SE537093C2

SE537093C2 - Alarm tag, method of providing an item with an alarm tag, and an extension used to supplement a single alarm tag

Info

Publication number: SE537093C2
Application number: SE1150927A
Authority: SE
Inventors: Tina Borgström; Kent Duva
Original assignee: Gunnebo Gateway Ab
Priority date: 2011-10-06
Filing date: 2011-10-06
Publication date: 2015-01-07
Also published as: SE1150927A1

Abstract

13ABSTRACT The document discloses a security tag for attachment to an item, amethod for providing an item with a security tag and an additional part usedfor supplementing a security tag. The security tag comprises a first member, asecond member, wherein at least one of the first and the second membersare provided with at least one security element and a locking mechanism forreleasably locking the first and second members together in a locked position.The security tag further comprises at least one additional part comprising atleast one identification element and/or at least one security element, whereinthe additional part at an attachment portion is releasably attached by the locking mechanism. Elected figure for publication: Fig. 1

Description

1 A SECURITY TAG, A METHOD FOR PROVIDING AN ITEM WITH ASECURITY TAG, AND AN ADDITIONAL PART USED FORSUPPLEMENTING A SECURITY TAG Technical FieldThe present disclosure relates to a security tag, a method for providingan item with a security tag and an additional part used for supplementing a security tag.

BackgroundElectronic article surveillance (EAS) systems are commonly used for preventing theft and similar unauthorized removal of items from a controlledarea. The system consists of EAS security tags/labels attached to an item,deactivators and detachers, and detectors that create a surveillance zone atexits or checkout aisles. lf an active label or tag is carried past the detectorsan alarm sounds.

The most common technologies used in EAS systems are AM(Acousto-Magnetic), EM (electro-magnetic), RF (Radio-Frequency) andcombinations of e.g. AM/RF. An article surveillance system may rely on oneor more of these technologies. Likewise, a security tag may have securityelements for use with one or more of these technologies.

The interest for combining the above mentioned technologies withRFID (Radio Frequency Identification)technology is tremendous. ln an RFIDsystem data is transmitted by a portable device, such as a tag or labelattached to an item, which is made up ofa microchip with an antenna. Thedata is then read by an RFID reader or interrogator. Different RFID systemsmay use different frequencies, where the most common are low-frequency,high-frequency and ultra-high-frequency. Microwave is also used in someapplications. The data transmitted by the RFID tag/label may provideidentification or location information, or specifics about the producttagged/labelled, such as price, colour, date of purchase, etc. A retailer mayfor example utilize RFID tagging/labelling of articles for improved inventory visibiiity. 2An EAS system and an RFID system may be combined by adding a separate RFID label to an EAS tagged/Iabelled item and supplementing theEAS detector with an RFID reader. A disadvantage with the use of labels is,however, the risk of unauthorized removal and the risk of the label falling offthe item.

This problem is solved in for example US6144301 andWO2011055157, where an EAS hard tag is combined with an RFID unit into asingle security tag, which is attachable to an item. ln US6144301 an EAS hard tag is shown, wherein an RFID unit isplaced in a drawer which may be slid into a receiving cavity of the EAS tagand mechanically locked in the inserted position within the receiving cavity.The tag body may then be secured to the item by screws or otherconventional securing members. lf the EAS tags of an existing EAS system,which is to be supplied with an RFID system, are not provided with this kind ofdrawers in which to place the RFID units, new EAS-tags with drawers wouldhave to be purchased, which may be costly. ln WO2011055157 a security tag is shown having a stem adapted tobe engaged into a locking mechanism with a part containing an EAS unit, apinhead and a plastic body with an encapsulated RFID unit, which plasticbody fixedly receives the pinhead. The security tag, hence, is comprised oftwo separate parts, one part containing an EAS unit and one part containingan RFID unit, where the two parts are engaged by a pin system. Whensupplementing an existing EAS-tag with an RFID unit, the part of the tag notsupplied with the EAS unit has to be exchanged to a part containing an RFID unit, which may be costly.

Summarylt is an object of the present disclosure to provide a simple and cheap security tag, to provide a method for providing an item with a security tag andto provide an additional part for supplementing a security tag. The invention isdefined by the appended independent claims. Embodiments are set forth inthe dependent claims, in the attached drawings and in the following description. 3According to a first aspect, there is provided a security tag comprising a first member, a second member, a locking mechanism for releasablylocking the first and second members together in a locked position; and atleast one additional part comprising at least one identification element and/orat least one first security element, wherein the additional part at anattachment portion is releasably attached by the locking mechanism.

By releasably locking the first and second members of the tag togetherin a locked position means that they are releasable only under influence of anauthorized unlocking device. That the additional part is releasably attached bythe locking mechanism of the tag also means that it is releasable only underinfluence of the authorized unlocking device above. The first and secondmembers of the tag may be separate members, or may be flexiblyinterconnected by for example a resilient hinge. Alternatively, the first andsecond members could be comprised of one piece having two arms, i.e. thefirst and second members. The locking mechanism may comprise known pinsolutions but may equally well be other kinds of locking mechanisms. Theadditional part is a separate part of the security tag and does not constitute apart of the tag. With this security tag there is therefore no need for anyreplacement, interference or change of the first and second members or thelocking mechanism of the tag to supplement the security tag with additionalsecurity elements and/or identification elements, since this is provided for inthe additional part. An additional part is easily interchangeable to otheradditional parts having a desired functionality. lt is also possible tosupplement the security tag with more than one additional part, the additionalparts being provided with different identification elements/security elements.The item to which the security tag is attached may be any kind ofmerchandise. The security tag may be reusable, if the locking mechanism isof a type which allows for repeated connection and disconnection of the firstand second parts. After removal from the item the security tag and/or theadditional part may be attached to another item. ln one embodiment, the first and second members are used to providethe attachment to the article, while the detection function is enable by the additional part. 4ln another embodiment, at least one of the first and the second members is provided with at least one second security element.

Hence, a security tag adapted for use with a certain detection principleor by a predetermined detection device may be complemented by anadditional part for use with another, different detection principle, or a anotherdetection device.

The attachment portion of the additional part may in one embodimentbe ﬂexible so as to conform to a shape of the first and/or second members,when the security tag is attached to an item.

By ”“flexible”” is here and henceforth meant that the attachment portionof the additional part is ﬂexible enough, when attached by the lockingmechanism, to be deformed by the first and/or second members and/or by theitem to which the security tag is attached. ln one embodiment of the security tag, the identification element of theadditional part may comprise an RFID unit. ln one embodiment the first and second security elements may beselected from a group consisting of AM, EM, RF or any combination thereof. lt would be possible to provide the security tag with more than onesecurity element simultaneously. This would make it possible to utilize severaldetection systems or parallel detection systems simultaneously. lt would further be possible to provide the first and second members ofthe tag and the additional part with more than one security element. lt would further be possible to provide the additional part with both anidentification element, RFID, and a security element, AM, EM, RF orcombinations of security elements. ln one embodiment of the security tag at least the attachment portionof the additional part may be essentially flat. ln yet an embodiment, the attachment portion may be located at theperiphery of the additional part. ln a further embodiment, the locking mechanism may be provided withat least one pin and the additional part at the attachment portion may beprovided with at least one through hole, wherein the through hole may be arranged to receive the pin. 5ln one embodiment, the additional part at the attachment portion may be provided with a ﬂexible substantially disc shaped member. ln one embodiment a peripheral rim of the ﬂexible substantially discshaped member may radially and/or axially reach outside of a rim of at leastone of the first and second members when the article surveillance device isattached to an item. ln an alternative embodiment, the attachment portion may present asubstantially crenellated edge portion.

The crenellated edge portion may present a plurality ofﬂexible andradially extending fingers.

The presence of the crenellated edge portion makes the attachmentportion ﬂexible. ln yet a further embodiment of the security tag the additional part maybe provided with at least one transparent pocket for interchangeable opticallyreadable information.The optically readable information may be adapted forbeing read by a machine (such as bar codes, etc) or by humans (such assymbols, letters or figures).

Such interchangeable optically readable information may beadvertisement or information of the item such as prize and size etc.

According to a second aspect there is provided a method for providingan item with a security tag, the method comprising the steps of: providing anitem, providing a security tag comprising a first member and a secondmember, wherein at least one of the first and the second members areprovided with at least one security element, and a locking mechanism,providing at least one additional part comprising at least one identificationelement and/or at least one security element, attaching the additional part atan attachment portion to the locking mechanism, locking the first and secondmembers together in a locked position while attaching the article surveillancedevice to the item with the locking mechanism.

The item may be provided with the security tag and the additional partat the location where the item is assembled, manufactured, packaged,repackaged or distributed. 6Alternatively, the item may be provided with the security tag and the additional part at a location where said item is to be sold or used. lt is alsopossible that the security tag is provided at a first one of the places mentionedabove, e.g. in the factory, and the additional part is provided at a place whereit is later on, e.g. at a point of sale.

The method may further comprise a step of detaching the security tagfrom the item under influence of an authorized unlocking device. Thisunlocking device may for example be used by a shop assistant to detach thesecurity tag from an item before a customer leaves the shop with thepurchased article.

According to a third aspect there is provided an additional part used forsupplementing a security tag, the additional part comprising an attachmentportion adapted for engagement with a locking mechanism of the security tag.

The attachment portion of the additional part may be flexible.

Brief description of the drawinqs Fig. 1 is a (not to scale) side view of a security tag being attached to anitem.

Figs 2 - 8 show different embodiments of the additional part of asecurity tag.

Description of embodimentsThe security tag 1 in Fig. 1 is shown when attached to an item 2. The security tag 1 comprises a first member 5, a second member 6 and a lockingmechanism, here being a locking mechanism including a pin 7, and anadditional part 10. The locking mechanism locks the first and secondmembers 5, 6 together in a locked position in a per se known manner. Theessentially flat additional part 10 comprises a body portion 13 and anattachment portion 11, which attachment portion 11 is attached by the lockingmechanism. The attachment portion 11 located at the periphery of theadditional part 10, is provided with a through hole 12 which receives the pin 7of the locking mechanism. The security tag 1 may be removed from the item 2 by using an authorized unlocking device, in a per se known manner. 7ln this embodiment the additional part 11 is located between the first and second members 5, 6 of the tag when the security tag 1 is attached to theitem 2. However, this is not necessary and the location of the additional part11 could be otherwise, without affecting the function of the article surveillancedevice.

The characteristics of the additional part 10 may be such that at leastthe attachment portion 11 of the additional part 10 or the entire additional part10 is designed to conform to the shape of the first and/or second members 5,6, when the security tag 1 is attached to an item 2. This may involve that theattachment portion 11 is made flexible to such an extent as to conform to theinside of the first and/or second members 5, 6 when they are locked together.lt could alternatively be that the attachment portion is non-flexible butdesigned to conform to the shape of the first and/or second members 5, 6.

The material of the additional part 10 may be, but not be limited to,plastics, paper, metal, engineering plastics, woven or non-woven fabric,rubber or rubber-like material such as natural rubber, synthetic rubber, PU,TPE, polyurethane.

The entire additional part 10 may be made in one piece and of onematerial. Alternatively, the attachment portion 11 and the body portion 13 maybe made as two separate parts joined together by, but not be limited to, e.g.adhesive joining, a snap-joint, welding, lamination or riveting. The body part13 and the attachment portion 11 may then be made of the same material orof different materials. ln Fig. 2 an embodiment of the additional part 10 is shown. Theadditional part 10 comprises a body part 13 and an attachment portion 11provided with a central through hole 12. The attachment portion 11 herepresents a crenellated edge portion, where the crenellated edge portion isprovided with a plurality ofﬂexible and radially extending fingers 14. The sizeand shape of the fingers 14 as well as of the crenellated edge portion mayvary, and the shape of the fingers 14 could for example be more roundedthan shown in Fig. 2. ln the embodiment shown in Fig. 3 the additional part 10is comprised of two additional part layers 10' and 10” put on top of each other with an intermediate element 20 placed in between their respective body 8parts 13' and 13”. This intermediate element 20 may at least partially consist of at least one identification element and/or at least one security element. Theidentification element may be an RFID unit and the security element may bean AM, RF, EM unit or combinations thereof. ln other embodiments, morethan one intermediate element 20 may be placed between the additional partlayers 10', 10” (not shown). ln a further embodiment, the additional part 10could be made up of more than two assembled layers 10', 10” havingintermediate elements 20 placed between their respective body parts 13', 13”(not shown). The assembly of the additional part layers 10', 10”, with theintermediate element 20 placed in between, may involve, but not be limited to,the use of adhesive means such as glue, snap connections, lamination,welding or riveting.

The presence of the crenellated edge portion at the attachment portion11 of the additional part 10 makes the attachment portion 11 ﬂexible andmakes the attachment portion 11 follow the shape of the first and/or secondmembers 5, 6 when attached by the locking mechanism of the articlesurveillance device 1.

The additional part layers 10', 10” may be made of the same materialor of different materials.

The body part 13 and the attachment portion 11, being provided withthe crenellated edge portion, may be made in one piece or may be made asseparate parts which are joined together. ln Figs 4 - 6 another embodiment of the additional part 10 is shown.The body part 13 and the attachment portion 11 are separate parts which arejoined together. An axial end portion 15', 15", of the body part 13', 13", isinsertable trough an opening 16 in the attachment portion 11. The axial endportion 15', 15” of the body part 13', 13” is in the embodiment shown in Fig. 6provided with two through holes, for interaction with two knobs located insidethe attachment portion 11 for a secure assembly of the two parts and for agood strength/strain relief between the two parts 11, 13. lnstead ofholes/knobs, the connection between the two parts, the body part 13 and theattachment portion 11, could involve, but not be limited to, welding, gluing, riveting, diagonal grooves, snap connections or lamination. 9The attachment portion 11 may be provided with a ﬂexible disc and a through hole 12. A peripheral rim of the flexible disc may both radially and/oraxially reach outside of the rim of at least one of the first and secondmembers 5, 6, when the security tag 1 is attached to an item 2. The presenceof the ﬂexible disc strengthens the attachment portion11 of the additional part10 making unauthorized removal of the additional part 10 even more difficult.The ﬂexible disc further makes the attachment portion 11 flexible, so that itmay conform to the shape of at least one of the first and second members 5,6 when the security tag 1 is attached to an item 2. The ﬂexible disc evens outor removes spaces or gaps or other differences resulting from variations inshape of the axial end portion 15', 15” of the body part 13', 13” when this isinserted into the flexible disc.

The material of the ﬂexible disc may be, but not be limited to, plastics,engineering plastics, rubber or rubber-like materials such as natural rubber,synthetic rubber, PU, TPE, polyurethane. lt is also possible to provide the additional part 10 with transparentpockets 17, 17', 17” for interchangeable optically readable information, asshown in Fig. 7 and Fig. 8. Such interchangeable optically readableinformation may be advertisement or information of the item the security tag isattached to, such as prize and size etc. The transparent pocket 17, 17', 17”may at least partially be made of any material which is transparent, such as,but not limited to, plastics or rubber or rubber-like material. The opticallyreadable information may be made of any kind of material which is suitable toinsert between the body part 13 of the additional part 10 and the transparentpocket 17.

Claims

1. A security tag (1) for attachment to an item (2), comprising: a first member (5), a second member (6), a locking mechanism for releasably locking said first and secondmembers (5, 6) together in a locked positionanel at least one additional part (10) comprising at least one identificationelement and/or at least one first security element, wherein said additional part(10) at an attachment portion (11) thereof is releasably attachable by saidlocking mechanism, and wherein :said attachment portion (11) of saidadditional part (10) is flexible so as to conforrn to a shape of said first and/or second members (5, 6), when said security taq (1) is attached to an item (2).

2. The security tag according to claim 1, wherein at least one of saidfirst and said second members (5, 6) is provided with at least one secondsecurity element. eerdingfvteelaim-teie2fwherein §4. The security tag (1) according to any one of the precedingclaims, wherein said identification element of said additional part (11)comprises an RFID unit. 55. The security tag (1) according to any one of the precedingclaims, wherein said at least one of said first and second security elements isselected from a group consisting of AM, EM, RF or any combination thereof. 11 åê. The security tag (1) according to any one of the precedingclaims, wherein at least said attachment portion (11) of said additional part (1 O), prior to its connection to the locking mechanism, is essentially flat. gl.claims, wherein said attachment portion (11) is located at the periphery ofsaid additional part (10). The security tag (1) according to any one of the preceding 18.claims, wherein said locking mechanism is provided with at least one pin andsaid additional part (10) at said attachment portion (11) is provided with atleast one through hole (12), wherein said through hole (12) is arranged to The security tag (1) according to any one of the preceding receive said pin. §9.claims, wherein said additional part (10) at said attachment portion (11) is The security tag (1) according to any one of the preceding provided with a flexible substantially disc shaped member. 949.rim of said flexible substantially disc shaped member radially and/or axially The security tag (1) according to claim §9, wherein a peripheral extends outside of a rim of at least one of said first and second members (5,6) when said article surveillance device (1) is attached to an item (2). 1_Q-14. The security tag (1) according to any one of the precedingclaims, wherein said attachment portion (11) presents a substantiallycrenellated edge portion. _1_1_ 12. The security tag (1) according to claim 1911, wherein saidcrenellated edge portion presents a plurality of flexible and radially extendingfingers (14). 1231

3. The security tag (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said additional part (10) is provided with at least onetransparent pocket (17) for interchangeable optically readable information. 1_§4

4. A method for providing an item with a security tag (1), saidmethod comprising the steps of: providing an item (2), providing a security tag, comprising a first member (5) and a secondmember (6), wherein at least one of said first and said second members (5, 6)are provided with at least one security element, and a locking mechanism, providing at least one additional part (10) comprising at least oneidentification element and/or at least one security element, attaching said additional part (10) at an attachment portion (11) to saidlocking mechanism such that said attachment portion (11) conforms to a shape of said first and/or second members (5, 6), locking said first and second members (5, 6) together in a lockedposition while attaching said security tag (1) to said item with said lockingmechanism. 151

5. An additional part (10) used for supplementing a security tag,said additional part (10) comprising an attachment portion (11) adapted forengagement with a locking mechanism of said security tag wherein said attachment portion (11) is flexible so as to conform to a shape of said securityLêQL- 15. An additional part (10) used for supplementinq a security taq (1)of claim 1, said additional part (10) comprisinq an attachment portion (11)adapted for enqaqement with a lockinq mechanism of said security taq,wherein said attachment portion (11) is flexible so as to conform to a shape of said securit ta 1 .