GB2368182A

GB2368182A - Retail article support device

Info

Publication number: GB2368182A
Application number: GB0025844A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Martin Stacey
Original assignee: Stacey
Current assignee: Stacey
Priority date: 2000-10-20
Filing date: 2000-10-20
Publication date: 2002-04-24
Anticipated expiration: 2020-10-20
Also published as: EP1199012A1; GB0025844D0; GB2368182B

Abstract

A retail article supporting device comprises at lease one elongate arm 10, extending from a securing member 6, by which the device may be secured to a support surface, and a locking device 12, such that in use a retail article 4 provided with a slot 5 may be mounted on the supporting device and unauthorised removal thereof prevented by the locking device 12. The locking device may be mounted on the curved end portion of the supporting member (10c Figure 3b) and may be released by a key (60, Figure 4) to permit removal of the retail articles 4. The locking device may move from open and closed positions about a hinge (18, Figure 3b) wherein the device is snap-fitted onto the supporting member via resiliently deformable engagement formations (42) engaging with complimentary formations (38). The key (60) may be operated to resiliently deform the engagement formations (42) to permit the locking device to be opened.

Description

2368182 PATENTS ACT 1977 A 10181 GB-WL Title: Retail Supporting Device

Description of Invention

This invention is concerned with retail supporting devices for use in the supporting and display for sale of articles in retail premises, particularly of the kind, hereinafter referred to as being of the kind specified, comprising a securing member such as a bracket which may be secured to a support surface such as a display cabinet, and from which an elongate support member extends generally horizontally.

Articles to be displayed on such a conventional device may be wrapped in a clear container, for example a blister pack, provided in an upper region thereof with a slot or aperture which may be located over the support member.

In this manner the article may be displayed at a convenient height-wise level for a customer.

Conventionally, particularly where the article being displayed is of no great value, a purchaser may slide the article from the support member and take it to a counter, to complete a purchasing operation By the use of an elongate support member a plurality of articles may be mounted thereon, and when one is removed, the next in line will be displayed for purchase.

If desired, to avoid accidental removal from the support member, a restraint may be provided, conventionally in the form of a flap which hangs from the end of the support member, adopting in use a position extending at right angles to the length of the supporting member, which in such a position restrains movement of an article from the support member, but which may be lifted easily to a horizontal position in which the article may be removed from the device.

2 Alternatively, and particularly where the supporting device comprises parallel support arms, a loop portion joining said arms is inclined slightly upwardly.

Such retail supporting devices are in widespread use, and are utilised to display for sale packs of articles such as batteries, sweets, etc.

This system for the presentation of articles for sale in a retail premises has proved highly successful, in that articles may be located at a visually appropriate height, in areas which are otherwise unusable for the display of retail products Thus, whilst initially the system was utilised for relatively low value products, there is an increasing tendency for them to be utilised in displaying for sale retail items of greater value.

However, difficulties have been encountered by theft, and shoplifters have been detected sliding a plurality of articles from the supporting device and dropping them into a bag in one swift movement in an attempt to avoid payment.

Whilst for items of low value this is not regarded as a serious problem, the increasing theft of higher value articles is preventing usage of this system, to the disadvantage of the retail trade.

According to this invention there is provided a supporting device of the kind specified, comprising locking means to prevent an article displayed thereon being removed.

Preferably the locking device is mounted on a free end portion of the support member, ie remote from the securing member, and may conveniently be provided in place of the conventional "flap".

Where the supporting member comprises parallel arms preferably these are interconnected at end portions remote from the securing member by a loop which may be engaged with the locking device to prevent removal of the locking device from the supporting member.

3 Preferably the supporting device comprises a key to permit the locking device to be removed from the supporting member, and to permit an article displayed thereon to be removed, and/or to permit a fresh supply of articles to be mounted thereon.

Conveniently the locking device comprises a body part mounted for relative movement between open positions, in which the locking device may be removed from the supporting member, and a closed position in which the locking device is retained captive with the supporting member.

Thus, for example, the locking device may be snap-fitted onto the supporting member, comprising for example engagement formations which may be moved into locking engagement with complimentary formations, and the key may be operative resiliently to deform the engagement formations to permit the locking device to be opened.

Alternatively, the locking device may be operated by a conventional key.

In this manner articles of relatively high value may be displayed on a supporting device in an otherwise conventional manner to permit convenient display of articles for sale.

It has been found that, once a purchaser has selected such an article for purchase, the necessity for him to request that an attendant unlock the supporting device to enable the article to be removed does not reduce greatly tendency for selection and sale to occur.

Additionally, whilst the level of security may be low, the existence of the locking device in accordance with the invention prevents the occurrence of opportunistic theft.

There will now be given a detailed description, to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, of a retail supporting device which is a preferred embodiment of this invention, which has been selected for the purposes of illustrating the invention by way of example.

4 In the accompanying drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the illustrative device, showing an article displayed for sale supported thereby; FIGURE 2 is a vertical section view of an end portion of the supporting device, showing the interior construction of a locking device thereof; FIGURES 3 a and 3 b are perspective views showing the locking device from opposite sides thereof, whilst in its open position; FIGURE 4 shows a key for use in the opening of the locking device; FIGURE 5 is a perspective view showing a modified locking device in accordance with the invention; and FIGURES 6 a, 6 b and 6 c are elevational views of a key for use with the modified locking device.

The locking device which is the preferred embodiment of this invention comprises a securing member in the form of a bracket 6 which may in conventional manner be secured in any convenient location, such as on a display cabinet, wall, counter or the like, the device comprising a supporting member comprising parallel supporting arms 10 a, 10 b extending when the device is located in its normal position generally horizontally, as shown in Figure 1, connected together by a curved end portion 10 c Releasably secured to the end portion of the supporting member remote from the securing member 6 is a locking device 12, comprising first and second body parts 14, 16 mounted for relative movement about a live hinge 18 between open positions, shown in Figure 3, and closed positions, shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The first body part 14 is provided on its underside with a recess 30, two apertures 32 a_ 32 b extending through an end wall of the body part into the aperture 30 Extending through an outer face of the body part is an aperture 34, and surrounding the aperture on the interior side is a circular boss 36 On the exterior side the boss 36 provides a circular shoulder 38.

The second body part 16 is provided on its interior surface with three resilient locking formations 40 a, 40 _ and 40 c, provided with outwardlyfacing hooked portions 42, so arranged that when the second body part 16 is moved about the hinge 18 towards and into engagement with the first body part 14, the chamfered outer faces of the hooked portions 42 engage with the interior surface of the boss 36, resiliently deforming the locking formations towards one another, as the locking formations pass through the centre of the boss.

Further movement of the body part 16 causes the hooked portions 42 of the locking formations 40 to pass completely through the aperture 34 of the body part into the position shown in Figure 2, in which the hooked portions 42 spring outwardly behind the shoulder 38, to lock the second body part in its closed position relative to the first body part.

Provided on the opposite side of the second body part is an abutment 50, which may conveniently be provided on an inclined outwardly-facing surface 52 thereof with a logo, descriptive text or price Provided on the underside of a supporting web of the abutment 50 is a part-circular recess 54 (see Figure 2).

With the locking device in its open position, the first body part 14 may be located over the end portion of the support member 10, with the curved part c of the support member extending around the boss 32, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3 b The second body part 16 may then be moved to its closed position, shown in Figure 2, in which the locking device is securely fastened to the end portion of the support member, with the support member extending partially around the boss 36, and being located by the recess 54 provided in the underside of the second body part 16.

Preferably the height of the abutment 52 is greater than the depth of the slot 5 provided in the article 4 to be displayed for sale, to prevent the article from being removed from the supporting device when the locking device is securely affixed to the supporting member, as shown in Figure 1.

6 When it is desired to release the locking device from the supporting member, a key 60, comprising a hand grip portion 62 and an operative portion 64, may be utilised to release the locking formation to permit the locking device to be removed from the supporting member The operative portion 64 is conveniently generally cylindrical, comprising a chamfered circumferential surface 66 which may be inserted into the boss 36 from the exterior side thereof, to engage with the chamfered faces 42 of the locking formations 40, resiliently to deform the locking formations to enable them to be retracted from the first body part 14, and the body parts moved relative to one another into their open positions In these positions the locking device may readily be removed from the supporting member, and items for sale may be mounted or removed from the supporting device.

In this manner articles of relatively high value may be displayed on the supporting device in an otherwise conventional manner to permit convenient display of articles for sale.

In a modified form of the locking device, shown in Figure 5, in which similar numerals have been utilised, extending into the first body part is a recess 34 a, in an end face of which three rectangular apertures 38 a, 38 b and 38 c are provided These apertures 38, in conjunction with the floor of the recess 34 a, provide shoulders with which the locking formations 40 a, 40 b and 40 c may be engaged, to retain the locking device in its closed position.

Figures 6 _, 6 b and 6 c show a key 60 a for unlocking the locking device, comprising a hand grip portion 62 a from which three fingers 64 a, 64 b and 64 c extend in a generally axial direction, so constructed that when the key is moved into the recess 38 a (Figure 4) the fingers 64 engage the chamfered end portions of the hooked portions 42, camming them away from the shoulders, and allowing the locking device to be opened.

7 In the modified construction above described, conveniently the hooked portions 42, not shown in Figure 5, engage with the flat surface of the recess 34 a on the radially inward sides of the slots 38 a.

In the present specification "comprise" means "includes or consists of' and "comprising" means "including or consisting of'.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof 8

Claims

1 A supporting device of the kind specified comprising locking means to prevent an article displayed thereon being removed.

2 A supporting device according to claim 1 wherein the locking device is mounted on a free end portion of the support member.

3 A supporting device according to claim 2 wherein the locking device is provided in place of the conventional "flap".

4 A supporting device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the supporting member comprises parallel arms interconnected at end portions remote from the securing member by a loop which is engaged with the locking device to prevent removal of the locking device from the supporting member.

A supporting device according to any one of the preceding claims comprising a key permitting the locking device to be removed from the supporting member, and to permit an article displayed thereon to be removed, and/or to permit a fresh supply of articles to be mounted thereon.

6 A supporting device according to claim 5 wherein the locking device comprises a body part mounted for relative movement between open positions, in which the locking device may be removed from the supporting member, and a closed position in which the locking device is retained captive with the supporting member.

9

7 A supporting device according to one of claims 5 and 6 wherein the locking device is snap-fitted onto the supporting member.

8 A supporting device according to claim 7 wherein the locking device comprises engagement formations which may be moved into locking engagement with complimentary formations, and the key is operative resiliently to deform the engagement formations to permit the locking device to be opened.

9 A supporting device according to any one of claims 5, 6 and 7 wherein the locking device is operated by a conventional key.

A supporting device constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11 Any novel feature or novel combination of features hereinbefore described and/or shown in the accompanying drawings.