Patent Application
20140167962
This invention generally relates to pusher systems, in particular, to a pusher system employed with an alarm to prevent retail theft.
Theft is a large problem in the retail industry. To combat theft of merchandise, the retail industry has utilized many products, such as alarming fixtures, Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) tag systems, and locking mechanisms used to secure items.
Traditional alarming systems will activate an alarm to warn employees when a product has been removed from a display. As such, when a legitimate customer would like to purchase merchandise protected by these traditional alarm systems, it requires a store clerk to unlock the merchandise from the display protected by the alarming system. This type of retail theft deterrent is similar to a simple locking fixture, which merely secures the merchandise to the display. Both the alarming system and the locking fixture require a customer to first ask a store clerk to remove the merchandise from the display prior to purchasing the merchandise. Research in the retail industry has shown that merchandise that requires a store clerk to retrieve causes a gradual loss in sales.
An EAS tag system is used in conjunction with a gate, usually at the exit of the retail store. These systems typically require that each item of retail merchandise be fixed with a tag that will cause an alarm to activate if the merchandise is moved beyond the gate. Therefore, a store clerk will need to remove the tag subsequent to the customers purchasing the merchandise. The requirement for each retail merchandise item to be tagged means that many tags will need to be used, which will cut into the overhead cost of operating a retail store. Further, the store clerk will need to take the additional time to remove the tag that could be used to service other customers.
A pusher system is a popular device used to “face” merchandise, i.e. bias the merchandise to the leading edge of a retail shelf. A general description of a typical pusher system may be found at U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2007/0267364 A1, the teachings and disclosure of which are hereinafter incorporated by reference.
A typical pusher system contains merchandise in an organized line or row. As a front most item is removed, a pusher of the pusher system biases the entire line or row forward such that the next item in the line or row, now the front most item is biased forward until it engages a stop of the pusher system that prevents further movement of the row.
Utilizing an alarming fixture, an EAS tag system, or a locking system on a pusher system retail display is inconvenient for the same reasons discussed above. Therefore, what is needed is a pusher system with an alarming system that does not require a store clerk to remove the merchandise from the display or remove a tag affixed to the merchandise prior to a customer purchasing said merchandise.
The invention provides such an alarming pusher system. These and other advantages of the invention, as well as additional inventive features, will be apparent from the description of the invention provided herein.
In one aspect, an embodiment of the invention provides a retail merchandise pusher system that includes a retail merchandise guide track, a pusher plate, a front stop, and an alarm device. The merchandise guide track supports retail merchandise displayed on the pusher system. The pusher plate is operatively connected to a biasing mechanism configured to bias the pusher plate in a biasing direction along the merchandise guide track. The front stop is configured to prevent retail merchandise from being pushed off the pusher system by the pusher plate. The alarm device is operatively configured to activate an alarm when retail merchandise is removed from the pusher system.
In another aspect of the retail merchandise pusher system, the alarm device is mechanically fixed to the front stop by a first hook-shaped projection and a second hook-shaped projection. The first and second hook-shaped projections each have a contact portion and a distal portion. The contact portion extends perpendicularly from an inner facing surface of the front stop, and the distal portion curves back toward a center axis transverse to the biasing direction.
In yet another aspect of the retail merchandise pusher system, the alarm device is fixed to the front stop by foam adhesive strips. The foam adhesive strips are configured to adhere to a back surface of the alarm device to the front stop of the pusher system.
In another aspect, an embodiment of the invention provides an alarm device configured to monitor merchandise displayed on a retail pusher system. The alarm device includes a front surface, a back surface, and a switch. The front surface is oriented to face retail merchandise displayed on the retail pusher system. The back surface is operatively attached to a front stop of the retail pusher system, and the switch is located on the front surface of the alarm device. The switch is also oriented to interact with the retail merchandise displayed on the retail pusher system.
In another aspect, an embodiment of the invention provides a method of alerting retail store personnel of removal of retail merchandise from a retail pusher system. The method includes the steps of biasing retail merchandise to engage a triggering mechanism of an alarm device configured to monitor retail merchandise displayed on a retail pusher system. The method also includes activating a timed alarm when the triggering mechanism is not reengaged.
In yet another aspect, the method of alerting retail store personnel further includes waiting a predetermined period of time after expiration of the timed alarm, and activating a second timed alarm if the triggering mechanism is not reengaged within the predetermined period of time. After expiration of the second timed alarm, the method waits a predetermined second period of time, and activates a final alarm if the triggering mechanism is not reengaged.
Other aspects, objectives and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of the specification illustrate several aspects of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:
While the invention will be described in connection with certain preferred embodiments, there is no intent to limit it to those embodiments. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
When the pusher system 100 is stocked with merchandise 104, as illustrated in
As such, the alarm device 102 acts to inform employees of the retail merchandise store that merchandise 104 is active. For retail merchandise 104 to be active it is either being restocked or removed. Therefore, when one of those actions occurs, the alarm device 102 will inform both the customer that the merchandise 104 is being monitored and the store employees that merchandise 104 is active.
While in the embodiments illustrated in
In certain embodiments, the alarm is a timed alarm, which shuts off after the expiration of a specific amount of time as opposed to actuation of the triggering mechanism 112. However, in other embodiments, the alarm will only shut off when turned off either by a key or a remote control 170, as illustrated in
In the configuration where the alarm is shut off using the remote control 170, the remote control 170 may be a short distance remote control 170 that operates only within a six foot radius around the remote control 170. Further, the alarm will only shut off for ten seconds prior to monitoring the merchandise once again. Therefore, if the triggering mechanism 112 is still not engaged, then the alarm will sound again.
In another embodiment, the alarm will sound for a longer period when the triggering mechanism 112 is actuated several times in a relatively short period of time. For instance, if the triggering mechanism is actuated four or more times within a ten second period of time the alarm may sound for thirty seconds or more. In other embodiments, if the triggering mechanism 112 is actuated several times within a short period of time, the alarm may sound indefinitely until a store employee manually shuts the alarm off.
Further, in certain embodiments, once the final item of merchandise 104 has been removed from the pusher system 100, the pusher plate may stop short of triggering the plunger switch 112 such that the alarm is constantly initiated so to indicate to employees of the retail store that all of the merchandise 104 has been removed from the pusher system 100. In this capacity, the alarm device 102 can be used to indicate to the retail store employees that merchandise 104 needs to be restocked.
In another embodiment, the alarm initiated by the alarm device 102 may be an audible alarm that both warns the employees of the retail store that merchandise has been removed and warns the customer that the product is being monitored. However, in other embodiments, the alarm may be silent by indicating to an employee tasked with monitoring merchandise that product has been removed from a specific pusher system 100.
Additionally, the alarm device 102 may be equipped to send a signal to a receiver 180 that communicates with a monitoring station 190 being watched by a store employee. In certain embodiments, the monitoring station 190 may receive e-mail notifications from the receiver 180 that is in communication with the alarm device 112. In other embodiments, the monitoring station 190 may be as small as a portable device equipped with software that allows the device to monitor each alarm device 102. As such, the portable device may be a cellular phone, tablet, or pager.
Furthermore, in another embodiment of the invention where the alarm may or may not be silent, the alarm device 102 communicates with the receiver 180 which in turn may transmit a message to a store pager system, which acts as the monitoring station 190. The message would trigger the store pager system to announce that help is needed in the section of the store where the alarm device 102 is located.
Additionally,
Furthermore, the front stop 108 includes two fastening structures 144, 146. The two fastening structures 144, 146 define two passages 148, 150 that are hollowed such that upturned ends 160, 162 of outer guide rails 156, 158 are slideably disposed within the passages 148, 150. Therefore, the front stop 108 is secured to the pusher system 100 by the upturned ends 160, 162 inserted into the passages 148, 150.
Additionally, the alarm device 102 may be fixed to the front stop 108 by a variety of methods, such as the use of adhesive strips, in particular foam adhesive strips. The adhesive strips may be used as either in conjunction with the securing pocket 130 or on its own in an embodiment of the front plate 108 that does not include the securing pocket 130.
Furthermore, the alarm device 102 includes two indicator lights 120, 122. Indicator lights 120, 122 provide a visual indication of whether the alarm device is turned on and when the alarm of the alarm device is activated. While the indicator lights illustrated in
However, if the triggering mechanism 112 indicates that merchandise has been removed, then the alarm device 102 provides a first timed alarm 206. Generally, the first timed alarm 206 is a light chime or sound to merely indicate to the store employees that merchandise has been removed and to the customer that the merchandise is being monitored. After the first timed alarm 206 expires, the flow chart 200 includes a delay block 208, which indicates a two second delay. After the expiration of the two second delay, the flow chart 200 asks whether merchandise has once again engaged the triggering mechanism 112. If the answer to this question is yes, then the flow chart 200 proceeds back to the no alarm box 204.
However, if once again, merchandise is not engaging the triggering mechanism 112, then a second timed alarm 212 is issued from the alarm device 102. After the expiration of the second timed alarm 212, the flow chart 200 includes a second delay block 214, which indicates a four second delay. After expiration of the four second delay, the flow chart 200 includes a decision block 216 that asks once again whether merchandise has engaged the triggering mechanism 112. If the answer to this question is yes, then the flow chart 200 proceeds back to the no alarm box 204. If merchandise has not engaged the triggering mechanism 112 after the expiration of the four second delay, then a final alarm 218 is issued from the alarm device 102. The final alarm 218 is a much longer timed alarm that generally last for 30 seconds.
The second and final timed alarm 212, 218 are generally present to indicate to retail store employees that a pusher system 100 (see
The above description of the operation of the method of instituting a timed alarm detailed in flow chart 200 includes specific times for delays of two second for the first delay 208 and four seconds for the second delay 216. One of ordinary skill in the art would realize that these times can be increased or decreased based on the specific retail environment. Further, one of ordinary skill in the art would also realize that the length of the first, second, or third timed alarm could also be lengthened or shortened based on the specific retail environment in which the alarm device 102 is employed.
Furthermore, the embodiment of the invention illustrated in
All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein.
The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) is to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention.
Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention. Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.
