JP2009509240A - Display rod security device - Google Patents

Abstract

  The security device is installed on the product display bar to prevent the removal of several products from the bar, and an alarm device that sounds a gate alarm when illegally passed through the security gate of a retail store. Contains. A pair of housing members are slidably joined and move between a locked position and an unlocked position. Each of the members is formed with a partial groove that extends around the rod in alignment with each other when in the locked position. A magnetically attractable locking member is mounted inside one of the members and engages a locking protrusion formed on the other member to secure the member in a closed locking position on the bar. The magnetic key moves the lock member to the unlock position so that the members are released to the unlocked position where the members are unlocked. The far end of the rod is bent at an angle sufficient to prevent the security device from sliding off the rod when the members are in the locked position, and is protected in front of the locking mechanism. Allows several items that have not been removed from the bar.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a security device, and more particularly to a security device that prevents a large number of products from being quickly removed from a display shelf, particularly from a display bar. Specifically, the present invention is easily attached and locked to a display rod, allowing one or several items to be removed from the shelf at any time, but a number of items can be removed by shoplifters. The present invention relates to a security device that protects against removal from a shelf and includes an alarm operating device.

2. Background Information Numerous items are displayed for sale on long protruding bars supported from a single pegboard, slatboard, or other type of support structure. These bars are commonly referred to in the art as pegboard bars or slatboard bars. Many commodities such as batteries, small tools, tool parts, film, or other relatively expensive small items are displayed in an area where customers pick them up and take them directly to the checkout counter. These items are typically hung on a bar by the bar passing through a single hole in the package. Unfortunately, such goods are easy targets for shoplifters, and shoplifters can quickly remove all goods from pegboard display rods and take them away without being detected, or have an inspection security gate. Even if it is detected when it passes, it has proven difficult to catch.

  In order to prevent the removal of goods from these display bars, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,027,622, 5,275,027, 5,259,220, 5,689,978, Various devices have been devised as shown in US Pat. No. 5,676,258, 6,622,979, and 6,474,748. The devices of these patents provide some type of locking mechanism on the end of the rod that prevents the removal of any commodity from the rod. This is disadvantageous in that it requires the customer to contact the store clerk who must unlock the locking mechanism from the end of the bar to allow the customer to remove the item for purchase. Have. Many customers have found that this reduces sales because they do not want to spend or wait to find a clerk to unlock the security device to get the desired item.

  Another type of display bar is an irregularly shaped end on the bar that allows the customer to remove the item from the bar by moving the item around the various curves at the far end of the bar. Is used. This has been found to be satisfactory to some extent in that it increases the difficulty of shoplifters to quickly remove a large number of items from a storage shelf. However, if a shoplifter uses a great deal of force in sweeping an item off the rod or bundles the item together to allow a large number of items to be removed from the rod in a single motion, Does not prevent shoplifters from removing all items from the stick.

  Another problem with such display bars is that shoplifters may be able to remove the entire bar and the goods mounted on it from the mounting structure and illegally take it out of the retail store. In order to prevent this type of shoplifting, various devices have been developed that lock the display rod to its support structure. However, such protection devices do not always work, and they increase the cost of doing business with the merchant.

As a result, a display where a large number of items cannot be quickly removed from the bar and a legitimate customer can remove a limited number of items from the bar without the assistance of the shopkeeper or store clerk. It is desired in the art to provide a security device for a bar. In addition, when the device is illegally passed through a security gate, the device activates an alarm on the security gate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides for the quick removal of a number of displayed goods from a display bar extending outward from a rack onto a linear length display bar located between a number of items contained in the bar. Provided is a crime prevention device for a display shelf which is prevented by arranging a simple and small but very effective locking device. This allows the item located between the security device and the far end of the display bar to be removed by the customer, yet the store clerk unlocks the security device and puts it already in storage. Remove the item located between the display shelf and the locking device until it is repositioned behind the item or until a new item is placed between the security device and the far end of the bar for subsequent removal by the customer. To prevent.

  Another aspect of the present invention is to form the display rod security device as a simple two-piece structure in which a pair of members are slidably joined, each of which is formed with a semicircular groove, The groove is linear enough to form a circular opening through which the display bar extends when in the closed locked position, preventing it from being removed from the bent end of the display bar. Or has a configuration.

  Another aspect of the present invention is that when a pair of members of the security device are moved to a closed position, they automatically snap into a locking projection formed on one of the members. Providing a spring-biased locking member on the other of the members.

  Another feature of the present invention is to form a locking member made of a magnetically attractable material, whereby the magnetic key locks the locking member when placed in a certain location on the security device. Moving to the release position allows the security device to be easily moved to the open position for removal of the device from the shelf and subsequent reattachment to the shelf.

  Yet another aspect of the invention is to form two parts made of a hard plastic material, which is strong enough to prevent the thief from easily breaking the two parts apart, with a minimum number of parts. It is configurable, thereby enabling security devices to be relatively inexpensive and mass produced and promoting their use by shopkeepers to reduce shoplifting.

  According to still another aspect of the present invention, in order to prevent theft of the entire display rod and the contents stored in the display rod, an alarm device that sounds an alarm device when the security device passes the security gate is arranged in the security device. That is.

  These features and advantages are obtained by the security device of the present invention adapted to be attached to a bar extending outwardly from the merchandise display, the bar being free to bend at an angle with respect to the elongated portion of the bar The security device includes first and second members having ends and slidably joined to move between a locked position and an unlocked position, at least one of the members being arched Which is substantially complementary to the elongated portion of the rod and receives the elongated portion of the rod therein for securing the security device on the elongated portion of the rod. And the bent free end prevents removal of the security device from the rod when in the locked position, and the security device further locks the first and second members around the rod in the locked position. Includes magnetically attractable lock member .

One preferred embodiment of the present invention, shown in the best mode for which the applicant intends to apply the principles, is set forth in the following description, shown in the drawings, and specifically and clearly pointed out in the appended claims. Say,

  Like numbers refer to like parts throughout the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The security device of the present invention is generally designated 1 and, in FIG. 1, on a commodity display rod 3 that extends outwardly in a cantilevered manner from a support surface 5 and is attached thereto by an attachment mechanism 7. Shown on board. The fixture 7 prevents the removal of the rod therefrom without significant manipulation when attached to the support 5, or shoplifts the rod 3 containing all of the various suspended goods indicated at 9. It may be of various configurations that sound an alarm to prevent the offender from completely removing it. However, according to one of the features of the present invention, the use of the security device 1 with an internal alarm actuating device can eliminate or reduce the need for a more expensive type of fixture 7, It can be a simple hooked end or other configuration for attaching the rod to the support 5.

  The rod 3 is preferably a rigid round metal member having a generally straight elongated linear portion 11 ending at the curved distal end 13. The product 9 can be a blister pack 15 or other type of container that contains a product. The package is suspended from the bar 3 by a flat card-like portion 17 in which a hole 19 is formed through which the bar 3 extends. Although the specific configuration of the item 9 may vary considerably, usually a certain grooved or round opening is formed at its upper end through which the bar 3 extends, whereby the item is It is slid in the direction of arrow A for removal from the free far end 13.

  The security device 1 is particularly shown in FIGS. 3-7 and includes a lock housing formed by two members 21 and 23, generally indicated at 20, which are slidably joined when in the assembled position. It is out. The housing member 21 (FIGS. 3 and 4) forms the main housing or main body of the security device 1. The member 21 preferably has a rectangular shape and is formed with a hollow interior 25 that is accessible through a generally rectangular upper opening 26. Elongated grooves 28 are formed in each of the opposing side walls 29 and 30 and terminate in a semicircular lower portion 31. A plurality of positioning tabs 32 are formed on the side wall 29 and the end wall 36 of the housing member 21 and their functions are described below. The housing member 21 is preferably formed of a hard plastic material and can be formed in a variety of colors depending on the needs of a particular retailer and can have a printed display thereon.

The other main component of the housing 20 is a lock member 23. Member 23 (FIGS. 5 and 6) is an integral member, preferably formed of a hard plastic material, having a generally rectangular upper closure 39 and a locking leg 41 extending outwardly therefrom. A generally semi-circular elongated arcuate groove 43 is formed in the back surface of the upper closure 39 and is aligned with the groove 31 of the housing 21 so that the two housing members 21 and 23 are engaged, particularly as shown in FIG. When in position, a circular opening 44 is formed for receiving and catching the linear portion 11 of the rod 3. A plurality of notches 37 are formed in the upper closure 39 to receive the tab 32 when the two housing members are in the closed locked position. The diameter of the opening 44 that receives the rod may be different and need not closely match the outer diameter of the rod portion 11 as shown, and preferably does not provide intimate clamping engagement with the rod. Preferably, the opening 44 accommodates various sized rod diameters and allows the security device to slide along the linear rod portion 11, although slightly larger than the rod diameter, but from the rod 3. It is small enough to prevent it from being moved around the end 13 of the bent bar to prevent its removal. A housing member that provides the locking component of the device 1 such that when the locking member 23 is slidably inserted into the hollow interior 25 of the lock housing 21, it fits snugly within the interior 25 as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 6, the thickness 23 is complementary to the internal thickness of the housing interior 25, and the width thereof is the same as shown in FIG.

  In particular, according to one of the features of the invention as shown in FIG. 7, an alarm actuating device 45 is secured in an alarm compartment 46 formed in a portion of the housing interior 25. The compartment 46 is formed by one of the housing end walls 36 and a partition wall 47. Alarm actuating device 45 may be a radio frequency (RF) coil as shown, or may be a magnetic sensitive (AM) type device such as an EAS tag or various other alarm actuating means. Well, they are all well known in the security industry. This device is sensed by an electronic circuit located at a guarded gate, such as a retail outlet, and when the security device 1 approaches or passes the guarded gate, it activates the gate alarm, stick 3 and mounting It shows that illegal movement of the received product 9 is occurring.

  As shown in FIGS. 7 and 10, the lock leg 41 has a length substantially equal to the length of the housing member 21, and extends along the side surface 49 (FIG. 6) of the leg 41. Formed with a pair of spaced apart lock notches 51 ending in a pair of shoulders or protrusions 48. The edge 50 of the pair of lock forks 52 engages with the protrusion 48 to fix the housing members to the locked position on the rod 3. The fork 52 is cut into a single metal piece 54 (FIG. 7A) that forms an integral part of the locking mechanism of the security device 1. The piece 54 is held in the housing interior 25 by receiving its end 55 in a notch 57 formed on the inner surface of the housing end wall 36. Another projection 53 is formed at the far end of the leg 41, and when the lock member 23 is moved to the unlocking position as shown in FIG. 11, a step formed on the partition wall 47 of the alarm section 46 is formed. Engage with shoulder 58. This keeps the housing members 21 and 23 in their assembled state and prevents separation of the two members.

  When the security device 1 is in the fully unlocked position as shown in FIG. 11, it is through the opening 56 formed between the members 21 and 23 when in the opened unlocked position. It can be easily removed from the bar 3 or placed on the bar 3. After the arrangement of the device 1 in the linear part 11 of the rod 3, the rod 3 is preferably placed in the groove 43 of the housing member 23, the housing member 21 facing upwards in the direction of arrow C and into the locked position as shown in FIG. It is moved. As a result, the spring-biased fork 52 is automatically locked into engagement with the lock shoulder 48 of the lock leg 41. In this position, the notch 37 in the upper closure 39 receives the tab 32 therein so that the lower portion of the upper closure member 39 fits securely within the upper opening 26 of the housing member 21. As shown in FIG. 7, this securely locks the security device 1 on the display rod 3 and holds the alarm actuating device 45 firmly positioned inside the housing 20 to prevent unauthorized access thereto. To prevent.

  To open and unlock the device 1, a magnetic key, indicated generally at 60, is positioned by placing a pair of positioning tabs 62 formed on the key 60 in the positioning recess 33 (FIG. 9). And properly aligned. When in this position, the pair of internal magnets 64 are aligned with the lock fork 52 and move them from the locked position of FIG. 7 to the unlocked position of FIG. 10, after which the lock housing 21 is moved to the arrow D (FIG. 11). In the direction of, the device 1 is easily moved from the bar 3 to the unlocked position exposing the opening 56.

According to another feature of the present invention as shown in FIG. 1, the device 1 has one or more items between the locking mechanism 1 and the far end 13 so that the items can be easily removed from the bar 3 by the customer without the assistance of the store clerk. Is arranged between a number of items 9 on the elongated linear part 11 of the rod 3 so that it can be removed. However, many of the items 9 are between the bar fitting 7 and the device 1 to prevent their removal by the customer. For this reason, the merchant usually has a large number of products 9 in a secure locking position between the support 5 and the locking mechanism 1, and one or more of the products 9 are placed by the customer at the far end 13 Place it on the unguarded part of the rod 3 so that it can be easily removed from. This allows the customer to remove one or several of the items from the display shelves for subsequent purchases at the checkout station, but wipes out too many items from the bar 3 for shoplifting Prevents theft by movement. This limits possible losses to only one or a few of the displayed items, not the entire displayed item.

  When the merchant sees that the number of unguarded available items 9 on the bar 1 is not sufficient to meet current customer requirements, the use of the magnetic key 60 makes it easier to lock the device 1. Release, and then move the device 1 to another location between the remaining items 9 that were previously guarded, thereby making several more items available to the customer in an unguarded manner. The device 1 can also be easily removed so that the entire bar can be refilled with goods 9, after which it is applied again somewhere between the goods so that only one or a few are unprotected. , Allowing the customer to remove one or several of the items for purchase at the checkout counter.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the device 1 has a sufficiently large thickness and other configurations that prevent the device from being removed from the bent end of the bar 3. This prevents shoplifters from removing the device from the rod without requiring the device to be tightly clamped on the rod, even if the device 1 can slide toward the far end of the rod 3 To move the device around one or more bends or protrusions formed on the rod. As long as the bends or protrusions are sufficient to prevent removal of the device 1 from the rod 3 by sliding the device along the rod away from the end 13, the end of the rod 3 is a concept of the invention. Without departing from, it may have other types of bends or protrusions therefrom than those shown in FIG. Similarly, the merchant unlocks the device 1 and moves the device 1, and then simply moves the two members 21 and 23 together so that the fork 52 is automatically formed on the lock leg 41. The lock projection 48 is snap-fitted so as to be locked, and almost no operation of the lock mechanism is required. Similarly, the device 1 does not need to grip the bar closely as long as it has a length or diameter sufficient to prevent it from being slid out of the end of the bar. Can be used for diameter rods.

  For this reason, the security device 1 is easily attached to the display rod 3, facilitates the display of the product 9 thereon, and prevents a large number of items from being illegally removed from the bar while the customer purchases it. Allows free access to one or several of the products. Since the device 1 incorporates an alarm actuating device 45, it is not necessary to have a more expensive mounting mechanism 7 as shown in the figure to prevent shoplifting and prevent removal of the entire bar from a protected retail store. Allowing a less expensive mounting configuration to be utilized. Depending on the type of mounting mechanism used to mount the bar 3 on the support structure 5, it has some kind of bent end as shown at 70 (FIG. 1), which is a device from the bar 3 1 sliding movement is prevented. For this reason, even if the rod is removed from the support structure 5, the security device 1 remains on the rod 3, and if the thief attempts to remove the rod 3 with the entire contents of the article 9, the alarm device 45 is Activate the security gate alarm.

  Also, the housing 20 is composed of only two main components 21 and 23 and is easily and economically made of a hard plastic material having a metal piece 54 held therein to provide a locking mechanism for them. Formed. Similarly, once the device 1 is assembled, the leg projections 53 and the stepped wall 58 (FIG. 11) keep the housing components 21 and 23 in an assembled, slidably joined relationship. .

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for the sake of brevity, clarity and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are shown from them beyond the requirements of the prior art. This is because such terms are used for explanation and are intended to be interpreted broadly.

  Further, the description and illustration of the invention is an example, and the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described.

It is a side elevational view of the crime prevention apparatus of this invention mounted in the elongate linear part of the display rod extended outside from a support structure. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. It is a side elevation view of the main housing member of a security device. FIG. 4 is an end elevation view of the housing of FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is an elevation view of the lock member of the security device removed from the main housing member of FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 6 is an end elevation view of the locking member of FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 1 showing the security device in a locked position on the display rod. It is a perspective view of the lock member which can be magnetically attracted of a crime prevention device. FIG. 2 is a partial side elevational view similar to FIG. 1 showing a magnetic key engaged with a security device to unlock the device. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 9-9 of FIG. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 7 showing the lock fork moved to the unlock position by the magnetic key. It is sectional drawing which shows the crime prevention apparatus in the open unlocking position.

Claims (20)

A security device for attaching to a bar extending outward from a merchandise display, the bar having a free end bent at an angle with respect to an elongated portion of the bar, the locking mechanism comprising:
First and second members slidably joined to move between a locked position and an unlocked position, at least one of said members being formed with an arcuate groove; It is substantially complementary to the elongated portion of the rod and is received through the elongated portion of the rod for securing a security device on the elongated portion of the rod, the bent freedom The end prevents removal of the security device from the rod when in the locked position, the locking mechanism further comprising:
A locking mechanism for locking the first and second members around the bar in a locked position;
An alarm device for operating the alarm device when brought in the vicinity of a remote alarm device.   Each of the first and second members is formed with a generally semi-circular groove forming an arched groove, the semi-circular groove being aligned with each other when the security device is in the locked position. The security device of claim 1, forming a generally circular opening for receiving through an elongated portion of the bar.   The first and second members are elongated and a semi-circular groove is formed in the member, generally adjacent to the upper end thereof, so that the security device is such that the majority of the elongated member extends below the bar. The crime prevention device according to claim 2, which is suspended by a rod.   The first member is a generally rectangular housing having an internal locking compartment, and the second member includes an upper closure and an elongated locking leg extending from the upper closure, the locking leg The security device according to claim 1, wherein the security device is located in a lock section of the first member.   The locking mechanism includes a magnetically attractable locking member mounted on the locking section of the first member and is biased toward locking engagement with the locking leg of the second member. Security equipment.   The locking member is a metal piece that has at least one fork extending outwardly therefrom, and the locking leg prevents the member from moving to the unlocked position when in the locked position. The security device according to claim 5, wherein the security device is formed with a protrusion engageable with the end of the fork.   The locking metal piece is a single member having a pair of metal forks formed integrally from the piece and projecting outward therefrom, and the locking leg of the second member is each of the locking forks. The security device according to claim 6, wherein the security device is formed with a pair of protrusions that can be engaged with each other.   The housing of the first member has an open top, and the top closure of the second member is complementary to the open top of the first member and when in the locked position, the open top The crime prevention device according to claim 4, wherein   The upper closure of the second member forms an opening between the housing of the first member and the upper closure of the second member, and when in the unlocked position, the arched groove and 9. The security device of claim 8, wherein the security device is connected to allow an elongated portion of a bar to pass through the opening.   The locking section includes a wall having a stepped portion, and the locking leg includes a wall of the first and second members to retain the second member within the first member when the first and second members are in the unlocked position. The crime prevention device according to claim 4, which engages with the stepped portion. A method of displaying goods on a display rod extending outward from a support, the method comprising:
Providing the display rod with an elongated portion ending at the bent end;
Providing a security device having a pair of bondable members movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein the bent end is when the security device is in the locked position on the bar Preventing the removal of the security device from the stick, the method further comprising:
Suspending a plurality of products on the elongated portion of the bar;
Placing a security device on the elongated portion of the bar and moving it to a closed locked position, whereby at least one of the items is between the locking mechanism and the bent end, Security to allow said at least one item to be removed beyond the bent end without interference from the device and thereby to prevent multiple items from being removed from the rod Located between the apparatus and the support, the method further comprises:
A method comprising: providing a security device with an alarm device for operating the alarm device when the security device is brought in the vicinity of a remote alarm device.   Unlock the security device and reposition it between the items previously located between the locking mechanism and the support on the elongated part of the rod, thereby at least one other commodity 12. The method of claim 11, including the step of providing between the locking mechanism and the bent end for subsequent removal from the rod without interference from the locking mechanism.   Providing the security device with a magnetically attractable lock mechanism, disposing a magnet on at least one of the members, and moving a lock mechanism located within the one member to an unlocked position. The method of claim 11.   14. The method of claim 13, comprising moving the pair of members slidably to an open position after moving the locking mechanism to the unlocked position. A combination of a security device and a bar extending outward from the product display, wherein the bar has an elongated portion ending at the far end, the security device being mounted on the elongated portion of the rod;
The security device includes first and second members slidably joined to move between a locked position and an unlocked position, each of the members being formed with partial grooves, To secure the security device on the elongated portion of the rod, aligned with each other when in the locked position to form an opening through which the elongated portion of the rod extends and the distal end of the rod Has an irregular shape that prevents removal of the locking mechanism from the rod when in the locked position, and the security device is further mounted within the hollow interior of one of the members, A magnetically attractable locking member for locking in a locking position around the door and an alarm device which is located inside one of the members and activates the alarm device when brought in the vicinity of a remote alarm device A combination including an actuator.   The first member has a hollow interior forming an internal lock chamber, the second member has elongated lock legs that are slidably received in the lock chamber, and the partial grooves each have a semicircular configuration. They form a generally circular opening for internally capturing the elongated portion of the rod when the member is in the locked position, whereby the locking mechanism is suspended from the rod and the alarm actuating member is 16. A combination according to claim 15 which is an RF coil contained within the hollow interior of one member.   The combination of claim 15, wherein the locking member includes at least one spring-biased fork mounted on the first member that lockably engages a locking protrusion formed on the second member. The second member has an elongated lock leg that can be slidably received in the lock chamber, and the leg can be removed from the first member when in the unlocked position. 16. The combination of claim 15, wherein a stop is formed that is engageable with the first member to prevent.   The first member has a hollow interior forming a lock chamber, the second member has an elongated leg that is slidably received in the lock chamber, the leg having at least one lock projection. The lock member is a metal piece that is mounted in the lock chamber and extends along the lock leg when in the lock position, and the metal piece is locked when in the lock position. 16. A combination according to claim 15, comprising a spring biased fork adapted to engage the protrusion.   16. A combination according to claim 15, comprising a key for moving the locking member to the unlocked position, the key comprising at least one magnet for moving the locking member to the unlocked position.

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