US5003291A
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US
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Ferromagnetic fibers having use in electronical article surveillance and method of making same
Assignee: STROM OLSEN JOHN O
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Filing: 1988-12-27
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Granted: 1991-03-26
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Expires: 2008-12-27
Abstract
Abstract A ferromagnetic fiber has been fabricated that has particular use in the field of electronic article surveillance (EAS). The ferromagnetic fiber is produced by using a spinning disk type of device that engages a bath of molten alloy having the desired compositions for the fiber. The use of ferromagnetic fibers has resulted in the ability to produce EAS markers of such a small length that they can be dispensed using a commercial labeler.
Inventors
- 👤 John O. Strom-Olsen
- 👤 Piotr Z. Rudkowski
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 05:07
CPC Classifications
G; G09; G09F; G09F3/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 46
Claim 1
Independent Claim
32 words
A marker for use in an electric article surveillance system, the marker comprising: a ferromagnetic fiber made by rapid solidification from a molten ferromagnetic alloy, and a carrier for said ferromagnetic fiber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
32 words
A marker for use in an electric article surveillance system, the marker comprising: a ferromagnetic fiber made by rapid solidification from a molten ferromagnetic alloy, and a carrier for said ferromagnetic fiber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
A marker for use in an electronic article surveillance system, the marker comprising: a ductile, flexible crystalline, ferromagnetic marker element for producing a detectable response and made by rapid solidification from a pool of a molten ferromagnetic alloy, and a carrier for said marker element.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
A marker for use in an electronic article surveillance system, the marker comprising: a ductile, flexible crystalline, ferromagnetic marker element for producing a detectable response and made by rapid solidification from a pool of a molten ferromagnetic alloy, and a carrier for said marker element.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
A marker as defined in claim 2, wherein the carrier comprises a pressure sensitive label.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
A marker as defined in claim 2, wherein the carrier comprises a tag.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
12 words
A marker as defined in claim 2, wherein the carrier comprises fabric.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
A marker as defined in claim 2, wherein the marker comprises paper into which the fiber is incorporated.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
A marker as defined in claim 2, wherein the alloy is crystalline in its solid state.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
A marker as defined in claim 2, wherein the alloy is amorphous in its solid state.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
38 words
A marker for use in an electronic article surveillance system, the marker comprising: a marker element for producing a detectable response and including a ferromagnetic fiber made from a molten alloy, and a carrier for the marker element.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
38 words
A marker for use in an electronic article surveillance system, the marker comprising: a marker element for producing a detectable response and including a ferromagnetic fiber made from a molten alloy, and a carrier for the marker element.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
The marker as defined in claim 9 wherein said ferromagnetic fiber is produced from said molten alloy by rapid solidification techniques.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
35 words
A marker for use in an electronic article surveillance system, the marker comprising: a rapidly solidified ferromagnetic fiber having a length less than 15 millimeters and cross-sectional area of less than 6×10 -3 square millimeters.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
35 words
A marker for use in an electronic article surveillance system, the marker comprising: a rapidly solidified ferromagnetic fiber having a length less than 15 millimeters and cross-sectional area of less than 6×10 -3 square millimeters.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
A marker as defined in claim 11, wherein the marker element has a t1/2 value of less than 10 microseconds.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
A marker for use in an electronic article surveillance system, the marker comprising: a rapidly solidified ferromagnetic marker element for producing a detectable response, and a carrier for the marker element.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
31 words
A marker for use in an electronic article surveillance system, the marker comprising: a rapidly solidified ferromagnetic marker element for producing a detectable response, and a carrier for the marker element.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
36 words
Method of making a marker for use in an electronic article surveillance system, comprising the steps of: rapidly solidifying a ferromagnetic fiber from a pool of molten alloy, and incorporating the resulting fiber with a support.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
36 words
Method of making a marker for use in an electronic article surveillance system, comprising the steps of: rapidly solidifying a ferromagnetic fiber from a pool of molten alloy, and incorporating the resulting fiber with a support.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
16 words
Method as defined in claim 14, wherein the incorporating step includes incorporating the fiber into fabric.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
23 words
Method as defined in claim 14, wherein the incorporating step includes adding fibers into a paper-making slurry, and converting the slurry into paper.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
36 words
Method as defined in claim 14, further comprising the step of cutting the fiber into a plurality of fiber pieces, and wherein the incorporating step includes mounting the fiber pieces on a plurality of support members.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
25 words
Method as defined in claim 17, wherein the cutting step includes cutting the fiber into a plurality of fiber pieces each having a predetermined length.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
43 words
A marker for use in an electronic article surveillance system, the marker comprising: a support, a marker element for producing a detectable response supported by said support, the marker element including a ferromagnetic fiber and having a length no greater than 15 millimeters.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
43 words
A marker for use in an electronic article surveillance system, the marker comprising: a support, a marker element for producing a detectable response supported by said support, the marker element including a ferromagnetic fiber and having a length no greater than 15 millimeters.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
19 words
A marker as defined in claim 19, wherein the marker element has an aspect ratio of at least 150.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
42 words
A marker for producing a detectable response in an electronic article surveillance system, the marker comprising: a support element and a ferromagnetic fiber supported by the support element, the fiber having a cross sectional area of less than 6×10 -3 square millimeters.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
42 words
A marker for producing a detectable response in an electronic article surveillance system, the marker comprising: a support element and a ferromagnetic fiber supported by the support element, the fiber having a cross sectional area of less than 6×10 -3 square millimeters.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
37 words
A marker for producing a detectable response in an electronic article surveillance system, the marker comprising: a support element, a ferromagnetic fiber supported by the support element, the fiber having a maximum transverse dimension of 80 microns.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
37 words
A marker for producing a detectable response in an electronic article surveillance system, the marker comprising: a support element, a ferromagnetic fiber supported by the support element, the fiber having a maximum transverse dimension of 80 microns.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
48 words
A ferromagnetic marker for use in an article surveillance system comprising: a ferromagnetic fiber having an aspect ratio of greater than 150, said ferromagnetic fiber being positioned between two dielectric sheets, and said sheets begin joined so as to hold said ferromagnetic fibers therebetween to form a marker.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
48 words
A ferromagnetic marker for use in an article surveillance system comprising: a ferromagnetic fiber having an aspect ratio of greater than 150, said ferromagnetic fiber being positioned between two dielectric sheets, and said sheets begin joined so as to hold said ferromagnetic fibers therebetween to form a marker.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
14 words
The ferromagnetic marker of claim 23 wherein said ferromagnetic fiber is an amorphous metal.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
14 words
The ferromagnetic marker of claim 23 wherein said ferromagnetic fiber is a crystalline metal.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
17 words
The ferromagnetic marker of claim 23 wherein said marker has a length of less than one inch.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
37 words
A ferromagnetic fiber having a nominal diameter of less than 80 microns and a t1/2 of less than 10 microseconds in a driving frequency of 6 kH z and an amplitude in the order of one Oersted.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
37 words
A ferromagnetic fiber having a nominal diameter of less than 80 microns and a t1/2 of less than 10 microseconds in a driving frequency of 6 kH z and an amplitude in the order of one Oersted.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
15 words
The fiber of claim 27 wherein said fiber has an aspect ratio greater than 150.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
11 words
The fiber of claim 27 wherein said ferromagnetic fiber is amorphous.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
11 words
The fiber of claim 27 wherein said ferromagnetic fiber is crystalline.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
14 words
The fiber of claim 27 wherein said fiber has a kidney shaped cross section.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
14 words
The fiber of claim 27 wherein said fiber has a generally circular cross section.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
77 words
The fiber of claim 27 wherein said ferromagnetic material is an iron based crystalline alloy consisting essentially of the formula: Fa Lb Oc where F is iron L is at least one of silicon or aluminum, and O is at least one of chromium, molybdenum, vanadium, copper, manganese; and a ranges from about 60 to 90 atom percent, b ranges from about 10 to 50 atom percent and c ranges from about 0 to 10 atom percent.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
71 words
The fiber of claim 27 wherein said ferromagnetic material comprises a crystalline alloy consisting essentially of the following formula: Na Fb Mc where N is nickel, F is iron, and M is at least one of copper, molybdenum, vanadium, chromium, or manganese; and a ranges from about 60 to 84 atom percent, b ranges from about 0 to 40 atom percent, and c ranges from about 0 to 50 atom percent.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
122 words
The fiber of claim 27 wherein said ferromagnetic material comprises an alloy consisting essentially of the formula: Ma Nb O c X d Y e Z f where M is at least one of iron or cobalt or a combination thereof N is nickel O is at least one of chromium and molybdenum X is at least one of boron and phosphorous Y is silicon Z is carbon and a ranges from about 35-85 atom percent b ranges from about 0-45 atom percent c ranges from about 0-7 atom percent d ranges from about 5-22 atom percent e ranges from about 0-15 atom percent f ranges from about 0-2 atom percent and the sum of d+e+f ranges from about 15-25 atom percent.
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| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-03-25 | 1994-09-24 | 1995-03-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-03-25 | 1998-09-24 | 1999-03-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-03-25 | 2002-09-24 | 2003-03-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |