Merchandise display hook having interlocking time delay arms

Abstract

A display hook for supporting items of merchandise includes a rod assembly and a pair of mechanically interlocked time delay arms medially disposed on the rod assembly. The time delay arms are sequentially movable to permit a potential purchaser to manipulate an item beyond the time delay arms for removal from the display hook. The time delay arms include a guide tube slidingly disposed on the rod assembly, a first arm rotatably mounted on the guide tube and a second arm spaced outwardly from the first arm and fixedly mounted on the guide tube. The first arm is spaced-apart from the second arm sufficiently to permit at least one of the items to be disposed between the arms. The first arm has a circumferentially extending groove and the guide tube has a key that cooperates with the groove to permit limited rotation between the guide tube and the first arm.

1 . A display hook for supporting items of merchandise, comprising:
 a rod assembly; and   a pair of time delay arms medially disposed and spaced-apart on the rod assembly, the time delay arms being sequentially movable to permit a potential purchaser to manipulate at least one of the items of merchandise beyond the time delay arms for removal from the display hook.   
   
   
       2 . A display hook according to  claim 1 , wherein the time delay arms comprise a guide tube slidingly disposed on the rod assembly, a first arm rotatably mounted on the guide tube, and a second arm disposed outwardly from the first arm and fixedly mounted on the guide tube. 
   
   
       3 . A display hook according to  claim 2 , wherein the first arm is positioned on the rod assembly at a preselected medial position and is spaced-apart from the second arm sufficiently to permit at least one of the items of merchandise to be disposed between the first arm and the second arm. 
   
   
       4 . A display hook according to  claim 2 , wherein one of the guide tube and the first arm has a circumferentially extending groove formed therein and the other one of the guide tube and the first arm has a key formed thereon that cooperates with the groove to permit limited rotation between the guide tube and the first arm. 
   
   
       5 . A display hook according to  claim 4 , wherein the groove and the key permit limited rotation of the first arm relative to the guide tube about a longitudinal axis defined by the rod assembly between about 60 degrees and about 100 degrees. 
   
   
       6 . A display hook according to  claim 4 , wherein the second arm has a notch formed therein that cooperates with the key to fix the second arm on the guide tube such that the first arm and the second arm are mechanically interlocked and constrained to rotate relative to one another by the limited rotation defined by the groove and the key. 
   
   
       7 . A display hook according to  claim 2 , wherein the rod assembly comprises a guide rod and a support rod vertically spaced-apart from the guide rod a predetermined distance and wherein the guide tube is slidingly disposed on the guide rod. 
   
   
       8 . A display hook according to  claim 2 , wherein the guide tube has a plurality of notches formed therein and the first arm is configured to receive a magnetic key for releasably locking the first arm within one of the notches of the guide tube. 
   
   
       9 . A display hook according to  claim 8 , wherein the first arm comprises a locking member that is biased towards the guide tube by a biasing element to lock the first arm within the notch of the guide tube. 
   
   
       10 . A display hook according to  claim 1 , further comprising a lockable base disposed on the rod assembly. 
   
   
       11 . A display hook according to  claim 10 , further comprising a label holder affixed to a free end of the rod assembly. 
   
   
       12 . A display hook according to  claim 1 , further comprising an anti-sweep feature disposed adjacent a free end of the rod assembly. 
   
   
       13 . A display hook for supporting items of merchandise on a display structure, comprising:
 a rod assembly adapted for mounting to the display structure; and   a time delay assembly medially disposed on the rod assembly, the time delay assembly comprising mechanically interlocked time delay arms constrained to rotate relative to one another through a predetermined angle so as to increase the time required to manipulate one or more of the items of merchandise beyond the time delay assembly and thereby prevent rapid removal of the items of merchandise from the display hook.   
   
   
       14 . A display hook according to  claim 13 , wherein the rod assembly comprises a guide rod and a support rod vertically spaced-apart from the guide rod a predetermined distance. 
   
   
       15 . A display hook according to  claim 13 , wherein the time delay assembly comprises a guide tube slidingly disposed on the rod assembly, a first arm rotatably mounted on the guide tube, and a second arm spaced outwardly from the first arm and fixedly mounted on the guide tube. 
   
   
       16 . A display hook according to  claim 15 , wherein the first arm has a circumferentially extending groove formed therein and the guide tube has a key formed thereon that is received within the groove to permit relative rotation between the first arm and the guide tube. 
   
   
       17 . A display hook according to  claim 16 , wherein the second arm has a notch formed therein that cooperates with the key formed on the guide tube to fix the second arm on the guide tube such that the first arm and the second arm are mechanically interlocked and constrained to rotate relative to one another by the limited rotation defined by the groove and the key. 
   
   
       18 . A display hook according to  claim 15 , wherein the guide tube has a plurality of notches formed therein and the first arm is configured to receive a magnetic key for releasably locking the first arm within one of the notches of the guide tube, the first arm comprising a locking member having a projection that is biased towards the guide tube by a biasing element to lock the first arm within one of the plurality of notches on the guide tube. 
   
   
       19 . A method for preventing the rapid removal of items of merchandise from a display hook, comprising:
 providing a display hook for supporting the items of merchandise on a display structure, the display hook comprising a rod assembly and a time delay assembly medially disposed on the rod assembly, the time delay assembly including at least a first arm and a second arm spaced outwardly on the rod assembly from the first arm;   positioning the time delay assembly on the rod assembly of the display hook with the first arm disposed outwardly of the items of merchandise in an initial orientation;   rotating the first arm relative to the second arm about a longitudinal axis defined by the rod assembly sufficiently to position at least one of the items of merchandise on the rod assembly between the first arm and the outwardly spaced second arm;   rotating the first arm relative to the second arm about the longitudinal axis back to the initial orientation;   rotating the second arm relative to the first arm about the longitudinal axis sufficiently to position the at least one item of merchandise on the rod assembly outwardly of the second arm; and   removing the at least one item of merchandise from the rod assembly of the display hook.   
   
   
       20 . A method according to  claim 19   wherein the time delay assembly comprises a guide tube slidingly disposed on the rod assembly, a first arm rotatably mounted on the guide tube, and a second arm spaced outwardly from the first arm and fixedly mounted on the guide tube;   wherein the first arm has a circumferentially extending groove formed therein and the guide tube has a key formed thereon that is received within the groove to permit relative rotation between the first arm and the guide tube; and   wherein the second arm has a notch formed therein that cooperates with the key formed on the guide tube to fix the second arm on the guide tube.