Tamper resistant cover and use thereof

• US 7,023,340 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2001
• Issued: 04/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Peter Egli, Roland Cochard
• Original Assignee: Peter Egli, Roland Cochard
• Inventors: Egli, Peter, Cochard, Roland
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): TANG, SON M
• Application Number:
  US10/492,363
• Publication Number:
  US 20040245205A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,634 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 340/545.6
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 55/028 initial opening or unauthorised access being indicated by the presence or absence of an audible or electrical signal

Abstract

A membrane for a cover for closing a container having the general form of a cylinder and being compressible in the direction of the axis of the cylinder. The membrane comprises two mutually parallel, generally flat parts arranged to move axially in relation to each other guided in the movement by guiding elements; resilient element arranged to generate a counterforce between the flat parts during compression of the membrane in the direction of the axis; at least a first and a second electrical contact device operated by the axial movement between the circular parts, the combined electrical settings of which contact devices will carry information about the compressions and decompressions of the membrane and elements for presenting the settings to the outside of the membrane. A cover comprising such a membrane and use thereof are also described.

Claims

1. A membrane (1) for a cover (15,15′

) for closing a container (14,14′

) having the general form of a cylinder with a soft surface structure and being compressible in the direction of the axis of the cylinder, characterised in that it comprises two mutually parallel, generally flat parts (2,3) arranged at the upper and lower part of the membrane (1) respectively, arranged to move axially in relation to each other guided in said movement by means of guiding means (4, 41,42, 43), resilient means (6,6′

) arranged to generate a counterforce between the flat parts (2,3) during compression of the membrane in the direction of the axis, at least a first and a second electrical contact device (G1, C1, C1′

) and (G2, C2, C2′

) operated by means of the axial movement between the circular parts (2,3), the combined electrical settings of which contact devices will carry information about the compressions and decompressions of the membrane, means for presenting said settings to the outside of the membrane.

2. A membrane according to claim 1, characterised in that said first electrical contact device (G1, C1, C1′

) is changing its electrical conductivity each time the membrane (1) is compressed and decompressed respectively, said second electrical contact device (G2, C2, C2′

) is changing its electrical conductivity only at the first decompression of the membrane (1).

3. A membrane according to claim 2, characterised in that said means for presenting said settings to the outside of the membrane (1) is of galvanic type.

4. A membrane according to claim 2, characterised in that said means for presenting said settings to the outside of the membrane (1) is of capacitive type.

5. A membrane according to claim 2, characterised in that said means for presenting said settings to the outside of the membrane comprises electronic circuits (E1, E2) connected to said contact devices (G1, C1, C1′

) and (G2, C2, C2′

) including an antenna with associated RF circuitry, control logic circuits and memory means, and in that the energy for the operation of these electronic circuits is transmitted from the outside of the membrane.

6. A membrane according to claim 1, characterised in that said means for presenting said settings to the outside of the membrane (1) is of galvanic type.

7. A membrane according to claim 1, characterised in that said means for presenting said settings to the outside of the membrane (1) is of capacitive type.

8. A membrane according to claim 1, characterised in that said means for presenting said settings to the outside of the membrane comprises electronic circuits (E1, E2) connected to said contact devices (G1, C1, C1′

) and (G2, C2, C2′

) including an antenna with associated RF circuitry, control logic circuits and memory means, and in that the energy for the operation of these electronic circuits is transmitted from the outside of the membrane.

9. A cover (15,15′

) for closing a container (14,14′

) comprising a membrane (1) having the general form of a cylinder with a soft surface structure and being compressible in the direction of the axis of the cylinder, characterised in that said membrane comprises two mutually parallel, generally flat parts (2,3) arranged at the upper and lower part of the membrane (1) respectively, arranged to move axially in relation to each other guided in said movement by means of guiding means (4,41, 42,43), resilient means (6,6′

) arranged to generate a counterforce between the flat parts (2,3) during compression of the membrane in the direction of the axis at the closing of said container, at least a first and a second electrical contact device (G1, C1, C1′

) and (G2, C2, C2′

) operated by means of the axial movement between the circular parts (2,3), the combined electrical settings of which contact devices will carry information about the compressions and decompressions of the membrane, means for presenting said settings to the outside of the cover.

10. A cover (15,15′

) for closing a container (14,14′

), characterised in that it comprises two mutually parallel, generally flat parts (2,3) arranged perpendicular to the axis of said cover to move along said axis in relation to each other guided in said movement by means of guiding means (4,41, 42,43), resilient means (6,6′

) arranged to generate a counterforce between the flat parts (2,3) when said parts are approaching each other at the closing of said container, at least a first and a second electrical contact device (G1, C1, C1′

) and (G2, C2, C2′

) operated by means of the axial movement between the flat parts (2,3), the combined electrical settings of which contact devices will carry information about the opening and closing of said container (14,14′

), means for presenting said settings to the outside of the cover (15, 15′

).

11. A method for protection of the distribution by means of a closed container (14) from a producer site to an end-user site and confirming authenticity of the product at the end-user site, providing at the producer site a container (14) for the transport of the product and a cover (15) for closing said container including a membrane (1) for said cover (15) having the general form of a cylinder with a soft surface structure and being compressible in the direction of the axis of the cylinder, said membrane comprising two mutually parallel, generally flat parts (2, 3) arranged at the upper and lower part of the membrane (1) respectively, arranged to move axially in relation to each other guided in said movement by means of guiding means (4,41, 42,43), resilient means (6,6′

) arranged to generate a counterforce between the flat parts (2,3) during compression of the membrane in the direction of the axis, at least a first and a second electrical contact device (G1, C1, C1′

) and (G2, C2, C2′

) operated by means of the axial movement between the circular parts (2,3), the combined electrical settings of which contact devices will carry information about the compressions and decompressions of the membrane, means for presenting said settings to the outside of the membrane, said method comprising the steps of filling up the container (14) with product, closing said container my means of said cover (15) and transporting said closed container to the end-user site at which the combined electrical settings of the contact devices is read to confirm authenticity of the product.

12. A method for protection of the distribution by means of a closed container (14) from a producer site to an end-user site and use at the end-user site of a product against fraud, providing at the producer site a container (14) for the transport of the product and a cover (15) for closing said container including a membrane (1) for said cover (15) having the general form of a cylinder with a soft surface structure and being compressible in the direction of the axis of the cylinder, said membrane comprising two mutually parallel, generally flat parts (2,3) arranged at the upper and lower part of the membrane (1) respectively, arranged to move axially in relation to each other guided in said movement by means of guiding means (4,41, 42,43), resilient means (6,6′

) arranged to generate a counterforce between the flat parts (2,3) during compression of the membrane in the direction of the axis, at least a first and a second electrical contact device (G1, C1, C1′

) and (G2, C2, C2′

) operated by means of the axial movement between the circular parts (2,3), the combined electrical settings of which contact devices will carry information about the compressions and decompressions of the membrane, means for presenting said settings to the outside of the membrane comprising electronic circuits (E1, E2) connected to said contact devices (G1, C1, C1′

) and (G2, C2, C2′

) including an antenna with associated RF circuitry, control logic circuits and memory means, constituting together with the contacts a transponder/sensor device, and further a first transceiver (16) which can be operated to transfer energy to said transponder for the operation of the same and to read and write data from and to said memory means, and providing at the end-user site a second transceiver (17) which can be operated to transfer energy to said transponder for the operation of the same and to read and write data from and to said memory means and an automatic installation for distribution of the product provided with a confined, secured and closable volume in which the container (14) could be entered, opened and the content prepared for use, said method comprising at the producer site the steps of said first transceiver (16) is operated to energise said transponder/sensor in the cover (15), said first transceiver (16) is operated to read out data from the transponder/sensor related to at least the switch settings of the membrane, said transceiver (16) is operated to decide whether or not said data is correct, and if correct, said transceiver (16) is operated to write into the transponder/sensor memory at least a product identification number and a producer identification number, whereafter a signal from said transceiver inhibits write mode for specific memory arrays in the transponder/sensor memory, the container (14) is filled up with product and closed my means of the cover (15) and is then transported to the end-user site at which said second transceiver (17) is operated to energise said transponder/sensor in the cover (15), said transceiver (17) is operated to read out data from the transponder/sensor related to the product, the producer and the switch settings of the membrane, said transceiver (17) is operated to decide whether or not said product and producer data is plausible and if said switch settings are correct, and if so, the container (14) with the product and the cover (15) still closed is presented to said automatic installation for distribution of the product which within said confined, secured and closed volume opens the container (14) and prepares the content for use.