Display rod lock mechanism
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.
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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 INVENTION1. Technical Field
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.
2. Background Information
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.
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.
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.
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 INVENTIONThe 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 DRAWINGSA 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.
Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The display rod lock mechanism of the present invention is indicated generally at 1, and is shown in
Lock mechanism 1 is shown particularly in
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
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
It is readily seen that when lock mechanism 1 is in the full open unlocked position as shown in
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 (
In accordance with another feature of the invention as shown in
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.
As shown in
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.
Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is an example and the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described.
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.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 4, 2005
Publication Date: Jul 20, 2006
Applicant: Alpha Security Products, Inc. (Charlotte, NC)
Inventors: Keith Nagelski (Huntersville, NC), Ronald Marsilio (Lake Wiley, SC)
Application Number: 11/267,524
International Classification: A47F 5/08 (20060101);