AU696391B2

AU696391B2 - Security label

Info

Publication number: AU696391B2
Application number: AU37965/95A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Peter Lendering
Original assignee: Esselte Meto International GmbH
Current assignee: Meto International GmbH
Priority date: 1994-11-30
Filing date: 1995-11-20
Publication date: 1998-09-10
Anticipated expiration: 2015-11-20
Also published as: DE4442510A1; FI955757A0; DE59506024D1; EP0715047B1; ES2131739T3; ATE180540T1; EP0715047A1; AU3796595A; FI955757L; FI955757A7; DK0715047T3

Abstract

The security label (1) is in two parts (2,3), the first of which is attached to the protected item via a fixing device (9), with the second part removable from the first along a perforation line. The first part of the security label contains an electronically detectable element (6) and the second part carries the product and/or origin information (4). Pref. the electronically detectable element is provided as a strip of a magnetically activated material enclosed between laminated ticket layers, cooperating with an external magnetic field to provide a characteristic signal.

Description

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AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION 9* 9* 0 *000 *0 FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

Name of Applicant: S Actual Inventor: Address of Service: Invention Title: ESSELTE M13T0 INTERNATIONAL GrmbI I Peter LENDERING SHiELSTQN WATERS MARGARET STREET SYDNEY NSW 2000 "SECURITY LABEL" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us:-

I

la This invention relates to a label for the protection of an article against pilferage.

In order to counteract the progressively increasing number of thefts in commercial establishments and supermarkets, various types of anti-pilferage label have been developed designed to meet a wide variety of demands. A feature all these labels have in common is that they include a security element which on interaction with an external field modulates this particular field, with the modulated signal being subsequently detected and utilized for producing an alarm.

To be able to pass merchandise provided with known anti-pilferage labels through a protected zone without 15being detected, it is necessary for the anti-pilferage 15 labels to be completely removed from the merchandise.

When this has been done unnoticed, no alarm will be produced in the protected zone. After the security element S"is removed, it is subsequently nearly impossible to establish whether the element was removed from the merchandise without authorization or whether the merchandise was acquired in another establishment by a regular purchase.

It is an object of the present invention to increase the theft detection rate in department stores.

This object is accomplished in that the label is 25 comprised of two sections, that a fastening means is provided that is affixed to the first section of the label and through which the label is adapted to be attached to the article to be protected, that the second section of .i *the label is detachably provided on the first section of the label, that the first section of the label includes an electronically detectable security element, and that the second section of the label carries product and/or origin information.

If the article is acquired by a regular purchase, at the point of sale either the complete label is removed or the second section of the label is detached from the first section, with the first section that contains the security element then remaining affixed to the article.

In the latter event, the security element is deactivated in the point-of-sale area as discreetly as possible. The second section of the label containing the product and/or origin information is subsequently referred to for stockkeeping purposes or statistical surveys, for example.

-2- Before making the effort to remove the complete label affixed to the merchandise, a thief is likely to detach the second section of the label from the first section, which is readily possible with the label of the present invention, considering that the "predetermined rupture joint" is obvious to the thief's eyes. By removing the second section of the label carrying the origin information, a thief feels on the safe side, believing to have removed the sole possibility of proof of origin of the merchandise. The security in which the thief believes to be is, however, deceptive: Because the merchandise has not been duly paid and deactivated accordingly, the presence of the security element in the interrogation zone will produce an alarm. Also the argug 15 ment that the merchandise was duly purchased in another store will thus no longer hold. The fact that an alarm "is produced thus indicates beyond doubt that a theft is involved.

According to alternative embodiments of the label of the present invention, the electronically detectable security element is either an activatable magnetic mate- :t rial, or a resonant circuit, or an acousto-magnetic ele- Sement. Elements of this type are known in the art, as from EP 0 295 028 B1, EP 181 327 B1, or EP 0 093 281 B1.

In an advantageous further feature of the label of the present invention, a perforated line is provided beo: tween the first and the second section of the label, enabling the two sections to be separated from each other with ease.

30 Advantageously, the first section of the label includes an opening through which a fastening means is adapted to be passed. The fastening means may be, for example, a plastic thread affixing the label to the merchandise to be protected. Particularly advantageously, the security element is arranged between the opening and the upper edge of the label. By reason of the stability of the security element, tearing of the label to the nearest edge involves great difficulty; a thief is thereby prevented from simply tearing off the whole label, which additionally increases the likelihood of the thief severing the second section of the label at the "predetermined rupture joint" from the first section of the label as intended.

The present invention will be explained in greater detail in the following with reference to the sole

FIGURE.

3 The FIGURE shows in a top plan view a label 1 illustrating an embodiment of the present invention. The label 1 is comprised of a first section 2 and a second section 3. The two sections 2, 3 of the label 1 are separable readily at the "predetermined rupture joint" The second section 3 of the label 1 carries the price and/or origin information 4 that may be referred to for stockkeeping or making statistical evaluations, among other purposes. In addition, the origin information as its name clearly suggests reveals in which establishment the merchandise is offered for sale.

The first section 2 of the label 1 has an opening 8 through which a fastening means 9 is adapted to be passed. The fastening means 9 serves to affix the label 15 1 to the article to be protected.

SFurther, the first section 2 of the label 1 carries the electronically detectable security element 6 which is embedded within the printable layers of the label 1 by lamination. In the embodiment described, the security element 6 is a strip of a magnetically soft, activatable material which, interacting with an external magnetic field, is incited to emit a characteristic signal. Deactivators 7 are provided to deactivate the strip 6. In contrast to the magnetically soft material of high perme- 25 ability and low coercive force of which the activatable *:strip 6 is made, the deactivators 7 are manufactured from a magnetically hard material of low permeability and high coercive force. When the deactivators are exposed to a strong magnetic field, any reaction of the magnetically 30 soft material is subsequently suppressed due to the high magnetization of the deactivators. Because deactivation occurs either concurrently with, or promptly rubsequent to, the due payment of an article, deactivated labels 1 will not produce an alarm when passing uhrough the interrogation zone.

The situation is different if a thief removes the second section 3 of the label 1 without authorization, believing to be able to cover up the theft by removing the origin information. By reason of the fact that the security element accommodated in the first section 2 of the label 1 continues to be active, the theft is indicated by an alarm being produced as soon as the merchandise enters the interrogation zone.

-4 List of References 1 Etikett 2 erster Tei1 3 zweiter Teil 4 Preis- und Herkunftsinformation "Sollbruchstelle"l 6 Sicherungselement 7 Deaktivator 8 63ffnung 9 Befestigungsmechanismus label first section second section price and origin information "predetermined rupture point" security element deactivator opening fastening means

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Claims

1. A label for the protection of an article against pilferage, characterized in that the label is comprised of two sections, that a fastening means is provided that is affixed to the first section of the label and through which the label is adapted to be attached to the article to be protected, that the second section of the label is detachably provided on the first section of the label, that the first section of the label includes an electronically detectable security element, and that the second section of the label carries product and/or origin information.

2. The label as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the electronically detectable security element is an activatable magnetic material, a resonant circuit, or an acousto- magnetic element. S.

3. The label as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the label includes a perforated line separating the two sections of the label from each other.

4. The label as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the first section of the label affixed to the article to be protected includes an opening through which the fastening means is adapted to be passed.

The label as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the opening is provided in the upper area of the first section of the label, and that the electronically detectable security "element is arranged between the opening and the upper edge of the label.

6. A security label substantially as herein described with reference to the S. accompanying drawing. DATED this 20th Day of November, 1995 ESSELTE METO INTERNATIONAL GmbH Attorney: PETER R. HEATHCOTE Fellow Institute of Patent Attorneys of Australia of SHELSTON WATERS ~II, Abstract of the Disclosure The invention is directed to a label 1 for the pro- tection of an article against pilferage. To increase the theft detection rate in department stores, it is proposed by the invention that the label be comprised of two sections that a fastening means be provided that is affixed to the first sec- tion of the label and through which the label (1) be adapted to be attached to the article to be protected, that the second section of the label be detach- ably provided on the first section of the label that the first section of the label include an electronically detectable security element and that the second section of the label carry product Io": I15 and/or origin information V