Abstract:
An article protection tag comprises a first housing defining a compartment therein, an EAS member disposed in the compartment and a second housing fabricated separately from the first housing, the first and second housings jointly defining structure for locking the first housing to the second housing with any one of a plurality of predetermined fixed spacings between facing surfaces of the first and second housings interiorly of the locking structure.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to article identification and protection and pertains more particularly to tags having size adaptiveness to articles. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     One type of article identification device having security aspects and having virtual universal applicability to articles is the so-called “seal”, such as is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,306,055. The seal of the &#39;055 patent comprises a plastic body having a flexible cord passing through and secured in the body and extending outwardly of the body to a cord free end which has hooks secured thereto and of configuration providing for irreversible insertion in the plastic body. In addition to the body and the cord, the seal of the &#39;055 patent has plates bearing logo/article indication applied to the plastic body to close the same. In use, the hook and cord are passed through an opening of, e.g., a watch band, and the hook is then inserted into the plastic body. 
     A widespread further practice in article security is the use of so-called anti-theft tags which incorporate electronic article surveillance (EAS) markers. Such tags are secured to articles and are removed or rendered inactive at checkout. Where fraudulent avoidance of checkout (shop-lifting) occurs, the markers are sensed by EAS systems, e.g., at store exits, and suitable alarm is generated. 
     One form of EAS marker in widespread use is in the form of a flat, thin, flexible, rectangular member which is applied adhesively to flat or curved surfaces of articles. 
     In pending, allowed U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/088,839, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,945,909, commonly-assigned herewith, there is shown a seal incorporating therewithin an EAS marker. 
     Known seals, such as those above discussed, have a common shortcoming in that they are not adaptive to the size of articles with which they are assembled. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary object of the subject invention is to provide tags which are adaptive to the size of articles with which they are assembled. 
     In broad aspect, the invention provides tags, the article engaging elements of which can tightly circumscribe articles of different sizes. To this end, the invention provides tags having first and second separately fabricated housings having respective locking means for securing the housings to one another with articles of varying sizes securable interiorly of the secured housings. 
     More particularly, an article protection tag in accordance with the invention comprises a first housing defining a compartment therein, an EAS member disposed in the compartment and a second housing separate from the first housing, the first and second housings jointly defining means for locking the first housing to the second housing with any one of a plurality of predetermined fixed spacings between facing surfaces of the first and second housings interiorly of the locking means. 
     In another aspect, the invention comprises, in combination, an article of manufacture having a constituent component generally rectangular in cross-section and an article protection tag comprising a first housing defining a compartment therein, an EAS member disposed in the compartment and a second housing, the first and second housings jointly defining means for locking the first housing to the second housing, one of the housing means for locking including first and second locking members mutually spaced by at least a first dimension of the article of manufacture cross-section and having lengths exceeding a second dimension of the article of manufacture cross-section. 
     The invention will be further understood from consideration of the following description of preferred embodiments thereof and from the drawings where like reference numerals identify like parts throughout. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a wristwatch mounted on a display member and bearing a first article protection tag in accordance with the invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a left side elevation of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the housings of the article protection tag of FIG. 1 with one housing broken away in part and the other housing shown transparently to show interior details thereof. 
     FIG. 4 is a front elevation of the housings of FIG. 3 secured to one another without the wristwatch secured therewith. 
     FIG. 5 is a front elevation of a wristwatch mounted on a display member and bearing a second article protection tag in accordance with the invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a left side elevation of FIG.  5 . 
     FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the housings of the article protection tag of FIG.  5 . 
     FIG. 8 is a front elevation of the housings of FIG. 7 secured to one another without the wristwatch secured therewith. 
     FIG. 9 is a front elevation of a wristwatch mounted on a display member and bearing a third article protection tag in accordance with the invention. 
     FIG. 10 is a left side elevation of FIG.  9 . 
     FIG. 11 is a top plan view of the FIG. 9 showing. 
     FIG. 12 shows the housings of the FIG. 9 tag without the wristwatch therewith secured to one another in a first mutual spacing. 
     FIG. 13 shows the housings of the FIG. 9 tag without the wristwatch therewith secured to one another in a second mutual spacing. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIGS. 1-4, wristwatch  10  is supported on display member  12  and has tag  14  secured therewith. Tag  14  is comprised of first and second, separately fabricated, housings  16  and  18 . Housing  16  defines an interior compartment  20  in which EAS member  22  is secured. Housing  16  is elongate and has ratchet members  24  and  26  extending longitudinally from facing surface  16   a  thereof, a preselected transverse spacing S being provided between the ratchet members. 
     First and second openings  18   b  and  18   c  are provided in facing surface  18   a  of housing  18  at transverse spacing S, the housing preferably being hollow or otherwise having channels permitting free movement of ratchet members  24  and  26  therethrough. Openings  18   b  and  18   c  are of transverse width less than the transverse width of teeth  24   a  and  26   a  of ratchet members  24  and  26 , whereby only unidirectional movement, vertical upward movement in FIG. 3, of the ratchet members into housing  18  is permitted. 
     As will be appreciated, housings  16  and  18  are securable in either one of two mutual spacings of facing surfaces  16   a  and  18   a , i.e., a first spacing as defined by the uppermost teeth of ratchet members  24  and  26  being detented against downward movement by housing  18  surface bounding openings  18   a  and  18   b  and a second spacing as defined by the second uppermost teeth of ratchet members  24  and  26  being detented against downward movement by housing  18  surface bounding openings  18   b  and  18   c . The second spacing is shown in FIG.  4 . 
     As is seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the strap  10   a  of wristwatch  10  is of generally rectangular cross-section, having width  10   b  and thickness  10   c . Per the invention, in the means for locking the first housing to the second housing, one of the housing means for locking includes first and second locking members mutually spaced by at least a first dimension of the article of manufacture cross-section and having lengths exceeding a second dimension of the article of manufacture cross-section. To this end, ratchet members  24  and  26  are mutually spaced by transverse spacing S which exceeds width  10   b  of strap  10   a  and have lengths exceeding the thickness  10   c  of strap  10   a.    
     In assembling tag  16  with wristwatch  10 , housing  16  is placed interiorly of strap  10   a , as shown in FIG. 2, with facing surface  16   a  engaging the interior surface of strap  10   a  and with rachet members  24  and  26  on opposite sides of the strap margins. Housing  18  is now placed outwardly of the strap with openings  18   b  and  18   c  aligned with ratchet members  24  and  26 . Housing  18  is now forced downwardly onto the strap until ratchet members  24  and  26  are secured within housing  18 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 5-8, wristwatch  10  is supported on display member  12  and has tag  28  secured therewith. Tag  28  is comprised of first and second, separately fabricated, housings  30  and  32 . As in the case of housing  16 , housing  30  defines an interior compartment in which an EAS member (not shown) is secured. Housing  32  has ratchet members  34  and  36  extending downwardly from facing surface  32   a  thereof, the preselected transverse spacing S being provided between the ratchet members. 
     Housing  30  is elongate and has openings  30   b  and  30   c  formed in its facing surface  30   a  at transverse spacing S. Housing  30  is preferably hollow or otherwise has channels permitting free movement of ratchet members  34  and  36  therethrough. Openings  30   b  and  30   c  are of transverse width less than the transverse width of the teeth  34   a  and  36   a  of ratchet members  34  and  36 , whereby only unidirectional movement, vertical downward movement in FIG. 6, of the ratchet members into housing  30  is permitted. 
     As in the case of the tag embodiment of FIGS. 1-4, housings  30  and  32  are securable in either one of two mutual spacings of facing surfaces  30   a  and  32   a , i.e., a first spacing as defined by the lowermost teeth of ratchet members  34  and  36  being detented against downward movement by housing  30  surface bounding openings  30   b  and  30   c  and a second spacing as defined by the second lowermost teeth of ratchet members  34  and  36  being detented against downward movement by housing  30  surface bounding openings  30   b  and  30   c . The second spacing is shown in FIG.  8 . 
     As is seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, the strap  10   a  of wristwatch  10  is of generally rectangular cross-section. Per the invention, in the means for locking the first housing to the second housing, one of the housing means for locking includes first and second locking members mutually spaced by at least a first dimension of the article of manufacture cross-section and having lengths exceeding a second dimension of the article of manufacture cross-section. To this end, ratchet members  34  and  36  are mutually spaced by transverse spacing S which exceeds the width of strap  10   a  and have lengths exceeding the thickness of strap  10   a.    
     Referring to FIGS. 9-13, wristwatch  10  is supported on display member  12  and has tag  38  secured therewith. Tag  38  is comprised of first and second, separately fabricated, housings  40  and  42 . As in the case of housing  16 , housing  40  defines an interior compartment in which an EAS member (not shown) is secured. Housing  40  is elongate and has ratchet members  44  and  46  extending transversely from facing surface  40   a  thereof, the aforementioned transverse spacing S being provided between the ratchet members. 
     First and second openings  42   b  and  42   c  are provided in facing surface  42   a  of housing  42  at transverse spacing S, the housing preferably being hollow or otherwise having channels permitting free movement of the ratchet members  44  and  46  therethrough. Openings  42   b  and  42   c  are of transverse width less than the transverse width of the teeth of ratchet members  44  and  46 , whereby only unidirectional movement, to the left in FIG. 12, of the ratchet members into housing  42  is permitted. 
     As will be appreciated, housings  40  and  42  are securable in either one of two mutual spacings of facing surfaces  40   a  and  40   a , i.e., a first spacing as defined by the outermost teeth of ratchet members  44  and  46  being detented against separating movement in FIG. 12 by housing  42  surface bounding openings  42   b  and  42   c  and a second spacing as defined by the second outermost teeth of ratchet members  44  and  46  being detented against separating movement in FIG. 12 by housing  42  surface bounding openings  42   b  and  42   c . The first spacing is shown in FIG.  13  and the second spacing is shown in FIG.  12 . 
     As is seen in FIGS. 9 and 10, the strap  10   a  of wristwatch  10  is of generally rectangular cross-section. Per the invention, in the means for locking the first housing to the second housing, one of the housing means for locking includes first and second locking members mutually spaced by at least a first dimension of the article of manufacture cross-section and having lengths exceeding a second dimension of the article of manufacture cross-section. To this end, ratchet members  44  and  46  are mutually spaced by transverse spacing S which exceeds the width of strap  10   a  and have lengths exceeding the thickness of strap  10   a.    
     Various changes may be introduced in the disclosed preferred embodiments without departing from the invention. For example, while the plurality of spacings defined between the lockable housings is two, this number may be expanded to include other spacings simply by expanding the number of teeth on the ratchet members. Accordingly, it is to be appreciated that the true spirit and scope of the invention is set forth in the following claims.