Many expensive items that are stocked by stores encounter a problem referred to as “sweeping”. In other words, a thief enters a store and takes multiple items off a shelf, or “sweeps” the shelf, and runs out the store. The quicker the thief can take multiple items, the less likely the thief will be caught and more items can be stolen.
There have been many systems developed to deter this. Many expensive items are placed behind the counter so they must be accessed with the assistance of a clerk. Others are located in cases that allow only one item to be removed at a time, or limit the access of the product to the individual. Such structures are designed to require two hands to remove a single item, and prevent an individual from taking more than one item at a time.
This has been used extensively with products such as razor blades, and the like, but there is no system that is particularly suitable for canned goods. One type of canned good particularly vulnerable to theft is infant formula. This is very expensive and a thief can easily grab multiple cans from a standard store shelf at one time. Pending application Ser. No. 12/045,384, entitled “Theft Deterrent Can Dispenser”, filed on Mar. 10, 2008 (the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference), discloses a theft deterrent can dispensing system wherein a series of cans slide down a conveyor section that leads to a dispensing head. The dispensing head pivots downwardly from a closed to open position. When in the open position, only one can is available to be removed.
This product, as well as many other gravity feed dispensers, is designed primarily for a single size can. There are, however, a variety of different sizes of cans, some of which are rather large and rectangular and would be designed to fill up the entire conveyor section and, therefore, always be centered. But, when smaller cans are used in a conveyor section designed for larger cans, they will approach the dispensing head off-centered, and provide an unattractive appearance. Also, with the smaller cans, it may be easier to reach inside the dispenser when the dispensing head is in the open position and thereby take more than one item at a time.
The present invention is premised on the realization that a can dispenser, particularly a theft deterrent dispenser, primarily suited for cans, includes a conveyor section that leads to a dispensing head. The dispensing head can pivot downwardly from a closed to an open position. When in the open position, only one can is available to be removed and the next can is prevented from sliding down into the dispensing head. The dispensing head includes two rearwardly extended legs on either side. When the dispensing head pivots downwardly, the legs rise up and stop the next can from moving forward. The legs also act to center a smaller can as it slides toward the dispensing head.
The objects and advantages of the present invention will be further appreciated in light of the following detailed description and drawings in which:
a and 9A are views similar to
a) is a cross sectional view taken at line 11-11 of
a is a cross sectional view similar to
As shown in
The base 20 further includes a plurality of rollers 32 adapted to permit the cans 16 to slide from the rear section 30 of the conveyor to the forward section 28 of the conveyor.
A forward portion 28 of conveyor section 12 includes first and second side cantilevered tabs 40 and 42, and a central cantilevered tab 44, each of which extends below the conveyor section 12. As described below, the dispensing head 14 pivotally attaches to tabs 40, 42, and 44.
The dispensing head 14 includes a base 50 which is coplanar with the base 20 of the conveyor section 12. Base 50 includes a plurality of rollers 51 which allow the cans to slide from the conveyor section 12 to the front wall 56 of the dispensing head 14. The dispensing head 14 has side walls 52 and 54 with rearwardly extended legs 104,106. The legs include tabs 108 and 110 which rest in recessed portion 112 and 114 in base 20. Forward of front wall 56 is a protruding portion 58 which is used to operate the dispensing head 14, as described below.
As shown in
Two coil springs 66 and 67 are positioned adjacent sleeves 62 and 64 on either side of central tab 44 and around rod 46. Coil springs 66 and 67 have forward and rear ends 68a and 68b and 70a and 70b, respectively. The ends of these springs bias the dispensing head 14 in the closed position, as shown in
Extended downwardly from the bottom 60 of dispensing head 14 is a curved tongue member 72 having a plurality of teeth 73. These teeth engage a gear 74 attached to a damping member 76 fixed to the central cantilevered tab 44 of conveyor section 12. The damping member 76 is simply a closed cylinder filled with a viscous material. The gear 74 is fixed to a shaft 75 (
The bottom 60 of the dispensing head 14 further includes first and second downwardly extending posts 78 and 79, which are on opposite sides of the dispensing head 14. Attached to a forward side edge 48 of the conveyor section is a locking member 80. Locking member 80 includes a pivoting quartercircular wedge 82, which, when in the neutral position, as shown in
A further security mechanism is included in the shroud 26. Extended from first and second side walls 36,37 of shroud 26 are linkages 90 and 92 which extend to either side of a panel 94, which has a forward edge 96 pivotally attached to the side walls 36 and 37 of shroud 26. When dispensing head 14 is pivoted to the open position, the side walls 52,54 pull the linkages 90 and 92, in turn pulling panel 94 downwardly. At the same time the rear edge 102 and tabs 106 and 108 rise upwardly, which holds the next can in position. Thus, when panel 94 is pulled down, as shown in
Typically, a plurality of dispensing units 10 would be positioned side by side on a pull-out shelf 98. The shelf 98 can be positioned at a slight angle to cause the cans to slide forwardly, or the units themselves can be positioned on an angled support (not shown) to ensure gravity feed.
As shown in
The dispensing head further includes first and second guide members 120 and 122. As shown, guide members 120 and 122 are tabs located in slots 124 and 126 on the base 50 of dispensing head 14 and are angled toward a center of the dispensing head. The guide members 120,122 extend from a raised to lowered position. (See
As shown in
In use, the units 10 are loaded with cans, either cylindrical cans 16 or rectangular cans 18. If rectangular cans are loaded, the guide members 120 and 122 are pushed down into a lower position with their top surface 128 flush with base 50 (see
As shown in
When the head unit 14 is pivoted downwardly, the rear edge 102 of the base of the dispensing head rises above the plane of the base 20 of the conveyor section. This prevents the next cylindrical can 16b from sliding down forwardly. Further, when dispensing head 14 is in the open position, linkages 90 and 92 will be pulled downwardly, which, in turn, will cause the panel 94 to be pulled downwardly. This prevents an individual from reaching in and grabbing the next adjacent can 16b.
The tabs 108 and 110 act to center the next adjacent can 16b in the center of the dispensing unit so that when it does slide forward into the dispensing head, it will be in the center of the dispensing head. As shown in
Likewise, with rectangular cans 18, as shown in
Once the individual releases the dispensing head 14, the springs 66 and 67 urge the dispensing head 14 to the closed position. As this occurs, the base 50 and the curved tongue 72 will move upwardly, which will cause the gear 74 of damping member 76 to rotate. The damping member 76 will, in effect, govern the speed at which the dispensing head 14 closes, which will then establish an interval of time required before the next can can be removed from the same unit or adjacent units.
Once the dispensing head closes, the rear edge 102 will lie flush with the base 20 and the tabs 108 and 110 will likewise be flush with the base 20 being positioned in recessed areas 112 and 114 of the base. This allows the next can to slide forwardly into the dispensing head 14. If the can is rectangular, it will slide over guide members 120 and 122. If the can is round, raised guide members 120 and 122 will center the can 16a at the front of the unit.
To restock the dispensers 10, the shelf 98 is simply pulled out, allowing access to the rear portion of the conveyor, which can then be loaded with additional cans. Generally, shelf 98 will include a lock (not shown), which prevents a thief from puling out the shelf.
Thus, the present invention provides for easy dispensing of cans. Further, it prevents an individual from taking two cans from adjacent units at the same time, and, further, prevents an individual from taking multiple cans from the same dispensing unit without allowing the dispensing head to open and close totally. Due to the fact that a governor or brake is provided on the dispensing head, the time required for the unit's head to close is controlled. With the guide members 120 and 122, the unit can be used with both round cans and the larger rectangular cans.
The invention has been shown with a pivoting dispensing head for a theft deterrent system. But, it also can be used with a fixed dispensing head or section wherein a can can be selected without moving the head portion or front of the dispenser. But, it would not provide theft deterrence.
This has been a description of the present invention along with the preferred method of practicing the present invention. However, the invention itself should only be defined by the appended claims, wherein we claim.