Theft deterrent tag

• US 7,394,376 B1
• Filed: 10/19/2005
• Issued: 07/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Adel O Sayegh, Shaoshan Li, Wei Shang
• Original Assignee: Adel O Sayegh, Shaoshan Li, Wei Shang
• Inventors: Sayegh, Adel O., Shang, Wei, Li, Shaoshan
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg; George A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Previl; Daniel
• Application Number:
  US11/255,428
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 3405721-5729, 340/571, 340/568.1, 340/573.4, 340/870.17, 340/573.1, 343/873, 343/788
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0017 Anti-theft devices, e.g. tags or monitors, fixed to articles, e.g. clothes, and to be removed at the check-out of shops
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0041 for essentially round objects, e.g. bottles or racket handles
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2434 Tag housing and attachment details

Abstract

An article surveillance tag that has a shock absorbing mechanism that prevents unauthorized removal of the tag by the application of a strike force to the tag by a blunt object. In one embodiment, the article surveillance tag is adapted to engage articles that cannot be penetrated by pins.

Claims

1. An article surveillance tag having an improved attaching system, comprising:

a first half and an opposing second half that are rotationally attached at a rear end and are removeably attached at a front end, where said attaching member is located at the front end of said first half and said attaching component is defined at the front end of said second half;

a detectable electronic article surveillance means located within the tag;

an attaching member having an attaching region that is removeably engaged to an attaching component; and

a shock absorbing mechanism;

whereby, said shock absorbing mechanism prevents unauthorized removal of the tag by the application of a striking force by a blunt object to the tag and a probe is not needed to disengage the tag.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the attaching member is part of an attaching mechanism, said attaching mechanism further comprises:

a first member and a second member, wherein the first member is substantially tubular having a first aperture at a top end and a second aperture at a bottom end, wherein said top end curves inwardly such that said first aperture has a smaller circumference than said second aperture;

a domed end defined on said second member and a third aperture defined at an opposing end of said second member distal to said domed end;

a circumferential lip extends outwardly from said second member at a region closer to said opposing end, wherein the domed end extends through said first aperture of said first member such that said lip engages the top end thereof and is securely, yet slideably, maintained therein;

a first resilient means is received and maintained within the domed end, wherein the attaching member is slideably received within said second member and engages first resilient means such that the attaching member is forced away from the domed end;

a second resilient means engages said second lip and extends towards the third aperture;

a cover is secured to said first member and covers said second aperture and encloses the second member and the first resilient means, the attaching member, and the second resilient means;

a bore is defined through cover and is of sufficient size to allow a portion of the attaching region to extend there through to engage the attaching component.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the attaching member is made of a material that responds to magnetic forces.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the attaching member is made of stainless steel and is not spherical.

5. The device of claim 2, wherein the tag is comprised of a first half and an opposing second half that are rotationally attached at a rear end and are removeably attached at a front end, where said attaching mechanism is defined at the front end of said first half and said attaching component is defined at the front end of said second half.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein an orifice is defined through said first half through which the domed end extends and the orifice is of a predetermined size such that the attaching mechanism is maintained within the first half.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein an opening is defined in said first half such that the attaching component is inserted therein and is securely, yet removably, engaged by said attaching region.

8. The device of claim 5, wherein an opening is defined in said first half and is transverse to the axial alignment of said attaching region, whereby the attaching component is inserted into said opening and securely, yet removably, engaged by said attaching region.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein said attaching component has a beveled front edge and a trailing cavity such that insertion of the attaching component into the opening pushes the attaching region toward the domed end in an initial stage, and after the cavity is aligned with the attaching region, the first resilient means forces the attaching region into said cavity such that the attaching component is securely, yet removeably, maintained within the opening.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the application of a predetermined amount of magnetic force overcomes the force asserted by the first resilient means on the attaching region and withdraws the attaching region from engagement with said attaching component allowing withdrawal thereof.

11. The device of claim 2, wherein the second resilient means serves as the shock absorbing mechanism if the tag is struck with a blunt object in an attempt to defeat the tag.

12. An electronic article surveillance tag having an improved attaching mechanism, comprising:

a first half and an opposing second half forming the tag body, and the first half and second half rotationally attached at a rear end;

an attaching mechanism located at a front end of said first half;

an attaching component located at the front end of said second half, whereby said attaching mechanism and attaching component securely, yet removably, engage one another enclosing an object to be monitored between the first and second halves;

a shock absorbing mechanism located within the attaching mechanism to reduce a possibility of defeat of the attaching mechanism;

a resilient means is located within the attaching mechanism and acts as the shock absorbing mechanism and absorbs any oscillations that are caused by a strike to the tag by a blunt object;

a detectable electronic article surveillance means located within the tag.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the attaching mechanism further comprises:

a first member and a second member, wherein the first member is substantially tubular having a first aperture at a top end and a second aperture at a bottom end, wherein said top end curves inwardly such that said first aperture has a smaller circumference than said second aperture;

a domed end defined on said second member and a third aperture defined at an opposing end of said second member;

a circumferential lip extends outwardly from said second member at a region closer to said opposing end, wherein the domed end extends through said first aperture of said first member such that said lip engages the top end thereof and is securely maintained therein;

a first resilient means is received and maintained within the domed end, wherein an attaching member is slideably received within said second member and engages first resilient means such that the attaching member is forced away from the domed end;

the shock absorbing resilient means engages said lip and extends towards third aperture;

a cover is secured to said first member and covers said second aperture and encloses the second member and the first resilient means, the attaching member, and the resilient means such that the resilient means rests on said cover;

a bore is defined through the cover and is of sufficient size to allow a portion of the attaching member to extend there through to engage the attaching component.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the resilient means absorbs any oscillations that are caused by a strike to the tab by a blunt object, whereby the resilient means is compressed and applies greater force to the lip which in turn causes first resilient means to apply a greater force to a base region of the attaching member thereby maintaining secure engagement of an attaching region, located at an opposing end to the base region, with the attaching component.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein the application of a predetermined amount of magnetic force overcomes the force asserted by the first resilient means on the attaching region and withdraws the attaching region from engagement with said attaching component allowing withdrawal thereof.

16. The device of claim 12, wherein an opening is defined in said first half and is transverse to the axial travel of an attaching member, whereby the attaching component is inserted into said opening and removably engaged by an attaching region;

a beveled front edge and a trailing cavity defined on the attaching component such that insertion of the attaching component into the opening pushes an attaching region defined in the attaching mechanism away from the attaching component in an initial stage, and after the cavity is aligned with the attaching region, a first resilient means located within the attaching mechanism forces the attaching region into said cavity such that the attaching component is securely, yet removeably, maintained within the opening.

17. An electronic article surveillance tag having an improved attaching mechanism, comprising:

a first half and an opposing second half forming the tag body, and the first half and second half rotationally attached at a rear end;

an attaching mechanism located at a front end of said first half and comprising a substantially conically shaped member having a closed domed end and an open opposing end, a first resilient means is located within the member proximal to the domed end, an attaching member having a base region and a distal attaching region slideably rests within the member such that the base region rests on the first resilient means, a retaining wall circumferentially encloses the member such that there is slideable movement within the retaining wall but it does not allow removal of the member from the retaining wall, the retaining wall further defining a cover at proximal to the attaching region, a bore defined through the cover that allows passage of the attaching region there through but maintains prevents passage of the base region;

an attaching component located at the front end of said second half, whereby said attaching region and the attaching component securely, yet removably, engage one another enclosing an object to be monitored between the first and second halves;

a shock absorbing mechanism located within the attaching mechanism to reduce a possibility of defeat of the attaching mechanism, the shock absorbing mechanism created by the slideable movement of the member within the retaining wall;

a detectable electronic article surveillance means located within the tag.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein an opening is defined in said first half and its transverse to the axial travel of said attaching mechanism, whereby the attaching component is inserted into said opening and removably engaged by said attaching region;

a beveled front edge and a trailing cavity defined on the attaching component such that insertion of the attaching component into the opening pushes the attaching region away from the attaching component in an initial stage, and after the cavity is aligned with the attaching region, the first resilient means located forces the attaching region into said cavity such that the attaching component is securely, yet removably, maintained within the opening.