EAS integrated faucet tag assembly

A tag assembly for a faucet that includes a housing, a cover and an electronic article surveillance tag. The housing has a base plate with a top side, a bottom side and a perimeter, an internal wall defining a first section and a second section on the bottom side and an outer perimetrical side wall. The first section has an opening in the base plate defined by an inner perimetrical side wall. One or more flexible members extend into the opening from the inner perimetrical side wall. The second section has a compartment for an electronic article surveillance tag enclosed by the cover and bounded by the internal wall and the outer perimetrical side wall. The threaded pipe on a faucet is inserted in the opening of the tag assembly housing and the flexible members engage the threads to secure the tag assembly.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to tags attached to fixtures. More particularly, the present invention relates to a tag assembly with an electronic tag that may be attached to plumbing fixtures to provide security and identification.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Tags with electronic identification devices have been attached to articles and have a wide variety of uses, including tracking, inventory control and security. These devices can also provide electronically readable information pertaining to the articles. These tags or markers may include radio frequency identification (“RFID”) tags or electronic article surveillance (“EAS”) tags. The term “EAS tags” is used collectively herein to refer to RFID tags, EAS tags and any other electronic devices that are used with merchandise for security and anti-theft purposes. EAS tags attached to articles may be used with an alarm system to provide theft deterrence by monitoring the location of the tags and any unauthorized movement of the article containing the electronic tag from a predetermined area. The tags can be enclosed in or attached to a variety of different devices, such as holders or housings, which accommodate the electronic tag and are used to attach the tags to articles. The tags are secured to the article so that they remain with the article until after the time of purchase.

With respect to some articles, such as plumbing fixtures, various security tags have been attached to different locations on the packaging. However, most of these tags can be easily removed by a thief and do not provide adequate security protection. Because these plumbing fixtures can cost hundreds of dollars, there is a need for a security device that can be attached to the fixtures without damaging them and that cannot be easily removed by a thief.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, an electronic article surveillance (“EAS”) integrated faucet tag assembly for attachment to a threaded pipe on a faucet is provided. The tag assembly includes: a housing, a cover and an electronic article surveillance tag. The housing has a base plate with a top side, a bottom side and a perimeter, an internal wall and an outer perimetrical side wall. The outer perimetrical side wall extends from the perimeter of the bottom side to define an enclosed area with an open side. The bottom side of the base plate has a first section and a second section separated by the internal wall. The outer perimetrical side wall can be formed by two side walls and two end walls so that the internal wall is substantially parallel to at least one of the two end walls. A portion of each side wall bounding the first section can be concave to facilitate gripping and rotating the housing. The tag can be constructed from a plastic material, preferably polypropylene, polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride.

The first section has an opening in the base plate defined by an inner perimetrical side wall that extends from the bottom side to a perimetrical edge. Preferably, the opening in the base plate is substantially round or substantially oval in shape. However, it is contemplated that the opening can have other shapes that allow it to enclose a pipe. One or more members extend into the opening from the inner perimetrical side wall. The members can be flexible and each member has a base located on the inner perimetrical side wall and a distal end. Preferably, the base of each flexible member has a first thickness and the distal end has a second thickness. The first thickness is preferably greater than the second thickness and the distal end is preferably arcuate.

The second section has a compartment bounded by the internal wall and the outer perimetrical side wall. The compartment has a cover, which has a closed position that encloses the compartment and an open position that allows access to the compartment. Preferably, the cover includes a substantially flat top wall with a perimeter and a perimetrical side wall extending therefrom. The cover can also include one or more flexible mounting clips located on the perimeter of the top wall or on the perimetrical side wall and the internal wall and/or the outer perimetrical side wall can include one or more mating devices. The one or more flexible mounting clips can engage the one or more mating devices to secure the cover to the housing.

The electronic article surveillance tag is located in the compartment and it allows the article, to which the tag assembly is attached, to be electronically identified for security and inventory tracking. When used with a faucet, the threaded pipe is inserted in the opening of the tag assembly housing from the bottom side and the distal ends of the one or more members engage the threads of the pipe as the housing is rotated to secure the tag assembly to the faucet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The electronic article surveillance (“EAS”) integrated faucet tag assembly is attached to a threaded pipe on a faucet to provide security from theft and to facilitate identification of the faucet for inventory purposes. The tag assembly includes a housing that can be securely attached to a threaded pipe on a faucet and an EAS tag that allows monitoring of the location of the faucet and prevents unauthorized removal. The tag assembly is constructed from a plastic material, such as polypropylene, polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride. The housing has a top side, a bottom side and an outer perimetrical side wall extending from the bottom side. The outer perimetrical side wall forms an enclosed area with two sections separated by an internal wall. The first section has a substantially round or oval opening with one or more flexible members extending inwardly from the edges to an arcuate distal end. The arcuate distal ends are designed for snugly threading the housing onto a threaded pipe so that the housing cannot be easily removed except by unthreading. The second section has a compartment bounded by the internal wall on one side and the outer perimetrical side wall on the other three sides. The compartment has a detachable cover. An EAS device can be installed in the compartment to provide electronic monitoring and theft protection.

The tag assembly is attached to a faucet by inserting one of the threaded pipes of the faucet through the opening of the housing from the bottom side of the housing. The flexible members can extend upwardly towards the top side of the housing so that, when the pipe is inserted in the opening, the flexible members are pushed back and allow the pipe to pass through the opening. However, after the tag assembly is positioned on the faucet, the flexible members engage the threads and secure the tag assembly to the faucet. The upwardly extending flexible members are positioned in the threads and prevent the tag assembly from being pulled off the pipe. In order to remove the tag assembly, the housing has to be rotated, i.e., “unscrewed” from the pipe. This requires more time and acts as a theft deterrent.

The EAS integrated faucet tag assembly is described in more detailed with respect to the drawings.FIGS. 1 and 2show the tag assembly10having a housing12that includes a base plate13with a top side14and a bottom side16. An outer perimetrical side wall18extends from the bottom side16of the base plate13to define an enclosed area20. The outer perimetrical side wall18can include a pair of end walls19,21and a pair of opposing side walls23,25. The opposing side walls23,25can have concave portions27,29that facilitate gripping and rotating the housing12. The bottom side16is separated by an internal wall22into a first section24and a second section26. The first section24has an opening28defined by an inner perimetrical side wall30, which extends from the bottom side16of the base plate13, i.e., in the same direction as the outer perimetrical side wall18. The second section26has a compartment32bounded by the internal wall22on one side and the outer perimetrical side wall18on the other three sides.

One or more flexible members34extend inwardly from the inner perimetrical side wall30. Each of the one or more flexible members34has a base36located on the inner perimetrical side wall30and an arcuate distal end38. The arcuate distal end38is adapted to engage the threads94on the outer side of one of the pipes92of a faucet90(FIGS. 18-20). When the housing12is threaded onto the pipe92, the flexible members34prevent the tag assembly10from being pulled off the pipe92. In order to remove the tag assembly10, a thief would have to rotate the housing12and “unscrew” it from the pipe92. This takes time and makes it more difficult for the thief to steal the faucet90without being detected.

FIGS. 3-5show a top, side and bottom view of the housing12for the tag assembly10.FIG. 6is a sectional view fromFIG. 3for section A-A andFIG. 7is a sectional view fromFIG. 5for section B-B.FIGS. 6 and 7show the opening28in the housing12formed by the inner perimetrical side wall30. The flexible members34extend into the opening28from the inner perimetrical side wall30and the compartment32is formed in the second section26.FIG. 8is a sectional view fromFIG. 5for section C-C and shows the second section26formed by internal wall22and one of the end walls21of the outer perimetrical side wall18.

FIGS. 9 and 10, which are similar toFIGS. 1 and 2, show top and bottom sides14,16of the housing12.FIG. 11is an exploded view of the bottom side16and it shows how the cover40fits over the compartment32in the second section26to enclose an EAS device42. The cover40has flexible mounting clips44which engage mating devices46on the internal wall22and the interior side of the outer perimetrical side wall18.FIG. 11shows the mating devices46as notches. However, other types of mating devices46well know in the art can also be used. After the cover40is attached to the housing12, the EAS device42is secured in the compartment32, where it is protected from damage and tampering.

FIGS. 12-17show the cover40in more detail. The cover40is preferably rectangular in shape and has a substantially flat top wall48and a perimetrical side wall50that extends downwardly from the perimeter of the top wall48on all four sides. Two flexible mounting clips44are formed in opposing sides of the perimetrical side wall50and are used to secure the cover40to the housing12. The top wall48and the perimetrical side wall50of the cover40define an interior space52that encloses the compartment32in the second section26in which the EAS device42can be placed.

FIGS. 18-20show the tag assembly10used in the packaging for a faucet90. The two pipes92of the faucet90extend through a wall98(e.g., a piece of cardboard) and the tag assembly10is threaded onto one of the pipes92until it contacts the wall98. A nut96can also be threaded onto the pipe92to further secure the tag assembly10to the faucet90. The figures show the tag assembly10installed on the faucet90so that the bottom side16of the housing12is facing the faucet90. In this configuration, the EAS device42cannot be accessed without removing the tag assembly10from the faucet90. This makes it more difficult for a potential thief to tamper with or remove the EAS device42from the housing12.

Thus, while there have been described the preferred embodiments of the present invention, those skilled in the art will realize that other embodiments can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is intended to include all such further modifications and changes as come within the true scope of the claims set forth herein.