Abstract:
A security unit is provided. The security unit provides for retail theft deterrence, including theft by sweeping. The security unit provides a door vertically displaceable between open and closed configurations for selectively allowing access to product disposed on shelving.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention generally relates to retail display systems, and more particularly retail display systems configured for loss prevention. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Retail theft continues to be a problem in the retail industry. One practice gaining in popularity is to steal multiple items in a single act, often referred to as “sweeping.” Sweeping is the practice of removing a large quantity of similar goods into a bag or hidden interior pocket, then rapidly exiting the store, despite any theft deterrent devices located at the exit of the store (e.g. RFID sensors, magnetic sensors, cameras, or the like). 
         [0003]    In the past, other products have been developed to discourage this practice. For example, locked merchandise cabinets have been used that permit only a store employee to access the merchandise contained therein. However, locked cabinets that must be opened by employees are disadvantageous because the customer must go to find an employee and wait, all of which may lead to the customer deciding not to purchase the item. 
         [0004]    As a result, there is a need for a retail display and security system that deters retail theft, especially sweeping. 
         [0005]    The invention provides such a security unit. These and other advantages of the invention, as well as additional inventive features, will be apparent from the description of the invention provided herein. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    In one aspect, the invention provides a retail security barrier for securing a retail merchandise display. The retail security barrier includes a pair of side walls and at least one guide member interposed between the pair of side walls. The at least one guide member defines an L-shaped track. The retail security barrier also includes a front door. The front door is slidably received in the L-shaped track and is movable along the L-shaped track between an open and a closed position. 
         [0007]    In certain embodiments, the retail security barrier includes at least one biasing member in operative communication with the front door. The at least one biasing member is configured to bias the front door towards the closed position. 
         [0008]    In certain embodiments, the side walls of the retail security barrier each include an inner member and an outer member partially overlapping the inner member. The amount of overlap between the inner member and the outer member is adjustable to vary the length of each of the side walls. 
         [0009]    In certain embodiments, the at least one guide member includes a pair of guide members in opposed spaced relation and interposed between the pair of sidewalls. The retail security barrier further comprises at least one guide roller extending between the pair of guide members. The at least one guide roller is mounted to the pair of guide members for rotation relative thereto. 
         [0010]    In certain embodiment, the at least one guide roller includes a guide rod and a pair of bushings mounted at either end of the guide rod. One bushing is received in a pocket of one guide member, and the other bushing is received in a pocket of the other guide member. 
         [0011]    In certain embodiment, the inner and outer members have an upright portion adapted to extend between a lower shelf and an upper shelf to create a side barrier that blocks access to a retail storage space interposed between the upper and lower shelves. 
         [0012]    In certain embodiments, the retail security barrier also includes a controller configured to monitor the position of the front door. 
         [0013]    In certain embodiments, the at least one guide member defines a pocket for fixedly retaining the biasing member to the at least one guide member. The pocket and biasing member are positioned adjacent to an intersection of a first leg portion and a second leg portion of the at least one guide member. The biasing member contacts the front door. In certain embodiments, the door is positioned within L-shaped track above the biasing member and below at least one roller of the roller arrangement. 
         [0014]    In another aspect, the invention provides a secured retail merchandise display. The secured retail merchandise display includes a first retail shelf and a second retail shelf below the first retail shelf. The first and second retail shelves define a retail storage area. A security barrier is interposed between the first and second retail shelves to enclose the retail storage area. The security barrier has an open position configured to permit access to the retail storage area and a closed position configured to prevent access to the retail storage area The secured retail merchandise display also includes a biasing element operably coupled to the security barrier to bias the security barrier from the open position to the closed position. 
         [0015]    In certain embodiments, the biasing element of the secured retail merchandise display is in frictional contact with the surface of the door. 
         [0016]    In certain embodiments, the secured retail merchandise display also includes a pair of guide members, spaced apart from one another on the second retail shelf. Each of the guide members defines a track. The track is configured to receive the security barrier. 
         [0017]    In certain embodiments, the security barrier further comprises a pair of sidewalls positioned between the first retail shelf and the second retail shelf. The pair of guide members are interposed between the pair of sidewalls. In certain embodiments, each of the pair of sidewalls includes an inner member and an outer member, wherein one of the pair of guide members is mounted to one of the inner members, and the other one of the pair of guide members is mounted to the other one of the inner members, and wherein the length of each of the pair of sidewalls is adjustable. 
         [0018]    In certain embodiments, the biasing element of the secured retail merchandise display is a rotatable element. The biasing element is configured to resist rotation in a first direction. 
         [0019]    In yet another aspect, the invention provides a retail security display for retail products including a flexible door having a first leg and a second leg. The second leg extends in a different direction from than the first leg. The first leg blocks access to the retail products in a closed position. The door is movable from the closed position to an open position. The second leg grows and the first leg decreases as the door moves from the closed position to the open position. 
         [0020]    In certain embodiments, the retail security display also includes a pair of sidewalls. The sidewalls are selectively adjustable. The sidewalls are arranged on either side of the flexible door. The retail security display also includes a biasing element. The biasing element is configured to bias the flexible door towards a closed position. 
         [0021]    In certain embodiments, the retail security display also includes a guide member. The guide member defines a track configured to receive and guide the door between the open and closed positions. 
         [0022]    In certain embodiments, the retail security display also includes a controller. The controller is configured to monitor the position of the door, and to transmit an output based on the position of the door. 
         [0023]    Other aspects, objectives and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0024]    The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of the specification illustrate several aspects of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings: 
           [0025]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a security unit disposed between a top shelf and bottom shelf; 
           [0026]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the security unit of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0027]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the security unit of  FIG. 1  taken along the line A-A in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0028]      FIG. 4  is a partial exposed view of the security unit of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0029]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an adjustable sidewall of the security unit of  FIG. 1  illustrating adjustment of the adjustable sidewall; 
           [0030]      FIG. 6  is another perspective view of the adjustable sidewall of the security unit of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0031]      FIG. 7  is the top portion of a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in  FIG. 1  of the upper shelf and one sidewall of the security unit; 
           [0032]      FIG. 8  is the bottom portion of a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in  FIG. 1  of the lower shelf and one sidewall of the security unit; 
           [0033]      FIG. 9  is a side view of the security unit of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0034]      FIG. 10  is a front view of the security unit of  FIG. 1  with the door in a closed configuration; and 
           [0035]      FIG. 11  is a front view of the security unit of  FIG. 1  with the door in an open configuration. 
       
    
    
       [0036]    While the invention will be described in connection with certain preferred embodiments, there is no intent to limit it to those embodiments. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0037]    Turning now to the drawings, and particularly  FIG. 1 , an embodiment of a rolling door security unit  10  is illustrated. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the security unit  10  incorporates upper and lower retail shelves  12 ,  14  to enclose a retail storage area  16 . However, the security unit  10  may be supplied without the upper and lower shelves  12 ,  14  so that it may be readily integrated with an existing retail display. Further, the security unit  10  may be supplied with top and bottom walls instead of upper and lower shelves  12 ,  14  so that the security unit  10  can be utilized in retail displays not utilizing shelves (e.g. pegboards, gondola uprights, etc.). As such, the particular embodiment illustrated incorporating upper and lower shelves  12 ,  14  should be taken by way of example and not by way of limitation. 
         [0038]    With regard to  FIG. 1 , the security unit  10  includes a merchandise barrier that is generally disposed between an upper shelf  12  and a lower shelf  14 . The security unit  10 , and more particularly the merchandise barrier, includes a pair of adjustable side walls  20  extending between the upper and lower shelves  12 ,  14 , a guide arrangement  22 , and a door  24 . 
         [0039]    The security unit  10  also includes a biasing arrangement  28  configured to urge the door  24  towards a closed configuration and to tend to retain the door  24  in the closed configuration. As will be explained in greater detail below, the aforementioned functionality of the door  24  deters sweeping by requiring a user to hold the door in an open position with one hand, while removing merchandise from the retail storage area  16  with the other hand. As a result, it is more difficult to sweep mass quantities of the merchandise in a single operation. 
         [0040]    With reference to  FIG. 2 , the guide arrangement  22  is illustrated. The guide arrangement  22  includes a first guide member  30  and a second guide member  32 . The guide members  30 ,  32  each have a generally L-shaped profile and are spaced apart from one another in an opposed spaced relationship. 
         [0041]    Each of the guide members  30 ,  32  includes a first leg portion  34  and a second leg portion  36  extending from the first leg portion to generally form the L-shape of each guide member  30 ,  32 . When positioned on the lower shelf  14 , the first leg portion  34  extends upwardly away from the lower shelf  14  and towards the upper shelf  12 , while the second leg portion  36  extends transversely from the first leg portion  34  and parallel to the depth of the shelves  12 ,  14 . 
         [0042]    Turning now to  FIG. 3 , the second guide member  32  is illustrated, and attention is drawn thereto in describing the structural attributes of the both the guide members  30 ,  32  as they are mirror images of one another. The second guide member  32  includes a plurality of mounting apertures  40  that receive fasteners to removably couple the second guide members  32  to a respective one of the pair of sidewalls  20 . The fasteners may be by bolts, screws, nails, adhesive, welding, or any other suitable fastener known in the art. 
         [0043]    Still referring to  FIG. 3 , the second guide member  32  defines along the first leg  34  and second leg  36  a continuous track  42  for slidably receiving and guiding the door  24  between the open and closed configurations introduced above. 
         [0044]    The second guide member  32  also incorporates a plurality of pockets  44  disposed above and below the track  42 . The pockets  44  generally coincide with the mounting apertures  40 . As described below, the pockets  44  receive guide rollers  52  (see  FIG. 4 ) for guiding the door  24  along the track  42 . 
         [0045]    Also as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , a pocket  50  is formed at the intersection of the first and second legs  34 ,  36  of the second guide member  32 . The pocket  50  is sized to receive a biasing roller  58  of the biasing arrangement  28 . Indeed, the biasing arrangement  28  includes a pair of biasing rollers  58 . Each biasing roller  58  is disposed within a respective roller pocket  50  of each of the guide members  30 ,  32 . The biasing rollers  58  each contact and support an edge of the door  24  disposed within the track  42 . Each biasing roller  58  is spring loaded to urge the door  24 , via contact therewith, to the closed configuration. 
         [0046]    From the above it will be recognized that the biasing arrangement  28  can include only a single biasing roller  58  in other embodiments. Further, the biasing arrangement  28  may be in the form of a weighted structure affixed to an end of the door  24  to bias the door  24  to the closed position under gravity alone. 
         [0047]    With reference now to  FIG. 4 , the roller arrangement  26  is further described. The roller arrangement  26  includes a plurality of guide rollers  52  each including a rod  54  and a pair of bushings  56 . The bushings  56  are coupled to opposite ends of the rod  54 . The pockets  44  (see  FIG. 3 ) receive the bushings  56  and permit rotation of the bushings, and accordingly the guide rollers  52 , relative to the pockets  44 . The bushings  56  contact opposite edges of the door  24  (see e.g.  FIG. 2 ) to assist in the smooth movement of the door  24  within the track  42  when transitioning between the open and closed configurations. 
         [0048]    Still referring to  FIG. 4 , the door  24  is movable between an open and a closed configuration along the track  42 . The door  24  is designed to conform to the shape of the track  42 , and as such, may be made of a continuous flexible material, or formed from segmented portions hingedly connected to one another. The door  24  may be transparent, translucent, or opaque, and may include indicia including product information, advertisements, or other information regarding the product behind the door or other products. 
         [0049]    With momentary reference back to  FIG. 3 , the door  24  has a first leg and a second leg when positioned within the track  42 . The first leg is generally disposed within the first leg portion  34  of the second guide member  32  (as well as the first guide member  30  although not shown) and prevents access to the retail storage area  16 . The second leg of the door  24  is disposed within the second leg portion  36  of the second guide member  32 . As the door  24  is transitioned from the closed position to the open position, the second leg will grow in length and the first leg will decrease in length. 
         [0050]    Referring back to  FIG. 2 , the door  24  includes a first trim bar  60  coupled to or integrally formed with the door  24  proximate the bottom front edge of the door  24 . The first trim bar  60  may be formed from metal, stiff plastic, or any other suitable material, and is configured to provide horizontal rigidity to the door  24 , and provide a leading guide edge of the door  24  to assist movement within the track  42  (see  FIGS. 3 and 4 ). Additionally, the first trim bar  60  can also incorporate a handle to assist in opening the door  24 . 
         [0051]    Still referring to  FIG. 2 , the door  24  also may provide a second trim bar  66  disposed proximate the opposite end of the door  24  from the first trim bar  60 . The second trim bar  66  may also be formed from a substantially stiff or rigid material suitable for providing horizontal rigidity to the door  24 . The second trim bar  66  may also function as a guide at the trailing edge of the door  24  in a same or similar was as the first trim bar  60 . The trim bars  60 ,  66  may be adhered to the door  24  by an adhesive, or otherwise mechanically affixed to the door  24  via fasteners or the like. 
         [0052]    While the door  24  is described above as directly contacting the biasing rollers  58  and the guide rollers  52 , in an alternate embodiment, some or all of the biasing rollers  58  and the bushing portions  56  of the guide rollers  52  may be geared to allow for receiving the teeth of a rack gear. The door  24  may be provided with a pliable rack gear configuration adhered to or integrally formed with the door  24  proximate at least one of its edges configured to interface with the geared portion of the biasing rollers  58  and guide rollers  52 . 
         [0053]    Referring back to  FIG. 1 , as illustrated, a controller  53  is provided in electrical communication with various sensory and alerting equipment (not shown). The controller  53  may be configured to indicate when the door  24  is opened, when the door  24  is held open for a period of time, when multiple doors are opened at once, or various other conditions with regard to the door  24 . For example, the controller  53  may monitor a sensor including a pressure switch coupled with the lower shelf  14  to indicate to the controller when, for example, the door  24  is held open for an extended period of time. The controller  53  may alert store personnel by playing a sound, flashing a light, sending an SMS message to an employee, focusing a camera on the affected shelf  12 , etc. The described arrangement is merely exemplary. Many other suitable sensory and alerting arrangements are envisioned. 
         [0054]    With reference now to  FIG. 5 , the sidewalls  20  are further described. Each sidewall  20  includes an inner member  68  and an outer member  70 . The inner and outer members  68 ,  70  are positionable relative to one another to increase or decrease the overall length of the sidewall  20 . It will be recognized that this functionality allows for the security unit  10  to adapt to various shelf depths to fully enclose a particular retail storage area  16  (see  FIG. 1 ). 
         [0055]    The inner member  68  is generally a rigid plate that includes a first attachment flange  72  and a second attachment flange  74 , with the flanges  72 ,  74  formed by bending the same into a generally 90° orientation as illustrated. Both flanges  72 ,  74  include attachment apertures  76  formed through the flanges  72 ,  74  for fixedly mounting the inner member  68  to the lower shelf  14  (see shelf apertures  78  of  FIG. 1 ), or in other embodiments, to some other retail support structure. The apertures  76  are slotted to permit fine adjustment of the location of the inner member  68  relative to the lower shelf  14 . 
         [0056]    The upright portion of the inner member  68  includes two parallel rows of coupling apertures  86 . The rows extend along the length of the inner member  68  and are alignable with corresponding apertures  88  (see  FIG. 6 ) of the outer member  70  for adjustably coupling the inner member  68  to the outer member  70 . 
         [0057]    The inner member  68  also includes attachment apertures  80  that align with the mounting apertures  40  of the guide members  30 ,  32  shown in  FIG. 3  for affixing the guide members  30 ,  32  to the inner member  68  of the sidewall  20 . 
         [0058]    The outer member  70  is similar in shape to the inner member  68  in that it also includes an upright portion and an attachment flange  82  extending away from the upright portion at a generally 90° orientation as illustrated. The attachment flange  82  of the outer member  70  includes apertures  94  formed through the attachment flange for affixing the outer member  70  to the lower shelf  14  (see  FIG. 1 ) in the same manner as the inner guide member  68 . The apertures  94  are slotted to permit fine adjustment of the location of the outer member  70  relative to the lower shelf  14 . 
         [0059]    Turning now to  FIG. 6 , the outer member  70  is adjustable relative to the inner member  68 , as introduced above, to increase or decrease the overall length of the sidewall  20 . This adjustment is effectuated by aligning the apertures  86  (see  FIG. 5 ) of the inner member  68  with the apertures  88  of the outer member  70  and inserting a fastener through the aligned apertures  86 ,  88 . When installed, the outer member  70  overlaps a portion of the inner member  68  to minimize or prevent access to the retail storage area  16  from a side of the security unit  10 . 
         [0060]    As can be seen in  FIG. 6 , the inner and outer member  68 ,  70  are configurable to a minimum shelf depth, at which the second attachment flange  74  of the inner member  68  will abut the attachment flange  82  of the outer member  70 . The inner and outer members  68 ,  70  and the attachment flanges  72 ,  74 ,  82  may be formed from metal, plastic, combinations thereof, or any other suitable material or combination of materials known in the art. 
         [0061]    Turning now to  FIG. 7 , the inner and outer guide members  68 ,  70  are illustrated in the aforementioned overlapping configuration. Both the inner and outer guide members  68 ,  70  extend vertically underneath the upper shelf  12 , such that a side wall  100  of the upper shelf  12  overlaps the inner and outer guide members  68 ,  70 . As shown, the inner and outer guide members  68 ,  70  extend vertically beyond a bottom edge  102  of the sidewall  100  of the upper shelf  12 . 
         [0062]    With reference to  FIG. 8 , as described above, the inner and outer guide members  68 ,  70  are also attached to lower shelf  14 . As a result of this arrangement and as shown in  FIG. 9 , it will be recognized that the sidewalls  20  and upper and lower shelves  12 ,  14  form a barrier. This barrier minimizes or prevents side access into the retail storage area  16  (see  FIG. 1 ) from a side thereof. 
         [0063]    Having described structural aspects of an embodiment of the present invention, the detailed description will now focus on the installation and operation of the same. 
         [0064]    To install the security unit  10 , the door  24  and guide rollers  52  are assembled between the first and second guide members  30 ,  32 . Thereafter, the first and second guide members  30 ,  32  are affixed to the inner guide members  68  of each respective sidewall  20 . Thereafter, the sidewalls  20  are adjusted to an appropriate shelf depth and mounted to the lower shelf  14 . The lower shelf may already be installed in a vertical support structure, or the above assembly may be installed as a unit on a vertical support structure. The upper shelf  12  is then installed above the sidewalls  20  as shown at  FIG. 7  to the vertical support structure. In embodiments incorporating a controller  53 , the controller  53  can also be configured before, after, or during any of the steps described above. 
         [0065]    With reference to  FIG. 10 , the door  24  is illustrated in a closed position and is in the form of a transparent vinyl door allowing a potential customer to see the product  18  within the security unit  10  through the door  24 . Additionally, the door  24  may include indicia  104  printed on or adhered thereto including pictures, words, advertisement, etc. 
         [0066]    To bias the door  24  to an open position, the customer grasps a portion of the trim bar  60  and urges the door upwardly to gain access to the product, as shown in  FIG. 11 . However, because the biasing arrangement  28  urges the door  24  to return to the closed configuration, as in  FIG. 10 , a customer the customer is required to continue to use one hand to hold the door  24  in the open configuration while removing a product  18  from the retail storage area  16 . Thus, a potential thief would be unable to use both hands to sweep large quantities of products from a shelf, and therefore the security unit  10  advantageously deters sweeping the product  18 . 
         [0067]    All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein. 
         [0068]    The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) is to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention. 
         [0069]    Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention. Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.