Cargo seal

• US 5,857,721 A
• Filed: 02/18/1997
• Issued: 01/12/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jeff Liroff
• Original Assignee: Jeff Liroff
• Inventors: Liroff, Jeff
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorner, Kenneth J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Santos, Robert G.
• Application Number:
  US08/801,843
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: 292/317, 292/318, 292/319, 292/DIG. 32, 292/307 R, 292/321, 292/323, 292/324
• US Class Current: 292/307.00R
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2211/00 Anti-theft means
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 90/008 Doors for containers, e.g. ISO-containers locking E05B83/12
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 13/002 locking the handle E05B13/10, E05B47/0657 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 67/003 Chain, wire or cable locks alarms therefor E05B45/005; E05B69/006 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 67/383 Staples or the like for padlocks; Lock slings; Arrangements on locks to cooperate with padlocks
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 83/12 for back doors of vans E05B83/04, E05B83/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/32 Freight car door fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/48 Seals
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/499 Resilient engaging means

Abstract

An improved cargo seal structured to securely close a container having at least one door, the cargo seal including a lock assembly, including at least one lock aperture, that secures the door in a closed orientation, and an elongate segment of substantially strong, generally flexible material. The elongate segment is structured to extend through the lock aperture of the lock assembly so as to restrict movement and/or actuation of the lock assembly, and is sufficiently elongate to extend across the doors and thereby prevent opening thereof. A pair of lock segments are further provided and are correspondingly disposed at a first end and a second end of the elongate segment, at least one of the lock segments being structured to be securely coupled with at least one mating segment at the first end of the elongate segment. Each of the lock segments has an increased diameter relative to a diameter of the elongate segment at its first end and second end so as to prevent removal of the elongate segment from the lock aperture by passage over the first end and the second end of the elongate segment. Moreover, each of the lock segments further includes an identifying indicia disposed thereon so as to prevent its unauthorized replacement.

Claims

1. To securely close a container having at least one door, an improved cargo security assembly comprising:

a cargo container closure assembly structured to be positioned between an open orientation wherein the cargo door can be opened and a closed orientation wherein the cargo door is maintained closed,

said cargo container closure assembly including a cargo container door latch assembly structured to restrict movement of said cargo container closure assembly into said open orientation when latched and including at least one lock aperture defined therein,

a container door lock structured to be disposed on said cargo container closure assembly to prevent opening thereof and including a primary shroud assembly and a pivot brace,

said primary shroud assembly structured to substantially shield from external access a connection joint between an actuation handle of the container door latch assembly and a lock rod of the cargo container closure assembly,

said pivot brace structured to engage said primary shroud assembly and prevent pivotal movement thereof along with the actuation handle about an axis of the lock rod,

at least one receiving aperture extending through both said primary shroud assembly and said pivot brace;

an elongate segment of substantially strong, generally flexible material and including a first end and a second end, one of said first and second ends extending through said one lock aperture and the other of said first and second ends extending through said one receiving aperture to define a sealed position of said elongate segment,

a pair of lock segments each being mounted on a different one of said first and second ends and each having an increased diameter relative to a diameter of said elongate segment and a diameter of said lock and receiving apertures so as to prevent unauthorized removal of said elongate segment from either said container door lock or said cargo container door latch assembly, and said elongate segment cooperatively disposed and structured relative to both said cargo container door latch assembly and said container door lock to prevent removal thereof and movement of said cargo door latch assembly from said closed orientation to said open orientation unless said elongate segment is removed from said sealed position.

2. An improved cargo security assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein each of said lock segments includes an identifying indicia disposed thereon.

3. An improved cargo security assembly as recited in claim 2 wherein said identifying indicia on each of said lock segments is different from the other.

4. An improved cargo security assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said container door lock further includes a tamper evident coating structured and disposed to cover said primary shroud assembly and said pivot brace, said tamper evident coating being substantially difficult to un-noticeably repair upon said primary shroud assembly or said pivot brace, and accordingly said tamper evident coating, being cut, thereby providing a clear, positive indication of tampering.

5. An improved cargo security assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said primary shroud assembly is formed of a substantially strong, cut resistant material and is structured and disposed to prevent access to the connection joint without cutting or removing said primary shroud assembly, thereby restricting vertical movement of said primary shroud assembly relative to the lock rod.

6. An improved cargo security assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein one of said first and second ends of said elongate segment extending through said receiving aperture is disposed and structured to secure said primary shroud assembly to said pivot brace and prevent separation thereof without removal of said elongate element from said container door lock.

7. An improved cargo security assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said sealed position of said elongate segment is further defined by said pivot brace being disposed about the lock rod and into engagement with said primary shroud assembly.

8. An improved cargo security assembly as recited in claim 7 wherein said pivot brace is structured to be removable from about the lock rod when said elongate segment is detached from said container door lock.

9. An improved cargo security assembly as recited in claim 7 wherein said sealed position of said elongate segment is further defined by said primary shroud assembly being disposed in secure engagement about the actuation handle and in covering relation to the connection joint.

10. An improved cargo security assembly as recited in claim 9 wherein said primary shroud assembly is structured to be removable from secure engagement about the actuation handle and covering relation to the connection joint when said elongate segment is detached from said container door lock.

11. An improved cargo security assembly as recited in claim 9 wherein said elongate segment is disposed and cooperatively structured with both said primary shroud assembly and said pivot brace to prevent separation thereof from one another and further prevent removal of said pivot brace relative to the lock rod and removal of the primary shroud assembly relative to the actuation handle without removal of said elongate segment from said sealed position.

12. An improved cargo security assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said container door lock comprises a first receiving aperture formed in said primary shroud assembly and a second receiving aperture formed in said pivot brace, said elongate segment disposed to have one of said first and second ends extending through both said and second receiving apertures to secure said pivot brace to said first primary shroud assembly when said elongate segment is in said sealed position.

13. An improved cargo security assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said container door lock is structured to be removable from said cargo container closure assembly upon detachment of said elongate segment from said container door lock.

14. To securely close a container having at least one door, an improved cargo security assembly comprising:

a cargo container closure assembly structured to be positioned between an open orientation wherein the cargo door can be opened and a closed orientation wherein the cargo door is maintained closed,

said cargo container closure assembly including a cargo container door latch assembly structured to restrict movement of said cargo container closure assembly into said open orientation when latched and including at least one lock aperture defined therein,

a container door lock structured to be disposed on said cargo container closure assembly in order to prevent opening thereof and including a primary shroud assembly and a pivot brace,

said primary shroud assembly structured to substantially shield from external access a connection joint between an actuation handle of the container door latch assembly and a lock rod of the cargo container closure assembly,

said pivot brace disposed about the lock rod and structured to engage said primary shroud assembly and prevent pivotal movement thereof along with the actuation handle about an axis of the lock rod,

a first receiving aperture formed in said primary shroud assembly and a second receiving aperture formed in said pivot brace,

an elongate segment of substantially strong, generally flexible material and including a first end and a second end, one of said first and second ends extendable through said one lock aperture and the other of said first and second ends extendable through said first and second receiving apertures to define a sealed position of said elongate segment,

a pair of lock segments each mounted on a different one of said first and second ends and each having an increased diameter relative to a diameter of said elongate segment and a diameter of said lock aperture and said receiving apertures so as to prevent unauthorized removal of said elongate segment from either said container door lock or said cargo container door latch assembly,

said container door lock being structured to be removable from said cargo container closure assembly upon detachment of said elongate segment from said container door lock, and said elongate segment disposed and cooperatively structured relative to both said cargo container door latch assembly and said container door lock to prevent removal thereof and movement of said cargo container door latch assembly from said closed orientation to said open orientation unless said elongate segment is removed from said sealed position.