Release techniques for a security tag

• US 20040239505A1
• Filed: 05/30/2003
• Published: 12/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tyco Fire & Security GmbH (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics Corporation (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Hogan, Dennis L., Valade, Franklin H. Jr., Chamberlain, John, Nguyen, Thang
• Granted Patent: US 7,023,348 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.9
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0017 Anti-theft devices, e.g. tags or monitors, fixed to articles, e.g. clothes, and to be removed at the check-out of shops
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0064 of the mechanical type
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2434 Tag housing and attachment details

Abstract

Techniques to release a security tag are described.

Claims

1. A security tag, comprising

a tag housing;

a tack body; and

a linear clamp disposed within said tag housing to retain said tack body, said linear clamp to move in a substantially linear direction in response to force to release said tack body from said linear clamp.

2. The security tag of claim 1, wherein said linear clamp comprises:

a clamp body having a slot at each end of said body;

a spring arm attached to a first edge of said clamp body; and

a tack retaining body to retain said tack body.

3. The security tag of claim 2, wherein said tack retaining body comprises a first jaw and a second jaw, with each jaw terminating in spaced facing edges, said spaced facing edges forming an aperture and a jaw open area in said clamp body.

4. The security tag of claim 3, wherein said jaws extend from a common first edge of said clamp body.

5. The security tag of claim 3, wherein said jaws are integrally formed with said clamp body.

6. The security tag of claim 3, wherein said aperture has a predetermined size to receive and retain said tack body, and a release section to allow said tack body to move into said jaw open area in response to said force.

7. The security tag of claim 6, wherein said jaws move in response to said force and allow said tack body to move into said jaw open area through said release section.

8. The security tag of claim 3, wherein a side of said clamp body forms a first plane, and a side of said tack retaining body forms a second plane substantially parallel to said first plane.

9. The security tag of claim 3, wherein a first portion of said spaced facing edges are curved to form a substantially circular aperture.

10. The security tag of claim 3, wherein a second portion of said spaced facing edges are straight to form said jaw open area, with a first distance between a first end of said jaw open area being less than a second distance between a second end of said jaw open area.

11. The security tag of claim 2, wherein each slot is substantially perpendicular to a first plane of said clamp body, and substantially parallel to each other in said linear direction.

12. The security tag of claim 11, wherein said tag housing comprises a top half and a bottom half, and said bottom half includes a set of guide rails corresponding to said slots to receive said slots and allow movement in said linear direction.

13. The security tag of claim 2, wherein said spring arm moves from a first position to a second position in response to said force, and moves from said second position to said first position when said force terminates.

14. The security tag of claim 2, wherein said spring arm comprises:

a spring arm body that extends along a first edge of said clamp body; and

a curved joint joining said spring arm body to one end of said clamp body.

15. The security tag of claim 3, further comprising a first interface element to assist moving said linear clamp in said linear direction.

16. The security tag of claim 15, wherein said linear clamp body includes a second edge that is substantially flat.

17. The security tag of claim 16, wherein said first interface element comprises a first side that is substantially flat with a curved portion integrally formed thereon, said first interface element being disposed within said tag body so that said first side is normal to said second edge and said curved portion corresponds to said jaw open area, with said first interface element being constrained by said tag body except for movement from a first position to a second position against said second edge in response to said force.

18. The security tag of claim 17, wherein said first interface element receives force and moves from said first position to said second position toward said second edge to contact said curved portion across said jaw open area thereby moving said linear clamp in said linear direction.

19. The security tag of claim 18, wherein said first interface element moves from said second position to said first position when said force is terminated.

20. The security tag of claim 3, further comprising a second interface element to assist moving said linear clamp in said linear direction.

21. The security tag of claim 20, wherein said linear clamp body includes a second edge that is substantially flat.

22. The security tag of claim 21, wherein said second interface element comprises a first side that is substantially flat with a curved portion integrally formed at a first end and a pivot element at a second end, said second interface element being disposed within said tag body so that said first side is normal to said second edge and said curved portion corresponds to said jaw open area, with said second interface element being constrained by said tag body except for movement from a first position to a second position against said second edge in response to said force.

23. The security tag of claim 22, wherein said second interface element receives force and moves from said first position to said second position toward said second edge to contact said curved portion across said jaw open area thereby moving said linear clamp in said linear direction.

24. The security tag of claim 23, wherein said second interface element moves from said second position to said first position when said force is terminated.

25. The security tag of claim 3, further comprising a third interface element to assist moving said linear clamp in said linear direction.

26. The security tag of claim 25, wherein said linear clamp body includes a second edge that is substantially flat.

27. The security tag of claim 26, wherein said third interface element comprises a first side that is substantially flat, said third interface element having a first section and a second section with a curved portion between said sections, said third interface element being disposed within said tag body so that said first section is normal to said second edge, said curved portion corresponds to said jaw open area, and said second section forms an angle with said second edge, with said third interface element being constrained by said tag body except for movement from a first position to a second position against said second edge in response to said force.

28. The security tag of claim 27, wherein said third interface element receives force and moves from said first position to said second position toward said second edge to contact said curved portion across said jaw open area thereby moving said linear clamp in said linear direction.

29. The security tag of claim 28, wherein said third interface element moves from said second position to said first position when said force is terminated.

30. The security tag of claim 3, further comprising a fourth interface element to assist moving said linear clamp in said linear direction.

31. The security tag of claim 30, wherein said linear clamp body includes a second edge that is substantially flat.

32. The security tag of claim 31, wherein said fourth interface element comprises a first side that is substantially flat and disposed within said tag body so that said first side is normal to said second edge, with said fourth interface element being constrained by said tag body except for movement from a first position to a second position around a pivot axis and against said second edge in response to said force.

33. The security tag of claim 32, wherein said fourth interface element receives force and moves from said first position to said second position around said pivot point to contact said second edge thereby moving said linear clamp in said linear direction.

34. The security tag of claim 33, wherein said fourth interface element moves from said second position to said first position around said pivot point when said force is terminated.

35. The security tag of claim 10, further comprising a bridge across said jaw open area.

36. The security tag of claim 35, further comprising a fifth interface element to assist moving said linear clamp in said linear direction.

37. The security tag of claim 36, wherein said linear clamp body includes a second edge that is substantially flat.

38. The security tag of claim 37, wherein said fifth interface element comprises a first side that is substantially flat, said fifth interface element having a first section and a second section, said fifth interface element being disposed within said tag body so that said first section is normal to said second edge, and said second section forms an angle with said second edge, with said third interface element being constrained by said tag body except for movement from a first position to a second position against said bridge in response to said force.

39. The security tag of claim 38, wherein said fifth interface element receives force and moves from said first position to said second position toward said second edge to contact said bridge thereby moving said linear clamp in said linear direction.

40. The security tag of claim 39, wherein said third interface element moves from said second position to said first position when said force is terminated.

41. The security tag of claim 35, further comprising a sixth interface element to assist moving said linear clamp in said linear direction.

42. The security tag of claim 41, wherein said linear clamp body includes a second edge that is substantially flat.

43. The security tag of claim 42, wherein said sixth interface element comprises a first side that is substantially flat with a first end and a pivot element at a second end, said sixth interface element being disposed within said tag body so that said first side is normal to said second edge and said first end corresponds to said bridge, with said second interface element being constrained by said tag body except for movement from a first position to a second position against said bridge in response to said force.

44. The security tag of claim 43, wherein said sixth interface element receives force and moves from said first position to said second position toward said second edge to contact said bridge thereby moving said linear clamp in said linear direction.

45. The security tag of claim 44, wherein said sixth interface element moves from said second position to said first position when said force is terminated.

46. The security tag of claim 35, further comprising a seventh interface element to assist moving said linear clamp in said linear direction.

47. The security tag of claim 46, wherein said linear clamp body includes a second edge that is substantially flat.

48. The security tag of claim 47, wherein said seventh interface element comprises a first side that is substantially flat, with said seventh interface element being disposed within said tag body so that said first side is normal to said second edge, and said seventh interface element being constrained by said tag body except for movement from a first position to a second position against said bridge in response to said force.

49. The security tag of claim 48, wherein said seventh interface element receives force and moves from said first position to said second position toward said second edge to contact said bridge thereby moving said linear clamp in said linear direction.

50. The security tag of claim 49, wherein said seventh interface element moves from said second position to said first position when said force is terminated.

51. A linear clamp for a security tag, comprising:

a clamp body having slots at each end of said body;

a spring arm attached to a first edge of said clamp body; and

a tack retaining body to retain a tack body.

52. The security tag of claim 51, wherein each slot is substantially perpendicular to a first plane of said clamp body, and substantially parallel to each other in said linear direction.

53. The security tag of claim 52, wherein said slots correspond to a set of guide rails to receive said slots and assist movement in said linear direction.

54. The linear clamp of claim 51, wherein said tack retaining body comprises a first jaw and a second jaw, with each jaw terminating in spaced facing edges, said spaced facing edges forming an aperture and a jaw open area in said clamp body.

55. The linear clamp of claim 54, wherein said jaws extend from a common first edge of said clamp body.

56. The linear clamp of claim 54, wherein said aperture has a predetermined size to receive and retain said tack body, and a release section to allow said tack body to move into said jaw open area in response to said force.

57. The linear clamp of claim 56, wherein said jaws move in response to said force and allow said tack body to move into said jaw open area through said release section.

58. The linear clamp of claim 57, wherein a side of said clamp body forms a first plane, and a side of said tack retaining body forms a second plane substantially parallel to said first plane.

59. The linear clamp of claim 54, wherein a first portion of said spaced facing edges are curved to form a substantially circular aperture.

60. The linear clamp of claim 54, wherein a second portion of said spaced facing edges are straight to form said jaw open area, with a first distance between a first end of said jaw open area being less than a second distance between a second end of said jaw open area.

61. The linear clamp of claim 51, wherein said spring arm moves from a first position to a second position in response to said force, and moves from said second position to said first position when said force terminates.

62. The linear clamp of claim 51, wherein said spring arm comprises:

a spring arm body that extends along a first edge of said clamp body; and

a curved joint joining said spring arm body to one end of said clamp body.

63. The security tag of claim 60, further comprising a bridge across said jaw open area.

64. A security system, comprising:

a security tag having a linear clamp;

a monitoring system to detect said security tag; and

an alert system to communicate an alert if said monitoring system detects said security tag.

65. The security system of claim 64, further comprising a detachment device to detach said security tag from an item;

66. The security system of claim 65, wherein said detachment device includes a detachment probe.

67. The security system of claim 66, wherein said detachment probe is an arcuate probe.

68. The security system of claim 67, wherein said security tag further comprises a tag housing and a tack body, with said linear clamp disposed within said tag housing to retain said tack body, and said linear clamp to move in a substantially linear direction in response to force provided by said arcuate probe to release said tack body from said linear clamp.

69. The security system of claim 68, wherein said tag housing includes an arcuate channel to receive said arcuate probe.