EP1567997B1 - Sticker-type shoplifting-prevention security device - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has a flexible flat substrate (1) with an inductance (2) and a condenser (3) which form a resonant circuit. Reinforcements (3a) of the condenser are separated by a layer of materials to establish short-circuit between the reinforcements for deactivation of the device. A rigidified part (B) is envisaged on a face of the substrate. The contour (Bc) of the part (B) surrounds the zones planned for deactivation.

Description

The invention relates to a security device against shoplifting constituted by a flexible flat substrate comprising an inductor and a capacitor which form a resonant circuit, the armatures of the capacitor being separated by a layer of dielectric material of which at least a zone is provided to allow a short circuit between the armatures for deactivation of the device.

A safety device of this kind is very often in the form of a label, for example square or rectangular, of a reduced thickness, of the order of a few tenths of a millimeter. This flexible security device is intended to be integrated invisibly in products or objects offered for sale on display. See for example EP 0 762 353.

In particular, such safety devices are used as anti-theft protection for shoes and are inserted between two layers of the sole.

When the safety device has not been deactivated, the resonant circuit formed by the capacitor and the inductor is in working order. When an object equipped with the device passes into the field of action of a detection device, an alarm is triggered.

By cons, when the security device has been disabled, for example at the time of payment of the object, the consumer can cross the area of action of the detection devices without triggering.

The deactivation of the safety device is generally obtained by subjecting it to a pulsed emission which causes, in the zone or zones provided for this purpose of the dielectric layer, the establishment of a short-circuit between the plates of the capacitor so that the resonant circuit is no longer operational.

But it has become apparent that such deactivation does not have sufficient reliability. In particular, in the case of shoes, the short circuit made by electrical connection between the capacitor plates can disappear by breaking this electrical connection when the consumer walks with the shoes. The area of the soleplate where the safety device is located is indeed subject to repeated bending that can cause the breakage of the electrical connection. In the case of such a break, the consumer who has regularly bought the shoes he wears will trigger an alarm by entering a store equipped with a detection device against shoplifting. Such untimely triggering is a source of unjustified nuisance for the consumer and should be avoided.

The example was provided about shoes, but it is clear that other objects or products, equipped with labels of the kind in question, may be concerned.

The object of the invention is therefore, above all, to provide a safety device against shoplifting which no longer has, or to a lesser degree, the disadvantages mentioned above, and which makes it possible to obtain reliable deactivation. the device, while remaining simple and economical.

According to the invention, an anti-shoplifting security device, of the tag type, as defined above, is characterized in that on at least one side of the substrate is provided a stiffened part whose contour surrounds the one or more areas provided for deactivation.

A stiffened portion may be provided on each side of the substrate, the contour of each stiffened portion surrounding the area or areas provided for deactivation.

The rigidity of the stiffened portion is such that repeated bending motions of the flexible substrate are prevented or limited in the area (s) where the short circuits have been, or will be, established. Connections Electrical short circuit are thus protected against breakage.

The stiffened portion may be constituted by a region of the substrate itself having undergone stiffening treatment or having a specific composition giving it a greater rigidity, or by a stiffening element reported and fixed on the substrate.

The stiffening element reported may be resin, or cold-hardened composite resin or ultraviolet radiation.

The stiffening element may also be constituted by a washer or a rigid plate, for example metal or insulating material, including hard plastic material. The plate can be flat, or curved, possibly pierced in its center. The washer or plate can be sharp on its periphery.

Preferably a stiffening element is fixed on each face of the flat element, on either side of the zone or zones provided for deactivation.

Advantageously, the label has an ovoid-shaped outline with one end narrower than the other, and the capacitor plates are provided toward the narrower end. Such a label may be inserted at the tip of the sole of a shoe, in front of the natural fold zone when walking; the label is then less stressed in bending and the risk of unwanted reactivation is even smaller. The detection and incorporation into the shoe are optimized, and a guard distance, preferably at least 2cm (two centimeters), is preserved between the edge of the label and the edge of the shoe, for gluing. between first mounting and sole.

The invention consists, apart from the arrangements described above, in a certain number of other arrangements which will be more explicitly discussed below with regard to exemplary embodiments described in detail. with reference to the accompanying drawings, but which are in no way limiting.

• Fig.1 est une vue schématique, avec partie arrachée, d'une chaussure dont la semelle est équipée d'un dispositif de sécurité contre le vol à l'étalage.
• Fig.2 est une vue en plan à plus grande échelle du dispositif de sécurité selon l'invention.
• Fig.3 est une coupe verticale schématique partielle à plus grande échelle, suivant la ligne III-III de Fig.2, montrant la zone du dispositif prévue pour la désactivation avant poinçonnage.
• Fig.4 montre, semblablement à Fig.3, la zone après poinçonnage,
• Fig.5 et 6 sont des coupes schématiques de variantes de réalisation.
• Fig.7 est une vue en plan d'une variante de réalisation de l'étiquette
• Fig.8 est une vue partielle de dessous de Fig.7.
• Fig.9 est une coupe partielle schématique à plus grande échelle suivant la ligne IX-IX de Fig.7, et
• Fig.10 est une vue en perspective, à plus petite échelle, d'une semelle de chaussure où l'étiquette de Fig.7 est en cours d'implantation.

On these drawings:

• Fig.1 is a schematic view, with part torn off, of a shoe whose sole is equipped with a safety device against shoplifting.
• Fig.2 is a plan view on a larger scale of the safety device according to the invention.
• Fig.3 is a partial schematic vertical section on a larger scale, along the line III-III of Fig.2, showing the area of the device provided for deactivation before punching.
• Fig.4 shows, similarly to Fig.3, the area after punching,
• Fig.5 and 6 are schematic sections of alternative embodiments.
• Fig.7 is a plan view of an alternative embodiment of the label
• Fig.8 is a partial bottom view of Fig.7.
• Fig.9 is a schematic partial section on a larger scale along the line IX-IX of Fig.7, and
• Fig.10 is a perspective view, on a smaller scale, of a shoe sole where the label of Fig.7 is being implanted.

Referring to FIG. 1, there can be seen a shoe C provided with a security device D against shoplifting. The device D of the label type is inserted and glued between two layers of the sole S of the shoe. The thickness of the device D is low, a few tenths of a millimeter, so that its presence in the soleplate is not annoying and is not noticeable.

Of course, other products than shoes can be equipped in the same way, for example books or clothes.

As visible in FIG. 2, the device D is constituted by a flexible flat substrate 1, for example square with a side of a few centimeters, in particular of the order 5 cm. The substrate is advantageously constituted by a multilayer flexible film of plastic and aluminum. Device D comprises an inductor 2 formed by flat aluminum conductor segments arranged in square or rectangular contours, parallel to the edges of the label, between two layers of plastics material. The device D further comprises a capacitor 3 having flat armatures 3a, 3b, formed by metal or metallized aluminum surfaces, provided on either side of a sheet 4 of insulating plastic forming a dielectric layer. In the example of Fig.2 the armatures 3a, 3b are formed by square surfaces surrounded by the conductors of the inductor 2 which is connected in parallel, as illustrated schematically in Fig.3, to the armatures 3a, 3b of the capacitor. The frames 3a, 3b are covered by an adhesive sheet of plastic material 4a, 4b.

At least one zone A is provided in the dielectric layer 4 to allow short-circuiting between the armatures 3a, 3b when the device D is subjected to pulsed high-frequency emission produced by a deactivation apparatus. Zone A, in the example of FIG. 2, is located in the center of frames 3a, 3b and comprises a hole 5 (FIG. 4) in layer 4. This hole 5 is formed during punching of reinforcements 3a. 3b of the capacitor in order to bring them into mechanical contact as illustrated in FIG. 4, but without establishing an electrical contact because of the insulating layer constituted by the aluminum oxide layer present on the surface of the reinforcements. If necessary, a fuse material may be provided in a portion of the zone A, without being in contact with the two frames.

When device D is subjected to the deactivation apparatus, heating and deoxidation occur in zone A; the armatures 3a, 3b are soldered, with the establishment of an electrical micro-contact and a short circuit is established between them. On Fig.3 we have schematically the deactivation apparatus in the form of an electric circuit E connected to the armatures; the circuit E comprises a switch whose closure symbolizes the activation of the pulsed emission causing the micro-welding of the armatures 3a, 3b and the short circuit.

According to the invention, at least one face of the substrate 1 comprises a stiffened portion B whose contour Bc surrounds the area A provided for deactivation. Preferably such a stiffened portion B is provided on each face of the flat member 1 so as to surround the area A.

The stiffened portion B is a rigid protection provided to ensure sufficient mechanical support of the region surrounding the area A to avoid bending of this area may cause the breakage of the electrical connection after deactivation.

Part B may be constituted by a region of the substrate itself having undergone stiffening treatment or having a specific composition giving it greater rigidity, or by a stiffening element R reported and fixed on the substrate.

The fixing of the stiffening element R on the element 1 is generally carried out by gluing such that the region of the substrate 1 located inside the contour of the stiffening element R undergoes no stretching when the device D is subjected to flexions.

The stiffening element R can be resin, or cold-hardened composite resin or ultraviolet radiation.

Other examples of sufficiently rigid materials for making the element R include metallic materials, hard plastics, carbon, ceramic materials or composites. The thickness of the element R is small, of the order of a few tenths of a millimeter, for example 5 / 10ths of a millimeter.

The stiffening element R may have the shape of a washer or a metal plate or insulating, flat or curved and / or sharp on its periphery.

In the example of FIG. 2, the element R is constituted by a rigid washer 6 centered on the zone A. The inner contour 6a of the washer surrounds the zone A. It thus appears that the region of the layer 4 comprising the Zone A is held by the washer 6 and will not be subjected to bending movements.

The inside diameter and the outside diameter of the washer 6 are chosen so as to ensure sufficient mechanical retention of the zone A. In the non-limiting embodiment of FIG. 2, the inner diameter of the washer is approximately 1 cm. and the outer diameter of about 2cm.

The element R may also be constituted by a flat plate 7 as illustrated in FIG. According to this variant, two zones A for restoration of a short circuit are provided in the layer 4. The outline of the plate 7 can be polygonal, in particular square, or circular.

Fig.6 shows another alternative embodiment in which the rigid protection plate 8 is curved, convex outwardly. The outline of the plate 8 surrounds the zone A and is fixed by gluing on the element 1. The curved part, separated from the substrate 1, confers a good rigidity on the plate 8. According to the example of FIG. 8 is provided on a face of the element 1. Of course it would be possible to provide two curved plates, one on each side.

Figs.7 to 10 relate to another variant of the device in the form of a Da tag. This variant is particularly advantageous for insertion into a shoe sole. The label Da has an ovoid contour with one end 9 narrower than the other end 10. The plates 3a and 3b of the capacitor are provided at the narrower end 9.

The inductor 2, as visible in FIG. 7, consists of a winding of narrow conductor strips parallel to the contour of the substrate 1. The capacitor plate 3a, in the shape of a sector of a circle, situated on one side of the substrate is connected to the outer band 2a of the inductor. The inner band 2b is electrically connected to a metallized surface, for example rectangular 3a1.

The other face of the substrate 1 comprises at the front a sector of circle forming the plate 3b of the capacitor which is electrically connected by a conductive strip 11, substantially along the longitudinal axis of the substrate 1, to a metallized surface 3b1 at the right of the surface 3a1. The surface 3b1 is electrically connected to the surface 3a1 through a hole 12 in the sheet 4.

The stiffening element R constituted by a washer 7 is disposed against the metallized surfaces 3a, 3b.

This ovoid tag Da can be inserted towards the front of the sole of the shoe as illustrated in FIG. 10 while preserving a band 13 having a width L of at least 2 cm for gluing between the first mounting 14 and the sole S, outwards. The zone subjected to the deactivation is located on the plates 3a, 3b of the capacitor. This area is at the tip of the shoe, in front of the natural fold zone of the sole when walking. As a result, the elements involved in the deactivation are less stressed in bending and the risk of deactivation is reduced.

The egg-shaped Da label optimizes detection and incorporation into the shoe.

The security device of the invention with stiffening element R makes it possible to obtain a safe and permanent neutralization of the anti-theft protection by preventing the breaking of the short circuit established between the armatures 3a, 3b of the capacitor during the deactivation. The one or more electrical contacts establishing the short-circuit are protected by the stiffening element R against friction and movements, which prevents any risk of reactivation by breaking the electrical connection, especially when the device D is used in a shoe sole. shoe.

The stiffening element R further provides protection of the capacitor against possible alteration by chemicals.

Claims (10)

1. Security device for preventing shoplifting consisting of a flexible flat substrate (1) comprising an inductor (2) and a capacitor (3) which form a resonant circuit, the plates (3a, 3b) of the capacitor being separated by a layer (4) of dielectric material wherein at least one zone (A) is provided for enabling a short-circuit to be established between the plates (3a, 3b) in order to deactivate the device, characterised by the fact that on at least one surface of the substrate a rigid section (B) is provided having a contour (Bc) which surrounds the zone or zones (A) provided for the deactivation.
2. Device according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that a rigid section (B) is provided on each surface of the substrate (1), the contour of each rigid section surrounding the zone or zones (A) provided for the deactivation.
3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterised by the fact that the rigidity of the rigid section (B) is such that repeated flexion movements of the elastic substrate (1) are prevented or limited in the zone or zones (A) where the short circuits have been or will be established.
4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterised by the fact that the rigid section (B) consists of a region of substrate (1) which itself has been subjected to rigidification treatment or has a specific composition which gives it greater rigidity.
5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterised by the fact that the rigid section (B) consists of a rigidification element (R) applied and fixed onto the substrate (1).
6. Device according to claim 5, characterised by the fact that the rigidification element (R) is made of resin or a composite resin that has been hardened by the cold or by ultraviolet radiation.
7. Device according to claim 5, characterised by the fact that the rigidification element (R) is made of metal.
8. Device according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterised by the fact that the rigidification element (R) is in the form of a washer (6).
9. Device according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterised by the fact that the rigidification element (R) consists of a rigid plate, that is flat (7) or curved (8).
10. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised by the fact that it comprises a label (Da) which has a contour in the shape of an oval with one end (9) narrower than the other (10), the plates (3a; 3b) of the capacitor being provided towards the narrower end (9), a label of this kind (Da) being able to be inserted into the tip of a shoe sole in front of the natural pliable zone during walking.

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