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
  • G09F3/0311—Forms or constructions of security seals characterised by the type of seal used having arrow-like sealing means
• • 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
  • G09F3/08—Fastening or securing by means not forming part of the material of the label itself
  • G09F3/14—Fastening or securing by means not forming part of the material of the label itself by strings, straps, chains, or wires

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an improved security seal for use in sealing a label holder of the type described and illustrated in United States Patent US 5,118,148.
• United States Patents US 4,106,801 and US 4,175,782 relate to label holders and security seals in which a cord from the interior of the label holder is tightened about the neck of a bag with its free end returned and held within the label holder. Both ends of the cord and the destination label of the bag itself are closed within the label holder which is then sealed to prevent unauthorised access to the ends of the cord.
• United States Patent US 5,118,148 improvements to both the label holder and the security seal are proposed, to ensure that the label holder will remain satisfactorily closed and sealed along the entire width of the closed end and not only at one localised point.
• a label holder comprising two generally planar, superimposed portions held together at one end by a security seal.
• One of the portions is formed with first and second protuberances protruding towards the other portion which is provided with apertures to allow the protuberances to pass therethrough.
• the protuberances are separated from each other a distance of the same order as the width of the end of the label holder.
• One of the protuberances defines a first aperture which receives a locking part of a security seal, a capsule part of the seal receiving a head part of the locking part from the other side of the first aperture.
• the other protuberance defines a second aperture which receives the end of a blade which is integral with one of the parts of the seal.
• the blade of the seal has a free end in the shape of a hook, which, when the label holder is closed and sealed, engages in the aperture in the second protuberance, thereby keeping the two portions of the label holder together not only in the region of the locking part of the seal, but also at the other end where the hook is formed.
• a security seal of a type comprising a locking part, a capsule part, for receiving through an entrance a head of the locking part in locking relation, a flexible connection between the locking part and the capsule part, and a blade integral with one of the locking or capsule parts, the locking part having a base connected to the head by weakening means, the base comprising a first portion of larger cross section, remote from the weakening means and a second portion of smaller cross section, between the first portion and the weakening means, the blade having a free end configured to make its deflection difficult during use of the seal for sealing a label holder.
• the free end of the blade is provided with an elastic locking device which allows the free end to be introduced through an aperture of substantially equal transverse cross section as that of the blade, due to the elastic deformation of the elastic locking device, but does not allow it to be withdrawn from the aperture in the direction of the part integral with the blade.
• the elastic locking device comprises a tab, with an end closest to the part integral with the blade, salient therefrom, the tab being elastically deformable such that it is capable of yielding towards the blade.
• the tab can be formed integral with a planar surface of the blade, which is provided with an opening of substantially the same dimensions as the tab, such that the tab is capable of being received therein when elastically deformed against the blade.
• Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a label holder similar to that illustrated in United States Patent US 5,118,148;
• Figure 2 shows a perspective, partial cut-away view of a security seal according to a first, preferred, embodiment of the present invention
• Figure 3 shows the label holder of figure 1, closed and sealed with the security seal of figure 2;
• Figure 4 shows a second embodiment of the security seal according to the present invention-
• Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a label holder 1 comprising substantially rectangular first and second portions 2 and 3 having the same shape when viewed from above, connected together along first end edges 5 and 5' by means of a hinge 6. Both portions 2 and 3 as well as hinge 6 are formed from a single piece of plastic material, preferably polypropylene.
• Portions 2 and 3 also have second end edges 7 and 7' , opposite first edges 5 and 5' , third and fourth opposite lateral edges 8, 8' and 9, 9', inner surfaces 10 and 10' and outer surfaces 11 and 11' .
• Edges 7', 8' and 9' of portion 3 of label holder 1 are downwardly flanged so as to receive portion 2 in co-operating relation when label holder 1 is folded around hinge 6 into its closed position.
• Portion 2 is also provided with an elongated cavity 12 for receiving a lever 13 to which one end of a length of cord can be fixed, while the other end of the cord is provided with a fixing means 14 which is held in a cylindrical cavity 15 in portion 2.
• Portion 2 of the label holder is provided with first and second protuberances 16 and 17 defining first and second apertures 18 and 19.
• Protuberances 16 and 17 are positioned adjacent to second end edge 7, at the corners made by the intersection of third and fourth lateral edges 8 and 9, their axes being parallel to edge 7.
• Protuberance 16 and corresponding aperture 18 have dimensions, normal to the internal surface 10 of part 2, larger than those of protuberance 17 and corresponding aperture 19.
• Portion 3 of label holder 1 is provided with third and fourth rectangular apertures 20 and 21 corresponding with protuberances 16 and 17 in portion 2 so that, on folding portion 3 over portion 2, the protuberances pass through apertures 20 and 21 to project above external surface 11' of portion 3.
• Outer surface 11' of portion 3 is provided with a lateral stop 22 positioned between apertures 20 and 21 and is further provided with a pair of opposed lateral stops 23 also between the apertures but closer to aperture 20.
• a lateral stop 22 positioned between apertures 20 and 21 and is further provided with a pair of opposed lateral stops 23 also between the apertures but closer to aperture 20.
• FIG. 2 shows a security seal 24 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
• Seal 24 comprises a locking part 25 connected by a flexible connection 26 to a capsule part 27 behind which a blade 28 projects.
• Locking part 25 has an arrow shaped head 29 comprising a solid base 30, adapted for filling an entrance 31 of capsule part 27, a central portion 32 designed to penetrate the interior of capsule part 27, projecting from the centre of base 30, and two flexible arms or barbs 33 which extend outwardly and backwardly towards the base from the free end of central portion 32.
• central portion 32 is formed with central longitudinal grooves 34, one on each face thereof, for receiving two corresponding ribs 35, formed within capsule part 27.
• Locking part 25 is further provided with a base 36 connected to base 30 of head 29 by means of two weakening bridges 37.
• Base 36 comprises a parallelepiped shaped portion 38, having dimensions substantially equal to those of that part of first aperture 18 that projects beyond surface 11' of portion 3 of the label holder in its closed position.
• Base 36 further comprises a second portion 39 having dimensions greater than said part of first aperture 18, so as to abut first protuberance 16 in the sealed configuration.
• One side of portion 39 is integral with flexible connection 26 which connects locking part 25 to capsule part 27, while its other side is formed with a lateral batten 40 for use in the authorised opening of the label holder.
• Blade 28 which extends from the end of capsule part 27 opposite to that of entrance 31, has a free end adjacent to which an opening 41 is provided and a tab 42 having an end, facing capsule portion 27, salient from opening 41.
• Tab 42 being moulded from the same plastic material as the rest of the seal, exhibits a degree of elasticity so that it can be bent downwards in order to enter opening 41, but has sufficient elastic memory to ensure that once free it will return to its salient configuration. It is this simple characteristic that makes seal 24 suitable for increasing the security of the label holder in its closed and sealed configuration, as will be demonstrated later.
• Figure 3 shows the label holder of figure 1 closed and sealed by security seal 24. It should be noted that the free end of blade 28 of the seal is first introduced through aperture 19 defined by second protuberance 17 until tab 42 passes completely to the other side.
• the length of blade 28, or at least the extension of the blade between tab 42 and capsule portion 27, is such that when tab 42 passes in its entirety through aperture 19, capsule portion 29 lies in close proximity to first protuberance 16. In this way the whole blade must be moved slightly to the left (in figure 3) so that locking part 25 can be introduced through aperture 18 in first protuberance 16 with its head entering capsule part 27 to close the seal.
• tab 42 - already returned to its salient configuration - does not pass back through aperture 18, becoming hooked over protuberance 17.
• tab 42 is nothing more than a very simple second locking system or seal, which depends for its efficacy on the first system of capsule 27 and lock 25 to ensure that tab 42 remains in its salient configuration, held with its free end over protuberance 17, so that tab 42 can only be disengaged therefrom if the blade as a whole is moved downwards, such a movement would, however, break weakening bridges 37.
• FIG 3 represents only one embodiment of the present invention. Many alternatives based on the same concept will be obvious to those versed in the art.
• figure 4 shows a second embodiment in which tab 42 is replaced by two small lateral arms 42a defining an arrow shape. The width of blade 28 in the region of arms 42a may be slightly reduced, as illustrated, so that on closing the seal in the label holder the blade only just passes through aperture 18.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
• Computer Security & Cryptography (AREA)
• Bag Frames (AREA)

Priority Applications (2)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=4060917

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Cited By (6)

Families Citing this family (1)

Citations (2)

• 1995
  • 1995-03-10 BR BR9501030A patent/BR9501030A/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1996
  • 1996-03-08 EP EP96904684A patent/EP0813729A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 1996-03-08 AU AU48726/96A patent/AU4872696A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1996-03-08 WO PCT/BR1996/000007 patent/WO1996028804A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1996-03-11 AR AR33571096A patent/AR001206A1/es unknown

Patent Citations (2)

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