Granted Patent B1

US 12,428,878 · App. 19/084,136 · Granted Sep 30, 2025

Inventors: David N. Berglund (Charlotte, NC); Gary A. Taylor (Fort Mill, SC); Wesley J. Blanchard (Fort Mill, SC); Christopher Helman (Cornelius, NC); Daniel C. Symons (Waxhaw, NC); John DeFilippi (Charlotte, NC); Jason Amistadi (Charlotte, NC)

Assignee: InVue Security Products Inc.

E05B73/0017E05B73/0082

Abstract

Claims (40)

1. A security device for securing an item of merchandise from theft, the security device comprising:

a bracket assembly comprising a plurality of arms configured to engage the item of merchandise, at least one of the plurality of arms configured to move between an engaged position and a disengaged position;

a housing operably engaged with the bracket assembly and configured to be secured to a display support for displaying the item of merchandise; and

an actuation mechanism operably engaged with the housing and the bracket assembly, the actuation mechanism configured to actuate the at least one of the plurality of arms between the disengaged position and the engaged position, the item of merchandise being secured to the housing in the engaged position,

wherein the actuation mechanism is configured to be actuated via an electronic key for moving the at least one of the plurality of arms from the engaged position to the disengaged position to allow the item of merchandise to be removed from the housing,

wherein the actuation mechanism is configured to be automatically deactuated in response to engagement of the at least one of the plurality of arms with the item of merchandise.

2. The security device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of arms are configured to move simultaneously between the engaged position and the disengaged position.

3. The security device of claim 1 , wherein the actuation mechanism comprises a motor configured to be activated for moving the at least one of the plurality of arms.

4. The security device of claim 3 , wherein the motor is configured to be activated based on a current of the motor.

5. The security device of claim 3 , wherein the motor is configured to be deactivated based on a current of the motor to thereby automatically deactuate the actuation mechanism.

6. The security device of claim 3 , further comprising a proximity sensor coupled to the housing, wherein the motor is configured to be activated or deactivated based on the proximity sensor detecting the item of merchandise.

7. The security device of claim 6 , wherein the proximity sensor is a light sensor.

8. The security device of claim 3 , further comprising a plurality of motors each configured to actuate at least one of the plurality of arms.

9. The security device of claim 8 , wherein one of the plurality of motors is configured to actuate at least one of the plurality of arms in an X-direction and another of the plurality of motors is configured to actuate at least one other of the plurality of arms in a Y-direction.

10. The security device of claim 3 , wherein the motor is configured to rotate in each of a clockwise and counterclockwise direction for moving the at least one of the plurality of arms between the engaged and disengaged positions.

11. The security device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of arms comprises a connector for electrically connecting to the item of merchandise.

12. The security device of claim 11 , wherein the at least one of the plurality of arms comprising the connector is fixed to the housing and is not adjustable relative to the housing.

13. The security device of claim 11 , wherein the actuation mechanism is configured to automatically actuate the at least one of the plurality of arms in response to an electrical connection between the connector and the item of merchandise.

14. The security device of claim 1 , further comprising a removable connector configured to engage an input port of the item of merchandise, wherein the removable connector comprises one or more electrical contacts.

15. The security device of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the plurality of arms comprises one or more electrical contacts configured to mate with and engage the one or more electrical contacts of the removable connector to establish an electrical connection, and wherein the actuation mechanism is configured to be automatically actuated in response to the electrical connection.

16. The security device of claim 1 , wherein the actuation mechanism comprises a sensor for determining an orientation of the bracket assembly prior to actuating the plurality of arms.

17. The security device of claim 1 , wherein the actuation mechanism is configured to move the at least one of the plurality of arms from the engaged position to the disengaged position and from the disengaged position to the engaged position.

18. The security device of claim 1 , wherein the actuation mechanism is configured to automatically actuate the at least one of the plurality of arms from the disengaged position to the engaged position in response to engagement of the item of merchandise with the housing.

19. The security device of claim 1 , wherein one of the plurality of arms comprises wireless communications circuitry for communicating with the electronic key.

20. The security device of claim 19 , wherein the one of the plurality of arms with wireless communications circuitry is configured to be electrically connected and transfer power to the item of merchandise when in engagement with the item of merchandise.

21. The security device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic key is a mobile device.

22. The security device of claim 1 , wherein the actuation mechanism is configured to be automatically deactuated at least partially based on an input from a sensor configured to detect engagement of the at least one of the plurality of arms with the item of merchandise.

23. The security device of claim 22 , wherein the actuation mechanism comprises a motor configured to actuate the at least one of the plurality of arms, and wherein the actuation mechanism is configured to automatically deactivate the motor based on the input from the sensor.

24. The security device of claim 1 , wherein the actuation mechanism is configured to lock the item of merchandise to the housing when the plurality of arms are in the engaged position such that the item of merchandise is incapable of being removed from the housing without authorization.

25. The security device of claim 1 , wherein the actuation mechanism comprises at least one motor and at least one gear in operable engagement with the motor.

26. A security device for securing an item of merchandise from theft, the security device comprising:

a plurality of arms configured to engage the item of merchandise, at least one of the plurality of arms configured to move between an engaged position and a disengaged position;

a housing operably engaged with the plurality of arms and configured to be secured to a display support for displaying the item of merchandise; and

at least one motor operably engaged with the housing and the plurality of arms, the at least one motor configured to actuate the at least one of the plurality of arms between the disengaged position and the engaged position, the item of merchandise being secured to the housing in the engaged position,

wherein the at least one motor is configured to be activated for moving the at least one of the plurality of arms from the engaged position to the disengaged position to allow the item of merchandise to be removed from the housing,

wherein the at least one motor is configured to be automatically deactivated in response to engagement of the at least one of the plurality of arms with the item of merchandise.

27. A method for securing an item of merchandise from theft, the method comprising:

actuating at least one of a plurality of arms from a disengaged position to an engaged position with an item of merchandise, the item of merchandise being unable to be removed from the housing with the at least one of the plurality of arms in the engaged position and to be able to be removed from the housing with the at least one of the plurality of arms in the disengaged position;

automatically deactuating the at least one of the plurality of arms in response to engagement of the at least one of the plurality of arms with the item of merchandise; and

actuating the at least one of the plurality of arms in response to communication with an electronic key for moving the plurality of arms from the engaged position to the disengaged position to allow the item of merchandise to be removed from the housing.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (188)