Deactivation device with biplanar deactivation

• US 5,917,412 A
• Filed: 05/21/1997
• Issued: 06/29/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tyco Fire & Security GmbH (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics Corporation (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Martin, Wayne H.
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US08/859,059
• Time in Patent Office: 769 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572, 340/551, 340/572.3, 340/572.6, 340/572.7, 335/284, 343/741, 343/742, 343/866, 343/867
• US Class Current: 340/572.3
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/242 Tag deactivation

Abstract

A deactivation device for use in deactivating electronic article surveillance ("EAS") tags includes a deactivating coil having first and second coil parts. The first coil part is positioned in angular adjacent relation to the second coil part so that the coil parts are adapted to transmit simultaneously a deactivating field. The deactivating field forms a deactivation zone having a configuration which permits for deactivation of an active EAS tag when the active EAS tag is situated within the deactivation zone.

Claims

1. A deactivation device for use in deactivating electronic article surveillance ("EAS") tags comprising:

a deactivating coil having first and second coil parts, said first coil part positioned in a first plane in angular adjacent relation to said second coil part positioned in a second plane different from the first plane, said deactivating coil being entirely disposed within said first plane and said second plane, said first and second coil parts being adapted to transmit simultaneously a deactivating field, said deactivating field forming a deactivation zone having a configuration which permits for deactivation of an active EAS tag when the active EAS tag is situated within the deactivation zone.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the plane of said first coil part is at an angle in the range of 45°

to 135°

with respect to the plane of the second coil part.

3. A device in accordance with claim 2, wherein the plane of said first coil part is at an angle of 90°

with respect to the plane of the second coil part.

4. A device in accordance with claim 2, wherein said deactivation device further comprises a housing for enclosing and holding the first and second coil parts of the deactivating coil.

5. A device in accordance with claim 4, wherein said housing has a cavity with side and bottom sections, said first coil part located in the side section and said second coil part located in the bottom section.

6. A device in accordance with claim 4, wherein said first and second coil parts are formed as first and second separate coils, and said device further comprises an energizing unit for simultaneously energizing said separate coils.

7. A device in accordance with claim 6, wherein said energizing unit energizes said first and second separate coils in-phase and out-of-phase in repetitive fashion.

8. A device in accordance with claim 4, wherein said deactivating coil is a bent coil, said first coil part and said second coil part comprising side and bottom sections, respectively, of the bent coil, and said device includes an energizing unit for energizing said bent coil.

9. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said first and second coil parts are formed as first and second separate coils.

10. A device in accordance with claim 9, further comprising an energizing unit for simultaneously energizing said first and second separate coils.

11. A device in accordance with claim 10, wherein said energizing unit energizes said first and second separate coils in-phase and out-of-phase in repetitive fashion.

12. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said deactivating coil is a bent coil, said first coil part and said second coil part comprising side and bottom sections, respectively, of the bent coil.

13. A device in accordance with claim 12, further comprising an energizing unit for energizing said bent coil.

14. A method for using a deactivation device to deactivate electronic article surveillance ("EAS") tags comprising the steps of:

placing an active EAS tag at a deactivating position in proximity to the deactivation device;

transmitting a deactivating field simultaneously from first and second coil parts of a deactivating coil of the deactivation device for deactivating an active EAS tag, said first coil part positioned in a first plane in angular adjacent relation to said second coil part positioned in a second plane different from the first plane, said deactivating coil being entirely disposed within said first plane and said second plane; and

forming a deactivation zone from the transmission of the deactivating field from the first and second coil parts, said deactivation zone having a configuration which permits for deactivation of the active EAS tag when the active EAS tag is placed at the deactivating position within the deactivation zone.

15. A method in accordance with claim 14, wherein the plane of said first coil part is at an angle in the range of 45°

to 135°

with respect to the plane of the second coil part.

16. A method in accordance with claim 15, wherein the plane of said first coil part is at an angle of 90°

with respect to the plane of the second coil part.

17. A method in accordance with claim 15, wherein said first and second coil parts are formed as first and second separate coils, and said method further comprises the step of simultaneously energizing said separate coils.

18. A method in accordance with claim 17, wherein said energizing step includes energizing said first and second separate coils in-phase and out-of-phase in repetitive fashion.

19. A method in accordance with claim 15, wherein said deactivating coil is a bent coil, said first coil part and said second coil part comprising side and bottom sections, respectively, of the bent coil, and said method further comprises the step of energizing said bent coil.

20. A method in accordance with claim 14, wherein said first and second coil parts are formed as first and second separate coils.

21. A method in accordance with claim 20, further comprising simultaneously energizing said first and second separate coils.

22. A method in accordance with claim 21, wherein said energizing step includes energizing said first and second separate coils in-phase and out-of-phase in repetitive fashion.

23. A method in accordance with claim 14, wherein said deactivating coil is a bent coil, said first coil part and said second coil part comprising side and bottom sections, respectively, of the bent coil.

24. A method in accordance with claim 23, wherein said method further comprises the step of energizing said bent coil.

25. A system for using a deactivation device to deactivate electronic article surveillance ("EAS") tags, comprising:

a) an EAS active tag; and

b) a deactivating coil for deactivating the active EAS tag, said deactivating coil having first and second coil parts, said first coil part positioned in a first plane in angular adjacent relation to said second coil part positioned in a second plane different from the first plane, said deactivating coil being entirely disposed within said first plane and said second plane, said first and second coil parts being adapted to transmit simultaneously a deactivating field, said deactivating field forming a deactivation zone having a configuration which permits for deactivation of the active EAS tag when the active EAS tag is situated within the deactivation zone.

26. A system in accordance with claim 25, wherein the plane of said first coil part is at an angle in the range of 45°

to 135°

with respect to the plane of the second coil part.

27. A system in accordance with claim 26, wherein the plane of said first coil part is at an angle of 90°

with respect to the plane of the second coil part.

28. A system in accordance with claim 26, wherein said first and second coil parts are formed as first and second separate coils, and said device further comprises an energizing unit for simultaneously energizing said separate coils.

29. A system in accordance with claim 28, wherein said energizing unit energizes said first and second separate coils in-phase and out-of-phase in repetitive fashion.

30. A system in accordance with claim 26, wherein said deactivating coil is a bent coil, said first coil part and said second coil part comprising side and bottom sections, respectively, of the bent coil, and said device includes an energizing unit for energizing said bent coil.

31. A system in accordance with claim 25, wherein said first and second coil parts are formed as first and second separate coils.

32. A system in accordance with claim 31, wherein said device further comprises an energizing unit for simultaneously energizing said first and second separate coils.

33. A system in accordance with claim 32, wherein said energizing unit energizes said first and second separate coils in-phase and out-of-phase in repetitive fashion.

34. A system in accordance with claim 25, wherein said deactivating coil is a bent coil, said first coil part and said second coil part comprising side and bottom sections, respectively, of the bent coil.

35. A system in accordance with claim 34, wherein said device further comprises an energizing unit for energizing said bent coil.

36. A deactivation device for use in deactivating electronic article surveillance ("EAS") tags comprising:

a deactivating coil having first and second coil parts formed as first and second separate coils, said first coil positioned in angular adjacent relation to said second coil, said first and second coils being adapted to transmit simultaneously a deactivating field, said deactivating field forming a deactivation zone having a configuration which permits for deactivation of an active EAS tag when the active EAS tag is situated within the deactivation zone.

37. A device in accordance with claim 36, further comprising an energizing unit for simultaneously energizing said first and second separate coils.

38. A device in accordance with claim 37, wherein said energizing unit energizes said first and second separate coils in-phase and out-of-phase in repetitive fashion.

39. A method for using a deactivation device to deactivate electronic article surveillance ("EAS") tags comprising the steps of:

placing an active EAS tag at a deactivating position in proximity to the deactivation device;

transmitting a deactivating field simultaneously from first and second coil parts of a deactivating coil of the deactivation device for deactivating an active EAS tag, said first and second coil parts formed as first and second separate coils, said first coil positioned in angular adjacent relation to said second coil; and

forming a deactivation zone from the transmission of the deactivating field from the first and second coils, said deactivation zone having a configuration which permits for deactivation of the active EAS tag when the active EAS tag is placed at the deactivating position within the deactivation zone.

40. A method in accordance with claim 39, further comprising simultaneously energizing said first and second separate coils.

41. A method in accordance with claim 40, wherein said energizing step includes energizing said first and second separate coils in-phase and out-of-phase in repetitive fashion.

42. A system for using a deactivation device to deactivate electronic article surveillance ("EAS") tags, comprising:

a) an EAS active tag; and

b) a deactivating coil for deactivating the active EAS tag, said deactivating coil having first and second coil parts and formed as first and second separate coils, said first coil positioned in angular adjacent relation to said second coil, said first and second coils being adapted to transmit simultaneously a deactivating field, said deactivating field forming a deactivation zone having a configuration which permits for deactivation of the active EAS tag when the active EAS tag is situated within the deactivation zone.

43. A system in accordance with claim 42, wherein said device further comprises an energizing unit for simultaneously energizing unit energizing said first and second separate coils.

44. A system in accordance with claim 43, wherein said energizing unit energizes said first and second separate coils in-phase and out-of-phase in repetitive fashion.