Expulsion of detrimental substance from theft-deterrent device

Claim 1

A detrimental-substance-containing component of a device for deterring theft of a protected article, the device comprising means for attaching the device to the article, with said attaching means being embodied in two components that are adapted to be locked together on opposite sides of a portion of said article to prevent unauthorized removal of the device from the article, wherein the attaching means include a pin having a head that is anchored within the detrimental-substance-containing component and a clutch contained in the other component for grasping the pin to provide a predetermined retaining force for resisting separation of the components by prying or pulling the components apart, wherein the detrimental-substance-containing component includes a surface through which the pin passes for engagement with the other component, wherein said surface contains at least one opening; wherein the detrimental-substance-containing component includes at least one fragile vial that fractures when at least a predetermined pressure is applied thereto, with said vial being disposed adjacent said at least one opening and containing a detrimental substance that would damage an article attached to the device if the vial were to be fractured and the detrimental substance were to be released from the fractured vial through said at least one opening onto the attached article; wherein the detrimental-substance-containing component defines a head space for enabling limited axial movement of the pinhead; wherein the pinhead includes a breaker element having a contoured surface for applying more than said predetermined pressure against the vial in response to the pinhead being moved in response to application to the two components of at least a predetermined threshold separation force that is nevertheless less than that required to overcome said predetermined retaining force, to thereby fracture the vial and release the substance contained therein before the components are separated by prying or pulling the components apart; and wherein the detrimental-substance-containing component includes a pliable seal disposed between the breaker element and the vial for preventing the detrimental substance that is released from the fractured vial from entering the head space and for expelling the released detrimental substance through said at least one opening in response to pressure applied against the seal by the breaker element by said movement of the pinhead that results in the vial being fractured.

Claim 13

A device for deterring theft of a protected article, comprising means for attaching the device to the article, with said attaching means being embodied in two components that are adapted to be locked together on opposite sides of a portion of said article to prevent unauthorized removal of the device from the article, wherein the attaching means include a pin having a head that is anchored within one component and a clutch contained in the other component for grasping the pin to provide a predetermined retaining force for resisting separation of the components by prying or pulling the components apart; wherein said one component includes a surface through which the pin passes for engagement with the other component, wherein said surface contains at least one opening; wherein said one component includes at least one fragile vial that fractures when at least a predetermined pressure is applied thereto, with said vial being disposed adjacent said at least one opening and containing a detrimental substance that would damage an article attached to the device if the vial were to be fractured and the detrimental substance were to be released from the fractured vial through said at least one opening onto the attached article; wherein said one component defines a head space for enabling limited axial movement of the pinhead; wherein the pinhead includes a breaker element having a contoured surface for applying more than said predetermined pressure against the vial in response to the pinhead being moved in response to application to the two components of at least a predetermined threshold separation force that is nevertheless less than that required to overcome said predetermined retaining force, to thereby fracture the vial and release the substance contained therein before the components are separated by prying or pulling the components apart; and wherein the one component further includes a pliable seal disposed between the breaker element and the vial for preventing the detrimental substance that is released from the fractured vial from entering the head space and for expelling the released detrimental substance through said at least one opening in response to pressure applied against the seal by the breaker element by said movement of the pinhead that results in the vial being fractured.

Claim 14

A device for deterring theft of a protected article, comprising means for attaching the device to the article, with said attaching means being embodied in two components that are adapted to be locked together on opposite sides of a portion of said article to prevent unauthorized removal of the device from the article, wherein the attaching means include a pin having a head that is anchored within one component and a clutch contained in the other component for grasping the pin to provide a predetermined retaining force for resisting separation of the components by prying or pulling the components apart; wherein said one component includes a surface through which the pin passes for engagement with the other component, wherein said surface contains at least one opening; wherein said one component includes at least one fragile vial that fractures when at least a predetermined pressure is applied thereto, with said vial being disposed adjacent said at least one opening and containing a detrimental substance that would damage an article attached to the device if the vial were to be fractured and the detrimental substance were to be released from the fractured vial through said at least one opening onto the attached article; wherein said one component defines a head space for enabling limited axial movement of the pinhead; wherein the pinhead includes a breaker element having a contoured surface for applying more than said predetermined pressure against the vial in response to the pinhead being moved in response to application to the two components of at least a predetermined threshold separation force that is nevertheless less than that required to overcome said predetermined retaining force, to thereby fracture the vial and release the substance contained therein before the components are separated by prying or pulling the components apart; and wherein the one component further includes a pliable seal disposed between the breaker element and the vial for preventing the detrimental substance that is released from the fractured vial from entering the head space and for expelling the released detrimental substance through said at least one opening in response to pressure applied against the seal by the breaker element by said movement of the pinhead that results in the vial being fractured.

Claim 20

A device for deterring theft of a protected article, comprising means for attaching the device to the article, with said attaching means being embodied in two components that are adapted to be locked together on opposite sides of a portion of said article to prevent unauthorized removal of the device from the article, wherein the attaching means include a pin having a head that is anchored within one component and a clutch contained in the other component for grasping the pin to provide a predetermined retaining force for resisting separation of the components by prying or pulling the components apart; wherein said one component includes at least one fragile vial that fractures when at least a predetermined pressure is applied thereto, with said vial containing a detrimental substance that would damage an article attached to the device if the vial were to be fractured and the detrimental substance were to be released from the fractured vial onto the attached article; wherein said one component defines a head space for enabling limited axial movement of the pinhead; wherein the pinhead includes a breaker element disposed on the pin so as to more parallel to the axial movement of the pinhead and having a wedge-shaped surface for applying more than said predetermined pressure against the vial in response to the pinhead being moved in response to application to the two components of at least a predetermined threshold separation force that is nevertheless less than that required to overcome said predetermined retaining force, to thereby fracture the vial and release the substance contained therein before the components are separated by prying or pulling the components apart; and wherein the vial is elongated with closed ends and is disposed in relation to the pinhead such that the breaker element can apply pressure to induce a high bending stress in the vial and thereby completely fracture the vial.

Claim 21

A device for deterring theft of a protected article, comprising means for attaching the device to the article, with said attaching means being embodied in two components that are adapted to be locked together on opposite sides of a portion of said article to prevent unauthorized removal of the device from the article, wherein the attaching means include a pin having a head that is anchored within one component and a clutch contained in the other component for grasping the pin to provide a predetermined retaining force for resisting separation of the components by prying or pulling the components apart; wherein said one component includes at least one fragile vial that fractures when at least a predetermined pressure is applied thereto, with said vial containing a detrimental substance that would damage an article attached to the device if the vial were to be fractured and the detrimental substance were to be released from the fractured vial onto the attached article; wherein said one component defines a head space for enabling limited axial movement of the pinhead; wherein the pinhead includes a breaker element disposed on the pin so as to more parallel to the axial movement of the pinhead and having a wedge-shaped surface for applying more than said predetermined pressure against the vial in response to the pinhead being moved in response to application to the two components of at least a predetermined threshold separation force that is nevertheless less than that required to overcome said predetermined retaining force, to thereby fracture the vial and release the substance contained therein before the components are separated by prying or pulling the components apart; and wherein the vial is elongated with closed ends and is disposed in relation to the pinhead such that the breaker element can apply pressure to induce a high bending stress in the vial and thereby completely fracture the vial.