GB2249299A - Integrity seals - Google Patents

Abstract

A seal 8 for an instrument 1 is composed at least partly of self-adhesive foil which has an identification region 9 carrying and displaying visual information pertaining to the instrument 1 and a sealing region 10. The sealing region 10 extends over separable parts of the instrument 1 so as to indicate when these parts have been disturbed, and may have regions designed to rupture easily so that tampering is more evident. The sealing region may be a narrow tongue protruding from the identification region, and the seal may be T-shaped or L-shaped (fig 6). <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN SEALS The invention relates to seals. In particular, the invention relates to a seal for the sealing of two interconnected housing components of an appliance or instrument by means of a sealing member attached to both housing components and which indicates when the components have been disturbed.

In general, a housing for example of a measuring and counting instrument, consists of at least two components, one of which may need to be removed or displaced for maintenance purposes or otherwise. Releasable connecting means between the housing components may be required with instruments subject to standardisation, it may be necessary to seal the connecting means, in order to be able to make unauthorised intervention visible. Ideally, the seals should be quickly and easily applied. It is advantageous if the seals are simple to use and are of nominal unit cost. In many circumstances such seals must additionally be small, and be capable of being applied in confined areas, preferably without special preparations having been made.

Sealing members in the form of labels or revenue stamps, which are attached by adhesive, may be used to seal housing components. Current adhesives can withstand extreme climatic and chemical conditions, but seals of this type cannot be used in all cases, say, for aesthetic reasons.

Similar requirements for securing an instrument exist with the application of a name plate or identification plate, for example, an instrument and serial number, an assembly date, transmission and operating data or details of measurement ranges and registration data. If the seal is applied to an instrument requiring standardisation, the seal must be applied so that it is easily visible from outside. Thus an attachment of the identification plate by sticking would have the advantage that the identification plate is applied more or less independently and can be aligned at the time of application. However, in many cases, the identification plates of such instruments are subject to official registration. These plates are generally attached by riveting, flanging or by clamping between the housing components, which are then sealed.This makes manipulation of the identification plates difficult.

These identifying and sealing measures when necessary prior to the packing and delivering of an instrument, increase production and assembly costs.

The object of the present invention is to reduce the expenses incurred in the identification and sealing of such instruments.

A unitary member combining the identification plate and the sealing member provides a solution to this objective.

According to the invention there is provided a seal for the sealing of two interconnected housing components of an instrument or the like; the seal being composed of a self-adhesive coated foil and comprising a sealing region attached to both housing components and an integral identification region carrying information associated with the instrument.

The self-adhesive coated foil material used to form the seal may possess one or more pre-determined rupture points or zones. In contrast to the known arrangements, only one part need be produced and handled. The necessary careful preparation of the surface to be adhered to need be carried out only once for each surface. In addition, the invention allows more efficient use of the exterior surface of the housing. The invention also allows an aesthetically more favourable design to be produced than an individual label seal. Inscriptions with characters and symbols specifying details etc only need to be provided once. The desired rupture point may appropriately pass through this proof of origin, so that a seal in accordance with the invention type may offer a greater sealing effect than a simple label seal.The minimal space required for the identification region and seal in region is advantageous particularly with instruments having a small surface area or having a small space available for identification and securing measures.

The invention may be understood more readily, and various aspects and the features of the invention may become apparent, from consideration of the following description.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of examples, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 shows a wheel revolution counter together with a seal in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 shows a wheel revolution counter with another seal in accordance with the invention; Figure 3 shows an additional sealing component for use in conjunction with the seal shown in Figure 2; Figure 4 shows a meter together with a seal in accordance with the invention; Figure 5 shows a data storage instrument together with a seal in accordance with the invention; and Figure 6 shows a further embodiment of a seal.

Figures 1 and 2 depict an instrument in the form of a wheel revolution counter 1 which serves for the monitoring of distances covered. Such counters are connected directly to the axle cap or the wheel hub of a motor vehicle, semi-trailer or trailer.

The wheel revolution counter 1 illustrated in Figure 1 consists of a cylindrical housing 2 and a cylindrical cover 3. The housing 2 is provided with a screw thread 4, by means of which the wheel revolution counter 1 is attached to the wheel hub in known manner.

In this embodiment, the distance values are transmitted by electronic means. For this purpose, located on the end face of the counter 1 is an annular insulating layer 5 and a contact part 6 insulated with respect to the cover 3. An annular groove 7 serves for the connection of a scanning head constructed as a plug and which is not shown. In this example, the cover 3, which is screwed to the housing 2 in a gas-tight manner, is opened solely for maintenance purposes and exchanging the battery. Sealing of the instrument is necessary particularly in the case where taxation of such vehicles is proportional to distances covered.

The reference numeral 8 designates a seal constructed in accordance with the invention. The seal 8 is composed of sheet material of T-shaped profile defining an identification region 9, and a sealing region in the form of a tongue 10. The region 9 is applied to the cover 3 of the wheel revolution counter 1 on the end face. The sealing tongue 10 overlaps the edge of the cover 3, projects over the peripheral surface of the cover 3 and the housing 2 to extend over the gap 11 between the cover 3 and the housing 2. The sealing tongue 10 thus seals the connection of the two components 3, 2 of the counter 1. The identification region 9 and sealing tongue 10 are made from a self-adhesive foil material. In the region of the seal forming the sealing tongue 10, a special pattern of predetermined rupture points, are formed.These have the effect that, when attempting to release the sealing tongue 10, a rupture contour is produced. Any attempt to replace the cover 3 and bring the sealing tongue 10 into the original state, remains visible.

The wheel revolution counter 12 illustrated in Figure 2 is again composed of a housing 13 and a cover 14. This instrument is one from which the distance values are recorded by means of a printed document. An insertion slot for the printed document is accessible only after the removal of the cover 14. In this case, the cover 14 is connected to the housing 13 by means of a bayonet connection. This connection is again secured by means of a seal 15, similar to Figure 1. In this case the identification region of the seal 15, is applied to the peripheral surface of the cylindrical housing 13 while the sealing tongue projects over the cover 14.

Figure 3 shows a rectangular additional sealing component 16, which can be used for subsequent sealing in the cases of recalibration, exchange of components, maintenance or the removal of a printed document in the instruments of Figures 1 and 2 after the sealing tongue 10 has been broken. The sealing component 16 corresponds to the geometry of the sealing tongue 10 of the seal 15 and preferably engages over the identification region of the original seal 15. If maintenance procedures or readings are undertaken on a regular basis, it may be advantageous to provide further seal components 16 in different colours, to identify, say, when the seal was last replaced.

Figure 4 shows a seal 17 in accordance with the invention which is of rectangular shape. The seal is applied to the front side of a meter 18 and comprises a sealing region in the form of an apron 20 and an identification region 19. The sealing apron 20 secures a cover for an exchangeable memory component of the meter 18. The reference numerals 21 and 22 designate the display windows of the meter 18 and one of several keys or buttons serving for the control of the instrument.

The instrument 23 illustrated in Figure 5 is a datastorage instrument with a hinged cover 24. On the inside of the cover 24 there is which is a pocket for a cardlike or disc-like data cassette 25. In this embodiment, a rectangular seal 29 in accordance with the invention is applied so that the identification region 30 is visible on the front face of the instrument and the sealing apron 31 overlaps the end face of the instrument 23. Thus the sealing apron 31 bridges the gap 34 located between the housing components 32 and 33.

Figure 6 shows an L-shaped plate seal 35 in accordance with the invention which can be used both with cylindrical as well as with cube-shaped housings. The seal 35 has an identification region 37 and a sealing region or tongue 38. The seal 35 may be constructed so that a diagonal rupture contour 36 is provided between the regions 38, 37. Such a contour 36 can be provided elsewhere on the entire seal 35, e.g. the sealing tongue 38 extending from the identification region 37 is solely provided with a desired rupture contour or network. The dot-dash line 39 is intended to indicate a gap to be bridged between the housing components.

In further embodiments, a suitable housing recess may be associated with the seal, or the seal may be located on an end face of a housing such that the sealing tongue overlaps the rear side and thus a base plate or the like of the respective instrument is sealed.

The invention is, however, not restricted to the foregoing examples.

Claims (7)

1. A seal for the sealing of two interconnected housing components of an instrument or the like; the seal being composed of a self-adhesive coated foil and comprising a sealing region attached to both housing components and an integral identification region carrying information associated with the instrument.

2. A seal according to Claim 1, wherein at least one predetermined rupture contour is located between the identification region and the sealing region.

3. A seal according to Claim 1, wherein the foil material of the identification region is provided with a network of predetermined rupture points at least in the vicinity of the sealing region.

4. A seal according to claim 1 and further comprising a rupture region, within or between the other regions.

5. A seal according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein a narrow tongue forming the sealing region projects outwardly from the identification region.

6. A seal according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the sealing and identification regions define an L-shaped or T-shaped profile.

7. A seal substantially as described with reference to and as illustrated in any one or more of the Figures of the accompanying drawings.