The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 12, 1996
Filed:
Sep. 28, 1994
Stephen Winkler, Boca Raton, FL (US);
Hans Witzky, Pompano Beach, FL (US);
Alan Willard, Wellington, FL (US);
Sensormatic Electronics Corp., Deerfield Beach, FL (US);
Abstract
An inventory of goods is protected from theft by means of electronic article surveillance (EAS) markers integrated with items of the inventory. Each such item has a structural member in which a cavity is integrally formed. A respective magnetostrictive element is housed, free of mechanically clamping constraint, in each cavity. A respective biasing element is located adjacent to the cavity on each such item of inventory. The biasing element provides a magnetic field to bias the respective magnetostrictive element. EAS equipment is provided at a retail store where the inventory is maintained. The EAS equipment generates an alternating electromagnetic interrogation field, and when an item of inventory having the integrated EAS marker is exposed to the interrogation field, the biased magnetostrictive element is excited into mechanical resonance that is detected by the EAS equipment. Alternatively, the integrated EAS marker includes a magnetic element that provides a harmonic signal in response to the interrogation field, and a lubricant coating is provided on the magnetic element to prevent transmission of mechanical stress to the magnetic element.