FR3028847A1 - DEVICE FOR PROTECTING THE CONTENT OF A CONTAINER AND METHOD FOR THE USE OF SUCH A SEAL - Google Patents

Abstract

1. Device (10) for protecting a container (100) having at least one moving part, characterized in that it comprises: - at least two means (105) of fixing, - a mechanical link (110) connecting the fixing means (105) and - at least one anti-copy mark (115) on the mechanical link (110) and / or on a fixing means; wherein a fastening means is configured to be fixedly secured to at least one movable part of the container so that access to the contents of the container by moving said moving part relative to the structure requires destruction of the device.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a device and a method of protecting a container which aims to guarantee the integrity of its contents. It applies in particular to securing a container for transporting goods.

STATE OF THE ART The management of today's supply chain is increasingly complex. It is not only the length of the route, but the diversity of the means of transport used. The internationalization of trade imposes customs controls. The use of containers is massive. These are subject to many manipulations, and are subject to expectations in port or storage areas. The risks that the content is stolen, destroyed, degraded, replaced or simply supplemented by illegal elements are increasingly important. The question of the integrity of the container then becomes essential.

Integrity means that the container is on its arrival in the same state as when it left. In other words, it means that it has not been opened, and if it is not, a check can be made. Obviously, any cutting in the structure inevitably leads to detecting the offense. For the rest, it is a question of guaranteeing that no access has been opened during the whole trip. If multiple tools can close two doors, it remains to ensure that the container was not opened and then closed by an identical means. It is then a question of providing the closure means with an infalsifiability function, or "seal", the authentication of the seal then having to be done ideally at any time, and without resorting to sophisticated means.

It should be noted that the mechanical structure of the container does not guarantee relative positioning of the elements to be secured. Indeed, during handling, trans-shipment for example, or simply transport, it is possible that the deformations of the container structure lead to significant relative movements. Any rigid sealing system will be 3028847 2 to proscribe. That's why many devices are built around soft structures made of plastic or metal. None of the current systems make it possible to simultaneously meet all the requirements required, namely to ensure the integrity of a container of goods between its place of departure and its place of arrival, to guarantee the non-reproducibility of the device of closing. OBJECT OF THE INVENTION The present invention aims to remedy all or part of these disadvantages. For this purpose, according to a first aspect, the present invention aims at a device for protecting a container comprising at least one moving part, which comprises: at least two fixing means, a mechanical link connecting the fixing means and at least one anti-copy mark on the mechanical link and / or on a fixing means; wherein a fastening means is configured to be fixedly secured to at least one movable part of the container so that access to the contents of the container by moving said moving part relative to the structure requires destruction of the device. Thanks to these arrangements, a characteristic element of the identity of the protective device can be obtained by examining the anti-copy mark and consequently it is possible to ensure that the mobile part of the container, for example the door of a container. , have not been opened, checking the integrity and the anti-copying mark of the device. In embodiments, the fastening means is a non-return clip, so that tearing of this fastener causes it to be destroyed. This prevents a third party who would have forced the fastener to reuse. In embodiments, the device that is the subject of the present invention comprises, on at least one of the attachment means, an opening or a housing.

This facilitates the installation of the fixing means and allows the insertion of an element into the cavity created. In embodiments, the device which is the subject of the present invention comprises at least one element which is introduced into the opening or housing of at least one of the fixing means. This allows the introduction of tools with useful functions, for example communication. In embodiments, the element contained in the opening or the housing is a metal part. This piece is a conductive element, the element 5 can serve as an antenna. This facilitates the transmission of data between the protective device is another device. In embodiments, the element contained in the aperture or housing is a waveguide for connecting the device to an apparatus in the container. For example a GPS box (acronym for Global Positioning System 10 for global positioning system) for communication via a wave carrying the information to be transmitted. The communication between this device and a communicating communicating mobile terminal being performed in free space, provided that the respective positioning of the two elements allows optical communication regardless of the filling of the container.

In embodiments, the element contained in the aperture or housing present is a non-return clip, so that tearing of this element causes its destruction. This discourages the flights and makes unusable the element after tearing. In embodiments, at least one anti-copy mark is a mark made by molding. This method has the advantage of allowing the molding of the entire device in one piece and at low cost. In embodiments, at least one mark is made by laser etching. This method allows increased accuracy in marking. According to a second aspect, the present invention is directed to a container which includes a protective device object of the present invention. According to a third aspect, the present invention relates to a method for protecting a container comprising at least one moving part, the method comprising: a step of laying down at least one protective device that is the subject of the present invention, comprising at least one least one anti-copy mark, 30 - a step of capture by a communicating mobile terminal, of at least part of the anti-copy mark comprising at least one identification element part, - a transmission step of this element identification method to a server, - a step of reading in an image memory, said identification element, - a control step by comparison between the anti-copy mark and the identification element.

Since the objects, advantages and particular characteristics of this container and method that are the subject of the present invention being similar to those of the device that is the subject of the present invention, they are not recalled here. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Other advantages, aims and features of the present invention will emerge from the description which follows, for the purpose of explanation and in no way limiting, with reference to the appended drawings, in which: FIG. 1 represents, schematically and in section, a particular embodiment of a device for protecting a container that is the subject of the present invention, and FIG. 2 represents, in the form of a logic diagram, the steps implemented of a particular embodiment of the method. protection of a container object of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLES OF THE INVENTION It is already noted that the figures are not to scale. FIG. 1 shows a particular embodiment of the protective device 10 of a container 100 comprising a moving part which is the subject of the present invention in which at least two fixing means 105 are configured to be fixed in an equivalent number of holes present on a container 100, a mechanical link 110 connecting the means 105 for fixing. At least one anti-copy mark 115 is formed on the mechanical link 110 and / or on a fixing means 105. The fastening means 105 are intended to attach the device 10 to the container 100, they are configured to be securely attached to at least one moving part of the container 100 so that access to the contents of the container 100 by moving said piece mobile with respect to the structure imposes a destruction of the device 10.

In one embodiment, at least one fastening means 105 is a non-return clip, so that tearing of this fixing means causes it to be destroyed. The non-return clip may be in the form of a circular section and an abutment with a larger cross-sectional diameter at the end, so that once inserted, it can not be removed. securing means 105 without destroying it. In one embodiment, the diameter of the clip in the thickness of the wall of the container 100 is smaller than the diameter of the hole in this wall. This has three advantages - - it makes it possible to reduce the relative movements of the two parts to be sealed, for example doors, or door and door, which reduces the mechanical fatigue of the device 10, and therefore the risks of rupture, - this allows avoid any bonding process in the orifice, which would constitute a possible parry to a destruction of the device 10 and its partial reconstitution and 15 - this allows, in case of voluntary rupture, to lose the inner part to avoid any subsequent re-bonding . In one embodiment the fastening means is made of plastic. In variants, steel is used. The mechanical link 110 connects at least one fixing means 105 with one or more other fixing means 105 or with the container 100. In variants, the mechanical link 110 is made of plastic. In other variants the mechanical link 110 is formed of steel links. The anti-copy mark 115 is a printed matrix whose degradation, i.e., the difference with the digital matrix can be measured to discriminate an original from a copy. This degradation consists of point errors, individually unpredictable, making the value represented by a point is wrong. This degradation is generated by: - the only print noise of the printed dot matrix, for an original dot matrix, - to which is added the noise of capture and digitization of an image of an original matrix and the print noise of this image, for a copied matrix.

The numerical matrix defining the matrix of points to be printed is optimized not to be reproduced and so that the discrimination of an original and a copy can be done by simple comparison of an error rate in the matrix of printed points and a limit error rate.

In one embodiment, the anti-copy mark 115 is directly molded with the remainder of the device 10. In an alternative embodiment, the anti-copy mark 115 is made by laser etching. The anti-copy mark 115 may be written anywhere on the device 10, whether on the mechanical link 110 or the means 105 for fixing.

In one embodiment, at least two anti-copy indicia 115 are disposed on the same device 10. In one embodiment, at least one of the attachment means 105 includes an opening or a housing. In one embodiment an element 120 is inserted into the aperture or housing. This element can be an element for communication. In one embodiment the element 120 contained in the opening or the housing is a non-return clip, so that pulling this element causes its destruction. This configuration has the advantage of discouraging the theft of the element 120.

In one embodiment, the element 120 contained in the opening or the housing is a metal part. In one embodiment, the element 120 contained in the opening or the housing is a waveguide making it possible to connect the device to an apparatus present in the container 100.

In one embodiment, the anti-copy mark 115 is molded, alternatively the device 10 is integrally molded including two attachment means 105, a mechanical link 110 and an anti-copy mark 115. In one embodiment, an anti-copy mark 115 is also inscribed on the element 120 inserted in the aperture or housing.

In one embodiment, a plurality of protective devices 10 of the present invention are placed at the same time on the same container 100 to enhance the protection.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the method 20 for protecting a container 100 comprising at least one moving part, characterized in that it comprises: a step 205 for laying at least one device protection device as described with reference to FIG. 1 comprising at least one anti-copy mark, - a capture step 210 by a communicating mobile terminal, of at least part of the anti-copy mark 115 comprising at least an identification element part, a step 215 of transmission of this identification element to a server, a step 220 of reading, by the server, in an image memory, of said identification element and a comparison step 225 between the copy-proof mark and the identification element collected at the time of departure and supplying the result of the check, for example by displaying on a screen of a communicating mobile terminal. The step 205 of installing at least one protective device 10 consists, in one embodiment, of inserting the end having the means for fixing at least one protective device into an opening on the moving part of the device. 20 content to protect and at least one other on a fixed part or on a moving part independent of the container to be protected. The final assembly can, for example, be in the form of a device attached to the two leaves of a container or on the sliding door of a truck and the fixed external part of the truck.

The capture step 210 by a communicating mobile terminal consists, in one embodiment, of taking a photograph of at least one copy-proof mark. This action has the advantage of noting the state of the protective device and to identify an element representative of the identity of the container at the time of its closure.

In one embodiment, the person who closes the container also records the information, for example: destination, content, owner, dangerousness, provenance, relative to the container that it is sealing.

In one embodiment, the data collection is performed by exchanging data with a data storage device present within the container. The data collection can be carried out for example in communication by telephone or by a communicating mobile terminal via a telecommunication network, preferably a short-range network or personal network, better known as the English Personal Area Network abbreviated PAN, preferably by communication. near field better known as Near Field Communication abbreviation NFC. The advantage of using this type of network is the low power consumption and the ease of pairing directly on the site. The step 215 of transmitting said identification element to a server consists in using the communicating mobile terminal to send the identification element via the telecommunication networks, for example Mobile Special Group, abbreviated GSM, internet or satellite to a center. remote data storage. In a preferred embodiment, the data collected in step 210 is also transferred. The step 220 of reading, in an image memory, said identification element consists of the recovery and storage of the image captured during the step 210.

The control step 225 compares the anti-copy mark 115 with the identification element. This step is performed at the destination. The person who opens the container verifies the integrity of the device 210 and then retrieves the element representing the identity of the container 100 and compares it with the anti-copy mark 115 of the one recovered on arrival on the same container. The analysis of the printed dot matrix discriminates an original from a copy.

Claims (11)

REVENDICATIONS1. Device (10) for protecting a container (100) comprising at least one moving part, characterized in that it comprises: at least two fixing means (105), a mechanical link (110) connecting the means (105) fastening means and at least one anti-copy mark (115) on the mechanical link (110) and / or on a fastening means; wherein a fastening means is configured to be fixedly secured to at least one movable part of the container so that access to the contents of the container by moving said moving part relative to the structure requires destruction of the device. 2. Device according to claim 1, wherein the fixing means (105) is a non-return clip, so that tearing of the fixing means causes its destruction. 3. Device according to one of claims 1 to 2, which comprises, on at least one means (105) for fixing, an opening or a housing. 4. Device according to claim 3, which comprises a member (120) inserted into the opening or the housing. 5. Device according to claim 4, wherein the element (120) contained in the opening or the housing is a non-return clip, so that pulling this element causes its destruction. 6. Device according to claims 4 or 5, wherein element (120) contained in the opening or the housing is a metal part. 7. Device according to claims 4 or 5, wherein the element (120) contained in the opening or the housing is a waveguide for connecting the device to an apparatus present in the container (100). 3028847 10 8. Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein at least one mark (115) anti-copy is a mark (115) anti-copy made by molding. 9. Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein at least one mark (115) anti-copy is performed by laser etching. 10. Container characterized in that it comprises at least one device (10) for protection according to one of claims 1 to 9. 10 11. A method (20) for protecting a container (100) comprising at least one moving part, characterized in that it comprises: a step (205) of laying at least one protection device (10), according to one of claims 1 to 9, comprising at least one anti-copy mark (115), a step (210) of capture by a communicating mobile terminal, of at least part of the anti-copy mark (115) comprising at least one identifying element part, a step (215) of transmitting this identification element to a server, a step (220) of reading, in an image memory, of said identification element and a comparison step (225) between the copy-proof mark and the identification element.