Display rod security device

Abstract

A security device is mounted on a merchandise display rod to prevent the removal of some items of merchandise from the rod and contains an alarm actuation device to sound the alarm at a security gate of a retail establishment is unlawfully passed through the gate. A pair of housing members are slidably joined and move between locked and unlocked positions. Each of the members is formed with a partial slot which align with each other when in the locked position to extend about the rod. A magnetically attractable lock member is mounted within one of the members and engages a locking projection formed in the other member to secure the members in a closed locked position on the rod. A magnetic key moves the lock member to an unlocked position to enable the members to move apart to an unlocked open position. The distal end of the rod is bent at an angle sufficient to prevent sliding removal of the security device from the rod when the members are in the locked position yet enables removal of several unprotected items of merchandise located forward of the lock mechanism from the rod.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60 / 717,707 filed Sep. 16, 2005; the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Technical Field [0003] The present invention relates to security devices, and particularly to a security device that prevents large numbers of items of merchandise from being rapidly removed from display racks, and in particular from display rods. Specifically, the present invention relates to a security device that is easily attached and locked on the display rod and which allows one or several items of merchandise to be removed from the rack at any one time, but protects a number of the items from being removed from the rack by a shoplifter, and which contains an alarm actuation device. [0004] 2. Background Information [0005] Numerous items of merchandise are displayed for sale on long protruding rods that are supported from a piece...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010] The present invention provides a security device for display racks that prevents the rapid removal of a large number of the displayed items of merchandise from display rods extending outwardly from the rack by placing a simple, compact, yet highly effective locking device on a linear length of the display rod located between a number of the items stored thereon. This will enable those items located between the security device and the distal end of the display rod to be removed by a customer yet prevents removal of those items located between the display rack and locking device until a clerk unlocks the security device and repositions it behind a number of the already stored items, or places new items in-between the security device and distal end of the rod for subsequent removal by the customer.

[0011] Another aspect of the present invention is to form the display rod security device as a simple two-piece construction in which a pair of members are slidably joined, each of which has a semicircular slot formed therein, which when in a closed locked position forms a circular opening through which the display rod extends, and which has a sufficient linear length or configuration to prevent it from being removed from a bent end of the display rod.

[0013] Another feature of the present invention is to form the locking member of a magnetically attractable material whereby a magnetic key when placed at a specific location on the security device will move the locking member to the unlocked position enabling the security device to be easily moved to an open position for removal of the device from the rack and subsequent reattachment thereto.

[0014] A further aspect of the present invention is to form the two members of rigid plastic material which is sufficiently strong to prevent a thief from easily prying the two members apart, and which can be constructed of a minimum number of component parts thereby enabling the security device to be mass produced relatively inexpensive encouraging the use thereof by merchants to reduce shoplifting.

[0015] Still another feature of the invention is the placement of an alarm actuation device in the security device which sounds an alarm upon passage of the security device through a security gate to prevent theft of the entire display rod and contents stored thereon.

[0016] These features and advantages are obtained by the security device of the present invention which is adapted to be attached to a rod extending outwardly from a merchandise display wherein the rod has a free end bent at an angle to an elongated portion of the rod, wherein the security device comprising first and second members slidably joined for movement between locked and unlocked positions, at least one of said members being formed with an arcuate slot which is substantially complementary to and adapted to receive the elongated portion of the rod therein to secure the security device on the elongated portion of the rod, and wherein the bent free end prevents removal of the security device from the rod when in the locked position; and a magnetically attractable lock member for locking the first and second members in the locked position about the rod.

Problems solved by technology

Unfortunately, such merchandise is an easy target for shoplifters and it has been found that shoplifters can rapidly empty all of the merchandise from a pegboard display rod and make off with merchandise without being detected, or even if detected upon passing through a checkout security gate, will be difficult to apprehend.

This has the disadvantage in that it requires the customer to contact a clerk who must unlock the lock mechanism from the end of the rod to enable the customer to remove the merchandise for purchase.

It has been found that this reduces the amount of sales since many customers do not wish to wait or take the time to find a clerk to unlock the security device to enable the customer to obtain the desired item.

This has proven satisfactory to some extent in that it increases the difficulty of a shoplifter from rapidly removing a large number of the items from the storage rack.

However, it does not prevent the shoplifter from removing all of the items of merchandise from the rod if the shoplifter uses a large amount of force upon sweeping the items from the rod or bunches the items together enabling a plurality of the items to be removed in one motion from the rod.

Another problem with such display rods is that a shoplifter may be able to remove the entire rod and items of merchandise mounted thereon from the attachment structure and unlawfully carry it from the retail establishment.

However, such preventive devices may not always be successful and they increase the cost of doing business for the merchant.

Furthermore, the device will actuate the alarm at a security gate if unlawfully passed therethrough.

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