Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a security cover for preventing unauthorized access to the contents within a display case. 
     Many valuable items, such as jewelry, are displayed for sale by retailers in display cases which have transparent, commonly glass, faces through which the items in the display case can be viewed by customers, salespeople and the like. Commonly, the display cases include a glass front face, glass top face, and often a glass rear face and glass end faces. These display cases are usually elevated off of the floor by a wooden support structure such as a base or the like. The display cases are fully enclosed and usually kept locked since the retailers want to limit access to the valuable items and prevent shoplifting, breakage, etc. The glass faces are provided, so that customers can view the jewelry or the valuable items in the display case through the top and sides of the case. 
     The multiple glass faces of the display case allow the items therein to be viewed at different angles and to let a maximum amount of light in the display case. Since these display cases are usually locked, when a customer wants to handle a particular item or have a closer view of it, a salesperson unlocks the display case and removes the item for the customer&#39;s viewing. Therefore, for optimum merchandising of the contents of the display case, a customer&#39;s visual access to the items must be maximized. 
     The use of glass faced display cases presents a problem during times when the establishment is closed. The problem develops when the valuable items are left in the display case overnight, which is often done through the lack of storage space for the valuable items other than in the display case and due to the time involved in removing and subsequently replacing all the items. 
     One common practice for thieves is a “smash and grab” procedure. In a “smash and grab” robbery the thieves first break into the establishment and then smash at least one of the glass faces of the display case. The thief or his accomplice can then remove the valuable items from the display case very quickly. Typical burglar alarms are ineffective in these situations because the robbery often takes place so quickly that the thieves can flee before the police can respond to the alarm. Thus, there is a need to protect the glass display cases so that the glass faces cannot be quickly and easily shattered and the contents removed. The longer it takes thieves to break into the glass display case, the greater is the likelihood that they will be caught as it gives police and security personnel more time to respond to the burglar alarm. 
     One response to these types of burglaries is to fortify the jewelry case against such “smash and grab” type thefts. However, this must be done without compromising the visual access during business hours to the jewelry. One possible solution to this problem is to apply an armor-plated transparent film to the glass of the jewelry display case. The armor-plated film inhibits the ability of a thief to break through the glass faces. The protective film may be effective in many situations, but it is not impenetrable and can be broken into. Additionally, although the film is substantially transparent, it is not removable and usually darkens over time which inhibits visual access to the contents of the display case and diminishes the appealing nature of the jewelry displayed therein. 
     Another type of device is a protective screen which can be pulled down over the display case or similar structure to protect the goods therein. However, such screen members have many disadvantages including the fact that all of the multiple faces of the display case are not typically covered by the screens. Further, when the screens are not in use they are retracted into a housing which can obstruct a customer&#39;s view and is not aesthetically pleasing in the jewelry case environment. Further, it is often possible to pry or lift the edges of the screen member away from the display case to gain access to the contents. 
     Other types of protective covers are permanently affixed and have proven very useful in environments other than display cases. Such covers are always attached to the item being protected, even when not in use. This is aesthetically displeasing to the customers viewing items in the display case. Additionally, such permanently mounted covers would hinder the sales personnel&#39;s access to the items in the display case and prevent free movement around the cases. 
     Other types of covers include foldable enclosures which are intended to cover the display cases. These devices have the disadvantage that they are not adaptable to a display case having non-planar or irregularly shaped glass faces. Additionally, the foldable covers typically include a number of hinges which can be easily removed by the thief to separate the various sections of the cover and then provide access to the glass faces of the display case. 
     Therefore, it is apparent that there is a need for an improved security cover for display cases having glass faces that is robust and cannot be easily defeated by would-be thieves and prevents access to the contents of the display cases during non-business hours. Moreover, the security cover must not be difficult for a user to employ nor hinder a salesperson&#39;s access to the items in the display case when the security cover is not in use. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     These and other objectives of the invention have been attained by a new security cover which, in a presently preferred embodiment, includes cooperating general L-shaped rigid, frangible-resistant panels. The panels have a solid attachment point to the display case to resist blows by would-be thieves in an attempt to dislodge the security cover from the display case. 
     Commonly, display cases have a base which includes a sheet of particleboard, plywood or other similar material located immediately below the display area of the display case. Each of the L-shaped panels is secured at a bottom edge thereof by an anchor in the form of a rail which is fixedly mounted to the base of the display case. Once the anchor rail is screwed, bolted or otherwise mounted to the base of the display case with about a ⅜-inch standoff from the display case, a curved or hook-shaped proximal edge of each L-shaped panel is hooked onto the rail and the panel is then pivoted upwardly until a terminal flange opposite the hook-shaped edge of the panel is positioned on top of the display case. The flange at the upper terminal edge of each panel abuts against a cooperating flange on the mating panel typically along the longitudinal center line of a top face of the display case. 
     When installed, a generally vertical pane of one of the L-shaped panels covers the front glass face of the display case and a portion of the top face of the display case is covered by a generally horizontal pane of the panel. Similarly, the rear face of the display case is covered by the vertical pane of the complementary panel and the remaining portion of the top face is covered by the horizontal pane of the complementary panel. 
     Once the mating panels are installed on the display case, the flanges are juxtaposed together and a lock bar is installed to cover the flanges and secure them together. The lock bar is slid longitudinally relative to the flanges so that apertures in the flanges and the lock bar register with each other and a lock or similar device is installed through the apertures thereby securely enclosing the glass portion of the display case with an impact resistant protective security cover. The lock bar and other features of this invention serve as structural members to provide added strength to the cover to resist attack. Preferably, the panels of the security cover are opaque to prevent visual access to the contents in the display case once the security cover is installed. The security cover can be retrofit onto existing display cases or provided as original equipment with new display cases. 
     This security cover, according to the presently preferred embodiment of this invention, can be easily and conveniently installed onto the display case at the close of business and, likewise, easily removed once the store is opened for business and does not detrimentally impact the viewing of the items in the display case or the access to those items by the salesperson during normal business operations. Furthermore, the security cover does not diminish the visual access to the items in the display case because it is entirely removed therefrom during normal business hours. Moreover, the security cover, when installed, is securely anchored to the base of the display case and entirely encloses the glass portions of the display case so that it cannot be easily broken, removed or dismantled by a would-be thief. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The objectives and features of the invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is perspective view of a presently preferred embodiment of a security cover according to this invention being installed onto a display case; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line  2 — 2  of a lock bar being installed onto the juxtaposed flanges of the panels of the security cover of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 with the lock bar and a lock installed onto the flanges; 
     FIG. 4 is an enlarged diss-assembled perspective view of an anchor rail being installed onto a base of the display case according to the presently preferred embodiment of this invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along  5 — 5  of FIG. 4 of the installed anchor rail; and 
     FIG. 6 is a view of the first and a second presently preferred embodiments of the panels according to this invention being coupled to the anchor rail on the display case and pivoted into place. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a first presently preferred embodiment of a security cover  10  for a display case  12  is shown. The display case  12 , commonly used in retail establishments for merchandising jewelry or other valuable items, includes a typically wooden base  14  supporting a glass enclosed display area containing the jewelry or similar items. The display area is enclosed by transparent glass for viewing of the items and includes a glass front face  16 , a glass rear face  18 , a glass top face  20  and glass end faces  22 . Commonly, the rear face  18  of the display case  12  may be glass or another material and include sliding and lockable doors (not shown) for convenient access to the contents of the display case  12  by a salesperson. It should be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the display case shown and described herein is for exemplary purposes only and should not be considered a limitation upon the scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims. For example, the present invention is readily useful for a variety of display case sizes, configurations, geometries and designs. 
     The security cover  10 , according to a first presently preferred embodiment of this invention, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, includes a pair of generally L-shaped mating panels  24  which are secured together by an elongate lock bar  26  and a lock  28 . The panels  24  are releasably mounted to the base  14  of the display case  12  by an anchor in the form of a front rail  30  and a rear rail  32 . The front and rear rails  30 ,  32  are positioned immediately below the front and rear glass faces  16 ,  18 , respectively, of the display case  12  and are mounted to the base  14  as will be described later herein. Each panel  24  of the security cover  10  is generally L-shaped and, when installed on the display case  12 , includes a generally vertical pane  34  juxtaposed to and covering the glass front face  16  or glass rear face  18  and a generally horizontal pane  36  juxtaposed to and covering at least a portion of the glass top face  20  of the display case  12  in the presently preferred embodiment. Panes of the panels  24  may be included for covering the end faces  22  of the display case  12  as required within the scope of this invention. Each panel  24  is preferably molded or otherwise formed of an opaque plexiglass, Lexan®, ABS plastic or similar material. Preferably, the panels  24  are a frangible-resistant rigid material which is resistant to breaking, mutilation, fracture or the like. Additionally, the panels  24  are preferably opaque to inhibit visual access to the contents of the display case  12  when installed thereon. The horizontal and vertical panes  36 ,  34  are rigidly connected to conform to the geometry of the display case  12  to which they are installed. Depending upon the forming technique used in manufacturing the panels  24 , a generally vertical lip  38  may be included at the juncture between the vertical and horizontal panes  34 ,  36  or, as shown in a second presently preferred embodiment of the panels in FIG. 6, a smoothly continuous corner  40  may be formed at the juncture between the panes  34 ,  36 . The vertical lip  38  also serves as a structural member to provide added strength to the display cover  10  in this area to distribute the stresses from hammer or other blows and prevents such forces from being transmitted to the attachment points of the rails  30 ,  32 . 
     A hook  42  extends the length of each panel  24  along a lower proximal edge of the vertical pane  34  for releasably coupling the panel  24  to the anchor rail  30 ,  32 . Depending upon the mounting mechanism for the anchor rail  30 ,  32 , a notch  44  may be provided in the hook  42  to accommodate the mounting mechanism. Preferably, a sloped sill  46  is also included along the lower portion of the vertical pane  34  of each panel  24 . The sloped sill  46  protrudes from the vertical pane  34  and overhangs the anchor rail  30 ,  32  as shown in FIG. 6 so that a downwardly directed blow by a hammer or other blunt instrument is deflected from impacting and damaging the anchor rail  30 ,  32 . 
     An upstanding flange  48  extends the length of each panel  24  along a distal edge thereof on the horizontal pane  36  of the panel. The flange  48  of each panel  24  is juxtaposed to the flange  24  of the complimentary panel  24  generally along the longitudinal center line of the top glass face  20  of the display case  12  in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 6. The flanges  48  each include a plurality of spaced inverted T-slots  50  which correspond in size, location and configuration with the T-slots  50  in the flange  48  of the mating panel  24 . The T-slot  50  includes a generally vertical opening or mouth  52  connected to oppositely directed stems  54 . Additionally, at least one and preferably two lock apertures  56   a ,  56   b  are provided in the flanges  48 . 
     The lock bar  26 , as shown in FIGS. 1-3, has a generally inverted U-shaped configuration with a pair of spaced sidewalls  58 . The lock bar  26  is also preferably made out of 0.060 inch thick stainless steel. A plurality of pins  60  extend between the sidewalls  58  of the lock bar  26  at spaced locations corresponding to the locations of the T-slots  50  in the flanges  48 . Similarly, at least one lock bar aperture  62  is provided through each of the sidewalls  58  of the lock bar  26 . For installation of the lock bar  26 , the pins  60  are aligned with the mouth  52  of the T-slots  50  and the lock bar  26  is pushed downwardly with the flanges  48  positioned between the spaced sidewalls  58  thereof until the pins  60  bottom out in the T-slots  50 . The lock bar  26  is then slid or translated longitudinally relative to the panels  24  in either direction so that each pin  60  is seated within one of the stems  54  of the respective T-slot  50 . Once the pins  60  are inserted into the stems  54  of the T-slot  50 , the lock bar apertures  62  register with one of the lock apertures  56   a ,  56   b  in the flanges  48  so that the pad lock or other locking mechanism  28  can be inserted through the lock apertures  56   a ,  56   b  and the lock bar apertures  62  to securely enclose the faces of the display case  12 . In addition to joining the panels  24  together, the lock bar  26  provides a structural member at the center of the display case  12  to withstand the stresses of an attack. 
     Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, a mounting mechanism for each anchor rail  30 ,  32  is shown. The anchor rail  30 ,  32  is preferably a circular metal rail with a tubular opening  64  on each end thereof. A post  66  projecting from an end cap  68  is received into the tubular opening  64 . The end cap  68  also includes a bore hole  70  through a body portion  72  thereof. The end cap  68  is mounted to the base  14  of the display case  12  by a preferably three inch long screw  74  inserted through the bore hole  70  and screwed into a wooden, particleboard, plywood or other similar material portion of the base  14 . Preferably, a metal, generally square plate  76  having a central hole  78  therethrough is positioned between the end cap  68  and the base  14  of the display case  12  for more secure mounting of the rail  30 ,  32 . The opposite end of the rail  30 ,  32  is likewise mounted to the base  14  with an end cap  68 , screw  74  and plate  76 . 
     Spaced along the length of the rail  30 ,  32  between the end caps  68  are a plurality of spacers  80  positioned between the rail  30 ,  32  and the base  14  of the display case  12 . The spacers  80  include a central bore hole  82  through which a screw  84  is inserted through a hole  86  in the bottom  88  of a notch  90  on the rail  30 ,  32  to firmly anchor the rail  30 ,  32  approximately three-eighths of an inch from the base  14 . Preferably, the screws  74 ,  84  are inserted into a typically three-quarter inch thick particleboard, plywood or other wooden portion of the base  14  underlying the display area of the display case  12 , as shown in FIG.  5 . As such, the rail  30 ,  32  is securely mounted to the display case  12  for anchoring the panels  24  of the security cover  10  to resist removal, mutilation, dislodgment or the like. 
     It should be readily understood that the installation of the anchor rails  30 ,  32  and other components of the security cover  10  according to a presently preferred embodiment of this invention are shown and described for exemplary purposes only. 
     After the front and rear anchor rails  30 ,  32  are mounted to the base  14  of the display case  12 , the respective panels  24  are installed by initially hooking the proximal hook-shaped edge  42  of each panel  24  onto the anchor rail  30 ,  32  with the vertical pane  34  spaced from the front or rear face  16 ,  18  of the display case  12  as shown in FIG.  6 . With the hook  42  engaged on the rail  30 ,  32 , the panel  24  is pivoted upwardly toward the display case  12  until the vertical pane  34  is juxtaposed to the front or rear face  16 ,  18  of the display case  12  and the horizontal pane  36  is juxtaposed to the top face  20  of the display case  12 . After the complementary panel  24  is likewise installed, the lock bar  26  is installed onto the juxtaposed flanges  48  with the pins  60  inserted into the mouth  52  of the respective T-slots  50 . The lock bar  26  is then slid longitudinally to seat the pins  60  within one of the stems  54  of the T-slots  50  and thereby register the lock bar apertures  62  with the lock apertures  56   a  or  56   b  on the flanges  48 . The padlock or other locking device  28  is then inserted through the registered lock apertures  56   a  or  56   b  and lock bar apertures  62  and the installation of the security cover  10  according to a presently preferred embodiment of this invention is complete. 
     Removal of the security cover  10  is likewise easily accomplished by a salesperson by removal of the lock  28 , translation of the lock bar  26  to align the pins  60  with the mouth  52  of the respective T-slots  50 , removal of the lock bar  26  and pivotal removal of each of the panels  24  for storage and subsequent reuse. As such, the security cover  10  according to the presently preferred embodiment of this invention provides a frangible-resistant protective cover for the glass faces of the display case  12 . Moreover, the security cover  10  is completely removable from the display case  12  when not in use and securely anchored thereto when in use. Furthermore, the use of the security cover  10  does not detrimentally impact the viewing of the contents of the display case  12  during normal business hours nor hinder the access to those contents by salespersons. 
     It should be readily understood that the presently preferred embodiments of the security cover  10  include two complimentary or mating generally L-shaped panels  24  with flanges  48  that are juxtaposed directly together on the top face  20  of the display case  12 . However, other arrangements are readily within the scope of this invention. For example, panels which are not L-shaped, complementary panels one of which is L-shaped having a horizontal pane that covers the entirety of the top face and security covers which include intermediate panel sections which cover a portion or all of one of the faces of the display case are within the scope of this invention. Moreover, any arrangement of panels which, in combination, are juxtaposed to and/or cover the various faces of the display case are also within the scope of this invention. 
     From the above disclosure of the general principles of the present invention and the preceding detailed description of at least one preferred embodiment, those skilled in the art will readily comprehend the various modifications to which this invention is susceptible. Therefore, we desire to be limited only by the scope of the following claims and equivalents thereof.

Technology Category: 1