device (1) according to claims   14 and 15, characterized in that it comprises an unlocking means, comprising at least one magnet, capable, when placed in said unlocking means, of attracting said counterweight (3) so as to reposition the press button (15) in withdrawal position and thus to unlock the above portions (4, 5, 6).   17. Anti-theft device (1) according to claim 16, characterized in that the unlocking of the portions (4, 5, 6) of the body brings said portions (4, 5, 6) back to a position where the latter are as far apart as possible. each other.   18. Anti-theft device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the body comprises at one of its ends a patch (8) substantially flat so as to cover the upper part of said end, for example to fix an advertisement o the property of the purchaser of said device is written in order to   differentiate between the items to be protected.   19. Anti-theft device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the body, once fixed on the end of the article, constitutes an extension of said   end of at least 5 millimeters.   20. Anti-theft device (1) according to claim 10, characterized in that it comprises, fixed to the outer walls (9, 10) of said portions (4, 5, 6) or to the inner wall of the cover, at least one detection means capable of triggering an alarm, for example when crossing gates; said detection means being contained in the   housing formed between the cover and a portion.   21. Anti-theft device (1) according to claim 20, characterized in that the detection means consists of a label for detecting EAS systems (Electroacoustic system), that is to say operating by radio frequency   and / or magneto acoustic and / or electromagnetic or other.   22. Anti-theft device (1) according to claim 20, characterized in that the detection means is located between 2 millimeters and 25 millimeters, preferably between 13 and 20 millimeters, from the surface of the cylindrical article of the article to protect, for example from the surface of the neck from the bottle.   23. Anti-theft device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the rail (7 or 7 ') comprises a portion of a circle having a diameter between 30 and 40 millimeters, preferably a diameter of 37.5 0.5 mm.