Article security system

• US 4,831,363 A
• Filed: 09/03/1987
• Issued: 05/16/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CHECKPOINT SYSTEMS, INC. (CCL Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CHECKPOINT SYSTEMS, INC. (CCL Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Wolf, Albert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, III, Glen R.
• Application Number:
  US07/092,428
• Time in Patent Office: 621 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572, 340/551
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0054 with control of supplementary check-parameters, e.g. weight or number of articles
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/246 Check out systems combined with EAS, e.g. price information stored on EAS tag anti-theft systems in point of sale systems G07G3/003
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2474 Antenna or antenna activator geometry, arrangement or layout loop antennae H01Q1/22

Abstract

A person desiring to check out articles protected by security tags deposits these articles at one end of a check-out aisle. From there, they are transported to the opposite end of the check-out aisle as part of the check-out procedure. The person who deposited the articles is restrained from accompanying these articles all the way through the check-out aisle, but is able to reach its opposite end only via a path which is separate from the check-out aisle itself. That separate path is equipped with an electronic article surveillance system. The same separate path and its associated electronic article surveillance system serve several check-out aisles.

Claims

1. In a check-out system for premises having an interior area which houses articles protected against unauthorized removal from said premises, said articles having affixed thereto security tags which are detectable by an electronic article surveillance system, said premises being provided with a plurality of check-out aisles for said articles, each aisle having one end facing said interior area and an opposite end facing a common passageway connecting all of said opposite ends to each other and to an exit from said premises, the improvement which comprises:

means for barring persons desiring to remove articles from said premises via said check-out aisles from accompanying said articles through said aisles to their said opposite ends;

at least one path separate from said check-out aisles and leading from said interior area to said common passageway, through which path said persons are able to reach said opposite ends of the check-out aisles for article retrieval; and

an electronic article surveillance system associated with said at least one separate path for detecting security tags carried through said separate path, any given check-out aisle being not more than four aisles away from a said separate path.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein any given check-out aisle is not more than three aisles away from a said separate path.

3. In a check-out system for premises having an interior area which houses articles protected against unauthorized removal from said premises, said articles having affixed thereto security tags which are detectable by an electronic article surveillance system, said premises being provided with a plurality of check-out aisles for said articles, each aisle having one end facing said interior area and an opposite end facing a common passageway connecting all of said opposite ends to each other and to an exit from said premises, the improvement which comprises:

means for barring persons desiring to remove articles from said premises via said check-out aisles from accompanying said articles through said aisles to their said opposite ends;

at least one path separate from said check-out aisles and leading from said interior area to said common passageway, through which path said persons are able to reach said opposite ends of the check-out aisles for article retrieval;

an electronic article surveillance system associated with said at least one separate path for detecting security tags carried through said separate path,

said premises being those of a retail store and the articles being merchandise for sale in that store,

said check-out aisles lacking provisions for payment for said merchandise;

said system further comprising means separate from said aisles for effecting such payment; and

said aisles having means for providing print-outs of merchandise transactions at the check-out aisles.

4. In a check-out system for premises having an interior area which houses articles protected against unauthorized removal from said premises, said articles having affixed thereto security tags which are detectable by an electronic article surveillance system, said premises being provided with a plurality of check-out aisles for said articles, each aisle having one end facing said interior area and an opposite end facing a common passageway connecting all of said opposite ends to each other and to an exit from said premises, the improvement which comprises:

means for barring persons desiring to remove articles from said premises via said check-out aisles from accompanying said articles through said aisles to their said opposite ends;

at least one path separate from said check-out aisles and leading from said interior area to said common passageway, through which path said persons are able to reach said opposite ends of the check-out aisles for article retrieval; and

an electronic article surveillance system associated with said at least one separate path for detecting security tags carried through said separate path,

said premises being those of a library and said articles being the contents of said library.