Patent Publication Number: US-7584930-B2

Title: Anti-pilfer hook

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to arrangements for displaying and dispensing merchandise. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   A wide variety of merchandise is displayed and dispensed using support hooks which protrude from a mounting surface, so as to extend toward a customer. Frequently, the merchandise is carried on a card or backing member which has a hole at an edge portion for threading along the hook. Often times, the hooks are elongated so as to accommodate a plurality of articles. At times, an array of hooks is presented to a customer, each hook containing a plurality of like articles. The customer can quickly scan the articles arranged on the hooks and, upon locating a desired item, can slide the article off the hook for checkout. Unfortunately, an alarming number of instances have been reported in which the hook, and often times its entire contents, are removed from the mounting surface, presumably for unauthorized removal from the premises. A need has therefore arisen to prevent such unauthorized removal of hooks and related display and dispensing structures. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention provides a novel and improved hook and hook mounting system that minimizes the disadvantages associated with prior art display and dispensing equipment. One embodiment of the hook assembly comprises a first arm having a hook-shaped end adjacent to a bend portion. A second arm has an end located between the bend portion and the hook-shaped end so as to form first and second gaps therewith. An article must be slid along the first arm, through the first and second gaps, for removal and subsequent checkout. 
   In another embodiment, the hook assembly is provided with a mounting member joined to the first and the second arms and including a mounting plate defining a fastening hole to receive a fastener for securing the mounting member to a support structure. In a further embodiment, the mounting member includes a pair of mounting legs extending from the mounting plate, to engage the support structure. In a further arrangement, the mounting legs are spaced by a spacing distance equal to the distance between one of the mounting legs and a fastening hole, so as to accommodate support structures such as pegboard having a rectilinear array of holes. 
   In another embodiment, a mounting member is provided for mounting the hook assembly to a crossbar support. Included is a mounting clip having a body with opposed ends and a pair of spaced apart wings at one end of the body. A pair of spaced apart end portions are located at the other end of the body and a resilient locking finger is disposed between and extending generally beyond the end portions. A free end of the locking finger is spaced from the body so as to form a gap for receiving a support structure, locking the mounting clip to the support structure. In one example the resilient locking finger is integrally formed with a mounting member and in another example the resilient locking finger is formed with a plate member made of spring steel or other resilient material. The plate member is joined to the mounting clip, and is held between the end portions and the mounting clip body. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the drawings, 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a hook according to principles of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a side elevational view thereof; 
       FIG. 3  is a top plan view thereof; 
       FIG. 4  is an end view thereof; 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a hook and mounting assembly shown in conjunction with a support surface; 
       FIG. 6  is a side elevational view thereof; 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view showing installation of the hook and mounting system in the support surface; 
       FIG. 8  is an exploded perspective view of a hook and hook mounting system; 
       FIG. 9  is a side elevational view thereof; 
       FIG. 10  is a top plan view thereof; 
       FIG. 11  is an end view thereof; and 
       FIG. 12  is a perspective of a hook mounting member. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The invention disclosed herein is, of course, susceptible of embodiment in many different forms. Shown in the drawings and described herein below in detail are preferred embodiments of the invention. It is understood, however, that the present disclosure is an exemplification of the principles of the invention and does not limit the invention to the illustrated embodiments. For ease of description, a hook and hook mounting apparatus is described herein below in its usual assembled position as shown in the accompanying drawings, and terms such as upper, lower, horizontal, longitudinal, etc., may be used herein with reference to this usual position. However, the hook and hook mounting apparatus may be manufactured, transported, sold, or used in orientations other than that described and shown herein. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1-4 , a hook generally indicated at  10  is provided for displaying and dispensing articles, such as articles of merchandise. Hook  10  includes a body  12 , preferably of monolithic unitary construction, and a backing plate  14 . Body  12  is preferably made from rigid material such as metal wire of steel or the like, but may also be molded or otherwise formed from plastic or other suitable material. Plate  14 , in the preferred embodiment, provides a convenient support surface for labels, price tags, advertising indicia, or the like. Plate  14  is a preferably rigidly secured with respect to hook  10  so as to prevent deflection with respect to end  20 , requiring a customer to carefully negotiate the upturned bend and upturned end  20  when removing an object from the hook. 
   With reference to  FIG. 2 , body  12  has first and second opposed free ends  20 ,  22  both of which are bent so as to extend generally in a direction toward one another. However, as can be seen in  FIG. 2 , the ends  20 ,  22  are offset from one another and are spaced apart by a gap  24 . End  22  is carried by an upper arm  26  which extends from the front of hook  10  to a back portion  30 . A lower arm  32  extends from back portion  30  to end  20 . An upturned bend  36  is formed in lower arm  32 , adjacent end  20 . In the preferred embodiment, the upturned bend  36  has a rounded V-shape, and extends in an upward direction toward upper arm  26 . As can be seen for example in  FIG. 2 , upturned bend  36  also generally extends toward gap  24 . Backing plate  14  is joined to end  22  by welding or other suitable joining technique. If desired, backing plate  14  can be provided with a collar or similar feature for joinder with end  22  and/or upper arm  26 . As can be seen in  FIG. 2 , for example, backing plate  14  preferably extends into gap  24  formed between ends  20 ,  22 , and backing plate  14  is dimensioned such that its bottom edge is located above arm  32  at a point corresponding generally to the top of upturned bend  36 . Further, as can be seen in  FIG. 2 , the upper extent of end  20 , the bottom of support plate and the top of upturned bend  36  are aligned generally along a common horizontal line that is, a line extending generally along the direction of length of top and bottom arms  26 ,  32 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 5 , an assembly  40  includes hook  10  and mounting plate  42  which provides mounting for hook  10  to mounting surface  44  illustrated herein as a sheet of pegboard material in which is formed an array of holes  46 . Mounting plate  42  in the illustrated embodiment, has a pair of offset or L-shaped legs  48  dimensioned for entry into holes  46  to allow engagement with mounting surface  44 . Mounting plate  42  further includes a hole  52  positioned for alignment with one of the holes  46 . A one-way fastener  54  is inserted through holes  52 ,  46  so as to engage mounting surface  44 . Fastener  54  is illustrated in the preferred embodiment as being formed from plastic material so as to have a series of deformable teeth which engage mounting surface  44  so as to prevent extraction of fastener  54 . Other conventional fastening means could also be employed, such as rivets, screws and the like fasteners. Preferably, the fastener employed has a “push-to-lock” action so as to readily lock hook  10  to mounting surface  44 . 
   As indicated in  FIG. 7 , legs  48  are inserted into holes  46  in the direction of arrow  56  and mounting plate  42  is then rotated in the direction of arrow  58  which brings the backing plate into contact with mounting surface  44 , with hole  52  aligned with one of the holes  46  of the backing plate. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 8-12 , a hook assembly is generally indicated at  60 . Included is hook  10 , mounting clip  62  and locking clip  64 . Mounting clip  62  can be provided for use with a crossbar support employing either a channel or an openwork wire construction. With reference to  FIG. 12 . mounting clip  62  is preferably formed from a monolithic sheet of rigid material such as steel or other metal. Alternatively, mounting clip  62  can be molded from plastic or other suitable material. Mounting clip  62  includes a pair of upper wings  66  separated by a gap  68 . Upper wings  66  extend from body portion  70  and are formed in a hook shape so as to receive a conventional cross bar support. Slot  68  accommodates cross bar supports formed of wire material and which extend transversely to a supporting member received in gap  68 . As can be seen in  FIG. 12 , mounting clip  62  includes a pair of end portions  76  at its lower end separated by a gap  78 . End portion  76  are preferably rolled, or curled so as to bring their free ends  82  immediately adjacent back  70 . 
   With reference to  FIGS. 8 and 12 , locking clip  64  includes a body portion  86  and a locking finger  88  preferably formed with a reverse bend so as to have a free end adjacent body portion  86 . A pair of outwardly protruding bosses  92  are formed in body portion  86  so as to extend toward locking finger  88 . As can be seen in  FIG. 12 , locking clip  64  is inserted within mounting clip  62  with its body portion  86  located against body portion  70  of mounting clip  62 . As can be seen in  FIG. 12 , locking finger  88  extends through gap  78  with the free end of the locking clip located adjacent the free ends of lower clip portions  76 . Locking clip  64  is preferably made of a material which imparts a resilience to locking finger  88 . Locking clip  64  may be formed, for example, from spring steel but may also be molded from a suitable plastic material. Bosses  92  of locking clip  64  interfere with the free ends  82  of lower clip portions  76  so as to retain the locking clip in desired position with respect to mounting clip  62 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 9 , in the preferred embodiment, hook assembly  70  is mounted to a support member (not shown) by engaging an upper edge of a support member with hook-shaped wings  66 . The hook assembly is then rotated in the direction of arrow  94  so as to bring lower clip portions  76  into engagement with a bottom edge of the support. With additional reference to  FIG. 12 , as a hook assembly is rotated in the direction of arrow  94  the free end of spring finger  88  is deflected by the bottom edge of the support member and when the hook assembly is fully seated, the free end of spring finger  88  engages the bottom portion of support, preventing disengagement. 
   As can be seen from  FIGS. 2 and 9 , the bend portion  36  and the end  22  define a first gap and the hook-shaped end  20  and the end  22  define a second gap. Articles supported on the hook must be slid along arm  32  and past bend  36  so as to pass through the first and the second gaps, for removal and subsequent checkout. Plate  14  is located generally midway between end  20  and upturned bend  36 . Also, the bottom of plate  14  is located generally equally distant from end  20  and that portion of bottom arm  32  located immediately adjacent plate  14 . In the preferred embodiment, this distance is set slightly greater than that portion of the card support between the upper edge of the card and the “hang” hole formed in the card to allow the card to be slid along bottom arm  32 . This arrangement allows secure retention of the carded object on the hook and requires the user to exercise some degree of care in removing a carded object from the hook. 
   The foregoing description and the accompanying drawings are illustrative of the present invention. Still other variations and arrangements of parts are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.