Patent Publication Number: US-2012037783-A1

Title: Adjustable Security Bracket

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to retail displays for hand-held electronic devices (cell phones, GPS devices, etc). More particularly, the invention relates to an adjustable bracket for adapting to the different sizes of hand-helds that are typically mounted on a retail display. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The sizes, shapes, and thicknesses of today&#39;s hand-held devices (cell phones, etc.) evolve on a regular basis from one model to the next. In the security industry (i.e., companies that supply anti-theft products to retailers) it is desirable to have mechanical mounting means for physically securing hand-helds to displays that can adapt to different kinds of hand-helds. The design disclosed here provides one type of mechanical bracket that is well-suited for the different footprints of modern cell phones, PDAs and GPS devices. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is an adjustable security bracket that comprises a base member that carries the hand-held. At least two guide pins extend from opposite sides of the base member. 
     The invention includes a sliding base block that is mounted on the guide pins. This arrangement puts one base block on at least opposite lateral sides of the base member (and the hand-held). 
     Each base block is slidable inwardly or outwardly to a fixed or desired position relative to the lateral side of the base member. This allows positioning of a vertical security arm relative to each lateral side of the hand-held. The vertical security arm may slide upwardly or downwardly relative to the base block. The security arm has an inwardly directed lip that is configured to pull an edge of the hand-held downwardly against the top surface of the base member. 
     The foregoing summary will become better understood upon review of the attached drawings which are to be taken in conjunction with the detailed description of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the drawings, like reference numerals and letters refer to like parts throughout the various views, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of an adjustable security bracket designed in accordance with the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a pictorial view of the bracket shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a frontal view of the security bracket shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the security bracket shown in  FIGS. 1-3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded view of an alternative embodiment of the adjustable security bracket; 
         FIG. 6  is a pictorial view of the security bracket shown in  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is another perspective view of the security bracket shown in  FIGS. 5-6 , but looking from underneath the bracket; 
         FIG. 8  is a frontal view of the security bracket shown in  FIGS. 5-7 ; and 
         FIG. 9  is a side view of the security bracket shown in  FIGS. 5-8 . 
     
    
    
     BEST MODE OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, and first to  FIG. 1 , shown generally at  10  is an adjustable security bracket constructed in accordance with the invention. The bracket is designed to mount an electronic hand-held device  12  to a “puck”  14  that is lifted to and from a retail display. “Pucks” are sometimes referred to as “mounting members” in the patent literature. However, as a person skilled in the art would know, these members provide the mounts for lifting and replacing displayed hand-helds to and from a display counter surface. 
     In accordance with the invention, part of bracket  10  includes a base member, indicated generally at  16 . The base member  16  is connected to the puck  14  by a screw  18  threaded into the base member  16  (the threads are not shown), which is typical of these kinds of displays. 
     The base member  16  consists of a body or block  20  having a top surface  22  and a lower surface  24 . Extending laterally outwardly from all four sides of base member  16  are guide pins  26 ,  28 ,  30 ,  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  38 ,  40 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , there are two pairs of pins (e.g.,  26 ,  28  and  34 ,  36 ) that extend laterally outwardly from opposite sides of base member  16 . 
     The embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1  shows four pairs of guide pins  26 ,  28 ,  30 ,  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  38 ,  40  for capturing four sides of the hand-held  12 . In the alternative embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 5-9  (which will be described later), the hand-held  12  is captured only on the lateral sides. 
     The guide pins  26 ,  28 ,  30 ,  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  38 ,  40  are captured in the base member  16  by a plate  41  that presses the inner ends of the pins against the base member&#39;s body  20 . The plate  41  sandwiches the pin ends via screws  42 . Each pair of guide pins carries a base or junction block, indicated generally at  44 . The base block  44  is slidable laterally inwardly or outwardly on its respective guide pins. The base block  44  is held in fixed position by a set screw  46  that may be tightened or untightened, as needed, in order to move the position of base block  44 . 
     A vertical security arm  48  is mounted in a slot  50  in each base block  44 . The vertical security arm  48  may likewise be slidably moved upwardly or downwardly to a desired position and held in a fixed spot by another set screw  52  in the base block  44 . 
     The arrangement described above enables hand-helds having different sizes to be mounted to the base member  16  (and, therefore, to the “puck”  14 ). The set screws  46 ,  52  enable the base blocks  44  to be moved laterally inwardly or outwardly as needed to position the vertical security arm  48  next to the edge of the hand-held  12 . Similarly, the vertical security arm  48  has an inwardly pointing lip  54  that captures the top edge of the hand-held, in the manner illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
     Directing attention now to  FIG. 5 , as indicated above, an alternative version of the invention involves a security bracket designed to capture only opposite lateral sides of the hand-held. In this version of the design, two guide pins  56 ,  58  are captured against a base member  22  or puck  14 , (as the case may be) by a bracket  60 . The bracket  60  is held in position by a screw  62 . The guide pins  56 ,  58  extend laterally outwardly. The ends of the pins  56 ,  58  carry a similar type of base block  44  having the same set screw and vertically security arm described above. 
     The foregoing description is not intended to limit the spirit and scope of the invention. Instead, the spirit and scope of the invention is to be limited only by the subjoined claims that follow, the interpretation of which is to be made in accordance with the standard doctrines of patent claim interpretation.