Patent Publication Number: US-6342838-B1

Title: Electronic article surveillance marker and container therewith

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to electronic article surveillance (EAS) markers and pertains more particularly to EAS markers for containers. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A well-known 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 a suitable alarm is generated. 
     One form of EAS marker in widespread use is in the form of a flat, thin, flexible, rectangular, adhesive-backed member which is applied adhesively to flat or curved surfaces of articles. 
     The above-discussed adhesive-backed EAS marker can be removed by an unscrupulous customer with ease, thereby rendering the article without EAS protection and removable from a facility without being paid for. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The subject invention has as its primary object a solution to the above problem as the problem applies to articles in the form of ported containers of substances pourable or otherwise dispensable from the containers. 
     In attaining this and other objects, applicants provide, in one aspect, an EAS marker assembly comprising a housing defining an interior cavity and an EAS marker disposed in the housing interior cavity, the housing having an exterior flexible member cantilever-supported by the housing. 
     In another aspect, applicants provide, in combination, a container having an inlet/outlet port and an EAS marker assembly configured to be passable through the inlet/outlet port into an interior of the container and thereupon to expand to a dimension exceeding a dimension of the container inlet/outlet port. 
     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 housing part of an EAS marker assembly in accordance with the invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a right side elevation of the FIG. 1 housing part. 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional view as would be seen from plane III—III of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is a partial view of a vessel, shown in section, and an EAS marker assembly in accordance with the invention in the course of insertion thereof into the vessel, layers of the assembly being broken away to show interior details. 
     FIG. 5 is a front elevation of a housing part of a second embodiment of an EAS marker assembly in accordance with the invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective, exploded of an EAS marker housing in accordance with the invention. 
     FIG. 7 is a plan view of a container with the FIG. 6 EAS marker inserted therein. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIGS. 1-3, first housing part  10  is a molded plastic body formed with interior sidewalls  12 ,  14 ,  16  and  18  and floor  20  jointly defining cavity  22 . Housing part  10  has exterior flexible member  24  cantilever-supported by the housing part. 
     Flexible member  24  is formed integrally with housing part  10  and includes a thinned section  24   a  in the vicinity of sidewall  12  for permitting the flexible member to pivot relative to the housing part  10 , i.e., the flexible member is cantilever-supported by the first housing part. 
     Turning to FIG. 4, EAS marker assembly  26  includes first housing part  10 , second housing part  28  and EAS strip member  30 . Second housing part  28  is a cover which is ultrasonically sealed to first housing part  10  after insertion of EAS strip member  30  into cavity  22 . 
     EAS marker assembly  26  is shown partly within the neck  32  of container  34 . The marker assembly width is selected to permit the marker assembly to be inserted into neck. As is illustrated in the transitional insertion depicted in FIG. 4, flexible member  24  is pivoted about housing first part  10  to become generally aligned with first housing part  10  in the course of insertion by engagement of the flexible member with neck  32 . 
     Flexible member  24  is spring biased to its FIG. 1 disposition, i.e., at approximately a forty-five degree angle to first housing part  10 . Accordingly, as flexible member  24  clears neck  32 , i.e., enters the interior of container  34 , flexible member returns to its spring-biased disposition of FIG.  1 . EAS marker assembly  26  thus becomes entrapped within container  34 . 
     EAS marker assembly  26  will be seen to be configured to be passable through the inlet/outlet port into an interior of the container and thereupon to expand to a dimension exceeding a dimension of the container inlet/outlet port. 
     Turning to FIG. 5, first housing part  36  of a second embodiment of the invention includes two flexible members  38  and  40 , each cantilever-supported by first housing part  36  by hinges  38   a  and  40   a  and defines cavity  42  for receipt of an EAS strip member. 
     As is seen in FIG. 6, EAS marker housing  44  includes first housing part  36  and second housing part  46  which has EAS strip member  30  adhesively secured thereon to enter and reside in cavity  42  of FIG.  5 . 
     Turning to FIG. 7, the EAS assembly of FIGS. 5 and 6 is shown after having been inserted through port  48  of neck  50  of transparent container  52 . As is seen the width dimension of the assembly between the ends of flexible members  38  and  40  in their spring-biased disposition far exceeds the diameter of port  48 . 
     By way of summary of the invention and introduction to the ensuing claims, the invention will be seen to provide an EAS marker assembly comprising a housing defining an interior cavity and an EAS marker disposed in the housing interior cavity, the housing having an exterior flexible member cantilever-supported by the housing. The flexible member is self-biased to extend generally at a forty-five degree with respect to the housing. The flexible member is bendable from the self-biased disposition thereof to be alignable with a wall of the housing. The assembly housing is comprised of first and second housing parts, the first housing part defining the interior cavity. The flexible member is supported by the first housing part and is integrally formed therewith to comprise a one-piece body. The first and second housing parts are peripherally secured to one another. 
     Further, the invention will be seen to provide an EAS marker assembly comprising a housing defining an interior cavity and an EAS marker disposed in the housing interior cavity, the housing having first and second exterior flexible members cantilever supported by the housing. 
     Still further, the invention will be seen to provide, in combination, a container having an inlet/outlet port and an EAS marker assembly configured to be passable through the inlet/outlet port into an interior of the container and thereupon to expand to a dimension exceeding a dimension of the container inlet/outlet port. The EAS marker assembly comprises a housing defining an interior cavity and an EAS marker disposed in the housing interior cavity. 
     Various changes may be introduced in the disclosed preferred embodiments without departing from the invention. For example, while the flexible members are two in number in the second embodiment and extend from sides of the marker assembly, a further pair of flexible members may be cantilever-supported on the front and rear of the marker assembly to provide for enhanced retention of the marker assembly in a container. Further, while the flexible members in the second embodiment are integral with the first housing, one flexible member may be integral with the first housing and the other flexible member may be integral with the second housing. Accordingly, it is to be appreciated that the true spirit and scope of the invention is set forth in the following claims.