Theft-deterrent device providing force-sensitive tamper detection

A device for deterring theft of a protected article, the device comprising

• means for attaching the device to the article, with said attaching means being embodied in two components that are adapted to be locked together on opposite sides of a portion of said article to prevent unauthorized removal of the device from the article, wherein the attaching means include a pin that is anchored within one component and a clutch contained in the other component for grasping the pin to provide a predetermined retaining force for resisting separation of the components by prying or pulling the components apart;
• an electrical switch having contact elements disposed in one of the two components such that the state of the switch is changed by application to the two components of at least a predetermined threshold separation force applied in opposition to said predetermined retaining force to thereby detect said application of at least said predetermined threshold separation force;
• and
• a transponder coupled to the switch for responding to an irradiated interrogation signal by radiating an alarm signal when the switch changes state in response to application to the two components of at least said predetermined threshold separation force;
• wherein the switch is a momentary contact switch that does not maintain said changed state after said predetermined threshold separation force is no longer applied.

A device for deterring theft of a protected article, the device comprising

• means for attaching the device to the article, with said attaching means being embodied in two components that are adapted to be locked together on opposite sides of a portion of said article to prevent unauthorized removal of the device from the article, wherein the attaching means include a pin that is anchored within one component and a clutch contained in the other component for grasping the pin to provide a predetermined retaining force for resisting separation of the components by prying or pulling the components apart;
• means for detecting application to the two components of at least a first predetermined threshold separation force applied in opposition to said predetermined retaining force;
• and
• a transponder coupled to the detecting means for responding to an irradiated interrogation signal by radiating an alarm signal when the detecting means detect application to the two components of at least said first predetermined threshold separation force;
• wherein at least one of the two components includes at least one opening and at least one fragile vial containing a detrimental substance that damages an article attached to the device when the vial is fractured and the detrimental substance is released from the fractured vial through said at least one opening onto the attached article, with aid at least one vial being disposed in said at least one of the two components in such a manner as to fracture when at least a predetermined pressure is applied thereto by application to the two components of at least a second predetermined threshold separation force that is less than that required to overcome said predetermined retaining force and more than said first predetermined threshold separation force.

A system for detecting attempted removal from a protected article of a theft-deterrence device that includes means for attaching the device to the article, with said attaching means being embodied in two components that are adapted to be locked together on opposite sides of a portion of said article to prevent unauthorized removal of the device from the article, wherein the attaching means include a pin that is anchored within one component and a clutch contained in the other component for grasping the pin to provide a predetermined retaining force for resisting separation of the components by prying or pulling the components apart, the system including

• means for detecting application to the two components of at least a first predetermined threshold separation force applied in opposition to said predetermined retaining force;
• a transponder coupled to the detecting means for responding to an irradiated interrogation signal by radiating an alarm signal when the detecting means detect application to the two components of at least said first predetermined threshold separation force;
• and
• means for detecting said alarm signal;
• wherein at least one of the two components includes at least one opening and at least one fragile vial containing a detrimental substance that damages an article attached to the device when the vial is fractured and the detrimental substance is released from the fractured vial through said at least one opening onto the attached article, with said at least one vial being disposed in said at least one of the two components in such a manner as to fracture when at least a predetermined pressure is applied thereto by application to the two components of at least a second predetermined threshold separation force that is less than that required to overcome said predetermined retaining force and more than said first predetermined threshold separation force.

A system for detecting attempted removal from a protected article of a theft-deterrence device that includes means for attaching the device to the article, with said attaching means being embodied in two components that are adapted to be locked together on opposite sides of a portion of said article to prevent unauthorized removal of the device from the article, wherein the attaching means include a pin that is anchored within one component and a clutch contained in the other component for grasping the pin to provide a predetermined retaining force for resisting separation of the components by prying or pulling the components apart, the system including

• an electrical switch having contact elements disposed in one of the two component such that the state of the switch is changed by application to the two components of at least a predetermined threshold separation force applied in opposition to said predetermined retaining force to thereby detect said application of at least said predetermined threshold separation force;
• a transponder coupled to the switch for responding to an irradiated interrogation signal by radiating an alarm signal when the switch changes state in response to application to the two components of at least said predetermined threshold separation force;
• and
• means for detecting said alarm signal;
• wherein the switch is a momentary contact switch that does no maintain said changed state after said predetermined threshold separation force is no longer applied.