Patent ID: 8604927

Claim:
A retail merchandise security tether, comprising: a housing having an internal cavity; an extendable and retractable tether extending from the internal cavity of the housing, the tether adapted to secure an item of retail merchandise; a security module mounted to the housing, the security module operable to detect the presence of a severed end of the tether within the housing; wherein the security module includes a sensor in electronic communication with an indicator, the sensor mounted to the housing to detect the presence of a severed end of the tether, and wherein the indicator is adapted to provide an indication upon detection of the severed end; wherein the sensor includes a pair of electrical contacts, and wherein the tether has an operating length and a severed length shorter than the operating length, wherein the pair of electrical contacts do not contact one another et the tether is at the operating length; wherein the pair of electrical contacts do contact one another when the tether is at the severed length; and wherein the housing has an opening, and wherein one of the pair of electrical contacts is formed by a spring loaded door arranged relative to the opening, and the other one of the pair of electrical contacts is a contact wall arranged about the opening such that the spring loaded door will bias shut over the opening and contact the contact wall when the tether is at the severed length.