Patent ID: 11952803
Assignee: VANGUARD PRODUCTS GROUP, INC.
Field: Civil engineering (Other fields)
Classification: CPC E | IPC E

Claim 12:
13. A method of securing an article of merchandise within an anti-theft device, comprising:
receiving the anti-theft device having a housing and a plurality of arms connected thereto, wherein at least a first arm of the plurality of arms is in a sliding relationship relative to the housing having a first extended position and a second retracted position;
transitioning the first arm into the first extended position by sliding the first arm out of the housing;
placing the article of merchandise onto a top surface of the housing;
transitioning the first arm into the second retracted position by sliding the first arm into the housing until the first arm engages an edge or a corner of the article of merchandise; and
operating an actuator disposed within the housing to immobilize the first arm in the second retracted position, wherein the article of merchandise cannot be removed from the anti-theft device while the first arm remains in the second retracted position;
wherein operation of the actuator causes a non-rotational locking component disposed within the housing to apply a force onto the first arm, wherein the force applied on the first arm by the non-rotational locking component causes a first set of teeth disposed along the first arm to interlock with a second set of teeth thereby immobilizing the first arm relative to the housing, wherein the first arm cannot be transitioned into the second extended position while the first set of teeth remains interlocked with the second set of teeth.