Abstract:
Anti-counterfeit and anti-theft buttons include at least a body embedded with a RFID system containing one or plural RFID chips. Each RFID chip may be of a single or double or multiple frequencies. If the single frequency is used, it may be a high frequency (HF) or an ultrahigh frequency (UHF). If the double frequencies are used, they may be any composition of HF and UHF. If the multiple frequencies are used, they may be a single HF and plural UHF, or plural HF and single UHF. The RFID chip is jointed with an antenna that may be of a single or multiple circuits and should have an extended antenna. All antennas can enhance effects of receiving signals. When two of these buttons fitted together are illegally separated, a system host may operate to give out warning signals or sound, achieving counterfeit and theft prevention.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates to anti-counterfeit and anti-theft buttons, particularly to ones having a body embedded with a RFID system containing one or plural RFID chips, with each RFID chip being of a single or double or multiple frequencies and jointed with an antenna that may be of a single or multiple circuits. Combined with an extended antenna, an auxiliary antenna that the button body has can enhance effects of receiving signals. If two of these buttons fitted together are illegally separated, a system host may operate to give out warning signals or sound, achieving counterfeit and theft prevention. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0004]    Commonly, commodities sold in open markets, department stores or supermarkets are engaged with conventional anti-theft buttons to prevent them from being stolen. As an article is sold out, the anti-theft button is to be detached from it by a particular tool at a checkout counter so that the article can be brought away through an anti-theft door without posing warning alarm. With each article engaged with an anti-theft button before selling out and separated from it after selling out, it takes a complicated process stepping up cost and making management uneasy to control. 
         [0005]    Next, as disclosed in Taiwan Patent No. M370789, an “RFID anti-theft device” mainly includes a RFID tag and a displaying member. The RFID tag has a memory pertaining to information of a corresponding object, with one end formed as a binding portion and another end formed as an extending portion able to be curved in an annular figure to combine with the binding portion, shaped as a ring to hook around a necklace, a handlace, a footlace, a bracelet, a brooch or an earring. The displaying member is provided with a RFID reader, and an antenna installed around a supporting portion used to be laid with articles. The RFID reader can read an article information stored in the RFID tag through the antenna to identify whether the article is positioned on the displaying member or not, achieving an anti-theft purpose. However, as the RFID anti-theft device has to combine the annular RFID tag with the displaying member to achieve an anti-theft purpose, it also takes a complicated process with cost soared, only available for high-priced articles, not for tiny cheap articles or flexible articles, such as clothes. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The object of this invention is to offer anti-counterfeit and anti-theft buttons that can be fastened on a wide variety of merchandises in open markets to prevent them from being illegally taken out of markets. 
         [0007]    The anti-counterfeit and anti-theft buttons include a body embedded with a RFID system containing one or plural RFID chips. Each RFID chip may be of a single or double or multiple frequencies. If the single frequency is used, it may be a high frequency (HF) or an ultrahigh frequency (UHF). If the double frequencies are used, they may be any composition of HF and UHF. If the multiple frequencies are used, they may be a single HF and plural UHF, or plural HF and single UHF. The RFID chip is jointed with an antenna that may be of a single or multiple circuits, but whether it is single or multiple, it should have an extended antenna. Combined with the extended antenna, an auxiliary antenna that the button body has can enhance effects of receiving signals. 
         [0008]    In this invention, it is mainly using two corresponding buttons to lock with each other to make their antennas contacting with each other, forming a short or a closed circuit. When two of these buttons fitted together are illegally separated, a system host may operate to give out warning signals or sound, achieving counterfeit and theft prevention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    This invention is better understood by referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of anti-counterfeit and anti-theft buttons in the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the first preferred embodiment of anti-counterfeit and anti-theft buttons in the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3A  is a top view of a first embodiment of a RFID chip and its antenna with a single circuit in the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3B  is a top view of a second embodiment of a RFID chip and its antenna with double circuits in the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3C  is a top view of a third embodiment of a RFID chip and its antenna with triple circuits in the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3D  is a top view of a fourth embodiment of two RFID chips and their antennas respectively with a single circuit in the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3E  is a top view of a fifth embodiment of two RFID chips and their antennas respectively with double circuits in the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of a RFID system, showing the second embodiment of the RFID chip and its antenna to be combined under a substrate in the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view of a RFID system and an auxiliary antenna before combined together in the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the RFID system and the auxiliary antenna after combined together; 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  is an exploded perspective view of the first embodiment of the buttons and an engaging element before engaged with each other in the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of the first embodiment of the buttons and a first embodiment of the engaging element after engaged with each other in the present invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of the first embodiment of the buttons and a second embodiment of the engaging element after engaged with each other in the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 10A  is a cross-sectional view of two buttons of the first embodiment locked with each other in the present invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 10B  is a perspective view of  FIG. 10A ; 
           [0025]      FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view of a second preferred embodiment of anti-counterfeit and anti-theft buttons in the present invention; 
           [0026]      FIG. 12  is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of a RFID system, showing the second embodiment of the RFID chip and its antenna to be combined on a substrate in the present invention; 
           [0027]      FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional view of the second embodiment of the RFID system in the present invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 14  is a cross-sectional view of the second embodiment of the buttons combined with the engaging element in the present invention; and 
           [0029]      FIGS. 15A˜15C  are illustrations showing the buttons of the invention practically fastened on clothes, shoes and bags. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0030]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a first preferred embodiment of an anti-counterfeit and anti-theft button  1  in the present invention includes a body  10  embedded with a RFID (radio frequency identification) system  11  composed of at least a RFID chip  110 , an antenna  111  and a substrate  115 . If a single RFID chip  110  is applied in the RFID system  11 , it may be one with a HF (high frequency) or an UHF (ultra high frequency). If two or more RFID chips  110  are provided in the RFID system  11 , they may be ones with the same single frequency of HF or UHF, or one with a HF and another with an UHF, so as to gain a double-frequency or multi-frequency RFID chip set. If only a single RFID chip  110  is used in the RFID system  11 , its antenna  111  may be of a single circuit or multiple circuits. If two or more RFID chips  110  are used in the RFID system  11 , their antennas  111  respectively may as well be of a single circuit or multiple circuits. Whether the antenna  111  is of a single or multiple circuits, it should have an extended antenna  112  and be connected with an auxiliary antenna  12  of the body  10 . The number of extended antenna  112  may be one or two or more than two. 
         [0031]      FIG. 3A  shows a first embodiment of installing the RFID chip  110  and the antenna  111  of the RFID system  11  in a circuit board  113 . In this embodiment, the RFID system  11  contains a single RFID chip  110  that is of HF or UHF, and the antenna  111  is of a single circuit. Two extended antennas  112  are located at proper positions of the antenna  111 , partly separated from the circuit board  113  for being appropriately curved toward one side. The circuit board  113  is properly bored with a hole  114  provided as a flowing hole to cast raw plastics. 
         [0032]      FIG. 3B  shows a second embodiment of installing the RFID chip  110  and the antenna  111  of the RFID system  11  in a circuit board  113 . In this embodiment, the RFID system  11  contains a single RFID chip  110  that is of HF or UHF, and the antenna  111  is of double circuits. Two extended antennas  112  are located at proper positions of the antenna  111 , partly separated from the circuit board  113  for being appropriately curved toward one side. The circuit board  113  is properly bored with a hole  114  provided as a flowing hole to cast raw plastics. 
         [0033]      FIG. 3C  shows a third embodiment of installing the RFID chip  110  and the antenna  111  of the RFID system  11  in a circuit board  113 . In this embodiment, the RFID system  11  contains a single RFID chip  110  that is of HF or UHF, and the antenna  111  is of triple circuits or more. Three extended antennas  112  are located at proper positions of the antenna  111 , partly separated from the circuit board  113  for being appropriately curved toward one side. The circuit board  113  is properly bored with a hole  114  provided as a flowing hole for casting raw plastics. 
         [0034]      FIG. 3D  shows a fourth embodiment of installing the RFID chip  110  and the antenna  111  of the RFID system  11  in a circuit board  113 . In this embodiment, the RFID system  11  contains two RFID chips  110  that are of the same HF or 
         [0035]    UHF or of HF and UHF, and the antenna  111  is of double circuits. Each of the RFID chips  110  is connected with an antenna  111  that is installed with an extended antenna  112  at a proper position, with the extended antenna  112  partly separated from the circuit board  113  for being appropriately curved toward one side. The circuit board  113  is properly bored with a hole  114  provided as a flowing hole for casting raw plastics. 
         [0036]      FIG. 3E  shows a fifth embodiment of installing the RFID chip  110  and the antenna  111  of the RFID system  11  in a circuit board  113 . In this embodiment, the RFID system  11  contains two RFID chips  110  that are of the same HF or UHF or of HF and UHF, and the antenna  111  is of double circuits. Each of the RFID chips  110  is connected with an antenna  111  that is installed with two extended antennas  112  at proper positions, with the extended antennas  112  partly separated from the circuit board  113  for being appropriately curved toward one side. The circuit board  113  is properly bored with a hole  114  provided as a flowing hole for casting raw plastics. 
         [0037]    A first embodiment of the RFID system  11  may be a combination of one of the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 3A˜3E  and the substrate  115 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the first embodiment of the RFID system  11  is illustrated by combining the second embodiment of the RFID chip  110  and the antenna  111 , shown in  FIG. 3B , with the substrate  115 . With a blank rear side  113   a  of the circuit board  113  adhesively attached with one side of the substrate  115 , the RFID system  11  is finished. 
         [0038]    As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the extended antennas  112  of the RFID system  11  have to be curved toward one side when the RFID system  11  is to be combined with the body  10  of the button  1 . As mentioned previously, with the antenna  111  installed in the circuit board  113  and the substrate  115  attached with the rear side  113   a  of the circuit board  113 , part of the circuit board  113  and part of the substrate  115  are simultaneously bent as the antenna  112  is curved up. By means of proper rigidity of the substrate  115 , the antenna  112  can be steadily shaped as expected after curved up. Next, with the support of the circuit board  113  and the substrate  115  to keep the extended antenna  112  steadily curved, the auxiliary antenna  12  made of metal (copper preferred) is worn on the outside of the extended antenna  112  to contact with it. 
         [0039]    Further, as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the auxiliary antenna  12  is provided with a sleeve  120  that is or is not provided with plural slots  121  cut from the top circumference with a proper length, a space  122  formed inside, and a joint circumference  123  surrounding the bottom. The space  122  is used to accommodate the curved extended antenna  112  to enable it to attach with the auxiliary antenna  12 , with the joint circumference  123  closely contacting with the substrate  115 . 
         [0040]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the RFID system  11  and the auxiliary antenna  12  must be previously laid in a mold of the button  1  before injecting or extruding plastic material, so that the RFID system  11  can be embedded in the body  10  of the button  1  after injecting or extruding plastic material, with part of an extending portion  100  of the body  10  combined with the substrate  115  to accommodate the extended antenna  112 . The extending portion  100  is employed to engage with the sleeve  120  of the auxiliary antenna  12 , with the sleeve  120  positioned higher than the extending portion  100 . Next, by combining the joint circumference  123  of the auxiliary antenna  12  with the body  10 , the first embodiment of the button  1  is finished. 
         [0041]    As a second embodiment of the button  1 , it has to collaborate with an engaging element  2  to joint an article  3  (as shown in  FIGS. 15A - 15C ) expected to be protected from being stolen or replaced with a counterfeit.  FIGS. 8 and 9  respectively show a first embodiment and a second embodiment of the engaging element  2 . The article  3  has to be bored with a through hole  30  and the engaging element  2  is bored with a center hole  20 . The extending portion  100  of the body  10  and the auxiliary antenna  12  are inserted through the through hole  30  and the center hole  20  consecutively, with the portion of the sleeve  120  of the auxiliary antenna  12  extended out of the extending portion  100  of the body  10  bent properly by a tool to press on another side of the engaging element  2  owing to the slots  121  cut in the sleeve  120 , thus enabling the article  3  fixedly sandwiched between the button  1  and the engaging element  2 . Therefore, if the button  1  is illegally broken, the antenna is to have a short circuit or a broken circuit able to be detected by a system host to start a warning signal or sound; if a signal sent out by a legal tool is received, the button  1  can be legally separated to carry out commodity transaction. 
         [0042]      FIGS. 10A and 10B  show the first embodiment of the button  1  combined with a belt  4  to fasten an article A. Two ends of the belt  4  are respectively bored with a through hole  40  for the button  1  to fix with. The extending portion  100  of the body  10  and the auxiliary antenna  12  are inserted through the through hole  40  and the center hole  20  of the engaging element  2  consecutively, with the portion of the sleeve  120  of the auxiliary antenna  12  extended out of the extending portion  100  of the body  10  bent properly by a tool to press on another side of the engaging element  2  owing to the slots  121  cut in the sleeve  120 , thus enabling the belt  4  fixedly sandwiched between the button  1  and the engaging element  2 . To protect the article A from being counterfeited or stolen, the belt  4  can be fastened on the article A at a proper position, as shown in  FIGS. 15A and 15B , with two buttons  1  at two ends of the belt  4  locked with each other to make each other&#39;s auxiliary antennas  12  contacted, making a short circuit or broken circuit for signals of the RFID chips. Therefore, if the buttons  1  are illegally separated from each other, the system host is able to detect abnormal signals to start a warning signal or sound; if a signal sent out by a legal tool is received, the buttons  1  can be legally separated from each other to carry out commodity transaction. 
         [0043]    As shown in  FIG. 11 , a second preferred embodiment of an anti-counterfeit and anti-theft button  1 , derived from the first one, in the present invention includes a body  10  embedded with a RFID (radio frequency identification) system  11  (referred to  FIGS. 3A˜3E ) composed of at least a RFID chip  110  and an antenna  111 . If a single RFID chip  110  is applied in the RFID system  11 , it may be one with a HF (high frequency) or an UHF (ultra high frequency). If two or more RFID chips  110  are provided in the RFID system  11 , they may be ones with the same single frequency of HF or UHF, or one with a HF and another with an UHF, so as to gain a double-frequency or multi-frequency RFID chip set. If only a single RFID chip  110  is used in the RFID system  11 , its antenna  111  may be of a single circuit or multiple circuits. If two or more RFID chips  110  are used in the RFID system  11 , their antennas  111  respectively may as well be of a single circuit or multiple circuits. Whether the antenna  111  is of a single or multiple circuits, it should at least have an extended antenna. 
         [0044]    A second embodiment of the RFID system  11  may be a combination of one of the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 3A˜3E  and a substrate  115 . As shown in  FIG. 12 , the second embodiment of the RFID system  11  is illustrated by combining the second embodiment of the RFID chip  110  and the antenna  111 , shown in  FIG. 3B , with the substrate  115 . With the blank rear side  113   a  of the circuit board  113  adhesively attached with another side of the substrate  115 , the RFID chip  110  and the antenna  111  are positioned in an upper surface of the RFID system  11 , different from those positioned in a bottom surface of the first embodiment of the RFID system  11  shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0045]    As shown in  FIG. 13 , the extended antennas  112  of the RFID system  11  have to be curved toward one side when the RFID system  11  is to be combined with the body  10  of the button  1 . As mentioned previously, with the antenna  111  installed in the circuit board  113  and the substrate  115  attached with the rear side  113   a  of the circuit board  113 , part of the circuit board  113  and part of the substrate  115  are simultaneously bent as the antenna  112  is curved up. 
         [0046]    As shown in  FIG. 11 , the RFID system  11  must be previously laid in a mold of the button  1  before injecting or extruding plastic material, so that the RFID system  11  can be embedded in the body  10  of the button  1  after injecting or extruding plastic material, with part of an extending portion  100  of the body  10  combined with the substrate  115  to accommodate the extended antenna  112  to enable the RFID system  11  to receive signals from a system host with enhancement, to timely send out warning signals or sound for an anti-counterfeit and an anti-theft purpose. 
         [0047]    In using, as shown in  FIG. 14 , the button  1  of the second embodiment has to collaborate with an engaging element  2  to joint an article  3  (as shown in  FIGS. 15A˜15C ) for counterfeit and theft prevention. The article  3  has to be bored with a through hole  30  and the engaging element  2  is bored with a center hole  20 . The extending portion  100  of the body  10  is inserted through the through hole  30  and the center hole  20  consecutively, with the extending portion  100  of the body  10  softened properly by a high frequency machine or other thermo methods to press on another side of the engaging element  2  around the center hole  20 , thus enabling the article  3  fixedly sandwiched between the button  1  and the engaging element  2 . Therefore, if the button  1  is illegally broken, the antenna is to have a short circuit or a broken circuit able to be detected by a system host to start a warning signal or sound; if a signal sent out by a legal tool is received, the button  1  can be legally separated to carry out commodity transaction. 
         [0048]    With the RFID system provided with a RFID chip, an antenna and its extended antenna, the buttons of the invention can receive signals with enhancement, able to protect open commodities from being stolen or even illegally replaced with counterfeit ones, thus advancing practical commodity management. 
         [0049]    While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described above, it will be recognized and understood that various modifications may be made therein and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications that may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.