OA11779A

OA11779A - Coded security seal with a protective cover.

Info

Publication number: OA11779A
Application number: OA1200100058A
Authority: OA
Inventors: Ivan Jelavic
Original assignee: Ivan Jelavic
Priority date: 1998-09-14
Filing date: 1998-09-14
Publication date: 2005-07-26

Description

117 7 9

CODED SECURITY SEAL WITH APROTECTIVE COVER

THE DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

1. TECHNICAL FIELD 5 The subject of the invention belongs to the fields of TREATMENT and PROCESSING;TRAFFIC and TRANSPORT ( International patent classification section B - sub sectionTRANSPORT).

According to the international patent classification the subject of the invention has beenclassed and marked by classification symbol B 65 which defines: 10 TRANSPORT, PACKING, STORAGE, HANDLING OF THIN OR THREAD-LIKEMATERIALS.

The subject of the invention has been classed by symbol B 65 D defining:accessories, locks or a suitable equipment;packing equipment; parcels.

The subject of the invention may be classed by an additional classifying symbol B65B 15 defining: Means for visualialisation of the information (display); advertisments, signs,labels and name-plates.

2. TECHNICAL PROBLEM

The technical problem that has been solved by this invention emerges from the questionhow to manufacture a seal that will provide absolute security, easy handling besides being 2θ cheap and very light. Such a seal must entirely meet the requirement of impossibledetaching the male from the female seal part without a visible damage while the security 2 117 7 9 wire must provide a clear warning that the seal has been twisted or pulled by force. Eachseal must be marked by its number and other relevant data. The installing of such a sealshould be performed manually and without any accompanying tools.

3. BACKGROUND ART

Nowadays we use seals made of either lead or plastic which are put together of one or twoparts. Such seals can easily be misused by unauthorized persons in the way that he/sheeither enlarges thê opening through which the wire pass and ropes that it connecte or bydisconnecting the body fforn the casing without damaging it. After that one wire end ispulled out allowing easy entering into the protected room or access to an equipment. Thewire is then pulled through the seal opening again and under the pressure of outer cover orseal body it is brought into the same condition as it was before the misusage.

For example, US patent No. 5.762.386 discloses a seal comprising two separate éléments:namely, a réceptacle and an insert.

The réceptacle has a cavity for receiving the insert.

The insert comprises a body portion, a top portion and a security wire. On the front andrear face of the body portion there are longitudinal channels which extend from the bottomface of the body portion to the top portion of the insert where they corne out through twoseparate openings, The longitudinal channels are connected by connecting channel at thebottom face of the body portion of the insert. On the insert there is one pair of flangeswhose tops are slanted at an large angle with respect to the central axis of the insert. Thesecurity wire is partially embedded in the top portion and body portion of the insert. Thewire is being pulled one time through the longitudinal channels on the body portion of theinsert.

The top portion of the insert is sized to cover the opening of the réceptacle. When the insertis pulled in the réceptacle, the top portion of the insert only leans against the opening of theréceptacle.

On the réceptacle there is made a shaft at whose ffee end is a knob. On the top portion ofthe insert there is made a flexibile strap at whose free end there is a socket. When the 3 117/9 réceptacle and the insert are assembled, the socket receives the knob forming a bail andsocket-type hinge joint.

From the aforesaid follows that the insert of such a seal only leans against the opening ofthe réceptacle, it is not embracing the réceptacle, so there is a clearance between the twowhich could allow the inserting of a suitable métal object for pulling out the insert from theréceptacle. The insert has only one pair of flanges whose tops are slanted at an large anglewith respect to the central axis of the insert. The longitudinal channels on the body portionof the insert are connected only at the bottom face of the body portion of the insert so thesecurity wire can be pulled through the longitudinal channels only one time. The securitywire is only partially embedded in the top portion and body portion of the insert. Theréceptacle and the insert are being connected by pulling the knob of the shaft of theréceptacle into the socket of the flexibile strap of the insert, forming a bail and socket-typehinge joint, which means that there is the possibility to separate the réceptacle and theinsert and to replace this réceptacle with the new one, which can not be seen at oncebecause the réceptacle has no alphanumerical sign. Theese mentioned features give greaterpossibility for misusage of the seal.

4. THE ESSENCE OF THE INVENTION

The essence of this invention is that the seal has a féminine and a masculine part and asecurity wire. The masculine part has a protection cover that embraces the femine partwhen the seal is installed. This prevents the mechanical séparation of the masculine fromthe féminine part. The masculine part is provided by grooves through which the safety wirepasses embracing the thing that is being sealed. Two pairs of spurs on the masculine part,after having been pushed into the opening of the féminine part, take their place on theknobs of the féminine part which prevents pulling out the masculine part from the fémininepart. The masculine and the féminine part of the seal are connected by a thread made of thesame material to enable easier handling. 4 117/9

5. THE DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FUNCTIONING

The seal that is the subject of this invention has a fiat shape, consists of two parts,masculine and féminine, connected by a thread.

The masculine part of the seal consists of a protective cover, body and a safety wire. Theprotection cover has a groove on its brim into which the féminine part enteres after theinstalment. The protection cover has an opening on its upper part through which thesecurity wires pass towards the grooves on the seal body. The body of the seal, startingfrom the protection cover towards the bottom, is conically made narrow. On the body thereare two symmetrical pairs of elastic spurs. In the middle of the body there are longer spursand the shorter spurs are placed at the bottom. The tops of the spurs are slanted 3-8degrees front the central axis of the seal body which guarantees the firm connection on theknobs in the féminine part. There are parallel grooves on both sides of the body which areconnected by a passage at the bottom of the body and in the protection cover they enterinto the mutual opening where the free end of the security wire passes through. In thecentral part of the body the grooves are connected by an opening. Through the body andthe protective cover passes the security wire. It can be of any length, with one loose end,while the other end is firmly connected to the body. The security wire has a métal basearound which a thin metall wire is tightly and spirally wound.

The féminine part has a groove that is slightly slanted at its front part so that the masculinepart can be placed. At the further part of the groove there are two pairs of knobs on whichthe spur tops of the masculine part rest when the masculine part is inserted into theféminine part.

When inserting the masculine part into the féminine one the longer pair of the spurs isslightly bent towards the centre and enlarges again only after having passed over the firstknob pair. Somewhat later the shorter pair of spurs is bent towards the centre too and thespurs enlarge instantly after passing the second knob pair. This prompt assuming of thestarting position is accompanied by a sound signal that confirms the correct insertion of themasculine part into the féminine one. While doing this the féminine part has to enter into 5 117/9 ’ the fbrseen opening on the protection cover of the masculine part. This provides a secureprotection against the violent séparation of the masculine from the féminine part withoutvisible mechanical damages.

The masculine and the féminine parts are connected by a thread that keeps them constantlytogether.

The perfection of this invention lies in the fact that the masculine part has a protection capagainst any kind of violent opening of the seal, that it has two pairs of elastic spurs, that ithas a safety wîre with a métal base around which a thin métal thread is wound spirally, thatthe féminine part has grooves with two pairs of knobs and that after inserting the masculinepart into the féminine one a clear sound signal is heard to confirm that the masculine partcannot be pulled out without a mechanichal damaging of the protection cover, fémininepart or the security wire.

6. THE DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The advantages and the characteristics of the presented invention can be more clearly seenfrom the following description which relates to the drawing enclosed.

The enclosed drawings présent:

Fig. 1 shows the open seal, its front side view.

Fig. 2 shows the open seal, its left side view.

Fig. 3 shows the open seal, its upper side view.

Fig. 4 shows the open seal, its its right side view.

Fig. 5 shows the open seal, its its bottom side view.

Fig. 6 shows the cross-section A-A of the open seal.

Fig. 7 shows a detail of the spur top.

Fig. 8 shows longitudional section B-B of one half of the seal body.

Fig. 9 shows the security wire. 6 117 7 9

Fig. 10 shows the assembled seal, its front view.

Fig. 11 shows the assembled seal, its left side view.

Fig. 12 shows the cross-section E-E of the assembled seal, its upper side view

Fig. 13 shows the assembled seal, its right side view.

Fig. 14 shows the assembled seal, its bottom side view.

Fig. 15 shows the cross-section D-D of the assembled seal

Fig. 16 shows the cross-section C-C of the assembled seal

Fig. 17 shows the assembled seal in perspective with code andalphanumerical signs and flag.

Fig. 18 shows the assembled transparent seal, its front side view.

Fig. 19 shows the assembled transparent seal, its back side view.

According to the Fig. 2, 3, 4 and 5 the sealing mechanism of this invention has fémininepart 2, masculine part 4 and a thread 10. The masculine part 4 has a protective cover 6 witha groove 8 and a hole 20, body 12, a longer pair of spurs 14, a shorte pair of spurs 16, apassage between the grooves at the bottom of the body 18, the hole 22 between the groovesin the centre of the body, a lower groove 24 and 26, the upper groove 28 and 30, thesecurity wire 32 with a loose end 50. At the upper outer side of the protective cover 6 thereare knobs-grooves 54.

According to Fig. 6 the féminine part 2 has an opening 34 with knobs 36 on which thelonger pair of the spurs 14 are placed and with the knobs 38 on which the shorter pair ofspurs 16 are placed when the masculine part 4 is inserted into the opening 34 of theféminine part 2. After that the masculine part 4 cannot be pulled out of the féminine part 2without a visible mechanical damage.

The top ends of the spurs 14 and 16 hâve according to the Fig. 7, are slightly slanted (3-8degrees ) in relation to the body axis 12. This guarantees a better placing on the knobs inthe seal casing.

The security wire 32, according to Fig. 8, is firmly built in the masculine part 4 and it extents through the entire length of the body 12. The free end of the security wire 50 can be of any length and it embraces the objects to be sealed. After this, the free end of the 7 wire is being pulled into the masculine part through the opening 20 in the protective cover 6.

The security wire, according to the Fig. 9, has a métal base 32 around which a thin métalthread 40 is spirally tightly wound. The safety wire made in such a way provides enoughfriction to guarantee that the safety wire cannot be pulled out after inserting the masculineinto the féminine part. Each violent pulling or bending of the safety wire causes theséparation of the thin thread 40 from the métal base 32 visually indicating that there hasbeen an unauthorized attempt to pull out the safety wire from the body of the seal.

Fig. 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 show the closed seal after the instalment of the safety wire onthe object that has to be sealed 42 and 44.

Fig. 15 and 16 show the cross-section of the installed seal where the protective cover 6 ofthe masculine part 4 rests on the upper part of the féminine part 2. This makes the pullingout of the body 12 with the spurs 14 and 16 impossible.

Fig. 15 présents one of the ways in which the security wire 32 can be inserted into themasculine part 4. After embracing the objects to be sealed 42 and 44 by the loose end ofthe safety wire 50, it is then pulled through the opening 20 into the groove 30, then throughthe opening 22 to the other side into the groove 24. After that it passes through the passage18 again into the groove 26 and 28 and fînally cornes out through the opening 20.

The safety wire may also be pulled through in such a way that after it has passed throughthe opening 20 it runs along the groove 26 and 28, passes through the passage 18 along thegroove 24 to the opening 22 through which the wire is pulled to the groove 28 and againthrough the opening 20 out of the masculine part 4.

After the security wire 32 has been pulled through the masculine part 4 is inserted into theféminine part 2. At the same time the longer spurs 14 slide along the longer slope of theféminine part while the shorter ones 16 pass through freely. Because of the elasticity thelonger spurs are slightly bent towards the centre, and when they reach the end of the slopeor knob 36, the shorter spurs 16 simultaneously touch the knobs 38 and slightly bent. Byfurther pushing of the masculine part 4 into the féminine part 2 both pairs of spurs are 8 117/9 · placed at the same time into the forseen enlargment and promptly spread apart. Then aclick-sound can be heard indicating that the masculine part has reached the bottom of theféminine part. The short idle pace that can be felt when pulling the protection cover afterthat shows that the seal has been correctly installed. 5 At this point the mechanism provides a secure protection, and each violent attempt to openit leaves visible mechanichal traces.

Fig. 10 and 17 show the installed seal with the code 46 and alphanumerical 48 signs on thebroader side of the féminine part 2. Other relevant data can be written on the other side too.The flag 56 may contain a mark of the seal user. 10 There are grooves with knobs 52 and 54 at the outer shorter side of the féminine part 2 andat the upper side of the protection cover 6. These grooves with knobs enable the secure andeasy inserting the masculine into the féminine part of the seal avoiding the slidling of thefingers.

Fig. 18 and 19 show the installed seal which has the masculine and the féminine parts 15 made out of a transparent material. It enables any kind of violent opening or sloppyassembling to be noticed easily.

Claims

9 117 79 CLAIMS

1. The coded safety seal with the protective cover suitable for sealing the electricitymeters and containers of any kind as well as the waggons, tugs, cisterns, mail bags andtrunks, comprising the féminine part (2), thread (10), masculine part (4) withlongitudinal grooves (24, 26) and (28, 30) that are connected by the passage (18) 5 at the bottom of the masculine part (4), char acterized in that themasculine part (4) has an opening (22) in the centre of the body (12) by which bothlongitudinal grooves (24, 26) and (28, 30) are connected in the centre, that themasculine part (4) has a protective cover (6) with an opening (20) at the top in whichboth longitudinal grooves (24, 26) and (28, 30) meet, and that the protective cover (6) 10 has a groove (8) on its brim which permits the catching of the féminine part (2) by theprotective cover (6) when the masculine part (4) is inserted into the opening (34) of theféminine part (2).

2. The safety seal, according to the Claim characterized in that on the body(12) of the masculine part (4) there are two pairs of spurs (14) and (16), symmetrically Î5 arranged on both narrower sides of the body (12), that the longer pair of the spurs (14)is placed in the centre and the shorter one (16) at the bottom of the body, and that thetop ends of the spurs are slightly bent front 3-8 degrees in relation to the axis of thebody.

3. The safety seal, according to the Claim 1 nad 2, characterized in that at the 20 entrance into the féminine part (2) there is a slightly sloped fiat part on which the body of the masculine part (4) is placed, and that the groove (34) of the féminine part (2) hastwo pairs of knobs (36) and (38) on which the tops of the spurs (14) and (16) rest whenthe masculine part (4) is inserted into the opening (34) of the féminine part (2).

4. The safety seal, according to the Claim lto3, characterized in that when the 25 masculine part (4) is inserted into the opening (34) of the féminine part (2) both pairs of spurs (14) and (16) are slightly bent towards the centre, the longer pair of spurs (14) 10 117 7 9 is more and earlier bent while the shorter one (16) is less and later bent, but, they tuminto the right position at the same time when they take their place on the knobs (36)and (38) which is accompanied by the characteristic click-sound indicating that the sealhas correctly been installed.

5. The safety seal, according to the Claim 1 and 2, characterized in that in themasculine part (4) there is a firm built-in safety wire (32) whose loose end (50) servesfor embracing the object that is to be sealed, that the safety wire has a métal basic wire(32) around which a thinner métal thread (40) is spirally wound and firmly attached tothe basic wire (32), but which can, in case that the safety wire is several times bent orpulled, be detached from the basic wire (32), which présents a visible waming thatthere has been an unauthorized attempt of opening the sealing mechanism.

6. The safety seal, according to the Claim 1, characterized in that on the upperpart of the protection cover (6) and narrower flank sides of the féminine part (2) thereare grooves (54) and (52) that prevent the finger sliding when inserting the masculine (4) into the féminine part (2), which means that the seal can be installed without help ofany accessory tools.

7. The safety seal, according to the Claims 1, 2 and 5 , c h ar a c t e r i z e d in that aflag (56) for writing out the data is placed at the loose end of the safety wire.

8. The safety seal, according to the Claim characterized in that on the outerlarger sides of the féminine part (2) code (46) and other alphanumerical (48) signs canbe applied and these marks contain the number of the seal, identification data of theuser and the person who has installed the seal, the time of the installation and otherimportant data.

9. The safety seal, according to the Claims lto8, characterized in that theféminine part (2), masculine part (4) and the thread (10) are made of a transparentmaterial which makes any violent attempt to open the seal and sloppy assemblingeasily visible.