Bolt-type seal lock having locking body and separate mounting housing with electronics for wireless communications
First Claim
1. A seal lock, comprising:
- (a) a bolt comprising,(i) a shaft having a proximal portion and a distal portion, and(ii) a head located at the proximal portion of the shaft, the head being wider than the distal portion of the shaft;
(b) a locking body having a passageway with an open end for receiving and retaining the distal portion of the shaft of the bolt in locking engagement after the shaft has been inserted a predetermined extent into the open end of the passageway, at which point the shaft cannot be withdrawn from the open end of the passageway; and
(c) a housing connected to the locking body such that the housing and locking body are rotatable relative to each other, the housing configured to be removably mounted to a door of a shipping container, whereby the locking body does not freely swing on the distal portion of the shaft of the bolt during movement of the shipping container;
(d) wherein the housing contains electronics therein, the electronics including,(i) memory for storing data,(ii) a wireless communication component configured to wirelessly communicate data, and(iii) a power source for powering the wireless communication component; and
(e) wherein the housing and locking body are rotatable relative to each other about a first axis, and wherein the passageway of the locking body extends along a second axis that is parallel to the first axis.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The system described here is a bolt-type seal lock which includes a bolt, having a shaft with proximal and distal portions and a head that is wider than the distal portion of the shaft and located at the proximal portion of the shaft; a locking body having a passageway with an open end for receiving and retaining the distal portion of the shaft of the bolt in locking engagement after the shaft has been inserted a predetermined extent into the open end of the passageway, at which point the shaft cannot be withdrawn from the open end of the passageway; and a housing connected to, and rotatable relative to, the locking body, configured to be removably mounted to a door of a shipping container, thereby preventing swinging motion of the locking body. The housing contains electronics, including memory, a wireless communication component, and a power source.
63 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A seal lock, comprising:
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(a) a bolt comprising, (i) a shaft having a proximal portion and a distal portion, and (ii) a head located at the proximal portion of the shaft, the head being wider than the distal portion of the shaft; (b) a locking body having a passageway with an open end for receiving and retaining the distal portion of the shaft of the bolt in locking engagement after the shaft has been inserted a predetermined extent into the open end of the passageway, at which point the shaft cannot be withdrawn from the open end of the passageway; and (c) a housing connected to the locking body such that the housing and locking body are rotatable relative to each other, the housing configured to be removably mounted to a door of a shipping container, whereby the locking body does not freely swing on the distal portion of the shaft of the bolt during movement of the shipping container; (d) wherein the housing contains electronics therein, the electronics including, (i) memory for storing data, (ii) a wireless communication component configured to wirelessly communicate data, and (iii) a power source for powering the wireless communication component; and (e) wherein the housing and locking body are rotatable relative to each other about a first axis, and wherein the passageway of the locking body extends along a second axis that is parallel to the first axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of securing a shipping container, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a bolt-type seal lock, comprising, (i) a bolt comprising, (A) a shaft having a proximal portion and a distal portion, (B) a head located at the proximal portion of the shaft, the head being wider than the distal portion of the shaft, and (C) a microchip that electronically contains a unique serial number of the bolt, (ii) a locking body having an open-ended passageway, and (iii) a housing connected to the locking body such that the housing and locking body are rotatable relative to each other, the housing configured to be removably mounted to a door of a shipping container, whereby the locking body does not freely swing on the distal portion of the shaft of the bolt during movement of the shipping container, the housing containing electronics including, (A) memory for storing data, (B) a wireless communication component configured to wirelessly communicate data, and (C) a power source for powering the wireless communication component; (b) inserting the distal end of the shaft of the bolt, (i) through an opening in a locking structure of a door of the shipping container such that the shaft of the bolt must be withdrawn from the opening of the hasp in order to open the door of the shipping container without causing structural damage to the shipping container, the head of the bolt being too wide to pass through the opening in the locking structure of the door of the shipping container, and (ii) into an open end of the passageway of the locking body a predetermined extent such that the locking body receives and retains the shaft of the bolt in locking engagement therewith; and (c) after the locking engagement of the bolt with the locking body, reading the serial number from the microchip, storing the serial number in the memory of the housing, and wirelessly communicating the serial number from the housing the wireless communication component of the housing. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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Specification