METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE SECURING OF OBJECTS BY STRAPPING

English Abstract

The invention relates to a method for securing articles against theft.
According to the inventive method, at least one strapping means (10) is
tightened around an article (2) to be secured, whereby overlapping areas of
the strapping means (10) are linked with each other. At least one
electronically detectable securing element (21) is fed to the strapping means
(10) in such a manner that the securing element (21) is included between the
overlapping areas. The invention also relates to an installation (1) for
securing articles against theft by tightening around them at least one
strapping means (10) comprising a locking installation (18) for locking the
overlapping areas of a strapping means (10) enclosing the article (2) to be
secured. The installation further comprises a device for applying at least one
electronically detectable securing element (21) to the strapping means (10)
before the latter is closed.

French Abstract

L'invention concerne un procédé de sécurisation d'objets contre le vol, consistant à cercler un objet à sécuriser (2) au moyen d'au moins un élément de cerclage (10), des zones superposées de l'élément de cerclage (10) étant reliées mutuellement. Par ailleurs, au moins un élément de sécurisation (21) détectable électroniquement, est appliqué à l'élément de cerclage (10) de telle manière que l'élément de sécurisation (21) est renfermé entre des zones superposées. L'invention concerne également un dispositif (1) de sécurisation d'objets contre le vol par cerclage au moyen d'au moins un élément de cerclage (10). Ledit dispositif comporte un système de fermeture (18) destiné à fermer des zones superposées d'un élément de cerclage (10) entourant un objet (2) à sécuriser, et un système d'application d'au moins un élément de sécurisation (21) détectable électroniquement, sur l'élément de cerclage (10), avant fermeture de celui-ci.

Claims

-18-
Claims
1. A method of protecting objects against theft, in which at least one
strapping means is looped around an object to be secured, with overlapping
portions of
the strapping means being joined together, characterized by the step of
feeding at
least one electronically detectable security element (21, 27, 43, 50, 55) to
the strapping
means (10, 46, 52) in such manner that the security element (21, 27, 43, 50,
55) is
enclosed between the overlapping portions (48, 49, 53, 54).
2. The method according to claim 1, characterized by the steps of feeding
the security element (27, 43, 50, 55) to the strapping means (10, 46, 52)
prior to the
strapping operation and applying it to one of the overlapping portions (48,
49, 53, 54).
3. The method according to claim 1, characterized by the steps of feeding
the security element (21, 43, 50, 55) to the strapping means (10, 46, 52)
during the
strapping operation and positioning it intermediate the overlapping portions
(48, 49, 53,
54).
4. The method according to claim 3, characterized by the steps of arrang-
ing as strapping means (10, 46, 52) at least one loop (17) made from a
weldable,
band-shaped strapping material in encircling relationship around the object
(2, 45),
with the overlapping portions (48, 49, 53, 54) of the band-shaped strapping
material
forming a welding zone, and introducing a security element (21, 27, 43, 50,
55) coated
at least in part with a meltable material between the overlapping portions
(48, 49, 50,
55) of the band-shaped strapping material in the welding zone, and
subsequently
welding the strapping material and the coated security element (21, 27, 43,
50, 55) to
one another in the welding zone, thereby sealing the loop (17).
5. The method according to claim 4, characterized by the step of employ-
ing a friction welding or ultrasonic welding process for the welding
operation.

-19-
6. The method according to any one of the claims 1 to 5, characterized by
the steps of feeding the strapping means (10, 46, 52) by means of a conveying
device
(15) to a band guide (3, 36) which surrounds the object (2, 45) at least in
part and
routing it through said guide, and/or drawing the strapping means (10, 46, 52)
off a
supply reel (9, 38) and severing the loop (17) from the remaining supply of
strapping
material prior to or subsequent to the joining operation.
7. The method according to any one of the claims 1 to 6, characterized by
the steps of peeling the security elements (21, 27, 43, 50, 55) from a supply
reel (23,
30) onto which they are wound in the form of a continuous strip and feeding
them to
the strapping means (10, 46, 52), and severing a single security element (21,
27, 43,
50, 55) from the continuous strip prior to or subsequent to its integration in
the
strapping means (10, 46, 52).
8. The method according to any one of the claims 1 to 6, characterized by
the steps of presenting the security elements (43, 50, 55) as cut-to-size
strip elements
and feeding them to the strapping means (10, 46, 52) one at a time.
9. The method according to any one of the claims 1 to 8, characterized by
the steps of strapping the object (2, 45) to be secured with two strapping
means (10,
46, 52) and affixing in the process at least two security elements (21, 27,
43, 50, 55) to
the object (2, 45) at an angle of 90 degrees relative to each other.
10. An apparatus (1, 25) for the protection of objects against theft by encir-
cling them with at least one strapping means, with a sealing device for
sealing
overlapping portions of a strapping means encircling the object to be secured,
characterized by a device for applying at least one electronically detectable
security
element (21, 27, 43, 50, 55) to the strapping means (10, 46, 52) prior to it
being
sealed, such that it becomes enclosed between the overlapping portions of the
strapping means when the overlapping portions are sealed by means of the
sealing
device (18, 42).
11. The apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the appli-
cator includes a dispensing device (26) adapted to apply security elements
(47, 43, 50,
55) to a respective one of the portions (49, 54) of the strapping means (10)
for
integration into the strapping means (10, 46, 52) prior to the strapping
operation, said

-20-
one portion overlapping during the strapping operation with another portion
(48, 53) of
the strapping means (10).
12. The apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the appli-
cator includes a positioning device (20) with which a security element (21,
50, 55)
needing to be integrated in the strapping means (10, 46, 52) is adapted to be
posi-
tioned intermediate the overlapping portions (48, 49, 53, 54).
13. The apparatus according to any one of the claims 10 to 12,
characterized in that it includes a conveying device (15) by means of which a
weldable,
band-shaped strapping material as strapping means (10, 46, 52) is adapted to
be fed
to a band guide (3) arranged so as to surround the object (2, 45) at least in
part.
14. The apparatus according to any one of the claims 10 to 13,
characterized in that the security elements (21, 27, 43, 50, 55) are arranged
singly and
cut to size in a magazine or wound on a supply reel (23, 30) as a continuous
strip.
15. The apparatus according to any one of the claims 10 to 14,
characterized in that provision is made for a feed device for picking up the
security
elements (21, 27, 43, 50, 55) and feeding said security elements (21, 27, 43,
50, 55) to
the applicator.
16. The apparatus according to any one of the claims 10 to 15,
characterized in that a severing device, preferably a cutter, is provided
which cuts the
security elements (21, 27, 43, 50, 55) to a size corresponding approximately
to the
length of the overlapping portions (48, 49, 53, 54).
17. The apparatus according to any one of the claims 10 to 16,
characterized in that the sealing device (18, 42) is a friction welding device
or an
ultrasonic welding device, and the security element (21, 27, 43, 50, 55) is
coated with a
meltable material at least in part.
18. The apparatus according to any one of the claims 10 to 17,
characterized in that the security elements (21, 27, 43, 50, 55) are of a
strip-shaped
configuration and/or arranged on a carrier web (22, 28).

-21-
19. The apparatus according to any one of the claims 10 to 18,
characterized in that the applicator comprises at least an idler roll and a
dispensing lip
(31).
20. The apparatus according to any one of the claims 10 to 19,
characterized in that the strapping means (10, 46, 52) is wound on a supply
reel (9, 38)
as a band supply and a severing device is provided which severs the strapping
means
(10, 46, 52) from the band supply after its overlapping portions have been
joined
together.

Description

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METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE SECURING OF
OBJECTS BY STRAPPING
Description
This invention relates to a method of protecting objects against theft, in
which at feast one strapping means is looped around an object to be secured,
with
overlapping portions of the strapping means being joined together, and to an
appa-
ratus for the protection of objects against theft by encircling them with at
least one
strapping means, with a sealing device for sealing overlapping portions of a
strap-
ping means encircling the object to be secured.
Items of merchandise offered for sale in sales rooms are being protected in-
creasingly against theft by wrapping plastic bands around the packaging of the
merchandise in order to prevent the merchandise being removed from its
packaging
and carried past the checkout counter unnoticed.
A method and an apparatus for the securing of articles by means of strap-
ping are known, for example, from DE 195 16 043 A1. In a strapping machine de-
scribed in this specification, a band conveying device shoots a plastic band
at high
velocity into a band guide partially surrounding the object to be secured. A
loop is
thereby formed which places itself around the object. The free end of the band
is
captured by a band holder and securely fixed in place. The band conveying
device
then retracts the band in opposite direction. This causes the loop to be
pulled tight
around the object, resting snugly against its surface. By means of a
tensioning de-
vice the band is tensioned and then, in tensioned condition, is sealed by a
sealing
device in a section of overlapping portions of the band.
Furthermore it is known to protect items of merchandise against theft with
the aid of etectronicaNy detectable security elements which, as a rule, are
applied to
the packaging or directly to the object to be secured. Such security elements
con-
tain electrical, electronic and/or magnetic devices for emitting an
electronically de-
tectable signal. Suitable detecting devices produce alternating magnetic
fields
which excite the security element into emitting a characteristic signal. This
charac-
teristic signal is then received by the detecting devices causing them to
produce an
alarm.

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From EP 0 446 9i0 A1, for example, a security tag is known which is com-
prised of an electronically detectable, deactivatable security element and a
self-
adhesive coating covering it. The deactivatable security element is a soft
magnetic
strip element capable of being excited into emitting the characteristic signal
and
having applied to it rectangular elements of a hard magnetic material. The
hard
magnetic material can be driven into saturation by a strong magnetic field
and, due
to its magnetization, prevent the soft magnetic material from responding, so
that the
security element can be deactivated when the merchandise has been rightly pur-
chased. This security element is adhered to a peel strip for purposes of
storage
and transportation. When the peel strip is removed, the security element with
the
then exposed adhesive coating can be adhered to an object to be secured. How-
ever, such a security tag has the disadvantage of being relatively easy to
detach
from the object to be secured or from its packaging.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and an apparatus
of the type initially referred to which afford effectiveness and economy in
the secur-
ing of the objects to be protected.
Proceeding from a method of the type initially referred to, this object is
accomplished according to the invention by feeding at least one electronically
de-
tectable security element to the strapping means in such manner that the
security
element is enclosed between the overlapping portions.
With this approach of the invention it is ensured that the security element
can no longer be readily removed from the secured article. According to the
inven-
tion, the security element is enclosed between overlapping portions of the
strapping
means, which means that the entire strapping would have to be removed to
remove
also the security element. A security element adhered to the packaging of the
mer-
chandise could be removed just as easily as a security element affixed on the
strapping means. However, the strapping means is sealed invisibly and fixedly
in a
section of overlapping portions which in this section are joined together, so
that a
security element which according to the invention is enclosed in this
particular sec-
tion of the strapping means cannot be removed. The joining of the overlapping
por-
tions may be accomplished, for example, by welding, whereby a very firm bond
is
obtained. Furthermore, the process of strapping the object to be secured may
be
combined with the process of applying a security element for electronic
article

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surveillance in one pass, resulting overall in a very fast and low-cost method
for
article protection.
The security elements involved may include, for example, electromagnetic
(EM),-acousto-magnetic (AM), radio frequency (RF) or radio frequency
identification
(RF-ID) elements. Therefore, according to the invention different types of
security
element may be used, with flat security elements as, for example, strip-shaped
security elements or thin-film elements being preferred. These may be of the
deac-
tivatable type, enabling them to be deactivated at the checkout counter when
the
merchandise has been properly paid for. The use of strip or thin-film elements
fur-
thermore affords the advantage of having a thin layer thickness enabling them
to be
integrated into the strapping without problems.
!n cases where EM, that is, electromagnetic, elements are used as security
elements, the EM material may be a co-extruded material containing in the
interior
of a plastic coating a strip element ("simple strip") as deactivatable element
or only
active material. The plastic coating is made of commercially available, co-
extrudable plastics capable of being fused with a plastic band from which the
strap-
ping may be formed.
In an advantageous aspect of the method of the invention provision is made
for the security element to be fed to the strapping means prior to the
strapping
operation and to be applied to one of the overlapping portions. Accordingly,
the
security elements may already be affixed to the strapping means when the
latter is
presented to the strapping operation. This requires the security elements to
be
applied to the strapping means at suitable locations at a predetermined
relative
distance to ensure that they are positioned between the overlapping portions
of the
strapping means when these are joined together.
tn another advantageous aspect of the method of the invention provision is
made for the security element to be fed to the strapping means during the
strapping
operation and to be positioned intermediate the overlapping portions. This com-
bines the operation of feeding the security elements directly with the
strapping
operation, so that the complete securing of the object takes place in one pass
re-
sulting in an extremely economical process.

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This arrangement advantageously provides that as strapping means at least
one loop made from a weldable, band-shaped strapping material is arranged in
en-
circling relationship around the object, with the overlapping portions of the
band-
shaped strapping material forming a welding zone, and that a security element
coated at (east in part with a meltable material is introduced between the
overlap-
ping portions of the band-shaped strapping material in the welding zone,
followed
by welding the strapping material and the coated security element to one
another in
the welding zone, thereby sealing the loop. By welding the security element to
the
strapping material a very firm bond is established making it practically
impossible for
the security element to be removed. For welding a friction welding or
ultrasonic
welding process may be employed.
In an advantageous aspect of the method of the invention it is furthermore
provided that the strapping means if fed by means of a conveying device to a
band
guide which surrounds the object at least in part and is routed through said
guide,
and/or that the strapping means is drawn off a supply reel and the loop is
severed
from the remaining supply of strapping material prior to or subsequent to the
joining
operation.
The security elements may be peeled from a supply reel, onto which they
are wound in the form of a continuous strip, and fed to the strapping means.
In the
process, a single security element is severed from the continuous strip before
or
after it is enclosed within the strapping means.
Alternatively, the security elements may be presented as cut-to-size strip
elements and fed to the strapping means one at a time.
When the object to be secured is strapped with two strapping means and in
the process at least two security elements are affixed to the object at an
angle of 90
degrees relative to each other, then the detection rate of the antennae of the
de-
tecting device at the exit of the sales room can be increased, enabling the
effective-
ness of the method of the invention to be enhanced still further.
Proceeding from an apparatus of the type initially referred to, the object is
accomplished according to the invention in that it includes a device for
applying at
least one electronically detectable security element to the strapping means
prior to it
being seated. With this applicator the function of a conventional strapping
machine

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WU 20041102497 - 5 - 1?CT/EP2004/004849
can be further developed in advantageous manner such as to enable a
combination
of the feeding of security elements with the strapping operation, that is, an
applica-
tion of mechanical and electronic security elements within one apparatus.
In this arrangement the applicator may include a dispensing device adapted
to apply a security element to one of the overlapping portions for integration
into the
strapping means. By means of such a dispensing device, for example, a simple
dispensing lip, the security elements can be applied to the strapping means
before it
is fed to the strapping operation, that is, shot into the band guide of the
strapping
machine. In this event it is necessary for the apparatus of the invention to
be con-
trolled by a control unit such that the security elements are applied to the
strapping
means at appropriate locations and at predetermined relative distances for
them to
be arranged between the overlapping portions of the strapping means when these
are joined together.
Alternatively, the applicator may include a positioning device with which a
security element needing to be integrated in the strapping means can be
positioned
intermediate the overlapping portions. This positioning device is arranged and
ad-
justabte in such manner that a security element is introduced between the
upper
and lower layer of the strapping means immediately before the joining together
of
the two overlapping portions thereof, so that the security element is enclosed
be-
tween the two overlapping portions of the strapping means during and after the
joining operation.
Preferably, the apparatus of the invention includes a conveying device by
means of which a weldable, band-shaped strapping material as strapping means
can be fed to a band guide. The band guide is arranged so as to surround the
ob-
ject at least in part, so that the strapping means forms a loop around the
object to
be secured.
The security elements may be arranged singly and cut to size in a magazine
or wound on a supply reel as a continuous strip. In either event, they can be
fed to
the applicator rapidly and at short intervals.
tn an advantageous aspect of the apparatus of the invention, provision may
also be made for a feed device for picking up the security elements and
feeding
them to the applicator.

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In cases where a severing device, preferably a cutter, is provided which cuts
the security elements to a size corresponding approximately to the length of
the
overlapping portions, the security elements are presented in a size in which
they
can be completely enclosed by the overlapping portions.
The sealing device may be a friction welding device or an ultrasonic welding
device, for example. When in these cases the security element is coated with a
meltable material at least in part, then the strapping material and the
security ele-
ment can be welded to one another so that a very firm bond is established
which
practically prevents the security element from being removed.
The security elements are preferably of a strip-shaped configuration and/or
arranged on a carrier web. The security elements may include, for example,
elec-
tromagnetic (EM), acousto-magnetic (AM), radio frequency (RF) or radio
frequency
identification (RF-ID) elements.
When the applicator comprises at least an idler roll and a dispensing lip, the
security elements can be applied and fed reliably and speedily.
A particularly effective and trouble-insusceptible operation of the apparatus
of the invention is ensured when the strapping means is wound on a supply reel
as
a band supply and provision is made for a severing device which severs the
strap-
ping means from the band supply after its overlapping portions have been
joined
together.
The present invention will be explained in more detail in the following by way
of example with reference to the Figures of the accompanying drawing. In the
drawing,
FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of an embodiment of the apparatus of
the invention;
FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of another embodiment of an apparatus
of the invention;
FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of an apparatus for carrying out an em-
bodiment of the method of the invention;

CA 02525528 2005-11-10
W U LUU4I I UL4y / - ~/ - YC:~l~ll~.Y2(~4/(3(34$4y
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an object encircled with a strap;
FiG. 5 is a perspective view of the object of FIG. 4 with double strapping;
and
FIG. 6 is a perspective view, similar to FIG. 5, of an object with double
strapping, with a security element being made of co-extruded EM material that
is
applied to a plastic strapping band in accordance with the detail view A.
FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of an apparatus 1 of the invention for protect-
ing an object 2 against theft. The apparatus 1 includes a band guide 3
provided on
its lower rail 4 with a table 5. The side rails 6, 7 and the upper rail 8 of
the band
guide 3 are arranged around the table 5, so that an object 2 placed down on
the
table 5 is within the boundaries of the band guide 3. The apparatus 1 of the
inven-
tion further includes a supply reel 9 for the strapping means 10. The
strapping
means 10 involved is a band 11 which may be made of a weldable material, for
example, plastics. The strapping means 10 is drawn from the supply reef 9 by a
feed device 12 via an idler roll 13 and fed to a band magazine 14. By means of
a
conveying device 15 the band 11 is shot at high velocity from the band
magazine 14
into the band guide 3. The free end of the band 11 is captured in the sealing
zone
16 and securely fixed in place. Then the running direction of the conveying
device
i5 is reversed, causing the band 1 l to be retracted and to place itself
around the
object 2 in the form of a loop 17. Finally, the strapping means 10 is
tensioned tight
around the object 2 by means of a tensioning device, not shown, which may be
an
arrangement of tension rollers, so that the loop 17 rests snugly against the
object 2.
Present in the sealing zone 16 are now two oppositely arranged and overlapping
portions of the strapping means 10. Arranged in direct proximity to the space
19
between the two overlapping portions of the strapping means 10 is a
positioning
device 20. The positioning device 20 is used for feeding electronically
detectable
security elements 21 to the sealing zone 16. The positioning device 20 is of
the
adjustable type, thus enabling the security elements 21 to be positioned
between
the overlapping portions of the strapping means 10. The security elements 21
are
affixed to a carrier web 22 by means of an adhesive coating, which web is
wound
onto a supply reel 23. Being routed via the positioning device 20, the carrier
web 22
with the security elements 21 held thereon is drawn off the supply reel 23 by
means
of a feed roll 24. At its end close to the space 19 the positioning device 20
has a

CA 02525528 2005-11-10
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dispensing lip where the security elements 21 are delaminated from the carrier
web
22 and applied to the lower one of the overlapping portions of the strapping
means
on which they remain adhered by means of the adhesive coating.
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention the security elements
21 may also be applied to the upper one of the overlapping portions of the
strapping
means 10. In either event, with the embodiment of the apparatus 1 of the
invention
shown in FIG. 1 the security elements 21 are fed to the strapping means during
the
strapping operation and are positioned between the overlapping portions of the
strapping means 10. Once a security element 21 is present between the overlap-
ping portions of the strapping means 10, these portions are joined by means of
the
sealing device 18. The sealing device 18 involved may be, for example, a
friction
welding device or an ultrasonic welding device which enable the weldable
strapping
material to be welded together, thereby sealing the loop 17, that is, the
strapping
means 10.
In a special embodiment of the invention the security elements 21 may be
additionally covered with a meltable material that melts during the welding of
the
overlapping portions to one another, hence entering a firm bond with the
material of
the strapping means 10. After the strapping means 10 is sealed, the security
ele-
ment 21 is enclosed between the overlapping portions of the strapping means t
0 in
a way not visible from outside, being practically prevented from being
detached
from the strapping means. Furthermore, the sealing device 18 preferably
includes a
severing unit that severs the now sealed strapping means 10, meaning the loop
17,
from the remaining strapping material, meaning the band supply. On completion
of
the process of the invention, the loop 17 encircles the object 2, with the
loop 17
containing a security element 21 invisibly enclosed between the overlapping
por-
tions of the strapping means 10. In another embodiment of the invention the
object
2 can now be turned through an angle of 90 degrees and strapped again, so that
two loops arranged at right angles to one another secure the object 2.
Considering
that this results in two security elements to be disposed at right angles to
each
other, this embodiment enables the detection rate to be increased still
further. The
apparatus 1 of the invention may also include a severing device, for example,
a
cutter, which cuts the security elements 21 to a length corresponding
approximately
to the length of the overlapping portions of the strapping means 10. The
length to
which .the security elements are cut should be slightly less than the length
of the

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overlapping portions in order to ensure that the security elements 21 are com-
pletely, that is, invisibly, enclosed between the overlapping portions.
FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of an apparatus 25 of the invention for
the protection of an object 2. The apparatus 25 differs from the apparatus 1
of FIG.
1 in that the device for applying security elements essentially comprises a
dispens-
ing device 26 by means of which the security elements 27 are applied to the
appro-
priate sections of the strapping means 10 prior to the actual strapping
operation_
Also in this embodiment the security elements 27 are arranged on a carrier web
28
that is unwound from a supply reel 30 by means of a feed roll 29. In the
process
the carrier web 28 with the security elements 27 held thereon is routed via
the dis-
pensing device 26 having a dispensing lip 31 at its one end. The security
elements
27 are delaminated from the carrier web 28 at the dispensing lip 31 and
applied to
the strapping means 10, meaning the band 11. As this occurs, the apparatus 25
has to be controlled in such fashion that the security elements 27 are applied
to a
portion of the strapping means 10 that overlaps during the strapping operation
with
another portion of the strapping means 10, thus enabling a security element 27
to
be enclosed between the overlapping portions of the strapping means 10. Accord-
ingly, with the apparatus 25 of the invention the security elements 27 are fed
to the
strapping means 10 prior to the strapping operation, with the security
elements 27
being applied to one of the overlapping portions. For adhering them to the
carrier
web 28 and the strapping means 10 the security elements 27 may be provided
with
an adhesive coating, for example. Alternatively, the security elements 27 may
also
be coated with a meltable material that fuses with the strapping material when
the
overlapping portions are joined, so that the security elements 27 are very
firmly and
practically inseparably enclosed between the overlapping portions.
FIG. 3 shows a conventional strapping machine 35 which equally includes a
band guide 36 surrounding an object 2 placed down on a table 37. Furthermore,
the strapping machine 35 also includes a supply reel 38 for the strapping
means 10
from which the strapping means 10 is fed to a band magazine 40 by means of a
feed device 39. Here too, the strapping means 10 is shot from the band
magazine
40 via a conveying device 41 into the band guide 36 and subsequently seated by
means of the sealing device 42. Similar to the embodiment of FIG. 2, the
security
elements 43 are fed to the strapping means 10 prior to the strapping operation
and
applied to portions of the strapping means 10 which overlap during the
strapping

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operation for joining. For this purpose, in the present embodiment the
security ele-
ments 43 are already applied to the strapping means 10 at predetermined
relative
distances and wound onto the supply reef 38 with the strapping means. The ad-
vantage of this embodiment resides in that it enables a conventional and, as
the
case may be, already existing strapping machine 35 to be used for carrying out
the
method of the invention.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an object 45 of the invention, showing a
strapping means 46 encircling the object in the form of a loop. The strapping
means 46 has a section 47 in which two portions 48, 49 of the strapping means
46
are in overlapping relationship. These portions 48, 49 are firmly joined,
preferably
welded to one another, with the strapping means 46 being preferably made of a
weldable plastics material. Sandwiched between the portions 48, 49 is a strip-
shaped security element 50 (shown in dashed lines) which is completely
enclosed
between the overlapping portions 48, 49 and therefore not visible from
outside. The
object 45 involved is the packaging 51 of an item of merchandise. On the one
hand, the strapping prevents opening of the packaging 51 and a subsequent re-
moval of the item of merchandise, while on the other hand the security element
50
protects the item against unauthorized removal from the safes room.
FIG. 5 shows the object 45 of FIG. 4 which in the present embodiment is
additionally secured by another strapping means 52. Enclosed in the strapping
means 52 between two overlapping portions 53, 54 is another security element
55.
Because the security elements 50 and 55 are arranged at right angles to each
other, a higher detection rate results when the object is carried through a
zone
subject to surveillance.
In all of the above-described cases a strip-shaped security element may be
made of co-extruded EM material a defined quantity of which is supplied from a
separate supply reef in longitudinal direction of the strapping means. It will
be un-
derstood, however, that the EM material may also be supplied in any desired
direc-
tion. At al! events, the EM material is introduced between the upper and the
lower
layer of the strapping means, preferably a plastic band. A welding head as,
for
example, an ultrasonic head, fuses the strapping means with the EM material.

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FIG. 6 shows an object 45 secured by two strapping means 46, 52 as in
FIG. 5. Enclosed in the strapping means 52 between the overlapping portions
53,
54 is a security element 55 made of co-extruded EM material. FIG. 6 shows in
ad-
dition that the individual security element 55 may not only be enclosed in the
area of
overlap but may also protrude beyond it, as becomes readily apparent from the
representation of FIG. 6. When it is stated in the foregoing that the security
ele-
ment is enclosed between the overlapping portions 53, 54 or between other over-
lapping portions, this does not mean that the security element could not
protrude
beyond the area of overlap.
The co-extruded EM material has the following structure:
In the interior of a plastic coating is either a single element ("simple
strip" as
known from EP 0 921 942 B1 ) as deactivatable element or only the active
material.
The plastic coating is made of commercially available, co-extrudable plastics
and
may have any desired color or shape.
The EM material may be supplied from a supply reel and cut to the appropri-
ate length upon introduction into the welding zone, or the security elements,
which
are already cut to length, are fed to the welding head one at a time. For this
pur-
pose conventional strapping machines may be modified to suit this operation.

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List of Reference Numerals
1 apparatus
2 object
3 band guide
4 rail
table
6 rail
7 rail
8 rail
9 supply reel
strapping
means
11 band
12 feed device
13 idler roll
14 band magazine
conveying
device
16 sealing zone
17 loop
j 18 seating device
19 space
positioning
device
21 security element
22 carrier web
23 supply reel
24 feed roll
apparatus
26 dispensing
device
27 security element
j 28 carrier web
29 feed roll
. 30 supply reel
31 dispensing
lip

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35 strapping machine
36 band guide
37 table
38 supply reel
39 feed device
40 band magazine
I,
41 conveying device
42 sealing device
43 security element
45 object
46 strapping means
47 section
48 portion
49 portion
50 security element
5i packaging
52 strapping means
53 portion
54 portion
55 security element

Representative Drawing