Cabinet lock for use with programmable electronic key

• US 8,860,574 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2012
• Issued: 10/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: InVue Security Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: InVue Security Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Grant, Jeffrey A., Berglund, David N., Gogate, Hrishikesh P., Richardson, Justin A., Warren, William M., Moock, Andrew W.
• Primary Examiner(s): KING, CURTIS J
• Application Number:
  US13/629,812
• Publication Number:
  US 20130081434A1
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 340/568.8
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 17/10 Illuminating devices on or for locks or keys; Transparent or translucent lock parts; Indicator lights
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 41/00 Locks with visible indication as to whether the lock is locked or unlocked indicator lights E05B17/10
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/02 Movement of the bolt by electromagnetic means; Adaptation of locks, latches, or parts thereof, for movement of the bolt by electromagnetic means by means in the striker E05B63/248
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/026 the bolt moving rectilinearly
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 63/185 Preventing actuation of a bolt when the wing is open E05B63/20 takes precedence, similar safety devices E05D15/526
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 65/0864 the bolts sliding perpendicular to the wings
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00634 Power supply for the lock
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/0092 for cargo, freight or shipping containers and applications therefore in general
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/20 Attack-actuated defeating mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/40 Portable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/50 Special application
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5004 For antitheft signaling device on protected article
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5093 For closures
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5097 Cabinet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5173 Sliding door
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5867 Encased
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7113 Projected and retracted electrically
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7921 Armoring

Abstract

A cabinet lock for protecting merchandise within a merchandise display cabinet having an inner door and an outer door. The cabinet lock includes a strike plate affixed to the inner door and a lock housing affixed to the outer door such that the cabinet is in a locked configuration that prevents access to the merchandise when the lock housing is operably engaged to the strike plate. A programmable electronic key communicates a security code with the cabinet lock and transfers electrical power to the cabinet lock to operate a lock mechanism between the locked configuration and an unlocked configuration. An indicator is provided for indicating whether the cabinet lock is in the locked configuration or the unlocked configuration. The indicator includes a first segment and a second segment that can be energized to visually indicate the status of the cabinet lock.

Claims

1. A merchandise security device for protecting merchandise from theft, comprising:

a lock mechanism adapted to be affixed to a merchandise fixture; and

a transfer port comprising an indicator for indicating a state of the lock mechanism, the indicator comprising a plurality of segments, a plurality of different combinations of one or more of the segments being energized is configured to indicate respective states of the lock mechanism, the transfer port configured to facilitate communication with an electronic key,

wherein the lock mechanism is electrically passive and is configured to receive electrical power from the electronic key to operate the lock mechanism between an unlocked configuration and a locked configuration that prevents access to the merchandise, and

wherein one or more of the plurality of segments is configured to be energized in response to electrical power provided by the electronic key.

2. The merchandise security device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic key comprises an internal source of electrical power.

3. The merchandise security device according to claim 2, wherein the electronic key is programmed with a security code and communicates the security code with the merchandise security device by wireless communication.

4. The merchandise security device according to claim 3, wherein the electronic key communicates the security code with the merchandise security device by infrared (IR) optical transmission.

5. The merchandise security device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic key transfers electrical power to the lock mechanism by inductive transfer.

6. The merchandise security device according to claim 1, wherein the indicator is configured to visually indicate a plurality of different states of the lock mechanism.

7. The merchandise security device according to claim 1, wherein the indicator comprises a plurality of first segments and a plurality of second segments for visually indicating the state of the lock mechanism, and wherein the plurality of first segments or the plurality of second segments is configured to be energized to visually indicate a first state of the lock mechanism, and wherein the plurality of first segments and the plurality of second segments are configured to be energized to visually indicate a second state of the lock mechanism that is different than the first state.

20. The merchandise security device according to claim 1, wherein the lock mechanism defines an interior compartment having electronics disposed therein for operating the lock mechanism with the electrical power transferred by the electronic key, and wherein the plurality of segments are electrically connected to the electronics.

21. The merchandise security device according to claim 1, wherein energizing a portion of the plurality of segments and not energizing a remaining portion of the plurality of segments is indicative of a first state of the lock mechanism, and wherein energizing all of the plurality of segments is indicative of a second state of the lock mechanism that is different than the first state.

8. A merchandise security device for a merchandise fixture that protects merchandise from theft, comprising:

a lock housing affixed to the merchandise fixture, the lock housing comprising a lock mechanism that is movable between an unlocked configuration and a locked configuration, the lock housing comprising an indicator for indicating a state of the lock mechanism, the indicator comprising a plurality of first segments and a plurality of second segments;

a strike plate configured to be affixed to the merchandise fixture, the lock mechanism configured to operably engage the strike plate in the locked configuration; and

an electronic key for transferring electrical power to the lock housing to operate the lock mechanism between the unlocked configuration and the locked configuration,

wherein the plurality of first segments and/or the plurality of second segments are configured to be energized to visually indicate different states of the lock mechanism in response to electrical power transferred from the electronic key.

9. The merchandise security device according to claim 8, wherein the electronic key transfers electrical power to the lock housing by inductive transfer.

10. The merchandise security device according to claim 8, wherein the electronic key is programmed with a security code and communicates the security code with the lock housing by wireless communication.

11. The merchandise security device according to claim 10, wherein the electronic key communicates the security code with the lock housing by infrared (IR) optical transmission.

12. The merchandise security device according to claim 8, wherein the strike plate has a topside and a recess formed in the topside, wherein the lock housing has an underside and the lock mechanism comprises a plunger pin that is moveable between a retracted position in the unlocked configuration and an extended position in the locked configuration with the plunger pin disposed within the recess of the strike plate.

13. The merchandise security device according to claim 8, wherein the lock housing defines an interior compartment having electronics disposed therein for operating the lock mechanism with the electrical power transferred to the lock housing by the electronic key.

14. The merchandise security device according to claim 8, wherein the strike plate is configured to be affixed to a first door of a merchandise display cabinet in both the locked configuration and the unlocked configuration, and wherein the lock housing is configured to be affixed to a second door of the merchandise display cabinet in both the locked configuration and the unlocked configuration and to be operably coupled with the strike plate in the locked configuration.

15. The merchandise security device according to claim 14, wherein the strike plate comprises a strap that extends from a first surface of the first door to an opposite second surface of the first door and is formed around an edge of the first door, and wherein the strap is affixed to at least the second surface of the first door.

16. The merchandise security device according to claim 15, wherein the strap of the strike plate is made of a metal sheet having one or more through reliefs for forming the strap around the edge of the first door of the merchandise display cabinet, and wherein the strap is deformable to defeat an attempt by a potential thief to separate the strike plate from the first door of the merchandise display cabinet.

22. The merchandise security device according to claim 8, wherein energizing the plurality of first segments or the plurality of second segments is indicative of a first state of the lock mechanism, and wherein energizing the plurality of first segments and the plurality of second segments is indicative of a second state of the lock mechanism that is different than the first state.

17. A method for protecting merchandise from theft, the method comprising:

affixing a merchandise security device to a merchandise fixture, the merchandise security device comprising a lock having an electrically passive lock mechanism;

affixing a strike plate to the merchandise fixture, the lock mechanism configured to operably engage the strike plate in a locked configuration; and

using an electronic key to transfer electrical power from an internal source of electrical power to the merchandise security device to operate the lock mechanism between an unlocked configuration and the locked configuration that prevents access to the merchandise,

wherein the lock comprises an indicator for indicating a state of the lock mechanism, the indicator comprising a plurality of first segments and a plurality of second segments, the plurality of first segments and/or the plurality of second segments configured to be energized to visually indicate different states of the lock mechanism in response to electrical power transferred from the electronic key.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein using the electronic key to transfer electrical power from the internal source of electrical power to the merchandise security device comprises transferring the electrical power by inductive transfer.

19. The method according to claim 17, further comprising programming the electronic key with a security code and communicating the security code between the electronic key and the merchandise security device.