Reusable security tag

#The present invention relates to a reusable security tag adapted to be secured to an article to be maintained under surveillance, and more particularly to a tag concealing an element detectable by independent means.

#In the copending patent application of John Welsh el al., Ser. No. 157,618 filed June 28, 1971, for "Article Surveillance", there is disclosed inter alia a system for maintaining security through a surveillance zone by establishing throughout said zone an interrogating radio wave field and affixing tags to articles under surveillance which are adapted to reradiate a discernible and distinguishable radio wave signal when passing through said zone. As described in said application, the active portion of the tag may take the form of a simple nonlinear impedance, e.g., a semiconductor diode, directly coupled to antenna elements. Such surveillance system is particularly useful when employed for controlling theft from retail stores or the like.

#The present invention provides a reusable tag for securing a reradiating element, such as that disclosed in said copending application, to an article to be maintained under surveillance. In particular, there is provided by the present invention a tag adapted to be secured to the fabric of a garment or to other material through which a pin can be passed.

#The invention will be better understood after reading the following detailed description of a presently preferred embodiment thereof with reference to the appended drawings in which:

#FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a reusable tag embodying the subject invention and showing the component parts thereof;

#FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 1 showing the tag partially assembled;

#The same reference numerals are used throughout the appended drawings to designate the same or similar parts.

#Referring now to the drawings, the detectable element is designated generally by the reference character 10 and may take the form of a thin elongated laminated structure containing a suitable sensor emitter circuit, not shown. The details of such circuit do not form a part of the present invention and, therefore, are not described herein. Reference may be had to the aforesaid copending application for description of several examples thereof.

#The enclosure for the lock means, to be described in detail hreinafter, as well as the means for concealing the detectable element, comprises a common housing 11 formed of plastic material. The housing 11 has first and second mating parts 12 and 13, respectively, which when united provide a cavity 14 within to receive both the lock means 15 and the detectable element 10. As best seen in FIG. 9 of the drawings, the mating parts 12 and 13 of the housing are joined at 16 by a thin web or membrane forming a hinge. During assembly, after inserting the detectable element 10 and the lock means 15 in the corresponding sections of cavity 14, (see FIG. 2), the mating part 13 is folded over upon the part 12 such that the plurality of studs 17 in the part 12 pass through the slotted apertures 18 in the part 13, (see FIG. 3), whereupon the studs 17 are upended or hot-formed to produce a head thereon preventing withdrawal from said apertures 18, (see FIGS. 4 and 13).