Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G08—SIGNALLING
  • G08B—SIGNALLING OR CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS
  • G08B13/00—Burglar, theft or intruder alarms
  • G08B13/22—Electrical actuation
  • G08B13/24—Electrical actuation by interference with electromagnetic field distribution
  • G08B13/2402—Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS], i.e. systems using tags for detecting removal of a tagged item from a secure area, e.g. tags for detecting shoplifting
  • G08B13/2428—Tag details
  • G08B13/2434—Tag housing and attachment details
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G08—SIGNALLING
  • G08B—SIGNALLING OR CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS
  • G08B13/00—Burglar, theft or intruder alarms
  • G08B13/22—Electrical actuation
  • G08B13/24—Electrical actuation by interference with electromagnetic field distribution
  • G08B13/2402—Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS], i.e. systems using tags for detecting removal of a tagged item from a secure area, e.g. tags for detecting shoplifting
  • G08B13/2405—Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS], i.e. systems using tags for detecting removal of a tagged item from a secure area, e.g. tags for detecting shoplifting characterised by the tag technology used
  • G08B13/2408—Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS], i.e. systems using tags for detecting removal of a tagged item from a secure area, e.g. tags for detecting shoplifting characterised by the tag technology used using ferromagnetic tags
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G08—SIGNALLING
  • G08B—SIGNALLING OR CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS
  • G08B13/00—Burglar, theft or intruder alarms
  • G08B13/22—Electrical actuation
  • G08B13/24—Electrical actuation by interference with electromagnetic field distribution
  • G08B13/2402—Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS], i.e. systems using tags for detecting removal of a tagged item from a secure area, e.g. tags for detecting shoplifting
  • G08B13/2428—Tag details
  • G08B13/2437—Tag layered structure, processes for making layered tags
  • G08B13/244—Tag manufacturing, e.g. continuous manufacturing processes
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G08—SIGNALLING
  • G08B—SIGNALLING OR CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS
  • G08B13/00—Burglar, theft or intruder alarms
  • G08B13/22—Electrical actuation
  • G08B13/24—Electrical actuation by interference with electromagnetic field distribution
  • G08B13/2402—Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS], i.e. systems using tags for detecting removal of a tagged item from a secure area, e.g. tags for detecting shoplifting
  • G08B13/2428—Tag details
  • G08B13/2437—Tag layered structure, processes for making layered tags
  • G08B13/2442—Tag materials and material properties thereof, e.g. magnetic material details

Definitions

• This invention relates generally to magnetomechanical tags used in electronic article surveillance (EAS) systems, and more particularly, to methods for manufacturing EAS tags.
• a detection system may excite an EAS tag by transmitting an electromagnetic burst at a resonance frequency of the tag.
• the tag When the tag is present within an interrogation zone defined by the electromagneti ⁇ field generated by the burst transmitter, the tag resonates with an acoustomagnetic or magnetomechanical response frequency that is detectable by a receiver in the detection system.
• EAS systems may be provided to prevent or deter theft of merchandise from retail establishments.
• EAS tags configured to interact with an electromagnetic or magnetic field generated by equipment placed, for example, at an exit of a store are utilized.
• Removable EAS tags that may be configured as labels are typically placed on the article at the store or at an intermediate location.
• EAS tags or labels may be integrated into the article during manufacture in a process known as "source tagging.” If an EAS tag is brought into the field or interrogation zone of the field generating equipment, the presence of the tag is detected and an alarm may be generated, such as a visual or audible alarm.
• Removable EAS tags are typically removed at the checkout counter upon payment for the merchandise.
• EAS tags are deactivated at the checkout counter, for example, by a deactivation device that changes an electromagnetic or magnetic characteristic of the EAS tag such that the presence of the EAS tag will no longer be detected within the interrogation zone.
• EAS tags are typically assembled in a stacking or layering process wherein the various component parts are attached and sealed together.
• a powder lubricant is applied to reduce the friction between some of the component parts (e.g., between a resonator and substrate).
• the applied powder lubricant is typically not applied in a controlled process and may affect the heat sealing of the EAS tag, for example, not allow proper or complete sealing of the EAS tag because too much powder lubricant is applied.
• too little powder lubricant may be applied resulting in increased friction within the EAS tag and a potential reduction of tag signal amplitude.
• the addition of too little or too much powder lubricant affects the assembly and operation of the EAS tags.
• An electronic article surveillance (EAS) tag may be provided that may include at least one resonator, a housing configured to allow vibration therein of the at least one resonator and a cover heat sealed to the housing at a heat sealing temperature.
• the EAS tag further may include a powder lubricant within the housing.
• the powder lubricant may have a melting temperature less than the heat sealing temperature.
• a method for sealing an electronic article surveillance (EAS) tag also may be provided. The method may include applying a powder lubricant to a sealing portion of the EAS tag and heat sealing the sealing portion by melting the powder lubricant.
• a method for assembling an electronic article surveillance (EAS) tag further may be provided.
• the method may include positioning a lidstock cover over a coverstock housing such that an edge of the lidstock cover aligns with an edge of a flange of the coverstock housing.
• the method also may include heating the flange of the coverstock housing wherein a bonding layer comprising a powder lubricant melts to seal the lidstock cover and the coverstock housing.
• Figure 1 is a diagram of an electronic article surveillance system illustrating a magnetomechanical label within a field of interrogation generated by the system.
• FIG. 2 is a diagram of an EAS tag formed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
• Figure 3 is a side elevation view of an EAS tag formed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention in an unsealed state.
• Figure 4 is a side elevation view of an EAS tag formed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention in a sealed state.
• FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of an EAS tag formed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention illustrating a lubricant dispenser dispensing powder lubricant in the EAS tag.
• Figure 6 is a side elevation view of an EAS tag formed in accordance with another embodiment of the invention in a sealed state.
• FIG. 7 is a flowchart of method for sealing an EAS tag in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
• an electronic article surveillance (EAS) tag for use in connection with an EAS system.
• EAS electronic article surveillance
• an EAS tag this includes any type of EAS marker or label, whether removably attached or integrated with an object and that generally includes a magnetomechanical structure that includes one or more magnetostrictive resonating elements.
• an EAS tag formed in accordance with various embodiments of the invention may used in different types of EAS systems, including, for example, any mechanical resonance type EAS system, among others.
• Figure 1 illustrates an EAS system 10 that may include a first antenna pedestal
• the antenna pedestals 12 and 14 may be connected to a control unit 16 that may include a transmitter 18 and a receiver 20.
• the control unit 16 may be configured for communication with an external device, for example, a computer system controlling or monitoring operation of a number of EAS systems.
• the control unit 16 may be configured to control transmissions from the transmitter 18 and receptions at the receiver 20 such that the antenna pedestals 12 and 14 can be utilized for both transmission of signals for reception by an EAS tag 30 and reception of signals generated by the excitation of EAS tag 30. Specifically, such receptions typically occur when the EAS tags 30 are within an interrogation zone 32, which is generally between the antenna pedestals 12 and 14.
• the system 10 is representative of many EAS system embodiments and is provided as an example only.
• the control unit 16 may be located within one of the antenna pedestals 12 and 14.
• additional antennas that only receive signals from the EAS tags 30 may be utilized as part of the EAS system.
• a single control unit 16, either within a pedestal or located separately, may be configured to control multiple sets of antenna pedestals.
• a deactivation device 40 for example, incorporated into the checkout counter of a retailer, may be utilized to degauss the EAS tags 30 upon purchase of the item to which, or into which, the EAS tag 30 is attached or integrated.
• FIG 2 is an illustration of an embodiment of a magnetomechanical EAS tag 50, which is also sometimes referred to as an EAS label.
• the EAS tag 50 may include a housing 52 having a cavity 54 formed therein and a flange 56 extending around an upper surface of the housing 52.
• the flange 56 may extend generally around an upper edge of the housing 52 and may form a lip extending perpendicular to the top edge.
• the EAS tag 50 further may include one or more magnetostrictive resonators 58 (only one shown in Figure 2) that may be located in the cavity 54.
• the cavity 54 may be sized and shaped to provide sufficient space for the one or more resonators 58 to vibrate at a resonant frequency.
• the resonant frequency of the one or more resonators 58 may be determined, at least in part, by a length and width of the one or more resonators 58 and a strength of a magnetic field near the one or more resonators 58.
• a cover 60 commonly referred to as a lidstock layer, may be positioned on the housing 52, and more particularly, abutting against the flange 56 and sealed (e.g., heat sealed) thereto as described in more detail herein.
• a biasing element 62 may be provided on top of the cover 60 and attached thereto (e.g., adhesively bonded thereto) using an adhesive layer 64, which may be a double-sided adhesive layer.
• the biasing element 62 may be formed of any hard or semi- hard metallic element that biases the one or more resonators 58.
• the EAS tag 50 In operation, after fully saturating the biasing element 62 through magnetization, the EAS tag 50 is in the active state.
• the resonant frequency and amplitude of the resonant frequency generated within EAS tag 50 may be optimized for a particular detection algorithm based on a field strength provided by the biasing element 62.
• the EAS tag 50 may be attached to an object using various methods, for example, with one side of the adhesive layer 64.
• the EAS tag 50 alternatively may be contained within the packaging of other objects or items.
• the EAS tags 50 may be permanently embedded within certain objects (e.g., molded within the object) during production of the object.
• Figure 3 is an illustration of an embodiment of an EAS tag 50 that may include a powder lubricant 70 applied thereto.
• the powder lubricant 70 may be applied to coat or partially coat a portion of the EAS tag 50.
• the powder lubricant 70 may be applied in an even pattern or an uneven pattern.
• the powder lubricant 70 may be provided within the cavity 54 and in contact with the one or more resonators 58.
• the powder lubricant 70 may be applied during an assembly stage of the EAS tag 50 as described in more detail below or during the manufacture of the cover 60.
• the powder lubricant 70 may be formed from a low melting temperature powder lubricant, for example, having a melting temperature of less than 110 degrees Celsius, and more particularly, less than a sealing temperature for sealing the EAS tag 50.
• the powder lubricant 70 may be formed from a low density polyethylene
• LDPE low density polyethylene
• the powder lubricant 70 may be formed from different powder materials having different particle sizes, for example, based on the application or type of use. In various embodiments, and for example, the powder lubricant 70 may be formed from the following materials:
• HDPE High Density Polyethylene
• MDPE Medium Density Polyethylene
• LDPE Low Density Polyethylene
• Other materials may be used to form the powder lubricant 70 as needed or desired, for example, based on the particular application or type of EAS system 10 or EAS tag 50.
• the housing 52 may be formed from a coverstock material that may be configured as a multi-ply arrangement.
• the coverstock material may comprise, for example, a polystyrene material.
• a coverstock bonding layer 72 also may be provided on a top surface of the housing 52 including within the cavity 54 and on the flange 56.
• the coverstock bonding layer 72 may be formed from, for example, an LDPE material having a melting point close to the sealing temperature (e.g., 110 degrees Celsius).
• the coverstock bonding layer 72 may provide a bonding layer during a heat sealing stage at a temperature slightly higher than 110 degrees Celsius, for example, 112 degrees Celsius.
• the cover 60 may be formed from a lidstock material that may be configured as a multiply arrangement.
• the lidstock material may comprise, for example, a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) material.
• PET polyethylene terephthalate
• a lidstock bonding layer 74 also may be provided on a bottom surface of the housing 60 and formed from an LDPE material having similar properties to the coverstock bonding layer 72.
• the powder lubricant 70 located on the flange 56 melts, and together with the coverstock bonding layer 72 and the lidstock bonding layer 74 that also melt, seals the cover 60 to the housing 52 (e.g., powder lubricant 70 forms a sealing layer with the coverstock bonding layer 72 and the lidstock bonding layer 74).
• This sealing engagement also may seal the one or more resonators 58 within the cavity 54.
• the coverstock bonding layer 72 and the lidstock bonding layer 74 may be removed from the EAS tag 50 and the powder lubricant 70 may form the seal between the cover 60 and the housing 52 along the flange 56.
• the powder lubricant 70 may be applied during the assembly stage, for example, by a lubricant dispenser 80.
• the lubricant dispenser 80 may dispense powder lubricant 70 through openings (not shown) for a predetermined period of time for each EAS tag 50.
• the dispensing of the powder lubricant 70 by the lubricant dispenser 80 may be provided in any manner using any dispensing means.
• the lubricant dispenser 80 may be provided on top of a sheet of the coverstock to apply the powder lubricant 70, for example, evenly apply the powder lubricant 70 on the flange 56 and within the cavity 54 having the one or more resonators 58 therein.
• the powder lubricant 70 may be an LDPE material that melts at the surface of the flange 58 during the sealing process and as shown in Figure 6.
• the powder lubricant 70 may form the seal or bond between the cover 60 and the flange 58 sealing the one or more resonators 58 within the cavity 54.
• the powder lubricant 70 provides friction reduction within the cavity 54 and sealing of the cover 60 to the flange 56.
• a method 100 for sealing an EAS tag 50 is illustrated in Figure 7.
• a powder lubricant may be applied to the EAS tag 50.
• the powder lubricant 70 may be dispensed on the EAS tag 50, and more particularly, at least within the cavity 54 and along the flange 56.
• the powder lubricant 70 may be applied in an evenly distributed manner or unevenly /randomly.
• the application of the powder lubricant 70 may be provided in any known manner, for example, by spraying, blowing, dropping, spreading, dusting, etc. the powder lubricant 70 to the surfaces of the cavity 54 and the flange 56.
• powder lubricant 70 also may be applied to other surfaces of the EAS tag 50 either intentionally or unintentionally.
• the amount of powder lubricant 70 applied may be controlled, for example, by timing the duration of the powder lubricant application, measuring the amount of powder lubricant 70 to be applied, etc.
• the powder lubricant 70 is not applied in a controlled process, but manually, for example, by hand using a shaker bottle containing the powder lubricant 70.
• the amount applied may be based on, for example, the type of powder lubricant 70 or the application or use for the EAS tag 50.
• bonding layers may be provided, for example, the coverstock bonding layer 72 and the lidstock bonding layer 74.
• the powder lubricant 70 may (i) not be applied, (ii) applied within the cavity 58 with any excess coating the bonding layers and/or (iii) applied to one or more of the bonding layers.
• the powder lubricant 70 may be formed of a material that melts during a sealing process of the EAS tag 50.
• the powder lubricant 70 may be formed from a low melting temperature powder lubricant 70, for example, having a melting temperature of less than the sealing temperature for the EAS tag 50 (e.g., 110 degrees Celsius).
• the powder lubricant 70 may be formed from a low density polyethylene (LDPE) material having a melting point at or below a heat sealing temperature for the EAS label 50, such as a polyethylene composite material or a PE oxide material.
• LDPE low density polyethylene
• the components of the unassembled EAS tag 50 including the powder lubricant coated components may be aligned.
• the cover 60 may be aligned on top of the housing 52 having the one or more resonators 58 therein.
• the alignment may include aligning the edges of the cover 60 with the edges of the flange 56.
• a heat source may apply heat at 106 to the aligned components to heat seal the components, for example, heat seal the cover 60 to the housing 52. This sealing engagement also may seal the one or more resonators 58 within the cavity 54.
• the heat source may be any type of heating device capable of applying directed heat to the components or portions of the components of the EAS tag 50.
• the heat source may direct heat only to portions of the components to be sealed, for example, along the flange 56.
• the portions having one of the powder lubricant 70 and the bonding layers therebetween that are heated are bonded or sealed together. More particularly, the application of the heat from the heat source melts either the powder lubricant 70, the bonding layers, or both depending on which of these materials is provided between the portions of the components to be sealed.
• the heat level is provided such that the temperature is above the melting point of one of the powder lubricant and the bonding layers.
• the melting point of the powder lubricant 70 may be lower than the melting point of the bonding layers such that any powder lubricant 70 present with the bonding layers also melts upon or before reaching the melting point of the bonding layers.
• the powder lubricant 70 may be formed of a material that has a melting point either less than the melting point of the bonding layer (such that the same heating source may be used if the bonding layers are present) and/or less than a temperature that would caused damage to the material forming the housing 54 (e.g., causing the housing 54 to deform or melt).
• a bias member 62 may be adhered to the top of the cover 60 using an adhesive layer 64, which may be a double-sided adhesive layer.
• various embodiments provide a powder lubricant that may be used to seal an EAS tag.
• the powder lubricant may be used in combination with other bonding materials or may be used alone to seal, for example, one or more resonators within a housing of the EAS tag.

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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Automation & Control Theory (AREA)
• Computer Security & Cryptography (AREA)
• Electromagnetism (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
• Burglar Alarm Systems (AREA)
• Making Paper Articles (AREA)

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• 2006
  • 2006-07-25 EP EP06788531A patent/EP2047442B1/fr not_active Not-in-force
  • 2006-07-25 ES ES06788531T patent/ES2331711T3/es active Active
  • 2006-07-25 BR BRPI0621894-6A patent/BRPI0621894B1/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2006-07-25 AU AU2006346523A patent/AU2006346523B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2006-07-25 AT AT06788531T patent/ATE445208T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2006-07-25 CA CA2658965A patent/CA2658965C/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2006-07-25 JP JP2009521727A patent/JP4819948B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2006-07-25 CN CN2006800558609A patent/CN101512610B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2006-07-25 DE DE602006009713T patent/DE602006009713D1/de active Active
  • 2006-07-25 WO PCT/US2006/028994 patent/WO2008013532A1/fr active Application Filing
• 2009
  • 2009-01-22 IL IL196689A patent/IL196689A/en active IP Right Grant
  • 2009-10-29 HK HK09110053.4A patent/HK1132572A1/xx not_active IP Right Cessation

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