Methods and apparatus for facilitating security and tamper control

• US 20050156438A1
• Filed: 10/14/2004
• Published: 07/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Henry Kong Sun Ching
• Original Assignee: Henry Kong Sun Ching
• Inventors: Ching, Henry Kong Sun
• Granted Patent: US 7,360,806 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 292/315
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0311 having arrow-like sealing means
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0352 using cable lock
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0364 having rotary sealing means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/38 Plastic latch parts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/1498 Plastic band
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/48 Seals
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/491 Distorted shackle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/494 Interengaging shackle ends, inclosing housing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/496 Resilient engaging means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/50 Single piece, spring catch
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/516 Sliding catch, seal

Abstract

An apparatus includes: a wire having a proximal end and a distal end; and a body being fixedly coupled to the proximal of the wire and having at least two apertures, each aperture for receiving and locking the distal end of the wire at different times such that when the wire is locked in one of the apertures it cannot be removed without destroying the apparatus, wherein the distal end of the wire is operable to pass through one or more apertures of an object and lock in each of the apertures at different times such that the body retains the wire in engagement with the one or more apertures of the object and maintains the apparatus locked to the object.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a wire having a proximal end and a distal end; and

a body being fixedly coupled to the proximal of the wire and having at least two apertures, each aperture for receiving and locking the distal end of the wire at different times such that when the wire is locked in one of the apertures it cannot be removed without destroying the apparatus,

wherein the distal end of the wire is operable to pass through one or more apertures of an object and lock in each of the apertures at different times such that the body retains the wire in engagement with the one or more apertures of the object and maintains the apparatus locked to the object.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the body includes a pawl operatively disposed with respect to the aperture such that it may engage the distal end of the wire, permit the wire to slide through the aperture in an insertion direction, and prevent the wire from sliding out of the aperture in a removal direction.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an indicia element depending from the body and bearing indicia such that the indicia may be associated with the object vis-a-vis the locking the apparatus to the object.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wire is operable to be broken such that the distal end thereof is retained in one of the apertures and a new distal end of the wire may be inserted in another of the apertures to permit a subsequent use of the apparatus.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the new distal end may be taken from at least one of:

(i) opposite the distal end of the wire retained in the one aperture; and

(ii) opposite the proximal end of the wire.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the wire is operable to be broken one or more further times to create a corresponding number of new distal ends of the wire for insertion into others of the apertures to permit subsequent uses of the apparatus.

7. An apparatus, comprising:

two or more heads coupled to one another in series;

a wire having a first end coupled to a last of the heads and a second end;

a body being fixedly coupled to the second end of the wire and having two or more cavities for receiving and locking respective ones of the heads,

wherein the heads and the wire are operable to pass through one or more apertures of an object, the first head is operable to lock in a first of the cavities such that the body retains the wire in engagement with the aperture and maintains the apparatus locked to the object.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein:

a second and any subsequent heads are operable to separate from the first head such that the wire and body may be unlocked from the object; and

the second head may be inserted in another of the cavities to permit a subsequent use of the apparatus.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

a third and any subsequent heads are further operable to separate from the second head such that the wire and body may be unlocked from the object; and

the third head may be inserted in another of the cavities to permit a further subsequent use of the apparatus.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein subsequent heads may be separated and inserted into other cavities to permit further subsequent uses of the apparatus.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

a shaft having a first end coupled to a head and a second end coupled to a stop member;

a wire having a first end coupled to the shaft and a second end; and

a body being fixedly coupled to the second end of the wire and having a cavity for receiving and locking the head such that when the head is locked in the cavity it cannot be removed without destroying the apparatus,

wherein the head and the shaft are operable to pass through one or more apertures of an object and the head is operable to lock in the cavity such that the body and the stop member retain the shaft in engagement with the aperture and maintain the apparatus locked to the object.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein prior to locking the head within the body, the wire is operable to engage one or more further portions of the object to further lock the apparatus to the object when the head is locked within the body.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

the body includes an input aperture to receive the head into the cavity and a split ring in axial alignment with the input aperture, the cavity including a channel operable to engage an outer edge of the split ring such that the split ring is prevented from moving in an axial direction; and

the head comprises a first end having a beveled forward portion and a second end from which the wire extends, the split ring being operable to permit the beveled forward portion of the head to pass therethrough in an insertion direction and the split ring being operable to prevent the beveled forward portion from being removed after the beveled forward portion passes therethrough.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein:

the body includes a stop surface oppositely disposed within the cavity from the input aperture and spaced away from the split ring such that the stop member limits axial movement of the head into the cavity and the split ring limits axial movement of the head out of the cavity, but the head is permitted some degree of axial movement.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

a further cavity disposed in the body; and

a further head disposed on the shaft,

wherein the shaft may be separated from the head to unlock the apparatus from the object, and the further head and the shaft are operable to pass through one or more apertures of the object and the further head is operable to lock in the further cavity such that the body and the stop member retain the shaft in engagement with the aperture and maintain the apparatus locked to the object a subsequent time.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein one of:

(i) the cavity and the further cavity are not axially aligned; and

(ii) the cavity and the further cavity are axially aligned.