Patent Application
20250230688
This disclosure relates to Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) devices. More particularly, this disclosure relates to an EAS device having combination access and of improved structure that provides enhanced functionality beyond that of conventional EAS devices and with an aesthetically pleasing appearance.
Improvement is desired in electronic article surveillance (EAS) devices used to control inventory and to prevent or deter theft. EAS devices typically take the form as tags that are applied to an article to deter theft of the article in a retail store. One example of such tags is the multi-attach reusable tag described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,547,228.
Conventional EAS tags cooperate with an EAS antenna having alarm features. If the EAS tag comes into a preset distance of the EAS antenna, a signal is generated by the EAS antenna to trigger alarm features, typically an audible alarm like a buzzer and/or visual indicators such as lights. A conventional EAS tag has no alarm features itself and is operative only to trigger alarm features of an EAS antenna by proximity thereto.
Conventional EAS tags typically require a separate key or detachment device to remove the EAS tag from the article. This is inconvenient and complicates both the manufacture and use of the EAS devices. Furthermore, such devices if not installed on an article such as to be activated can easily be removed from a location and studied to determine how to deactivate such devices.
Conventional EAS devices also desire aesthetic improvement.
The present disclosure advantageously improves over previous attempts to provide EAS devices of improved utility and appearance, and provides an alarm tag having a housing, a shackle and an electronic circuit within the housing having a lock alarm, the shackle being lockable to the housing to provide a locked condition of the alarm tag. The lock alarm includes combination locking structure that enables the alarm tag to be unlocked without the use of a separate key or detachment device.
The lock alarm is activated if the housing is broken or the shackle is cut when the alarm tag is in the locked condition. The alarm tag also cooperates with conventional electronic antennas such as EAS antennas having an EAS alarm. If the alarm tag comes within a predetermined distance of the EAS antenna, the EAS alarm is activated. The alarm tag can also be configured to activate the lock alarm also if the alarm tag comes within a predetermined distance of the EAS antenna.
The above and other needs are met by electronic article surveillance devices and systems and methods utilizing alarm tags according to the disclosure configured to function to activate alarms to both alert if the alarm tag is breached and if the alarm tag is moved proximate an electronic antenna.
In one aspect, alarm systems according to the disclosure include an electronic antenna having an electronic alarm; and an alarm tag combination lock that is securable in a locked condition to an article to be protected and removable from the article to an unlocked condition without use of a separate key or detachment device.
The alarm tag includes a housing containing an electronic circuit having a lock alarm and operable to activate the electronic alarm of the electronic antenna when located within a predetermined distance proximate the electronic antenna, a shackle configured to lock into the housing, and a plurality of rotatable gears and a plurality of digit wheels corresponding in number to the plurality of rotatable gears.
Each of the digit wheels surrounds and is coupled to one of the rotatable gears and bearing combination indicia or indicium so that rotation of the digit wheels causes rotation of the rotatable gears and the digit wheels are positionable to orient the combination indicia or indicium of the digit wheels to a desired combination for providing the unlocked condition for the alarm tag combination lock with the alarm tag combination lock being in the locked condition when the digit wheels are otherwise oriented.
The alarm tag combination lock is operable by rotation of the digit wheels to secure the shackle in the locked condition to the housing and to release the shackle from the locked condition to the housing to provide the unlocked condition.
The lock alarm is activated if the housing is broken or the shackle is cut when the alarm tag combination lock is in the locked condition, and the electronic alarm is activated if the alarm tag combination lock comes within the predetermined distance proximate the electronic antenna.
Another aspect of the disclosure is a security method. The security method includes providing an alarm tag having a housing and a shackle and an electronic circuit within the housing having a first alarm. The shackle is lockable to the housing to provide a locked condition of the alarm tag. The first alarm is activated if the housing is broken or the shackle is cut when the alarm tag is in the locked condition.
The method also includes the provision of an electronic antenna having a second alarm and a proximity sensor for sensing the electronic circuit of the alarm tag if the alarm tag comes within a predetermined distance of the electronic antenna, The second alarm is activated if the alarm tag comes within the predetermined distance of the electronic antenna.
Further advantages of the disclosure are apparent by reference to the detailed description when considered in conjunction with the figures, which are not to scale so as to more clearly show the details, wherein like reference numbers indicate like elements throughout the several views, and wherein:
With reference to the drawings, there is shown an electronic article surveillance device configured as alarm tag 10 according to the disclosure. The alarm tag 10 is particularly configured for use in a retail store location to prevent or deter tampering and theft of articles to which the alarm tag 10 is applied as well as tampering and theft of the alarm tag 10 itself. As configured, the alarm tag 10 is accessible via a programmable combination locking mechanism as described herein which is one novel feature of the alarm tag 10.
The alarm tag 10 described herein is configured to have an anti-tamper alarm and to also cooperate with a conventional EAS antenna having an alarm. Thus, if the alarm tag 10 or articles it is applied to are tampered with, the anti-tamper alarm of the alarm tag 10 will be triggered.
If the alarm tag 10 comes within a predetermined distance of an EAS antennae, such as being carried past the EAS antenna A, the alarm of the EAS antennae will be triggered. Also, if desired, the alarm tag 10 can be configured to also alarm when in proximity to an EAS antenna. This is another novel feature of the alarm tag 10.
The appearance of the alarm tag 10 is also configured to be aesthetically pleasing and includes various ornamental aspects and features.
With initial reference to
The front housing 12 includes semi-circular shackle openings 12a and 12b, circular screw apertures 12c, speaker openings 12d, illumination openings 12e, and front digit wheel slots 12f. A notch 12aa is provided adjacent to the shackle opening 12a.
The rear housing 14 includes semi-circular shackle openings 14a and 14b, interior screw receivers 14c, speaker openings 14d, illumination openings 14e, rear digit wheel slots 14f, and side digit wheel slots 14g. A notch 14aa is provided adjacent the shackle opening 14a and located to abut the notch 12aa when the housings 12 and 14 are assembled to provide an opening provided by both the notches 12aa and 14aa.
A hook-shaped shackle 18 is located to have a long-end 18a rotatably positioned within the housings 12 and 14, with a short-end 18b removably positionable from within the housings 12 and 14 to provide locking and unlocking of the alarm tag 10. The long-end 18a includes uniformly spaced-apart and aligned protrusions 18aa along an outer-facing edge thereof. The short-end 18b terminates in as a reduced diameter end 18bb. The shackle 18 is desirably of metal.
Rotatable gears 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d are located within the housings 12 and 14 in a stacked configuration for receiving the long end 18a of the shackle 18. As seen in
The gears 20a-20d also each include a switch extension 21a below the plane of the drive surfaces 21 and a reference extension 21b above the plane of the drive surfaces 21, whose functions are described below. the location of the switch extension 21a and the reference extension 21b are the same on each of the gears 20a-20d. The gears 20a-20d are desirably made of metal and engage the raised drive surfaces 21. The switch extension 21a and the reference extension 21b are not engaged by the gears 20a-2d and extend past the gears 20a-20d.
The rotatable gears 20a-20d each include an interior sleeve 23 configured to include a passage 23a configured as a vertical slot to receive and enable passage of the protrusions 18aa of the long end 18a of the shackle 18 therethrough. The sleeves 23 are rotatable within the rotatable gears 20a-20d so that the passages 23a are aligned and permit passage of the protrusions 18aa when the alarm tag 10 is in the opened state for opening or setting of the alarm tag 10. Once the shackle 18 is inserted and the alarm tag 10 is locked, the passages 23a are no longer aligned with the protrusions 18aa and block the shackle 18 from being removed unless and until the correct combination is selected as explained below. The sleeves 23 are desirably made of metal.
The rotatable gears 20a-2d are surrounded and coupled to digit wheels 22a, 22b, 22c, and 22d, respectively. The interior of the digit wheels 22a-22d have indexed teeth 22aa to mesh with the drive surfaces 21 of the rotatable gears 20a-20d so that rotation of the digit wheels 22a-22d rotates the rotatable gears 20a-20d. As shown, four rotatable gears are utilized to provide a four-digit combination for enhanced security. It will be understood that fewer or more rotatable gears may be utilized depending upon the desired number of digits for the security combination.
The digit wheels 22a-22d are with indexed surfaces 24 for selective touching by the finger of a user with each indexed surface having indica or indicium thereon, such as numbers 24a, such as the numbers 1-9, for providing a combination access feature as explained more fully below. There may be fewer or more possible combination numbers or indicium depending on the size of the wheels 22a-22d. In the assembled alarm lock 10, the numbers 24a that correspond to the numbers for a combination set to a pre-selected combination for the alarm tag 10 are those that are located at the slots 14g.
A coiled support spring 26 is located to contact the lowermost rotatable gear 20a and support the column of the rotatable gears 20a-20d. An indexing member 28 is provided to apply pressure to the digit wheels 22a-22d so that they do not just freely spin and rotate in an indexed manner. The indexing member 28 is located within the housings 12/14 and may be made of a spring steel material and includes fingers 28a, 28b, 28c, and 28d spaced and oriented to contact and apply pressure to the indexed surfaces 24 of the digit wheels 22a-22d, respectively, as they rotate past the fingers 28a-28d within the housing. A silicone pad 29 electrically insulates the indexing member 28 from the electronics of the combination alarm tag 10.
Electronics for the combination alarm tag 10 may include an electronic circuit provided by a printed circuit board 30 powered by a battery 31 mounted to the printed circuit board 30 by a battery holder 31a. Mounted on the printed circuit board 30 are an audio speaker 32, an illumination source 34, and a pair of switch assemblies 36 and 38.
Also shown is an optional resistor 30a. As described below, the resistor 30a is operative to interact with an EAS antenna and when exposed to the electrical signal of the EAS antenna, such as when passing by the EAS antenna, impart a resistance to the closed circuit of the triggered combination alarm tag 10 and trigger the alarm features of the alarm tag 10.
The audio speaker 32 is configured to provide an audible alarm sound when activated by the printed circuit board 30. An inductor 32a is included to boost the volume of the speaker 32. The illumination source 34 is configured to provide illumination, such as flashing light, when activated by the printed circuit board 30. The illumination source 34 can be a variety of low voltage illumination devices, such as LEDs or a light guide as depicted. The audible alarm sound and the flashing light are referred to herein collectively as alarm features of the combination alarm tag 10 and depicted in the drawings by reference numeral 10a.
The switch assembly 36 includes a micro switch or miniature snap-action switch 36a, an actuating plunger 36b, and a spring 36c that attaches to a hook 36bb on the plunger 36b. The micro switch 36a is closed by activation of the plunger 36b to allow electrical communication or opened to disable electrical communication. The spring 36c maintains the plunger 36b in a position so that the micro switch 36a is open or disabled so that electricity does not flow, and the pressure of the spring 36c is overcome to actuate the plunger 36b. The switch assembly 38 is identical to the switch assembly 36 and includes a micro switch or miniature snap-action switch 38a, an actuating plunger 38b, and a spring 38c that attaches to a hook 38bb on the plunger 38b. When the micro switches 36a and 28a are closed, the alarm features 10a (speaker 32 and illumination source 34) are activated.
A coiled portion of a signal spring 40 is located to contact the end of the short-end 18b of the shackle 18. An elongate portion of the coiled signal spring 40 connects to the printed circuit board 30. A coiled portion of a signal spring 41 is located to contact the lowermost end of the long-end 18a of the shackle 18. An elongate portion of the signal spring 41 connects to the printed circuit board 30.
As will be appreciated, the shackle 18 is connected to the printed circuit board 30 by the signal springs 40 and 41 to create an electrical continuity. When the combination alarm tag 10 is armed, as described below, disconnection of this continuity will trigger the alarm features of the alarm tag 10. For example, if the shackle 18 were cut, this would trigger the alarm features of the alarm tag 10.
The printed circuit board 30 connects on one side with conductive springs 42 mounted on lead pillars 42a which connect to a conductive foil 44 that abuts the rear housing 14. The printed circuit board 30 connects on the opposite side with conductive springs 46 mounted on lead pillars 46a which connect to a conductive foil 48 that abuts the front housing 12. The conductive foils 44 and 46 are made of a thin electrically conductive film that is easily torn. In the event front housing 12 or rear housing 14 is broken when the alarm tag 10 is in the locked and armed condition, the conductive foil 44 or 46 or both will tear and open the circuit to cause the alarm features 10a of the alarm tag 10 to be activated.
With reference to
Returning to
The reference extensions 21b are utilized for the setting of a pre-selected combination. As will be noted, when the switch extensions 21a are aligned, the reference extensions 21b are also aligned. As noted above, when a user is setting the pre-selected combination code, the shackle 18 is pushed down. During this, the reference extensions 21b serve to locate each of the gears 20a-20d at their original position, and the protrusions 18aa on the shackle 18 will disengage from the gears 20a-20d, permitting the pre-selected combination to be changed to a different combination.
To remove the alarm tag 10 from the object, the digit wheels 22a-22d are turned until the desired combination is displayed on the end of the alarm tag 10 through the slots 14g. When the desired combination is displayed the shackle 18 will rise such that the short end 18b is free.
Turning to
As shown in
As described herein, the EAS antenna A is a conventional EAS antenna operable to transmit electrical signals at regular intervals. The printed circuit board 30 is also configured to cooperate in the manner of a conventional EAS tag and respond to the EAS antenna when the alarm tag 10 is within a predetermined distance of the EAS antenna, usually from about 5 to about 10 feet, and trigger the alarm features AA of the EAS antenna. This may be done by having a signal responder provided as a layer incorporated into the printed circuit board 30. A lower cost way to do this is to add onto the printed circuit board 30 a conventional induction coil of the type used in conventional EAS tags. When the alarm tag 10 passes within proximity of the EAS antenna A, the EAS antenna A will detect the signal from the printed circuit board 30 and/or induction coil and trigger alarm features of the EAS antenna A.
The alarm tag 10 the printed circuit board 30 may also be configured in a similar manner be configured to provide a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag function and interact with a conventional RFID reader in the same manner as with an EAS antenna.
Turning to
Accordingly, it will be appreciated that present disclosure provides an improved alarm tag having combination access to not require a separate key or detachment device to remove the alarm tag 10 from an article. The alarm tag of the disclosure also has improved aesthetics and is constructed to be suitable for use as an EAS alarm tag to trigger the alarm features of an EAS antenna. The alarm tag 10 also has independent on-board alarm features that are triggered in the event of tampering with articles to which the alarm tag 10 is applied as well as tampering with the alarm tag 10 itself, or passing proximate and EAS antenna.
The foregoing description of preferred embodiments for this disclosure has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments are chosen and described in an effort to provide the best illustrations of the principles of the disclosure and its practical application, and to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the disclosure in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the disclosure as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally, and equitably entitled.
