Permanently deactivatable security tag
AssigneeCheckpoint Systems, Inc.
InventorsJohn B. Mingle, Lawrence Appalucci
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A permanently deactivatable security tag and method to create a permanently deactivatable security tag to eliminate tag pollution caused by reactivated tags reentering a store premises and setting off false alarms. The security tag includes a frangible conductive portion that fractures due to stress applied on the frangible conductive portion from a hardened substrate located on the tag. The hardened substrate induces stress to the frangible conductive portion located adjacent to the edge of the hardened substrate as the tag is flexed and bent. The fracture of the frangible conductive portion of the tag results in a shifting and/or disabling of the predetermined frequency of the security tag.
Claims19
A security tag comprising:
- a circuit including a coil and a capacitor plate;
- a bridge portion;
- at least two capacitor plate portions of the capacitor plate, wherein the bridge portion connects the at least two capacitor plate portions;
- and
- a hardened substrate, different from the bridge portion and applied proximate to the bridge portion,
- wherein the hardened substrate is configured to induce stress on the bridge portion to fracture the bridge portion, thereby permanently deactivating the security tag.
A method for creating a security tag comprising:
- providing a circuit including a coil and a capacitor plate;
- providing a bridge portion;
- connecting, via the bridge portion, at least two capacitor portions of the capacitor plate;
- applying a hardened substrate proximate the bridge portion, wherein the hardened substrate is different than the bridge portion and configured to induce stress on the bridge portion to fracture the bridge portion, thereby permanently deactivating the security tag.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.