Magnetomechanical EAS components integrated with a retail product or product packaging

A method of manufacturing an article to be sold in a retail store, comprising the steps of:

• (a) forming a member of the article so that a cavity is integrally provided in said member;
• (b) housing a magnetostrictive element in said cavity;
• and
• (c) providing a biasing element located adjacent to and outside of said cavity, said biasing element, when magnetically biased, for causing said magnetostrictive element to be mechanically resonant when exposed to an alternating electromagnetic field generated at a selected frequency by an electronic article surveillance system;
• said cavity being shaped and sized to house said magnetostrictive element without constraining said mechanical resonance of said magnetostrictive element.

A magnetomechanical electronic article surveillance system for protecting an inventory of goods from theft, comprising:

• (a) generating means for generating a magnetic field alternating at a selected frequency in an interrogation zone;
• (b) an item of said inventory of goods, said item including a member having a cavity formed integrally in said member, a magnetostrictive element housed in said cavity, and a biasing element located adjacent to and outside of said cavity, said biasing element being magnetically biased to cause said magnetostrictive element to be mechanically resonant when exposed to said alternating field, said cavity being sized and shaped to house said magnetostrictive element without constraining said mechanical resonance of said magnetostrictive element;
• and
• (c) detecting means for detecting said mechanical resonance of said magnetostrictive element.

A magnetomechanical marker integrated with an article of merchandise to be protected by an electronic article surveillance system, comprising:

• (a) a member of said article having a cavity integrally formed in said member;
• (b) a magnetostrictive element housed in said cavity;
• and
• (c) a biasing element located adjacent to and outside of said cavity, said biasing element, when magnetically biased, for causing said magnetostrictive element to be mechanically resonant when exposed to an alternating electromagnetic field generated at a selected frequency by said electronic article surveillance system;
• said cavity being sized and shaped to house said magnetostrictive element without constraining said mechanical resonance of said magnetostrictive element.

A wrapping structure for containing during shipment an article appointed for surveillance by a magnetomechanical electronic article surveillance system, comprising:

• (a) a plurality of walls defining a first cavity for enclosing said article appointed for surveillance, one of said walls having a second cavity integrally formed therein;
• (b) a magnetostrictive element housed in said second cavity;
• and
• (c) a biasing element located adjacent to said second cavity, said biasing element, when magnetically biased, for causing said magnetostrictive element to be mechanically resonant when exposed to an alternating electromagnetic field generated at a selected frequency by said electronic article surveillance system;
• said second cavity being sized and shaped to house said magnetostrictive element without constraining said mechanical resonance of said magnetostrictive element.

A magnetomechanical electronic article surveillance system for protecting an inventory of goods from theft, comprising:

• (a) generating means for generating a magnetic field alternating at a selected frequency in an interrogation zone;
• (b) an item of said inventory of goods, said item including an article of merchandise and a wrapping structure for said article of merchandise, said wrapping structure including a plurality of walls defining a first cavity in which said article of merchandise is enclosed, one of said walls having a second cavity integrally formed therein, said wrapping structure also including a magnetostrictive element housed in said second cavity and a biasing element located adjacent to said second cavity, said biasing element being magnetically biased to cause said magnetostrictive element to be mechanically resonant when exposed to said alternating field, said second cavity being sized and shaped to house said magnetostrictive element without constraining said mechanical resonance of said magnetostrictive element;
• and
• (c) detecting means for detecting said mechanical resonance of said magnetostrictive element.

A magnetomechanical EAS marker integrated with a packing fixture for protecting an article of merchandise from damage during shipment, comprising:

• (a) a body having a first portion formed to fit a contour of said article of merchandise and a second portion formed to fit a carton in which said article is to be shipped, said body having a cavity integrally formed therein;
• (b) a magnetostrictive element housed in said cavity;
• and
• (c) a biasing element located adjacent to said cavity, said biasing element, when magnetically biased, for causing said magnetostrictive element to be mechanically resonant when exposed to an alternating electromagnetic field generated at a selected frequency by an electronic article surveillance system;
• said cavity being sized and shaped to house said magnetostrictive element without constraining said mechanical resonance of said magnetostrictive element.

A magnetomechanical electronic article surveillance system for protecting an inventory of goods from theft, comprising:

• (a) generating means for generating a magnetic field alternating at a selected frequency in an interrogation zone;
• (b) an item of said inventory of goods, said item including a packing fixture, an article of merchandise supported in said packing fixture, and a carton containing said packing fixture and said article of merchandise, said packing fixture including a body having a first portion formed to fit a contour of said article of merchandise and a second portion formed to fit said carton, said body having a cavity integrally formed therein, said packing fixture also including a magnetostrictive element housed in said cavity and a biasing element located adjacent to said cavity, said biasing element being magnetically biased to cause said magnetostrictive element to be mechanically resonant when exposed to said alternating field, said cavity being sized and shaped to house said magnetostrictive element without constraining said mechanical resonance of said magnetostrictive element;
• and
• (c) detecting means for detecting said mechanical resonance of said magnetostrictive element.

A method of verifying the authenticity of an article of merchandise, comprising the steps of:

• forming a magnetic element that is a magnetostrictive element selected to provide a signal that is detectable by a magnetomechanical electronic article surveillance system;
• integrating said magnetic element into said article of merchandise by forming a member of the article so that a cavity is integrally provided in said member, housing the magnetic element in said cavity, and providing a biasing element located adjacent to and outside of said cavity, said biasing element when magnetically biased, for causing said magnetic element to be mechanically resonant when exposed to an alternating electromagnetic field generated at a selected frequency by said magnetomechanical electronic article surveillance system, said cavity being shaped and sized to house said magnetic element without constraining said mechanical resonance of said magnetic element;
• and
• detecting the presence of said magnetic element integrated in said article of merchandise.

A method of verifying the authenticity of an article of merchandise, comprising the steps of:

• forming a magnetic element selected to provide a signal that is detectable by an electronic article surveillance system which generates an interrogation signal at a predetermined frequency, said magnetic element responding to said interrogation signal by generating a response signal that includes substantial harmonics of said predetermined frequency;
• providing a lubricant coating on said magnetic element;
• embedding said magnetic element With said lubricant coating directly into a member of said article of merchandise by forming said member of a material molded around said magnetic element with said lubricant coating;
• and
• detecting the presence of said magnetic element embedded in said article of merchandise.

A method of manufacturing an article to be sold in a retail store, comprising the steps of:

• forming a magnetic element selected to provide a signal that is detectable by an electronic article surveillance system;
• providing a lubricant coating on said magnetic element;
• and
• embedding said magnetic element with said lubricant coating directly into a member of said article by forming said member of a material molded around said magnetic element with said lubricant coating.

An electronic article surveillance system for protecting an inventory of goods from theft, comprising:

• (a) generating means for generating a magnetic field alternating at a selected frequency in an interrogation zone;
• (b) an item of said inventory of goods, said item including a member formed of a molded material and having embedded directly therein a magnetic element having a lubricant coating for limiting transmission of mechanical stress from said member to said magnetic element, said magnetic element being selected to provide a signal that is detectable by said electronic article surveillance system;
• and
• (c) detecting means for detecting harmonic signals generated by said magnetic element in response to said alternating magnetic field.

A wrapping structure for containing during shipment an article appointed for surveillance by an electronic article surveillance system, comprising:

• (a) a plurality of walls defining a first cavity for enclosing said article appointed for surveillance;
• (b) a magnetic element selected to provide a signal that is detectable by said electronic article surveillance system and incorporated into one of said plurality of walls;
• and
• (c) means for limiting transmission of mechanical stress from said one of said plurality of walls to said magnetic element.

An EAS marker integrated with a packing fixture for protecting an article of merchandise from damage during shipment, comprising:

• (a) a body having a first portion formed to fit a contour of said article of merchandise and a second portion formed to fit a carton in which said article is to be shipped;
• (b) a magnetic element selected to provide a signal that is detectable by said electronic article surveillance system and incorporated into said body;
• and
• (c) means for limiting transmission of mechanical stress from said body to said magnetic element.

An article of merchandise to be protected from theft, the article comprising:

• a member having a cavity formed integrally in said member, said cavity being defined by walls formed integrally in said member and by a first surface of a sealing member;
• a magnetostrictive element housed in said cavity;
• and
• a biasing element applied on a second surface of said sealing member, said biasing element, when magnetically biased, for causing said magnetostrictive element to be mechanically resonant when exposed to an electromagnetic field generated at a selected frequency by an electronic article surveillance system,
• said cavity being shaped and sized to house said magnetostrictive element without constraining said mechanical resonance of said magnetostrictive element.