WO2015105462A1

WO2015105462A1 - Safety seal with a closing mechanism

Info

Publication number: WO2015105462A1
Application number: PCT/SK2015/050001
Authority: WO
Inventors: Milan KOPAČKA; Matúš KOPAČKA
Original assignee: Sealcorp, A.S.
Priority date: 2014-01-09
Filing date: 2015-01-09
Publication date: 2015-07-16
Also published as: SK500012014U1; SK7098Y1

Abstract

A body (3) of a seal contains a cavity and an inlet opening (31) and an outlet opening (32) for inlet and outlet of an insert element (2) and between the inlet and outlet openings (31, 32) in the cavity of the body (3) a retaining area (34) is formed. In the cavity of the body (3) a closing mechanism (4) is arranged. Said closing mechanism (4) contains a static part and at minimum one flexible element (41) having a free end for co-operation with the insert element (2) and with another element positioned in the cavity of the seal, for its locking, wherein in the locked position the free end of the flexible element (41) of the closing mechanism (4) is positioned in the retaining area (34).

Description

Safety seal with a closing mechanism

Technical field

A safety seal with a closing mechanism having the capability of blocking a movement of the insert element of the safety seal in all directions is the subject-matter of the invention.

State of the art

Direct mountings provided by a modification of walls of the insert chamber (gib) and/or outer surfaces of the insert element of the safety seal as well as indirect mountings with use of a complementary closing mechanism are known for mounting the insert element of the safety seal in the body of the safety seal.

An example representing the known mounting of the seal by means of the locking mechanism is the solution described in the published patent application US 20030111846 A1 , depicted on Fig. 9. In this particular case the entry part of the seal is in the conical shape and a wire member as a closing mechanism is situated in the cone. After inserting the insert element (shackle) into the body of the seal the wire member encloses it and the safety member enables the movement in the sliding direction. When pulling the insert element back, to the narrower diameter of the cone, the internal diameter of the wire member gets smaller, by which the wire member is pushed into the insert element and the locking effect is achieved. A possibility of opening the seal, by means of e.g. a blade, without visibly damaging the seal is the disadvantage of the solution. Specifically, holding the spiral with a blade and disabling the locking effect thereof, is concerned.

The closing mechanism described in patent US 20060119111 A1 , depicted on Fig. 3 is another known typical example of the solution. The closing mechanism is a flat component equipped with a two-pronged fork serving to lock in the body of the seal. Directionally oriented extensions enabling passage of the inserting part of the seal in only one direction are positioned in the central part of the closing mechanism. The disadvantage of the latter solution is the same as in the former one, i.e. a possibility to open the properly closed seal, e.g. by using a blade, without visibly damaging the seal. Moving the blade along the inserting part of the safety seal and disabling the directionally oriented extensions of the closing mechanism is usually sufficient. Subject-matter of the invention

A lower degree of security of the seal locking known from the state of the art is solved by a safety seal using a closing mechanism according to the present invention.

The safety seal consists of a body equipped with a tag, with an insert element and contains a closing mechanism for receiving and retaining the insert element and it is characterised in that the seal body contains a cavity and an inlet opening and an outlet opening for input and output of the insert element and a retaining area is formed and the closing mechanism is arranged between the inlet and outlet openings in the cavity of the body. Said closing mechanism contains a static part and at minimum one flexible element having a free end for co-operation with the insert element and another element positioned in the cavity of the seal, for locking the seal. In the locked position the free end of the flexible element of the closing mechanism is positioned in the retaining area.

A part of the closing mechanism positioned opposite to the free end of the flexible element or a recess in the seal body cavity may be another element.

A static part of the closing mechanism may be engaged in the seal body cavity or the closing mechanism may be inserted freely in the seal body cavity.

Inlet and outlet openings of the body may be positioned opposite each other.

The insert element may consists of parallel arms connected by crosspieces, or it may have circular, oval, elliptical, square, rectangular cross-section semi-circular, arc of a circle cross-section or a cross-section of an n-gon, where n is 3 to 10, wherein the plane of the cross-section may vary along the length or may remain the same.

According to another embodiment the insert element may be provided with protrusions or recesses in at least part of its length.

According to one embodiment the flexible element of the closing mechanism may be in the form of a tongue and according to another embodiment the flexible element may have the form of a two-pronged fork. The retaining area may be formed as a recess in the seal body cavity, according to another embodiment the retaining area may be a part of the closing mechanism, or the retaining area may be formed between the closing mechanism and the body in the seal body cavity.

The closing mechanism consists of a fixed part and of a moveable part. The fixed part serves for gripping or depositing the closing mechanism in the body of the safety seal. The insert element of the safety seal that is in the direct contact with the flexible part of the closing mechanism passes through the inlet and outlet openings of the body of the safety seal. Said moveable part, when moving in the closing direction, diverts the insert element of the safety seal according to the mechanical geometry. When the insert element moves against the direction of closing, the moveable part of the closing mechanism engages the insert element of the safety seal and is pulled in the pull direction. If the shift is sufficiently great the moveable part reaches the retaining area that prevents it to return to the starting position. The moveable part of the closing mechanism captured in the retaining area at least partially blocks the movement of the insert element of the safety seal in every direction by mechanical means. The retaining area may be part of the closing mechanism or part of the body of the safety seal or combination thereof. The retaining area typically disables movement of the moveable part of the closing mechanism in all directions. In that the moveable part of the closing mechanism is by mechanical means connected to the insert element of the safety seal, the insert element is also blocked in one position. The mechanical connection can be provided by engaging the moveable part of the closing mechanism to the inner crosspiece of the insert element of the safety seal, capturing to the outer protrusion of the insert element of the safety seal or by sinking into the insert element of the safety seal.

Fixation of the insert element of the safety seal in a specific position provides higher security of sealing and increases its functionality. In the sealed position tampering the locking mechanism is impossible, since the moveable part thereof is firmly fixed in the invariable position. By disabling movement of the insert element, the risk of cutting the insert element and its subsequent gluing and concealing the joint into the seal body is decreased. Increased functionality of the sealing consists also in the precise setting of the final position of the insert element in the seal body. Inability to tamper the closing mechanism or to replace it is the advantage of the present solution. Another advantage is locking of the insert element of the safety seal in a defined position.

Brief description of pictures on the drawings

Fig. 1 illustrates one of possible embodiments of the safety seal according to the present invention in the free mode and Fig. 2 shows the identical execution of the seal in the blocked mode.

Fig. 3 illustrates another of possible embodiments of the safety seal according to the present invention in the free mode and Fig. 4 shows the identical execution of the seal in the blocked mode.

Figs. 5 and 6 are examples of execution of the safety seal with the locking mechanism, at which inlet opening 31 and outlet opening 32 are situated on the same side of the seal (Fig. 5) and on the lateral and bottom side of the seal (Fig. 6). In practical implementation the insert chamber with the closing mechanism of the safety seal has to be covered.

Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate locking mechanisms made of metal, where retaining area blocking the moveable part of the locking mechanism in the direction of closing (Fig. 5) and the blocking area blocking the moveable part of the locking mechanism in both directions (Fig. 6) are also their parts.

Fig. 9 displays in detail an example of the inserting part of the safety seal with depicted crosspieces and with its ending.

Exemplary embodiment of the invention

Example 1 The safety seal depicted on Fig. 1 consists of tag 1, inserting part 2 of the safety seal, seal body 3 and closing mechanism 4, wherein closing mechanism 4, in this case, is made of metal.

Inlet opening 3J_ and outlet opening 32, through which insert element 2 passes in the outlet direction, are made in seal body 3. Retaining area 34 is formed and closing mechanism 4 is arranged between inlet opening 3J_ and outlet opening 32 in the cavity of seal body 3. Closing mechanism 4 contains a static part and at minimum one flexible element 4J_ having a free end for co-operation with insert element 2 and another element positioned in the seal cavity, which in the present case is a recess in seal body 3 positioned between the static part of locking mechanism 4 and the inner wall of seal body 3, for seal locking. In the locked position the free end of flexible element 4J_ of closing mechanism 4 enters retaining area 34, which is formed as the recess in seal body 3. The cavity of seal body 3 is from the top side closed by closure 33 of the seal body. In this case insert element 2 is formed by the parallel arms connected by crosspieces 21_. Closing mechanism 4 is positioned in seal body 3. The static part of closing mechanism 42 is fixed in fastening area 35 of the inner part of seal body 3.

At movement of insert element 2 through inlet opening 3J_ in the direction of outlet opening 32 moveable part 4J_ of closing mechanism 4 moves aside the mechanical geometry of insert element 2. At sufficiently great backward motion of insert element 2 moveable part 4J_ of the closing mechanism grips onto said insert element 2 and is pulled into retaining area 34 of seal body 3. Retaining area 34 of the seal is defined by closure 33 of the seal body and by groove 36 in seal body 3. Moveable part 4J_ of the closing mechanism cannot escape from retaining area 34. Said moveable part 4J_ of closing mechanism 4 also blocks by mechanical means movement of insert element 2 of the safety seal in every direction by engaging onto inner crosspiece 2Λ_ of insert element 2.

Example 2

The present example is similar to the described example 1 except that closing mechanism 4 is made as an integral component of plastic material loosely inserted into seal body 3 having retaining area 34 designed differently. The safety seal depicted on Fig. 2 consists of tag 1, insert element 2 of the safety seal, seal body 3 and closing mechanism 4 in the form of a plastic component.

Inlet opening 31 and outlet opening 32, through which insert element 2 passes in the outlet direction, is formed in seal body 3. The inner space of seal body 3 is from the outer side closed by closure 33 of the seal body. Insert element 2 is in this case formed by parallel arms connected by crosspieces 2J_.

Closing mechanism 4 is positioned in seal body 3. At movement of insert element 2 through inlet opening 3J_ in the direction of outlet opening 32^ moveable part 4J_ of closing mechanism 4 moves aside the mechanical geometry of insert element 2. At sufficiently great backward movement of insert element 2 moveable part 4J_ of the closing mechanism engages to the said insert element 2 and is pulled into the retaining area 34 of the seal body, with a slight swerve of static part 42 of closing mechanism 4. Retaining area 34 of the seal is determined by static part 42 of closing mechanism 4, which has returned to its original position and by closure 33 of the seal body. The moveable part of closing mechanism 4J_ cannot escape from retaining area 34. By mechanical means said moveable part of closing mechanism 4J_ also blocks movement of the insert element of safety seal 2 in every direction by engaging to inner crosspiece 21 of insert element 2. Moveable part 4J_ of closing mechanism 4 at sufficient bending to the opposite direction of the inserting direction of insert element 2 into seal body 3 is retained in retaining area 34. Retaining area 34 disables return of moveable part 4J_ of closing mechanism 4 into the starting position and enables only a minimal movement in any direction.

Example 3

Other variants of the locking mechanism are illustrated on Figs. 3a) and 3b). a) The closing mechanism made of metal for insert element in the form of ladder. Said locking mechanism is similar to the locking mechanism from Example 1 . It is also made of metal, but retaining area 34, positioned opposite to the free end of moveable part 4J_ of closing mechanism 4 between two higher parts of the opposite wall is also part of it. Retaining area 34 blocks moveable part 4J_ of closing mechanism 4 in the locked position of the seal. Closure 33 of seal body 3, not illustrated, completes retaining area 34 from the outer side, and thus it is not necessary to make additional protrusions in seal body 3. b) The closing mechanism made of metal for the insert element having a circular cross-section. In this type of closing mechanism 4 the seal body does not have to be closed by the closure, but the inlet opening of the seal body is replaced by the inlet opening of the closing mechanism. The inlet part of the seal body is collapsed on the locking mechanism and hence it is non-dismountably retained in seal body 3.

Retaining area 34 is made in the inner space of closing mechanism 4. Return of moveable part 4J_ of closing mechanism 4 into the starting position is prevented by two triangular wings bent into the inner space of closing mechanism 4.

Claims

C L A I M S

1 . A safety seal consisting of a body provided with a tag, insert element and containing a closing mechanism for receiving and retaining the insert element, characterised in that the body (3) contains a cavity and an inlet opening (31 ) and an outlet opening (32) for inlet and outlet of the insert element (2) and between the inlet and outlet openings (31 , 32) in the cavity of the body (3) a retaining area (34) is formed and a closing mechanism (4) is arranged, said closing mechanism (4) contains a static part and at minimum one flexible element (41 ) having a free end for co-operation with the insert element (2) and with another element positioned in the seal cavity, for locking the seal, wherein in the locked position the free end of the flexible element (41 ) of the closing mechanism (4) is positioned in the retaining area (34).

2. A safety seal according to Claim 1 , characterised in that a part of the closing mechanism (4) opposite to the free end of the flexible element, is another element.

3. A safety seal according to Claim 1 , characterised in that a recess in the cavity of the body (3) is another element.

4. A safety seal according to Claim 1 , characterised in that the closing mechanism (4) is engaged in the cavity of the body (3).

5. A safety seal according to Claim 1 , characterised in that the closing mechanism is loosely inserted in the cavity of the body (3).

6. A safety seal according to Claim 1 , characterised in that the insert element (2) is formed by parallel arms connected by crosspieces.

7. A safety seal according to Claim 1 , characterised in that the flexible element is in the form of a tongue.

8. A safety seal according to Claim 1 , characterised in that the retaining area (34) is formed as the recess in the cavity of the body (3).

9. A safety seal according to Claim 1 , characterised in that the retaining area (34) is a part of the closing mechanism.

10. A safety seal according to Claim 1 , characterised in that the retaining area (34) is formed between the closing mechanism (4) and the body (3) in the cavity of the body (3).