EP3440292B1

EP3440292B1 - Anti-shoplifting device

Info

Publication number: EP3440292B1
Application number: EP17719509.6A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Corrado Mazzucchelli
Original assignee: Plasti Max SRL; Plasti Max SpA
Current assignee: Plasti Max SRL; Plasti Max SpA
Priority date: 2016-04-07
Filing date: 2017-04-07
Publication date: 2020-05-13
Anticipated expiration: 2037-04-07
Also published as: WO2017174790A1; EP3440292A1

Description

The present invention relates to an anti-theft device, in particular an anti-shoplifting device for packaging products in blister-type packs and the like.
As known, some products are packaged for the display and sale in plastic sealed containers normally referred to as "blisters" or "blister packs".
In particular, for medium or small size products, the blister type packaging normally provides for the presence of a slot in the casing so as to allow the hanging of the pack to appropriate displays.
However, such products can be easily removed from the display and, due to the relative little dimensions, they can be stolen easily.
It is also know to use devices containing alarm systems that can be attached to the product so as to signal an unauthorized pass through check gates. Said devices generally comprises mechanically coupled portions that can be separated from each other only by using special devices, e.g. special screw drivers, in order to allow their removal form the product. The operation of correct removal of the anti-shoplifting devices of known type by authorized people can be therefore somehow cumbersome and complicated.
Moreover, existing anti-shoplifting devices in some cases do not prevent the opening of the blister pack to which they are attached and the unauthorized removal of product contained inside the pack. Anti-shoplifting devices according to the preamble of claim 1 are disclosed by e.g. US 2010/171620 A1 , WO 01/79635 A1 , WO 2011/043916 A1 and WO 2008/031325 A1 .
It is therefore desirable to have an anti-shoplifting device that would prevent such problems. Hence, the present disclosure is aimed at providing an anti-shoplifting device, which allows overcoming at least some of the above-mentioned shortcomings.
In particular, the present invention is aimed at providing an anti-shoplifting device, which can be easily fixed on the blister packs to be protected.
Furthermore, the present invention is aimed at providing an anti-shoplifting device, which can be easily removed by authorized people from the blister pack to which it is attached and, at the same time, its removal by not-authorized people is extremely difficult - if not impossible - without damaging the device and/or the blister pack.
Moreover, the present invention is aimed at providing an anti-shoplifting device, which can be easily manufactured with a relatively low number of components and at competitive costs. Thus, the present invention relates to an anti-shoplifting device for products packaged in blister packs comprising a first shaped body, and a second shaped body which is slidably coupled to said first shaped body and movable between a first open position and a second closed position of said device; the device further comprises first engagement means which are positioned on said first shaped body and adapted to engage with a slot arranged on said blister packs, second engagement means which are positioned on said second shaped body, adapted to engage with said first engagement means and adapted to prevent the disengagement of said first engagement means from said slot arranged on said blister pack when said second shaped body is in said second closed position, reversible locking means which are positioned within said device and are movable between a first locking position of a relative sliding movement of said first and second shaped body and a second unlocking position of said relative sliding movement of said first and second shaped body; said first locking position being automatically activated when passing from said first open position to said second closed position of said device, said second unlocking position being activated by magnetic means externally applied to said device.
As better explained in the following description, thanks to the particular structure of the anti-shoplifting device of the present invention the above-mentioned problems can be avoided, and the whole system is flexible, simple, and very easy to operate.
Indeed, the anti-shoplifting device of the present invention can be easily fitted to a blister pack and can be easily removed by authorized people using relatively simple magnetic means. At the same time, its removal from the blister pack by not-authorized people is extremely difficult - if not impossible - without damaging the device and/or the blister pack. According to the invention, the anti-shoplifting device of the invention comprises a third shaped body for the containment of alarm means, said third shaped body being positioned within said device between said first and said second shaped body.
Preferably, the anti-shoplifting device of the invention comprises a fourth shaped body positioned within said device for maintaining in position said reversible locking means.
In a preferred embodiment of the anti-shoplifting device of the invention said reversible locking means comprise a pin, a screw and a spring.
In such a case, as better explained in the following detailed description, when the device is in said second closed position said pin is pushed by said spring in said first locking position thereby locking the relative sliding movement of said first and second shaped body.
Moreover, in such embodiments said pin is movable from said first locking position to said second unlocking position by magnetic means applied externally to said device, thereby allowing the relative movement of the said first and second shaped body and the possible opening of the device.
In a preferred embodiment of the anti-shoplifting device of the invention said first engagement means comprise a tab positioned on said first shaped body.
In such a case, said second engagement means comprise a first and a second pin positioned on said second shaped body and adapted to engage respectively in a corresponding first and second hole positioned on said tab.
Preferably, the anti-shoplifting device of the invention comprises guide means of said relative sliding movement of said first and second shaped body.
The device according to the present invention conveniently comprises hanging means so as to allow its hanging to a display device.
Furthermore, the device according to the invention does not allow unauthorized opening of the blister pack and the removal of the object housed into it.
Further features and advantages of the present invention will be more clear from the description of preferred but not exclusive embodiments of an anti-shoplifting device according to the invention, shown by way of examples in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of an anti-shoplifting device according to the invention in the open position;
Figure 2 is a front view of the anti-shoplifting device of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a top view of the anti-shoplifting device of Figure 1;
Figure 4 is a side view of the anti-shoplifting device of Figure 1;
Figure 5 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of an anti-shoplifting device according to the invention in the closed position;
Figure 6 is a top view of the anti-shoplifting device of Figure 5;
Figure 7 is a side view of the anti-shoplifting device of Figure 5;
Figure 8 is a front view of the anti-shoplifting device of Figure 5;
Figures 9 is a back view of the anti-shoplifting device of Figure 5;
Figures 10 is a section view of the anti-shoplifting device of Figure 5;
Figure 11 is an exploded view of the anti-shoplifting device of Figures 1 and 5.

With reference to the attached figure, the anti-shoplifting device for products packaged in blister packs, designated with the reference numeral 1, comprises in its more general embodiment a first shaped body 2 and a second shaped body 3 which is slidably coupled to said first shaped body 2, so that the first 2 and the second 3 shaped bodies are relatively movable between a first open position and a second closed position of said device 1.
For instance, the anti-shoplifting device 1 for products packaged in blister packs according to the invention can comprises guide means 21 and 22 which are positioned on said first shaped body so as to guide the relative sliding movement of said first 2 and second 3 shaped body. In the embodiment shown in attached figures, the guide means 21 and 22 are provided with a slot into which a protrusion of the second shaped body 3 can slide (e.g. the profile 32 of the second shaped body 3 that can slide into the slot provided on the guide means 22 of the first shaped body 2). Other equivalent means can also be used.
Furthermore, the anti-shoplifting device 1 comprises first engagement means 24 which are positioned on said first shaped body 2 and are adapted to engage with a slot arranged on said blister packs; the anti-shoplifting device 1 also comprises second engagement means which are positioned on said second shaped body 3 and are adapted to engage with said first engagement means 24 so as to prevent the disengagement of said first engagement means 24 from said slot arranged on said blister pack when said second shaped body 3 is in said second closed position.
In other words, the anti-shoplifting device 1 is applied to a blister pack by inserting the first engagement means 24 in an appropriate slot of the blister pack and is then closed by sliding the second shaped body 3 with respect to the first shaped body 2 and by engaging the second engagement means with the first engagement means 24.
In practice, starting from the configuration of figure 1 where the anti-shoplifting device 1 is in the open position, the tab 24 is inserted into a corresponding slot in a blister pack (not shown). Then, with reference to figure 5, the second shaped body 3 slides (toward the left-hand side of the figure) with respect to the first shaped body 2, so as achieve the closed configuration of the anti-shoplifting device 1.
The anti-shoplifting device 1 of the invention further comprises reversible locking means which are positioned within said device 1 and are movable between a first locking position of a relative sliding movement of said first 2 and second 3 shaped body, and a second unlocking position of said relative sliding movement.
The first locking position is automatically activated when passing from said first open position to said second closed position of said anti-shoplifting device 1, and the second unlocking position is activated by magnetic means externally applied to said anti-shoplifting device 1.
In practice, when the anti-shoplifting device 1 is put on the blister pack to be protected and closed as previously described, the reversible locking means automatically lock the relative sliding movement of said first 2 and second 3 shaped body thereby preventing the possibility to remove the anti-shoplifting device 1 from the blister pack. The removal of the anti-shoplifting device 1 from the blister pack can be achieved only by using appropriate magnetic means externally applied to said second 3 shaped body, e.g., only by authorized personnel of the shop.
Alarm means are normally placed inside the device 1 so as to signal the unauthorized passage through, e.g., check gates.
In this respect, the anti-shoplifting device 1 of the present invention comprises a third shaped body 4 for the containment of said alarm means, said third shaped body 4 being positioned within said anti-shoplifting device 1 between said first 2 and said second 3 shaped bodies.
Moreover, the anti-shoplifting device 1 of the invention can conveniently comprise also a fourth shaped body 5 which is positioned within said anti-shoplifting device 1 and which is used for maintaining in position said reversible locking means.
Preferably, as illustrated in the attached figures, said reversible locking means can conveniently comprise a pin 6, a screw 7 and a spring 8.
In such a case, with particular reference to figure 10, when the anti-shoplifting device 1 of the invention is in in said second closed position, said pin 6 is pushed by said spring 8 in said first locking position thereby locking the relative sliding movement of said first 2 and second 3 shaped body.
Then, said pin 6 is movable from said first locking position to said second unlocking position by using appropriate magnetic means applied externally to the anti-shoplifting device 1, so as to allow the relative sliding movement of said first 2 and second 3 shaped body, with consequent opening of said device and the possible removal of the anti-shoplifting device 1 from the blister pack.
Thus, the removal of the anti-shoplifting device 1 from the blister pack can be achieved only by authorized personnel of the shop using appropriate magnetic means externally applied to said second 3 shaped body so as to determine movement of the pin 6 from the first locking position to the second unlocking position .
Conveniently, as shown in the attached figure, the third 4 and fourth 5 shaped bodies comprise an opening to allow the passage of the pin 6 through them when moving movable from said first locking position to said second unlocking position and vice-versa.
According to a particular embodiment of the anti-shoplifting device 1 for products packaged in blister packs according to the invention, said first engagement means 24 can comprise a tab (or equivalent means) positioned on the internal base 25 of said first shaped body 2 at an end thereof, said tab 24 being adapted to engage in a corresponding slot of the blister pack.
In such a case, said second engagement means can comprise suitable means adapted to engage with said tab 24. For instance, as shown in the attached figures, the second engagement means can comprise a first 341 and a second 342 pin which are positioned on said second shaped body 3 and are adapted to engage respectively in a corresponding first 241 and second 242 hole positioned on said tab 24. Alternative means, e.g. a single pin positioned on the second shaped body 3 and engageable in a single hole on the tab 24, can be used.
It is clear from the above description that the anti-shoplifting device of the present disclosure fully achieve the intended aims.
Indeed, the presently disclosed anti-shoplifting device can be easily fitted to a blister pack and easily removed only by authorized people with the appropriate magnetic means, whereas its non-authorized removal is extremely difficult, if not impossible without damaging the blister pack or the device.
Moreover, the manufacturing of the presently disclosed anti-shoplifting device requires a relatively low number of components that can be easily manufactured and assembled at relatively low costs.
Several variations can be made to the anti-shoplifting device thus conceived, all falling within the scope of the present invention, which is solely defined by the appended claims. In practice, the materials used and the contingent dimensions and shapes can be any, according to requirements and to the state of the art.

Claims

Anti-shoplifting device (1) for products packaged in blister packs comprising a first shaped body (2) and a second shaped body (3) slidably coupled to said first shaped body (2) and movable between a first open position and a second closed position of said device (1), first engagement means (24) positioned on said first shaped body (2) and adapted to engage with a slot arranged on said blister packs, second engagement means positioned on said second shaped body (3) adapted to engage with said first engagement means (24) and adapted to prevent the disengagement of said first engagement means (24) from said slot arranged on said blister pack when said second shaped body (3) is in said second closed position, reversible locking means positioned within said device (1) movable between a first locking position of a relative sliding movement of said first (2) and second (3) shaped body and a second unlocking position of said relative sliding movement of said first (2) and second (3) shaped body, said first locking position being automatically activated when passing from said first open position to said second closed position of said device (1), said second unlocking position being activated by magnetic means externally applied to said device (1), characterized in that it comprises a third shaped body (4) for the containment of alarm means, said third shaped body (4) being positioned within said device (1) between said first (2) and said second (3) shaped body.
Anti-shoplifting device (1) for products packaged in blister packs according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a fourth shaped body (5) positioned within said device (1) for maintaining in position said reversible locking means.
Anti-shoplifting device (1) for products packaged in blister packs according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said reversible locking means comprise a pin (6), a screw (7) and a spring (8).
Anti-shoplifting device (1) for products packaged in blister packs according to claim 3, characterized in that in said second closed position said pin (6) is pushed by said spring (8) in said first locking position thereby locking the relative sliding movement of said first (2) and second (3) shaped body.
Anti-shoplifting device (1) for products packaged in blister packs according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that said pin (6) is movable from said first locking position to said second unlocking position by magnetic means applied externally to said device (1).
Anti-shoplifting device (1) for products packaged in blister packs according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said first engagement means (24) comprise a tab positioned on said first shaped body (2).
Anti-shoplifting device (2) for products packaged in blister packs according to claim 6, characterized in that said second engagement means comprise a first (341) and a second (342) pin positioned on said second shaped body (3) and adapted to engage respectively in a corresponding first (241) and second (242) hole positioned on said tab (24).
Anti-shoplifting device (2) for products packaged in blister packs according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises guide means (21, 22) of said relative sliding movement of said first (2) and second (3) shaped body.