Product securement and management system

• US 9,706,857 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2014
• Issued: 07/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RTC Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: RTC Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Breslow, David S., Hardy, Stephen N., Schlessinger, Gideon
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Jay
• Assistant Examiner(s): AMR, SALAME M
• Application Number:
  US14/172,617
• Publication Number:
  US 20140190913A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,260 Days
• Field of Search: 348143
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/04 Racks or containers with arrangements for dispensing articles , e.g. by means of gravity or springs
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/12 dispensing from the side of an approximately horizontal stack A47F1/087 takes precedence
• 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: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements

Abstract

A merchandising system that improves the merchandising of product by limiting the number and the frequency with which product can be removed from, for example, a merchandising shelf. The merchandising system may include a base configured to support product and a housing configured to engage the base. The housing may comprise a top wall, a first side wall, a second side wall, and a front retaining wall mounted to the base at an angle. The system may further include a spring-urged pusher movably mounted on the base. The system may further include an opening defined by the first side wall and the front retaining wall through which product may be removed. The system may also include the use of over-the-air power to power any of the shelf components.

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;

a movable barrier mounted to the system above the front retaining wall, the movable barrier extending from a mounting above the front retaining wall downward towards the shelf, wherein the barrier is 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, wherein the barrier permits removal of product from the shelf over the front retaining wall and 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;

a camera and monitor placed in the vicinity of the display system and wherein the monitor is configured to switch from displaying an advertisement to displaying images from the camera; and

a wireless power source for powering either the camera or monitor, wherein the wireless power source includes an electromagnetic source resonator and an electromagnetic receiving resonator, wherein the electromagnetic source resonator receives energy from an external power supply and then generates an electromagnetic oscillating field, and wherein the electromagnetic source resonator transfers electromagnetic energy wirelessly from the generated oscillating field to the electromagnetic receiving resonator, wherein the electromagnetic receiving resonator is positioned at a distance away from the electromagnetic source resonator, wherein the wirelessly transferred electromagnetic energy excites the electromagnetic receiving resonator and causes energy to build up in the electromagnetic receiving resonator, and wherein the built up energy is transferred out as a power supply to power the camera or monitor placed in the vicinity of the display shelf.

2. The security shelf system of claim 1 further comprising illuminated signage, overhead header lights, LED lights, decorative lights and safety lighting mounted to or in the vicinity of the display shelf, wherein the energy from the electromagnetic receiving resonator is transferred out as a power supply to power one or more of the illuminated signage, overhead header lights, LED lights, screens, monitors, tablets, conductive ink, decorative lights and safety lighting.

3. The security shelf system of claim 1 further comprising alarms, store computers, mobile devices, remotes, sensors, and motion detectors used in the vicinity of the display shelf, wherein the energy from the electromagnetic receiving resonator is transferred out as a power supply to power one or more of the alarms, store computers, mobile devices, remotes, sensors, and motion detectors.

4. A security shelf system comprising:

a first shelf and a second shelf, the first shelf having a first front edge;

a plurality of vertical dividers positioned between the first shelf and the second shelf;

a plurality of product urging devices for urging product toward the front of the system,

a retaining wall positioned adjacent the first front edge and extending toward the second shelf, the retaining wall having a height for obstructing access to the items placed between the first shelf and the second shelf; and

a barrier mounted to the system above the first shelf, wherein the barrier pivots between an open and closed position to substantially obstruct access to items placed between the first shelf and the top wall when in the closed position,

wherein the retaining wall and the barrier substantially block access to items placed between the first shelf and the top wall when the barrier is in the closed position, and wherein the barrier permits the removal of a limited number of product when the barrier is in the open position,

a sensor and alert device for detecting that the barrier is not in the closed position,

a wireless power source for powering either the sensor or alert device, wherein the wireless power source includes an electromagnetic source resonator and an electromagnetic receiving resonator, wherein the electromagnetic source resonator receives energy from an external power supply and then generates an electromagnetic oscillating field, and wherein the electromagnetic source resonator transfers electromagnetic energy wirelessly from the generated oscillating field to the electromagnetic receiving resonator, wherein the electromagnetic receiving resonator is positioned at a distance away from the electromagnetic source resonator, wherein the wirelessly transferred electromagnetic energy excites the electromagnetic receiving resonator and causes energy to build up in the electromagnetic receiving resonator, and wherein the built up energy is transferred out as a power supply to power the sensor or alert device.

5. The security shelf system of claim 4 further comprising illuminated signage, overhead header lights, LED lights, decorative lights and safety lighting mounted to or in the vicinity of the shelf system, wherein the energy from the electromagnetic receiving resonator is transferred out as a power supply to power one or more of the illuminated signage, overhead header lights, LED lights, screens, monitors, tablets, conductive ink, decorative lights and safety lighting.

6. The security shelf system of claim 4 further comprising alarms, store computers, mobile devices, remotes, and motion detectors used in the vicinity of the shelf system, wherein the energy from the electromagnetic receiving resonator is transferred out as a power supply to power one or more of the alarms, store computers, mobile devices, remotes, and motion detectors.

7. The security shelf system of claim 4, wherein the product urging devices is selected from the group consisting of spring-urged pusher, gravity-fed device and vibration-urged device, wherein the energy from the electromagnetic receiving resonator is transferred out as a power supply to power one or more of product urging devices.

8. The system of claim 4, wherein the sensor is selected from the list consisting of a push-button switch, a motion sensor and a magnetic switch, wherein the energy from the electromagnetic receiving resonator is transferred out as a power supply to power one or more of the push-button switch, a motion sensor and a magnetic switch.