1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of electronic article surveillance (“EAS”), and more particularly relates to a novel EAS tag and companion lanyard which can be placed in releaseably lockable engagement with an article over which security precautions are being exercised without the use of a locking pin.
2. Related Art
Devices used to affix EAS tags to retail merchandise and other items over which security precautions against theft is desired are legion. One example is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,995,900 to Humble et al, which shows a reusable security tag comprised of a housing containing a detectable element, such as a passive tuned circuit being responsive to a surveillance signal, in the form of, for example, electromagnetic, acousto-magnetic or radio frequency energy, and a pin adapted to be passed through a garment and through one or more corresponding apertures in the housing. The pin is held in place within the housing by a metal clutch lock to thereby sandwich the garment between the tag housing and the pin. The pin is removed from engagement with the clutch lock by a special detachment apparatus, which applies force to the clutch lock in such a way as to cause the clutch lock to disengage from the pin. The object of this device is to permit for easy attachment of the tag to the garment or article to be monitored but to prevent easy removal by unauthorized hands. On the other hand, the retail clerk must have a simple convenient means for readily removing tags from garments which, due to purchase or other reasons, may be removed legitimately from the premises.
Numerous other EAS tag attachment apparatus have been proposed, the vast majority of them being of the type which also utilize a releaseably securable pin as discussed above. Some of these other devices employ a strap or lanyard, similar to the well-known “tie wraps”, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,943 to Scott, et al, which discloses a bundling strap having an elongated thin strap body connected to a locking head end, the strap being adapted to be looped back upon itself and inserted into the head end. The head end defines an aperture or passage corresponding generally in shape to the cross-sectional configuration of the strap. Serrations or ratchets defined by the strap body matingly engage corresponding teeth defined by the passage in the head end to permit the strap to be inserted into and passed through the passage in one direction but not to be withdrawn therefrom. Such arrangements have been used to attach EAS tags to merchandise using pin-type attachments, such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,463 to Schenkel, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,226,839 to Sayegh, and others.
Many articles of merchandise are not susceptible to having an EAS tag attached thereto using a pin, as either the dimensions of the article or the material out of which the article is made are not susceptible of being pierced by a pin. Therefore, attaching an EAS tag to an article using a releaseably secured lanyard that does not utilize a pin and that is of simple construction and inexpensive is desired.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a theft deterrent tag and attachment assembly which can be attached to irregularly shaped articles.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a theft deterrent tag and attachment assembly which is of simple construction and is inexpensive to use.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a theft deterrent tag and attachment assembly which is adapted to permit conventionally-shaped EAS housings to be attached to articles without the use of a pin-type attachment structure.
In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the above and other objectives are realized in a theft deterrent tag and attachment assembly in which the attachment assembly comprises a strap or lanyard which is either integrally formed (e.g. molded) or otherwise cooperates with an EAS tag housing, the strap being comprised of a first end either releaseably or integrally attached to the EAS tag housing and a second end adapted to be looped back upon itself (and around a portion of an article to be secured) and passed through a passage defined by the EAS tag housing. The lanyard defines a plurality of ratchet or teeth-like projections adapted to be engaged by a corresponding pawl member pivotally secured within the EAS tag housing. The pawl member is normally biased into a first position in which it engages the ratchets on the lanyard body, the pawl member being pivotable into a second position in which it is disengaged from the ratchets on the lanyard body such that the lanyard body can be removed from the passage in the housing and thereby separated from the article. The pawl member may be moved from the first position to the second position using any one of the standard detachment devices (i.e., detachers) known to those of skill in the art. However, any apparatus capable of bringing about the results described herein is within the scope of the invention therefore. Numerous structural arrangements for facilitating the positioning and reciprocating movement of the pawl member are contemplated by the invention.
The objects and advantages, as well as the particular structural arrangements, of the instant invention recited herein are only examples and should not be construed as limiting the invention. The invention will be further understood from consideration of the following description of various aspects and embodiments thereof and from the drawings herein. Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the detailed description of the invention and claims that follow.
As is well known in the art of electronic article surveillance, tag systems such as that shown and described herein utilize a passive tuned circuit that is responsive to electromagnetic, acousto-electric or radio frequency energy (an example of which is shown as “C” in
First housing half 16 is adapted to be mated together with second housing half 18 such that their inner surfaces form an interior volume or chamber therebetween. Extending into the interior volume are one or more force exertion projections, such as dimples 32, 34 and a biasing member 30. Second housing half 18 defines, on its bottom exterior surface, first and second strap passages 24, 26, as well as a strap head end stop member 22. Second housing half 18 also defines, on its interior facing surface, one or more pawl access windows 78 (one shown) and pawl member retention posts 70, 72, 74 and 76.
Pawl 40 in the preferred embodiment is a generally T-shaped member comprised of a rectangular element 48 connected to a yoke 51, which is turn supports one or more clawsm, arms or other strap engagement elements 42. Pawl 40 has a slight bend formed therein at or near the juncture of rectangular element 48 and yoke 51, forming a fulcrum line 46 about which pawl 40 is permitted to pivot against the interior surface of second housing half 18, generally along dashed line 80 shown in
A biasing member 30 is employed to retain pawl 40 in its at rest position shown in
In one embodiment, strap 14 defines an elongated groove or channel 17 between teeth 19 which are adapted to nest with raised tabs or projections 27 and 29 when strap 14 is passed through first and second strap passages 24, 26, respectively. Tabs 27, 29 prohibit the introduction of a tool into passageways 24, 26 while strap 14 is disposed therein, which could otherwise be used in an attempt to thwart the device by removing strap 14 in an unauthorized manner. It is to be understood, however, that the invention 10 will work quite suitably without the employment of tabs 27, 29 and corresponding slot 17 in strap 14.
Briefly described, when it is desired to attach one of the EAS tag devices 10 of this invention to an article, strap 14 is passed through first strap-receiving aperture 26 defined by second housing half 18 such that head end 15 sits between the U-shaped structure 20 and head and stop member 22, as shown in
It is to be understood, however, that the step of passing strap 14 through aperture 24 will be unnecessary in the event strap 14 is integrally formed with or integrally connected to housing member 18.
Referring now to
In all cases it is to be understood that the above described configurations are merely illustrative of the many possible specific embodiments which represent applications of the present invention. Numerous and varied other configurations can be readily devised in accordance with the principles of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.