Security apparatus for electronic article surveillance tag

An electronic article surveillance tag, comprising:

• a tag body having a first opening leading into the interior of said tag body;
• preventing means within said tag body for releasably preventing a tack assembly having an elongated tack body and a tack head from being withdrawn from said tag body, said elongated tack body being receivable in said first opening of said tag body and insertable into said tag body;
• means within said tag body defining an arcuate channel leading from the exterior of said tag body to said preventing means, said arcuate channel being adapted to receive and guide an arcuate probe to said preventing means for releasing said preventing means from preventing said elongated tack body from being withdrawn from said tag body when therein;
• a detectable electronic article surveillance sensor disposed in said tag body;
• alarm means, disposed within said tag body, for sounding an audible alarm if said tack assembly is withdrawn from said tag body without said arcuate probe being guided through said arcuate channel to said preventing means;
• and,
• light emitting means for periodically flashing in response to an armed state of said alarm means, the periodic flashing of said light emitting means being visible on an exterior portion of said tag body.

An electronic article surveillance tag, comprising:

• a tag body having a first opening leading into the interior of said tag body;
• preventing means within said tag body for releasably preventing a tack assembly having an elongated tack body and a tack head from being withdrawn from said tag body, said elongated tack body being receivable in said first opening of said tag body and insertable into said tag body;
• means within said tag body defining an arcuate channel leading from the exterior of said tag body to said preventing means, said arcuate channel being adapted to receive and guide an arcuate probe to said preventing means for releasing said preventing means from preventing said elongated tack body from being withdrawn from said tag body when therein;
• a detectable electronic article surveillance sensor disposed in said tag body;
• and,
• light emitting means for periodically flashing, said light emitting means being visible on an exterior portion of said tag body to simulate the presence of an alarm means within said tag body.

An electronic article surveillance tag, comprising:

• a tag body having a first and a second opening leading into the interior of said tag body;
• preventing means within said tag body for releasably preventing a tack assembly having an elongated tack body and a tack head from being withdrawn from said tag body, said elongated tack body being receivable in said first opening of said tag body and insertable into said tag body, said preventing means including means within said tag body for releasably receiving and clutching the tack body when the tack body is introduced into said tag body through said first opening, said receiving and clutching means upon receiving and clutching said tack body preventing withdrawal of said tack body from said tag body;
• means within said tag body defining an arcuate channel leading from the exterior of said tag body to said preventing means, said arcuate channel being adapted to receive and guide an arcuate probe to said preventing means for releasing said preventing means from preventing said elongated tack body from being withdrawn from said tag body when therein, said preventing means including a release part which is adapted to be engaged by said arcuate probe to cause said receiving and clutching means to release clutching said tack body to permit said tack body to be withdrawn from said tag body, said arcuate channel leads from said second opening in said tag body to said release part of said receiving and clutching means, wherein said arcuate probe when introduced into said arcuate channel is brought into engagement with said release part of said receiving and clutching means to cause said receiving and clutching means to release clutching said tack body to allow withdrawal of said tack body from said tag body;
• a detectable electronic article surveillance sensor disposed in said tag body;
• alarm means, disposed within said tag body, for sounding an alarm if said tack assembly is withdrawn from said tag body without said arcuate probe being guided through said arcuate channel to said preventing means;
• a first switch put into a first state by said tack body upon insertion into said tag body,
• a second switch put into a first state by said tack head upon insertion of said tack body into said tag body,
• a third switch put into a first state by said arcuate probe when said arcuate probe is introduced into said arcuate channel to engage said receiving and clutching means, said alarm means sounding said alarm when said first switch is put into a second state without said third switch in said first state, and said alarm means sounding said alarm when said second switch is put into a second state without said third switch in said first state;
• light emitting means for flashing in response to an armed state of said alarm means, the flashing of said light emitting means being visible on an exterior portion of said tag body, said armed state defined by said first switch in said first state, said second switch in said first state, and said third switch in a second state;
• and,
• a plurality of relatively small apertures disposed on said tag body to permit sound from said alarm means to travel from the interior of said tag body to the exterior of said tag body, said plurality of apertures covering a sufficient portion of said tag body to prevent external localization of the position within said tag body of sound emitting means for generating the sound from said alarm means.

A method for alarming an electronic article surveillance tag having a tag alarm disposed within a tag body, the tag body adapted to receive a tack assembly for releasable attachment of the tag to an article, comprising:

• providing an electronic article surveillance tag having an internal circuit for sounding an audible alarm in response to unauthorized detachment of said tag;
• arming the tag alarm by insertion of a tack assembly into a tag body and sensing a first state of a tack switch, a first state of a plunger switch, and the first state of an on/off switch;
• activating the tag alarm upon sensing a second state of said tack switch and the first state of said on/off switch;
• activating the tag alarm upon sensing a second state of said plunger switch and the first state of said on/off switch;
• unarming the tag alarm upon sensing the second state of said on/off switch.

An electronic article surveillance system, comprising:

• an electronic article surveillance tag attachable to an article, said electronic article surveillance tag comprising;
• a tag body having a first opening leading into the interior of said tag body;
• preventing means within said tag body for releasably preventing a tack assembly having an elongated tack body and a tack head from being withdrawn from said tag body, said elongated tack body being receivable in said first opening of said tag body and insertable into said tag body;
• means within said tag body defining an arcuate channel leading from the exterior of said tag body to said preventing means, said arcuate channel being adapted to receive and guide an arcuate probe to said preventing means for releasing said preventing means from preventing said elongated tack body from being withdrawn from said tag body when therein;
• a detectable electronic article surveillance sensor disposed in said tag body;
• and,
• shield means disposed in said tag body adjacent said sensor and extending substantially the full length of said sensor for preventing insertion of an instrument through said tag body into said sensor;
• means for transmitting a first signal into a surveillance zone;
• and
• eans for receiving a tag signal resulting from the interaction in said surveillance zone of said first signal with said detectable electronic article surveillance sensor in said tag body for detecting the presence of said tag in said surveillance zone.