Security tag attachment

• US 5,208,580 A
• Filed: 12/20/1990
• Issued: 05/04/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Esselte METO International Produktions GmbH
• Original Assignee: Esselte METO International Produktions GmbH
• Inventors: Crossfield, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ng, Jin F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Oda, Christine K.
• Application Number:
  US07/631,248
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 340/568, 340/571, 340/572, 439/37, 439/511, 439/507, 24/704.1, 24/706.1, 70/57.1
• US Class Current: 340/571
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 45/06 Electric alarm locks E05B45/005 takes precedence
• 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: G08B 13/2434 Tag housing and attachment details
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5004 For antitheft signaling device on protected article

Abstract

An attachment device for a security or antipilferage tag, and a combination of such a device with the tag. The attachment device comprises a cap having an upper surface and a lower surface, and a pair of electrically conductive pins depending from the lower surface, and an electrical conductor within the body of said cap which makes an electrical connection between the pair of pins. The tag forming one element of the combined tag and attachment device includes a first opening adapted to receive one of the pins and to permit electrical contact between the one pin and a first part of the electrical circuit within the tag, and a second opening adapted to receive the other of the pair of pins and to permit electrical contact between the other pin and a further part of the electrical circuit within the tag. Unauthorised removal of the attachment device from the tag results in the generation of an alarm signal.

Claims

1. A security or antipilferage tag and means for attaching the tag to an article of merchandise, wherein the tag comprises an electrical circuit including means for generating an alarm signal under predetermined conditions, and wherein the attachment means is shaped so as to fit against a surface region of the tag whereby a portion of the article of merchandise is clamped between the tag and the attachment means, thereby retaining the tag on the article of merchandise, the attachment means comprising a generally circular cap having an upper surface and a lower surface, and a pair of pins depending from said lower surface of the cap, wherein (a) each of said pins is electrically conductive or includes within it an electrically conductive pathway;

(b) an electrical conductor is provided within the body of said cap which makes an electrical connection between the pair of pins;

(c) one of said pair of pins is located at the center of the lower surface of said cap and the other of said pair of pins is located intermediate the center of the cap and the periphery thereof; and

(d) the tag includes a first opening in the form of a centrally located pin hole orifice adapted to receive the central pin of said attachment means and to permit electrical contact between said central pin and a first component of the electrical circuit within the tag, and a second opening in the form of an annular channel adapted to receive the other of said pair of pins of said attachment means and to permit electrical contact between said other pin and a further component of the electrical circuit within the tag.

2. A tag with attachment means as claimed in claim 1, further characterized in that said annular channel includes an inward-facing, electrically conductive `O`-ring seal which, in use, is contacted by the other of said pair of pins.

3. A tag with attachment means as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the tag includes a magnetic clamping element located at the lower extremity of said pin hole orifice and arranged to receive and to hold tightly the lower end of the centrally located one of the pair of pins, (said magnetic clamping element thereby constituting said first component or part of the electrical circuit within the tag).

4. A tag with attachment means as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the electrical circuit within the tag is arranged to generate an alarm signal when a connection between said first component and said further component is broken.