Product securement and management system

• US 7,661,545 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2005
• Issued: 02/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RTC Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: RTC Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Syvuk, Max E., Swafford, John W., Ward, John, Gold, Adam, Hardy, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): NOVOSAD, JENNIFER ELEANORE
• Application Number:
  US11/047,915
• Publication Number:
  US 20050161420A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,841 Days
• Field of Search: 211/4, 211/8, 211/9, 211/183, 211/59.2, 211/59.3, 211/189, 211/184, 211/187, 211/119.003, 211/134, 211/150, 312/215, 312/35, 312/117, 312/138.1, 221 2- 6, 700/237, 700/240, 700/244
• US Class Current: 211/189
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/125 with an article-pushing device
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/002 Devices for protection against sunlight or theft
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/08 by opening, e.g. of door, of window, of drawer, of shutter, of curtain, of blind

Abstract

A system for managing and securing product and deterring theft in a retail setting includes a system that resides either on a standard retailer shelf or may be a stand-alone system. In an embodiment, the system includes a plurality of shelves and product dividers positioned between the shelves and extending from the front edges of the shelves toward the rear of the shelves. Front retaining walls are positioned at the front edges of the shelves and are configured to have a height that inhibits access to products on the shelves. Individual retaining tabs of varying height may be added in front of rows of taller product to inhibit access to these products. In an embodiment, rigid or moveable barriers may be positioned above retaining walls that further restrict access to the products. With the invention, the “sweeping” of numerous products by a thief is deterred. In another embodiment, an alert device may be configured to detect and monitor movement of the moveable barriers and may provide an alert signal corresponding to the management of product on the shelf or corresponding to a potential theft situation. In an embodiment, the alert device may communicate with a security camera to monitor the vicinity and provide a notification to the potential thief that his actions are being monitored and recorded, or provide a notification to store computer, pager, cellular telephone, or the like.

Claims

1. A security shelf system comprising:

a display system including a front retaining wall mounted on a shelf and extending upward from the shelf, and a movable barrier mounted to the system above the front retaining wall, the movable barrier extending from the mounting above the front retaining wall downward towards the shelf, the barrier movable from a closed position that inhibits access to product on the shelf to an open position that permits limited access to product on the shelf and permits removal of product from the shelf over the front retaining wall, and a device for detecting movement of the barrier and providing a signal indicative of a potential theft of product from the display system, wherein the movable barrier overlaps at least a portion of the front retaining wall when the movable barrier is in a closed position that inhibits access to the product on the shelf.

2. The security shelf system of claim 1 further comprising at least one product divider positioned on the shelf, the at least one product divider extending rearwardly from the front retaining wall.

3. The security shelf system of claim 2 further comprising a second retaining wall mounted next to the front retaining wall, wherein the second retaining wall inhibits the removal of taller product from the shelf.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one product urging device positioned on the shelf that pushes product slowly toward the front retaining wall.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the product urging device is a product pusher.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a product pusher including a coiled spring having an indicia strip.

7. The system of claim 6 further comprising a sensor for scanning the indicia strip.

8. A system for detecting the potential theft of product from a display shelf comprising:

at least one shelf for containing product, the at least one shelf defining a front edge,

a retaining wall operatively mounted to the front edge of the at least one shelf and extending upward from the front of the at least one shelf,

a barrier mounted to the system above the retaining wall to cooperate with the retaining wall to inhibit access to the product on the at least one shelf, the barrier extending downward from the mounting above the retaining wall towards the at least one shelf and movable between a closed position and an open position, wherein the barrier substantially blocks access to the at least one shelf when in the closed position and permits access to the at least one shelf when in the open position and permits removal of product from the front of the at least one shelf over the front retaining wall,

and an alert device operatively connected to the barrier for detecting movement of the barrier and for providing a signal indicative of a potential theft of product from the display shelf.

9. The system of claim 8 further comprising a receiver for detecting the signal from the alert device and wherein the signal from the alert device is selected from the group consisting of an audible, inaudible, infrared, radio-frequency, cellular, ultrasonic, digital, analog, and electronic signals.

10. The system of claim 8 further comprising multiple product dividers operatively mounted to the shelf.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the signal is received by a processor for further signal processing, and wherein the further signal processing includes determining whether a theft situation exists.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein the barrier is pivotal from a closed position to an open position.

13. The system of claim 8 further comprising a plurality of product pushers positioned on the shelf.

14. The system of claim 13 further comprising a monitor and a video camera wherein the monitor is adaptable to switch from displaying an advertisement to displaying images from the video camera.

15. The system of claim 13 further comprising at least one retaining tab selectively positioned near the front of the at least one shelf.

16. The system of claim 8 further comprising a sensor located near the at least one shelf for detecting when a person is in the vicinity of the at least one shelf.

17. A system for detecting the potential theft of product from a display shelf comprising:

at least one shelf for containing product, the at least one shelf defining a front edge,

a first retaining wall operatively mounted to the front edge of the at least one shelf and extending upward from the front of the at least one shelf,

a second retaining wall operatively mounted to the at least one shelf for selective securement of product on the at least one shelf wherein the first retaining wall and the second retaining wall include holes extending therethrough, and

a barrier mounted to the system above the first retaining wall to cooperate with the first retaining wall to inhibit access to the product on the at least one shelf, the barrier extending downward towards the first retaining wall and movable between a closed position and an open position, wherein the barrier substantially blocks access to the at least one shelf when in the closed position and permits access to the at least one shelf when in the open position and permits removal of product from the front of the at least one shelf over the first retaining wall, and

an alert device operatively connected to the barrier for detecting movement of the barrier and for providing a signal indicative of a potential theft of product from the display shelf.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the holes extending through the retaining wall and the second retaining wall permit repositioning of the product on the at least one shelf.