Seals

• US 7,360,807 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2004
• Issued: 04/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ITW Limited (Illinois Tool Works Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ITW Limited (Illinois Tool Works Inc.)
• Inventors: Graves, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Gay; Jennifer H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, MARK A
• Application Number:
  US11/017,218
• Publication Number:
  US 20050161958A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,218 Days
• Field of Search: 292/307.R, 292/316, 292/317, 292/319.X, 292/318, 292/320, 292/321, 292/323.X, 292/307.A, 292/307.B, 243/99, 243/88, 244/00, 24/305.R, 206/440, 206/484, 206/216, 206/807
• US Class Current: 292/307.00R
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 19/301 at the end of their upward travel with any suitable device, e.g. pull member combined with a press-button, a hook, a key-operated lock
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 27/30 with special means for indicating unauthorised opening
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 33/2516 comprising tamper-indicating means, e.g. located within the fastener provided in the slider B65D33/2585
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/80 Packaging reuse or recycling, e.g. of multilayer packaging bio-packaging Y02W90/10
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/48 Seals
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/495 Resilient and rigid engaging means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/50 Single piece, spring catch
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/502 Shiftable catch shackle operated

Abstract

The application describes breakable seal for a container, bag, pouch or reusable envelope which is closed by one part (2) locating over a second part (1), the second part (1) having an opening (7) for receiving the head (14) of the breakable seal (13) which locks into the opening in such a manner that it cannot be removed without breaking, the seal (13) in its inserted position locking the first part (2) in place over the second part (1) in a tamper evident fashion. The seal (13) has an extended neck portion (15b) between the line of weakness (18) and the main body part (15a) of the seal. Typically said one part (2) is the fastener tab of the zipped opening of a reusable envelope and the second part (1) is the enclosure or chamber of a lock unit mounted on the envelope, adjacent one end of the zipped opening.

Claims

1. A breakable and disposable seal for use with a seal receiving chamber for sealing a container, said seal comprising:

a head part and a body part spaced from the head part in a longitudinal direction of said seal by a line of weakness, said head part having an upper surface and a lower surface, said upper surface and said lower surface defining a thickness therebetween in a thickness direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and said upper surface defining a longitudinally elongated and central groove, wherein, along said longitudinally elongated and central groove, said thickness is non-zero and less than the thickness in a remaining region of said head part, said remaining region located outside said groove,

wherein the body part has

a main portion, and

a neck portion which is substantially narrower than the main portion and extends between the line of weakness and the main portion, with shoulders being defined at the juncture of the neck portion and the main portion; and

wherein said longitudinally elongated and central groove defines a straight and a substantially narrow path along a central axis, thereby connecting a forwardmost part of said head part and said line of weakness;

wherein the longitudinally elongated and cantral groove registers with a corresponding rib whithin the seal receiving chamber.

2. A seal according to claim 1, wherein the neck portion has substantially parallel straight sides.

3. A seal according to claim 1, wherein the length of the neck portion is from 1.5 to 4 mm.

4. A seal according to claim 1, wherein the length of the neck portion is from 2 to 2.5 mm.

5. A seal according to claim 1, wherein each of said shoulders having a substantially flat front surface adjoining said thickness of said head part,

wherein said front surface of each of said shoulders extends orthogonally to said neck portion and defines an edged corner for said main portion by immediately bending towards said main portion away from said neck portion.

6. A seal according to claim 5, wherein a mouth of the opening and said front surface of each of said shoulders define an uninterrupted gap in between, thereby, locating an entirety of the main portion away from said mouth of the opening when the seal is inserted in the seal receiving chamber.

7. The seal according to claim 1, wherein an entirety of said upper surface and an entirety said lower surface are parallel to each other except for the longitudinally elongated and central groove.

8. A breakable and disposable seal for use with a seal receiving chamber for sealing a container, said seal comprising:

a main portion;

a neck portion which is narrower than said main portion and extends forwardly from said main portion in a longitudinal direction of said seal;

a weakened portion which is different from and extends forwardly from said neck portion in said longitudinal direction;

a head part insertable through an opening of the chamber and lockingly receivable in the chamber, said head part extending forwardly from said weakened portion in said longitudinal direction and including a longitudinally elongated and central groove, wherein said groove extends rearwardly in the longitudinal direction into the weakened portion,

wherein said main portion and said neck portion together define a body part separated from said head part by said weakened portion;

wherein the longitudinally elongated and central groove registers with a corresponding rib within the seal receiving chamber.

9. A seal according to claim 8, wherein said neck portion has a physical strength higher than said weakened portion, and further has a longitudinal extent in the longitudinal direction greater than said weakened portion.

10. A seal according to claim 8, wherein shoulders are defined at the juncture of the neck portion and the main portion and a front surface of each of said shoulders extend substantially over a full width of said main portion, and said front surface of said shoulders forms forwardmost parts of said main portion.

11. A breakable and disposable seal for use with a seal receiving chamber for sealing a container, said seal comprising:

a main portion;

a neck portion which is narrower than said main portion and extends forwardly from said main portion in a longitudinal direction of said seal;

a weakened portion different from and extends forwardly from said neck portion in said longitudinal direction; and

a head part insertable through an opening of the chamber and lockingly receivable in the chamber, said head part extending forwardly from said weakened portion in said longitudinal direction;

wherein said main portion and said neck portion together define a body part separated from said head part by said weakened portion;

wherein said neck portion has a physical strength higher than said weakened portion, and further has a longitudinal extent in the longitudinal direction greater than said weakened portion;

wherein shoulders being defined at the juncture of the neck portion and the main portion are forwardmost parts of said main portion, and

said shoulders are entirely located rearwardly of said neck portion;

wherein the head part comprises;

a longitudinally elongated and central groove for registration with a corresponding rib within the chamber; and

two locking barbs on opposite sides of said groove; and

wherein said longitudinally elongated and central groove extends from an indent formed on said head part up to said weakened portion.