Electronic article surveillance (EAS) tag compatible with mechanical and magnetic unlocking detachers

Abstract

A security tag includes a tag body and an attaching pin for attaching the tag body to a protected article. The security tag further includes a locking mechanism for releasably preventing the attaching pin from being removed from the protected article. The locking mechanism is provided for mechanically or magnetically released the attaching pin for detaching the tag body from the article. In a preferred embodiment, the locking mechanism further includes a plurality of balls for tightly holding to the attaching pin for releasably preventing the attaching means from being removed from the article. The locking mechanism includes a mechanical unlocking probe finger for applying a mechanical force to release the balls from the attaching pin. The locking mechanism further includes an unlocking magnet for applying a magnet force to release the balls from the attaching pin.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.