Electrical switch usable with wire wrap EAS tag

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12494117-B2
Application number	US-202318177635-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 2, 2023
Priority date	Oct 23, 2020
Publication date	Dec 9, 2025
Grant date	Dec 9, 2025

Abstract

An electrical switch with a conductive bridge, a first wire configured to provide continuity with the conductive bridge, and a biasing member connected to the first wire. The biasing member provides a threshold reaction force to maintain continuity between the first wire and the conductive bridge. The switch further includes a housing that directs tensile forces acting upon the first wire to oppose a reaction force of the biasing member. When a tensile force acting on the first wire exceeds a threshold reaction force of the biasing member continuity between the first wire and the conductive bridge is broken.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electrical switch for securing an article that opens under tension, comprising:
a conductive bridge; a first wire and a second wire configured to be in continuity with the conductive bridge; a first biasing member configured to apply a reaction force to the first wire; a second biasing member configured to apply a reaction force to the second wire, wherein the first biasing member and second biasing member maintain continuity between the first wire and the conductive bridge and the second wire and the conductive bridge; and a housing that directs tensile forces acting upon the first wire or the second wire to act in opposition to at least one of the first biasing member and the second biasing member; wherein a tensile force exerted on either one of the first wire or the second wire that exceeds a threshold amount causes movement of either one of the first wire or the second wire with respect to the conductive bridge that breaks the continuity between the respective one of the first wire or the second wire and the conductive bridge.

2 . The electrical switch of claim 1 , wherein the first biasing member is a first spring and the second biasing member is a second spring.

3 . The electrical switch of claim 1 , wherein the first wire is coupled with and in continuity with a first bullet, wherein the first bullet is configured to slideably fit-within the conductive bridge to create a conductive path therebetween.

4 . The electrical switch of claim 3 , wherein the second wire is coupled with and in continuity with a second bullet, wherein the second bullet is configured to slideably fit-with the conductive bridge to create a conductive path therebetween.

5 . The electrical switch of claim 4 , wherein the first bullet is configured to be in contact with a first side of the conductive bridge until a tensile force that exceeds the threshold amount separates the first bullet from the first side of the conductive bridge; and
wherein the second bullet is configured to be in contact with a second side of the conductive bridge until a tensile force that exceeds the threshold amount separates the second bullet from the second side of the conductive bridge.

6 . The electrical switch of claim 1 , wherein the conductive bridge comprises a pogo-pin assembly configured to be in continuity with the first wire until the tensile force exerted on the first wire exceeds the threshold amount.

7 . The electrical switch of claim 6 , wherein the pogo-pin assembly comprises a pogo pin biasing member.

8 . The electrical switch of claim 7 , wherein the pogo pin biasing member is a spring.

9 . The electrical switch of claim 1 , wherein the conductive bridge is a contact plate, and wherein the first wire is coupled with and in continuity with a first conductive blade and the second wire is coupled with and in continuity with a second conductive blade.

10 . An electrical switch for securing an article comprising:
a conductive bridge; a first wire configured to provide continuity with the conductive bridge; a biasing member connected to the first wire, wherein the biasing member provides a threshold reaction force to maintain continuity between the first wire and the conductive bridge; and a housing that directs tensile forces acting upon the first wire to oppose a reaction force of the biasing member; wherein a tensile force acting on the first wire that exceeds a threshold reaction force of the biasing member causes movement of the first wire with respect to the conductive bridge that breaks the continuity between the first wire and the conductive bridge.

11 . The electrical switch of claim 10 , wherein the biasing member is a spring.

12 . The electrical switch of claim 10 , wherein the conductive bridge comprises a pogo-pin assembly configured to be in continuity with the first wire until the tensile force exerted on the first wire exceeds the threshold reaction force of the biasing member.

13 . The electrical switch of claim 12 , wherein the pogo-pin assembly comprises a pogo pin biasing member.

14 . The electrical switch of claim 13 , wherein the pogo pin biasing member is a spring.

15 . The electrical switch of claim 10 , wherein the conductive bridge is a contact plate, and wherein the first wire is coupled with and in continuity with a bullet, wherein the bullet is configured to contact the contact plate until a tensile force that exceeds the threshold reaction force acts on the first wire.

16 . The electrical switch of claim 15 , wherein the first wire comprises a first conductive pathway, a second conductive pathway, and a dielectric or insulator between the first conductive pathway and the second conductive pathway, wherein the first conductive pathway is coupled with and in continuity with the bullet and wherein the second conductive pathway is coupled with and in continuity with the contact plate, wherein when the contact plate and the bullet are in physical contact, an electrical current can flow from the first conductive pathway to the second conductive pathway and wherein when the contact plate and the bullet are separated due to the tensile force being applied to the first wire, electrical current cannot flow from the first conductive pathway to the second conductive pathway.

17 . The electrical switch of claim 10 , wherein the conductive bridge is a contact plate, and wherein the first wire is coupled with and in continuity with a conductive blade.

18 . The electrical switch of claim 10 , further comprising a second wire configured to provide continuity with the conductive bridge and a second biasing member connected to the second wire, wherein the second biasing member provides a second reaction force to maintain continuity between the second wire and the conductive bridge, wherein a tensile force exerted on the second wire that exceeds a threshold reaction force of the second biasing member breaks the continuity between the second wire and the conductive bridge.

19 . The electrical switch of claim 18 , wherein the first wire comprises a first wire inner conductor and a first wire outer conductor and the second wire comprises a second wire inner conductor and a second wire outer conductor, wherein the electrical switch further comprises:
a bypass conductor connecting the first wire outer conductor and the second wire outer conductor and wherein an electrical continuity of the first wire inner conductor or the second wire inner conductor can be broken by applying tension to a respective one of the first wire and the second wire while the electrical continuity of the first wire outer conductor and the second wire outer conductor remains unbroken.

20 . An electrical switch comprising:
a conductive bridge; a first wire, wherein the first wire is coupled with and in continuity with a bullet, wherein the bullet is configured to slideably fit-within the conductive bridge to create a conductive path therebetween; a biasing member connected to the first wire, wherein the biasing member provides a threshold reaction force to maintain continuity between the first wire and the conductive bridge; and a housing that directs tensile forces acting upon the first wire to oppose a reaction force of the biasing member; wherein a tensile force acting on the first wire that exceeds a threshold reaction force of the biasing member breaks the continuity between the first wire and the conductive bridge.

Assignees

• Sensormatic Electronics Llc

Inventors

• Miller Channing E
• Ellers Edward P

Classifications

• E05B73/0029

  Tags wrapped around the protected product using cables, wires or the like, e.g. with cable retraction for tensioning · CPC title

• E05B2047/005

  Opening, closing of the circuit · CPC title

• E05B2009/006

  circular · CPC title

• E05B2047/0067

  Monitoring · CPC title

• E05B15/0046

  Ratchet mechanisms · CPC title