Security seal
AssigneeITW Limited
InventorJames Collingham
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A security seal has a housing and a hasp moveable relative to the housing in a first direction between a locked position and a unlocked position. The hasp, in the locked position, is lockable to the housing by a disposable seal. The housing has an opening to allow the insertion of the disposable seal in a second direction different from the first direction. The hasp includes a first locking element engageable, in the locked position, with a second, matching locking element of the disposable seal to prevent movement of the hasp in the first direction toward the unlocked position and withdrawal of the disposable seal in the second direction. The hasp is attached to the housing so as to be both slidable and pivotable relative to the housing.
Claims25
A security seal, comprising a housing and a hasp moveable relative to said housing in a first direction between a locked position and a unlocked position;
- said hasp, in the locked position, being lockable to said housing by a disposable seal;
- said housing having an opening allowing insertion of the disposable seal in a second direction different from the first direction;
- and
- said hasp including a first locking element engageable, in the locked position, with a second, matching locking element of the disposable seal to prevent movement of said hasp in the first direction toward the unlocked position and withdrawal of said disposable seal in the second direction, wherein:
- said hasp further includes a portion which, in the locked position, is received in said housing, extends in the second direction across an edge of said opening, and is adapted to engage the disposable seal beyond both sides of a line of weakness adapted to be arranged along the edge of said opening, thereby minimizing the possibility of undesirable failure of the line of weakness of the disposable seal when said hasp is pulled in the first direction away from the locked position.
A security seal, comprising:
- a housing;
- a hasp moveable relative to said housing between a locked position and a unlocked position and having a first locking element at an end thereof;
- and
- a disposable seal insertable into said housing and having a body, a second locking element, and a line of weakness separating said body from the second locking element, said second locking element is the forwardmost part of said disposable seal;
- wherein said hasp is lockable in the locked position to said housing by said disposable seal with the first locking element of said hasp engaging the second locking element of said disposable seal;
- and
- wherein said end of said hasp includes a projection which, when said hasp is locked in the locked position by said disposable seal, extends transversely of and away from the line of weakness and towards the body of said disposable seal, thereby minimizing the possibility of undesirable failure of the line of weakness of the disposable seal when said hasp is pulled away from the locked position.
A method of providing evidence of potential tampering with a security seal comprising a housing, a hasp and a disposable seal, said method comprising:
- introducing the hasp, in a first direction, in the housing until the hasp reaches a locked position;
- and
- inserting the disposable seal, in a second direction angled relative to the first direction, into the housing until the disposable seal engages the hasp in the locked position, thereby preventing withdrawal of both the hasp and the disposable seal from the housing wherein,
- said disposable seal is entirely disposed in the housing in said locked position, wherein
- the hasp has, at an end thereof, a first locking element and a projection;
- the disposable seal has a body, a second locking element, and a line of weakness separating said body from the second locking element;
- and
- said method further comprises engaging the second locking element of the disposable seal with the first locking element of the hasp in the locked position with the projection of the hasp extending across the line of weakness of the disposable seal, thereby minimizing the possibility of undesirable failure of the line of weakness of the disposable seal when the hasp is pulled away from the locked position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.