Patent Application
20170175426
Security devices can be designed to surround a portion of a product to protect the product against theft. But shoplifters continually develop methods for defeating such security devices. For example, in some instances a shoplifter will use mechanical force to mimic the magnetic force provided by a detaches, and thereby remove the security device from the product. There exists a need to improve such security devices to prevent unauthorized removal.
The present disclosure is directed to an apparatus and method for securing a product. In one aspect, a security device includes a housing comprising a first housing component and a second housing component; a locking mechanism configured to alternate between a locked state and an unlocked state, wherein in the locked state the locking mechanism is configured to lock a first portion of the second housing component to the first housing component and thereby secure the security device to a product and in the unlocked state the first portion of the second housing component is unlocked from and separable from the first housing component thereby enabling removal of the security device from the product; a release member configured to alternate between a blocked position and a release position, wherein in the blocked position the release member blocks the locking mechanism from entering the unlocked state; and in the release position the release member allows the locking mechanism to enter the unlocked state; and an electronic article surveillance (EAS) component in a cavity of the housing.
In another aspect, a method includes placing the security device around a portion of the product, the security device comprising a housing comprising a first housing component and a second housing component; a locking mechanism configured to alternate between a locked state and an unlocked state, wherein in the locked state the locking mechanism is configured to lock a first portion of the second housing component to the first housing component and thereby secure the security device to a product; and in the unlocked state the first portion of the second housing component is unlocked from and separable from the first housing component thereby enabling removal of the security device from the product; a release member configured to alternate between, a blocked position and a release position, wherein in the blocked position the release member blocks the locking mechanism from entering the locked state; and in the release position the release member allows the locking mechanism to enter the locked state; and an electronic article surveillance (EAS) component in a cavity of the housing; attaching the security device to the portion of the product by locking the second housing component to the first housing component: removing the security device from the product by moving the release member to the release position and the locking mechanism to the unlocked state.
In yet another aspect, security device includes a housing comprising a first housing component and a second housing component; a locking member forming part of the first housing component and configured to alternate between a locked position and an unlocked position, the locking member configured to move in a first direction to alternate from the locked position to the unlocked position; wherein in the locked position the locking member is configured to lock a tab of the second housing component to the first housing component and thereby secure the security device to a product; and in the unlocked position the tab of the second housing component is unlocked from and separable from the first housing component thereby enabling removal of the security device from the product; a first biasing member configured to bias the locking member in the locked position; a release member forming part of the first housing component and configured to alternate between a blocked position and a release position, wherein in the blocked position the release member blocks the locking member from moving in the first direction; and in the release position the release member allows the locking member to move in the first direction; a second biasing member configured to bias the release member in the blocked position; and an electronic article surveillance (EAS) component in a cavity of the housing; wherein the first housing component and the second housing component are pivotally coupled via a hinge; wherein the tab of the second housing component is configured to be received by a slot of the first housing component, and the tab comprises a depression configured to receive the locking member; wherein the locking member comprises a transverse portion; wherein in the blocked position the release member blocks the transverse portion of the locking member from moving in the first direction; and wherein in the release position the release member allows the transverse portion of the locking member to move in the first direction.
The invention of the present disclosure will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention or inventions. The description of illustrative embodiments is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered part of the entire written description. In the description of the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein, any reference to direction or orientation is merely intended for convenience of description and is not intended in any way to limit the scope of the present invention. Relative terms such as “lower,” “upper,” “horizontal,” “vertical,” “above,” “below,” “up,” “down,” “left,” “right,” “top,” “bottom,” “front” and “rear” as well as derivatives thereof (e.g., “horizontally,” “downwardly,” “upwardly,” etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description only and do not require that the apparatus be constructed or operated in a particular orientation unless explicitly indicated as such. Terms such as “attached,” “affixed,” “connected,” “coupled,” “interconnected,” “secured” and other similar terms refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures, as well as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships, unless expressly described otherwise. The discussion herein describes and illustrates some possible non-limiting combinations of features that may exist alone or in other combinations of features. Furthermore, as used herein, the term “or” is to be interpreted as a logical operator that results in true whenever one or more of its operands are true.
Referring now to the drawings,
In other embodiments, the housing components 14, 16 can be different portions of a single housing body. Further, if the housing components 14, 16, are separate bodies, they can be joined by a device other than a hinge. Further, the inner ring 18 can have a non-circular shape (e.g., a rectangular shape), and/or a non-resilient material, or could be omitted.
The exemplified first housing component 14 further includes components of the hinge 20. Specifically, the exemplified first housing component 14 includes first hinge knuckles 22 having first knuckle openings 24. These first knuckle openings 24 are configured to receive the hinge pin 25. As discussed above, in other embodiments, the hinge 20 can be replaced by another device, or no device.
The exemplified second, housing component 16 can thither include additional components of the hinge 20. For example, the exemplified second housing component 16 can include second hinge knuckles 26 having second knuckle openings 28, the second knuckle openings 28 configured to receive the hinge pin 25 of
The exemplified security device 10 further includes an electronic article surveillance (EAS) cavity 72 in the housing 12 of the security device 10. An EAS component 70 can be positioned in the EAS cavity 72 (entirely or partially). In the exemplified embodiment, the EAS component 70 is an acousto-magnetic tag that can resonate in response to an electromagnetic field, thereby causing an EAS gate to alarm. In other embodiments, the EAS component 70 can be any device for providing electronic security, including devices incorporating radio frequency, magnetic, or RFID (active or passive) technology.
In the exemplified embodiment, the locking mechanism 30 can include a locking member 32 in the form of a pin. The locking member 32 is configured to move between (a) a locked position to place the locking mechanism 30 in the locked state and thereby secure the security device 10 to a product, and (b) an unlocked position to place the locking mechanism 30 in the unlocked state to allow the removal of the security device 10 from the product. Specifically, the locking member 32 can be configured to move in a first direction D1 to alternate from the locked position to the unlocked position. The locking mechanism 30 can include a first biasing member 34 configured to bias the locking member 32 in the locked position The first biasing member 34 can be a spring or another component providing biasing. In the exemplified embodiment, the locking member 32 comprises a conductive material configured to, move in the first direction D1 in response to a magnetic force. Thus, a magnetic detacher placed above the security device 10 can attract the locking member 32 and thereby move the locking member 32 in the first direction D1 to the unlocked position. In the exemplified embodiment, the locking member 32 forms part of the first housing component 14. In other embodiments, the locking member 32 can form part of another housing component, such as the second housing component 16. Further, the locking member 32 can comprise one object or plurality of objects working together to perform the locking and unlocking functions described herein.
In the exemplified embodiment, the tab can be configured to be received, by the slot 38 of the first housing component 14. When the housing components are brought together and the tab enters the slot 38, the tab inclined surface 46 can move the locking member 32 in the first direction D1 along the first axis A1, temporarily overcoming the downward force provided by the first biasing member 34. When the bottom of the locking member 32 is aligned with the tab depression 44, the first biasing member 34 can provide a force to push the locking member 32 down into the tab depression 44. At this stage, the locking member 32 is in the locked position.
In the exemplified embodiment, in the blocked position the release member 52 can block the locking member 32 from moving in the first direction D1, and in the release position the release member 52 can allow the locking member 32 to move in the first direction D1. By blocking the locking member 32 from moving in the first direction D1, the release member 52 can prevent the locking member 32 from achieving the unlocked position, and thereby prevent the security device 10 from being removed from a product. Conversely, when the release member 52 is in the release position, the locking member 32 can move in the first direction D1 and achieve the unlocked position, and thereby allow the removal of the security device 10 from the product.
In the exemplified embodiment, the release member 52 blocks and allows the movement of the locking member 32 as follows. The release member 52 has a first end 56 and a second end 60, the first end 56 being opposite the second end 60. The first end 56 has a blocking portion 5$, and the second end 60 has a push-button portion 62. Further, the locking member 32 includes a transverse portion 36. In the blocked position, the blocking portion 58 of the release member 52 blocks the transverse portion 36 of the locking member 32 from moving in the first direction D1. A second biasing member 54 extends along a second axis A2 and is configured to bias the release member 52 in the blocked position. The second biasing member 54 can be a spring or another component providing biasing. The biasing force of the second biasing member 54 can be overcome by a force being applied on the biasing member in a second direction D2. This force can be applied by a user pressing the push-button portion 62 in the second direction D2. When such a force is applied, the release member 52 can achieve a release position in which the release member 52 allows the transverse portion 36 of the locking, member 32 to move in the first direction D1.
The exemplified release member 52 is configured to move in a second direction D2 that is perpendicular to the first direction D1 of the locking member 32. The release member 52 is configured to move in the second direction D2 until contacting, a first wall 15 of the first housing and thereby achieving the release position. In the blocked position, the release member 52 is configured to block the transverse portion 36 of the locking member 32 from moving in the first direction D1. In the release position, the release member 52 is configured to allow the transverse portion 36 to move in the first direction D1 and thereby enable the locking mechanism 30 to achieve the unlocked state. The exemplified release member 52 can surround the transverse portion 36 of the locking member 32 when the release member 52 is in the release position and the locking member 32 is in the unlocked position. Further, the exemplified release member 52 does not surround the transverse portion 36 of the locking member 32 when the release member 52 is in the blocked position. FIG. S shows the security device 10 when the release member 52 is blocking the locking member 32 from moving in the first direction D1.
In other embodiments, the second direction D2 (the direction of movement of the release member 52) can be other than perpendicular to the first direction D1 (the direction of movement of the locking member). In other embodiments, the release mechanism 50 can use other methods of blocking and allowing the locked state and unlocked state of the locking mechanism.
In the exemplified embodiment, the release mechanism 50 and its release member 52 form part of the first housing component 14. In other embodiments, the release mechanism 50 and release member 52 can form part of another housing component, such as the second housing component 16.
The exemplified security device can be used as part of a method of attaching and removing a security device from a product. For example, such a method can include placing the security device around, a portion of the product; attaching the security device to the portion of the product by locking the second housing component to the first housing component; and removing the security device from the product by moving the release member to the release position and the locking mechanism to the unlocked state.
The exemplified security device provides several advantages. For example, some security devices can be defeated by striking the locking mechanism against the ground or a hard surface. If the security device does not include a release mechanism, the force from striking the locking mechanism can cause a locking member to move and overcome the force of a biasing member, thereby moving the locking member into an unlocked position. If the inner ring is made of a resilient material that is tightly squeezing a product, even a brief movement of moving the locking member into the unlocked position will cause the resilient inner ring to expand, thereby separating the first housing component from the second housing component and placing the security device in the unlocked state. The release mechanism described herein can prevent a shoplifter or other person from defeating a security device in this manner. If a person struck the locking mechanism in an attempt to move the locking member into the unlocked position, the release member can block the locking mechanism from moving into the unlocked position.
While the various example embodiments have been described with respect to specific examples, those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are numerous variations and permutations of the above that may be implemented without departing from the scope of the present invention. Also, it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural and functional modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Thus, the spirit and scope should he construed broadly as set forth in the appended claims.
