EP0098216A1 - Receptacle for self-service sale articles with a combined mechanical and magnetic unlocking lid - Google Patents

Abstract

A package comprises a cover closing an article housing formed in a baseplate. A contiguous compartment closed by a plate contains a spring assembly comprising two arc members joined at their ends and bearing on abutment members. A profiled rod inserted through a complementarily profiled opening pushes on thrust member against the abutment of the ends of the spring assembly on the abutment members so as to bring about, by symmetrical reaction, retraction of the bar supporting the bolt members. However, if a fly-weight has not previously been retracted by a magnetic field a projection engages in a groove in the fly-weight to lock the lock. The consecutive action of the magnetic field and the pressure on thrust member are applied by a key device retained at the checkout of the self-service store. The invention has one particular application in the merchandizing of prerecorded magnetic tape cassettes.

Description

The invention relates to a reusable anti-theft casing for the self-service sale of articles, comprising a cover held by a trigger with combined mechanical and electromagnetic triggering. by the action of a key device.

The invention was designed to take into account the particularities of self-service sales, as practiced in particular in so-called big box stores, where articles and goods are offered for sale in different departments to customers, who constitutes itself all the articles and goods that it wants to acquire, and completes the sale by presenting itself to a cash register where the payment is made. This mode of offer for sale has the advantage of significantly increasing the sales volume per agent, and giving customers a feeling of freedom of choice. On the other hand, the major drawback is to facilitate theft, especially of small items which can be easily concealed when crossing the boxes.

To reduce this type of theft, sometimes called markdown, it is customary to offer small items for sale in packages made up of a cardboard base sheet or the like covered with a sheet of transparent plastic. formed to provide accommodation for articles. This type of packaging is often called "blister". Practically the base sheet is substantially rectangular, with a suspension means, eyelet or hook formed in an extension of a small side of the rectangle, the rectangle often having dimensions larger than those of a usual pocket of clothing.

But such offer packages are of the lost type; they must be easily destructible so that the purchasers can have access to the articles without particular tools. When the articles which they enclose have a relatively high intrinsic value, or a value of particular attraction for a clientele with reduced means, these lost packages do not offer for the store sufficient security, because they can be opened to recover the contained, then discarded, while the article is concealed, at a sufficient distance filling cases so that the attempted theft is not seen. Thus it is very rare that watches or recorded magnetic cassettes are presented for self-service, at least in non-specialized stores where surveillance is less active.

Boxes have been created and used, the general shape of which is that of lost packages, but which are reusable because they have a cover held by a latch which is opened using a key device. located at checkout. In principle, this provision seriously increases the security against theft according to the process indicated above. It is clear that the reusable device can be more expensive than disposable packaging.

However, the degree of security obtained is a direct function of the inviolability of the lock. A conventional key lock would be ineffective; the need to quickly open any cash register implies that all the locks correspond to the same key, and that this is done in number of copies; the realization of false keys would be inevitable.

In a known arrangement, the lock is constituted by an electromagnetic device similar to an electric strike; the key device, located at the cash desk, therefore includes a source of electrical energy for controlling the lock. To avoid fraudulent openings, the connection elements of the key device to the housing lock have an unusual shape, in particular to make the terminals on the housing difficult to access. In addition, the male part of the connection plug carried by the key device is adapted to drive out a mechanical auxiliary lock which condemns the operation of the electromagnetic lock.

This provision, intended to make fraudulent openings very difficult, has proven to be the use likely to be forced. Indeed, the force applicable to the movable frame of an electric strike is very limited, which requires gear ratios, and makes the closure very sensitive to shocks. In addition, the mechanical auxiliary lock can be pressed from the outside, by introducing a point into the housing provided in the housing for the entry of the male part, carried by the key device, connection plug; as a result the case can be opened.

The subject of the invention is an anti-theft case, with a combined electromagnetic and mechanical opening, which does not have these drawbacks.

To this end, the invention proposes a reusable anti-theft box for the sale of = self-service items, comprising a cover held by a lock with combined mechanical and electromagnetic release caused by the action of a suitable key device. , characterized in that the bolt comprises a bolt means adapted to be retracted in response to the thrust of a profiled rod carried by the key device and penetrating into the housing by a profiled opening complementary to the rod, a counterweight made of material ferromagnetic, arranged so as to prohibit the retraction of the bolt means, being capable of releasing the latter by disappearing against a spring under the action of a magnetic field created by the key device.

It will be understood that the mechanical control, by means of the profiled rod carried by the key device, authorizes the operation of a lock with relatively long stroke and practically insensitive to shock. Furthermore, the erasure of the ferromagnetic flyweight involves the application of a magnetic field of suitable direction and intensity, which supposes the use of unusual equipment.

Preferably the bolt means comprises a spring formed by two arcs of opposite concavities, joined by their ends and bearing on stops integral with the housing. The thrust of the profiled rod is applied to a thrust piece arranged at the top of a first arc, on the convex side, while a bolt-carrying crosspiece is fixed to the top of the second arc. The thrust on the thrust piece, against the end supports on the stops causes the deflection of the first arc to be reduced, and jointly the extension of the rope; the latter being common to the two arcs, the arrow of the second is reduced, causing the bolt-carrying crosspiece to be behind.

Preferably the counterweight is of revolution shape and arranged inside the spring, to fade laterally along its axis of revolution under the effect of the magnetic field, so, at rest, to prohibit the deformation of the spring by action on the thrust piece. A protrusion at the top of the first arc, on the concave side, is able to penetrate into a groove in the counterweight as soon as the thrust piece is stressed. Thus the counterweight can no longer be erased, if the erasure has not preceded the action on the thrust piece. The support of the ends of the spring on the stops is only positive against a push on the push piece, so that the closing of the cover, by pushing the latch bar, is possible without the using a key device.

• la figure 1 est une vue générale en plan d'un boîtier selon l'invention ;
• la figure 2 est une coupe suivant le plan II-II de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 3 est une coupe suivant le plan III-III de la figure I ;
• la figure 4 est une coupe suivant le plan IV-IV de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 5 est une vue perspective d'un boîtier ouvert ;
• la figure 6 est une perspective partiellement arrachée d'un dispositif-clé pour l'ouverture du boîtier selon l'invention.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description which follows by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

• Figure 1 is a general plan view of a housing according to the invention;
• Figure 2 is a section along the plane II-II of Figure 1;
• Figure 3 is a section along the plane III-III of Figure I;
• Figure 4 is a section along the plane IV-IV of Figure 1;
• Figure 5 is a perspective view of an open housing;
• Figure 6 is a partially broken away perspective of a key device for opening the housing according to the invention.

According to the embodiment chosen and shown in Figures 1 to 4, the housing 1 as a whole comprises a base plate 10, substantially rectangular with rounded corners, and a trapezoidal extension 10a, unhooked from the plane of the base plate 10 , in the middle of a small side, a hook light 10b allowing the housing 1 to be suspended.

In the base plate 10 are formed, by molding, two parallelepipedic depressions, ie a housing 20 for the article, and a bowl 12 for the lock device, housing 20 and bowl 12 being contiguous by a partition wall 10c. A cover 11, articulated on the base plate 10 by an axis 19, close to the short side of the opposite base plate at the extension 10a has flanges (FIG. 5) 11a, 11b, 11c which are placed respectively adjacent to the wall 10c and the two adjacent walls of the housing 20, when the cover 11 is folded flush with the base plate 10.

The bowl 12 serves as a housing for the lock mechanism of the housing, and is closed by a plate 12a, sealed by ultrasonic welding, and coming flush with the base plate 10. In the bowl 12 there is a lock spring 13, consisting of two arcs 13a and 13b of opposite concavities connected by their ends, these coming to bear on two stops 18 and 18 ′ secured to the housing 1. The first arc 13a carries at its top, on the convex side, a pushing piece 14 , held parallel to the major axis of the base plate 10, facing profiled openings 14a made in the short side of the base plate 10, below the attachment extension 10a. The second arc 13b carries at its top a crosspiece 15 which carries two bolts 15a and 15'a which pass through the wall 10c to penetrate strikes formed in the rim 11a. It will be noted that the support of the spring ends 13 is positive against the urging stresses on the thrust piece 14.

Inside the spring 13 is disposed a counterweight 17 made of ferromagnetic metal of general shape of revolution, capable of moving along its axis perpendicular to the base plate 10, under the action of a magnetic field which attracts it towards this base plate 10, against a spring 17a which keeps the counterweight in the plane of the spring 13.

The arc 13a carries at its top, on the concave side, a projection 16, opposite a peripheral groove 17b machined in the counterweight 17.

The cover hinge pin 19 is disposed in a compartment of the cover 11, constituted by the face of the latter, a bottom lld perpendicular to the general plane of the cover 11, and a return Ile parallel to this general plane, and at equal distance from these three wall elements. Sails 19a and 19'a, circular and coaxial with the axis 19, come tangent to the three wall elements 11, lld, lle mentioned above; thus the articulation comprises two cooperating guides. The role of this provision will be clarified below.

Figure 5, which shows the housing 1 open in perspective, will facilitate the understanding of the operation of the opening, together with Figure 6 which shows a key device 25 as a whole.

For opening, the housing 1 is presented, closed, on the key device 25, base plate on top, so that the extension 10a enters the slot 29, flat on the plate 25a. The cruciform rod 26 engages in the opening 14a, which is followed by an unreferenced diaphragm which has a cross opening. Before the rod 26 comes into contact with the thrust piece 14, the extension 10a has urged the movable member of a switch 28, in order to energize a winding disposed in a ferromagnetic carcass, the emergence of which core at 27. The counterweight 17 is magnetized in the field of the frame, and, compressing the spring 10a, disappears from the projection 16. By continuing the engagement of the housing, the rod 26 is caused to push the support piece 14 while the projection 16 passes over the counterweight 17. The arc 13a is crushed, spreading its ends in abutment on the stops 18 and 18 ', which causes the crushing of the arc 13b and the retraction of the bolts 15a, 15'a. The cover 11, urged to open by a slight preload, can open to give access to the article.

It will be noted that the relative arrangements of the cover 11 as a whole, and of the housing 20 are such that a thin and rigid sheet, for example a blade of a penknife or a safety razor, engaged in the rebates between the cover and the housing, cannot have access to the sensitive parts of the housing; the bolts 15a, 15'a do not have ramps for the automatic closing of the housing, the ramps being formed recessed in the flange lla, below the bolts. Furthermore, the webs 19a, 19'a, which participate in the pivoting guide of the cover, prevent access to the axis 19.

Regarding the closure of the housing after housing an article, it will be noted that the unilateral support of the spring ends 13 on the stops 18, 18 'authorizes the retraction of the bolts 15a, 15'a without the arcs 13a, 13b symmetrically deform with respect to the alignment of the stops 18, 18 ', because the ends of the spring move away from the stops.

In the embodiment described here, all the parts of the housing, with the exception of the lock members, are produced by molding of colored crystal polycarbonate, in particular in order to make the article visible. Indeed the offer for sale of the article would not be commercially fair if this article was invisible or indistinguishable.

It is also specified that the box described, intended for the sale of cassettes of recorded magnetic tapes, includes an article housing 20 adapted to the format of the article, while the base plate measures approximately 21 by 17 centimeters. , so that the case cannot be hidden in a normal pocket. But of course the dimensions of the housing and the base plate are adaptable respectively to comply with the article, and to take into account the means of concealment that it would be tempting to implement, in relation to the value of the article.

It is therefore obvious that the invention is not limited to the examples described, but encompasses all the variant embodiments.

Claims (10)

1. Reusable anti-theft box for the self-service sale of articles, comprising a cover (11) held by a lock with combined mechanical and electromagnetic release caused by the action of a suitable key device (25), characterized in that the bolt comprises a bolt means (13, 14, 15, 16) adapted to be retracted in response to the push of a profiled rod carried by the key device and penetrating into the housing (1) by a profiled opening (14a) complementary to the rod, a counterweight (17) made of ferromagnetic material, arranged so as to prohibit the retraction of the bolt means (13,14,15,16), being capable of releasing the latter in s 'erasing against a spring (17a) under the action of a magnetic field created by the key device (25). 2. Housing according to claim 1, characterized in that the bolt means comprises a spring (13), formed of two arcs (13a, 13b) of opposite concavities, joined by their ends, and supported by these ends on stops (18,18 ') integral with the housing, a thrust piece (14) for said profiled rod being arranged at the top of a first arc (13a) on the convex side, while a crosspiece (15) carries bolts (15a , 15'a) is fixed to the top of the second arc (13b). 3. Housing according to claim 2, characterized in that said counterweight (17), of general shape of revolution about an axis, is arranged between said arcs (13a, 13b) of spring with its axis perpendicular to the general plane that they define, and have a peripheral groove (17b) opposite a projection (16} formed in the first arc (13a) in extension of said thrust piece (14) on the concave side, the support of the ends of arcs of spring being positive only against a thrust on the thrust piece (14). 4. Housing according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises a base plate (10) generally rectangular, a parallelepiped housing (20) for the article with a bottom and side walls (21,21 ') formed in the base plate, said cover (11) coming to complete the housing (20) flush with the base plate (10), and a bowl (12) molded in the base plate (10), contiguous to the article housing (20) by a wall (10c), containing the latch and closed by a plate (12a) sealed flush with the base plate (10). 5. Housing according to claim 4, characterized in that the cover has flanges (11a, 11b, 11c) juxtaposing internally to the walls (10c, 21,21 ') of the housing (20), in the closed position. 6. Housing according to claim 4 or claim 5, characterized in that the cover (11) is articulated on the base plate (10) by an axis (19), on the side of the housing (20) opposite the common wall (10c) with the bowl (12) housing the lock, the articulation being arranged in a compartment (1l, lld, lle) terminating the cover, with a bottom perpendicular (lld) to the general plane of the cover (11) and a return (lle) parallel to this plane, this return (lle) being placed flush with the housing bottom (20) in the closed position of the cover (11). 7. Housing according to claim 6, characterized in that the hinge pin (19) being disposed equidistant from the general plane of the cover (11), and the bottom (lld) and the return (lle) of the hinge compartment , sails (19a, 19'a) with circular profile integral with the bottom plate are arranged coaxial with the hinge axis, and tangent to the three sides (11,11d, 11e) of the hinge compartment. 8. Housing according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that at least the cover (11) consists of a transparent plastic. 9. Housing according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the base plate (10) is provided with a suspension means (10a, 10b) in extension of one of its short sides. 10. Housing according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the base plate (10) has a format of at least 21 centimeters by 17 centimeters.

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