Patent Publication Number: US-7213722-B2

Title: Merchandise dispenser with time delay and one-way retaining member

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/018,818, filed Dec. 21, 2004; the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Technical Field 
   The invention relates to dispensing systems and in particular to a dispenser for dispensing items of merchandise one item at a time, with a time delay between the individual dispensing of the items to prevent rapid removal of a plurality of the items from the dispenser by a potential shoplifter. 
   2. Background Information 
   It is desirable in retail establishments such as supermarkets and large volume discount stores, to display a plurality of items in racks in order to provide a sufficient supply of the item for the customers and to avoid constant restocking of the item throughout a business day. However, this presents a problem for certain items of merchandise which are subject to shoplifting wherein an individual will rapidly remove a number of the items from the display rack and place the same in a concealed location or run from the store without paying for the selected items. 
   Various devices have been devised to prevent the loss of merchandise such as the placement of EAS tags on the items, securing the items in a locked cabinet or dispenser, all of which increases the cost of doing business and delay in checking the customer out at a checkout location. Also, this inconveniences the customer, possibly resulting in loss of goodwill and even the customer to a competitor store. 
   For certain items which may be susceptible to shoplifting, especially relatively expensive food products, such as baby formula, it is believed that theft may be reduced by placing the items in a dispenser which enables the customer to remove the item from the dispenser or display rack, but prevent rapid removal of the product. However it is desirable that a prospective customer be able to view the containers of the item when in a stored position in the dispenser and to read the information printed on the containers prior to removing the same from their stored position. 
   Thus, the need exists for an improved dispenser for items of merchandise, such as cylindrical containers for various food products, which prevents a customer from removing a plurality of the items from a display rack in rapid succession, while permitting the items to be dispensed one at a time with a time delay between the dispensing of the individual items. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   One feature of the invention is to provide a dispenser for various items of merchandise, such as cylindrical containers, in a rack formed by a plurality of spaced wires which enable a perspective purchaser to view the containers when in a stored position and read the label and instructions on the container prior to removing the same from the dispenser. 
   Another aspect of the invention is to provide a dispenser with a moveable gate which when moved to an open position enables one item to be removed from the dispenser while blocking the adjacent item from being removed until the gate has returned to a closed position, thus, preventing the rapid removal of a plurality of items from the dispenser at one time. 
   Still another feature of the invention is to provide a dispenser in which the dispensing gate produces an audible sound when moved toward the open position which could alert store personnel if a number of items were removed in rapid succession by immediately opening and closing and then reopening and closing the access door. 
   Another aspect of the invention is to enable display material to be placed conveniently on the dispenser advising the customer of the product stored therein as well as the price and other information relating thereto by means of a placard located at the entrance opening of the dispenser. 
   A further aspect of the invention is to provide a dispenser which has an entrance opening through which the containers are inserted and stacked in the storage rack and which pass by a one-way flexible member which prevents the stored items from being removed from the entrance opening once inserted therein, requiring that the item be removed from the controlled discharge opening thereof. 
   A still further feature of the invention is to provide such a dispenser which is formed relatively inexpensive of rigid wire members, which provide an attractive display for the merchandise contained therein, and which reduces the possibility of the shoplifting of a plurality of the items from the dispenser by providing a time delay and audible signal that an item is being dispensed. 
   These features are obtained by the improved dispenser of the present invention the general nature of which comprises a housing for storing a plurality of the items, the housing having an entrance opening and a discharge opening for placing and removing the items into and from the housing; a gate moveably mounted at the discharge opening permitting removal of only one of the items at a time from the housing, the gate being moveable between a first position across at least a portion of the discharge opening preventing removal of any of the items from the housing and a second position permitting removal of one of the items proximate the discharge opening and blocking removal of the other of the items from the housing until the gate has returned to the first position. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrative of the best mode in which applicant contemplates applying the principle, is set forth in the following description and is shown in the drawings, and is particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the merchandise dispenser of the present invention containing a plurality of cylindrical merchandise with the gate in a closed position. 
       FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of a  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is an enlarged fragmentary view with portions in section, of the entrance end of the dispenser with the door in an open position. 
       FIG. 4  is an enlarged sectional view taken along line  4 — 4 ,  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the left-hand pivot assembly of  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 5A  is a sectioned view taken on line  5 A— 5 A of  FIG. 5 . 
       FIG. 6  is an exploded perspective view of the pivot assembly of  FIG. 5 . 
       FIG. 7  is a fragmentary side elevational view with portions broken away, showing the gate in a closed position. 
       FIG. 8  is a view similar to  FIG. 7  with the gate being shown in an open position. 
       FIG. 9  is a view similar to  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8  showing the gate moving from the open position of  FIG. 8  to the closed position of  FIG. 7 . 
       FIG. 10  is a fragmentary perspective view of the front receptacle portion of the dispenser. 
   

   Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings. 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The merchandise dispenser of the present invention is indicated generally at  1  and is shown in assembled operating condition in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Dispenser  1  includes a main housing  2  formed of a plurality of U-shaped spaced wires indicated collectively at  3 , secured together by a plurality of spaced rectangular shaped wire frames  5 . The wires are rigid and stiff enough to maintain the flattened U-shaped configuration of housing  2  as shown in  FIG. 2 , and strong enough to support and receive a plurality of items of merchandise therein, such as indicated by cylindrical containers  7 . Housing  2  includes a generally flattened U-shaped internal item storage chamber  4  having an entrance opening  9  and a discharge opening  11 . Opening entrance  9  is defined by a rectangular wire frame  5 A and discharge opening is defined by a rectangular wire frame  5 B. 
   A closure door indicated generally at  13 , is pivotally mounted on frame member  5 A ( FIG. 3 ) by a pair of curved flanges  14  and is moveable between open and closed positions as shown arrow A. In accordance with one of the features of the invention, a transparent panel  15  is attached to door  13  and forms an internal pocket  17  for receiving printed indicia  18  therein which provides information regarding the product contained in dispenser  1 , such as the price, product description, etc. Indicia  18  is easily replaced in pocket  17  by sliding it through an open top  19  thereof. 
   In accordance with another feature of the invention, a flexible one-way retaining clip  21  ( FIG. 3 ) is mounted inwardly of entrance opening  9  by a clip  23  and is sufficiently flexible to enable merchandise containers  7  to move clip  21  out of the way as shown by arrow B, as they are being placed through entrance  9  and into the storage chamber  4  as shown by arrows C. After passage of a container  7 , retaining clip  21  will return to its at-rest position as shown in  FIG. 2 , which will prevent the removal of container  7  through entrance opening  9 . It is easily seen in  FIG. 2  that item  7  will roll along chamber  4  due to the downwardly sloped direction of an upper portion  25  of housing  2  and around a curved web portion  26  and then along a downwardly dispenser portion  27  to adjacent discharge opening  11 . Dispenser  1  preferably is secured to a support surface  29  by a plurality of brackets  30  and fasteners  31 . This prevents removal of the entire dispenser by a potential shoplifter as well as excess bending or movement of the housing. 
   In accordance with still another feature of the invention, an item receiving receptacle, indicated generally at  35  ( FIG. 10 ), is formed adjacent to and in communication with discharge opening  11  by a pair of spaced parallel curved wires  36 , a pair of spaced parallel bottom supporting wires  37 , an end cross wire  38  and an attachment wire  39 . Receptacle  35  is adapted to receive a merchandise container  7  as it rolls through discharge opening  11  where it is trapped and retained in the receptacle by a gate indicated generally at  40 . Receptacle  35  has a generally semi cylindrical configuration and is sized to receive only one of the items  7  at a time. 
   Gate  40  preferably is a one piece member formed of plastic or metal material and includes an arcuate shaped front wall  41  and a pair of segmental shaped side walls  42 . A pair of spaced ribs  43  are formed on and extend along front wall  41  and terminate in tapered ends  44  which are located within an elongated tab portion  45  thereof. Tab portion  45  also terminates in a tapered edge  46  as shown in  FIG. 7 . The function of these components are discussed further below. A lifting ledge  47  is formed on and extends outwardly from front wall  41  and side walls  42  and provides the area which a customer will grasp to move the gate from a closed position as shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  4  to an open position as shown in  FIG. 8 . Lifting ledge  47  also provides additional rigidity to gate  40 . Gate  40  further includes an arcuately extending portion  49  ( FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  4 ) extending beyond one side wall  42  thereof. Arcuate extension  49  extends throughout an arc slightly less than 180° and is formed with a plurality of teeth  50  which are adapted to engage a flexible finger  52  to produce an audible noise as gate  40  is moved from a closed position of  FIG. 7  toward the open position of  FIG. 8 . 
   Gate  40  is pivotally mounted on spaced wires  36  of receptacle  35  by a pair of pivot assemblies, each of which is indicated generally at  55  ( FIGS. 5 ,  5 A and  6 ). Each pivot assembly includes a pair of hubs  56  and  57 , which are formed with L-shaped grooves  58  for receiving wires  36  therein. Hubs  56  and  57  are clamped tightly together about rod  36  and are immoveable with respect thereto due to the shape of wire  36 , by a nut  59  and bolt  60 . Bolt  60  extends through aligned holes  61  in the hubs and formed through an aligned holes  62  formed in side walls  42  of gate  40 . One of the pivot assemblies, shown on the left side of  FIG. 4 , includes an end cap  65  ( FIG. 6 ), which is slidably mounted over a portion of adjacent hub  57  and traps a coil spring  67  therebetween. Spring  67  has a bent end  68  that extends into a hole  69  formed in hub  57  and has another bent end  70 , which extends through a hole  71  formed in side wall  42  of gate  40  to secure spring  67  in a fixed position on the dispenser for biasing gate  40  toward the closed position of  FIG. 7 . 
   End cap  65  is formed with a generally rounded small internal wall  63  which forms a circular recess  73  ( FIG. 6 ) in which is mounted a rolled end  74  of flexible finger  52 . Recess  73  connects with an angled channel  75  formed by a pair of side wall surfaces  76  and  77 . The right side pivot assembly  55  of  FIG. 4 , is very similar to that of the left side pivot assembly as shown in  FIGS. 5 ,  5 A and  6  with the exception that it does not contain a sound producing finger  52  and end cap  65  for mounting the finger therein. End cap  65  preferably is formed with an annular rib  66  which slidably engages the inside surface of gate side wall  42  as shown particularly in  FIG. 4 . End cap  65  in fixedly mounted with respect to hub  57  by wall  63  of recess  73  being seated within an opening  64  formed in hub end wall  57 A ( FIGS. 5A and 6 ). The right side pivot assembly  55  of  FIG. 4 , preferably includes a coil spring  67  with bent end  68  extending into a hole  79  formed in a hub portion  81  of side wall  42  to assist in biasing gate  40  toward the closed position. 
   Thus, pivot assemblies  55  are mounted in a fixed position on wires  36  of receptacle  35  by bolt  60  or other type of fastener, and rotatably mount gate  40  thereon, and bias gate  40  toward the closed position as shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  7 . When gate  40  is in the closed position, it enables a merchandise container  7  move through discharge opening  11  and into receptacle  35 , but prevents the container from being removed from receptacle  35  of dispenser  1  as seen  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  7 . The container cannot be moved upwardly because of gate  40  nor in any other direction because of wires  36 ,  37  and  38  which form receptacle  35 . 
   A customer desiring to remove a merchandise container  7  from dispenser  1 , will grasp lifting ledge  47  and rotate gate  40  in a clockwise direction ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ), which will move gate  40  from the closed position of  FIG. 7  to the opened position of  FIG. 8 . In moving between the open and closed positions, tapered ends  44  of ribs  43  and tapered end  46  of tab portion  45 , will move between the front most container  7  located in receptacle  35 , and the adjacent container  7  still retained within storage chamber  4  of dispenser  1 . These tapered surfaces facilitate the movement of gate  40  between the two adjacent containers  7 . The force to move gate  40  is only sufficiently large to overcome the biasing effect of springs  67  and the movement of the gate between the adjacent containers. Upon the movement from the closed position of  FIG. 7  toward the opened position of  FIG. 8 , finger  52  will rest upon surface  76  of channel  75 , in which position the distal end  83  thereof will engage teeth  50  and produce a loud clicking sound indicating that a customer is opening the dispensing gate. However, when moving toward the closed position, of  FIG. 8 , finger  52 , due to its loose mounting in circular recess  73  and channel  45 , will move sufficiently away from teeth  50  to reduce or eliminate the clicking sound because of angled surfaces  76  and  77  of channel  75 . However, if desired, finger  52  could engage teeth  50  in both directions of movement of gate  40  to produce a sound whether the gate is opening or closing without affecting the concept of this audio sound producing feature. 
   Upon gate  40  reaching the open position of  FIG. 8 , a customer merely removes an item  7  therefrom as shown by arrow A, after which springs  67  will automatically move gate  40  from the open position of  FIG. 8  to the closed position of  FIG. 7 . However, in accordance with one of the main features of the invention, when gate  40  is in the open position of  FIG. 8 , it sufficiently blocks discharge opening  11 , preventing the adjacent container  7  from moving through opening  11  and into receptacle  35 . This rearward adjacent container  7  cannot move forward into receptacle  35  until gate  40  has moved completely to the closed position of  FIG. 7 , which will then enable the container  7  to move forwardly into receptacle  35 . This container  7  is trapped and retained in receptacle  35  by gate  40  as shown in  FIG. 7 , until the gate has been reopened to the position of  FIG. 8 . Thus, the customer must open and close the door each time he or she wishes to remove a container  7  from dispenser  1 . This time delay has found to be sufficient to retard certain shoplifting activities where a customer will rapidly remove a number of the items for concealment in clothing or receptacle, unlawfully removing the merchandise from the store. Furthermore, the producing of the clicking sound upon movement of gate  40  will also serve as a deterrent to a shoplifter wishing to remove a plurality of containers  7  from the receptacle. If desired, an EAS tag (not shown) could be attached to each of the containers which would sound an alarm upon unauthorized passing through a secured gate at the exit of the store. 
   Thus the improved dispenser of the present invention provides a relatively simple, yet efficient device which permits the dispensing of items of merchandise, such as cylindrical shaped containers, in a controlled manner by providing a time delay between the dispensing of individual items by requiring a closure gate to be moved between open and closed positions each time an item is to be dispensed from the dispenser. Likewise, the dispenser preferably is formed of rigid wires which provides a housing or display rack in which the contents are easily seen by a perspective customer, enabling the contents stored therein to be recognized and the labels easily read on the container. Furthermore, various advertising materials can be placed on the entrance door which provides a convenient manner for loading the display housing with merchandise, yet prevents removal of the merchandise from the entrance opening once items have been placed in the housing. 
   In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed. 
   Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is an example and the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described.