Patent Abstract:
The invention provides an improved lock bar system for enclosing at least one peg hook. The lock bar system can be in a merchandising display with the lock bar system including a peg hook support frame mounted to the merchandising display supporting a plurality of peg hooks in lateral spaced relation. The peg hooks include forward extending rods for supporting retail product, the peg hook support frame supporting a movable product retainer extending across forward ends of the plurality of peg hooks, the product retainer subject to a lock having a locked condition preventing removal of product from the peg hooks and an unlocked condition permitting removal of product from the peg hooks.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates generally lock bar, and, more particularly, relates to a merchandise lock bar that allows secure display of merchandise on merchandise hooks.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention relates to a locking bar system for merchandise. More particularly, it is for locking display merchandise that is placed on rods extending from a wall or pegboard. Merchandise is typically displayed to enable a customer to see merchandise and select items prior to purchasing. However, shoplifting is a known problem in retail settings, especially for high priced items.  
         [0003]     It would be desirable to enable customers to view merchandise, even high-priced merchandise, on a display. Prior art methods of protecting merchandise include U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,622 to Hatch et al. (Jul. 2, 1991), which includes a locking device for attaching to individual peg hooks. Individually locking peg hooks, however, is inefficient in that store clerks must unlock each peg hook one at a time for customers. Moreover, by locking only the forward end of a peg hook, shop lifters can choose to remove the peg hook entirely to pilfer product. What is needed is an efficient and efficacious system and method for protecting product on peg hooks.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     The invention provides an improved lock bar system for enclosing at least one peg hook. The lock bar system can be in a merchandising display with the lock bar system including a peg hook support frame mounted to the merchandising display supporting a plurality of peg hooks in lateral spaced relation. The peg hooks include forward extending rods for supporting retail product, the peg hook support frame supporting a movable product retainer extending across forward ends of the plurality of peg hooks, the product retainer subject to a lock having a locked condition preventing removal of product from the peg hooks and an unlocked condition permitting removal of product from the peg hooks.  
         [0005]     Another embodiment is directed to a lock bar system for enclosing at least one peg hook protruding from a merchandising display. The lock bar system includes a frame configured to be attachable to a support, the frame including a peg hook support rear security rod and a peg hook support bar, a product retainer hingedly connected to the frame, the product retainer including a lower security rod and an upper security bar; and a lock mechanism coupled to the product retainer, the lock mechanism configured to prevent the product retainer from rotating by securing the product retainer to the frame. The product retainer protects product hanging from a plurality of peg hooks secured to the lock bar system by preventing the product from passing past the lower security rod and the upper security rod when the lock bar system is in a closed position. The frame is mounted to the merchandising display via mounting brackets on the merchandising display so that the brackets receive the frame via apertures for cantilevered support. The lock mechanism is a keyed lock configured to secure the product retainer to the frame. The upper security bar includes a label holder designed to hold labels for identifying product suspended on the peg hook. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of the lock bar system constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;  
         [0007]      FIG. 2A  is a cut-away perspective view of the lock bar system illustrating an open right side constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.  
         [0008]      FIG. 2B  is a cut-away perspective view of the lock bar system illustrating a closed right side constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.  
         [0009]      FIG. 3  is a cut-away perspective view of the lock bar system illustrating an open left side constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.  
         [0010]      FIG. 4  is a cross section of a portion of the lock bar system illustrating an embodiment in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011]     Turning now to the drawings, an embodiment of the present invention is depicted in  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 1  illustrates a lock bar system  10  designed to be attached to a merchandising gondola or the like via hooks  12 . Lock bar system  10  can be manufactured using a metal, such as steel or the like. The lock bar system  10  includes a rear security rod  14  and a peg hook support bar  16  for supporting peg hook backs. Peg hook backs for peg hooks or combination peg hook backs and peg hooks can be slidably inserted via entrance cavity  18 , which is formed by two generally perpendicular bends at a first end  20  of peg hook support bar  16 . The first end  20  is connected to first side wall  22 .  
         [0012]     Lock bar system  10  includes a second side wall  24 . Both side walls  22  and  24  are formed with a level top edge  26  and a bottom edge with an angled rear edge portion  28  and a forward bottom level edge  30 . The side walls  22  and  24  can be comprised of either panel type construction, steel rod construction or other appropriate construction that can be secured to mounting brackets and support the components of lock bar system  10 , as will be appreciated by one of skill in the art with the benefit of the present disclosure. The side walls  22  and  24  are connected to peg hook support bar  16  and rear security rod  14 , which together form a frame. The strength and the size of the frame, as design requirements dictate, can be manufactured to provide secure display according to the products to be displayed. Thus, for example, bulkier heavy product would mandate a strong steel construction, and lighter weight product would command a lighter weight construction, such as aluminum. If product to be displayed is a type mandating increased security due to expense of replacement, lock bar system  10  could be constructed of a strong steel regardless of the size and weight of the product.  
         [0013]     Side wall  24  is shown coupled to locking mechanism  32 , including a keyed mechanism  34 . Keyed mechanism  34  could also be another type of locking mechanism, as one of skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure will appreciate. Keyed mechanism  34  is attached to metal base plate  36  appropriately configured to receive a locking mechanism. Base plate  36  is coupled to a first end of forward lower security bar  38 , which can be implemented as a rod connecting base plate  36  to base plate  40 . Base plate  40  is shown coupled to a second end of forward lower security rod  38 . Both base plate  36  and base plate  40  are configured as forward facing plates with a 90 degree rearward bent portion designed to be interior to sidewalls  24  and  22 , respectively. The rearward bent portion is coupled to the frame using attachment means, such as bolt  44 , to provide motility in the upward dimension. To prevent downward motion, sidewall  24  and sidewall  22  each have a forward inward bent portion that functions as a stop to support rearward bent portion of bases  36  and  40 . Attached to both base plate  36  and base plate  40 , along with rod  38 , is upper security bar  42 . Upper security bar  42  can be configured to avoid interruption with products displayed on peg hooks.  
         [0014]     Upper security bar  42 , lower security rod  38 , key mechanism  34 , and base plates  36  and  40  together form a product retaining structure that functions as a retainer to prevent product disposed on peg hooks sized for lock bar system  10  from being removed independent of an open lock bar position. Thus, product retaining structure has two modes or conditions of operation. In a first locked mode, product is prevented from exiting a peg hook because lower security rod  38  prevents forward motion of product suspended on the peg hook and upper security bar  42  prevents an upper portion of product suspended from the peg hook from sliding forward on the peg hook. In an unlocked mode, product can be removed by lifting the product retaining structure above the exiting portion of the peg hook.  
         [0015]     Lock bar system  10  is shown in closed position. That is to say, a hinge mechanism  44  is disposed on each side wall  22  and  24  that permits store clerks and authorized personnel with an appropriate security vehicle, such as a key, combination, code or the like to lift the combination of lower security rod  38 , upper security bar  42  and base plates  36  and  40 , including keyed mechanism  32 .  
         [0016]     Referring now to  FIG. 2A , lock bar system  10  is shown in open position with a peg hook back  46  and peg hook  48  in place. With lock bar system  10  in open position, store clerks are able to place products over bent free end  50  of peg hook  48  and any other peg hooks disposed below peg hook support bar  16 . As shown, lower security rod  38  and upper security bar  42  hingedly lift above peg hook  48 . Base plate  40  is shown lifting with security rod  38  and bar  42 . Open lock bar system  10  reveals stop  52 , which butts against base plate  40  when lock bar system  10  is in a closed position. Stop  52  is formed by the forward inward bent portion of each side wall  24  and  22 .  FIG. 2  also shows mounting bracket  51  with a plurality of apertures  53 . Lock bar system  10  is supported on a merchandising display via a cantilever force of hooks on the frame inserted into apertures  53 .  
         [0017]      FIG. 2B  illustrates lock bar system  10  in a closed position with peg hook back  46  and peg hook  48  in place. A peg hook  48  appropriate for the invention includes a rod extending from peg hook back  46 , as shown, peg hook  48  includes an elongated rod with a forward end  57  that includes a free end  50  of the rod that is bent at an angle such that the bent free end protrudes between upper security bar  42  and lower security rod  38 , and upward in front of upper security bar  42 . Hanging products on peg hook  48  situated behind bar  42  are prevented from removal by both upper bar  42  and lower bar  38 .  
         [0018]     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , lock bar system  10  is shown in an open position with keyed mechanism  32  shown in further detail. More specifically,  FIG. 3  shows stop  54 , which functions, like stop  52 , to butt against base plate  36  when lock bar system  10  is in a closed position. Moreover, stop  52  further functions as part of locking mechanism  32  by functioning as a keeper plate for securing latch member  56 . That is to say stop  54  cooperates with locking mechanism  32  to lock the combination of upper security bar  42  and lower security rod  38  in its closed position. A key  58  activates locking mechanism  32  to urge latch  56  to rotate behind stop  54  to retain lock bar system  10  in a closed position. Lowering lower security rod  38  and upper security bar  42  encloses any peg hooks holding merchandise in need of security.  
         [0019]     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , a cross section of upper security bar  42  is shown to illustrate that bar  42  can be configured to receive a label holder such as a label holder for a flat faced shelf channel. Specifically, bar  42  includes security rod  64  connected to front bar  62 . A label holder  66  is shown positioned over both front bar  62  and rod  64 . Accordingly, upper security bar  42  can be configured to have a dual purpose of both providing a channel for label holders and for enclosing products, such as products associated with labels in the label holders. As one of skill in the art will appreciate, upper security bar  42  can be configured to receive additional types of label holders. Further label holder  66  can be extruded plastic, such as an appropriate plastic material such as polyvinyl chloride, co-extruded polyvinyl chloride, butryrate, provista or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). The label holder  66  can be approximately between 1 and 1½ inches in height. To install a label holder onto bar  42 , a label holder back  68  must be resilient enough to hingedly stretch over rod  64  while front label panels  70  abut the face of bar  62 .  
         [0020]     Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a method for securing product in a merchandising display. More specifically, the method provides for installing a plurality of peg hooks on peg hook support bar  14  with the peg hook support bar supported by mounting brackets  51  connected to the merchandising display. A store clerk then can place product on the peg hooks. The method then provides for securing a product retaining structure, such as a product retaining structure including upper security bar  42  and lower security rod  38 , the upper security bar  42  and the lower security rod  38  in vertical space relation and normal to the forward end  57  of the peg hooks  48  when in a closed mode. In one embodiment, the method also includes removing product by unlocking a lock mechanism coupled to the product retaining structure and lifting the product retaining structure upwardly such that the upper security bar and the lower security rod are suspended above the peg hooks to allow product to be removed.  
         [0021]     In one embodiment of the method installing the plurality of peg hooks includes placing each peg hook back  46  onto the peg hook support bar  14  via an entrance cavity  18  between the peg hook support bar  14  and peg hook security rod  16  when the product retaining structure is in an open mode.  
         [0022]     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.  
         [0023]     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) are 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.  
         [0024]     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.

Technology Classification (CPC): 8