SECURITY SHELVING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SECURELY STORING AND/OR DISPENSING RETAIL ARTICLES

• US 20140061218A1
• Filed: 08/27/2013
• Published: 03/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marketing Impact Limited (Decisive Dividend Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Marketing Impact Limited (Decisive Dividend Corp.)
• Inventors: Vogler, Michael, Pollock, Joel
• Granted Patent: US 9,240,090 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 221/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/126 the pushing device being urged by spring means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/38 in which the magazines are horizontal
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/42 the articles being delivered by motor-driven means

Abstract

Systems and methods secure, store and/or dispense one or more retail items, and have at least one shelf and at least one product holder having a front portion, a back portion, a pusher paddle, at least one product stop ramp, and a level actuator. The systems and methods have a hinged front panel hinged, a blocker panel locatable in an engaged position or in an unengaged position, and at least one linkage connecting the front panel and the blocker panel, wherein the at least one portion of the level actuator is movable within the opening formed in the front panel to lift the associated forks above the stop ramp of the at least one product holder.

Claims

1. A secure product dispensing apparatus for one or more retail items having a front side and a rear side located opposite to the front side, the apparatus comprising:

a) at least one product holder adapted for holding the one or more retail items, the at least one product holder comprising;

i) a front portion located adjacent to the front side of the apparatus;

ii) a back portion located rearward with respect to the front portion of the at least one product holder;

iii) a pusher paddle adapted for biasing the one or more retail items towards the front portion of the at least one product holder when the one or more retail items are positioned within the at least one product holder;

iv) at least one product stop ramp adapted for restraining the one or more retail items from passing from the back portion to the front portion when the one or more retail items are positioned within the at least one product holder; and

v) a level actuator having associated forks configured to lift at least one retail item over the product stop ramp such that the at least one retail item is movable from the back portion to the front portion of the product holder when the one or more retail items are positioned within the at least one product holder,

b) a front panel hinged at a bottom edge of the front panel to the front side of the apparatus, wherein the front panel is adapted to move to an open position or a closed position, wherein the front panel, when located in the open position, is configured to allow manual access to the front portion of the product holder, or, when located in the closed position, is configured to block manual access to the product holder, wherein at least one portion of the level actuator extends outwardly with respect front panel;

c) a blocker panel locatable in an engaged position or in an unengaged position, wherein the blocker panel, when located in the engaged position, is configured to block manual access to the back portion of the product holder and to allow manual access to the front portion of the product holder; and

d) at least one linkage located between the front panel and the blocker panel such that the blocker panel is in the engaged position when the front panel is in the open position and the blocker panel is in the unengaged position when the front panel is in the closed position,

wherein, when the one or more retail items are positioned within the at least one product holder, the at least one retail item is manually accessible from the front portion of the product holder when the front panel is located in the open position and access to the one or more retail items located in the back portion of the product holder is blocked by the blocker panel when the front panel is located in the closed position.

2. The secure product dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one opening formed in the front panel, wherein the at least one opening is sized to receive the at least one portion of the level actuator.

3. The secure product dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one portion of the level actuator is a handle that is movable in a substantially vertical direction.

4. The secure product dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one portion of the level actuator extending outwardly with respect to the front panel is positioned between a top end of the front panel and a bottom end of the front panel that is located opposite to the top end of the front panel.

5. The secure product dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pusher paddle is positioned in a forward angle with respect to the front side of the apparatus.

6. The secure product dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a pivot point for the hinged front panel that is located below the level actuator.

7. The secure product dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an electronic alert system coupled to at least one selected from the group comprising the front panel, the blocker panel, a handle of the front panel, a drawer locking mechanism and one or more night locks.

8. The secure product dispensing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the electronic alert system is configured to produce an audible alert or a visual alert.

9. The secure product dispensing apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

at least one product sensor in electronic communication with the electronic alert system.

11. The secure product dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one portion of the level actuator is a handle that is movable in a substantially vertical direction.

10. A secure product dispensing apparatus having a front side, a rear side located opposite to the front side, a top side and a bottom side located opposite to the top side, the apparatus comprising:

a) at least one product holder adapted for holding the one or more retail items, the at least one product holder comprising;

i) a front portion located adjacent to the front side of the apparatus;

ii) a back portion located adjacent to the rear side of the apparatus;

iii) a pusher paddle biased towards the front portion of the at least one product holder;

iv) at least one product stop ramp located between the front and back portions of the at least one produce holder; and

v) a level actuator having associated forks for lifting above the product stop ramp,

b) a front panel hinged at a bottom edge of the front panel to the front side of the apparatus adjacent to the bottom side of the apparatus, wherein the front panel is adapted to move to an open position or a closed position, wherein the front panel, when located in the open position, is configured to allow manual access to the front portion of the product holder, or, when located in the closed position, is configured to block manual access to the product holder, wherein at least one portion of the level actuator extends outwardly from an opening formed in the front panel;

c) a blocker panel locatable in an engaged position or in an unengaged position, wherein the blocker panel, when located in the engaged position, is configured to block manual access to the back portion of the product holder and to allow manual access to the front portion of the product holder; and

d) at least one linkage connecting the front panel and the blocker panel,

wherein the at least one portion of the level actuator is movable within the opening formed in the front panel to lift the associated forks above the stop ramp of the at least one product holder.

12. The secure product dispensing apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

a pivot point for the hinged front panel that is located below the level actuator.

13. The secure product dispensing apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

at least one retail item positioned on the at least one product holder.

14. A method for securely storing and dispensing at least one retail item, the method comprising:

connecting a product holder to a shelf frame having a front side, a back side located opposite with respect to the front side, a top side and a bottom side located opposite to the top side, wherein the product holder is adapted to hold one or more retail items and comprises;

i) a front portion located adjacent to the front side of the apparatus;

ii) a back portion located adjacent to the rear side of the apparatus;

iii) a pusher paddle adapted for biasing the one or more retail items towards the front portion of the product holder when the one or more retail items are positioned within the product holder;

iv) a product stop ramp located between the front and back portions of the product holder, where the product stop ramp is adapted to restrain the one or more retail items from passing from the back portion to the front portion of the product holder when the one or more retail items are positioned within the product holder; and

v) a level actuator having associated forks configured to lift at least one retail item over the product stop ramp such that the at least one retail item is movable from the back portion to the front portion of the product holder when the one or more retail items are positioned within the at least one product holder,

hinging a bottom edge of the front panel hinged to the front side of the shelf frame adjacent to the bottom side of the shelf frame, wherein the front panel is moveable to an open position or to a closed position, wherein the front panel, when located in the open position, allows manual access to the front portion of the product holder, or, when located in the closed position, blocks manual access to the front portion of the product holder, wherein at least one portion of the level actuator extends outwardly from an opening formed within the front panel; and

connecting a blocker panel to the front panel, wherein the blocker panel is positionable in an engaged position or in an unengaged position, wherein the blocker panel, when located in the engaged position, blocks manual access to the back portion of the product holder and allows manual access to the front portion of the product holder, wherein the blocker panel is in the engaged position when the front panel is located in the open position and the blocker panel is in the unengaged position when the front panel is located in the closed position.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

accessing the front portion of the product holder by moving the front panel to the open position.

16. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

blocking access to the front portion of the product holder by positioning the blocker panel in the engaged position.

17. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

lifting the associated forks of the level actuator above the product stop ramp by moving the level actuator within the opening of the front portion.

18. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

positioning at least one retail item within the at least one product holder.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

moving the at least one portion of the level actuator located within the opening of the front panel such that the associated forks of the level actuator lifts the at least one retail product over the product stop ramp and into the front portion of the product holder.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising:

manually accessible the at least one retail item from the front portion of the product holder by moving the front panel to the open position, wherein, when the front panel is located in the open position, the blocker panel blocks access to the back portion of the product holder.