GB2213434A - Security seal - Google Patents

Abstract

A security seal comprises key (4) and a receptacle (3) for the key joined by an elongate flexible connection piece (2). The receptacle includes a closed chamber (8) and an aperture (9) communicating the chamber with the exterior of the receptacle. The key includes a tongue (10) comprised of two segments (11a, 11b) which are joined so that they may be relatively rotated from their equilibrium condition to an aligned condition for insertion together into the aperture. The first inserted segment (11b) reverts to the equilibrium condition once through the aperture (9) and wholly into the chamber to thereby lock the key to the receptacle with the other segment (11a) in the aperture. This other segment (11a) is joined to the connecting piece (2) and the aperture is a close fit with such other segment to prevent access to the chamber (8) while the other segment is in the aperture. <IMAGE>

Description

"SECURITY sEAL" This invention relates to a security seal and more particularly to an elongate flexible security seal for containers. Such a seal attached to a container is intended to ensure that the container is not opened without authority: if any unauthorised attempt is made to open the container, the seal should provide evidence of tapering or interference.

Security seals presently available on the market can be easilytampered with by persons familiar with such seals. The seals are thus not tdmperproof and can be opened without any permanent evidence or sign of breaking and resealing.

Disclosures of prior security seals are to be found in U.s. patents 3463532, 467427 and 489449.

An object of the present invention is to provide a relatively inexpensive and efficient security seal which is substantially tamperproof to the extent that it shows permanent evidence of any attempted tampering or interference with the contents of the container to which the seal is attached, thus ensuring that the container is transfered from one place to another in a secured manner.

The invention accordingly provides a security seal which comprises key means and a receptacle for the key means joined by an elongate flexible connecting piece. The receptacle includes a closed chamber and an aperture communicating the chamber with the exterior of the receptacle. The key means includes a tongue comprised of two segments which are joined so that they may be relatively rotated from their equilibrium condition to an aligned condition for insertion together into said aperture. The first inserted segment reverts to the equilibrium condition once through the aperture and wholly into the chamber to thereby lock the key means to the receptacle with the other segment in the aperture. This other segment is joined to the connecting piece and the aperture is a close fit with such other segment to prevent access to the chamber while the other segment is in the aperture.

The security seal preferably further comprises at least one point of weakness at which the seal preferentially breaks pin any attempt to pull the key means away from the receptacle. This point of weakness is advantageously disposed at the join between the tongue segments and/or at the join between the aforesaid other segment and the elongate connecting piece.

Preferably, the tongue segments are substantially planar rectangular segments which are not co-planar in the equilibrium condition. The aperture is then a slit.

The key means advantageously further includes a socket member arranged about the aforesaid other segment for fitting e least partially about the receptacle when the key means is locked to the receptacle, the socket member then covering and obscuring the aperture.

The seal is advantageously integrally formed in a plastics composition such as, for example, nylon, The invention will now be further described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a security seal according to the invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of the seal; Figure 3 is a crosa-section on the line 3-3 in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but depicting the seal locked in place on a container; and Figure 5 illustrates alternative configurations of the slit in the receptacle and corresponding key configurations.

The illustrated security seal (1) includes a key (4) and a receptacle (3) for the key joined by an elongate flexible connecting piece in the form of a flat strip (2). The seal comprises a single integral extrusion in a suitable plastics material such as nylon. Receptacle (3) comprises a cylindrical body (3a) which is upstanding from strip (2), and which forms a hollow or tubular base (8) and a solid upper part (7). Base (8) thereby defines a closed chamber (boa), The upper solid half (7) has a longitudinal slit (9) which is disposed in a diametral plane of body (3a) and communicates chamber (8a) with the exterior of the receptacle, Whe the seal is locked in position on a container, slit (9) receives the key (4) in a manner to be described below.The external surface of receptacle base (8) has rows of evenly displaced spikes or bristles (25) which will break or disfigure on application of moderate force to the receptacle, thereby visually revealing deformation of the receptacle.

The key (4) of the seal includes a tongue (10) which comprises of two similar rectangular flat or planar segments (gila, lob)1 and a generally tubular socket (12). Inner segment (liy) is substantially an extension of strip (2) but is joined to the strip by a reduced cross-section point of weakness (17). Outer tongue segment (lib) lies in its equilibrium condition in a plane at right angles to the plantar strip (2) and segment (ha). The two segments are joined by a short stem (18) which forms a further point of weakness but allows totstion of segment (lib) relative to segment (Ila) to a co-planar aligned condition so that the two segments may be inserted together into slit (9).Each of the segments (lla, llb) has one or more ribs (20) which are complementary to and engageable with matching grooves (21) in the side faces of sit (9). In general, each segment is an all-round close sliding fit in the slit.

Figure 5 depicts some exemplary matching configurations of ribs on the tongue key segments and grooves in the slit. It will be understood that any other configuration is possible, including the converse arrangement employing grooves on the tongue segments and ribs in the slit.

Socket (12) extends generally about tongue segment (lea) and is integrally connected to the strip (2) behind point of weakness (17) by an annular base (23). The socket is open at its end adjacent segment (lib) and is dimensioned to receive the solid upper part (7) of receptacle (3) in a close fit.

Strip (2) is typically provided with a variable code (5) comprising, for example, alphabetical or numerical indicia or a bar code in any permutation and combination embossed prominently on the strip. Proximate to the key, the strip is further provided with formations to facilitate a firm grip of the strip when inserting key (4) into receptacle (3). Such formations may include three rectangular raised lands (6), as depicted, or any other suitable combination of apertures, recesses, grooves, ribs and/or raised lands.

Referring now to Figure 4, the illustrated security seal is locked to a container (30) by first passing the key end and the strip through the latch or other component (32) of the container lid (34), the point of attachment being chosen so that the container can only be opened by first removing the seal. Strip (2) is then bent round and with tongue segment (gila) rotated into co-planar alignment with tongue segment (lib), the tongue is inserted into slit (9). Segment (lIb) reverts to its equilibrium condition once through aperture (9) and wholly into chamber (spa) to thereby lock the key to the receptacle. with segment (lea) in aperture (9) and socket (12) firmly engaged about the solid end (7) of receptacle (3). It will be understood that tongue (10) is pressed into slit (9) by applying light force to the base (23) of tubular socket (12) with the thumb and forefinger. As the tongue moves along slit (9) light force has still to be applied until tongue segment (lib) moves past the solid section of the receptacle.

Dimensions of the key (4) are arranged so that just after segment (lib) rotates to its equilibrium position in chamber (boa), the base (23) of socket (12) engages the top of receptacle (3).

The socket acts as a barrier preventing the insertion of any metal piece or wire or any other foreign matter for any attempt to reposition tongue segment (lIb) to unlock the mechanism. The base (23) of socket (12) therefore itself serves as a cover and a barrier preventing tampering or interference. This is further enhanced by providing for slit (9) to be an all-round close sliding fit with tongue segment (lea), so ensuring that no other external object such as a piece of wire can be inserted down the slit.

Furthermore, as the grooves (21) in the slit are substantially filled by the ribs (20) of tongue segment (lea), no device can be inserted via grooves (22) to change the position of tongue segment (lib) in chamber (8a). As mentioned, this tongue segment, once it is inside chamber (8a) realigns itself perpendicular t,o the plane of the strip as it reverts to its equiliEriumwunstrained position This position will be-the final position and it will thereby be substantially impossible for any person to remove the key from the receptacle.

Any use of force in an attempt to separate the key from the receptacle will break the strip at once of its points of weakness (17, 18), thus breaking the seal. Application of force to the strip in an attempt to open the seal will thus either break the seal at these weak points or cause irreversible change in the shape and/or color of this strip so that it would be obvious to any recipient of the container that the container has been possibly tampered with. One visual proof of such stress or strain applied to the seal will be provided by the external bristles (25) on receptacle (3).

Removal of the seal can be affected in two alternative ways. According to the first method, the seal is pulled away from the latch of the container lid: the flat strip is held by both hands and sharply pulled in opposite directions whereby to snap the seal at one of the points of weakness (17, 18). The alternative method is to cut strip (2) with a knife or a pair of scissors.

As the illustrated security seal is made as a single integral extrusion, it does not contain any detachable or independent parts which can be replaced. This ensures that once the seal is tampered with, it is impossible to repair it without any noticeable damage.

Claims (13)

1 A security seal comprising key means and a receptacle for the key means joined by an elongate flexible connecting piece, wherein the receptacle includes a closed chamber and an aperture communicating Xhe chamber with the exterior of the receptacle, and the key means includes a tongue comprised of two segments which are joined so that they may be relatively rotated from their equilibrium condition to an aligned condition for insertion together into said aperture, the first inserted segment reverting to the equilibrium condition once through said aperture and wholly into said chamber to thereby lock the key means to the receptacle with the other segment in the aperture, which other segment is joined to said connecting piece, said aperture being a close fit with said other segment to prevent access to said chamber while said other segment is in the aperture.

2. A security seal according to claim 1 further comprising at least one point of weakness at which the seal preferentially breaks on any attempt to pull the key means away from the receptscle.

3. A security seal according to claim 2 wherein said point of weakness is disposed at the join between said tongue segments and/or at the join between said other segment and said elongate connecting piece.

4, A security seal according to any preceding claim wherein the tongue segments are substantially planar rectangular segments which are not co-plannar in said equilibrium condition, and wherein said aperture is a slit.

5. A security seal according to any preceding claim wherein said key means further includes a socket member arranged about said other. segment for fitting at least partially about said receptacle when the key means is locked to the receptscle, said socket member then covering and obscuring said aperture.

6. A security seal according to claim 5 wherein said receptacle comprises a cylindrical body and said socket is of tubular configuration complementary to said cylindrical body.

7. A security seal according to any preceding claim integrally formed in a plastics composition.

8. A security seal according to any preceding claim wherein said aperture has at least one longitudinal groove and/or rib and each of said tongue segments has a complementary rib and/or groove engageable with the groove and/or rib in eh aperture.

9. A security seal according to any preceding claim wherein said receptacle includes multiple external bristle means which visually reveals deformation of the receptacle.

10, A security seal according to any preceding claim wherein said connecting piece comprises an elongate strip.

11. A security seal according to claim 10 further comprising one or more apertures, recesses and/or raised lands in either or both major surfaces of the strip to facilitate' gripping of the strip when, inserting the key means into the receptacle.

12. A security seal substantially as herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

13. The steps or features disclosed herein or any combination thereof.