The present invention relates to security devices used to protect merchandise or other objects and, more particularly, to security devices configured for attachment to articles having a non-uniform and/or irregular shape, such as a bottle.
Electronic article surveillance (EAS) systems are often used to deter and detect shoplifting. In most EAS systems, it is the EAS tag that is detected and not the retail product itself. Therefore, many EAS systems can be circumvented by removing the EAS tag from the retail product or disabling the EAS tag. Security devices are used to prevent EAS tags from being removed, or tampered with, by unauthorized persons.
Applicant has identified a number of deficiencies and problems associated with the design and operation of conventional security devices. Through applied effort, ingenuity, and innovation, Applicant has solved many of these identified problems by developing a solution that is embodied by the present invention, which is described in detail below.
Various embodiments of the present invention are directed a security device that may reduce or discourage retail theft and has an easy to use, aesthetically pleasing appearance. The security device may be attached to a variety of types of articles of merchandise, but may often be configured for attachment to an end or a top portion of an article.
Security devices according to example embodiments of the present invention may include a base that defines an aperture or opening configured for receiving at least a portion of an object to be secured. The base may support a capture member that is configured to move between a capture position and a release position. The security device may further include a driving member that is configured to move between a first position and a second position and may engage the capture member. When the driving member is moved from the first position to the second position it may urge the capture member from the release position to the capture position. The capture member may be configured to secure the object within the aperture when the capture member is in the capture position. The security device may further comprise a locking member that may be configured to releasably engage the driving member to prevent movement of the driving member from the second position to the first position.
In some embodiments, the locking member may be a locking spring that is configured to engage a locking surface of the driving member. The locking member may be disengaged from the locking surface of the driving member by applying of a magnetic key to the locking member.
Security devices according to example embodiments of the present invention may be configured to receive a top portion of the object through the aperture when the capture member is in the release position. The capture member of the security device may be configured to prevent removal of the top portion from the security device when the capture member is in the capture position.
Further embodiments of the present invention may include a security element, such as an electronic article surveillance (EAS) device. The security element may be configured in an active state and an inactive state, where the security element is in the active state when the capture member is in the capture position, and where the security element is in the inactive state when the capture member is in the release position.
The driving member of example embodiments may be biased in the first position and/or the capture member of example embodiments may be biased in the release position. When the driving member is moved from the first position to the second position along a first axis, the capture member may be driven from the release position to the capture position along a second axis that is substantially perpendicular to the first axis.
Security devices according to example embodiments of the present invention may include a base that defines an aperture that is configured for receiving at least a portion of an object to be secured by the security device. The security device may also include a capture member that is supported by the base, wherein the capture member is configured to move between a release position and a capture position. The capture member may be configured to secure the object within the aperture when the capture member is in the capture position. The security device may further comprise a locking member configured to engage the capture member and prevent movement of the capture member from the capture position to the release position when the locking member is engaged.
In some embodiments, the locking member may be a locking spring that is configured to engage a locking surface of the capture member. The locking member may be disengaged from the locking surface of the capture member by applying a magnetic key to the locking member. The capture member may further be biased in the release position by a biasing element such that application of the magnetic key causes the capture member to be driven to the release position.
Security devices according to example embodiments of the present invention may be configured to receive a top portion of the object through the aperture when the capture member is in the release position. The capture member of the security device may be configured to prevent removal of the top portion from the security device when the capture member is in the capture position. The capture member may be biased in the release position.
Further embodiments of the present invention may include a security element, such as an electronic article surveillance (EAS) device. The security element may be configured in an active state and an inactive state, where the security element is in the active state when the capture member is in the capture position, and where the security element is in the inactive state when the capture member is in the release position.
Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:
The present invention will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all embodiments of the inventions are shown. Indeed, these inventions may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. The terms top, bottom, side, up, down, upwards, downwards, vertical, horizontal, and the like as used below do not imply a required limitation in all embodiments of the present invention but rather are used herein to help describe relative direction or orientation in the exemplary embodiment illustrated in the figures.
Various embodiments of the present invention provide a security device configured for attachment to a retail product or other object. In some embodiments, for example, as shown in
For illustration purposes the forgoing description refers to security devices adapted to secure bottles such as the exemplary bottle 50 depicted in
The term diameter may be used to refer to various shapes, for example a bottle that includes a neck portion of a hexagonal shape and a top portion of a square shape, or a neck portion of a circular shape and a top portion of a triangular shape. Articles that may include a flange may be a wine bottle or the handle-end of a baseball bat among others.
The depicted security device 100 includes a cover or housing portion 140 that enhances the aesthetic appeal of the security device while also protecting internal components of the security device 100 from manipulation or tampering by would-be thieves. The housing portion 140 further inhibits removal of a bottle cap, cork, stopper, and the like, when the security device is fastened to the bottle 50, thus preventing removal of, or tampering with the contents of the bottle 50.
The base 110 and the housing portion 140 may each be made of a durable plastic material that resists breakage such as high density polyethylene (HDPE), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), or polycarbonate among others. In one embodiment, the base 110 and housing portion 140 may be constructed of a material that is at least strong enough to withstand an impact having a force sufficient to break the bottle (e.g., a glass bottle) to which the security device is attached. In this regard, the security device 100 may provide a benefit-denial type of functionality.
The housing portion 140 may be attached to the base 110 by an adhesive, a fastener, or, in one preferred embodiment, through ultrasonic welding. The attachment may be substantially permanent to prevent a would-be thief from removing the housing portion 140. The housing portion 140 may be made from a transparent or semi-transparent material (e.g., polycarbonate) for aesthetics. In one embodiment, such transparent housing portions may permit a user to see that a retail product is properly secured within the security device.
Referring back to
The locking member 150 may be embodied in a number of configurations including a locking spring as shown. The depicted locking spring includes a substantially flat portion 155 and two angled portions 220. The angled portions of the illustrated embodiment are biased to extend away from the substantially flat portion 155 and are thereby configured to releasably engage the locking surface 210 of the driving member 130. The depicted locking spring is formed from a ferromagnetic material. The angled portions 220 are thus configured to be disengaged, or released from locking surface 210, upon application of a magnetic key as will be described in more detail below.
The depicted locking surface 210 is a ratchet surface that includes a plurality of angled teeth 215. The angled teeth 215 may be configured to permit relative sliding movement between the locking member 150 and the driving member 130 in a first direction (from the first position shown in dashed lines to the second position along arrow 250), while preventing relative sliding movement in the opposite direction. An advantage to the ratchet surface is the ability of the angled portions 220 to engage the locking surface 210 in a plurality of locations thereby providing adjustability to the security device 100 so that it may accommodate different sized articles. As will be apparent to one of skill in the art in view of this disclosure, the first and second positions referred to herein may refer to any two positions along the locking surface 210 depending, at least in part, on the size of the secured article.
The capture member 120 may further include a resilient member 310 configured to bias the capture member 120 in the release position. For example, in the depicted embodiment, the resilient member 310 is configured to engage the base 110 such that when the capture member 120 is advanced along the direction of arrow 350, i.e., towards the capture position, the resilient member 310 is deformed or deflected inwardly from its original shape by the curvature of the aperture in the base. The deflection or deformation of the resilient member 310 may produce a resultant spring force as the resilient member resists the deflection, thereby biasing the resilient member in the release position.
An example embodiment of the operation of the resilient member is illustrated in
Lateral movement of the capture member 120, i.e., movement from a release position to a capture position, may be facilitated by movement of the driving member 130 in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. For example, with reference to the embodiment illustrated by
The size transition of the aperture 340 is also illustrated by
Returning to
A method for securing the security device to an article will now be discussed with respect to the embodiment of
In some embodiments, the security device may be released from the above discussed bottle or other article by application of a key (not shown). In one embodiment, the key may be a magnetic key that produces a magnetic field that operates to retract the angled portions 220 of the locking member 150 from the locking surface 210 of the driving member 130. The magnetic key may be applied to the housing portion 140 proximate the locking member 150 such that the angled portions 220 of the locking member are retracted toward the magnetic key and, thus, are disengaged from the locking surface 210. In such embodiments, the biasing element(s) of the capture member 120 and/or the driving member 130 may be configured to return the capture member 120 and the driving member 130 to the release position and first position, respectively, once the locking member 150 has been disengaged by the magnetic key. In alternative embodiments, other key structures may be used as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art in view of this disclosure.
Example embodiments of the present invention may be of a variety of sizes for attaching to variety of sizes of articles. A preferred size may be a security device with an aperture of about 1¼ to 2¼ inches in diameter when the capture member is in the release position, and an aperture of about ¾ inch to 2 inches in diameter when the capture member is in the capture position. Such a size may be secured to merchandise with a top portion or flange of at least 1 inch and at most 2¼ inches in diameter and a neck portion size of between ¾ inches and 2 inches, where the top portion or flange diameter is larger than the neck portion diameter. The security device may be scaled to accommodate any size article that includes a top portion of a first diameter and a neck portion of a second diameter which is smaller than the first diameter. The size of the security device housing and base may be proportional to the size of the aperture; however, it is preferable that the overall size of the security device (i.e., the maximum dimension of the base) is no larger than the maximum size of the merchandise (e.g., the largest diameter of a bottle that is to be protected). Such a size would allow a retailer to place articles of merchandise directly adjacent to one another without the security device interfering, minimizing the impact on the retailer's shelf space for seamless integration into an existing retailer's inventory.
As indicated above, the security device embodiments disclosed above may include an security element disposed within the housing or the base that is configured to be detectable when the security element is present in a predetermined detection zone, e.g., set up at or near the door or other entrance point of the retail establishment. The security element may include an EAS element or an RFID tag. Security elements may be configured to work within an security system. For example, the security element may a magnetic tag such as in an electromagnetic (EM) system or in an acousto-magnetic (AM) system or an electronic circuit and antenna as in a radio frequency (RF) system. As another example, the security element may be configured work within a microwave system. The security element 280 of the embodiment illustrated in
In addition to or instead of the security element, the security device may include other wireless devices. For example, the security device may include an active or passive RFID tag. The RFID tag may be used to store and/or communicate information about the object for security or inventory control purposes.
The security device may also be configured with other security or alarm features. For example, the security device may have a visual alert that may be triggered in response to one or more circumstances. The visual alert may include a printed circuit board, a light-emitting diode (LED), and a battery. The LED may in electrical communication with the printed circuit board and the battery and may be configured such that at least a portion of the LED is visible through or outside of the housing. The LED may be used as an indicator (e.g., by providing a constant light or a blinking on/off light) of the existence of a particular condition or circumstance, e.g., security device has power, the capture member is in the capture position, an article of merchandise is secured within the security device, the alarm is armed, or that the alarm has been triggered. An audio alarm, such as a piezo-electric siren, may be incorporated into the printed circuit board to provide an audible alert that may be triggered by any of the aforementioned circumstances for which store personnel may require notification.
As another example, the trigger may be configured to excite and, thus, activate the alarm depending on the location of the security element to the gates of the security system. In one embodiment, the trigger may be configured to activate the alarm once the security element is near, at, or beyond the gate which should help the employees to detect the merchandise with the attached security device. Therefore, in some embodiments, the security device may have three alarm features, e.g., the gates themselves alarming when the security element is detected, the audible alarm of the security device itself triggering when the security device is compromised or otherwise tampered with, and the audible alarm of the security device triggering when the security element is at, near, or beyond the security gates.
Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which these inventions pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the inventions are not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.
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