SECURITY DOOR.

Abstract

A security door for a retail store shelf containing one or more products includes a header and at least one hinge arranged horizontally with the header. A rigid frame connects to the header with the at least one hinge, and a guard is positioned across the rigid frame, preventing a user from removing the products. A locking mechanism connects the rigid frame to the header and requires a customer to use two hands to open the security door.

Description

SECURITY DOOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION [1] The invention relates to the security door for deterring theft of retail inventory. Description of the previous technique [2] A growing problem for retail stores is the theft of high-value inventory directly from the shelves. Thieves target retail stores to sweep shelves of valuable products, gathering and quickly removing as much merchandise as possible, then leaving the store with the goods before store personnel or the police have a chance to react. The merchandise is either later returned for cash or sold outright. [3] Solutions to this problem have included securing high-value products in vaults or cabinets that require store personnel to release and physically provide the product to the customer. Other solutions include security wires that physically connect the product to store shelves or to each other. Again, these solutions require store personnel to release and untie such products for the consumer. These solutions tend to discourage customers from making purchases. [4] Still other solutions use mechanical dispensers attached to shelves that are configured to mechanically dispense one product at a time before resetting to dispense another product. These solutions are not flexible for a variety of inventory and inflexibly require that particular store shelves be dedicated to a particular inventory. [5] Consequently, there is a need to deter such thieves, maintain inventory, and alert store personnel regarding interest, while also allowing shoppers to examine and purchase product free from the constraints of lock and key solutions. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [6] A security door according to one embodiment of this invention includes: a locking mechanism, a rigid frame, one or more horizontal hinges, a grid comprising a network of bars or wires appropriately sized for the product on the shelves, and a mounting receiver for mounting to existing store shelves. [7] The security door according to one embodiment of this invention is designed to be used as an anti-sweep theft deterrent by locking the consumer's inventory when closed, but causing the customer to perform a deliberate act of opening the security door and holding it open with one hand, while retrieving the inventory with one aspect of the invention in question.

[25] FIGURE 18 is a front perspective view of a security door in a closed position in accordance with an aspect of the invention in question.

[26] FIGURE 19 is a front perspective view of a security door in a closed position in accordance with an aspect of the invention in question.

[27] FIGURE 20 is a front perspective view of a shelf accessory having a plurality of safety doors in a closed position in accordance with an aspect of the invention in question. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[28] A security door according to a preferred embodiment of the invention is installed on the front edge of a shelf or rack typically used in retail settings to contain and display consumer products. The security door preferably covers and locks one or more products or blocks of products on a shelf or rack unit.

[29] The products, as described, are typically high-value, high-demand items that accumulate and are easily removed if left unchecked. There is a demand to curb the practice of sweeping such products from shelves and quickly leaving a retail store, after which such products may be resold or returned to the same store from which they were stolen for a refund or store credit. The term "sweep" comes from a sweeping motion of a thief's hand or arm across a shelf as they quickly move multiple items from one shelf to a cart or other means of transport.Examples of such products that would benefit from such security doors include power tools, over-the-counter pharmaceuticals, electronic devices, liquor, and other similar products, although the apparatus and system in question could be used in connection with virtually any product displayed for retail purchase.

[30] Mounting methods may vary depending on the type of shelving or racking system used. The remaining components of the security door are generally uniform across all the various mounting receivers. A main swing door attachable to the mounting receiver is designed to be attached to and removed from the receiver for easier installation and scalable flexibility.

[31] As shown in FIGURES 1-20, a security door 10 according to one embodiment of this invention includes a header 20, at least one hinge 30, a rigid frame 40, and a guard 50. The elements in question are described in more detail below.

[32] As best shown in FIGURES 13-17, a header 20 is preferably mounted to the shelf to provide support for the remainder of the security door 10. A mounting receiver 15 according to one aspect of the invention may be equipped with two or more latching receivers 18 that engage with corresponding forks 24 on the header 20 and / or a rigid frame 40 described below. The header 20 is preferably mounted relative to the mounting receiver 15, which is fixed relative to a store shelving unit. As such, both the header 20 and the mounting receiver 15 are preferably fixed and immovable relative to the shelf. The mounting receiver 15 and / or the header 20 can extend across the entire shelf or a portion of it, depending on the application.

[33] Moving or removing the security door 10 can be accomplished by loosening the pressure bolts and sliding the header 20 out of the mounting receiver 15. The entire remaining security door 10 assembly can then be moved across to a new section of the fixture and slid onto a different mounting receiver 15. Tightening the pressure bolts secures the security door 10 in place again. Additional mounting receivers 15 can be pre-mounted on the fixture to allow for quick and flexible security door layouts. The security door 10 components can be customized in different sizes depending on the requirement. According to one modality, the security door is available in two standard sizes: 22" W x 10.5" H (55.88 cm W x 26.67 cm H) and 22" W x 13.5" H (55.88 cm W x 34.29 cm H).

[34] As shown in FIGURES 1-2, a header 20 is positioned along a shelf and includes at least one hinge 30 arranged in horizontal alignment with the header 20. The hinge 30 may extend along the entire length of the header 20 or may comprise two or more hinges 30 positioned at intervals along the header 20, as shown in the figures. The hinge 30 may be positioned so as to face inward and not be accessible from the outside of the safety door 10 or may be positioned outward to more easily promote upward swing of the operable components of the safety door 10, as shown in FIGURES 1-5.

[35] A rigid frame 40 is preferably connected to the headboard 20 by at least one hinge 30. The rigid frame 40 is positioned and configured accordingly to swing upward relative to the headboard 20 along the hinge or hinges 30. The rigid frame 40 is preferably constructed of a rigid material that maintains a robust and unbreakable frame along a front portion of the shelf. In particular, the security door 10 preferably includes a rigid frame 40 constructed of metal or similar material that is secure and will resist cutting, bending, or similar destructive actions.

[36] The rigid frame 40 can span the entire height and width of the shelf or can be strategically sized to cover only a portion of the shelf, depending on the product being secured. In fact, with a larger product, it may be possible to include a rigid frame 40 that covers only half or less of the shelf height, thus allowing for easier inspection of the product by the customer, while still preventing removal from the shelf without opening the safety door 10.

[37] A guard 50 is preferably positioned across the rigid frame 40, as shown, for example, in FIGURES 5-7. The guard 50 prevents a user from removing products from the shelf while it is in a closed position, generally perpendicular to the shelf. The guard 50 may comprise a network of bars or wires appropriately sized to the product on the shelves, forming a grid 55. The guard 50 is preferably mounted across the entire rigid frame and can be sized according to the inventory positioned on the shelves. The grid 55 may comprise a small wire mesh, similar to chicken wire, or it may instead include a lattice of metal bars that are spaced to allow generally unobstructed visual access to the inventory on the shelves.

[38] The guard 50 and rigid frame 40 can be integrated into a single unit or can be welded or otherwise securely joined together to provide a secure enclosed space on the shelf that prevents products from being removed without opening the security door 10 as described below. The guard 50 can be configured to allow a shopper to touch the product through the bars, but not to allow the product to be removed without opening the security door 10.

[39] According to a preferred embodiment, as shown in FIGURES 18 and 19, the protection 50 may comprise a transparent shield, such as plexiglass, to allow a shopper to view the products but not to permit access to the product without opening the security door 10. This may be particularly applicable for smaller products or products that are desired for display without any visible obstruction.

[40] As best shown in FIGURES 3, 4, and 8-12, the security door 10 further includes a locking mechanism 60 that connects the rigid frame 40 to the header 20. The locking mechanism 60 in a preferred embodiment comprises a pin 65 having a knob 70 at one outer end. A preferably attachable catch 75 is located at an opposite end where a spring 80 is positioned between the knob 70 and the catch 75 to permit release of the locking mechanism 60. The catch 75 can be positioned on the header 20, as shown in the figures, and / or on the pin 65 of the locking mechanism. The pin 65 is therefore preferably engaged with the header 20 to prevent the opening of the security door 10 without releasing or otherwise influencing the locking mechanism 60.

[41] Partly due to the spring 80, the locking mechanism 60 is preferably pushed to maintain a safe closed condition of the door 10. Only by positively releasing the locking mechanism 60 can a user lift the rigid frame 40 and guard 50 and gain access to the shelf.

[42] The spring-loaded locking mechanism 60 preferably requires a two-handed operation to open the locking mechanism while the rigid frame 40 is raised and open relative to the rack. In this way, both hands are required to initiate the opening operation, and once the latch is disengaged, the customer can use that free hand to then hold and remove the inventory while the other hand is required to hold the security door 10 open (without mechanical assistance).

[43] Once the product is retrieved, the customer can release the safety door 10, and the rigid frame 40 and guard 50 preferably descend back into position. Once lowered, the weight of the rigid frame 40 and guard 50 will automatically re-engage the locking mechanism 60 in a closed position.

[44] According to a preferred embodiment, the safety door 10 may include a damper 90 connected to the hinge 30 to permit at least one of a slowed closing or damped opening of the rigid frame 40 relative to the head 20. It is preferable that the rigid frame 40 opens without or with minimal damping and that, upon release, the rigid frame 40 returns slowly to the closed condition in a damped manner to prevent slamming of the safety door 10 and also to prevent pinching or trapping of fingers and limbs within the device. The damper 90 may be integrated with the hinge 30 or may comprise a separate element positioned relative to the hinge 30, the rigid frame 40, and / or the head 20.

[45] As shown in the figures, a pull handle 100 is positioned on the safety door 10 and is separate from and distinct from the locking mechanism 60. As shown, the pull handle 100 may be a metal loop or similar configuration that suggests to a user that it should be pulled to open the safety door 10. By separating the pull handle 100 from the locking mechanism 60, a two-handed operation is required by a user to open the safety door 10 and access the shelf. In this way, it is difficult for a user to also sweep a shelf or gain unrestricted access to the shelf while in the process of opening the safety door 10. It is preferable that the pull handle 100 be located toward or along a lower edge of the rigid frame 40 while the locking mechanism 60 is located toward or along an upper edge of the rigid frame 40, thereby creating physical separation between the two.As such, the 100 pull handle is located on an opposite edge of the guard as the 60 locking mechanism.

[46] The security door 10 for a retail store shelf displaying one or more products is preferably retrofittable across a range of shelf styles and configurations. As shown in FIGURES 6 and 13-17, the header 20 is preferably attached to the shelf using a mounting receiver 15 or bracket. Such mounting receivers or brackets are preferably an interchangeable and customizable component dependent on the existing store shelving.

[47] The security door 10 may include a rigid frame 10 for each end 20, as shown in FIGURES 1-6, or it may include a plurality of rigid frames 40 and locking mechanisms 60 for each end 20, as shown in the connected FIGURE 19. FIGURE 20 shows a complete store shelving unit having multiple security doors 10 as contemplated by this invention. As shown in FIGURE 20, the security doors 10 can be used on overhead shelves or on the floor relative to a shelf above, thereby utilizing a store floor as an additional display surface while still maintaining the security of the displayed product.

[48] ​​According to a preferred embodiment of this invention, an alarm 120 may sound when the security door 10 is in an open position. The alarm 120 may comprise a visual or strobe light and / or an audible buzzer or noise that alerts store personnel in the area to the opening of the security door 10, as shown in FIGURE 20. The alarm 120 may, alternatively or additionally, comprise a public address announcement throughout the store. In addition, store personnel may receive an indicator or message on an individual electronic device worn on their person. As shown in FIGURE 7, sensors and / or contacts 125 may be positioned within the hinge 30 or between adjacent portions of the security door 10, such as between the rigid frame 40 and the header 20, that trigger the alarm to be transmitted. Alternatively, wireless, contactless, or other types of sensors may be used to generate an alarm.

[49] These sensors 125 can then transmit a condition to the alarm 120 to provide the notifications described above. The alarm 120 can therefore be triggered when the sensor 125 determines that an alarm condition is met. The alarm condition can include at least one of: (1) the locking mechanism 60 being released once; (2) the locking mechanism 60 being released X times, where X can be a reasonable number of opening actions, either as a total sum or a number of opening actions within a certain time; and / or (3) a time difference t between when the locking mechanism 60 is released and when it re-closes. For example, if a customer opens the locking mechanism 60 and does not release it for 60 seconds, a certain alarm 120 can be triggered, either generally or directly to store personnel.

[50] The alarm formats described above may change or escalate based on the alarm condition of the security door 10. For example, an alarm format may change from a flashing strobe light to an audible alarm based on the number of security doors 10 that are open simultaneously in a shelving unit or throughout the store.

[51] As described above, according to a preferred embodiment of this invention, an alarm and a visual strobe light are activated when a door is opened. In another preferred embodiment, when multiple (Z) doors are opened within a particular period (t) of time, a second alarm sounds, preferably with a different sound, volume, and / or message than the first alarm. For example, when a security door 10 is opened, a doorbell may sound and the strobe light may flash slowly. If three doors are opened within 15 seconds, an ambulance siren may sound and the strobe light may flash faster, brighter, and / or in a different color.

[52] The security door can be additionally connected with respect to an Ethernet and / or wireless connection within a retail environment to enable real-time notification of store personnel when a single security door is opened and / or opens X times and / or Z doors within a time period t. Such notifications can alert store personnel of the condition (Z doors) and / or the store location where the condition was observed.

[53] In addition, an IoT-enabled central computer / control processor can connect to a wireless receiver and capture door opening / closing events and sensor status. The processor can store and send door sensor activity and data to local or remote IP server endpoints. Furthermore, the processor can trigger local visual and audible alerts such as a strobe light and buzzer. Alternatively, the processor can send text alerts, email alerts, and other real-time reports based on door events such as multiple security doors opening rapidly, security doors left open, and so on. Historical security door sensor activity / status data can be stored in local and remote databases for subsequent analytics processing and reporting.

[54] In a preferred configuration, each security door includes 125 sensors, each with a unique numerical ID that is sent to the central computer / control processor with each message / alert. These sensor IDs can be learned by the central processor to: filter out any ambient wireless data so that we only act on our sensors; enable door-specific planogram identification to record which door is opened and where in the store (for larger installations); and / or enable other logic such as triggering events when a specific door is left open too long or if multiple doors are opened rapidly. A store or central control can learn the sensors to the system either by uploading a table of sensor IDs to the central control, or by triggering a sensor (opening and closing a door) several times within a short duration, which will allow the sensor to self-learn.This ensures that messages from nearby security systems using the same type of sensors will not become part of the central control system and cause false alarms. All data from these sensors can also be sent to a cloud-based server database, and analytics can be generated for all door activity.

[55] An audible and / or visual alert can be triggered locally when doors are opened, but this behavior can be programmable. For example, a doorbell sound can be triggered when one door is opened, but if three doors are opened within 15 seconds, a different siren sound can be triggered, as described above. The sounds can be customized using .WAV files on a pair of standard USB-powered speakers. These sounds could also be voice prompts and / or public address announcements such as "Customer needs assistance in the tool aisle," etc. A buzzer or other sound can be triggered if a security door has been left open for more than a predetermined period of time, for example, 80 minutes. This "left open" alert can be a third alarm, separate from the first and / or second alarms.

[56] A related method for preventing theft from a retail store shelf that includes a security door 10 includes providing a header 20 along a top portion of the shelf; providing at least one hinge 30 disposed along the header 20; providing a rigid frame 40 at the header 20 with the at least one hinge 30; positioning a guard 50 across the rigid frame, the guard 50 preventing a user from removing the products; and providing a locking mechanism connecting the rigid frame to the header 20. It is preferable in such a method that the security door 10 requires two hands to open, one hand to release the locking mechanism and the other to open the rigid frame relative to the header.

[57] Although in the detailed description above the development in question has been described in relation to certain preferred embodiments thereof, and many details have been set forth for purposes of illustration, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that the development in question is susceptible to further embodiments and that some of the details herein described may be varied considerably without departing from the basic principles of the invention.

Claims

1. A security door for a retail store shelf having one or more products, the security door comprising: a header; at least one hinge arranged in horizontal alignment with the header; a rigid frame connected to the header by the at least one hinge; a guard positioned across the rigid frame, the guard preventing a user from removing the products; and a locking mechanism connecting the rigid frame to the header, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a pin having a knob at an outer end and a snap-on catch at an inner end, wherein a spring is positioned between the knob and the catch to allow release of the locking mechanism.

2. The security door of claim 1, wherein the protection comprises a grille.

3. The security door of claim 1, wherein the protection comprises a transparent shield.

4. The security door of claim 1, further comprising a sensor connected to an alarm.

5. The security door of claim 4, wherein the alarm is activated when the sensor determines that an alarm condition is met.

6. The security door of claim 5, wherein the alarm condition is at least one of: the release of the locking mechanism once; the release of the locking mechanism X times; and a delta t of time between when the locking mechanism is released and re-closed.

7. The security door of claim 4, wherein the alarm is at least one of a strobe light; an audible alarm; an alert directed to a personal electronic device; and a public address announcement.

8. The security door of claim 7, wherein an alarm format changes based on an alarm condition of the security door.

9. The security door of claim 7, wherein an alarm format changes based on a number of security doors that are opened simultaneously.

10. The security door of claim 1, further comprising a central processor that collects security door opening / closing events and sensor status for one or more security doors throughout a retail store.

11. The security door of claim 10, further comprising a unique ID assigned to each security door to identify and analyze separate planograms of the retail store space.

12. The safety door of claim 1, further comprising a damper connected with respect to the hinge to permit at least one of a slowed closing or damped opening of the rigid frame with respect to the head.

13. The security door of claim 1, further comprising a pull handle distinct from the locking mechanism.

14. The safety door of claim 13, wherein the pull handle is located on an opposite edge of the guard as the locking mechanism.

15. The security door of claim 1, wherein for each header, a plurality of rigid frames and a locking mechanism are connected.

16. The safety door of claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism is configured to require a user to use two hands to open the safety door, one hand on the locking mechanism and the other hand to pull the rigid frame and / or guard upwards relative to the shelf.

17. A method for preventing theft from a retail store shelf that includes a security door, the method comprising: providing a header along a top portion of the shelf; providing at least one hinge disposed along the header; providing a rigid frame at the header with the at least one hinge; positioning a guard across the rigid frame, the guard preventing a user from removing the products; and providing a locking mechanism connecting the rigid frame to the header, wherein the security door requires two hands to open, one hand to release the locking mechanism and the other to open the rigid frame relative to the header.

18. A security door for a retail store shelf having one or more products, the security door comprising: a header; at least one hinge arranged in horizontal alignment with the header; a rigid frame connected to the header by the at least one hinge; a guard positioned across the rigid frame, the guard preventing a user from removing the products;a locking mechanism connecting the rigid frame to the headboard, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a pin having a knob at an outer end and an attachable retainer engaging an inner end of the pin, and a spring positioned between the knob and the retainer to permit release of the locking mechanism, and wherein the locking mechanism is configured to require a user to use two hands to open the safety door, one hand on the locking mechanism and the other hand to pull the rigid frame and / or guard upwards relative to the shelf; a sensor positioned on at least one of the rigid frame and the headboard and further connected with respect to an alarm, wherein the alarm is activated when the sensor determines that an alarm condition is met.

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