Security device for attaching a peg hook to a peg support

• US 8,341,987 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2008
• Issued: 01/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InVue Security Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: InVue Security Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Nagelski, Keith C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lugo, Carlos
• Assistant Examiner(s): MERLINO, ALYSON MARIE
• Application Number:
  US11/968,709
• Publication Number:
  US 20080169250A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,825 Days
• Field of Search: 211/4, 211/7, 211/54.1, 211/57.1, 211/59.1, 70/14, 70 32- 34, 70/571, 70 59- 63, 70/57, 702/76, 704/13, 411/535, 411/536, 248/551, 292/251.5
• US Class Current: 70/276
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/0861 Anti-theft means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5004 For antitheft signaling device on protected article
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5027 Supporting stands
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7057 Permanent magnet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7904 Magnetic features

Abstract

A security device for locking a merchandise display rod to a support structure. The device includes a housing slidably received on the display rod and including a locking mechanism movable between a locked and an unlocked position. The housing defines a recess extending inwardly from an exterior surface thereof and perpendicularly to the linear motion of a locking member in the locking mechanism. A complementary shaped dipole magnet of a magnetic key is inserted into the recess to move the locking mechanism to the unlocked position. The security device further includes an adjustment member on a rear surface thereof. The adjustment member is engaged to compensate for different thicknesses of the support structure to which the security device is to be attached.

Claims

1. A security device for locking a merchandise display rod assembly to a support structure, said device comprising:

a housing adapted to be slidably received on the merchandise display rod assembly, said housing containing a locking mechanism disposed in an interior chamber and including a compression spring seated in a shuttle assembly, said shuttle assembly made of a magnetically attractable material that is sized and shaped for reciprocal travel within the interior chamber, the shuttle assembly being moveable within the interior chamber between a locked position and an unlocked position against a biasing force of the compression spring biasing the shuttle assembly towards the locked position; and

a recess formed in the housing and extending inwardly from an exterior surface thereof in the direction of the interior chamber of the housing terminating proximate the interior chamber opposite the compression spring and the shuttle assembly;

said recess being adapted to receive a dipole magnet therein for moving the shuttle assembly from the locked position to the unlocked position and permitting the housing to slide on the merchandise display rod assembly away from the support structure to thereby unlock the merchandise display rod assembly from the support structure.

2. The security device as defined in claim 1, wherein said shuttle assembly moves linearly within the interior chamber between the locked position and the unlocked position, and wherein said recess extends perpendicularly with respect to the direction of the linear movement of the shuttle assembly.

3. The security device as defined in claim 1, wherein the recess has a cross-sectional shape that is adapted to receive a complementary cross-sectional shape of the dipole magnet therein.

4. The security device as defined in claim 1, wherein the recess is D-shaped in cross-section and is adapted to receive a complementary D-shaped cross-section of the dipole magnet therein.

5. The security device as defined in claim 4, wherein the D-shaped recess is defined by a substantially planar inner wall and an arcuate inner wall;

and wherein the planar inner wall extends to a position proximate the interior chamber retaining the shuttle assembly therein and perpendicularly relative to the direction of the linear movement of the shuttle assembly.

6. A security system for locking a merchandise display rod assembly to a support structure, said system comprising:

a security device comprising;

a housing adapted to be slidably received on the merchandise display rod assembly, said housing containing a locking mechanism disposed in an interior chamber and including a compression spring seated in a magnetically attractable shuttle assembly that is moveable within the interior chamber of the housing between a locked position and an unlocked position, the shuttle assembly being sized and shaped for reciprocal travel within the interior chamber between the locked position and the unlocked position against a biasing force of the compression spring biasing the shuttle assembly towards the locked position, and

a recess formed in the housing and extending inwardly from an exterior surface thereof in the direction of the interior chamber of the housing and terminating proximate the interior chamber opposite the compression spring and the shuttle assembly of the locking mechanism; and

a dipole magnet configured to be received within the recess and said recess being adapted to receive the dipole magnet therein for moving the shuttle assembly from the locked position to the unlocked position and permitting the housing to slide along the merchandise display rod assembly away from the support structure to thereby unlock the merchandise display rod assembly from the support structure.

7. The security system as defined in claim 6, wherein the shuttle assembly moves linearly within the interior chamber between the locked position and the unlocked position, and the recess is oriented perpendicularly with respect to the direction of the linear movement of the shuttle assembly.

8. The security system as defined in claim 6, wherein the dipole magnet and the recess are complementary in cross-sectional shape.

9. The security system as defined in claim 8, wherein the cross-sectional shape of both of the dipole magnet and the recess includes at least one straight side.

10. The security system as defined in claim 8, wherein the dipole magnet and the recess are substantially D-shaped in cross-section.

11. The security system as defined in claim 10, wherein the dipole magnet has a planar face and an arcuate face;

and the dipole magnet is a neodymium, iron, boron magnet having one of a north and south pole on the planar face and the other of the north and south pole on the arcuate face.

12. The security system as defined in claim 11, wherein the recess is oriented such that the planar face of the dipole magnet is brought into closer proximity to the shuttle assembly than is the arcuate face of the dipole magnet.

13. The security system as defined in claim 6, wherein the dipole magnet is a neodymium, iron, boron magnet.