Announcing the selection of merchandise at a point-of-purchase

摘要

An improvement in an apparatus and a method provide an audible signal for announcing a selection, by a purchaser, of an item of merchandise placed at a dispensing location at a point-of-purchase. An annunciator emits an audible signal of limited duration for announcing the selection. A motion-responsive activator is coupled with the annunciator for activating the annunciator to emit the audible signal in response to imparting an activating motion to the activator. A selection-responsive component is coupled with the activator and is movable in response to the purchaser making a selection at the dispensing location, to impart an activating motion to the activator and, consequently, to activate the annunciator to emit the audible signal of limited duration announcing the selection.

主权项

1. An improvement for deterring theft at an apparatus for displaying serially arranged items of merchandise advanced along a path of travel to a dispensing location at a point-of-purchase for selection and removal of an item of merchandise from the serially arranged items of merchandise, the improvement comprising:
an annunciator assembly mounted within the apparatus, the annunciator assembly including an annunciator for emitting an audible signal of limited duration upon activation of the annunciator; a motion-responsive activator coupled with the annunciator for activating the annunciator to emit the audible signal of limited duration in response to imparting an activating motion to the activator; and a selection-responsive component mounted upon the apparatus in juxtaposition with the path of travel and coupled with the activator, the selection-responsive component being movable upon selection and removal of an item of merchandise from the serially arranged items of merchandise to impart an activating motion to the activator and, consequently, activating the annunciator to emit the audible signal of limited duration announcing the selection and removal; wherein the selection-responsive component comprises an access door placed at the dispensing location, the access door being mounted for movement between a closed position, wherein access to a merchandise item at the dispensing location is precluded, and an open position, wherein access to the merchandise item at the dispensing location is permitted, at least the activator being mounted on the access door such that movement of the access door from the closed position to the open position to enable a selection and removal of the merchandise item at the dispensing location will impart a motion to the motion-responsive activator sufficient to activate the annunciator to emit the audible signal of limited duration announcing the selection.