Theft-deterrent tape rule package

• US 6,011,472 A
• Filed: 02/03/1999
• Issued: 01/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Stanley Works Limited (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Stanley Works Limited (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pendergraph, Melvin A., Czopor, Edmund J. Jr., Hart, Richard H., Byrne, Alan T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US09/243,444
• Time in Patent Office: 335 Days
• Field of Search: 340/568.1, 340/568.4, 340/568.5, 340/568.6, 340/568.7, 340/568.8, 340/572.1, 340/572.8, 340/572.9, 340/566, 206/308.2, 206/463, 206/705, 206/307, 206/459.1, 206/459.5, 206/461, 206/807
• US Class Current: 340/568.1
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2211/00 Anti-theft means
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 73/0092 combined with a preformed enclosure, e.g. a bulb
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 206/807 Tamper proof

Abstract

A theft-deterrent tape measure package, comprising a tape measure device including a coilable tape rule contained in a housing, and a belt clip secured to the housing; a surveillance tag carrier structure secured to the belt clip and defining a compartment; and an electronic article surveillance tag secured within the compartment. The surveillance tag carrier structure is of high strength plastic material inhibiting separation thereof from the belt clip and inhibiting manual access to the electronic article surveillance tag. The surveillance tag carrier structure requires cutting or otherwise destroying of the plastic material with an implement to enable separation thereof from the belt clip or manual access to the electronic surveillance tag.

Claims

1. A theft-deterrent tape measure package, comprising:

a tape measure device including a coilable tape rule contained in a housing, and a belt clip secured to said housing;

a surveillance tag carrier structure secured to said belt clip and defining a compartment; and

an electronic article surveillance tag secured within said compartment, said surveillance tag carrier structure being of high strength plastic material inhibiting separation thereof from said belt clip and inhibiting manual access to said electronic article surveillance tag, said surveillance tag carrier structure requiring cutting or otherwise destroying of said plastic material with an implement to enable separation thereof from said belt clip or manual access to said electronic surveillance tag.

2. A theft-deterrent tape measure package according to claim 1, wherein said surveillance tag carrier structure comprises a blister pack.

3. A theft-deterrent tape measure package according to claim 2, wherein said blister pack comprises two molded plastic sheets bonded together.

4. A theft-deterrent tape measure package according to claim 1, wherein said belt clip is provided with a belt clip opening, and wherein said surveillance tag carrier structure is molded from a plastic material so as to be provided with a projection that projects through said belt clip opening to enable said surveillance tag carrier structure to be secured to said belt clip.

5. A theft-deterrent tape measure package according to claim 1, wherein said surveillance tag carrier structure is formed with two compartments, including said compartment in which said electronic article surveillance tag is secured, and a separate compartment that receives said belt clip.

6. A theft-deterrent tape measure package according to claim 1, further comprising a cardboard backing having an opening, housing disposed on one side of said cardboard backing, and said belt clip extending through said opening to a side of said backing opposite said one side, said surveillance tag carrier structure secured to said belt clip being disposed on said opposite side of said cardboard backing and being of a dimension greater than that of said opening so that said cardboard backing is secured between said housing and said surveillance tag carrier structure.

7. A theft-deterrent tape measure package, comprising:

a tape measure device having a coilable tape rule contained in a housing and a belt clip secured to said housing;

a cardboard backing, said tape measure device mounted on one side of said cardboard backing, said cardboard backing having an opening therethrough for receiving said belt clip;

a blister pack disposed on a side of said backing opposite said one side, said blister pack including first and second molded sheet portions bonded together, said belt clip secured to said blister pack between said first and second sheet portions; and

an electronic article surveillance tag secured between said first and second molded sheet portions,

said blister pack being made from high strength plastic material inhibiting separation thereof from said belt clip and inhibiting manual access to said electronic article surveillance tag, said surveillance tag carrier structure requiring cutting or otherwise destroying of said plastic material with an implement to enable separation thereof from said belt clip or manual access to said electronic surveillance tag.

8. The theft-deterrent tape measure package of claim 7, wherein said belt clip includes an opening formed therein, and said blister pack includes clip opening engagement structure extending through said belt clip opening for securing said blister pack to said belt clip.

9. The theft-deterrent tape measure package of claim 8, wherein said blister pack comprises a belt clip receiving opening that permits said belt clip to be inserted into a space between said sheet portions after said sheet portions are bonded to one another, said belt clip including a leading edge bent outwardly with respect to said housing, and wherein said clip opening engagement structure comprises a ramp surface constructed and arranged so that, as said belt clip is inserted into said clip receiving opening, said ramp surface slides beneath said leading edge of said belt clip, and as said belt clip is continuously inserted into said space, said belt clip rides up said ramp surface and is resiliently bent away from said housing until an edge portion of said opening of said belt clip passes over an upper edge of said ramp surface to permit said belt clip to resiliently return toward said housing to its original position, with said clip opening engagement structure received in said opening of said belt clip, and wherein said edge portion of said belt clip engages said clip opening engagement structure to prevent said belt from being withdrawn from said first compartment.

10. The theft-deterrent tape measure package of claim 9, wherein said first and second molded sheet portions define first and second compartments, said first compartment providing said space into which said belt clip is inserted, and wherein said electronic article surveillance tag is carried in said second compartment.

11. The theft-deterrent tape measure package of claim 7, wherein said cardboard backing includes front and back sheets of cardboard, each of said sheets of cardboard having a cut-out portion so as to provided said opening through said cardboard backing, said cut-out portion of said front sheet of cardboard being of a greater dimension than the cut-out portion of said back sheet of cardboard, said cut-out portion of said front sheet of cardboard being defined by an peripheral edge generally surrounding the periphery presented by said housing of said tape measure device to enable the housing to rest against a front surface of said back sheet of cardboard, said cut-out portion of said back sheet of cardboard permitting said belt clip to extend therethrough for securement to said blister pack.

12. The theft-deterrent tape measure package of claim 11, further comprising a clear plastic covering extending over said housing and secured between the front and back sheets of cardboard.

13. The theft-deterrent tape measure package of claim 11, wherein said blister pack is of a greater dimension than that of said cut-out portion of said back sheet of cardboard so as to ensure a) that said blister pack remains on said opposite side of said cardboard backing, and b) that said cardboard backing is retained between said housing and said blister pack.

14. A theft-deterrent tape measure package, comprising:

a tape measure device having a coilable tape rule contained in a housing and a belt clip secured to said housing;

a cardboard backing, said tape measure device mounted on one side of said cardboard backing, said cardboard backing having an opening therethrough for receiving said belt clip;

a blister pack disposed on a side of said backing opposite said one side, said blister pack including first and second molded sheet portions bonded together and forming first and second compartments, said belt clip secured to said blister pack between said first and second sheet portions and disposed within said first compartment,

said blister pack forming a clip opening engagement structure that engages within said opening formed in said belt clip when said belt clip is disposed within said first compartment to prevent removal of said belt clip from said first compartment; and

an electronic article surveillance tag secured between said first and second molded sheet portions and disposed within said second compartment,

said blister pack being made from high strength plastic material inhibiting separation thereof from said belt clip and inhibiting manual access to said electronic article surveillance tag, said surveillance tag carrier structure requiring cutting or otherwise destroying of said plastic material with an implement to enable separation thereof from said belt clip or manual access to said electronic surveillance tag.

15. A theft-deterrent tape measure package according to claim 14, wherein said blister pack secured to said belt clip is of a dimension greater than that of said opening in said cardboard backing so that said cardboard backing is secured between said housing and said blister pack.

16. The theft-deterrent tape measure package of claim 15, further comprising a clear plastic sheet covering said housing of said tape rule device and secured to the cardboard backing.

17. The theft-deterrent tape measure package of claim 16, wherein said cardboard backing includes front and back sheets of cardboard, each of said sheets of cardboard having a cut-out portion so as to provided said opening through said cardboard backing, said cut-out portion of said front sheet of cardboard being of a greater dimension than the cut-out portion of said back sheet of cardboard, said cut-out portion of said front sheet of cardboard being defined by an peripheral edge generally surrounding the periphery presented by said housing of said tape measure device to enable the housing to rest against a front surface of said back sheet of cardboard, said cut-out portion of said back sheet of cardboard permitting said belt clip to extend therethrough for securement to said blister pack.