Patent ID: 8274389

Claim:
An RFID locking apparatus comprising: a housing forming a cavity configured to hold an RFID tag having an antenna, the housing being comprised of a material that allows a signal from the antenna to be detected; a connector configured to secure the housing to an opening that provides access to one or more assets, a plate disposed in the cavity; a spring having a lower end disposed at a bottom of the housing and an upper end disposed at the plate; a locking stem attached to the plate and extending outwardly from the bottom of the housing to engage with the connector, the locking stem including a plurality of one-way ratchets to bias the spring into a compressed position such that tampering with or removal of the connector releases the spring from the compressed position to cause the plate to impact and destructively damage the antenna; and a lock washer configured to connect with at least one of the ratchets to prevent the locking stem from moving in a reverse direction.