Theft deterrent system

• US 7,641,072 B1
• Filed: 09/27/2006
• Issued: 01/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: WestRock Shared Services, LLC (WestRock Company)
• Original Assignee: Rock-Tenn Shared Services, LLC (WestRock Company)
• Inventors: Vlastakis, Kirk, Miller, Roger K., Lockwood, Thomas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford; Gene O.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kumar; Rakesh
• Application Number:
  US11/528,032
• Time in Patent Office: 1,196 Days
• Field of Search: 221/3, 221/192, 221/263, 221/232, 221/254, 221/123, 221/276, 221/229, 221/279, 221/282, 744/83, 312/71, 312/35
• US Class Current: 221/123
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/126 the pushing device being urged by spring means
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/002 Devices for protection against sunlight or theft
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/02 Devices for alarm or indication, e.g. when empty; Advertising arrangements in coin-freed apparatus alarms or warning devices indicating the interruption of flow to be metered G07F15/10
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/10 Casings or parts thereof, e.g. with means for heating or cooling
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 3/003 Anti-theft control theft alarms G08B13/00

Abstract

Systems for deterring theft of retail products. Systems of this invention provide theft deterrent cabinets for dispensing products and may incorporate theft deterrent measures including mechanical deterrents, time delays and sound.

Claims

1. A product dispensing system comprising:

(a) at least one product dispensing unit;

(b) an adjustable product dispensing unit housing that may be reconfigured to house various sized product dispensing units; and

(c) at least one theft deterring mechanism comprising;

(i) a plurality of actuators accessible to a user, each actuator cooperating with a pin, and

(ii) a lockout bar comprising a plurality of channels configured to accept a pin associated with an actuator,

wherein the channels are shaped so that when a pin associated with an actuator enters a channel, the lockout bar shifts, preventing access to the remaining channels; and

(d) at least one pusher system wherein each of the at least one pusher systems comprises;

(i) a track;

(ii) a pushing ram in sliding engagement with the track; and

(iii) a spring that urges the pushing ram toward the front of the track.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a resistance mechanism coupled with the pushing ram, wherein the resistance mechanism controls forward movement of the pushing ram along the track.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the at least one pusher systems further comprises a product lifter housed under an aperture in the track,

wherein activation of the system lifts the product lifter through the aperture and lifts a product resting on the product lifter above a front lip of the track, allowing the force of the spring to push the product over a top of the front lip.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the track further comprises a channel.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the channel further comprises gear teeth that project into the channel.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the resistance mechanism further comprises an external gear component.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

(i) a resistance mechanism; and

(ii) a button accessible to the user and attached to the resistance mechanism, the button having a ready position wherein activation of the button from the ready position to an activated position causes a product to be dispensed, and

wherein the resistance mechanism delays the button returning to the ready position.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a sound producing mechanism.

9. The system of claim 4, further comprising a door assembly comprising:

(i) a front panel;

(ii) a bottom panel; and

(iii) an upper panel,

wherein when the front panel is opened, the bottom panel and the upper panel move together, blocking access to any product inside the housing.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of actuators cooperates with one of the at least one pusher systems, and

wherein when one of the plurality of actuators is activated, the pin associated with that actuator enters a channel of the lockout bar.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the bottom panel and the front panel are integrally joined.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the door assembly further comprises a lock associated with the door assembly, the lock having an unlocked position and a locked position,

wherein the front panel and the bottom panel are secured together when the lock is in the locked position so that the front panel cannot be opened.

13. The system of claim 9, the door assembly further comprising a spring, wherein the spring urges the door assembly to a closed position.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising gear teeth and a damper.

15. The system of claim 3, wherein each of the at least one pusher systems further comprises a lifter slide coupled to the track, wherein activation of the system moves the lifter slide from a starting position to an extended position, and

wherein when in the extended position, the lifter slide lifts the product lifter.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising a resistance mechanism that slows the speed at which the lifter slide returns to the starting position.

17. The system of claim 4, further comprising a plurality of product dispensing units.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the channels vary in position and direction so that only one pin may move through any of the channels at a time.