Rigid Swing Ticket Housing with Lock and Pin Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current swing tickets made from cardstock are prone to damage, removal, and tampering, compromising data integrity and security, especially when embedded with EAS or RFID components, as they lack effective protection and secure attachment methods.
Innovation Solution
A rigid plastic swing ticket holder with a lock and pin mechanism that secures the ticket to an item of merchandise, providing a protective housing for EAS and RFID elements and preventing unauthorized removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If swing tickets are made from cardstock with embedded EAS/RFID components, then cost and ease of manufacture are improved, but protection and security are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent embeds the swing ticket inside a rigid housing that contains a cavity specifically designed to receive and protect the ticket. The ticket is nested within the housing structure, which provides physical protection while maintaining the embedded EAS/RFID functionality. This resolves the contradiction by protecting the vulnerable cardstock ticket without complicating the manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention separates the swing ticket from its attachment mechanism by introducing a rigid housing as an intermediate structure. The ticket remains intact inside the housing, while the housing itself is attached to the merchandise via pin and lock mechanism. This segmentation protects the ticket from damage during attachment and removal operations.
2Ease of operation
If thin plastic tagging pins are used to attach swing tickets, then ease of operation is improved, but security and anti-tampering are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a dynamic lock mechanism that transitions between locked and unlocked states. The lock engages with the pin to secure the housing to merchandise, requiring specific action (tool use or authorization) to release. This creates a security barrier while maintaining operational capability when needed, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and security.
3Ease of operation
If swing tickets are easily removable, then ease of operation is improved, but data integrity and theft prevention are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary anti-action by designing a lock mechanism that prevents unauthorized removal before any tampering can occur. The lock engages the pin in a secured position, requiring deliberate unlocking action. This preliminary security measure protects the embedded EAS/RFID data from unauthorized access or manipulation, while still allowing legitimate operations when the lock is properly engaged.
Data Source
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AI summary
A swing ticket holder for securing a swing ticket to an item using a lock and a pin includes a rigid housing arranged to retain the swing ticket. The pin extends outwardly from the rigid housing. The pin is insertable into the lock to secure the swing ticket holder to the item. The lock can be part of a security system hard tag and include at least one of an electronic article surveillance element and a radio frequency identification element. The rigid housing can also be arranged to retain at least one of an electronic article surveillance element and a radio frequency identification element.