Patent Publication Number: US-11021895-B2

Title: Anti-theft device for cans, tins or bottles

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to the field of anti-theft devices. It is intended to protect items distributed freely, for example displayed on supermarket shelves. 
     Such items are well known and generally include a plastic body which can be attached to the item to be protected against shop-lifting. This body contains a detection means interacting with a gantry placed at the exit of the point of sale. A magnetic locking system prevents the body from opening and the anti-theft device from being removed by anyone who does not have the appropriate unlocking device. 
     The invention more particularly relates to the field of locks intended for packaging with a groove for a peripheral rib such as a beverage can, a tin, or a bottle with an annular ring on the neck. 
     For such items, various solutions are available. 
     A first family of solutions relates to locks with a strap that can surround a portion of the item to be protected. The European patent application EP 2734696 describes an anti-theft device comprising a ring, means for locking the ring in closed position, and anti-theft detection means. The ring comprises a body which has a first end near which the locking means are associated, a free opposite second end to be inserted into the locking means, and at least one circular portion extending from the second end and intended to cooperate with said locking means. 
     The body of the ring includes a linear portion arranged as an extension of the circular portion opposite the second end. The linear portion imparts additional elasticity to the device involved in ejecting the second end of the ring from the locking means. 
     The strength of such solutions is very limited because it is easy to force the opening by engaging a blade between the item and the ring, in order to widen it or cause it to break. 
     The patentee was a pioneer in another approach where the anti-theft device is in the form of a hollow body with a recess having a shape matching a portion of the item to be protected in order to cap same. The French patent FR2735751 describes such an anti-theft device for an item having a substantially cylindrical end provided with a substantially annular bulge, for example a bottle or a vial. It consists of a removable body comprising means capable of clamping, in closed position, said cylindrical end and locking means for preventing the opening of said means without using a specific tool. The body is formed by a substantially tubular element having a diameter larger than the diameter of the annular bulge provided with a member movable relative to the tubular element between a closed position in which it delimits a section smaller than the section of the annular bulge and an unlocked position in which it delimits a section larger than the section of the annular bulge. 
     This solution is much stronger. However, it is limited to small diameter items with a very significant shoulder. 
     However, it is not suitable for protecting items without a neck, such as a beverage can or a tin. 
     For the protection of such items, a solution described in the U.S. Pat. No. 7,583,195 has been proposed in the prior art. 
     This patent relates to a reusable security tag intended to be used with containers. The security tag is made up of two sections which are pivotally connected to first section ends and the sections include semi-circular, outwardly extending edges. A security tag is associated with one of the two sections. A removable pin of a locking mechanism locks the respective pin receptacles of each section together. The edges are coupled to the lower edge of one end of a container whereon the closing of the free ends of the two sections on a hinge causes the pin to be locked via the pin receptacles. The only way to remove the pin and therefore to release the security tag from the container is to position the security tag/container assembly near a magnet with a suitable size available at a point of sale in a retail store. Failure to remove the security tag before the items leaves the retail store causes the integrated electronic components to detect the security tag and trigger an alarm or another warning device. 
     These solutions are not satisfactory for several reasons. 
     They generally have a vertical or horizontal gap into which a blade can easily be inserted to separate the two portions making up the anti-theft device and thus allow the item to be forced out. These devices are therefore not strong enough to seriously resist a fraudulent withdrawal attempt. 
     They are also not suitable for protecting metal items because the detection means is disturbed by the proximity of the metal mass of the item. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In order to remedy these drawbacks, the invention relates to an anti-theft device intended for the protection of items, in particular metallic items, having a peripheral shoulder of any shape: tubular with a circular, rectangular or polygonal section, or provided with a neck. The device according to the invention has a high resistance and can be used on metallic items. 
     The invention, in its broadest sense, relates to an anti-theft device for an item having a peripheral shoulder, consisting of two hingedly connected portions. Each of these portions has a peripheral skirt with one edge capable of abutting under the peripheral shoulder of the item to be protected. 
     These two portions are hingedly connected relative to a peripheral pivot between: 
     a closed position where both parties surround a peripheral area of the item, and 
     an open position where both parties are separated to allow the item to be removed. 
     The device also includes a magnetically deactivatable locking means that locks the two hingedly connected portions in closed position and a detection means. 
     These two portions consist of a stationary and a movable shell connected by a pivot. 
     The stationary shell has a recess that opens laterally to allow the movable shell to be inserted when the device is in closed position. 
     The movable shell is made up of a body having a cross-section corresponding to the cross-section of the item to be protected extended on the side of the item to be protected by a skirt extending over a first half of the periphery of the item to be protected and having a peripheral shoulder. 
     The movable shell may be made up of a single moulded portion with a skirt and an insert forming said transverse extension, the configuration of which matches that of the recess provided in the stationary shell. 
     It may also consist of an assembly formed by a moulded portion having a skirt and a housing for receiving an additional transverse extension, the configuration of which matches that of the recess provided in the stationary shell on the one hand and said housing on the other hand. In this last alternative solution, the anti-theft device then consists of a stationary shell hingedly connected to a movable shell, and an additional insert. 
     Preferably, the stationary shell has a protrusion on the side opposite the item to be protected, in which the detection means is received. 
     Advantageously, the stationary shell has two transverse walls defining the recess between them, with the two walls being closed on the side opposite the movable portion by a peripheral edge. 
     In one alternative solution, the movable shell has a transverse body reinforced by stiffeners. 
     In another alternative solution, the stationary shell has a hollow extension that guides a locking rod, the end of which is engaged in a housing provided in the movable shell. 
     Advantageously, the movable shell has an arched guide path leading to said housing. 
     Preferably, the movable shell and the stationary shell have peripheral protrusions respectively through which said pivot passes, said protrusions being arranged on the side opposite the locking means. 
     In a particular alternative solution, the protrusion has an upper surface matching the lower surface of the items to be protected to allow the stacking of protected items. 
     Advantageously, the movable shell has a tooth that engages, in closed position, into a matching recess provided on the protrusion. 
     According to a particular alternative solution, the protrusion and the housing form an abutting surface for the lower surface of the items to be protected. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will be best understood upon reading the following detailed description of a non-restrictive exemplary embodiment, while referring to the appended drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  shows a top three-quarter view, in perspective, of the device in the open position 
         FIG. 2  shows a three-quarter perspective view of the underside of the device in the open position 
         FIG. 3  shows an exploded view of the device in the open position 
         FIG. 4  shows an exploded view of a stack of two items stacked with the devices in closed position 
         FIGS. 5 to 8  show views of an alternative embodiment, i.e. top and bottom exploded view and perspective view in open position, and in closed position, respectively. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The anti-theft device according to the invention is described hereunder according to a particular example of implementation for the protection of metal cans. 
     It consists of a movable moulded shell  100  and a stationary moulded shell  200 . The two shells are joined by a pivot  250  engaged in protrusions  131 ,  241  provided at the peripheral edge of the shells  100 ,  200 . 
     The two shells  100 ,  200  each have a skirt  101 ,  201  having a semi-tubular shape, respectively, to match the outer surface of the item  1  to be protected. Each of these skirts  101 ,  201  has, on its inner surface, a peripheral shoulder  102 ,  202  respectively capable of resting against a shoulder surrounding the upper portion of the item to be protected. These shoulders can be formed by moulding. They may also consist of added parts intended to be placed in a housing provided for this purpose in the skirts  101 ,  201 . 
     The stationary shell  200  has a general cylindrical shape, the cross-section of which matches the cross-section of the item  1  to be protected. 
     The stationary shell  200  has two transverse walls  203 ,  204  which are solid in the example described. They may also have holes to lighten the anti-theft device. However, the upper transverse wall  204  is preferably solid to completely close the device and prevent access to the can cover and to the opening ring. 
     These two transverse walls  203 ,  204  define between them a recess  205  5 to 10 mm high, closed on the side opposite the movable shell  100  by a peripheral edge and open on the movable shell  100  side by a slot enabling the movable shell to be inserted therein. 
     In closed position, the movable shell  100  is received in this recess  205 . 
     The stationary shell  200  has a skirt  201  stretching over half the periphery of the item  1  to be protected, on the side opposite the movable shell  100 . This peripheral skirt  201  has, on its inner surface, a peripheral shoulder  202  that engages under the shoulder  2  surrounding the upper edge of the item  1 . This shoulder  2  may be made up of a peripheral rib or of the upper surface of a peripheral groove. 
     The upper surface of the stationary shell  200  has a protrusion  210 . This protrusion  210  defines a housing for receiving the detection means  211 , in this example tuned ferrite. Of course, any known, magneto-acoustic, electromagnetic or radiofrequency detection means can be used, for example a label with a tuned LC circuit or an RFID tag. 
     The detection means shall be more than 5 mm away from the surface of the item to be protected and preferably more than 10 mm away. This distance limits the disturbances caused by the metal mass on the operation of radiofrequency detection. This distance results from the height of the recess  205  and the trays  203 ,  204  and possibly from a base provided in the protrusion  210 . 
     The protrusion  210  is closed by a welded or glued or snapped-on cover  213 . It is also possible to inject a coating resin after the introduction of the detection means. 
     The upper portion of the protrusion has a groove  224  matching the lower surface of the items to enable the stacking of several protected items as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     The protrusion  210  forms a stud covering slightly more than half the upper surface, with a groove  22 ′ to provide stability to the next item, when stacking. 
     The upper surface of the stationary shell  200  includes, in addition to the protrusion  210  having a groove  224 , a shoulder having a support surface  225  to provide an additional support surface for the bottom of the stacked item. 
     The extension  220  guides a plastic cage  214  which non-detachably snap-fits the feeder head housing and spring thereof. This plastic cage also guides the feeder head. 
     This cage  214  actuates a locking rod  216 , the end  217  of which engages into a matching housing  136  provided on the movable shell  100  to block the relative movement of the two shells  100 ,  200  when these are in closed position, with the movable shell  100  being engaged in the recess  205  of the stationary shell  200 . 
     The movable shell  100  has a transverse body formed by a transverse plate  103  which can be solid or open-work, and which has diametrically extending stiffeners  104 ,  105 . The transverse plate  103  is surrounded by a peripheral edge, the height of which corresponds to the height of the recess  205  of the stationary shell, on the side facing this stationary shell  200 . This edge is slightly higher to cover the field of the plates  203 ,  204  of the stationary shell  200  and prevent an interstitial gap from allowing the introduction of a blade. 
     This edge is extended by a tooth  120  defining a shoulder directed towards the item  1 . This tooth  120  engages, in closed position, into a matching recess  235  to improve resistance against an attempt to separate the two shells in the locked position. 
     The movable shell  100  has a skirt  101  extending over half the periphery of the item  1  to be protected to form, together with the skirt  201  of the stationary shell  200 , a belt completely surrounding the upper peripheral edge of the item  1  to be protected. This skirt  201  also has a shoulder  202  that engages into the peripheral rib  2  of the item to be protected  1 . 
     The connection between the shells  100 ,  200  is provided by a pivot  250 . A spring  132  surrounding this pivot  250  causes the movable shell  100  to open relative to the stationary shell  200  when same are unlocked. 
     The plate  103  also has an arched protrusion  135  with a rib which the end  217  of the locking rod  216  engages into. This rib leads to the housing  136  which the end  217  engages into to lock the two shells in the locked position. 
     In addition, the end  128  of the skirt  101  of the movable shell  100  has a tenon shape which is embedded in the matching end  228  of the skirt  201  of the stationary shell which has a mortise shape. This configuration prevents a blade from being inserted to force the separation of the two skirts  101 ,  201 . 
     The device described by way of example is not limited to items with a circular cross-section. It can be configured for items having a rectangular, polygonal or any other cross-section. It can also be configured to protect a bottle provided with a neck and a ring. 
       FIGS. 5 to 8  illustrate an alternative embodiment where the locking means is not placed on the upper portion of the stationary shell  100  but laterally thereto. 
     The stationary shell  200  has a tubular housing  210  for receiving the detection means  211 . It is closed by a disc-shaped cover  213  with a rib  224  intended to receive the bottom of the next can. The stationary shell  200  has a lateral extension  300  in which the magnetic locking/unlocking mechanism, in particular the feeder head  219 , is received. 
     The arched guide track  135  has a hole  260  which the end of the locking rod is inserted into. In an alternative solution, the arched guide track  135  may have notches for locking the locking rod by the bevelled end thereof. This solution allows the section of the device to be adapted to different sections of items to be protected. 
     The stationary shell  200  also has a radially extending tooth  270  that engages into a matching hole  271  provided in the movable shell  100 .