Anti-theft pusher with incremental distance detection
A retail merchandise pusher is configured for sliding along a pusher assembly track. The pusher assembly is mountable to a retail merchandise shelf. The pusher includes a housing, a spring drum rotatably mounted within the housing, and a coil spring mounted to the spring drum. The coil spring is coilable and uncoilable upon rotation of the spring drum. A controller is coupled to a sensor arrangement within the housing. The sensor arrangement has a spring drum sensor for detecting rotation of the spring drum. A direction sensor detects a direction of rotation of the spring drum. An incremental distance sensor detects incremental movement of the pusher. The controller is configured to calculate, based on data from the sensor arrangement, a total distance and direction of travel by the pusher, and to generate an alarm when the pusher travels more than a threshold distance within a predetermined period of time.
1 . A retail merchandise pusher configured for sliding along a track of a pusher assembly, the pusher assembly mountable to a retail merchandise shelf, the pusher comprising:
a housing;
a spring drum rotatably mounted within the housing;
a coil spring mounted to the spring drum, the coil spring coilable and uncoilable upon rotation of the spring drum; and
a controller coupled to a sensor arrangement carried, the sensor arrangement disposed within the housing, the sensor arrangement comprising:
a spring drum sensor for detecting rotation of the spring drum;
a direction sensor for detecting a direction of rotation of the spring drum; and
an incremental distance sensor for detecting an incremental movement of the pusher;
wherein the controller is configured to calculate, based on data from the sensor arrangement, a total distance and direction of travel by the pusher, and to generate an alarm when the pusher travels more than a threshold distance within a predetermined period of time; and
a reset control disposed within the housing and operable to set a zero position for the controller, wherein the reset control is a button or a switch, and the zero position indicating that no merchandise is contained in the pusher assembly.
2 . The retail merchandise pusher of claim 1 , wherein the alarm is at least one of a visual, audible, or a radio frequency (RF) signal.
3 . The retail merchandise pusher of claim 2 , wherein the controller is coupled to an output device disposed in the housing, the output device configured to produce the alarm as a visual or audible signal.
4 . The retail merchandise pusher of claim 1 , wherein the controller is coupled to a transmitter disposed in the housing, the transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit data to a remote receiver, the data including at least one of an alarm status, and the total distance and direction of travel by the pusher.
5 . The retail merchandise pusher of claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to transmit information, based on data from the sensor arrangement, wherein the information includes an inventory status for the pusher assembly.
6 . The retail merchandise pusher of claim 1 , wherein the controller comprises a microprocessor.
7 . The retail merchandise pusher of claim 1 , wherein the coil spring is configured to bias the housing toward one end of the track.
8 . The retail merchandise pusher of claim 1 , wherein the pusher is configured to permit a user to set or adjust at least one of the threshold distance and the predetermined period of time.
9 . A pusher assembly configured for mounting to a retail shelf, the shelf having a front and a back, wherein retail merchandise situated near the front of the shelf is removable from the pusher assembly, the pusher assembly comprising:
a track;
a pusher mounted to the track, the pusher slidable toward and away from the front of the shelf, the pusher having a reset control disposed within a housing of the pusher and operable to set a zero position for the controller, wherein the reset control is a button or a switch, and the zero position indicating that no merchandise is contained in the pusher assembly, the pusher further comprising a controller coupled to a sensor arrangement for detecting movement and a direction of travel by the pusher, the controller configured to calculate, based on data from the sensor arrangement, a total distance traveled by the pusher along the track, the controller further configured to generate an alarm when the pusher travels more than a threshold distance within a predetermined period of time.
10 . The pusher assembly of claim 9 , wherein the sensor arrangement includes a spring drum sensor, a direction sensor, and an incremental distance sensor.
11 . The pusher assembly of claim 9 , wherein the alarm is at least one of a visual, audible, or a radio frequency (RF) signal, and the controller is coupled to a transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit data to a remote receiver, the data including at least one of an alarm status, and the total distance and direction of travel by the pusher.
12 . The pusher assembly of claim 9 , wherein the pusher is configured to permit a user to set or adjust at least one of the threshold distance and the predetermined period of time.
13 . The pusher assembly of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to provide, based on data from the sensor arrangement, an inventory status of the pusher assembly.
14 . A retail merchandise display system for self- facing retail merchandise, the retail merchandise display comprising:
a shelf;
at least one pusher assembly mounted to the shelf, the at least one pusher assembly comprising:
a track;
a pusher slidable along the track, the pusher assembly comprising a controller coupled to a sensor arrangement, the controller configured to calculate, based on data from the sensor arrangement, a large- scale movement of the pusher, and an incremental movement by the pusher, wherein the controller is configured to generate a local alarm when a total distance traveled by the pusher, the total distance being equal to a sum of the large-scale movement and the incremental movement, is greater or equal to a predefined distance; and
the pusher including a transmitter operable to wirelessly communicate the total distance traveled by the pusher, the pusher further including a reset control disposed within a housing of the pusher and operable to set a zero position for the controller, wherein the reset control is a button or a switch, and the zero position indicating that no merchandise is contained in the pusher assembly; and
a receiver, remotely located from the pusher, is configured to receive a wireless signal from the transmitter, and configured to generate a remote alarm in concert with the local alarm.
15 . The retail merchandise display system of claim 14 , wherein the local and remote alarms are at least one of visual or audible alarms.
16 . The retail merchandise display system of claim 14 , wherein the at least one pusher assembly includes a plurality of pusher assemblies, wherein each one of the plurality of pusher assemblies wirelessly communicate with the receiver.
17 . The retail merchandise display system of claim 14 , wherein the receiver includes a radio frequency (RF) receiver, an audio speaker, and a Wi-Fi module configured to transmit data received from the pusher.
18 . The retail merchandise system of claim 14 , wherein the wireless signal is a radio frequency (RF) signal.
19 . The retail merchandise display system of claim 14 , wherein the receiver is configured to transmit data received from the pusher to a computer or mobile device, wherein the data allows the computer or mobile device to display information regarding the pusher assembly.
20 . The retail merchandise display system of claim 19 , wherein the information regarding the pusher assembly includes at least one of an alarm status, and inventory status, and a position of the pusher.