THEFT DETERRENT DEVICE WITH INTEGRAL LANYARD ATTACHMENT MEANS

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to electronic article surveillance ("EAS") retail theft deterrent devices, and more particularly to EAS devices having a tack and tag body configuration adapted for attachment to non-textile items.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In retail sales, theft deterrent devices that are attached to articles of merchandise to be protected have become an important tool to combat retail theft, as preventing theft of clothing garments and other articles in the retail environment is particularly difficult. Electronic article surveillance ("EAS") has become commonly used to designate a variety of techniques employed to electronically detect the unauthorized removal of merchandise from a store.

Virtually all EAS systems have in common two essential components. One component is a security tag affixed to each piece of merchandise to be protected from unauthorized removal. The other component is some form of in-store electronic equipment, which is capable of detecting the proximity of one of the special security tags.

The typical security tag affixed to each article of merchandise usually consists of a tag body and a tack-like connecting component. The tag body includes a mechanical locking element which accepts a tack-like connecting component, and a housing that encloses the elements whose proximity is detectable by the in-store electronic equipment. The tack-like connecting component essentially consists of a pin element permanently attached to a base element. The pin element in the

connecting component is designed to pierce or be inserted through an opening in the article of merchandise and then attach semi-permanently to the tag body. In a typical arrangement, after application of the security tag, a portion of the article of merchandise is sandwiched between the tag body and the base element of the connecting component and can only be freed by store personnel using special equipment to unlock the locking mechanism in the tag body.

At the retail level, it is often desirable to use only one type of EAS tag for all items of merchandise. In this way, it is not necessary to maintain an inventory of a variety of different types of tags for different types of merchandise. Using a single type of EAS tag within an establishment also simplifies the deactivation process upon checkout since only one type of detacher is required.

Some items of merchandise are relatively small and are ill-suited for receiving a relatively large EAS tag. Another problem is that it is difficult to attach an EAS tag holder to other items of merchandise which cannot be pierced by tack, such as non- textile items. One example is the jewelry portion of the retail market wherein necklaces and earrings cannot readily hold a large EAS tag holder. Lanyards have been developed for these products.

Fig. 1 illustrates how an EAS tag can be secured to an item with a typical retail security-type lanyard having loops at each end. The lanyard is looped through an available opening in the item, and threaded through itself. The lanyard is then is secured to the EAS tag by inserting the tack through the free loop and securing it to the tag body.

While these methods are effective for attachment of the EAS tag, the number of different elements required (tack, lanyard and tag) makes it inconvenient and time- consuming for the user in both the attachment and detachment process. It would be

desirable to provide a means to attach secure an EAS tag to an item with a lanyard which requires the user to handle fewer individual pieces.

Another drawback of the prior art methods is that the tack does not make direct contact with the tag body when attached, and could make it possible to for one defeat the tag by inserting a prying implement between the tag and the tack.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one embodiment of the invention, a theft deterrent device to be secured to an article comprises an EAS tag body housing a detectable EAS sensor which has an opening adapted to receive a portion of an attachment element, such as a tack or pin. The EAS tag body including a means for releasably locking the portion of the attachment element inserted therein within the EAS tag body. An attachment element comprises a portion of flexible cable having a first end and a second end, the second end terminating in a loop, and the first end having a tack head and pin attached thereto for insertion into the opening in the EAS tag body for locked retention therein. In use, the first end can be threaded through the loop to engage an article to be secured, and then inserted into the opening in the EAS tag body for locked engagement. The flexible cable can be flexible twisted multi-fiber steel wire. The tack head can be constructed to include an aperture extending therethrough and a cylindrical sleeve contiguous to the aperture. The cylindrical sleeve is sized to the receive the first end of the cable and a portion of the pin, so that the first end of the cable and a portion of the pin can be respectively inserted into opposite ends of the cylindrical sleeve and fixedly secured therein.

In one embodiment of the invention, a theft deterrent device to be secured to an article comprises an EAS tag body having an opening therein for receiving a cooperating attachment element in a releasably locked arrangement, and a flexible cable having a proximal end secured to the EAS tag body and a free distal end terminating in a tack head and pin configured for insertion into the opening in the EAS tag body for locked retention therein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of various embodiments of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description which should be read in conjunction with the following figures wherein like numerals represent like parts. FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art method of using a retail security type lanyard to secure an item to an EAS device.

Fig. 2 illustrates a typical EAS tag body and a cooperating attachment element for use with the EAS tag body according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a typical EAS tag body. FIG. 4 illustrates the attachment element of Fig. 2 used to secure an EAS tag body to an item.

FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of the attachment element in which the tack head and pin are formed as separate pieces which are assembled at the time of manufacture.

FIG. 6 A illustrates an embodiment of the tack head of the attachment element providing a cylindrical sleeve to receive the cable and pin.

FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view of the tack head shown in Fig. 4A.

FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view of the tack head housing showing the flexible cable and pin inserted therein.

FIG. 8 illustrates a theft deterrent device according to one embodiment of the invention in which an EAS tag body has a flexible cable permanently attached thereto, with the flexible cable terminating in a pin for insertion into the EAS tag body.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

For simplicity and ease of explanation, the invention will be described herein in connection with various embodiments thereof. Those skilled in the art will recognize, however, that the features and advantages of the invention may be implemented in a variety of configurations. It is to be understood, therefore, that the embodiments described herein are presented by way of illustration, not of limitation.

The present invention is an EAS theft deterrent device including an attachment cable or lanyard to facilitate attachment of the device to suitably configured items. One embodiment of an EAS theft deterrent device 10 of the invention is shown in Fig. 2. The device includes a EAS tag body 20. The EAS tag body 20 is of the type well known in the art in which the tag body 20 houses a detectable EAS label, and which includes an opening 25 to receive a pin or tack. When used with textiles, the pin is used to first pierce the item to be protected and is then inserted into the opening 25 to attach the tag to the item. As is well known in the art, the EAS tag body 20 includes a means to prevent the withdrawal of the pin once inserted, with the pin being releasable only when a cooperating detaching device is used.

Examples of suitable EAS tags are described in U.S. Patents Nos. 5,426,419, 5,528,914, and 6,535,130. The disclosures of these patents are herein incorporated by reference, however, the practice of the present invention is not limited to the specific tag body arrangements described therein.

The present invention advantageously allows textile-type EAS tag bodies to be attached to a wider variety of itmes without having to pierce the item. As shown in Fig. 2, the theft deterrent device 10 attachment element 50 which cooperates with the EAS tag body 20. The attachment element 50 includes a portion of flexible cable or lanyard 15, having a length sufficient for looping the cable around a desired size item.

The cable or lanyard 15 is preferably formed from a strong material which cannot be easily severed, but which still has sufficient flexibility for ease of attachment. The lanyard 15 can be, for example, a flexible wire cable. In the preferred embodiment, the lanyard is security-type retail lanyard such as those formed form of flexible twisted multi-fiber steel wire.

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 2, the lanyard 15 includes a first end 17 and a second end 19, with the first end 17 terminating in a tack head 22. The second end 19 can be formed as a loop 30. The tack head 22 includes a pin 24 extending therefrom which is adapted for insertion into the opening 25 of the EAS tag body. In use, as shown in Fig. 4, the tack head 22 is threaded through the loop 30 to engage an item to be secured (such as the cup 55), and then inserted into the opening 25 of the tag body 20. In this arrangement, the item to be secured should be have a configuration which provides a suitable engagement structure for the lanyard, such as the aperture provided by the cup 50 in the illustrative example. The tack head 22 can have any suitable configuration which enables the user to grasp the tack head and insert it into the tag body, and is not limited to the illustrated configuration. In order to thwart tampering with the device 10, the tack head 22 can have a lower portion such as edge 23 which is preferably configured for flush contact with the tag body 20 when the pin 24 is fully inserted and locked within the opening 25. This arrangement makes it difficult for someone to insert an implement between the tag body 20 and the tack head 22 in an attempt to defeat the device by removal of the pin 24.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional illustration of a typical EAS tag body 20. The EAS tag body 20 includes an EAS sensor (or label) 11 which is detectable by an EAS interrogation system. The EAS tag body 20 is shown in Fig. 3 with a pin 24 inserted in inserted into the opening 25. In this example, a clutch mechanism in the form of a

spring clamp 13 prevents removal of the pin 24. The tag body 20 shown in Fig. 3 is only one example of a type of EAS tag body which can be utilized in the practice of the invention. The attachment element 10 of the invention can be used in combination with any suitable EAS tag body; any type of pin-retaining and detaching means can be used.

The attachment element 50 can be constructed in any suitable fashion which provides the lanyard 15 having a fixedly attached tack head 22. For example, the tack head 22 and pin 24 can be formed as unitary piece. The tack head 22 is permanently attached to the lanyard 15 using any desired attachment means that would prevent authorized detachment.

Fig. 5 illustrates one embodiment where the tack head 22 and pin 24 are formed as separate components and are assembled with the lanyard 15 at the time of manufacture. Figs 6 A and 6B illustrate one embodiment of the tack head 22 of the embodiment shown in Fig. 4. In the illustrated embodiment, the tack head 22 has an aperture 40 extending therethrough, and an elongated cylindrical sleeve 42 contiguous to the aperture. The cylindrical sleeve 42 is sized to receive a portion of the pin and the first end of the lanyard. As shown in Fig. 7, the first end 17 of the lanyard 15 and the upper portion of the pin 24 can be respectively inserted into opposite ends of the cylindrical sleeve 42 and fixedly secured therein using any desired method. In one embodiment, the cylindrical sleeve 42 can be formed from metal, and the sleeve 42 is crimped in order secure the pin 24 and the lanyard 15 in the sleeve 42.

Fig. 8 illustrates another embodiment 70 of the theft deterrent device of the invention. This embodiment advantageously provides an EAS tag body, tack head and lanyard formed as a unitary item. In this embodiment, an EAS tag body 60 includes a lanyard 75 integrally attached thereto, with a proximal end secured to the

tag body and a free distal end which terminates in a tack head 82 having a pin 84 extending therefrom.

The lanyard 75 is fixedly attached to the EAS tag body 60 using any suitable method. As in the previous embodiment, the EAS tag body has an opening 65 for receiving a cooperating attachment element having a pin portion and retaining the pin in a releaseably locked arrangement. The lanyard 75, tack head 82 and pin 84 can be constructed as described in relation to the embodiment of Fig. 1. In use, the lanyard 75 can be wrapped around a suitable portion of an item to be secured, and the tack head 82 is then securely attached to the tag body 60 by insertion of the pin 84 into the opening 65.

It is to be understood that variations and modifications of the various embodiments of the present invention can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. It is also to be understood that the scope of the invention is not to be interpreted as limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but only in accordance with the appended claims when read in light of the forgoing disclosure.