US-12622535-B2 - Merchandise access gate and retail merchandise display including merchandise access gate

US12622535B2US 12622535 B2US12622535 B2US 12622535B2US-12622535-B2

Abstract

An access gate assembly for a retail merchandise display has a frame defining a product storage region. The access gate includes a mounting frame and a door. The mounting frame is configured to be attached to a frame of a retail merchandise display adjacent the product storage region. The mounting frame includes a door mounting member. The door includes a main panel having a front side and a rear side opposite the front side. The door includes a first door mount attached to the main panel. The first door mount has a first mounting hook having a mounting slot including an open mouth facing in a rearward direction sized to receive a portion of the door mounting member into the mounting slot and permitting the first door mount to rotate about the door mounting member.

Inventors

Shane Obitts
Khalid Musa Abu-Shalback
Keith C Eden

Assignees

Shane Obitts
Khalid Musa Abu-Shalback
Keith C Eden

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20230308

Claims (20)

1 . An access gate assembly for a retail merchandise display having a frame defining a product storage region, the access gate comprising: a mounting frame configured to be attached to a frame of a retail merchandise display adjacent the product storage region, the mounting frame including a door mounting member; a door having: a main panel having a front side and a rear side opposite the front side; a first door mount attached to the main panel, the first door mount having a first mounting hook having a mounting slot including an open mouth facing in a rearward direction sized to receive a portion of the door mounting member into the mounting slot and permitting the first door mount to rotate about the door mounting member; and a U-shaped spring clip that attaches to the first mounting hook preventing the first mounting hook from being removed from the door mounting member.
2 . The access gate assembly of claim 1 , wherein the spring clip is attachable to the first mounting hook from the front side of the main panel.
3 . The access gate assembly of claim 1 , wherein the main panel has a top side, the first door mount extending outward from the top side of the main panel.
4 . The access gate assembly of claim 1 , wherein the main panel has an adjustable height, the height being perpendicular to an axis defined by the door mounting member about which the first mounting hook rotates.
5 . The access gate assembly of claim 1 , wherein: the mounting slot includes a first portion extending along a first axis, the first portion including the mouth; the mounting slot includes a second portion connected to the first portion, the second portion extending along a second axis that is non-parallel to the first axis such that at least part of the second portion is offset from the first portion, the second portion being offset forward of the mouth; the door mounting member being located within the second portion in an assembled state.
6 . The access gate assembly of claim 1 , wherein the clip has spaced apart opposed and connected legs, each leg having a connection tab extending inward, the connection tab engaging an inner side of the first door mount to secure the clip to the first door mount.
7 . The access gate assembly of claim 6 , wherein at least one of the connection tabs extends across and blocks at least a portion of the mouth of the mounting slot.
8 . The access gate of claim 5 , wherein the first mounting hook is mounted to the door mounting member by moving the door mounting member within the first portion of the mounting slot relative to the first mounting hook along the first axis in a forward direction and then moving the door mounting member within the second portion of the mounting slot relative to the first mounting hook along the second axis away from the first axis and away from the main panel.
9 . The access gate assembly of claim 1 , wherein the portion of the door mounting member received in the mounting slot has a round periphery.
10 . An access gate assembly for a retail merchandise display having a frame defining a product storage region, the access gate comprising: a mounting frame configured to be attached to a frame of a retail merchandise display adjacent the product storage region, the mounting frame including a door mounting member; a door having: a main panel having a front side and a rear side opposite the front side; a first door mount attached to the main panel, the first door mount having a first mounting hook having a mounting slot including an open mouth facing in a rearward direction sized to receive a portion of the door mounting member into the mounting slot and permitting the first door mount to rotate about the door mounting member, the mounting slot including a first portion extending along a first axis, the first portion including the mouth, the mounting slot including a second portion connected to the first portion, the second portion extending along a second axis that is non-parallel to the first axis such that at least part of the second portion is offset from the first portion, the second portion being offset forward of the mouth, the door mounting member being located within the second portion in an assembled state; a locking clip attached to the first mounting hook, the locking clip preventing the door mounting member from moving along the second axis within the second portion of the mounting slot to the first portion of the of the mounting slot; wherein: the first mounting hook is mounted to the door mounting member by moving the door mounting member within the first portion of the mounting slot relative to the first mounting hook along the first axis in a forward direction and then moving the door mounting member within the second portion of the mounting slot relative to the first mounting hook along the second axis away from the first axis and away from the main panel.
11 . An access gate assembly for a retail merchandise display having a frame defining a product storage region, the access gate comprising: a mounting frame configured to be attached to a frame of a retail merchandise display adjacent the product storage region, the mounting frame including a door mounting member; a door having: a main panel having a front side and a rear side opposite the front side; a first door mount attached to the main panel, the first door mount having a first mounting hook having a mounting slot including an open mouth facing in a rearward direction sized to receive a portion of the door mounting member into the mounting slot and permitting the first door mount to rotate about the door mounting member; and wherein the mounting frame includes: a first frame rail member having a front panel, the door mounting member mounted adjacent the first frame rail member and rearward of the front panel, the front panel defining a cutout region exposing the portion of the door mounting member to which the first mounting hook is attached, the first mounting hook located within the cutout region when mounted to the door mounting member.
12 . The access gate assembly of claim 11 , wherein the door includes a second door mount attached to the main panel, the second door mount having a first mounting hook having an open mouth facing in a rearward direction sized to receive a portion of the door mounting member therein and permitting the second door mount to rotate about the door mounting member.
13 . The access gate assembly of claim 11 , wherein: the first frame rail member includes a top panel that extends rearward from the front panel, the front panel and top panel forming an L-shaped member; the top panel preventing insertion of the door mounting member into the mouth of the mounting slot unless the first mounting hook is oriented such that an insertion axis of the mouth of the mounting slot is non-parallel to the top panel and the mouth is directed towards the top panel.
14 . The access gate assembly of claim 11 , wherein: the main panel hangs in a generally vertical orientation when mounted to the door mounting member; and the top panel prevents the first mounting hook to be mounted to the door mounting member with the main panel in the generally vertical orientation.
15 . An access gate assembly for a retail merchandise display having a frame defining a product storage region, the access gate comprising: a mounting frame configured to be attached to a frame of a retail merchandise display adjacent the product storage region, the mounting frame including a door mounting member; a door having: a main panel having a front side and a rear side opposite the front side; a first door mount attached to the main panel, the first door mount having a first mounting hook having a mounting slot including an open mouth facing in a rearward direction sized to receive a portion of the door mounting member into the mounting slot and permitting the first door mount to rotate about the door mounting member; wherein: the mounting frame includes a frame top rail, a frame bottom rail spaced apart from the frame top rail, a first frame side rail extending between the frame top and frame bottom rails and a second frame side rail extending between the frame top and frame bottom rails and being spaced apart from the first frame side rail; and the length of the first and second frame side rails being adjustable to allow for adjustable spacing of the frame top and frame bottom rails.
16 . The access gate assembly of claim 15 , wherein the main panel has a first panel portion and a second panel portion, the first panel portion being movable relative to the second panel portion to adjust a height of the main panel.
17 . The access gate assembly of claim 16 , wherein: the main panel includes a panel frame, the panel frame includes a panel top rail, a panel bottom rail spaced apart from the panel top rail, a first panel side rail extending between the panel top and panel bottom rails and a second panel side rail extending between the panel top and panel bottom rails and being spaced apart from the first panel side rail; and the length of the first and second panel side rails is adjustable to allow for adjustable spacing of the panel top and panel bottom rails; the first panel portion is fixed relative to the panel top rail; the second panel portion being fixed relative to the panel bottom rail such that adjusting the spacing of the panel top and panel bottom rails adjusts the relative positions of the first and second panel portions.
18 . An access gate assembly for a retail merchandise display having a frame defining a product storage region, the access gate comprising: a mounting frame configured to be attached to a frame of a retail merchandise display adjacent the product storage region, the mounting frame including a door mounting member; a door having: a main panel having a front side and a rear side opposite the front side; a first door mount attached to the main panel, the first door mount having a first mounting hook having a mounting slot including an open mouth facing in a rearward direction sized to receive a portion of the door mounting member into the mounting slot and permitting the first door mount to rotate about the door mounting member; a latch arrangement including a latch having a cam surface carried by the door, the mounting frame having a strike region; the cam surface being tapered to drive the latch upward when contacting the strike and to permit passage of the latch when the door swings about the door mounting member in an inward direction, the latch abutting the strike when the door swings about the door mounting member in an outward direction and preventing further motion in the outward direction.
19 . The access gate assembly of claim 18 , further comprising a clip attached to the first mounting hook, the clip securing the first mounting hook to the door mounting member and preventing the door mounting member from being removed from the mounting slot.
20 . The access gate assembly of claim 18 , wherein the latch is biased toward an extended position and is compressed to a compressed position when the cam surface slides along and contacts the strike region; the latch being driveable against the biasing to move the latch to permit the latch to swing past the strike region in the outward direction.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/319,661, filed Mar. 14, 2022, the entire teachings and disclosure of which are incorporated herein by reference thereto. FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention generally relates to retail merchandise displays. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Many devices are used to prevent or inhibit theft of retail merchandise from retail merchandise displays. For example, electronic tags can be added to product, product can be locked to peg hooks, product can be stored in display cases, etc. The present disclosure provides improvements in devices for securing retail merchandise in a retail merchandise display that includes gondola shelving or racking shelve systems. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In an example, an access gate assembly for a retail merchandise display having a frame defining a product storage region is provided. The access gate includes a mounting frame and a door. The mounting frame is configured to be attached to a frame of a retail merchandise display adjacent the product storage region. The mounting frame includes a door mounting member. The door includes a main panel having a front side and a rear side opposite the front side. The door includes a first door mount attached to the main panel. The first door mount has a first mounting hook having a mounting slot including an open mouth facing in a rearward direction sized to receive a portion of the door mounting member into the mounting slot and permitting the first door mount to rotate about the door mounting member. In one example, the door includes a second door mount attached to the main panel. The second door mount has a first mounting hook having an open mouth facing in a rearward direction sized to receive a portion of the door mounting member therein and permitting the second door mount to rotate about the door mounting member. In one example, a U-shaped spring clip attaches to the first mounting hook preventing the first mounting hook from being removed from the door mounting member. In one example, the spring clip is attachable to the first mounting hook from the front side of the main panel. In one example, the main panel has a top side. The first door mount extends outward from the top side of the main panel. In one example, the main panel has an adjustable height. The height is perpendicular to an axis defined by the door mounting member about which the first mounting hook rotates. In one example, the mounting slot includes a first portion extending along a first axis. The first portion includes the mouth. The mounting slot includes a second portion connected to the first portion. The second portion extends along a second axis that is non-parallel to the first axis such that at least part of the second portion is offset from the first portion. The second portion is offset forward of the mouth. The door mounting member is located within the second portion in an assembled state. In one example, a clip attaches to the first mounting hook. The clip secures the first mounting hook to the door mounting member and prevents the door mounting member from being removed from the mounting slot. In one example, the clip is U-shaped having spaced apart opposed and connected legs. Each leg has a connection tab extending inward. The connection tab engages an inner side of the first door mount to secure the clip to the first door mount. In one example, the connection tab is proximate the distal ends of the legs, e.g. the end opposite where the two legs are connected to one another. In one example, at least one of the connection tabs extends across and blocks at least a portion of the mouth of the mounting slot. In one example, the first mounting hook is mounted to the door mounting member by moving the door mounting member within the first portion of the mounting slot relative to the first mounting hook along the first axis in a forward direction and then moving the door mounting member within the second portion of the mounting slot relative to the first mounting hook along the second axis away from the first axis and away from the main panel. In one example, a locking clip attaches to the first mounting hook. The locking clip prevents the door mounting member from moving along the second axis within the second portion of the mounting slot to the first portion of the of the mounting slot. In one example, the portion of the door mounting member received in the mounting slot has a round periphery. In one example, the mounting frame includes a first frame rail member having a front panel. The door mounting member is mounted adjacent the first frame rail member and rearward of the front panel. The front panel defines a cutout region exposing the portion of the door mounting member to which the first mounting hook is attached. The first mounting hook is located within the cutout region when mounted to the door mounting member. In on