Hard cover product with spine-disposed concealed security device

• US 7,233,246 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2004
• Issued: 06/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smartguard LLC
• Original Assignee: Smartguard LLC
• Inventors: Nichols, Dale Hunt Sr.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUNG T
• Application Number:
  US10/951,191
• Publication Number:
  US 20070103309A1
• Time in Patent Office: 995 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.3, 340/572.4, 340/572.8, 340/539.1, 340/5.8, 340/825.69, 340/540, 340/541, 340/693.5, 340/693.9, 340/693.12, 325/487
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2445 Tag integrated into item to be protected, e.g. source tagging
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2457 Lending systems using EAS tags wherein the tags are reusable, e.g. they can be activated and deactivated more than once, e.g. for a library

Abstract

A hard cover product having an outer liner attached to a pair of sheet members disposed in spaced-apart relation to define a gap. One of the hard sheet members defines a receiving zone that receives a security tag. An inner liner attaches overlying the pair of hard sheet members and concealing the security tag within the receiving zone. The gap between the pair of sheet members defines a spine for the hard cover product, whereby the opposing hard sheets defining a front cover and back cover that move together foldably.

Claims

1. A hard cover product, comprising:

an outer liner;

a pair of sheet members attached to a major surface of the outer liner and disposed in spaced-apart relation to define a spine portion therebetween, the sheet members foldingly movable towards each other along respective opposing edges on the outer liner;

a spine member attached to the outer liner in the spine portion between the spaced-apart members and defining lateral gaps between the respective sheet member and a side edge of the spine member, the spine member defining a recess therein;

a security tag attached within the recess in the spine member; and

a body attached to the sheet members,

wherein the hard cover product is trackable by the security tag concealed within the recess being responsive to a remote interrogator.

2. The hard cover product as recited in claim 1, wherein the security tag attaches in the recess facing the outer liner.

3. The hard cover product as recited in claim 1, wherein the security tag attaches in the recess facing the body.

4. The hard cover product as recited in claim 1, further comprising an inner liner attached overlying the pair of sheet members.

5. The hard cover product as recited in claim 1, wherein the outer liner further defines a coded indicia displayed on a portion of the exterior surface.

6. The hard cover product as recited in claim 5, wherein the security tag is disposed in substantial alignment with the coded indicia.

7. The hard cover product as recited in claim 1, wherein the security tag is a sheet-like electronic response device.

8. The hard cover product as recited in claim 1, wherein the body comprises a shell configured for receiving a disc.

9. The hard cover product as recited in claim 1, wherein the body comprises a plurality of pages that define a loose-leaf book.

10. The hard cover product as recited in claim 1, wherein the body comprises a ring member for receiving sheets.

11. A hard cover book product, comprising:

an outer liner having an exterior surface that includes graphics images and a coded indicia;

a pair of opposing sheet members disposed in spaced-apart relation to define a spine portion in a gap therebetween and the sheet members attached to an inner surface of the outer liner, a perimeter portion of the outer liner overlapping laterally outward edge portions of the pair of sheet members;

a spine member attached to the outer liner in the spine portion between the spaced-apart members and defining lateral gaps between the respective sheet member and a side edge of the spine member, the spine member defining a recess therein;

a security tag attached within the recess in the spine member;

an inner liner overlying the pair of sheet members; and

a body received within a space defined by the main sheet members folding together to define a front and back cover,

whereby the hard cover book product is trackable by a remote interrogator that senses a response by the concealed security tag to a signal.

12. The hard cover product as recited in claim 11, wherein the body comprises opposing matingly engageable shells for receiving a disc, each one of the shells attached to a respective interior surface of the front and back covers.

13. The hard cover product as recited in claim 11, wherein the body comprises a plurality of pages that define a loose-leaf book.

14. The hard cover product as recited in claim 11, wherein the body comprises a ring member for receiving sheets.