BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
Preferred embodiments of the invention, illustrated of the best mode in which Applicant contemplates applying the principles, are set forth in the following description and are shown in the drawings and are particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims.
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a first embodiment of the lock mechanism mounted on a pair of display rods extending outwardly from a supporting structure.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2, FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3, FIG. 1 showing the lock mechanism in a locked position.
FIG. 4 is a exploded elevational view of the lower housing member of the lock mechanism.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the magnetically attractable strip of the locking mechanism.
FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the housing member of FIG. 4 in assembled position.
FIG. 7 is an end elevational view of the bayonet component of the locking mechanism.
FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of FIG. 7.
FIG. 9 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 9-9, FIG. 1 showing the lock mechanism in lock position on the pair of display rods.
FIG. 10 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. 1 showing the key placed on the locking mechanism.
FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken on line 11-11, FIG. 10.
FIG. 12 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 12-12, FIG. 10, showing the locking tines moved from locked to unlocked position.
FIG. 13 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 12 showing the housing member being moved downwardly to an open unlocked position.
FIG. 14 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 13 showing the locking mechanism being pivoted to a disengaged position from the lower rod.
FIG. 15 is a view similar to FIG. 14 showing the locking mechanism moved completely out of engagement with the lower rod.
FIG. 16 is a side elevational view similar to FIGS. 1 and 10 showing the lock mechanism in a complete disengaged position from the lower rod enabling the items of merchandise to be moved freely from the rod.
FIG. 17 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 2 of a second embodiment of the lock mechanism of the present invention mounted on a pair of display rods.
FIG. 18 is a rear elevational view of the modified lock mechanism of FIG. 17 shown mounted in a closed locked position on the pair of display rods shown in cross section.
FIG. 19 is an exploded elevational view of the lower housing member of the modified lock mechanism.
FIG. 20 is a right side elevational view of the lower housing member as shown in FIG. 18 in assembled position.
FIG. 21 is a right side elevational view of the lower housing member as shown in FIG. 17.
FIG. 22 is an enlarged sectional view similar to FIG. 9 showing the modified lock mechanism in a closed locked position on a pair of display rods.
FIG. 23 is a side elevational view showing an unlocking key placed on the modified lock mechanism.
FIG. 24 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 24-24, FIG. 23 showing the lock mechanism in a closed unlocked position.
FIG. 25 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 24 showing the housing member being moved downwardly to an open unlocked position.
FIG. 26 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 25 showing the locking mechanism being pivoted to a disengaged position from the lower rod.
FIG. 27 is a side elevational view showing the lock mechanism in a complete disengaged position from the lower rod enabling items of merchandise to be moved freely from the rod.
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 FIG. 1 mounted on a merchandise display assembly 3. Assembly 3 includes a pair of spaced parallel rods 5 and 7 which extend outwardly in a cantilevered-like fashion from a support surface 9 and is shown locked thereto by a base locking mechanism 11. Mechanism 11 preferably is a type of security device which when attached to support surface 9 prevents removal of the pair of rods therefrom, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,007,810. This prevents a shoplifter from completely removing display assembly 3, including all of the various items of merchandise supported thereon. Rods 5 and 7 preferably are formed of rigid round metal members, each having a generally straight elongated linear section 15 and 17, respectively. Upper rod 5 preferably is linear throughout and has a display face 19 mounted on the distal end thereof for supporting information pertaining to merchandise 13 supported on lower rod 7. Distal end 21 of lower rod 7 preferably is formed with a plurality of curves and bends to prevent sweeping of a plurality of unsecured merchandise 13 from the rod.
The items of merchandise 13 can be blister packs or other types of various package in which certain merchandise is stored. The packages preferably are suspended from rod 7 by a flat card-like section 23 having a hole 25 formed therein through which rod 7 extends. The particular configuration of merchandise 13 can vary considerably, but usually will have some type of slotted or rounded opening formed in the upper end thereof through which rod 7 extends, which will enable the merchandise to be slid in the direction of Arrow A (FIG. 16) for removal from the free distal end 21 thereof.
A first embodiment of lock mechanism 1 is shown particularly in FIGS. 2-16 and includes two members, a lower housing 29 and a locking bayonet 31. Member 29 and 31 are slidably joined together and are movable between a closed locked position as shown in FIG. 9, to a closed unlocked position as shown in FIG. 12, and then to an open unlocked position as shown in FIG. 15 where the lock mechanism can be completely disengaged from lower rod 7. Members 29 and 31 preferably are formed of a rigid plastic enabling them to be produced relatively inexpensively and in various colors making them aesthetically pleasing when mounted on display mechanism 3 as shown in FIG. 1.
Housing 29 has a generally elongated rectangular configuration as shown particularly in FIGS. 2-6, and is formed by two half members 29A and 29B which when secured together by an ultrasonic weld, adhesive, etc, form an internal lock chamber 33. Each housing half member is formed with an elongated upper slot 30A having a top opening 32A and a bottom concave end 34A. A lower elongated slot 36A is formed in each housing member and the top portions thereof communicate with side opening slots 38A. The half housing member slots align with each other when in an assembled position to form slots 30 and 36 and a side opening slot 38, which slots extend completely through housing 29 for receiving and trapping upper rod 5 in slot 30 and lower rod 7 in slot 36.
A metal locking strip 35 (FIG. 5) is formed of spring steel and has two locking tines 37 extending outwardly from the main strip body. Tines 37 are biased in an outwardly extending direction when mounted within housing member 29B as shown in FIG. 4, preferably by sliding the two distal ends of strip 35 in spaced small recesses 39 formed in housing halves 29A and 29B.
Locking bayonet 31 (FIGS. 7 and 8) has a top upper closure member 41 which encloses an open top 43 of housing 29 and lock chamber 33 (FIG. 9) and includes an elongated body 45 having an elongated opening slot 47 formed therein, which has an open bottom 49 and a generally semi-circular concave surface upper end 51. A resilient finger like tab 53 is formed near the upper end of slot 47 adjacent concave surface 51, which enables bayonet 31 to be snap fitted onto upper rod 5 as shown in FIG. 9. This snap fit engagement assists in retaining bayonet 31 on rod 5 and provides a pivotal type mounting of the bayonet on rod 5. Body 45 is formed by a pair of elongated legs 45A and 45B with leg 45A being longer than leg 45B as shown in FIG. 8. A pair of ramped projections 55 are formed on housing members 29A and 29B, which when the housing is in assembled position provides for a one way snap fit engagement with bayonet 31 when the bayonet is slidably inserted into lock chamber 33.
The manner of operation of lock mechanism 1 is best shown in FIGS. 9 through 16 and is described below. Lock mechanism 1 is mounted on rods 5 and 7 preferably by initially snap fitting bayonet 31 onto top rod 5 by use of resilient finger tab 53. Housing 29 is then slidably engaged with bayonet 31 by sliding bayonet 31 into lock chamber 33 of housing 29. Upon slidably inserting the bayonet in housing 29 the lower end of body leg 45B moves beyond the pair of one way ramp projections 55 which snap fit into elongated channels 45C formed in each side of leg 45B which provides sliding movement of bayonet 31 within housing 29 while retaining bayonet 31 and housing 29 in an assembled position preventing the removal of the lock mechanism from upper rod 5. Raised distal end surfaces 57 of channels 45C trap ramp projections 55 within the pair of slide channels and provide a pair of stop surfaces for limiting the sliding movement of bayonet 31 and housing 29. Complete insertion of bayonet 31 within locking chamber 33 will close open top 43 of housing 29 as shown in FIG. 9, in which position lock tines 37 will snap into a pair of elongated sloped recesses 59 formed in the outer end surface of bayonet leg 45A. The distal ends 61 of locking tines 37 abut against shoulders 63 formed at the ends of recesses 59 to prevent movement of bayonet 31 and housing 29 in an unlocking direction until the tines are moved to an unlocked position as shown in FIG. 12.
When in the closed locked position of FIG. 9, lock mechanism 1 is locked on rods 5 and 7 preventing any items of merchandise located between lock mechanism 1 and support 9 as shown in FIG. 9, from being removed from the lower rod 7. Preferably one or more of the items of merchandise will be located forward of lock mechanism I enabling them to be individually removed from distal end 21 for subsequent purchase by a customer. A merchant can easily move additional items of merchandise to the unsecured position in front of the lock mechanism by unlocking the lock mechanism and moving it to an open unlocked position as shown in FIG. 16 as described further below, enabling the previously secured items of merchandise to be moved forward of the lock mechanism for subsequent purchase. When in the locked position of FIG. 9, housing 29 is prevented from pivoting to an open position as shown in FIG. 14 through side opening slots 38 by trapping distal end 68 of leg member 45A behind a ledge 65 of a recess 67 formed in the lower portion of housing 29, above the semi-circular end surface 69 of slots 36.
To unlock mechanism 1, a magnetic key 71, which preferably contains two magnets 73, is placed in a predetermined position against the side of housing 29 by aligning two positioning tabs 75 on the key within slots 77 formed in the housing. This ensures that magnets 75 each align individually with one of the tines 37 for moving the tines from the locked position of FIG. 9 to the unlocked position as shown in FIG. 12. The merchant then can move key 71 in a downward direction as shown by arrow B in FIG. 13, which will move housing 29 downwardly with respect to locking bayonet 31 which remains in its supported trapped position on upper rod 5, until ramp projections 55 engage lower edges 57 of recesses 45C as shown in FIG. 13. This exposes side opening slot 38 to lower rod 7 enabling the lock mechanism to be pivoted as shown by arrow C (FIG. 14), whereupon lower rod 7 moves through side opening slot 38 completely free of lower rod 7 as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16. This enables the previously protected items of merchandise 13 to be moved forwardly along rod 7 for complete removal from the rod or to store one or more of the items in front of lock mechanism 1 prior to the lock mechanism being returned to its locked position as shown in FIG. 1. To relock mechanism 1 on rods 5 and 7, the mechanism is merely pivoted downwardly from the position of FIG. 15 to that of FIGS. 14 and 13, after which housing 29 is moved upwardly in the opposite direction to arrow B of FIG. 13 to that of FIG. 9, wherein locking tines 37 automatically snap into locking engagement in recesses 59 behind locking projections 63.
Thus once installed on the pair of rods 5 and 7, lock mechanism 1 remains permanently attached to upper rod 5 and is removably attached and locked to lower rod 7 enabling a plurality of items of merchandise 13 to be secured in a locked position between support surface 9 and lock mechanism 1, with one or more of the items of merchandise 13 being in an unsecured position in front of lock mechanism 1 enabling them to be individually dispensed through the circuitous distal end 21 of rod 7 for purchase by a customer.
Another feature of the invention is that the pair of rods is securely locked to support surface 9 by base locking mechanism 11 with the upper rod supporting a display face 19 to provide information regarding the items of merchandise stored and displayed on lower rod 7. Also anti-sweep distal end 21 of lower rod 7 assists in preventing theft of the forward unsecured items of merchandise.
A modified form of the lock mechanism of the present invention is indicated generally at 100, and is shown in FIGS. 17-27. Lock mechanism 100 is similar in many respects to lock mechanism 1 discussed above, and thus the same numerals are used throughout FIGS. 17-27 when referring to common parts. Lock mechanism 100 includes a housing 102 formed by two half members 104 and 104A (FIG. 19) which are secured together by an ultrasonic weld, adhesive, etc. to form an internal lock chamber 105. Lock member 104A forms the front portion of housing 102 and member 104 forms the rear portion of the housing. Each housing member is formed with upper slot 30A having the top opening 32A with the bottom concave end 34A. The lower elongated slot 36A is formed in each housing member and the top portions thereof communicate with side openings slots 38A as discussed above with respect to lock mechanism 1. Again, the half housing member slots align with each other when in an assembled position to form slots 30 and 36 and side opening slot 38, which slots extend completely through housing 102 from back surface 106 to front surface 107 for receiving and trapping upper rod 5 in slot 30 and lower rod 7 in slot 36.
Metal locking strip 35 is mounted within housing member 104A (FIG. 19) and locking bayonet 31 is received through open top 32 in the same manner as discussed above with respect to lock mechanism 1. The main difference between lock housing 102 of lock mechanism 100 with respect to lock housing 29 of lock mechanism 1 is that it is larger and is formed with a chamber 108 for receiving an electronic article surveillance (EAS) tag 109 therein. EAS tag 109 will be an acousto-magnetic (AM), electromagnetic (EM) or radio-frequency (RF) device depending upon the particular signaling alarm system used by a security gate at the exit of a secured area.
The lower portion of housing half member 104A is formed with a specifically shaped recess 110 for receiving a magnetic key 112 therein as shown in FIG. 24. Recess 110 terminates in a rear wall 114 formed in the lower portion of housing half member 104 (FIG. 19). Recess 110 extends at generally right angles to the front surface 107 of lock housing 102 as shown particularly in FIG. 21. Recess 110 is complementary sized and shaped to accept only the specially shaped key 112 therein as is described further below. Housing member 104 has a shaped reinforcing rib 120 (FIG. 19) located behind rear wall 114. It is contemplated that recess 110 will be designed for a particular industry or store specific use. As such, each industry or store will have a security system that includes a specifically shaped recess and can be unlocked only with a customized key 112 that has a complementary-shaped cross sectional profile to that of recess 110.
In the preferred embodiment, recess 110 is essentially D-shaped (FIG. 22) and can be accessed by a complementary shaped D-shaped key 112. However, it is readily understood that the key recess and the associated key can have other shapes such as trapezoidal, hexagonal, triangular etc. without affecting the concept of the present invention. If the recess is otherwise shaped, then the key would be manufactured with a complementary shape. This arrangement substantially reduces the possibility of a would-be thief unlocking lock mechanism 100 with a commonly available magnetic as the magnet would have to a specific cross sectional shape to fit into the recess and attract locking tine 37 to an unlocked position as shown in FIG. 24. As shown in FIG. 22, the housing is locked onto rods 5 and 7 in a similar manner as shown in FIG. 9, with the exception that only the lower locking tine 37 is located in sloped recess 59 and with its distal end 61 being adjacent shoulder 63. Upper locking tine 37 merely rests against a flat wall portion 122 of locking bayonet 31.
To unlock lock mechanism 100, magnetic key 112 is placed into key recess 110 as shown in FIGS. 23 and 24 which will attract the lower locking tine 37 to the unlocked position as shown in FIG. 24, enabling housing 102 to be moved downwardly in the direction of Arrow D (FIG. 25) wherein lower rod 7 aligns with side opening slot 38 enabling lock mechanism 100 to be pivoted on upper rod 5 in the direction of Arrow E (FIG. 26) until it becomes disengaged from the lower rod 7 to the position as shown in FIG. 27 enabling the items of merchandise to be easily removed from rod 7. Lock mechanism 1 is then returned to its locked position as shown in FIG. 22 in the same manner as discussed above with respect to lock mechanism 1.
In accordance with one of the features of the invention, magnetic key 112 is a dipole magnet and can be of the type described in pending patent application Ser. No. 60/879,852, filed Jan. 11, 2007. Magnetic key 112 preferably includes an outer protective housing 130 having the particular D-shaped dipole magnet 132 slidably mounted therein. Dipole magnet 132 preferably has a D-shaped configuration with a flat planar face 134 and an arcuate face 136 with a flat end face 138.
As discussed in the above identified patent application, dipole magnet 132 can be specially manufactured to create a specific pole at planar face 134 and the other pole at the arcuate face 136. This is done so that only the appropriate pole is brought into proximity of the locking mechanism, and in particular lower locking tine 37 when the magnet is inserted into recess 110. If the incorrect pole is brought into the proximity of the locking tine, it would not move to the unlocked position as desired. Thus, dipole magnet 132 is manufactured so that one of the north or south poles of the magnet is created at the planar face and the other pole created at the arcuate face. Furthermore, it is heasily seen that upon the magnet being inserted into the key recess 110, it can remain therein and used to easily pivot the lock mechanism from the unlocked position of FIG. 24 to the disengaged position of FIG. 26 without removing the key from the lock mechanism. Furthermore, once the lock mechanism is returned to the closed unlocked position and the magnetic key removed therefrom locking lower locking tine 37 automatically moves from the unlocked position of FIG. 24 to the locked position of FIG. 22. Lock mechanism 100 thus provides additional advantages over lock mechanism 1 in that it is provided with an EAS tag which will actuate an alarm at a security gate if attempted to be moved therethrough in an unauthorized manner and which requires a specially-shaped and type of magnet such a dipole magnet having a cross-sectional D-shaped configuration, reducing the possibility that a thief could use a common bar magnet for unlocking the lock mechanism.
As shown in FIG. 25, the upper metal tine 37 will engage shoulder 63 to limit the movement of housing 102 with respect to bayonet 31 upon reaching the unlocked open position to provide a positive stop together with ramped projections 55.
Key housing 130 may also be formed with a groove (not shown) in the bottom wall thereof to slidably engage lower rod 7 (FIG. 23) for moving magnet 132 into recess 110 in a direction perpendicular to front surface 107 of housing 102.
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.
Patent Application
20070289344
