Cabinet lock for use with programmable electronic key

Abstract

A cabinet lock for protecting merchandise within a merchandise display cabinet having an inner door and an outer door. The cabinet lock includes a strike plate affixed to the inner door and a lock housing affixed to the outer door such that the cabinet is in a locked configuration that prevents access to the merchandise when the lock housing is operably engaged to the strike plate. A programmable electronic key communicates a security code with the cabinet lock and transfers electrical power to the cabinet lock to operate a lock mechanism between the locked configuration and an unlocked configuration. An indicator is provided for indicating whether the cabinet lock is in the locked configuration or the unlocked configuration. The indicator includes a first segment and a second segment that can be energized to visually indicate the status of the cabinet lock.

That which is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A merchandise security device for protecting merchandise from theft, the merchandise security device comprising:
 a lock housing adapted to be affixed to a merchandise fixture, the lock housing comprising a lock mechanism; and   a strike plate configured to be affixed to the merchandise fixture, the lock mechanism configured to operably engage the strike plate in the locked configuration,   wherein the lock mechanism is configured to receive electrical power from an electronic key to operate the lock mechanism between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration.   
     
     
         2 . The merchandise security device of  claim 1 , wherein the lock mechanism is electrically passive. 
     
     
         3 . The merchandise security device of  claim 1 , further comprising an indicator for indicating a state of the lock mechanism. 
     
     
         4 . The merchandise security device of  claim 1 , wherein the strike plate has an opening formed therein, and wherein the lock mechanism is configured to extend into engagement with the opening in the locked configuration and to retract out of engagement with the opening in the unlocked configuration. 
     
     
         5 . The merchandise security device of  claim 1 , wherein the lock housing and the strike plate are each configured to be affixed to a cabinet lock, a door lock, a drawer lock, a shelf lock, or a two-piece locking device. 
     
     
         6 . The merchandise security device of  claim 1 , wherein the lock housing and the strike plate are each configured to be affixed to the merchandise fixture without the need to provide a hole, an opening, or a recess in or through the merchandise fixture. 
     
     
         7 . A merchandise security device of  claim 1 , wherein the strike plate is configured to be affixed to a first piece of a two-piece locking device, and wherein the lock housing is configured to be affixed to a second piece of the two-piece locking device and to be operably coupled with the strike plate in the locked configuration. 
     
     
         8 . A merchandise security device of  claim 7 , wherein the strike plate comprises a strap that is configured to extend from a first surface of the first piece to an opposite second surface of the first piece and is configured to be form around an edge of the first piece, and wherein the strap is configured to be affixed to at least the second surface of the first piece. 
     
     
         9 . A merchandise security device of  claim 8 , wherein the strap of the strike plate is made of a metal sheet having one or more through reliefs such that the strap is configured to be formed around the edge of the first piece of the two-piece locking device. 
     
     
         10 . The merchandise security device of  claim 1 , wherein the lock housing does not comprise an internal source of electrical power or means for generating or storing potential energy for operating the lock mechanism. 
     
     
         11 . The merchandise security device of  claim 1 , wherein each of the lock housing and the strike plate are affixed to the merchandise fixture with a pressure-sensitive adhesive. 
     
     
         12 . The merchandise security device of  claim 1 , further comprising an electronic key configured to transfer electrical power to the lock housing to operate the lock mechanism between the unlocked configuration and the locked configuration. 
     
     
         13 . The merchandise security device of  claim 12 , wherein the electronic key is configured to transfer electrical power to the lock housing by inductive transfer. 
     
     
         14 . The merchandise security device of  claim 12 , wherein the electronic key is programmed with a security code and is configured to communicate the security code with the lock housing by wireless communication. 
     
     
         15 . The merchandise security device of  claim 14 , wherein the electronic key is configured to communicate the security code with the lock housing by infrared (IR) optical transmission. 
     
     
         16 . The merchandise security device of  claim 1 , wherein the lock housing further comprises a motor configured to extend and retract the lock mechanism. 
     
     
         17 . A method for protecting merchandise from theft, the method comprising:
 affixing a lock housing to a merchandise fixture, the lock housing comprising a lock mechanism;   affixing a strike plate to the merchandise fixture, the lock mechanism configured to operably engage the strike plate in the locked configuration; and   activating an electronic key to transfer electrical power to the lock mechanism for operating the lock mechanism between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein affixing each of the lock housing and the strike plate to the merchandise fixture comprises affixing without the need to provide a hole, an opening, or a recess in or through the merchandise fixture. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein affixing each of the lock housing and the strike plate to the merchandise fixture comprises affixing with a pressure-sensitive adhesive. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein affixing each of the lock housing and the strike plate to the merchandise fixture comprises affixing to a cabinet lock, a door lock, a drawer lock, a shelf lock, or a two-piece locking device.