RU2571365C2 - Electronic seal - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: physics, signalling.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to electronic engineering, particularly to alarm systems, and can be used in developing methods and equipment for controlling access to a facility. The electronic seal comprises a housing which consists of two electrodes separated by a dielectric insert, which form a capacitive sensitive element which is electrically connected to a power supply, an inductive communication interface coil and an electronic unit for measuring capacitance of the sensitive elements, processing and storing information, said components being located inside the housing and connected to each other, and a safety cap.

EFFECT: high noise-immunity, improved performance of the device and reducing temperature dependence owing to the exclusion of movable parts in the design of the sensitive element.

5 cl, 3 dwg

Description

The invention relates to the field of electronic technology, in particular to alarm systems, and can be used in the development of methods and means of access control to an object.

A device is known that contains a cylindrical case, on the external surface of which a thread is made for attaching this device to a controlled object, a power source, a capacitive sensing element, a winding and a central processing unit (CPU) are electrically connected to each other. The CPU includes a microcontroller, a quartz resonator, a communication interface and a circuit for measuring the capacitance of a sensitive element, including a resistor (US patent No. 6791465, publ. 04/18/2002, IPC F16B 41/00, G08B 21/00, F16B 31/02) .

The disadvantages of this device are the need to pair it with a reader for transmitting data; the possibility of false positives due to the temperature dependence of the capacitive sensitive element.

A device is known, which is a cylindrical body in which a battery is installed; a fixed electrode made in the form of a disk of ceramic material; movable electrode; induction interface winding, central processing unit (CPU), cover, upper nut, lower nut and disk springs. The movable electrode is made in the form of a cylinder, on the outer surface of which a groove is made. Belleville springs fixed in the groove are fixed with a lower nut. From the outer end of the movable electrode, a blind threaded hole is made for fastening the device to a controlled object. One of the end surfaces of the fixed electrode / ceramic disk is coated with silver sputtering. In the case, the disk is mounted in such a way that it is oriented towards the movable electrode by the bare side. The movable and fixed electrodes form a capacitive sensitive element (RF patent No. 2401460, publ. 10.10.2010, IPC G08B 21/00, F16B 31/02, F16B 41/00 - prototype).

The device operates as follows.

When the device is screwed onto the threaded rod of the controlled object, the disk springs are compressed and the air gap between the movable electrode and the ceramic disk / fixed electrode increases. When the device is unscrewed under the influence of cup springs, the air gap decreases, which leads to a change in the capacitance of the sensing element, recorded by the CPU as a fact of access to the object. Information about access facts can be transmitted remotely via an induction interface to an external reader.

The disadvantage of this device is the need for power pairing of the device with a controlled object, the presence of movable elements in the structure.

The task to which the claimed invention is directed is to create a universal device that saves information about the sealing procedure and information about attempts to access a controlled object, eliminating the possibility of unauthorized replacement of an electronic sealing device with an identical one.

The technical result achieved by the claimed invention is to expand the functionality and scope of the device that records the fact of access.

The technical result is achieved by the fact that the capacitive sensitive element of the electronic seal consists of two electrodes, mainly cylindrical, which are parts of the electronic seal housing, separated by a dielectric insert, electrically connected to a power source located inside the housing and interconnected, an induction communication interface coil and an electronic unit measuring the capacitance of the sensitive element, processing and storage of information, while a protective cap is installed on the housing from dielectric material to protect the capacitive sensitive element from the effects of random interference, made in such a way that eliminates the removal of the electronic seal from the controlled object without removing the protective cap. On the inner surface of the protective cap, structural elements are made that mesh with the reciprocal structural elements on the outer surface of the housing and provide a fixation of the protective cap against axial movement after it is installed on the housing of the electronic seal, and these structural elements are designed in such a way that eliminates the removal of the electronic seal from controlled object when removing the protective cap. The thickness of the protective cap is selected from the condition of ensuring the required level of protection of the capacitive sensitive element from the effects of random interference.

In the embodiment of the electronic seal, an annular metal insert is installed inside the protective cap on the inlet end side, while the height of the insert is made in such a way that when the protective cap is fixed on the seal body in the working position, overlapping of the insulating insert between the electrodes of the indicated metal insert is eliminated.

In an embodiment, the electrode mating with the controlled object is made in the form of a body of revolution with a profiled end part for connection with the counter profiled part of the controlled object.

In an embodiment, on the end part of the electrode, mating with the controlled object, an external or internal thread is made for docking with the controlled object.

In an embodiment, the protective cap is threaded for connection with a controlled object.

The use of a new design scheme of a capacitive sensitive element, namely, the implementation of the electrodes as housing elements and the execution of one of the electrodes in the form of fixing means, allows to reduce the dimensions of the electronic seal, to exclude movable elements in the structure and, ultimately, to simplify its design and reduce its cost manufacture.

The invention is illustrated by drawings, where Fig. 1 shows a cross-sectional diagram of an embodiment of an electronic seal with an external threaded docking element, Fig. 2 shows an embodiment of a seal with an internal threaded docking element, Fig. 3 shows a cross-sectional diagram of an embodiment of an electronic seal .

The electronic seal contains a housing consisting of a first electrode 1, a second electrode 2 and an intermediate insert 3 of electrically insulating material forming a capacitive sensitive element. At the first electrode 1, structural elements are made for fastening the seal to the controlled object. A power supply 4, an inductor 5, and an electronic unit 6 are installed inside the housing. A protective cap 7 is installed on the electronic seal housing. In an embodiment, an annular metal insert 8 is installed inside the protective cap 7, from the input end side.

Electronic seal works as follows.

The electronic seal is fixed on the controlled object, while the protective cap 7 is installed on the body of the electronic seal.

If the protective cap 7 is removed, the sensitivity of the capacitive element consisting of electrode 1, electrode 2, and intermediate insert 3 sharply increases. When an object with a dielectric constant different from the dielectric constant is introduced into the sensitivity zone of the capacitive element, the input capacitance of the sensitive element changes, and the formation of the sensitive element pulse initiating a record of the fact of access indicating the date and time of access to the internal memory of the electronic unit 6. The presence of induction inter Yeisa connection provides data to remotely to an external reading device.

In the embodiment of the protective cap 7 with the inner ring 8 of metal material, the formation of a pulse initiating a record of the fact of access occurs already at the time of removal of the protective cap 7.

Using the proposed technical solution will improve operational characteristics, reduce manufacturing costs and expand the scope of the electronic seal.

Claims (5)

1. An electronic seal, characterized in that it contains a housing consisting of two electrodes, mainly cylindrical, separated by a dielectric insert, forming a capacitive sensitive element connected to a power source located inside the housing and interconnected, an induction communication interface coil and an electronic unit measuring the capacitance of the sensitive element, processing and storage of information, a protective cap of dielectric material mounted on the housing and so that it eliminates the removal of the electronic seal from the controlled object without removing the protective cap, moreover, on the inner surface of the protective cap, structural elements are made that mesh with the reciprocal structural elements on the outer surface of the housing and ensure that the protective cap is secured from axial movement after it is mounted on the case of the electronic seal, and these structural elements are made in such a way that eliminates the removal of the seal with a controlled of the object when removing the protective cap. 2. The electronic seal according to claim 1, characterized in that an annular metal insert is installed inside the protective cap, from the side of its inlet end, so that when the protective cap is installed on the seal body in the working position, the said insert is not guaranteed to overlap the dielectric the insert between the electrodes, the height of the annular insert on the axis selected from the condition that the height of the dielectric insert between the electrodes is exceeded. 3. An electronic seal according to any one of claims 1, 2, characterized in that one of the electrodes is made with a profiled end part for connection with the counter profiled part of the controlled object. 4. An electronic seal according to any one of claims 1, 2, characterized in that at the end of the electrode mating with the controlled object, an external or internal thread is made for docking with the controlled object. 5. An electronic seal according to any one of claims 1, 2, characterized in that the protective cap is threaded for connection with a controlled object.

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