Theft deterrent tag with resilient attachment

• US 7,808,386 B1
• Filed: 07/12/2007
• Issued: 10/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Asset Control Technology, LLC, Hangzhou Century Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Adel O Sayegh, Zhaolian Wu
• Inventors: Wu, Zhaolian, Sayegh, Adel O.
• Primary Examiner(s): BLOUNT, ERIC
• Application Number:
  US11/776,841
• Time in Patent Office: 1,181 Days
• Field of Search: 3405721-5728, 235/375, 235/385
• 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

Abstract

An article surveillance tag that has a barrier that is resiliently maintained between a first and second portion of the tag and is adapted to adjustably maintain an article to be monitored there between.

Claims

1. An article surveillance device, comprising:

a first portion and a second portion that are movably attached to one another at a rear end;

a marker;

an attaching mechanism attaching said first portion to said second portion at a front end;

a barrier resiliently maintained within said second portion such that it engages an article to be monitored in a secure, yet removable, manner between the first portion and the second portion;

said second portion comprising a second outer wall having a second left wall and a second right wall extending inwardly therefrom to form a space therein;

a resilient device attaching to said second outer wall and supporting said barrier in a height adjustable manner.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the article maintained between the first portion and the second portion is not pierced.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the barrier is made of a rigid material.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the barrier is made of an inflexible material.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the barrier is made of ABS plastic.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one projection extends from the barrier and engages the article.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one projection extends from the barrier and contacts and maintains the article in between the first portion and second portion.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the resilient device maintains said barrier at a height above the second left and right walls.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the resilient device maintains said barrier at an adjustable height in relation to the article'"'"'s thickness.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the first and second portions are hingedly attached at the rear end.

11. An electronic article surveillance device, comprising;

a marker;

a first portion and a second portion that are movably attached to one another at a rear end;

an attaching mechanism attaching said first portion to said second portion at a front end;

a first inner wall defined on the first portion that faces the second portion;

a second outer wall of said second portion having a second left wall and a second right wall extending inwardly from the second outer wall and forming a space therein;

a resilient device attaching to said second outer wall;

a barrier supported on the resilient device in a height adjustable manner;

an article that is to be monitored is engaged between the first inner wall and the barrier in a secure, yet removable, manner.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the resilient device determines the height at which the barrier is held depending on the article'"'"'s width.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the first inner wall and the barrier are textured in order to more securely maintain the article therein.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein the article'"'"'s width is larger, a greater portion of the barrier will retreat into the space of second portion.

15. The device of claim 11, wherein the barrier is maintained at a greater height than said second left and right walls.

16. The device of claim 11, wherein the second section further comprises:

a protrusion extending from said second outer wall;

a hole defined in said barrier and adapted to receive the protrusion therein;

an engaging component received in said protrusion such that said barrier is maintained within said space in a height adjustable manner.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein a substantially annular member rests between the engaging component and the protrusion.

18. The device of claim 11, wherein the resilient device is a spring sheet metal having a first arm and a second arm extending outwardly from an intermediate region in opposing directions and the first and second arms supporting said barrier.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein a void is defined in the intermediate region of the resilient device such that said protrusion extends therethrough.

20. A theft deterrent tag, comprising:

a first portion and a second portion that are movably attached to one another at a rear end;

an attaching mechanism attaching said first portion to said second portion at a front end;

a barrier resiliently maintained within said second portion such that it engages an article to be monitored in a secure, yet removable, manner between the first portion and the second portion;

said second portion comprising a second outer wall having a second left wall and a second right wall extending inwardly therefrom to form a space therein;

a resilient device attaching to said second outer wall and supporting said barrier in a height adjustable manner.