Alarm tag for an electronic article surveillance system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An antitheft tag for use in an electronic article surveillance system, comprising:
- tag housing means;
piezoelectric means attached to said tag housing means in a way such that a force applied to said tag housing means is mechanically coupled to said piezoelectric means, said piezoelectric means generating an electrical signal in response to said mechanically coupled force and comprising a piezoelectric film; and
alarm detection means for generating an alarm indication in response to said electrical signal generated by said piezoelectric means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic article surveillance tag which is responsive to forces applied to the tag'"'"'s housing. The tag has a piezoelectric film which is attached to the tag housing in such a way that forces which are applied to the tag housing are mechanically coupled to the piezoelectric film. The piezoelectric film generates a voltage which is proportional to the forces mechanically coupled thereto. An alarm detecting means compares the voltage generated by the piezoelectric film with a predetermined reference voltage, and initiates an audible alarm when the voltage generated exceeds the predetermined reference voltage.
137 Citations
24 Claims
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1. An antitheft tag for use in an electronic article surveillance system, comprising:
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tag housing means; piezoelectric means attached to said tag housing means in a way such that a force applied to said tag housing means is mechanically coupled to said piezoelectric means, said piezoelectric means generating an electrical signal in response to said mechanically coupled force and comprising a piezoelectric film; and alarm detection means for generating an alarm indication in response to said electrical signal generated by said piezoelectric means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An antitheft tag for use in an electronic article surveillance system, comprising:
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tag housing means; piezoelectric means attached to said tag housing means in a way such that a force applied to said tag housing means is mechanically coupled to said piezoelectric means, said piezoelectric means generating an electrical signal in response to said mechanically coupled force; alarm detection means for generating an alarm indication in response to said electrical signal generated by said piezoelectric means; locking means for removably attaching said tag housing means to an article to be monitored, said locking means being attached to said housing means in such a way that a force applied to said locking means is mechanically coupled to said piezoelectric means; and said locking means comprises a retaining tack, a tack clip and locking member, said retaining tack being mechanically affixed to one of said tag housing means and said tack clip and said locking member attached to one of said tack slip and said tag housing means and said retaining tack being removably retained by said locking member.
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17. An electronic article surveillance system comprising:
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means for detecting the presence of an antitheft tag within an interrogation zone; an antitheft tag comprising; tag housing means; piezoelectric means attached to said tag housing means in a way such that a force applied to said tag housing means is mechanically coupled to said piezoelectric means, said piezoelectric means generating an electrical signal in response to said force and comprising a piezoelectric film; and alarm detection means for generating an alarm indication in response to said electrical signal generated by said piezoelectric means. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification