A security tag system is designed to prevent unauthorized removal of an item from a controlled area. For example, a typical Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) system may comprise a monitoring system and one or more security tags. The monitoring system may create a surveillance zone at an access point for the controlled area. A security tag may be enclosed in a security device that is secured to the monitored item, such as an article of hard goods, e.g., sporting equipment, eye wear, jewelry, bottles, and the like. If the monitored item enters the surveillance zone, an alarm may be triggered to indicate unauthorized removal.
The security device may be secured to a number of different items. It may be desirable for the security device to allow authorized release from the article, while making unauthorized release relatively difficult. Consequently, there may be a need for improved techniques in security devices in general, and systems for securing the security devices to articles in particular.
The subject matter regarded as embodiments is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. Embodiments, however, both as to organization and method of operation, may best be understood by reference to the following detailed description when read with the accompanying drawings in which:
Embodiments may be directed to apparatuses, systems and methods for pairing an article with a security tag.
For example, one embodiment may include a security device comprising a locking mechanism, security tag, and a housing. The locking mechanism may comprise a magnetically actuable latch, a flexible element that biases the magnetically actuable latch toward a locking position, and a latch mating element that mates with at least a portion of the magnetically actuable latch in the locking position. As used herein, the “locking position” may refer to the position of the magnetically actuable latch in which it is partially or fully within a void of, in engagement with, joined with, or otherwise mated with the latch mating element. The housing may be a structure configured to partially or fully contain, enclose, or otherwise secure the locking mechanism, security tag, latch mating element, and the article to the housing. As secured, the magnetically actuable latch of the locking mechanism may mate with the latch mating element in the locking position to lock the housing, and thus the security tag with which the housing is secured, to the article. When the housing is locked, the security device may prevent or provide resistance to an attempt to separate the housing from the article. Another embodiment may include a security system comprising the security device and a detacher, which may be a device that includes a magnet. The detacher may be employed to unlock the housing by magnetically forcing the magnetically actuable latch away from the locking position.
It is worthy to note that any reference in the specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.
Numerous specific details may be set forth herein to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. It will be understood by those skilled in the art, however, that the embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the embodiments. It can be appreciated that the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein may be representative and do not necessarily limit the scope of the embodiments.
Referring now in detail to the drawings wherein like parts are designated by like reference numerals throughout, there is illustrated in
The locking mechanism 10 may be a magnetically actuable locking mechanism, and may include a magnetically actuable latch 12, flexible element 16, and latch mating element 18.
The magnetically actuable latch 12 may include a base portion 13, which may include a base portion end 13A and side surfaces 13B and 13C; and a latching portion 14, which may include a latching portion end 14A; and a central portion 15.
The magnetically actuable latch 12 may have a substantially rectangular-shaped face such that the base portion 13 has the same width as both the latching portion 14 and central portion 15. Thus, the width of the base portion 13, or the distance between the side surfaces 13B and 13C, may be the same as the corresponding widths of the latching portion 14 and central portion 15. In other embodiments, the widths of the base portion 13, latching portion 14, and central portion 15 may differ. The magnetically actuable latch 12 may have a slender, uniform cross-section.
However, the magnetically actuable latch 12 may be configured as desired, may comprise one or more pieces, and may be symmetrical or unsymmetrical about any point, line, or plane. For example, in various embodiments the magnetically actuable latch 12 may be configured with a “T”, “I”, curved, or other shape of face and with a rectangular, circular, thick, hollow or otherwise voided, and/or non-uniform cross-section, or as described herein with respect to various embodiments of the magnetically actuable latch 912. In another embodiment, the latching portion end 14A of the magnetically actuable latch 12 may include one or more teeth, ribs, notches, jags, points, curves, voids, or other shapes such as those described herein with respect to embodiment of the magnetically actuable latch 912, while the base portion end 13A may be flat or another shape. In addition, the base portion end 13A may be continuous or discontinuous. The magnetically actuable latch 12 may be configured such that at least a portion of it, such as the latching portion 14, may engage, receive, insert into, or otherwise mate with the latch mating element 18, such as described herein.
In one embodiment, a security device 2 includes multiple magnetically actuable latches 12, which may be disposed, possibly each along with another flexible element 16 and latch mating element 18, in the same or different portions of the security device 2. For example, in one embodiment, the multiple magnetically actuable latches 12 may each cooperate with another portion of the security device 2 to lock the portion, such as, for example, a portion securing an article or a portion securing a security tag 20.
The magnetically actuable latch 12 may comprise or may be formed of a magnetic material such as iron, nickel, or cobalt, or an alloy of iron, nickel, or cobalt. In one embodiment, the magnetically actuable latch 12 includes one or more magnetic materials and may also include one or more nonmagnetic materials.
The flexible element 16 may be shaped as desired, such as in a cuboid, ellipsoid, coil, or any other shape such as described herein with respect to the embodiments of the flexible element 916 and may include one or more pieces, or may be combined or integrally formed with the magnetically actuable latch 12. In one embodiment, the flexible element 16 may be shaped as a cantilever arm, such as, for example, a leaf spring. The flexible element 16 may comprise or may be formed of a flexible material such as a light, porous, semirigid, elastic, gaseous, and/or spongy material that may provide a resistant force when compressed and may partially or fully recover its uncompressed shape when the compressive force is removed. For example, in various embodiments, the flexible element 16 may comprise or may be formed of a foam rubber, polymeric foam, ceramic foam, or other foam; a rubber; and/or another material or materials. The flexible element 16 may also or alternatively be configured to provide the resistant force when compressed. For example, in various embodiments the flexible element 16 may be configured as a coil, leaf or other cantilevered arm, or other spring, or other like member, that comprises a metal, polymer, ceramic, and/or another material or materials. The flexible element 16 may have any of various masses.
The latch mating element 18 may be configured as desired, such as with one or more holes or other voids, ribs, teeth, protrusions, or other shapes. The latch mating element 18 may include one or more pieces, and may be separate from or integral with the housing 30, such as described herein. The latch mating element 18 may be configured to engage, receive, insert into, or otherwise mate with at least a portion of the magnetically actuable latch 12. For example, in an embodiment where the magnetically actuable latch 12 is a slender member with a rectangular shape of face, the latch mating element 18 may be configured with a void in which the latching portion 14 of the magnetically actuable latch 12 or a part thereof may be inserted into the locking position, as described herein. In an embodiment where the magnetically actuable latch 12 is toothed at its latching portion end 14A, the latch mating element 18 may be configured with ribs that engage the teeth in the locking position.
The security tag 20 may be any detectable device or system, such as any security tag or label. For example, in various embodiments the security tag 20 may be any type of EAS tag (e.g., Radio Frequency (RF) tag, acousto-magnetic tag, and/or combinations thereof), Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag, smart tag, or other detectable anti-theft or other tag. The security tag 20 may be detectable by a corresponding detecting system or device, such as, depending on the type of security tag or label, an acousto-magnetic detector, electromagnetic detector, radio frequency detector, or other detector.
The housing 30, as partially shown in the embodiment of
The components included in the security device 2 may be configured such that the security device 2 may lock to an article, such as described with respect to the security device embodiments below. The security tag 2 may be reusable or may be for one-time use.
In various embodiments, the detacher 40 may include different magnets 42. For example, the magnet 42 of the detacher 40 may be selected based upon the magnetic force needed to move the magnetically actuable latch 12 away from the locking position, thus unlocking the security device 2. This magnetic force may need to more than offset the forces opposing the movement. Such opposing forces may include, for example, the resistant force provided by the flexible element 16 when it is compressed by the magnetically actuable latch 12, frictional forces caused by the magnetically actuable latch 12 contacting the housing 30 and/or another element during movement, and other forces. In another embodiment, where a detacher 40 is intended to be used on various security devices having different configurations, a magnet 42 may be selected that is strong enough to unlock the security device requiring the strongest magnet to unlock it.
In one embodiment, the security device 2 may be configured for one-time use. For example, in one embodiment as shown in
For example, the cantilevered arm 4 may have an unloaded position as shown in
In another embodiment, only one of the cantilevered arms 4 and 5 is included. In various other embodiments, other resilient elements, such as coils or other springs, rubbers, and foams, for example, may be employed within the channel 3 or other portion of the housing to prevent the appended security device from being used twice.
In another embodiment such as shown in
In another embodiment, a cabled security device 902, such as described with respect to the embodiments of
The cable 922 may be an elongate element and may be at least partially cylindrical, and may comprise a plastic and metal. The cable 922 may be flexible. However, in various embodiments, the cable 922 may have different configurations. For example, the cable 922 may include other shapes, another material or combination of materials, and/or one or more other elements of the cabled security device 902.
For example, in one embodiment, the cable 922 may be or be part of any of various sizes and shapes of closed loops. As used herein, the term “closed loop” may refer to a structure that continuously surrounds a void extending completely through the structure. The void may be considered to be part of the structure, or may be considered as space surrounded by the structure The void may or may not have a fixed size. The closed loop may be integral with another structure, such as a housing, or may be a separate piece. A closed loop may be formed for example, by coupling two portions of a continuous structure with each other or with a second structure that branches the two portions.
Closed loops may include, in various embodiments, lanyards, belts, cords, chains, straps, and other like structures each having continuous portions coupled with each other or with a branching structure. A closed loop may secure an article by being tightened around the article. A closed loop may secure an article thereto by extending through a void, the void extending through the article and being continuously surrounded by the article.
An example of an article that may be secured to a closed loop is a structure having a body and a continuous strap or other handle, the handle having at least a portion thereof that extends away from the body and has ends that are affixed, integral with, secured to, enclosed by, or otherwise coupled with the body such that the structure continuously surrounds a void extending through the article. Such a structure may be an article having a closed loop, such as a handbag, purse, or briefcase that has a strap or other continuous handle that is coupled with the article at two portions, such as ends.
A closed loop may secure an article thereto by being tightened around the article or a portion thereof.
As another example of a configuration of the cable 922, the cable 922 may be an elongate element that is at least partially cylindrical and includes the latch mating element 918, as described in an embodiment below.
The housing 930 may have an at least partially cuboidal outer shape, and may have a short “I” or short lowercase “l” shape to its outer face 932, or may have another shape. The housing 930 may include two apertures 934 and 936. Each of the apertures 934 and 936 may or may not extend through the sides 938 and 939 of the housing. The apertures 934 and 936 may each be at least partially cylindrical. However, in various embodiments, the apertures 934 and 936 may have another shape, such as at least a partially cuboidal or any other shape.
The apertures 934 and 936 may each be configured with a shape and size dependent upon the shape and size of the cable 922, which may, in various embodiments, extend into or through either or both apertures 934 and 936, such as described below.
The bottom housing 950 and top housing 970 of the housing 930 may be formed with part or all of one or both apertures 934 or 936. In one embodiment, the bottom and top housings 950 and 970 form part, such as half, for example, of the apertures 934 and 936 such that where the housing 930 is assembled, the bottom and top housings 950 and 970 cooperate to form the apertures 934 and 936. The housing 930, including the bottom housing 950 and top housing 970, may comprise one or more materials, such as plastics and metals, and the portions may comprise the same or different materials, or a combination thereof.
In various embodiments, the housing 930, and components thereof, may be configured and sized as desired, such as described with respect to the housing 30 of the
The magnetically actuable latch 912 may comprise a magnetic material, and may comprise one or more materials, such as described with respect to the magnetically actuable latch 12 of
The magnetically actuable latch 912 may be shaped at least partially like an “I”. Thus, the base portion side surfaces 913B and 913C may be parallel and each may be at least substantially straight, and the width of the base portion 913, which may be the distance between base portion side surfaces 913B and 913C, may be wider than the corresponding width of the central portion 915 but similar to the corresponding width of the latching portion 914. The base portion end 913A may be flat and may be substantially perpendicular to the base portion side surfaces 913B and 913C. The magnetically actuable latch 912 may be configured with a slender thickness.
The magnetically actuable latch 912 may include one or more protrusions 980. The protrusions 980 may be positioned at least partially in the latch portion 914 of the magnetically actuable latch 912, and may have ends at the latching portion end 914A.
In one embodiment, the protrusions 980 may be one or more teeth, for example, three teeth 981-983. The three teeth 981-983 may have sides 981A-983A and 981B-983B that may be relatively angled such that they meet at, or terminate near, the tooth ends 981C-983C, respectively. The tooth ends 981C-983C may thus be pointed.
The sides 981A-983A may be at least substantially parallel, as may be the sides 981B-983B. The sides 981A-983A may be angled with respect to the base portion side surfaces 913A-913B of the base portion 913 and/or the one or both of the corresponding sides of the latching portion 914 and central portion 915 of the magnetically actuable latch 912. The sides 981B-983B may be substantially perpendicular or less angled (than the sides 981A-983A) with respect to the base portion side surfaces 913A-913B of the base portion 913 and the corresponding sides of the latching portion 914 and central portion 915. The teeth 981-983 may be equally spaced or non-uniformly spaced.
However, the one or more protrusions 980 may comprise other configurations. For example, the one or more protrusions 980 may comprise one or more ribs, notches, jags, points, curves, or voids, for example. The one or more protrusions 980 may be positioned at least partially on the latching portion 914 of the latch and may comprise the latching portion end 914A. The one or more protrusions 980 may be configured to mate with the latch mating element 918 in the locking position, such as described below.
The magnetically actuable latch 912 may be otherwise configured in various embodiments, such as described herein with respect to the magnetically actuable latch 12 shown in
The flexible element 916 may comprise or be formed of a flexible material, and may include a material or materials such as described herein with respect to the flexible element 16 shown in
The latch mating element 918 may be included in the cable 922, and may be separate from the housing 930. In this embodiment, the latch mating element 918 may include one or more voids 990. In one embodiment, the magnetically actuable latch 912 may mate with the latch mating element 918 in the locking position when the one or more teeth or other protrusions 980 extend into the one or more voids 990.
The one or more voids 990 may be delineated by one or more ribs 992, which may be protrusions such as described herein with respect to the protrusions 980. The one or more ribs 992 may each comprise rib sides 994 and 996, which may be non-parallel in one embodiment. For example, in one embodiment, the rib sides 994 may be substantially perpendicular or close to perpendicular to the tangential direction along the length of the latch mating element 918, whereas the rib sides 996 may have an angle that is that is acute, such as 45 degrees for example, relative to this length. Such a configuration may facilitate pulling or otherwise moving the latch mating element 918 through the aperture 934 in one direction but not the other, opposing direction, such as described below.
However, the latch mating element 918 may be otherwise configured, such as with one or more ribs, notches, jags, points, curves, or voids, for example, to mate with the magnetically actuable latch 912 in the locking position. For example, in one embodiment, the latch mating element 918 may be configured with one or more voids 990 shaped like or somewhat like that of the one or more protrusions 980 of the magnetically actuable latch 912. Thus, at least one void 990 may receive at least one protrusion 980 or a portion thereof, which may prevent or inhibit movement of the latch mating element 918 out of the aperture 934.
In another embodiment, the latch mating element 918 comprises a penetrable material such as rubber or a soft plastic, and the magnetically actuable latch 912 may include protrusions 980, such as pointed teeth. Such protrusions may dig into the latch mating element 918 where the magnetically actuable latch 912 is in the locking position and the latch mating element 918 is pulled with a force for directing it out of the aperture 934, and thus, the housing 930.
In one embodiment, the cable 922 includes the latch mating element 918, and may be variously configured. For example, the cable 922 and latch mating element 918 may include one or more materials. In one embodiment, the latch mating element 918 and cable 922 include plastic, which the one or more ribs 992 may comprise. The latch mating element 918 may also comprise a second material, such as stainless steel or another metal. This metal may form an internal portion of the latch mating element 918, and the plastic may be disposed around it. In various embodiments, the metal and plastic components may separable or inseparable. For example, the metal and plastic components may be bonded, press-fit, co-molded, inserted, and/or coated. The metal portion may strengthen the latch mating element 918 and prevent or inhibit breaking or otherwise separating portions of the latch mating element 918, and thus prevent or inhibit unlocking the cabled security device 902. The metal may be beaded, stranded, flat-wire, partially cylindrical, or may be formed in any suitable manner to reinforce the cable 922 so that the latch mating element 918 and cable 922 may be strengthened and still flexible. The plastic may be deformable such that the ribs 992 may deform when a compressive force is applied thereto.
In one embodiment, a cable 922 including a latch mating element 918 may be at least partially cylindrical and have a maximum diameter of ⅛ inch and comprise a plastic outer layer disposed around a 1/16 inch diameter stainless steel core. The ⅛ inch maximum diameter may comprise the maximum diameter of the latch mating element 918 at a rib 992. The diameter of areas of the latch mating element 918 at the voids 990 may be less than ⅛ inch, and may be more than 1/16 inch. In one embodiment, the diameter of areas of the latch mating element 918 having voids 990 are variable, and may vary between 1/16 inch and ⅛ inch, for example. In one embodiment, a portion of the cable 922 may not include the latch mating element and 918 and may have a uniform ⅛ inch diameter.
In various other embodiments, the latch mating element 918 may comprise other materials, such as soft rubber or other outer material and hard plastic or other inner material. In other embodiments, the cable 922 and latch mating element 918 may be formed of one or more materials that may or may not each form an inner or outer portion of the latch mating element 918.
The bottom housing 950 of the housing 930 may be configured such that the magnetically actuable latch 912 and flexible element 916 of the locking mechanism 910 may be adjacently disposed therein. Thus, the base portion end 913A of the magnetically actuable latch 912 may be positioned near or in abutment with the flexible element 916. With such a configuration, the movement of the magnetically actuable latch 912 and flexible element 916 may be restricted in one or more directions.
For example, the bottom housing 950 may include a channel end wall 965, channel walls 966 and 968, and a channel 964 delineated by channel walls 966 and 968 and bounded by the channel end wall 965. The channel walls 966 and 968 may include portions substantially parallel to each other, and may be positioned close to or in contact with the magnetically actuable latch 912 at the base portion side surfaces 913B and 913C and at the sides of the central and latching portions 915 and 914, respectively, thereby restricting the movement of the magnetically actuable latch 912 to movement along the channel 964, which may be movement in a substantially linear direction, for example.
In various other embodiments, the magnetically actuable latch 912 may move in a rotational, combination rotational/linear direction, or any other direction or directions. In these various other embodiments, one or more of the channel 964, flexible element 916, and latch mating element 918 may be contoured, shaped, or otherwise configured to guide the magnetically actuable latch 912 in the direction or directions.
The flexible element 916 may be positioned adjacent the channel end wall 965 such that where the magnetically actuable latch 912 is forced away from the locking position and against the flexible element 916, the flexible element 916 may compress by the force of the magnetically actuable latch 912 and the resistant force of the channel end wall 965. The flexible element 916 may provide a resistant force to such compression, against such movement of the magnetically actuable latch 912.
As described above, in each of various embodiments the magnetically actuable latch 912 may be configured with another shape, in which case the channel 964, and thus the channel walls 966 and 968, may be configured to accommodate such a magnetically actuable latch 912 and possibly restrict the movement of the magnetically actuable latch 912 in one or more directions. In each of these embodiments, the flexible element 916 may be configured to fit within the channel 964.
Thus, the flexible element 916 of the locking mechanism 910 may bias the magnetically actuable latch 912 into the locking position where the teeth 918-983 or other protrusions 980 of the magnetically actuable latch 912 may engage the ribs 992 of the latch mating element 918 portion disposed in the aperture 934 of the housing 930. Such a configuration may prevent or provide resistance to movement of the latch mating element 918 out of the aperture 934 and thus the housing 930.
For example, in one embodiment, where a tooth 981 of the magnetically actuable latch 912 is disposed in the locking position between two ribs 992, the adjacent rib side 994 may be substantially parallel or have a small angle relative to the tooth side 981B. But the rib side 994 and tooth side 981B may be substantially perpendicular or close to perpendicular to the direction in which the latch mating element 918 moves through the aperture 934 as constrained by the walls of the aperture 934. Thus, where a force is applied to the latch mating element 918 to pull it out of the aperture 934, the latch mating element 918 may move until the rib side 994 and tooth side 981B contact and exert opposing substantially or close to normal forces on each other. In such case, the latch mating element 918 may be prevented or inhibited from being pulled out of the aperture 934.
However, in one embodiment, such a configuration may not prevent or may provide less resistance to movement of the latch mating element 918 into the aperture 934 of the housing 930. Thus, the tooth side 981A and adjacent rib side 996 may be angled relative to the direction of movement of the latch mating element 918 in the aperture 934. Where a force is applied to the latch mating element 918 to pull it further into the aperture 934, the latch mating element 918 may move until the rib side 996 and tooth side 981A contact. In such case, the rib side 996 and tooth side 981A may exert much lower opposing normal forces, and if the outer material of the latch mating element 918 is deformable as discussed herein, the latch mating element 918 may be moved. Movement may be made by a force greater than any normal force, friction force caused by the rib side 996 and tooth side 981A sliding against each other, compressive force the rib 992 provides from its deformation, and/or any other opposing forces.
This force to move more of the latch mating element 918 into, and possibly through, the aperture 934 (such as to feed the cable 922 extending from the aperture 936 into the aperture 934 in the direction shown, e.g., in
Additionally, since the cable 922 may extend out of the aperture 934 and then into the aperture 936 of the housing 930, where it may also be secured, as discussed below, the continuous cable 922 may form a closed loop that includes the cable 922 and the housing 930 branching portions thereof. Thus, the magnetically actuable latch 912, along with the bottom housing 950 and top housing 970, may cooperate as assembled to prevent or provide resistance to opening the closed loop, may secured an article to the cabled security device 902, to remove the article.
The bottom housing 950 of the housing 930 may be further or alternatively configured to receive the top housing 970.
Referring again to
One or both of the bottom housing 950 and top housing 970 may include, within the aperture 936, one or more recesses. Each recess may be shaped to contain a part of the cable 922, such as a rib 992, and to cooperate with other portions of the housing 930 to secure the cable 922 thereto, such as at one of its ends. In one embodiment, the bottom housing 950 includes one or more recesses 952, such as three, that are each shaped to receive a rib 992. The top housing 970 may be positioned closely adjacent each rib 992 when disposed on the housing 950 to secure each rib 992 within a recess 952. As such, each rib 992 may be blocked from moving out of the one or more recesses, and the end or other portion of the cable 922 may thereby be secured to the cabled security device 902.
In another embodiment, the aperture 936 portion at or near the side 939 may be sized to receive an area of the cable 922 between two ribs 992, but may be too small to fit a rib 992 through. Thus, the aperture 936 portion at or near the side 939 may surround an area of the cable 922 between two ribs 992 such that one rib 992 is disposed in the housing 930. The housing may thereby secure the cable 922.
The housing 930, as assembled, may also secure a second portion of the cable 922 within the aperture 934. Since the cable 922 may thus be branched by the housing 930 and be continuous, the cabled security device 930 may comprise a closed loop. Since cable 922 may be secured to the housing 930 as such as described herein, the closed loop may be formed as part of the cabled security device 902.
Such a configuration may also allow for multiple security tag assemblies 997 to be positioned on the cable 997 to provide multiple security tags, such as security tags 20, to be secured to the housing 930. For example, in one embodiment, a security tag assembly 997 enclosing an EAS tag and a security tag assembly 997 enclosing an RFID may be secured to the cable 922 and thus to the housing 930 to which the cable 922 is secured. In another embodiment, any combination of EAS tags, RFID tags, Ultramax tags, smart tags and other detectable anti-theft or other tags may be enclosed in security tag assemblies 997, which may each be secured to the cable 922 and thus the housing.
The security tag housing 997A may include a bottom housing 997C and a top housing 997D, each of which may be shaped to be disposed on the other.
The bottom housing 997C and top housing 997D may be secured together by welding, fusing, gluing, snap-fit (such as where the bottom housing 997C and top housing 997D are configured with mating protrusions and voids, for example), interference fit, and/or by other securing means. Such securing means may prevent or provide resistance to separation of the bottom housing 997C and top housing 997D, and thus removal of the security tag therein.
For example, the aperture 998B may extend through the security tag housing 998 adjacent its short side. The apertures 999B and 999C may extend through the security tag housing 999 adjacent its long and short side respectively, to enable two possible positions relative to a cable 922 extending through it. The apertures 1000B-1000E may extend adjacent four sides to enable four possible such relative positions.
The cabled security device 1202 of the embodiment of
In each of various embodiments, one of the cables 1222, 1322, and 1422 may be substituted for one of the cables 902, 1002, or 1102 described herein, and vice versa.
In each of various embodiments, one of the cabled security devices 902, 1002, 1102, 1202, 1302, and 1402 may comprise more than one cable and possibly also more than one magnetic locking mechanism or portion thereof, such as a magnetically actuable latch. For example, the cabled security device 902 may be configured with a second locking mechanism 910 and second cable 922 that operate similarly to the first ones. In various embodiments, the cabled security device 902 may be configured such that the cables 922 extend out the opposite, same, or adjacent sides of the housing 930.
In each of various embodiments, a cabled security device system includes any of the cabled security devices 902, 1002, 1102, 1202, 1302, and 1402 described herein with respect to
In various embodiments, because no part of each of the security devices 902, 1002, 1102, 1202, 1302, and 1402 may be broken to unlock it, that security device may be reusable. In another embodiment, that security device employs a magnetically actuable latch that is for one-time use or is resettable.
In each of various other embodiments, a security device 902, 1002, 1102, 1202, 1302, or 1402 may be capable of holding an EAS tag and a magnetic mechanism. This security device may, in one embodiment, carry an EAS component and may be utilized to provide resistance to or prevent the unauthorized from taking and then leaving a store with the security device and any article that may be partially enclosed or otherwise secured thereto.
In one embodiment, a cabled security device 902 may have a “short I” configuration and include a bottom housing 950, top housing 970, and a locking mechanism 910 that may be called a latch mechanism. The cabled security device 902 may include a security tag or label housed, such as the security tag 20 described herein with respect to
In one embodiment, a cabled security device 1002 may have a “T” configuration and include a bottom housing 1050, top housing 1070, a locking mechanism 910 that may be called a latch mechanism, and a security tag, such as the security tag 20.
In one embodiment, a cabled security device 1102 may have a “Long I” configuration and include a bottom housing 1150, top housing 1170, a locking mechanism 910 that may be called a latch mechanism, and a security tag, such as the security tag 20.
While certain features of the embodiments have been illustrated as described herein, many modifications, substitutions, changes and equivalents will now occur to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the scope of the embodiments.
This application claims priority to the U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/633,813 titled “Improved EAS Security Tags” filed Dec. 7, 2004, and to the U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/683,657 titled “Improved EAS Security Tags” filed May 23, 2005, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. This international application designating the United States of America is related to the following applications designating the United States of America: (1) “Magnetically Actuable Locking Mechanism And Associated Security Device”;(2) “Optical Disc Security Device Having A Magnetically Actuable Locking Mechanism”;(3) “Security Device For An Article Having A Constrained Elongate Element”; and(4) “Security Device For A Bottle.” These related applications are being filed concurrently herewith and are incorporated by reference in their entirety.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/US05/44690 | 12/7/2005 | WO | 00 | 6/30/2008 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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60683657 | May 2005 | US | |
60633813 | Dec 2004 | US |