Security seal

• US 7,472,933 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2005
• Issued: 01/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ITW Limited (Illinois Tool Works Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ITW Limited (Illinois Tool Works Inc.)
• Inventors: Benning, Christopher, Weedon, Derrick
• Primary Examiner(s): ESTREMSKY, GARY WAYNE
• Application Number:
  US11/062,580
• Publication Number:
  US 20060131895A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,413 Days
• Field of Search: 292/307.R, 292/307.A, 292/315
• US Class Current: 292/307.00A
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0358 using a rigid hasp lock
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/48 Seals
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/491 Distorted shackle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/492 Driving
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/507 Tag type

Abstract

A seal of the type includes a housing and a J- or U-shaped hasp, the housing having first and second openings to receive the legs of the hasp. The first opening communicating with a third opening of the housing to form a channel for a first leg of the hasp. A locking mechanism is provided within the housing which is biased to resist withdrawal of the first leg of the hasp through the first opening. The hasp being lockable within the housing such that it can only be removed by cutting of the first leg of the hasp. The legs of the hasp are substantially rigid and are connected together by a resilient hinge such that in a first, relaxed position the legs adopt a position in which they are not parallel, the legs being moveable to a second, parallel position against the resilient force of the hinge for insertion into the housing. The housing may be formed of a main body and a cover, the cover being sealed onto the body part, the cover having at least one protrusion which engages in a corresponding recess within the body part, and the protrusion having an aperture therethrough which in use receives one leg of the hasp.

Claims

1. A security seal, comprising a housing and a hasp;

the housing having first and second openings to receive first and second legs of the hasp, the first opening communicating with a third opening of the housing to form a channel for the first leg of the hasp;

a locking mechanism being provided within the housing wherein said locking mechanism is biased to resist withdrawal of the first leg of the hasp through the first opening, the hasp being lockable within the housing by said locking mechanism,

wherein the housing comprises a main body and a cover,

the main body includes

a first side on which the first and second openings are located;

a second side on which the third opening is located, said first and second sides are opposite to each other;

a third side having a fourth opening sealed by the cover, said third side is perpendicular to the first and second sides;

the cover has

at least two protrusions each of which is engaged in a corresponding recess provided inside the main body,

each of the protrusions being perpendicular to the third side and having therethrough an aperture that is opened in a direction in which a respective one of the legs of the hasp is insertable through said aperture when the hasp is locked within the housing by said locking mechanism; and

the locking of the hasp within the housing by said locking mechanism prevents a retraction of the cover from the main body.

2. A security seal according to claim 1, wherein the hasp is a unitary member formed of a material which is substantially rigid at the legs and forms a resilient hinge at a juncture between the legs of the hasp.

3. A security seal according to claim 1, wherein a point of weakening is provided in the first leg of the hasp and extends fully through a thickness of the leg, the hasp being breakable at the point of weakening.

4. A security seal according to claim 1, wherein said protrusion extends substantially perpendicular to the cover.

5. A security seal according to claim 1, wherein the aperture of one of the protrusions is aligned with the first opening and the third opening and the aperture of the other protrusion is aligned with the second opening.

6. A security seal, comprising a housing and a hasp insertable into said housing;

said hasp including a first leg and a second leg, said first and second legs having first and second locking elements, respectively;

wherein said housing comprises;

a first opening though which said first leg of the hasp is passable into the housing;

a second opening through which said second leg of the hasp is passable into the housing;

a third locking element moveable between a first position and a second position, said third locking element being biased towards the first position,

wherein in the first position, the third locking element is not engageable with the second locking element of the second leg regardless of a relative position of the second leg and the housing, said third locking element is moveable to the second position by the first leg when the first leg is introduced in the housing, and in the second position, the third locking element is engageable with the second leg.

7. A security seal according to claim 6, wherein each of the first and the second locking elements is a notch and the third locking element of said housing is an angled catch member having a first arm and a second arm joined at a juncture, said first and second arms being configured to engage the first and second locking elements, respectively, when the third locking element is in the second position.

8. A security seal according to claim 6, wherein, when the first leg and the second leg are parallel, said first locking element of the first leg and said second locking element of the second leg face each other.

9. A security seal according to claim 6, wherein

the legs of the hasp are connected together by a resilient hinge such that in a relaxed position the legs are not parallel, the legs being moveable to a parallel position against a resilient force of the hinge for insertion into the housing.

10. A security seal according to claim 9, wherein the hasp including the legs and the hinge, is a unitary member formed of a material which is substantially rigid at the legs and forms the resilient hinge at a juncture between the legs of the hasp.

11. A security seal according to claim 9, wherein a point of weakening is provided in the first leg of the hasp and extends fully through a thickness of the leg, the hasp being breakable at the point of weakening.

12. A security seal according to claim 9, wherein the legs of the hasp in the relaxed position diverge.

13. A security seal according to claim 6, wherein, in a locked position when the hasp is locked in the housing by the third locking element engaging the first and second locking elements, an exposed portion of said first leg is located past a third opening of said housing and accessible by a user to enable the user to pull said exposed portion in a direction away from said housing when the first leg is broken.

14. A security seal according to claim 13, wherein, in the locked position, said third locking element does not resist movement of said exposed portion of the first leg through the third opening.

15. A security seal according to claim 14, wherein said first leg has

a first portion having a first width and a second portion having a second width, wherein said first width is greater than the second width to define a shoulder at a junction of said first and second portions;

and

a point of weakening that connects the first and the second portions of the first leg of the hasp;

wherein the movement of said exposed portion of the first leg though the third opening is limited by said shoulder.