U.S. patent application number 11/267524 was filed with the patent office on 2006-07-20 for display rod lock mechanism.
This patent application is currently assigned to Alpha Security Products, Inc.. Invention is credited to Ronald M. Marsilio, Keith C. Nagelski.
Application Number | 20060157431 11/267524 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36682787 |
Filed Date | 2006-07-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060157431 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Nagelski; Keith C. ; et
al. |
July 20, 2006 |
Display rod lock mechanism
Abstract
A lock mechanism is mounted on a merchandise display rod to
prevent the removal of some items of merchandise from the rod. A
pair of members are pivotally joined at one end and move between
locked and unlocked positions. Each of the members is formed with a
partial slot which align with each other when in the locked
position to extend about the rod. A magnetically attractable
plunger is mounted within one of the members and engages a recess
formed in the other member to secure the members in a closed locked
position on the rod. A magnetic key moves the plunger to an
unlocked position to enable the members to pivot apart to an
unlocked open position. The distal end of the rod is bent at an
angle sufficient to prevent sliding removal of the lock mechanism
from the rod when the members are in the locked position yet enable
removal of merchandise items forward of the lock mechanism from the
rod.
Inventors: |
Nagelski; Keith C.;
(Huntersville, NC) ; Marsilio; Ronald M.; (Lake
Wiley, SC) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SAND & SEBOLT
AEGIS TOWER, SUITE 1100
4940 MUNSON STREET, NW
CANTON
OH
44718-3615
US
|
Assignee: |
Alpha Security Products,
Inc.
Charlotte
NC
|
Family ID: |
36682787 |
Appl. No.: |
11/267524 |
Filed: |
November 4, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60644207 |
Jan 14, 2005 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
211/54.1 ;
211/57.1; 211/59.1; 211/7 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47F 5/0861
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
211/054.1 ;
211/057.1; 211/059.1; 211/007 |
International
Class: |
A47F 5/08 20060101
A47F005/08 |
Claims
1. A lock mechanism for attaching to a rod extending outwardly from
a merchandise display, said rod having a free end bent at an angle
to an elongated portion of the rod; said lock mechanism comprising:
first and second members pivotally joined at one end for movement
between locked and unlocked positions, each of said members being
formed with a generally semicircular slot which align with each
other when in the locked position to form a generally circular slot
complementary to and adapted to receive the elongated portion of
the rod therethrough to secure the lock mechanism on the elongated
portion of said rod, and wherein said bent free end prevents
removal of the lock mechanism from the rod when in the locked
position; and a magnetically attractable plunger for locking the
members in the locked position about the rod.
2. The lock mechanism defined in claim 1 wherein each of the first
and second members have an elongated body pivotally joined at upper
ends thereof by a pivot pin; and in which the semicircular slots
are formed in said body generally adjacent the pivot pin whereby
said lock mechanism is suspended on the rod with a majority of the
elongated bodies extending below the rod.
3. The lock mechanism defined in claim 2 wherein each of the
elongated bodies of the first and second member have a generally
semicircular cross sectional configuration.
4. The lock mechanism defined in claim 1 wherein the plunger is
mounted in the first member and lockingly engages a locking
projection located in the second member.
5. The lock mechanism defined in claim 1 wherein the locking
plunger includes a generally cylindrical base moveably mounted
within a pocket formed within the first member and a locking
projection extending from said base; and in which said locking
projection engages a recess formed in the second member to secure
said members in the locked position.
6. The lock mechanism defined in claim 5 wherein a coil spring
biases the plunger toward locking engagement with the second
member.
7. The lock mechanism defined in claim 6 wherein the coil spring
extends into a bottom opening formed in the plunger base.
8. The lock mechanism defined in claim 5 wherein the locking recess
is formed in an inwardly extending ledge on the second member; and
in which the ledge is formed with a tapered surface adjacent the
locking recess for sliding engagement with the projection of the
locking plunger.
9. The lock mechanism defined in claim 1 wherein the locking
plunger is formed of a magnetically attractable metal.
10. The lock mechanism defined in claim 1 in combination with a key
for moving the plunger to the unlocked position, said key
containing at least one magnet for moving said plunger to the
unlocked position.
11. A method of displaying items of merchandise on a display rod
extending outwardly from a support, said method comprising the
steps of: providing the display rod with an elongated portion
terminating in a bent end; providing a lock mechanism having a pair
of members pivotally joined at one end and moveable between locked
and unlocked positions, said bent end preventing removal of the
lock mechanism from the rod when in the locked position; suspending
a plurality of the items on the elongated portion of the rod;
placing the lock mechanism on the elongated portion of the rod and
moving it to a closed locked position whereby at least one of the
items is between the lock mechanism and bent end permitting removal
of said at least one item beyond the bent end without interference
from the lock mechanism and whereby a plurality of the items are
located between the lock mechanism and support preventing their
removal from the rod.
12. The method defined in claim 11 including the step of unlocking
the lock mechanism and repositioning it on the elongated portion of
the rod between the plurality of items previously located between
the lock mechanism and support thereby providing at least one other
item of merchandise between the lock mechanism and bent end for
subsequent removal from the rod without interference from the lock
mechanism.
13. The method defined in claim 1 1 including the steps of placing
a magnet on at least one of the members, and moving a locking
plunger located within said one member to an unlocked position.
14. The method defined in claim 13 including the step of pivotally
moving the pair of members to an open position after the step of
moving the locking plunger to the unlocked position.
15. In combination, a lock mechanism and a rod extending outwardly
from a merchandise display, said rod having an elongated portion
terminating in a distal end, and said lock mechanism being mounted
on the elongated portion of the rod; said lock mechanism comprising
first and second members pivotally joined at one end for movement
between locked and unlocked positions, each of said members being
formed with a partial slot which align with each other when in the
locked position to form a slot generally complementary to the
elongated portion of the rod which extends through the slot to
secure the lock mechanism on the elongated portion of said rod,
said distal end of the rod having an irregular shape which prevents
removal of the lock mechanism from the rod when in the locked
position; and a magnetically attractable plunger mounted within a
hollow interior of the members for locking the members in the
locked position about the rod.
16. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein each of the first
and second members have an elongated body pivotally joined at upper
ends thereof by a pivot pin; and in which the partial slots have a
semicircular configuration which are formed in the body generally
adjacent the pivot pin whereby said lock mechanism is suspended on
the rod with a majority of the elongated bodies extending below the
rod.
17. The combination defined in claim 15 wherein the plunger is
mounted in the first member and lockingly engages a locking
projection located in the second member.
18. The combination defined in claim 15 wherein the locking plunger
includes a generally cylindrical base moveably mounted within a
pocket formed within the first member and a locking projection
extending from said base; and in which said locking projection
engages a recess formed in the second member to secure said members
in the locked position.
19. The combination defined in claim 18 wherein the locking recess
is formed in an inwardly extending ledge formed on the second
member; and in which the ledge is formed with a tapered surface
adjacent the locking recess for sliding engagement with the
projection of the locking plunger.
20. The combination defined in claim 15 including a key for moving
the plunger to the unlocked position, said key containing at least
one magnet for moving said plunger to the unlocked position.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority from U.S. provisional
application serial No. 60/644,207 filed Jan. 14, 2005; the
disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Technical Field
[0003] The present invention relates to security devices, and
particularly to a security device that prevents large numbers of
items of merchandise from being rapidly removed from display racks,
and in particular from display rods. Specifically, the present
invention relates to the security device that is easily attached
and locked on the display rod which allows one or several items of
merchandise to be removed from the rack at any one time, but
protects a number of the items from being removed from the rack by
a shoplifter.
[0004] 2. Background Information
[0005] Numerous items of merchandise are displayed for sale on long
protruding rods that are supported from a piece of pegboard, slat
board, or other type of supporting structure. These rods are
commonly referred to in the art as pegboard rods or slat board
rods. Many items of merchandise such as batteries, small tools,
tool components, film, or other relatively expensive small items
are displayed in areas where consumers may pick them up and take
them directly to a checkout counter. These items usually are
suspended on the rods by the rod passing through a single hole in
the package. Unfortunately, such merchandise is an easy target for
shoplifters and it has been found that shoplifters can rapidly
empty all of the merchandise from a pegboard display rod and make
off with merchandise without being detected, or even if detected
upon passing through a checkout security gate, will be difficult to
apprehend.
[0006] Various devices have been devised to prevent the removal of
merchandise from these display rods such as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos.
5,027,622, 5,275,027, 5,259,220, 5,689,978, 5,676,258, 6,622,979,
and 6,474,748. The devices of these patents provide for some type
of locking mechanism on the end of the rod preventing the removal
of any items of merchandise from the rod. This has the disadvantage
in that it requires the customer to contact a clerk who must unlock
the lock mechanism from the end of the rod to enable the customer
to remove the merchandise for purchase. It has been found that this
reduces the amount of sales since many customers do not wish to
wait or take the time to find a clerk to unlock the security device
to enable the customer to secure the desired item.
[0007] Other types of display rods use irregularly shaped ends on
the rod which enables the customer to remove the item therefrom by
moving it through a circuitous route along the various bends at the
distal end of the rod. This has proven satisfactory to some extent
in that it increases the difficulty of a shoplifter from rapidly
removing a large number of the items from the storage rack.
However, it does not prevent the shoplifter from removing all of
the items of merchandise from the rod if the shoplifter uses a
large amount of force upon sweeping the items from the rod or
bunches the items together enabling a plurality of the items to be
removed in one motion from the rod.
[0008] Thus, it is desired in the art to provide a security device
for these types of display rods so that large quantities of
merchandise cannot be rapidly removed from the rods yet would allow
legitimate customers to remove a limited number of the items from
the rod without requiring a merchant or store clerk to assist the
customer.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The present invention provides the security device for
display racks that prevents the rapid removal of a large number of
the displayed items of merchandise from display rods extending
outwardly from the rack by placing a simple, compact, yet highly
effective locking device on a linear length of the display rod
located between a number of the items stored thereon. This will
enable those items located between the security device and the
distal end of the display rod to be removed by a customer yet
prevents any removal of those items between the display rack and
locking device until a clerk unlocks the security device and
repositions it behind a number of the already stored items, or
places new items inbetween the security device and distal end of
the rod for subsequent removal by the customer.
[0010] Another aspect of the present invention is to provide the
display rod security device as a simple two-piece component
pivotally joined at one end, each of which has a semicircular slot
formed therein, which when in a closed locked position forms a
circular opening through which the display rod extends, and which
has a sufficient linear length or configuration to prevent it from
being removed from a bent end of the display rod.
[0011] Another aspect of the present invention is to provide one of
the body members of the security device with a spring biased
plunger which automatically snaps into locking engagement in a
locking recess formed in the other of the body members when the
body members are moved to a closed position.
[0012] Another feature of the present invention is to form the
locking plunger of a magnetically attractable material whereby a
magnetic key when placed at a specific location on the lock
mechanism will move the plunger to the unlocked position enabling
the security device to be easily pivoted to an open position for
removal of the device from the rack and subsequent reattachment
thereto.
[0013] A further aspect of the present invention is to form the two
half body members inexpensively of rigid plastic material which is
strong enough to prevent a thief from easily prying the two lock
body members apart, and which can be constructed of a minimum
number of component parts thereby enabling the lock mechanism to be
mass produced relatively inexpensive encouraging the use thereof by
merchants to reduce shoplifting.
[0014] These features and advantages are obtained by the lock
mechanism of the present invention which is attached to a rod
extending outwardly from a merchandise display wherein the rod has
a free end bent at an angle to an elongated portion of the rod,
wherein the lock mechanism comprises first and second members
pivotally joined at one end for movement between locked and
unlocked positions, each of the members being formed with a
generally semicircular slot which align with each other when in the
locked position to form a generally circular slot complementary to
and adapted to receive the elongated portion of the rod
therethrough to secure the lock mechanism on the elongated portion
of said rod, and wherein the bent free end prevents removal of the
lock mechanism from the rod when in the locked position; and a
magnetically attractable plunger for locking the members in the
locked position about the rod.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] A preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrated of the
best mode in which Applicant contemplates applying the principles,
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.
[0016] FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the lock mechanism
mounted on an elongated portion of a display rod extending
outwardly from a supporting structure.
[0017] FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2, FIG. 1.
[0018] FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 3-3,
showing the lock mechanism in a locked position.
[0019] FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view of the display rod showing a
magnetic key engaged with the lock mechanism for unlocking the
mechanism.
[0020] FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 5-5, FIG.
4, showing the locking plunger moving to an unlocked position.
[0021] FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6, FIG. 3.
[0022] FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 7-7, FIG. 5 showing
the lock mechanism in a closed unlocked position.
[0023] FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing the lock mechanism in an
open unlocked position.
[0024] Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the
drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0025] The display rod lock mechanism of the present invention is
indicated generally at 1, and is shown in FIG. 1 mounted on a
merchandise display rod 3 which extends outwardly in a
cantilevered-like fashion from a support surface 5 and is attached
thereto by various types of attachment mechanisms 7. Attachment 7
is preferably some type of secure device which when attached to
support 5 prevents removal of the rod therefrom without
considerable manipulation or without sounding an alarm to prevent a
shoplifter from completely removing rod 3 including all of the
various items of merchandise indicated at 9, suspended therefrom.
Rod 3 preferably is formed of a rigid round metal member having a
generally straight elongated linear section 11 which terminates in
a curved distal end 13. The items of merchandise 9 can be blister
packs 15 or other type of containers in which certain merchandise
is stored. The packs are suspended from rod 3 by a flat card-like
section 17 having a hole 19 formed therein through which rod 3
extends. The particular configuration of merchandise 9 can vary
considerably, but usually will have some type of slotted or rounded
opening formed in the upper end thereof through which rod 3
extends, which will enable the merchandise to be slid in the
direction of Arrow A for removal from the free distal end 13
thereof.
[0026] Lock mechanism 1 is shown particularly in FIGS. 3-8 and
includes two half-body members 21 and 23 which are pivotally joined
at an upper end by a pivot pin 25. This enables members 21 and 23
to be pivotally moved between a closed locked position as shown in
FIG. 3 to a closed unlocked position (FIG. 5) and then to an open
unlocked position as shown in FIG. 8. The body members preferably
are formed of a rigid plastic enabling them to be produced
relatively inexpensive and in various colors making them
aesthetically pleasing when mounted on display rod 3 as shown in
FIG. 1. Each of the body members has a generally elongated
semicircular configuration as shown particularly in FIGS. 6 and 7.
Pivot pin 25 is located adjacent the top ends of members 21 and 23
so that the majority of the elongated bodies extend downwardly from
and below the rod. Body members 21 and 23 are formed with
semicircular-shaped grooves 27 and 29 respectively, which when in
the closed position, forms a circular opening generally
complementary to the diameter of rod 3, and in particular to the
cross-sectional diameter of elongated section 11. The diameter of
the rod receiving hole 30 can vary and need not match the outer
diameter of rod section 11 as shown in the drawings, to provide a
tight clamping engagement therebetween, but could be larger in
order to accommodate rod diameters of various sizes without
affecting the concept of the invention.
[0027] Body member 21 is formed with a hollow semicircular upper
interior 31 and has a semicircular lower wall 33 which forms a
pocket 34 therein. Pocket 34 includes a top wall 35 in which is
formed a hole 36. A cylindrical cup-shaped member 39 preferably
formed of plastic, is complementary to and seated within pocket 34
as shown particularly in FIGS. 3, 5, and 8. A plunger indicated
generally at 41, is mounted within cup-shaped member 39 and is
formed with a cylindrical base 43 and an upwardly extending locking
projection 45. The lower end of plunger base 43 preferably is
formed with a socket 47 in which is located a coil spring 49 for
slidably moving and biasing plunger 41 in cup-shaped member 39
toward a locking position as shown in FIG. 3.
[0028] Body member 23 is formed with a semicircular hollow interior
or subchamber 51 extending generally throughout the longitudinal
length thereof and includes a locking ledge or projection 53 which
extends inwardly from semi-cylindrical wall 55 which forms much of
body member 23 and which extends downwardly from the top pivotal
end of member 23. Ledge 53 may have various configurations
including the partial rectangular and semicircular configuration as
shown in the drawings, and in particular FIG. 6. The important
aspects of ledge 53 is the formation of a locking recess 57 in a
bottom surface 59 thereof, which includes a tapered side wall
surface 61 extending upwardly outwardly from bottom wall 59. When
in the locked position of FIG. 3, locking projection 45 extends
into locking recess 57 which retains members 21 and 23 in a secure
locked position, and when placed on rod 3 will prevent its removal
therefrom.
[0029] It is readily seen that when lock mechanism 1 is in the full
open unlocked position as shown in FIG. 8, it can be easily moved
to a closed locking position by pivotal movement of member 23 in
the direction of Arrow A toward body member 21 with tapered wall
portion 61 sliding along the top surface of locking projection 45
which will be in an extended position as shown in FIG. 3. This
sliding camming movement of projection 45 along tapered surface 61
will compress coil spring 49 sufficiently to enable ledge 53 to
move to the closed position of FIG. 3 afterwhich projection 45 will
automatically snap into locking engagement within locking recess 57
to secure the members in the closed locked position.
[0030] To open and unlock lock mechanism 1, a magnetic key
indicated generally at 65, is properly aligned with plunger 41
which is formed of a magnetically attractable material such as
iron, steel, etc. by placement of a locating tab 67 in a
positioning groove 69 formed in the outer surface at the lower end
of body member 21 (FIG. 3). When placed in this position, an
internal magnet 71 in key 65 will be properly aligned with plunger
41 and will have sufficient magnetic field strength to move plunger
41, and in particular, locking projection 45, from the locking
position of FIG. 3 to the unlocked position of FIG. 5 as shown by
Arrow B. Once in this unlocked position, body members 21 and 23 are
easily pivotally moved in the direction of Arrow C (FIG. 8) to a
full open position enabling lock mechanism 1 to be easily removed
from rod 3.
[0031] In accordance with another feature of the invention as shown
in FIG. 1, lock member 1 will be placed on the elongated linear
section 11 of rod 3 between a number of merchandise items 9 so that
one or more merchandise items will be between lock mechanism 1 and
distal end 13 enabling the merchandise item or items to be easily
removed from rod 3 by a customer without the assistance of a clerk.
However, many of the merchandise items 9 will be between rod
attachment 7 and lock mechanism 1 preventing their removal by a
customer. Thus, the merchant will usually have a large number of
merchandise items 9 in a secure locked position between support 5
and lock mechanism 1, with one or more of the merchandise items 9
being on the unsecured portion of rod 3 enabling a customer to
easily remove the same from distal end 13. This enables the
customer to take one or several of the items from the display rack
for subsequent purchase at a checkout station, but will prevent a
shoplifter from stealing an excessively large number of the items
from rod 3 by a sweeping motion of the items therefrom. This limits
the possible loss to only one or several of the displayed items,
but not the entire displayed stock thereof.
[0032] The merchant upon seeing that the number of available
merchandise items 9 unsecured on rod 1 not being sufficient to
satisfy the current customer's demand, will easily unlock lock
mechanism 1 by use of magnetic key 65, and then move lock mechanism
1 to another position between the remaining previously secured
items 9, thereby making several more items available to the
customer in an unsecured manner. Also, rod lock mechanism 1 can be
easily removed enabling the entire rod to be restocked with items
9, afterwhich lock mechanism 1 is reapplied somewhere between the
plurality of merchandise items permitting only one or several to be
unprotected and permitting a customer to remove one or several of
the items for purchase at the checkout counter.
[0033] As shown in FIG. 1, lock mechanism 1 will have a
sufficiently large thickness or other configuration, which will
prevent the lock mechanism from being removed from the bent end of
rod 3. Thus, even though a shoplifter could slide lock mechanism 1
toward the distal end of rod 3, it cannot move it around the one or
more bends or projections formed thereon to prevent removal of the
lock mechanism from the rod without requiring it to be tightly
clamped thereon. The end of rod 3 could have other types of bends
than that shown in FIG. 1 or projections from thereon, without
departing from the concept of the invention, so long as the bend or
projection is sufficient to prevent removal of lock mechanism 1
from rod 3 by sliding it along the rod and off end 13. Likewise,
the merchant after unlocking and moving lock mechanism 1, merely
moves the two members 21 and 23 together whereupon plunger 41 will
automatically snap-fit into locking engagement requiring very
little manipulation of the lock mechanism. Likewise, lock mechanism
1 can be used with various diameters of rods since it does not
require that it tightly grip the rod so long as it has sufficient
length or diameter to prevent it from sliding off the end of the
rod.
[0034] In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used
for brevity, clearness, and understanding. 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.
[0035] Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention
is an example and the invention is not limited to the exact details
shown or described.
* * * * *