EP0423831B1 - Sceau rotatif amélioré - Google Patents

Sceau rotatif amélioré Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0423831B1
EP0423831B1 EP19900120179 EP90120179A EP0423831B1 EP 0423831 B1 EP0423831 B1 EP 0423831B1 EP 19900120179 EP19900120179 EP 19900120179 EP 90120179 A EP90120179 A EP 90120179A EP 0423831 B1 EP0423831 B1 EP 0423831B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
rotor
seal
housing
ridge
chamber
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP19900120179
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0423831A2 (fr
EP0423831A3 (en
Inventor
George Georgopoulos
Richard Gnoinski
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
EJ Brooks Co
Original Assignee
EJ Brooks Co
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US07/424,892 external-priority patent/US4978026A/en
Priority claimed from US07/587,963 external-priority patent/US5180200A/en
Application filed by EJ Brooks Co filed Critical EJ Brooks Co
Publication of EP0423831A2 publication Critical patent/EP0423831A2/fr
Publication of EP0423831A3 publication Critical patent/EP0423831A3/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0423831B1 publication Critical patent/EP0423831B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09F—DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS
    • G09F3/00—Labels, tag tickets, or similar identification or indication means; Seals; Postage or like stamps
    • G09F3/02—Forms or constructions
    • G09F3/03—Forms or constructions of security seals
    • G09F3/0305—Forms or constructions of security seals characterised by the type of seal used
    • G09F3/0347—Forms or constructions of security seals characterised by the type of seal used having padlock-type sealing means
    • G09F3/0352—Forms or constructions of security seals characterised by the type of seal used having padlock-type sealing means using cable lock
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09F—DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS
    • G09F3/00—Labels, tag tickets, or similar identification or indication means; Seals; Postage or like stamps
    • G09F3/02—Forms or constructions
    • G09F3/03—Forms or constructions of security seals
    • G09F3/0305—Forms or constructions of security seals characterised by the type of seal used
    • G09F3/0364—Forms or constructions of security seals characterised by the type of seal used having rotary sealing means

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a seal of the type which includes a flexible wire insertable through an item to be secured, the seal being non-removably affixable to the wire to prevent opening operation of the item, such an opening operation rendering the wire or the seal disintegral such disintegrality providing a visual indication that such operation has been attempted or has occurred;
  • the seal comprises: a walled housing defining a chamber and having first and second aligned bores formed therethrough on opposite sides of the chamber; a rotor conformally receivable in the chamber and having a third bore therethrough; for permitting the bores in the housing and in the inserted rotor to be aligned to thereafter receive the wire through all thereof, and permitting the inserted and held rotor and the housing to be ralatively rotated after insertion of the wire through the bores so as to partially wrap and deform the received wire around the rotor.
  • Such a seal may be used for example for securing containers, and, more particularly to prevent removal of sealing wire from a hasp, staple or similar member of a lock or latch which secures a container.
  • the lock or latch cannot be operated and the container cannot be opened without destruction of the seal or breaking the wire. Further, should the wire be pulled from the seal, it cannot be reinserted therein.
  • a seal as described above is known from US-A 1 826 033.
  • the rotor is fully inserted into the chamber of the housing.
  • the rotor comprises sheet metal and is fully inserted immediately. Therefrom it follows that it is complicated to move the rotor relative to the housing.
  • a further disadvantage of this known seal resides in that the alignment of the bores of the rotor and the housing is not exactly defined so that it may be complicated to insert the wire through all the bores.
  • US-A 421 951 discloses a rotable seal lock wherein a strip seal is inserted within a rotatable member. Thereafter the member is rotated causing a dog to be received within an opening in the strip and pulled within the rotatable member to a retained position. The rotatable member is held against unlocking rotation by the use of a spring-loaded pawl.
  • US-A 1 911 060 discloses a sealing device having a body with apertures through which a flexible sealing means can extend.
  • the center portion of the body is provided with a threaded bore which is intersected by the apertures.
  • a uni-rotational screw Disposed within the threaded bore is a uni-rotational screw which may be tightened down against the flexible securing means to retain it in a sealed position. While the foregoing seals are beneficial, a need remains for a simple seal capable of securing a container, the seal providing clear evidence of tampering and being economical to manufacture.
  • One object of the present invention is to provide a seal that is highly resistant to tampering. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a seal that provides an indication of any tampering action and which cannot be reassembled after being rendered disintegral.
  • An additional object of the present invention is to provide a seal which is economical to manufacture and simple to use while at the same time being highly secure.
  • the seal of the present invention which is characterized by first means for holding the rotor partially inserted in the chamber with the third bore, coplanar with the first and second bores and second means for holding the rotor fully inserted in the chamber following wrapping and deformation of the wire and for preventing relative rotation of the fully inserted rotor and the housing.
  • the present invention is a seal which includes a flexible seal wire and two partially interfittable, relatively rotatable members preferably molded from a fracturable plastic. A flexible seal wire is passed through a hasp, staple or other locking facility and then its ends are inserted through aligned apertures in both of the partially interfitted members.
  • the improved seal thus far described is less costly than prior art seals because the members may be made of molded plastic by automated equipment.
  • the seal also gives a more definite visual indication of unauthorized entry since tampering with the members cracks, chips or crazes them to provide visual evidence of tampering, and, if they are rendered disintegral, they are difficult, if not impossible, to put back together.
  • the first interfittable member is a male member or rotor and the second is a female member or housing defining a chamber open at one end.
  • the rotor may be partially inserted and held in the chamber and the members may be thereafter relatively rotated.
  • the members each have bores therethrough generally transverse to the axis of relative rotation.
  • the bores are alignable by relative rotation of the interfitted members.
  • the ends of a flexible sealing wire may be passed through the aligned bores, and the members are then relatively rotated to misalign the bore and wrap the wire partially around the rotor which deforms the wire.
  • the rotor is fully inserted into the housing member to further misalign the bores to and lock the members together against disassembly.
  • the deformed wire typically cannot be withdrawn from the members. In the rare instance where the wire is pulled out of the seal without breaking it, the wire cannot be reinserted because of the rotational and insertional misalignment of the bores.
  • Partial insertion of the members is achieved by complementary surface features on the members, such as an annular ridge or shoulder on the rotor and a pair of annular grooves in the wall of the chamber of the housing. Partial insertion snaps the ridge into the upper groove which renders the bores in the members coplanar and allows relative rotation of the members to axially align the coplanar bores. Full insertion is achieved by the lower annular groove in the wall of the chamber. Following deformation of the wire, the rotor is further inserted until its ridge snaps into the lower groove. The members are locked together by the presence of the ridge in the lower groove and by the intermeshing of complementary teeth on the lower end of the rotor and on the lower wall of the chamber in the housing.
  • the rotor has two ridges. Partial insertion of the rotor locates the lower ridge in the upper groove, and wire insertion and deformation proceed as described above. Full insertion of the rotor locates each ridge on the rotor in one of the grooves. This increases she difficulty of disassembling the members.
  • the presence of the two ridges permits the lower ridge (and the lower groove) to be smaller diametrically than the upper groove into which it is snapped during partial insertion. This diametric difference permits the members to be easily and freely relatively rotatable when aligning the bores and deforming the wire.
  • the ridges may be relieved at selected sites.
  • the housing may include tabs which fit into the relief sites of each ridge. The tabs and relief sites are located so that when they interfit, the bores of the members are aligned.
  • the presence of the lower ridge in the upper groove and the interfitting together of the tabs and relief sites permit the members to be easily pre-assembled by the manufacturer, with the bores held coplanarly, prealigned and ready for use by end users.
  • the exterior of the housing may include one or more cowls having bores which are extensions of those through the housing.
  • the length of the bores in the cowls prevents insertion of a thin elongated object through the bores of the housing at an angle which could permit levering the members apart.
  • the rotatable seal 20 of the present invention (FIGS. 6-12) is best initially described with reference to FIGS. 1-5.
  • the rotatable seal 20 includes a housing or female member, generally indicated at 22, a rotor or male member, generally indicated at 24, and a flexible seal wire 26 (FIGS. 6-16).
  • the housing 22 and rotor 24 are both preferably molded from plastic.
  • the housing 22 has a generally cylindrical, vertical wall 28 enclosing a circular cross-section chamber 30 which is closed at one end by a base 32.
  • a base 32 Formed at the interior juncture of the wall 28 and the base 32 are plurality of circumferential surface features, such as serrations or teeth 34.
  • the teeth 34 may take any convenient configuration, and in a specific embodiment may be disposed at an acute angle 36 of between 17°and 20° (FIG. 2) with respect to the cylindrical wall 28.
  • the diameter of the upper groove 38 may be slightly larger than the diameter of the lower groove 40, as shown in FIG. 2 at 41.
  • Formed through the wall 28 below the grooves 38 and 40 and above the teeth 34 are two pairs of bores 42, 44 and 46, 48.
  • the bores 42 and 44 are axially aligned across the chamber 30, as are the bores 46 and 48.
  • Each bore pair 42, 44 and 46, 48 preferably lies on a respective chord "A" or "B" of the cross-section of the chamber 30.
  • the bore pairs 42, 44 and 46, 48 are preferably mutually parallel and parallel to the base 32.
  • the housing 22 may include cowls 50 and 52 integrally formed with the wall 28.
  • the cowls 50 and 52 contain continuations of the bores 42, 46 and 44, 48, respectively, and serve to lengthen these bores 42-48 for a security-related purpose described below.
  • the invention in its broader aspects may omit the cowls 50 and 52.
  • an upper surface 54 of the wall 28 may carry one or more upstanding tabs, such as those at 56 and 58, the function of which is explained subsequently.
  • the tabs 56, 58 preferably lie on a diameter of the chamber 30 which is generally parallel to the chords "A" and "B".
  • the tabs 56 and 58 may be omitted from broader embodiments of the invention.
  • the rotor 24 is shown in detail in FIGS. 3-5.
  • the rotor 24 is generally cylindrical and has various portions of varying diametric dimensions.
  • the rotor 24 includes a circular top or head 60 with a diameter substantially equal to that of the chamber 30.
  • the top 60 contains a tool-engageable portion 62, which in the FIGURES includes a depression 64 defined by a lip 66 with a penta-head member 68 extending up from the depression 64 and spaced inwardly from the ridge 66.
  • the member 68 which may have configuration other than the penta-head, is engageable by a complementary drive socket (not shown) the walls of which fit between the member 68 and the lip 66 for rotation thereof and of the rotor 24, as described below.
  • the head 68 may extend above the top 60 although coplanarity between the head 68 and the lip 66 is preferred.
  • the tool-engageable portion 62 may also constitute a shaped female socket (not shown) in the top 60 engageable by a complementary male tool.
  • ridges 70 and 72 Formed integrally on the outside of the top 60 are surface features, such as annular ridges 70 and 72. In broader embodiments of the invention only the ridge 72 is present and the ridge 70 is absent.
  • a disk 74 carrying peripheral surface features, such as serrations or teeth 76.
  • peripheral surface features such as serrations or teeth 76.
  • a reduced diameter portion 78 having two parallel bores 80 and 82 extending therethrough.
  • the ridges 70 and 72 are integral with the top 60 and are complementary with the grooves 38 and 40.
  • the placement of the ridges 70,72 and grooves 38, 40 can be reversed, with the former in the chamber 40 and the latter on the rotor 24.
  • other complementary surface features may be used.
  • the ridge 70 when the rotor 24 is fully inserted into the chamber 30, the ridge 70 is snapped into the groove 38 simultaneously with the ridge 72 being snapped into the groove 40. In broader embodiments full insertion of the rotor moves the ridge 72 out of the groove 38 and into the groove 40, the upper groove 38 thereafter being unoccupied.
  • the ridge 70 has a larger diameter than the ridge 72, as shown at 84. In both broad and specific embodiments, the ridge 72 is snapped into the upper groove 38 when the rotor 24 is only partially inserted into the chamber 30. The diametric difference between the ridge 72 and the groove 38 permits the rotor 24 to be easily rotated within the chamber 30 relative to the housing 22.
  • the disk 74 and the teeth 76 thereon are complementary to the teeth 34 in the chamber 30, the teeth being angled from the vertical by the same angle 36 as the teeth 34.
  • the teeth 34 and 76 mesh to prevent relative rotation of the housing 22 and the rotor 24.
  • the teeth 76 are elevated above and out of engagement with the teeth 34.
  • the reduced diameter portion 78, the top 60 and the disk 74 define a wire-receiving channel 86 which functions in a manner described below.
  • the bores 80 and 82 are parallel and are spaced apart by the distance between the bores pairs 42, 44 and 46, 48 in the housing 22.
  • the axes of the bores 80, 82 are coplanar with the axes "A", "B" of the bores 42-48.
  • the rotor 24 may be freely rotated to align the bore 80 with one bore pair 42, 44 (or 46, 48) and to align the bore 82 with the other bore pair 46, 48 (or 42, 44).
  • the ridges 70 and 72 are retained in their respective grooves 38 and 40 upon full insertion of the rotor 24 into the housing 22, the axes of the bores 80, 82 are below those of the bores 42-48.
  • the effective size of the channel 86 may be increased by flattening the portion 78 in the areas 88 of both ends of the bores 80 and 82.
  • the ridges 70 and 72 may be relieved, as at one or more sites 90 and 92, respectively.
  • the relieved areas 90, 92 permit conformal receipt therein of the inwardly facing portions of the tabs 56, 58.
  • the tabs 56, 58 may be received in the relieved areas 90, 92 in one of two ways.
  • the rotor 24 may be oriented so that the bottom of the relieved areas 92, overlie the tops of the tabs 56, 58, following which the rotor 24 and the housing 22 are relatively moved axially of the chamber 30 until the bottom of the lower ridge 72 rests on the top surface 54 of the wall 28 with tab 56, 58 residing in the relieved areas 92. Subsequent partial insertion of the rotor 24 into the chamber 30 causes the tabs 56, 58 to first move through the relieved areas 92 and into the relieved areas 90, with the tabs 56, 58 now residing in both relieved areas 90, 92. As the tops of the tabs 56, 58 move into the relieved areas 90, the lower ridge 72 enters the upper groove 38 as described above.
  • the flexibility of the plastic rotor 24 and housing 22 permits the lower ridge 72 to be snapped to the upper groove 38 with the tabs 56, 58 and the relieved areas 90, 92 misaligned. Following this partial insertion of the rotor 24 into the chamber 30, the rotor 24 and the housing 22 may be relatively rotated until the tabs 56, 58 snap into their respective relieved areas 90, 92.
  • FIGS. 6-9 show specific embodiments of the rotatable seal 20 of the present invention in an opened or unsealed condition, i.e., with the rotor 24 partially inserted into the housing 22 and the seal wire 26 extending therethrough. It should be understood that the upper ridge 70, the tabs 56, 58 and the relieved ares 90, 92 shown in these FIGS., may be omitted.
  • the lower annular ridge 72 of the rotor 24 resides in the upper annular groove 38 of the housing 22.
  • the bores 42-48 of the housing 22 are held in alignment with rotor bores 80, 82 by visual observation or by the cooperation of the tabs 56, 58 and the relieved areas 90, 92, if present.
  • FIGS. 10 and 11 show the rotor 24 fully inserted into the housing 22 and the rotatable seal 20 of the present invention in a closed or sealed condition.
  • the seal wire 26 is first passed through the passageways 42-80-44 and 46-82-48 (FIG. 9), following which the seal wire 26 is deformed by rotating the rotor 20 relative to the housing 22 (FIG. 12). This relative rotation causes the bores 80 and 82 to be rotated out of alignment with the bore pairs 42, 44 and 46, 48 of the housing 22.
  • the rotor 24 is rotated by the engagement and rotation of the head 68 by a tool (not shown) in the area 62.
  • the bottom of the housing 22 may contain indentations 94 to assist in holding the housing 22 against rotation if deformation of the wire 26 requires high torque.
  • the rotor 24 is also fully inserted and moved inwardly into the housing 22 (FIGS. 10 and 11) by the same or a different tool so that the annular ridges 70 (where present) and 72 are moved into mating engagement with their respective annular grooves 38 and 40.
  • the teeth 76 of the rotor 24 are moved into locking engagement with the teeth 34 of the housing 22 (FIG. 11).
  • the seal wire 26 is firmly locked within the rotatable seal 20.
  • the locking is accomplished by the rotational and insertional deformation of the seal wire 26 together with the concurrent locking engagement of the teeth 34 and 76 and the frictional engagement of the ridges 70 and 72 with the grooves 38 and 40.
  • the seal wire 26 has been deformed there is a high resistance to any further relative rotation of the housing 22 and the rotor 24 or to reopening of the rotatable seal 20.
  • the engagement of the teeth 34 and 76 also prevents relative rotation of the members 22 and 24.
  • deformation of the seal wire 26 includes the wire 26 first being wrapped around the portion 78 of the rotor 24, with the wrapped wire 26 occupying and filling the channel 86 within the chamber 30.
  • the flattened areas 88 on the portion 78 create additional volume for the wire 26 to prevent jamming as the members 22 and 24 are relatively rotated.
  • the head 60 of the rotor 24 is preferably coplanar and forms a smooth surface with the upper surface 54 of the wall 28 of the housing 22. Such smooth surface makes it difficult for any tampering action to separate the rotor 24 from the housing 22 after closing of the rotatable seal 20 has been achieved.
  • seal 20 may also contribute to obviating disassembly of the seal 20.
  • the two modes of deforming the wire tend to resist removal of the rotor 24 from the housing 22.
  • the presence of one or both interfitted ridge-groove pairs 38-70 and 40-72 resists opening of the seal 20.
  • the teeth 34, 76 also help to defeat opening of the seal 20.
  • the cowls 50 and 52 if present, obviate the insertion of a slender elongated object into one of the bores 42-48 and the levering of the rotor 24 by an engaging end of the object out of the chamber 30. The effective lengthening of the bores 42-48 by the cowls 50 and 52 prevents the object from being able to engage the rotor 24 in a position where levering forces can be applied.
  • FIGS. 13-16 diagrammatically show the operation of the rotatable seal 20 of the present invention.
  • FIG. 13 shows one end of the flexible seal wire 26 through the rotatable seal 20 with the rotor 24 partially inserted.
  • FIG. 14 shows the other end of the wire 26 inserted through openings in relatively movable members 96 and 98 (hasps, staples, latches, etc.) of a latch, lock or the like.
  • FIG. 15 shows the other end of the wire 26 passing back through the still opened rotatable seal 20.
  • FIG. 16 shows the rotatable seal 20 after it has been closed and locked in the sealing position by fully inserting the rotor 24 into the housing 22.
  • the housing 22 and rotor 24 of the rotatable seal 20 may be made from strong and essentially semi-rigid materials such as metal, rubber, plastics, etc. A preferred material is acrylic plastic.
  • the housing 22 and rotor 24 of the rotatable seal 20 may also be made from clear materials so that alignment of the bores 42-48 and 80, 82 and the positive locking of the seal wire 26 can be inspected and can also provide a visual indication of tampering.
  • the flexible seal wire 26 used with the rotatable seal 20 of the present invention may be in the form of wire, or rope, or cable, and may be made of metal or plastic or other suitable materials.
  • the inter-fitting members 22 and 24 When the seal 20 is in the closed condition, the inter-fitting members 22 and 24 must be destroyed, or the seal wire 26 must be cut, in order to remove the seal 20 from the members 96 and 98 so that these members can be moved or operated. Due to the strong materials of construction, substantial effort is required either to destroy the members 22 or 24 or to cut the wire 26. However, if such destruction or cutting is effected, there is provided an easily detectable indication of tampering.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Security & Cryptography (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Centrifugal Separators (AREA)
  • Gasket Seals (AREA)

Claims (15)

  1. Sceau du type comprenant un fil flexible (26) introductible à travers un élément (96, 98) à fixer, ledit sceau étant fixable de manière définitive au fil (26) pour empêcher l'ouverture de l'élément (96, 98), une telle ouverture provoquant la destruction du sceau ou du fil (26), cette destruction fournissant une indication visuelle qu'une telle tentative a été tentée ou réalisée ; ledit sceau comprenant :
    - un carter périphérique (22) définissant une chambre (30) et doté de premiers et de seconds trous alignés (42, 44, 46, 48) pratiqués dans les faces opposées de la chambre (30);
    - un rotor (24) logé dans la chambre (30) et muni de troisièmes trous (80, 82), de telle sorte que les trous (42, 44, 46, 48) du carter et dudit rotor (24) sont alignés de manière à recevoir par la suite le fil (26) qui passe à travers eux, et permettre au rotor (24) introduit et maintenu et au carter (22) d'avoir une rotation relative après introduction du fil (26) à travers lesdits trous (42, 44, 46, 48, 80, 82) de façon à recouvrir partiellement et à déformer le fil (26) introduit autour du rotor (24), caractérisé par des premiers moyens pour maintenir le rotor (24) en introduction partielle dans la chambre (30), avec les troisièmes trous (80, 82) coplanaires avec les premiers et seconds trous (42, 44, 46, 48) et des seconds moyens pour maintenir le rotor complètement introduit dans la chambre (30) après que le fil (26) ait été recouvert et déformé et pour empêcher la rotation du rotor (24) complètement introduit relativement au carter (22).
  2. Sceau selon la revendication 1, pour lequel les premiers et seconds moyens comportent des caractéristiques de surface (38, 40, 70, 72) complémentaires sur le rotor (24) et la paroi (28) de la chambre.
  3. Sceau selon la revendication 1, pour lequel les premiers moyens comprennent un premier relief annulaire (70) sur le rotor (24) et une première gorge annulaire (38) complémentaire du relief (70) et pratiquée dans la paroi du carter (28) dans la chambre (30), le premier relief (70) s'insérant dans la première gorge (38) lorsque le rotor (24) est partiellement introduit dans la chambre (30).
  4. Sceau selon la revendication 3, pour lequel les seconds moyens comprennent le premier relief (70) et une seconde gorge annulaire (40) complémentaire du premier relief (70) et pratiquée dans la paroi du carter (22), dans la chambre (30) en dessous de la première gorge (38), le premier relief annulaire (70) étant positionné dans la seconde gorge (40) lorsque le rotor (24) est complètement introduit dans la chambre (30).
  5. Sceau selon la revendication 4, comprenant en outre des troisièmes moyens pour maintenir l'alignement des trous (42, 44, 46, 48, 80, 82) jusqu'à ce que le rotor (24), partiellement inséré et le carter (22) tourne l'un relativement à l'autre afin de recouvrir et déformer le fil (26).
  6. Sceau selon la revendication 5, pour lequel les troisièmes moyens comprennent une patte (56, 58) formée sur la paroi du carter (28) au point d'insertion du rotor (24) dans la chambre (30), et une zone évidée (90, 92) complémentaire de la patte (56, 58) et pratiquée dans le relief annulaire (70, 72).
  7. Sceau selon la revendication 6, pour lequel l'introduction partielle du rotor (24) dans la chambre (30) s'accompagne du clipsage du relief (72) dans la première gorge, suivi d'une rotation relative dudit rotor (24) et du carter (22) entraînant le clipsage de la patte (56, 58) dans la zone évidée (90) lorsque les trous (42, 44, 46, 48, 80, 82) deviennent alignés, l'ajustement du relief (72) dans la première gorge (38) permettant d'éviter une introduction ou un enlèvement ultérieur non voulu du rotor (24) du carter (22), l'ajustement de la patte (56, 58) dans la zone évidée permettant d'éviter une rotation relative du rotor (24) et du carter (22) non désirée, la coopération relief / gorge et la coopération patte / évidement pouvant être surmontées par des efforts intentionnellement appliqués respectivement à la rotation relative rotor / carter pour enrouler le fil (26) et par introduction complète du rotor (24).
  8. Sceau selon la revendication 4, pour lequel les seconds moyens comprennent un second relief annulaire (70) pratiqué sur le rotor (24) au-dessus du premier relief (72), ledit relief (70) étant positionné dans la première gorge (38) et le premier relief (72) étant positionné dans la seconde gorge (40) lorsque le rotor (24) est complètement inséré dans la chambre (30), le premier relief (72) étant adapté lâchement dans la première gorge (38) lorsque le rotor (24) n'est que partiellement introduit dans le carter (22).
  9. Sceau selon la revendication 8, qui comprend au surplus des troisièmes moyens pour maintenir l'alignement des trous (42, 44, 46, 48, 80, 82) jusqu'à ce que le rotor (24) partiellement introduit et le carter (22) soit en rotation relative afin de recouvrir et déformer le fil (26).
  10. Sceau selon la revendication 9, pour lequel les troisièmes moyens comportent une patte (56, 58) formée sur la paroi du carter (28), au point d'insertion du rotor (34) et des zones évidées alignées (90, 92) complémentaires des pattes (56, 58) pratiquées dans les premier et second reliefs annulaires (70, 72).
  11. Sceau selon la revendication 10, pour lequel l'introduction partielle du rotor (24) dans la chambre (30) s'accompagne du clipsage du premier relief (72) dans la première gorge (38) et, la patte (56, 58) étant logée dans la zone évidée (92) lorsque les trous (42, 44, 46, 48, 80, 82) deviennent alignés, le clipsage du premier relief (72) dans la première gorge (38) permet d'éviter une introduction ou un enlèvement ultérieur inattendu du rotor (24) du carter (22), le clipsage de la patte (56, 58) dans la zone évidée (92) permettant d'éviter une rotation relative ultérieure du rotor (24) et du carter (22), la première coopération relief / gorge et la coopération patte / relief pouvant être surmontées par rotation rotor / carter pour enrouler le fil (26) et, par application intentionnelle d'efforts à l'introduction du rotor, introduction complète du rotor (24) permettant d'ajuster le premier relief (72) à la seconde gorge (40) et ajustant le second relief (70) à la première gorge (38).
  12. Sceau selon la revendication 1, les seconds moyens comportant une pluralité de dents (76) placées sur le rotor (24), et une pluralité de dents (34) sur le carter (22) dans la chambre (30), les unes s'engageant dans les autres afin d'éviter une rotation relative du rotor (24) et du carter (22) lorsque le premier (24) est complètement introduit, les dents n'étant pas en prise lorsque le rotor (24) n'est que partiellement introduit.
  13. Sceau selon la revendication 12, comprenant en outre une première et une seconde excroissances (50, 52) d'une seule pièce avec l'extérieur du carter (22), entourant et réalisant les extensions externes des premiers et seconds trous (42, 44, 46, 48), ces dernières servant à éviter qu'un objet inséré dans les trous puisse être utilisé comme lever pour agir sur le rotor (24) afin de l'enlever de la chambre dans laquelle il est complètement introduit.
  14. Sceau selon la revendication 1, pour lequel :
       le rotor (24) complètement introduit suivi d'une rotation relative entre ledit rotor (24) et le carter (22) pour recouvrir le fil (26) conduit les trous (42, 44, 46, 48, 80, 82) à être rotationnellement non alignés par non coplanarité, permettant d'empêcher l'introduction d'un élément à travers eux.
  15. Sceau selon la revendication 5, comprenant en outre des quatrièmes moyens pour empêcher de retirer le rotor (24) complètement inséré à l'aide d'un objet introduit dans les premiers et seconds trous (42, 44, 46, 48, 80, 82).
EP19900120179 1989-10-20 1990-10-20 Sceau rotatif amélioré Expired - Lifetime EP0423831B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US07/424,892 US4978026A (en) 1989-10-20 1989-10-20 Rotatable seal
US424892 1989-10-20
US07/587,963 US5180200A (en) 1990-09-25 1990-09-25 Rotatable seal
US587963 1990-09-25

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0423831A2 EP0423831A2 (fr) 1991-04-24
EP0423831A3 EP0423831A3 (en) 1991-08-07
EP0423831B1 true EP0423831B1 (fr) 1994-07-06

Family

ID=27026500

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19900120179 Expired - Lifetime EP0423831B1 (fr) 1989-10-20 1990-10-20 Sceau rotatif amélioré

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0423831B1 (fr)
JP (1) JPH0749739B2 (fr)
AU (1) AU640696B2 (fr)
DE (1) DE69010449T2 (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US8149114B2 (en) 2010-02-09 2012-04-03 Ekstrom Industries, Inc. Utility meter tamper monitoring system and method

Families Citing this family (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2678328B1 (fr) * 1991-06-28 1994-11-10 Itw De France Dispositif de verrouillage inviolable d'un lien et scelle le comportant.
NL9401954A (nl) * 1994-11-23 1996-07-01 Nedap Nv Snij-/klikconstructie.
US6000736A (en) * 1998-04-30 1999-12-14 E.J. Brooks Company Rotatable seal
US6390519B1 (en) * 2000-06-08 2002-05-21 E. J. Brooks Company Rotatable seal
EP1403841A3 (fr) * 2002-09-26 2004-12-22 Robert Robinson Sceau de sécurité de type à torsion
KR200448451Y1 (ko) * 2007-08-09 2010-04-13 주식회사 델타 계기 봉인장치
DE102008025061B4 (de) * 2008-05-26 2013-09-05 Alfa-Siltec Ltd. Indikatorplombe
MD4534C1 (ro) * 2017-03-03 2018-06-30 Сергей Чербарь Sigiliu cu rotor blocabil pentru dispozitive metrologice

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1826033A (en) * 1930-07-14 1931-10-06 Richard H Webster Sealing device
JPS6014305U (ja) * 1983-07-08 1985-01-31 自動車機器株式会社 流体圧シリンダ装置
JPH064810Y2 (ja) * 1988-06-24 1994-02-09 株式会社吉野工業所 化粧用コンパクト

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US8149114B2 (en) 2010-02-09 2012-04-03 Ekstrom Industries, Inc. Utility meter tamper monitoring system and method

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0423831A2 (fr) 1991-04-24
AU6488590A (en) 1991-04-26
DE69010449D1 (de) 1994-08-11
DE69010449T2 (de) 1994-10-27
AU640696B2 (en) 1993-09-02
EP0423831A3 (en) 1991-08-07
JPH03187479A (ja) 1991-08-15
JPH0749739B2 (ja) 1995-05-31

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