WO2000053873A1

WO2000053873A1 - Adapter for security package

Info

Publication number: WO2000053873A1
Application number: PCT/US2000/005861
Authority: WO
Inventors: James M. Byrne
Original assignee: Alpha Enterprises, Inc.
Priority date: 1999-03-09
Filing date: 2000-03-07
Publication date: 2000-09-14
Also published as: AU3869100A

Abstract

The adapter of the present invention allows a drill box security package to be used with single CDs that have substantially left depth or thickness than standard tool boxes. The adapter functions by being placed in the storage compartment of the security container and having first and second ledges that receive the locking tabs and locking flanges of the security device. The adapter may be positioned on its lower surface or its upper surface to change the effective thickness of the adapter. The adapter is preferably fabricated from a substantially transparent material to allow the customer to view the contents of the security package before purchasing.

Description

ADAPTER FOR SECURITY PACKAGE

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Technical Field This invention generally relates to security packages and, more particularly, to an adapter that cooperates with a security package to allow the security package to securely hold different-sized items. Specifically, the invention relates to a reusable adapter that fits within an existing security package in different positions to allow the security package to securely hold items of different thicknesses. For instance, the security package may be designed to securely hold jewel boxes that are typically used to hold compact discs. The adapter of the present invention may be used with the jewel box security package to allow the jewel box security package to securely hold CD singles that are thinner than jewel boxes and are sold in different sizes.

Background Information

Practically all recorded music is now sold on compact discs that are stored in jewel boxes. Compact discs and jewel boxes are relatively small, very thin, and thus susceptible to theft by shoplifting. Customers, and thus retailers, demand that compact discs be available to inspect prior to purchase. This inspection requirement forces retailers to place the compact discs on display where the customer has access to the compact discs. The retailer combats shoplifting by placing each compact disc in a security package that is substantially larger than the jewel box and holds an electronic article surveillance (EAS) tag that activates an alarm if the security package is removed from the store without authorization. Each security package must be unlocked with a unique key before the jewel box can be removed from the security package and then taken from the store by the customer.

Numerous types of security packages have been developed that provide a safe and secure device for displaying the compact discs within jewel boxes while retarding unauthorized removal of the compact disc from the display package and subsequent theft from the store. One type of prior art security package that selectively securably retains a compact disc within a jewel box is depicted in FIG. 1 and is indicated generally by the numeral 10. Security package 10 generally

5 includes a main housing 12 and a slide or lock plate 13 that is selectively moved between unlocked and locked positions on housing 12. Security package 10 has a generally rectangular configuration with a generally slim depth substantially equivalent to that of a compact disc jewel box. The generally rectangular configuration of security package 10 is defined by a large storage compartment

10 14 and a small lock compartment 15. Overall, housing 12 includes a pair of longitudinally extending sidewalls 16 and 17 of a stepped construction which extends throughout the longitudinal length of housing 12, a pair of parallel end walls 18 and 19 that extend between and are perpendicular to sidewalls 16 and 17, and a pair of back walls 20 and 21.

15 Storage compartment 14 is formed by storage sidewalls 16a and 17a, end walls 18 and 19, and back wall 20. This results in compartment 14 having four sides and a back face thereby providing a space in which a rectangular-shaped article, such as a jewel box containing a compact disc, may be placed for storage through an open side or access opening opposite back wall 20. Wall 20 may

20 further include one or more openings 22 that provide access to the back side of the jewel box when the jewel box is to be removed from security package 10.

Lock compartment 15 is formed by sidewalls 16b and 17b, end wall 19, and back wall 21. An electronic article surveillance (EAS) tag 23 may be mounted in lock compartment 15 in addition to locking mechanisms 24.

25 Slide plate 13 is sized and configured to be received at least partially within lock compartment 15. Slide plate 13 includes mechanisms that selectively engage locking mechanisms 24 to retain the position of slide plate 13 with respect to lock compartment 15. Slide plate 13 additionally includes a pair of locking tabs 25 that slide over or through end wall 19 to cover a portion of storage compartment 14

30 when slide plate 13 is in the locked position. Locking tabs 25 are thus positioned over the jewel box when slide plate 13 is in the locked position thus trapping the jewel box between locking tabs 25 and back wall 20.

Main housing 12 additionally includes cornerflanges 26 that retain the jewel box in storage compartment 14. It may thus be understood that the jewel box is securely retained within storage compartment 14 by locking tabs 25 and corner flanges 26 when slide plate 13 is in the locked position.

Security package 10 is sized and configured such that the distance from the inner surface of each locking tab 25 and the inner surface of each corner flange 26 to the inner surface of back wall 20 is just slightly larger than the thickness of a standard jewel box. This configuration ensures that the jewel box will be securely retained within security package 10 and will not rattle or move when it is locked within security package 10. Security package 10 has achieved success in the art for securely storing and displaying compact disc jewel boxes.

Another product that has gained popularity in recent times is the CD single. The CD single is a compact disc that holds a single work or a small number of works of a particular artist. The goal of the CD single is to allow a customer to purchase one or a few of an artist's works at a price that is less than the regular CD. It is thus desired in the art to maintain the cost of a CD single as low as possible in order to entice the consumer to purchase the CD singles. One way to lower the cost is to package the CD singles in a simple cardboard sleeve instead of a regular plastic jewel box. The cardboard sleeves are substantially thinner than jewel boxes and are fabricated from cardboard which is substantially more flexible than the rigid plastic from which jewel boxes are fabricated. The cardboard sleeves having CD singles are thus more susceptible to theft by shoplifting because they are even smaller than jewel boxes and the flexibility of the packaging allows them to be pried out of security packages. For instance, when security package 10 is used to securely retain a CD single packaged in a cardboard sleeve, substantial room exists in storage compartment 14 because the CD single is not thick enough to engage both locking tabs 25 and back wall 20 at the same time. This allows a shoplifter to tilt the CD single with respect to main housing 12 and pry the corners of the CD single around corner flanges 26 and thus remove the CD single from security package 10. It is thus desired in the art to provide an adapter that may be used with security package 10 to allow security package 10 to securely retain a CD single packaged in a cardboard sleeve. CD singles are also packaged in a thin jewel box that is fabricated from a substantially rigid plastic having the same width and length dimensions as a regular jewel box but being substantially thinner. Although the thin jewel boxes cannot be bent like the cardboard sleeves, their thickness allows a shoplifter to tilt the box with respect to main housing 10 and potentially pop it out of the locked position. It is thus desired that the adapter for the cardboard sleeve can also be used with the thin jewel box to prevent it from being removed from security package 10.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the foregoing, it is an objective of the present invention to provide an adapter for a security package that allows the security package to securely retain different sized items of recorded media.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide an adapter for a security package that can be used in different positions to hold different sized articles of recorded media.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide an adapter for a security package that prevents removal of an item of recorded media from the security package when the adapter is used with the security package in any of its available positions. Another objective of the present invention is to provide an adapter for a security package that allows the printed information on the stored article of recorded media to be viewed by the consumer.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide an adapter for a security package that can be easily slid into position and then easily locked into position by the user. Another objective of the present invention is to provide an adapter for a security package that is locked into position with the existing lock of the security package and is unlocked using the existing key used for the existing security package. Another objective of the present invention is to provide an adapter for a security package but that can be molded of rugged plastic and repeatedly reused thereby reducing the costs of using the adapters.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide an adapter for a security package that is molded in a single unitary piece. Another objective of the present invention is to provide an adapter for a security package that is of simple construction, that achieves the stated objectives in a simple, effective, and inexpensive manner, and that solves problems and satisfies needs in the arts.

These and other objectives and advantages are obtained by the general nature of which is achieved by a security package having a main housing defining a storage compartment and a slide plate that moves between unlocked and locked positions, the storage compartment having a length, a width, and a depth, the slide plate having at least one locking tab that is positioned over the storage compartment when the slide plate is in the locked position, and an adapter sized and configured to fit within the storage compartment to reduce the depth of the storage compartment when the locking tab of the slide plate engages the adapter.

Other objectives and advantages of the invention are achieved by an adapter for reducing the size of the storage compartment in a security container; the storage compartment of the security container having a width, a length, and a depth, the adapter including a main body having a length, a width, and a depth, the main body adapted to fit within the compartment of the security container, and the depth of the main body adapted to be less than the depth of the storage compartment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrative of the best mode in which applicant contemplated applying the principles of the invention, is set forth in the following description and is shown in the drawings and is particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended Claims.

The preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrative of the best mode in which applicant has contemplated applying the principles of the invention, is set forth in the following description and is shown in the drawings and is particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended Claims. FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a prior art security package with the slide plate removed therefrom;

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the adapter of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of the adapter;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view similar to FIG. 1 showing the insertion of a CD single into the prior art security package;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view similar to FIGS. 1 and 4 showing the adapter of the present invention installed in the security package and securely retaining the CD single within the security package;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 5; and FIG. 7 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 6 showing the use of the adapter with a CD single having a thicker package than the CD single depicted in FIG.6.

Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The adapter of the present invention is indicated generally by the numeral

30 in the accompanying drawings. Adapter 30 is preferably fabricated from a substantially transparent material such as plastic so that the graphics on the item of recorded media secured by adapter 30 may be viewed by the consumer. It is contemplated, however, that adapter 30 may be fabricated from opaque materials without departing from the concepts of the present invention. Adapter 30 is further fabricated from a material that is substantially rigid so that adapter 30 does not readily bend or flex. In the embodiment of the invention depicted in the drawings, adapter 30 is configured to be used with security package 10 that is configured to securely retain jewel boxes that are commonly used to hold CDs or DVDs. It is

5 understood that adapter 30 may be configured to cooperate with security packages that are configured to hold other items of recorded media such as cassette tapes, video cassette tapes, video game boxes, etc. without departing from the concepts of the present invention.

Adapter 30 includes a main body 32 having a pair of sidewalls 34, a first

10 end wall 36, a second end wall 38, and a top wall 40. Each sidewalls 34, and end walls 36 and 38 have substantially identical heights as indicated by the dimension line labeled with numeral 42.

Adapter 30 also includes a first ledge 50 that includes a pair of sidewalls 54, a first end wall 56 and a top wall 58. Ledge 50 shares a portion of first end wall

15 36 of main body 32 and may be integrally formed with main body 32. Each of sidewalls 54 and first end wall 56 have a substantially identical height or thickness indicated by the dimension line labeled with the numeral 60. Height 60 of first ledge 50 is less than height 42 of main body 32. Although height 60 is smaller than height 42, sidewalls 54 and first end wall 56 each have lower surfaces that are in

20 the same plane as the lower surfaces of sidewalls 34, and end walls 36 and 38.

Adapter 30 further includes a second ledge 70 that includes a pair of sidewalls 74, a first end wall 76, and a top wall 78. Second ledge 70 shares a portion of second end wall 38 with main body 32 and may be integrally formed with main body 32. Each of sidewalls 74 and first end wall 76 has a height indicated

25 by the dimension line labeled with numeral 80 that is less than height 42 of main body 32 and may be substantially the same as height 60 of first ledge 50. Each of sidewalls 74 and first end wall 76 has a lower surface that is substantially planar with the lower surface of sidewalls 34 and end walls 36 and 38. In view of the foregoing description, it is understood that adapter 30 has a substantially planar bottom surface indicated by the numeral 82 and a stepped top surface indicated by the numeral 84.

Adapter 30 is used to securely retain a CD single or other item of recorded media that is substantially thinner than a standard jewel box in security package 10. In use, a CD single 86 is inserted into storage compartment 14 of security package 10 as depicted in FIG. 4. Single CD 86 is substantially smaller than a standard jewel box and thus does not fill the entire width of storage compartment 14 but is sized to substantially fill the length of storage compartment 14. As shown in FIG. 6, CD single 86 has a thickness indicated by the dimension line labeled by the numeral 88 that is substantially less than the depth of storage compartment 14 which is indicated by the dimension line labeled with the numeral 90. Thickness 88 of CD single 86 would allow CD single 86 to tilt with respect to storage compartment 14 if adapter 30 were not used in cooperation with security package 10. The packaging of CD single 86 is also typically a flexible cardboard that could be bent or flexed about corner flanges 26 allowing a shoplifter to remove CD single 86 from security package 10. The proper use of adapter 30 in cooperation with security package 10 prevents CD single 86 from being removed from security package 10 without significant damage to security package 10. After CD single 86 is inserted into storage compartment 14, adapter 30 is installed over CD single 86 and under corner flanges 26. Slide plate 13 is then moved to its locked position where locking tabs 25 extend over adapter 30 to lock CD single 86 and adapter 30 within storage compartment 14. As shown in FIG. 6, when CD single 86 is relatively thin compared to storage compartment 14. Adapter 30 is installed such that its top surface 84 lies adjacent CD single 86 and its uniform bottom surface 82 faces upwardly and engages locking tabs 25 and corner flanges 26. This configuration maximizes the operational thickness of adapter 30 because full height 42 of main body 32 is disposed between tabs 25 and corner flanges 26 and the upper surface of CD single 86. Adapter 30 also allows other items of recorded media that are still thinner than standard jewel boxes yet thicker than CD single 86 to be stored in security package 10. One such item is depicted in FIG. 7 and is indicated generally by the numeral 92. Item of recorded media 92 has a thickness indicated by the dimension line labeled with the numeral 94 that is greater than thickness 88 yet smaller than depth 90. In this situation, adapter 30 cannot be installed with its bottom surface 82 facing upwardly because there is not sufficient room between tabs 25 and the upper surface of item 92 for the entire thickness 42 of main body 32. Adapter 30 is thus flipped over and positioned such that main body 32 protrudes upwardly from storage compartment 14 and the thicknesses 60 and 80 of ledges 50 and 70 are disposed between locking tabs 25 and item 92 as well as flanges 26 and item 92, respectively. As described above, thicknesses or heights 60 and 80 are substantially less than thickness 42 and thus adapter 30 may be fit in between item 92 and locking tabs 25. Locking tabs 25 and corner flanges 26 thus engage stepped top surface 84 of adapter 30 and specifically engage top wall 58 and top wall 78 of ledges 50 and 70.

Adapter 30 has a length that substantially fills storage compartment 14 and a width that also substantially extends between sidewalls 16 and 17 of security package 10. Accordingly, improved adapterfor a security package is simplified, provides an effective, safe, inexpensive, and efficient device that achieves all the enumerated objectives of the invention, provides for eliminating difficulties encountered with prior devices, and that solves problems and obtains new results in the art. In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding; but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art, because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed. Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is by way of example, and the scope of the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described.

Having now described the features, discoveries, and principles of the invention, the manner in which the adapter for the security package is constructed and used, the characteristics of the construction, and the advantageous new and useful results obtained; the new and useful structures, devices, elements, arrangements, parts and combinations are set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1. In combination: a security package having a main housing defining a storage compartment and a slide plate that moves between unlocked and locked positions; the storage compartment having a length, a width, and a depth; the slide plate having at least one locking tab that is positioned over the storage compartment when the slide plate is in the locked position; and an adapter sized and configured to fit within the storage compartment to reduce the depth of the storage compartment when the locking tab of the slide plate engages the adapter.

2. The combination of claim 1 , wherein the adapter includes at least a first recessed area that receives the locking tab when the locking tab is in the locked position.

3. The combination of claim 2, wherein the first recessed area that receives the locking tab has a depth that is not less than the thickness of the locking tab.

4. The combination of claim 2, wherein the main housing has at least one flange that is disposed over the storage compartment; the adapter engaging the flange when the adapter is disposed in the storage container.

5. The combination of claim 4, wherein the adapter includes at least a second recessed area that receives the flange.

6. The combination of claim 5, wherein the second recessed area that receives the flange has a depth that is not less than the thickness of the flange.

7. The combination of claim 5, wherein the first and second recessed areas are positioned on opposite ends of the adapter.

8. The combination of claim 7, wherein the adapter includes a main body having 5 a height; each of the recessed areas having a height less than the height of the main body.

9. The combination of claim 1 , wherein the adapter is fabricated from a substantially transparent material.

10

10. The combination of claim 1 , wherein the adapter includes an upper surface and a bottom surface; the bottom surface being substantially planar and the upper surface being stepped.

15 11. The combination of claim 1 , wherein the adapter includes: a main body having a pair of sidewalls, a first end wall, a second end wall, and a top wall; a first ledge having a pair of sidewalls, a first end wall, and a top wall; the first ledge being connected to the first end wall of the main body; 20 a second ledge having a pair of sidewalls, a first end wall, and a top wall; and the second ledge being connected to the second end wall of the main body.

12. The combination of claim 11 , wherein the height of the sidewalls of the main 25 body is larger than the height of the sidewalls of the first and second ledges.

13. The combination of claim 12, wherein the locking tab of the security package engages one of the first and second ledges of the adapter.

14. The combination of claim 13, wherein the security container includes a flange; the flange engaging the other of the first and second ledges.

15. An adapter for reducing the size of the storage compartment in a security container; the storage compartment of the security container having a width, a length, and a depth; the adapter comprising: a main body having a length, a width, and a depth; the main body adapted to fit within the compartment of the security container; and the depth of the main body adapted to be less than the depth of the storage compartment.

16. The adapter of claim 15, further comprising a first ledge connected to main body; the first ledge having a depth less than the depth of the main body.

17. The adapter of claim 16, wherein the first ledge includes a bottom surface that is substantially coplanar with the bottom surface of the main body.

18. The adapter of claim 17, further comprising a second ledge connected to main body; the second ledge having a depth less than the depth of the main body.

19. The adapter of claim 18, wherein the second ledge includes a bottom surface that is substantially coplanar with the bottom surface of the main body.