Tamper deterrent assembly

• US 4,883,295 A
• Filed: 10/09/1987
• Issued: 11/28/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kesselman, David A.
• Original Assignee: Kesselman, David A.
• Inventors: Kesselman, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Gary L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nicholson, Eric K.
• Application Number:
  US07/106,360
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 292/307 R, 292/307 A, 292/307 B, 292/323, 292/324, 292/325, 292/326, 292/316, 292/317, 292/318, 292/319, 292/320, 292/321, 292/322, 70/440, 70/50, 70/455
• US Class Current: 292/307.00R
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 67/365 with locking means in the form of balls or rollers
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/007 comprising means to prevent fraud
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/48 Seals
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/8243 With seal

Abstract

A tamper deterrent assembly which is molded of plastic material and includes a body member with an enclosed locking space having an open end. The open end is closed by a closure member mounted on the body member and movable toward a closed end of the locking space. The closure member is normally retained on the body member in a first position and may be moved to a locking position where a strip engaging unit carried by the closure member is received and locked by a locking unit. The locking unit may be carried by an elongated locking strip which is inserted into the locking chamber through a strip receiving slot in the body, or the strip engaging unit may pass through the locking strip and engage a locking unit carried on an end wall of the body.

Claims

1. A tamper deterrent assembly comprising:

a body member having wall means defining a locking space which is enclosed except for an open end thereof, first and second strip receiving means formed on said wall means in opposed relationship on opposite sides of said locking space and in spaced relationship to the open end of said locking space, at least said first strip receiving means being formed by a slot which extends through said wall means to provide an opening to said locking space,

a closure means having a locking strip engagement means projecting outwardly therefrom;

mounting means formed on said body member for retaining said closure means within said locking space and releasably retaining said closure means in a first position wherein said locking strip engagement means is spaced from said first and second strip receiving means in the direction of the open end of said locking space, said closure means being operative to prevent access to said locking space through the open end thereof and being movable from said first position relative to said wall means into said locking space in the direction of said first and second strip receiving means in response to pressure applied to said closure means sufficient to release said closure means from said mounting means, said closure means being freely movable to a locking position after said release, and

an elongated locking strip including a first portion of a length greater than the distance across said locking space between said first and second strip receiving means, said first portion being formed for insertion into the slot forming said first strip receiving means so as to extend across said locking space to said second strip receiving means and including receiver means operative to receive said locking strip engagement means when the first portion of said elongated locking strip is inserted through the slot forming said first strip receiving means and extends across said locking space into said second strip receiving means and said closure means is moved from said first position to move said locking strip engagement means past said first and second strip receiving means to a locking position, said closure means being positioned in said locking space completely within the confines of said wall means when said locking strip engagement means is in the locking position.

2. The tamper deterrent assembly of claim 1 wherein said wall means includes inner sidewall means extending completely around said locking space to define the perimeter thereof, said inner sidewall means including an upper edge at the open end of the locking space to define an opening which is closed by said closure means, and a bottom wall means extending between said inner sidewall means to close the locking space at an end thereof opposite to said open end, said closure means including a cap-like assembly having a cap top wall and cap sidewall means connected at one end to said cap top wall to define an open ended central chamber, said locking strip engagement means being mounted on said cap top wall and projecting outwardly from the open end of said central chamber, said cap top wall being positioned either substantially within the plane of said upper edge or between said upper edge and said bottom wall when said locking strip engagement means is in the locking position.

3. The tamper deterrent assembly of claim 2, wherein said cap-like assembly is formed of frangible plastic material, said body member and elongated locking strip being formed of plastic material which is more flexible and less frangible than the plastic material forming said cap-like assembly.

4. The tamper deterrent assembly of claim 2, wherein said cap-like assembly includes mounting means formed integrally with said cap top wall to mount said locking strip engagement means thereon, said cap-like assembly being formed of frangible plastic material with said cap top wall being formed to have less resistance to force than said mounting means and locking strip engagement means.

5. The tamper deterrent assembly of claim 1, wherein said wall means includes inner sidewall means defining the perimeter of said locking space and the open end thereof, a bottom wall means secured to said inner sidewall means and closing the locking space at an end thereof opposite to said open end, said first and second strip receiving means being formed on said inner sidewall means, and outer shielding means spaced from said inner sidewall means and extending in superimposed relationship over both said first and said second strip receiving means.

6. The tamper deterrent assembly of claim 5, wherein said first and second strip receiving means are diametrically opposed first and second slots extending through said inner sidewall means on opposite sides of said locking space, said inner sidewall means extending completely around said locking space and including a continuous upper edge defining said open end, said first and second slots being spaced between said upper edge and said bottom wall means.

7. The tamper deterrent assembly of claim 2, wherein said cap-like assembly includes a cap flange wherein said cap-like assembly includes a cap flange extending outwardly from said cap sidewall means at the end thereof opposite to said cap top wall, said mounting including flange engagement means positioned between said first and second strip receiving means and the open end of said locking space, said flange engagement means operating to engage said cap flange to retain said closure means in said first position within aid locking space and to release said flange in response to pressure applied to said cap top wall to permit said closure means to move to said locking position.

8. The tamper deterrent assembly of claim 7, wherein said cap-like assembly includes spaced ribs projecting from said cap sidewall and extending in a direction between said flange and cap top wall.

9. The tamper deterrent assembly of claim 8, wherein said flange includes a bevelled edge in engagement with said flange engagement means when said closure means is in said first position.

10. The tamper deterrent assembly of claim 9, wherein said cap-like assembly is formed of frangible plastic material and includes mounting means formed integrally with said cap top wall to mount said locking strip engagement means thereon, said cap top wall being formed to have less resistance to force than said mounting means and locking strip engagement means, said body member and elongated locking strip being formed of plastic material which is more flexible and less frangible than the plastic material forming said cap-like assembly.

11. The tamper deterrent assembly of claim 10, wherein said locking strip engagement means includes a tang member projecting from said closure means and said receiver means is formed by a locking opening extending through the first portion of said locking strip, said tang member having a terminal end surface and at least one sidewall which slopes outwardly from said terminal end surface to provide said tang member with a perimetric dimension which is greater than that of said locking opening.

12. The tamper deterrent assembly of claim 11, wherein said tang member includes an end section which includes said terminal end surface and outwardly sloping sidewall and a stem section extending between said end section and said closure means, said end section having a cross-sectional dimension which is greater than that of said stem section at the point of joinder therebetween, the stem section projecting from said closure means for a distance sufficient to permit said stem section, when inserted in said locking opening, to extend completely therethrough when said closure means is moved to the locking position.

13. The tamper deterrent assembly of claim 12, wherein said locking opening is bordered by beveled surfaces for facilitating the insertion of said tang member.

14. The tamper deterrent assembly of claim 13, wherein said locking strip includes said first portion and a second portion extending outwardly from said first portion and having an end remote from said first portion which is fixed to said body member, said first portion being thicker and of less flexibility than said second portion.

15. The tamper deterrent assembly of claim 1, wherein said wall means includes sidewall means defining the perimeter of said locking space and a bottom wall means extending across one end of said locking space opposite the open end thereof between said sidewall means to close the end of said locking space, and locking means mounted upon said bottom wall means within said locking space, said locking means being adapted to receive and interlock with said locking strip engagement means when said locking strip engagement means is moved to said locking position.

16. The tamper deterrent assembly of claim 1, wherein said closure means at least partially extends outwardly through the open end of said locking space beyond the confines of said wall means when said closure means is in said first position.

17. A tamper deterrent assembly comprising:

a body member having wall means defining a locking space which is enclosed except for an open end thereof, said wall means including inner sidewall means extending completely around said locking space to define the perimeter thereof, said inner sidewall means including an upper edge at the open end of the locking space, and a bottom wall means extending between said inner sidewall means to close the locking space at an end thereof opposite to said open end, first and second strip receiving means formed on said inner sidewall means in opposed relationship on opposite sides of said locking space and in spaced relationship to the open end of said locking space, at least said first strip receiving means being formed by a first slot which extends through said inner sidewall means to provide an opening to said locking space,

said wall means further including outer shielding mean spaced from said inner sidewall means and extending in superimposed relationship over said first and second strip receiving means,

a closure means having a locking strip engagement means projecting outwardly therefrom, said closure means being mounted within said locking space in a first position wherein said locking strip engagement means is spaced from said first and second strip receiving means in the direction of the open end of said locking space, said closure means being operative to prevent access to said locking space through the open end thereof and being movable from said first position relative to said inner sidewall means in the direction of said bottom wall in response to pressure applied to said closure means, and

an elongated locking strip including a first portion of a length greater than the distance across said locking space between said first and second strip receiving means, said first portion being formed for insertion into the slot forming said first strip receiving means so as to extend across said locking space to said second strip receiving means and including receiver means operative to receive said locking strip engagement means when the first portion of said elongated locking strip is inserted through the slot forming said first strip receiving means and extends across said locking space into said second strip receiving means and said closure means is moved from said first position to move said locking strip engagement means past said first and second strip receiving means to a locking position.

18. The tamper deterrent assembly of claim 17, wherein said outer shielding means includes a first shielding assembly means extending outwardly from said inner sidewall means over said first slot to form an enclosed chamber having an open end adjacent to said bottom wall means, said first shielding assembly means having a second slot spaced from and aligned with said first slot and said second strip receiving means to receive the first portion of said elongated locking strip.

19. The tamper deterrent assembly of claim 18, wherein said second strip receiving means is a second slot said outer shielding means includes a second shielding assembly means extending outwardly from said inner sidewall means over said second slot to form an enclosed chamber having an open end adjacent to said bottom wall means.

20. A tamper deterrent assembly comprising:

a body member having wall means defining a locking space which is enclosed except for an open end thereof, said wall means including inner sidewall means extending completely around said locking space and defining the perimeter thereof and an opening at the open end of said locking space, said inner sidewall means including continuous upper edge around said opening, and bottom wall means extending between said inner sidewall means to close the locking space at an end opposite to said open end thereof, first and second strip receiving means formed on said receiving means formed on said inner sidewall means in opposed relationship on opposite sides of said locking space and in spaced relationship to the open end of said locking space to provide an opening to said locking space, said first and second strip receiving means including diametrically opposed first and second slots extending through aid inner sidewall means on opposite sides of said locking space, said first and second slots being spaced between said upper edge of said inner sidewall means and said bottom wall means, and outer shielding means spaced from said inner sidewall means and extending in superimposed relationship over at least one of said strip receiving mean, said outer shielding means including a first shielding assembly means extending outwardly from said inner sidewall means over said first slot to form an enclosed chamber having an open end adjacent to said bottom wall means, said first shielding assembly means having a third slot spaced from and aligned with said first and second slot,

a closure means having a locking strip engagement means projecting outwardly therefrom, said closure means being mounted within said locking space in a first position wherein said locking strip engagement means is spaced from said first and second strip receiving means in the direction of the open end of said locking space, said closure means being operative in said first position to prevent access to said locking space through the open end thereof and being movable relative to said wall means in the direction of said first and second strip receiving means in response to pressure applied to said closure means, and

an elongated locking strip including a first portion of a length greater than the distance across said locking space between said first and second strip receiving means, said first portion being formed for insertion into the third slot and the first slot forming said first strip receiving means so as to extend across said locking space to said second strip receiving means and including receiver means operative to receive said locking strip engagement means when the first portion of said elongated locking strip is inserted through the slot forming said first strip receiving means and extends across said locking space into said second strip receiving means and said closure means is moved from said first position to move said locking strip engagement means past said first and second strip receiving means to a locking position.

21. The tamper deterrent assembly of claim 20, wherein said outer shielding means includes a second shielding assembly means extending outwardly from said inner sidewall means over said second slot to form an enclosed chamber having an open end adjacent to said bottom wall means.

22. A tamper deterrent assembly comprising:

a body member having wall means defining a locking space which is enclosed except for an open end thereof, first and second strip receiving means formed on said wall means in opposed relationship on opposite sides of said locking space and in spaced relationship to the open end of said locking space, at least said first strip receiving means being formed by a slot which extends through said wall means to provide an opening to said locking space, and flange engagement means mounted on said wall means between said first and second strip receiving means and the open end of said locking space,

a closure means having a locking strip engagement means projecting outwardly therefrom mounted within said locking space in a first position wherein said locking strip engagement means is spaced from said first and second strip receiving means in the direction of the open end of said locking space, said closure means being operative in said first position to prevent access to said locking space through the open end thereof and being movable from said first position relative to said wall means in the direction of said first and second strip receiving means in response to pressure applied to said closure means, the closure means including a cap-like assembly formed of frangible plastic material having a cap top wall, cap sidewall means connected at one end to said cap top wall to define an open ended central chamber, a cap flange extending outwardly from said cap sidewall means at the end thereof opposite to said cap top wall, said cap flange including a bevelled edge in engagement with said flange engagement means when said closure means is in the first position, spaced ribs projecting from said cap sidewall and extending in a direction between said flange and cap top wall, and mounting means formed integrally with said cap top wall to mount said locking strip engagement means thereon, the locking strip engagement means projecting outwardly from the open end of said central chamber, said cap top wall being formed to have less resistance to force than said mounting means and locking strip engagement means, and

an elongated locking strip including a first portion of a length greater than the distance across said locking space between said first and second strip receiving means, said first portion being formed for insertion into the slot forming said first strip receiving means so as to extend across said locking space to said second strip receiving means and including receiver means operative to receive said locking strip engagement means when the first portion of said elongated locking strip is inserted through the slot forming said first strip receiving means and extends across said locking space into said second strip receiving means and said closure means is moved from said first position to move said locking strip engagement means past said first and second strip receiving means to a locking position, said flange engagement means operating to engage said cap flange to retain said closure means in said first position within said locking space and to release said flange in response to pressure applied to said cap top wall to permit said closure means to move to said locking position, said body member and elongated locking strip being formed of plastic material which is more flexible and less frangible than the plastic material forming said cap-like assembly.