Signal emitting retail device

• US 9,318,008 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2014
• Issued: 04/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fasteners for Retail Incorporated (FFR DSI Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Southern Imperial Incorporated (FFR DSI Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Valiulis, Peter T., Valiulis, Thomas E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Samson, Sara
• Application Number:
  US14/215,575
• Publication Number:
  US 20140197953A1
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/0823 Article supports for peg-boards
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/0861 Anti-theft means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/14 by lifting or attempted removal of hand-portable articles
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/149 with electric, magnetic, capacitive switch actuation

Abstract

A signal emitting retail device is provided. The signal emitting retail device includes a sensor and an emitter. The emitter is configured to emit a signal when the sensor senses removal of merchandise from a merchandise display structure. The sensor is also configured to sense potential theft conditions. The emitter is configured to emit a signal indicative of potential theft conditions when such conditions are sensed by the sensor.

Claims

1. A signal emitting retail device, comprising:

a first merchandise support portion and a second portion actuatable between a first configuration in which merchandise is prevented from being removed from the merchandise support portion and a second configuration in which merchandise is allowed to be removed from the merchandise support portion;

an electronic unit including a sensor coupled with an emitter and a timer;

the sensor being configured to sense when the second portion is actuated from the first configuration to the second configuration, wherein the sensor is a light sensor configured to sense a light level and configured to sense a predefined deactivation code consisting of visible light pulses;

the emitter being configured to emit a signal based on the sensor sensing that the second portion has been actuated from the first configuration to the second configuration;

the timer being configured to measure a time that the second portion is in the second configuration

wherein the electronic unit further comprises a mode switch for toggling the electronic unit between a first operational mode and a second operational mode, wherein in the first operational mode the emitter emits a pre-alarm after the second portion has remained in the second configuration for equal to or greater than a predetermined first period of time, and wherein the emitter emits a final audible alarm after the second portion has remained in the second configuration for equal to or greater than a predetermined second period of time greater than the first period of time;

wherein the second portion is a retail merchandise label holder which is rotatable about an axis adjacent an edge region of said retail merchandise label holder.

2. The signal emitting retail device of claim 1, wherein the first period of time is about three seconds, and wherein the second period of time is about six seconds.

3. The signal emitting retail device of claim 2, wherein in the first operational mode, the emitter emits the final audible alarm after the second portion has transitioned between the first configuration and a second configuration a predetermined number of times in a given time period.

4. The signal emitting retail device of claim 3, wherein the predetermined number of times is four times, and the given time period is about ten seconds.

5. The signal emitting retail device of claim 1, wherein in the second operational mode the emitter repeats an audible tone upon successive passages of a predetermined time interval while the second portion remains in the second configuration.

6. The signal emitting retail device of claim 5, wherein the predetermined time interval is about one second.

7. An electronic unit for a signal emitting retail device, comprising:

an emitter coupled with a sensor and a timer;

the electronic unit being configured to couple with a device for displaying merchandise, wherein the sensor is a light sensor configured to sense a light level and configured to sense a predefined deactivation code consisting of visible light pulses;

the sensor being configured to detect at least one of removal of merchandise from the device for displaying merchandise and actuation of the device for displaying merchandise;

the emitter being configured to emit a signal upon sensing by the sensor of at least one of removal of merchandise from the device for displaying merchandise and actuation of the device for displaying merchandise;

the timer being configured to measure a time that the device is in a merchandise removal configuration;

wherein the device for displaying merchandise includes a display hook including a device actuatable between a first configuration in which removal of merchandise from the display hook is prevented and a second configuration in which removal of merchandise from the display hook is allowed, wherein the device actuatable between the first configuration and the second configuration is a retail merchandise label holder, wherein in the first configuration, the light sensor is covered by the retail merchandise label holder; and

wherein the emitter includes a mode switch of toggling the electronic unit between a first operational mode and a second operational mode, wherein in the first operational mode, the electronic unit has at least one preset condition upon the occurrence of which will generate a final audible alarm that lasts for a predetermined time period, and

wherein in the second operational mode the electronic unit will not generate a final audible alarm.

8. The electronic unit of claim 7, wherein the at least one preset condition includes a condition wherein the device actuatable between the first configuration and second configuration has remained in the second configuration for a predetermined period of time.

9. The electronic unit of claim 8, wherein the predetermined period of time is equal to or greater than about six seconds.

10. The electronic unit of claim 7, wherein at least one preset condition includes a condition wherein the device actuatable between the first configuration and second configuration has transitioned between the first configuration and the second configuration a predetermined number of times in a predetermined period of time.

11. The electronic unit of claim 10, wherein the predetermined number of times is 4 times, and wherein the predetermined period of time is about 10 seconds.

12. The electronic unit of claim 7, wherein the predetermined time period of the final audible alarm is about 2 minutes.