Supports: racks – Special article – Eyeglasses
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-12
2001-02-06
Chin-Shue, Alvin (Department: 3634)
Supports: racks
Special article
Eyeglasses
Reexamination Certificate
active
06182840
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a device for the secure display of a number of articles placed alongside and/or above one another, comprising a support provided with a number of first projections rigidly attached thereto and an equal number of second projections arranged such that they are movable with respect to said first projections, a first and a second projection always delimiting, in the position in which they are brought together, optionally in combination with said support, a retainer for accommodating said article to be displayed, with the second projection arranged above the first projection, said movable projections being connected to one another via an operating rod which is linked to motor means in order to drive said second projections away from said first projections in order to release the retainer.
A device of this type is disclosed in EP-A 0 246 702 in the name of C. J. Tegel. This publication provides a solution to the problem which arises in shops where, for example, spectacles are sold. On the one hand, the frames must be readily accessible to potential customers who, after all, will want to try on a number of such frames before deciding to purchase a specific frame. On the other hand, however, it is necessary to prevent such frames being stolen. To this end operation with motor means is proposed. The optician or other sales person is able, for example, with the aid of a remote control to release the retainer in which part of the frame is locked if he or she sees that a potential purchaser wishes to try on the frame concerned. By releasing, access is given to a number of frames in one operation, so that said purchaser can try on a number of frames.
After the interested consumer has left the shop, the sales person can restore the device to the secured position. It is, of course, possible also to carry this out automatically after a period of time has elapsed.
However, it has been found that on closing there is a possible risk of painful trapping of a part of the body of the potential customer, or that the frame is damaged if this has been positioned incorrectly. After all, the projections move towards one another.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This means that the aim of the present invention is to provide a device with which it is possible to release the retainer delimited between the projections, and optionally the support, with the aid of the motor means and then close said retainer again, but prevent said closure if there is a risk of pinching, such as when fingers or other parts of the body are placed between the projections.
This aim is realised with a device as described above in that the movement of the operating rod can be disconnected from the movement of the motor means when said first and second projections move towards one another if a predetermined force on said operating rod is exceeded, and wherein locking means are provided for locking said first and second projections in the position in which they have been brought together.
The opening movement is carried out by the motor means because the risk of injury does not exist or exists to a lesser extent during this movement. Because in practice there is an appreciable distance between the top of the operated projections and the underside of the stationary projections, a motor with appreciable power can be used for opening. Closing takes place by gravity, optionally assisted by springs or the like. As a result the closing force can be determined very accurately and can be chosen to be so low that injury cannot occur. Locking then takes place at the end of the closing stroke, so that if closing has taken place under normal conditions opening is no longer possible without unlocking.
It is pointed out that French Patent 2 648 030 discloses a storage device for spectacle frames, wherein two projections are moved relative to one another. This movement is achieved by engagement of a ridge on a plate, which plate is joined to one of the projections. With this arrangement the closing movement takes place by driving an operating rod upwards in a forcible manner, that is to say if any parts come between the projections during this closing movement said parts will be pinched. Release takes place by gravity, which is precisely the converse of the method in the present application.
According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, such engagement is realised in only one direction, that is to say the opening direction, in that the motor is provided with an abutment element which during opening comes into contact with the contact surface of the operating rod. Such a contact can be removed during the withdrawal movement if an article, such as a part of the body, is inserted.
The locking means can be any construction known from the prior art. Preferably, however, said locking means consist of a locking lip which can be made to engage with a raised part provided on the operating rod, which locking lip can preferably be operated by the motor means. As a result it is not necessary to fit a separate control unit for the locking means.
These motor means can comprise any construction known from the prior art, such as coils, hydraulic and/or pneumatic constructions. According to an advantageous embodiment, however, said motor means consist of a rotary motor provided with a connecting rod mechanism, it being possible to bring the free end of the connecting rod into contact with the contact surface of the operating rod. A relatively large force can be transmitted in this way. A relatively appreciable force is important if a number of the devices described above have been brought together to form an assembly. The devices are preferably operated by a common motor.
In such a case the motor can have an appreciable power and it would be conceivable under certain particularly adverse conditions for potential customers to become pinched during opening.
According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the effect thereof is limited in that the operating rod comprises a part which is joined to the projections and that part is resiliently connected to a part engaging on the motor means in such a way that if the force produced by the motor means exceeds a certain threshold said two parts move relative to one another, as a result of which the movement of the motor means is not transmitted, or is transmitted to a lesser extent, to the part joined to the projections.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4805781 (1989-02-01), Tegel
patent: 4930740 (1990-06-01), Vogt
patent: 5178283 (1993-01-01), Ennis
patent: 5559567 (1996-09-01), Kolton et al.
patent: 5864924 (1999-02-01), Rodriguez
patent: 246 702 (1987-11-01), None
patent: 2 648 030 (1990-12-01), None
Chin-Shue Alvin
Purol Sarah
Sughrue Mion Zinn Macpeak & Seas, PLLC
Top Vision Group B.V.
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