Multi-purpose seal with lock

• US 7,178,369 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2003
• Issued: 02/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: European Community, Rawell Group Holdings Limited
• Original Assignee: European Community
• Inventors: Azzalin, Graziano, Poucet, Andre, Korn, Christophe
• Primary Examiner(s): Gall; Lloyd A.
• Application Number:
  US10/513,325
• Publication Number:
  US 20050210932A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,385 Days
• Field of Search: 70/50, 704/35, 704/34, 704/39, 704/40, 704/08, 70 20- 49, 70/53, 704/33, 292/307.R, 340/542, 294/64, 295/92
• US Class Current: 70/50
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 39/02 with destructible seal closures or paper closures
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/459 Both legs engaged
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/483 Flexible shackle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/485 With seal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/487 Parts, accessories, attachments and adjuncts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/491 Shackles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/8081 Electric
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/8108 Padlock

Abstract

A multipurpose seal with a lock, including a mobile closure apparatus of a casing containing a lock and an attachment element designed to be locked in the casing. The lock includes a barrel configured to move in the casing between a locked position and an unlocked position. A remote-interrogatable electronic component including a data-storage is maintained in a housing, which passes through part of the casing and part of the lock barrel when the lock barrel is in the locked position. Thus, any rotation of the barrel from the locked position causes the component to break.

Claims

1. A multi-purpose seal with a lock, comprising:

a mobile closure apparatus formed of a casing containing a lock;

an attachment element configured to be locked into the casing, said lock comprising a lock barrel configured to move in the casing between a locked position and an unlocked position;

a holding element fixed in a recess of said casing; and

a remote-interrogatable electronic component that comprises a data-storage, said component being held by said holding element in a housing that passes through part of the casing and part of the lock barrel when the lock barrel is in the locked position.

2. A seal according to claim 1, wherein the holding element comprises a cavity configured to accommodate part of the electronic component, and wherein a spring is arranged between a bottom of the cavity and the electronic component.

3. A seal according to claim 1, further comprising a fixed pin configured to immobilize the holding element in the casing.

4. A seal according to claim 1, wherein the data-storage of the electronic component comprises a data-encryption mechanism.

5. A seal according to claim 1, wherein the data-storage of the electronic component is of programmable or multipage type.

6. A seal according to claim 1, wherein the electronic component comprises a passive transponder of injectable transponder type used for animals.

7. A seal according to claim 1, further comprising removable means for preventing the attachment element from being locked in the casing.

8. A seal according to claim 1, wherein the mobile closure apparatus comprises a padlock.

9. A seal according to claim 1, wherein the mobile closure apparatus comprises an antitheft device of bicycle lock type.

10. A method of manufacturing a multi-purpose seal including a mobile closure apparatus formed of a casing containing a lock and an attachment element, said lock including a lock barrel configured to move in the casing between a position at which the attachment element is locked and a position at which the attachment element is unlocked, the method comprising:

drilling an opening, said opening passing through part of the casing and part of the lock barrel when the lock barrel is in the locked position;

machining a recess in the casing;

installing, in said opening, a remote-interrogatable electronic component comprising a data-storage; and

fixing, in said recess, a holding element for holding the electronic component.

11. A method according to claim 10 wherein the recess is machined in the casing ahead of the opening.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the holding element includes a cavity configured to accommodate part of the electronic component, and wherein a spring is arranged between a bottom of the cavity and the electronic component.

13. A method according to claim 10, further comprising:

fixing a pin to immobilize the holding element in the casing.

14. A method according to claim 10, further comprising:

installing removable means for preventing the attachment element from being locked in the casing.

15. A method according to claim 10, wherein the data-storage of the electronic component comprises a data-encryption mechanism.

16. A method according to claim 10, wherein the data-storage of the electronic component is of programmable or multipage type.

17. A method according to claim 10 wherein the electronic component comprises a passive transponder of injectable transponder type used for animals.

18. A method according to claim 10, wherein the mobile closure apparatus comprises a padlock.

19. A method according to claim 10, wherein the mobile closure apparatus comprises an antitheft device of bicycle lock type.