Electronic security tag system

• US 6,215,400 B1
• Filed: 11/02/1999
• Issued: 04/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Vanguard Products Group, Inc., DBA Vanguard Protex Global
• Original Assignee: Protex International Corporation (Vanguard Protex Global)
• Inventors: Deconinck, Joseph, Rand, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US09/432,868
• Time in Patent Office: 525 Days
• Field of Search: 340/568.2, 340/568.8
• US Class Current: 340/568.2
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1463 Physical arrangements, e.g. housings devices to prevent theft or loss of purses, luggage or hand carried bags A45C13/18

Abstract

An electronic security tag system comprising a security anchor having an aperture therethrough and a plurality of flexible wings extending outward. There is an adhesive layer attached to the bottom surface of the anchor for adhering the anchor to the article. A security wire is threaded through the aperture in the anchor and is held securely within the aperture of the anchor. A PC board having a diode is connected to an end of the security wire threaded through the aperture. A flexible adhesive tag is connected to the PC board. The tag has a circuit wired therethrough which is connected via the PC board to the diode. The security wire is connected to an electronic security monitoring system having an audible alarm. Cutting the security wire or the circuit in the tag triggers the alarm.

Claims

1. A electronic tag system for connection to a monitoring system having an alarm for preventing theft of an article, comprising:

a security anchor having an aperture therethrough, said anchor having a top surface and a bottom surface; and

an adhesive layer attached to said bottom surface for adhering said anchor to the article;

a security wire having an end threaded through said aperture in said anchor;

means for maintaining said security wire in said aperture;

a PC board (PCB) containing a diode connected to said end of said security wire;

a flexible adhesive tag electrically connected to said PCB and diode, said tag having an electronic circuit thereon,

wherein disconnecting either the circuit in the tag or the security wire triggers the alarm.

2. The electronic tag system according to claim 1, wherein said anchor further comprises:

a plurality of circumferential wings separated by wing slots surrounding said aperture, one wing slot communicating with the aperture; and

a hinge area for each wing located between an adjacent pair of wing slots to allow one wing to flex independently of another wing.

3. The electronic tag system according to claim 2, wherein there are six wings.

4. The electronic tag system according to claim 1, wherein said wire is coated with a flexible sheath.

5. The electronic tag system according to claim 1, wherein said means for maintaining the wire in the aperture comprises:

an upwardly extending wall surrounding said aperture on said anchor, said wall having a slit along one side, said slit extending out to the edge of the anchor to allow said wire to be inserted in said aperture through said slit;

an enclosure surrounding said diode, said enclosure having lower portion extending through said aperture and disposed within said wall, and an upper bifurcated portion extending beyond said wall; and

a retainer cone surrounding said wire and being slidable thereon, said retainer cone having an internal circumference slightly smaller than the circumference of the bifurcated portion of said enclosure, such that sliding said retainer cone over said enclosure squeezes said enclosure inward and holds said wire within said anchor.

6. The electronic tag system according to claim 5, wherein the lower portion of said enclosure has a longitudinally extending protrusion that fits within said slit in said wall.

7. The electronic tag system according to claim 5, wherein said aperture and wall are hexagonal in shape.

8. The electronic tag system according to claim 5, wherein said adhesive layer has an aperture extending therethrough and further comprising a ring-shaped ledge mounted on a bottom end of said enclosure, said ring shaped ledge extending partially into said aperture in said adhesive layer.

9. The electronic tag system according to claim 1, further comprising a resilient connecting element connected to said PCB and tag, said resilient connecting element fitting within said enclosure and connecting said tag to said PCB.

10. The electronic tag system according to claim 1, further comprising an LED connected to said wire and diode, said LED glowing one color when said wire and circuit are intact and glowing another color if said wire or circuit is cut.

11. The electronic tag system according to claim 1, wherein said tag has electric contact pads disposed thereon, said pads being electrically connected to said circuit in the tag, and wherein said PCB has electric contact pads disposed thereon, and wherein said pads on said tag contact said pads on said PCB to connect said tag to said PCB.