Anti-sweeping hook with integrated inventory monitoring and/or loss prevention functionality

Abstract

An anti-sweeping hook includes a display hook, a helical coil, and a rotating handle. The display hook may be substantially straight and has a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The helical coil is disposed about the display hook and extends along a lengthwise portion of the display hook. The helical coil has a first coil end proximate the first end of the display hook. Rotation of the helical coil in a first direction loads the retail merchandise onto the display hook. Rotation of the helical coil in a second direction opposite the first direction removes the retail merchandise from the display hook. The rotating handle is configured to determine a change in an amount of stored inventory based on the amount and direction of rotation of the rotating handle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An anti-sweeping hook comprising:
 a display hook for storing retail merchandise, the display hook being substantially straight and having a first end and a second end opposite the first end;   a helical coil disposed about the display hook and extending along a lengthwise portion of the display hook, the helical coil having a first coil end proximate the first end of the display hook, wherein rotation of the helical coil in a first direction loads the retail merchandise onto the display hook, and rotation of the helical coil in a second direction opposite the first direction removes the retail merchandise from the display hook;   a rotating handle attached to the first end and adjacent to the first end of the display hook and to the first coil end, wherein the rotating handle is configured to determine a change in an amount of stored inventory based on the amount and direction of rotation of the rotating handle.   
     
     
         2 . The anti-sweeping hook of  claim 1 , wherein a rotor and stator are disposed within a main housing of the rotating handle, and wherein the stator is configured to prevent rotation of the rotor and of the second contact in the second direction, and configured to allow rotation of the rotor in the first direction. 
     
     
         3 . The anti-sweeping hook of  claim 2 , wherein the stator is fixed relative to the display hook. 
     
     
         4 . The anti-sweeping hook of  claim 1 , wherein the rotating handle includes a circuit board with circuitry configured to count the electrical connections between the first contact and the pair of contacts carried by the rotating handle of the first circuit and to count the electrical connections between the second contact and the pair of contacts carried by the rotating handle of the second circuit. 
     
     
         5 . The anti-sweeping hook of  claim 4 , wherein the rotating handle includes a wireless communications module configured to transmit inventory data related to the amount of product stored on the display hook to a local or remotely-located receiving device. 
     
     
         6 . The anti-sweeping hook of  claim 5 , wherein the circuit board is configured to determine an amount of stored inventory based on a number of electrical connections made by first and second circuits located in the rotating handle. 
     
     
         7 . The anti-sweeping hook of  claim 6 , wherein the circuit board is configured to determine a change in the amount of stored inventory based on the number of electrical connections made by the first and second circuits. 
     
     
         8 . A method of determining a change in an amount of stored inventory on an anti-sweeping hook comprising:
 rotating a rotating handle of the anti-sweeping hook, the anti-sweeping hook including:
 a display hook configured for storing retail merchandise, the display hook having a first end and a second end opposite the first end; 
 a helical coil disposed about the display hook and extending along a lengthwise portion of the display hook, the helical coil having a first coil end proximate the first end of the display hook, wherein rotation of the helical coil in a first direction loads the retail merchandise onto the display hook, and rotation of the helical coil in a second direction opposite the first direction removes the retail merchandise from the display hook, the rotating handle being attached to the first coil end and adjacent to the first of the display hook; 
   determining a change in the amount of stored inventory by determining the amount of rotation of the rotating handle and direction of rotation of the rotating handle.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 disposing a rotor and a stator within a main housing of the rotating handle;   preventing, with the stator, rotation of the rotor in the second direction, and   allowing, with the stator, rotation of the rotor in the first direction.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the stator is fixed relative to the display hook. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 counting electrical connections between a first contact and a pair of contacts carried by the rotating handle; and   counting, via circuit board, the electrical connections between a second contact and the pair of contacts carried by the rotating handle.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the circuit board is configured to determine a change in the amount of stored inventory based on a number of electrical connections made by a first circuit and a second circuit. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein:
 counting the electrical connections between the first contact and the pair of contacts carried by the rotating handle is performed by circuitry on the circuit board, and   counting the electrical connections between the second contact and the pair of contacts carried by the rotating handle is performed by the circuitry on the circuit board.