Deactivating device for magnetic markers in an electronic article surveillance system

A deactivating device for markers in an electronic article surveillance system, comprising:

• a housing having first and second orthongonally intersecting surfaces adapted to support articles having markers affixed thereto, wherein the first and second surfaces are further adapted to constrain the articles in defined orientations as the articles are moved across the housing, the first and second surfaces both further including:
• parallel spaced apart first and second magnets positioned with their top surfaces defining a plane below and substantially parallel with the plane of the associated first or second surfaces, and a third magnet positioned with its top surface parallel to the plane of the associated first or second surface, wherein each of the first, second and third magnets have lengths substantially perpendicular to a direction of travel of the marker as the articles are moved across the housing, wherein each magnet provides a deactivating magnetic field component aligned substantially normal to its length and parallel to the associated first or second surface.

A deactivating device for magnetic markers in an electronic article surveillance system, comprising:

• a housing having first and second intersecting surfaces for supporting an article having a marker affixed thereto, wherein the first surface further includes a notched edge adapted to accommodate a raised side portion of the article, and further wherein wherein the first surface further includes a first magnet oriented to provide a deactivating magnetic field component aligned substantially normal to the length of the first magnet and perpendicular to the first surface, the deactivating magnetic field component having a magnitude and gradient which deactivates the marker affixed to the article without causing audible signal degradation of prerecorded magnetic media contained in the article.