Article tag

• US 5,508,684 A
• Filed: 03/02/1995
• Issued: 04/16/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Becker, Richard S.
• Original Assignee: Becker, Richard S.
• Inventors: Becker, Richard S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout, Brent A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C.
• Application Number:
  US08/397,744
• Time in Patent Office: 411 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572, 340/573, 342/44, 361/765, 29/592.1
• US Class Current: 340/572.5
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/242 Tag deactivation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2437 Tag layered structure, processes for making layered tags
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2445 Tag integrated into item to be protected, e.g. source tagging
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

The tag circuit system uses resonant circuit technology in conjunction with an insulative substrate and conductive ink or metal conductor to permit the tag to be sewn into the clothing, protecting the circuit elements, yet providing a trace on a portion of the tag which can be clipped from the main portion of the tag to change the operation of the tag. The tag can be configured to resonate at a first frequency outside the frequency of detection, be clipped to resonate at the frequency of detection, and there after subjected to an over current condition to cause the circuit to fail to an open circuit condition to thence be disabled; or it may initially resonate at the detection frequency and then be clipped to an open circuit condition to thence be disabled. The circuit components may be formed of conductive ink or stamped from metal sheet enabling the tag to be inexpensive and to make the circuit components less prominent, particularly where the color of ink used matches the color of the dielectric substrate. These tags are inexpensive and tamper proof and may be incorporated into the body of an article to be protected. The tags do not need to be purchased, attached, inventoried, controlled or handled by the retailer and thus reduce selling expense.

Claims

1. A circuit system in the form of a separate tags amenable for attachment to an object to be monitored comprising:

a planar expanse of dielectric substrate having a first side and a second side;

a first capacitive plate formed on said first side of said substrate;

a second capacitive plate formed on said second side of said substrate, and opposite said first capacitive plate;

an inductor formed on one of said first and said second sides of said substrate and having a first end connected to said first capacitive plate, and a second end;

a first length of conductor connecting said second end of said inductor, through said dielectric substrate, to said second capacitive plate;

a second length of conductor connecting one portion of said inductor to another portion of said inductor such that the conductivity through said second length of conductor affects the resonant frequency of said circuit, said second length of conductor extending clearly onto an area of said substrate visually designated to be cut from said substrate with a cut line, to thereby form said tag, and such that after the tag is attached to an object to be monitored, the removal of said area to be cut will thereby change the resonant frequency of said circuit.

2. The circuit system of claim 1 wherein said substrate carries an extended upper area sufficient to be engageably sewn into the seam of a garment and wherein said area of said substrate to be cut carries a lower edge.

3. A security tagged material, including the circuit system of claim 2 wherein said object comprising a cloth object having a seam, the upper area of said substrate sewn into said seam.

4. The security tagged material as recited in claim 3 and where said a first capacitive plate, said second capacitive plate, and said inductor are carried in said upper area of said substrate and are protectively covered by said cloth.

5. The circuit system of claim 1 wherein said a first capacitive plate, said second capacitive plate, said inductor, said first length of conductor, and said second length of conductor are formed of conductive ink and wherein the path of said first length of conductor through said dielectric substrate, to one of said first and said second capacitive plates is through an aperture having an expanded mesh having an affinity for said conductive ink.

6. The circuit system recited in claim 1 and further comprising a third length of conductor extending from said one of said first and said second capacitive plates in the direction of and onto said area of said substrate to be cut to facilitate introduction of current to a portion of said circuit after said area of said substrate to be cut has been removed.

8. The circuit system recited in claim 1 wherein said first capacitive plate, said second capacitive plate, and said inductor, and said first length of conductor are formed of conductive ink.

9. The circuit system of claim 8 wherein said substrate carries an upper area supporting said first capacitive plate, said second capacitive plate and said inductor to be engageably sewn and concealed into the seam of a garment and wherein said area of said substrate to be cut is sufficiently spaced from said upper area to enable protrusion of said area of said substrate to be cut from said seam.

10. The circuit system as recited in claim 1 and further comprising:

a third capacitive plate on said second side of said substrate and opposite said first capacitive plate;

a fourth capacitive plate on said second side of said substrate and opposite said second capacitive plate; and

a second length of conductor electrically connecting said third and said fourth capacitive plates to enable said circuit to resonate in a frequency band to be detected without folding said substrate.

11. The circuit system recited in claim 10 wherein said a first capacitive plate, said second capacitive plate, said third capacitive plate, said fourth capacitive plate, and said inductor, said first length of conductor, and said second length of conductor are formed of conductive ink.

12. The circuit system of claim 10 wherein said substrate carries an extended upper edge sufficient to be engageably sewn into the seam of a garment and wherein said area of said substrate to be cut carries a lower edge.

13. The circuit system recited in claim 1 wherein one of said first and said second capacitive plates and said inductor are on opposite portions of said substrate.

14. The circuit system recited in claim 1 and further comprising a second conductor extending from said inductor from between said first and second ends of said inductor in the direction of said area of said substrate to be cut to facilitate introduction of current to a portion of said first length of conductor.

15. The circuit system recited in claim 1 and further comprising a second conductor extending from said inductor from between said first and second ends of said inductor in the direction of said area of said substrate to be cut to facilitate introduction of current to a portion of said inductor.

16. The circuit system of claim 1 wherein said second side is folded and joined together.

7. A circuit system in the form of a separate tag amenable for attachment to an object to be monitored comprising:

an area of dielectric substrate having a first side and a second side;

a first capacitive plate formed on a first portion of said first side of said substrate;

a second capacitive plate formed on a second portion of said first side of said substrate;

an inductor formed on at least one of said first portion and said second portion of said first side of said substrate and having a first end connected to said first capacitive plate and a second end connected to said second capacitive plate;

a first length of conductor having a first end connecting said inductor between said first and second ends of said inductor and said second capacitive plate and which extends clearly onto an area of said substrate to be cut from said substrate and visually indicated by a cut line, such that when said second side of said substrate is folded together to form said tag such that said first and second capacitive plates oppose each other to form a capacitor and after said tag is attached to said object to be monitored, the removal of said area to be cut will enable said circuit to resonate in a frequency band to be detected.

17. A circuit system in the form of a separate tag amenable for attachment to an object to be monitored comprising:

an area of dielectric substrate having a first side and a second side;

a first capacitive plate formed on a first portion of said first side of said substrate;

a second capacitive plate formed on a second portion of said first side of said substrate;

an inductor formed on at least one of said first portion and said second portion of said first side of said substrate and having a first end connected to said first capacitive plate, and a second end;

a first length of conductor connecting said second end of said inductor and said second capacitive plate and which extends clearly onto an area of said substrate visually designated to be cut from said substrate to disable said circuit, and when said second side of said substrate is foldable together and joinable together to form said tag such that said first and second capacitive plates oppose each other to form a capacitor which enable said circuit system to resonate in a frequency band to be detected, and after said tag is attached to said object to be monitored, the removal of said area to be cut will disable said circuit from resonant frequency operation.

18. The circuit system as recited in claim 17 and further comprising:

a third capacitive plate on said second side of said substrate and opposite said first capacitive plate;

a fourth capacitive plate on said second side of said substrate and opposite said second capacitive plate; and

a second length of conductor electrically connecting said third and said fourth capacitive plates to enable said circuit system to resonate without folding said substrate.

19. A circuit system in the form of a separate tag amenable for attachment to an object to be monitored comprising:

a planar expanse of dielectric substrate having a first side and a second side;

a first capacitive plate formed on said first side of said substrate;

said second capacitive plate formed on a second side of said substrate, and opposite said first capacitive plate;

an inductor formed on at least one of said first and said second sides of said substrate add having a first end connected to said first capacitive plate and a second end;

a first length of conductor connecting said second end of said inductor, through said dielectric substrate, to said second capacitive plate and extending clearly onto an area of said substrate visually designated to be cut from said substrate, to thereby form said tag, and such that after the tag is attached to an object to be monitored, the removal said area to be cut will thereby disable the operation of said resonant frequency of said circuit.

20. The circuit system as recited in claim 19 and wherein said first length of conductor connects said second end of said inductor and said second capacitive plate through said dielectric substrate through said area of said substrate designated to be cut from said substrate.