Tamper evident cargo container seal bolt lock

• US 10,145,146 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2017
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neology Incorporated (OEP Technologie BV)
• Original Assignee: Neology Incorporated (OEP Technologie BV)
• Inventors: Mullis, Joe, Kruest, James Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Mullen, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US15/468,588
• Publication Number:
  US 20170200401A1
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• Field of Search: 340541, 340542, 3405681, 3405721, 340650-652
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2211/00 Anti-theft means
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2401/00 Tamper-indicating means relating to aerosol containers B65D83/224
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 90/22 Safety features floating covers B65D88/34; arrangements of indicating or measuring devices B65D90/48; fire-fighting A62C
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 17/00 Accessories in connection with locks buffers E05F5/00; means for preventing rattling of wings E05F7/04; means for taking the weight of the wing E05F7/06
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 17/22 Means for operating or controlling lock or fastening device accessories, i.e. other than the fastening members, e.g. switches, indicators E05B39/00 - E05B45/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0067 Monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0072 Operation
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0097 including means for monitoring voltage, e.g. for indicating low battery state
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 39/005 Locks with means for tracking the location of locked items, e.g. freight containers
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 39/04 with counting or registering devices time recording locks G07C1/32
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0017 Anti-theft devices, e.g. tags or monitors, fixed to articles, e.g. clothes, and to be removed at the check-out of shops
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07798 part of the antenna or the integrated circuit being adapted for rupturing or breaking, e.g. record carriers functioning as sealing devices for detecting not-authenticated opening of containers electronic seals G09F3/03
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/32 Time-recording locks
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0317 having bolt like sealing means means for preventing relative axial movement of a pin, spigot, shaft or the like and a member surrounding it F16B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0329 having electronic sealing means
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 999/99 dummy group
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/625 Operation and control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/8081 Electric
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/8216 Tampering detector

Abstract

Systems and methods for a tamper-evident cargo container seal bolt lock are disclosed herein. The device can include a receiving member, a conductive bolt member adapted to be snap-locked into the receiving member, and a plastic encapsulant which tethers the bolt member to the receiving member. The encapsulant can contain an electrically conductive medium, such as a wire, which runs from the receiving member to the second end of the bolt. A sensory circuit disposed within the receiving member can be configured to sense whether the circuit has been interrupted (e.g., if the bolt has been cut). In the event of an interruption, the circuit can record the present time and/or date in memory. An RFID transponder disposed within the encapsulant or the receiving member can then transmit the recorded date/time to an RFID interrogator if a dispute subsequently arises as to when the lock had been broken.

Claims

1. A bolt lock device comprising:

a bolt member comprising;

a shaft comprising a first end and a second end; and

a lock groove formed in the shaft;

a sensory circuit comprising memory, a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact;

a receiving member adapted to receive the first end of the shaft including the lock groove; and

a tethering member comprising a conductive medium and adapted to tether the bolt member and the receiving member,

wherein;

the bolt member and the first contact and the second contact of the sensory circuit are adapted to form a continuous electrical circuit when the bolt member has been received in the receiving member;

the lock groove is configured to lock the bolt member to the receiving member when the bolt member has been received in the receiving member; and

the sensory circuit is configured to detect an interruption in a continuity of the electrical circuit.

2. The bolt lock device of claim 1, wherein the receiving member comprises a lock member configured to interface with the lock groove of the bolt member to facilitate the locking.

3. The bolt lock device of claim 2, wherein the first end of the bolt member is shaped to facilitate insertion into the receiving member and to electrically interface the lock member with the lock groove.

4. The bolt lock device of claim 2, wherein the first contact is electrically connected to the lock member and the second contact is electrically connected to the second end of the shaft when the bolt member has been received in the receiving member.

5. The bolt lock device of claim 1, wherein the bolt member is configured to conduct electrical current.

6. The bolt lock device of claim 1, wherein the sensory circuit is configured to detect an interruption in the continuity of the electrical circuit at least in part by transmitting an electrical current.

7. The bolt lock device of claim 6, wherein the sensory circuit is configured to transmit the electrical current at periodic intervals.

8. The bolt lock device of claim 1, wherein the tethering member comprises plastic.

9. The bolt lock device of claim 1, wherein in response to detecting an interruption in the continuity of the electrical circuit, the electrical circuit is further configured to record a current date and time in the memory.

10. The bolt lock device of claim 1, wherein the sensory circuit further comprises a serial bus connection.

11. The bolt lock device of claim 1, wherein the electrical circuit further comprises a transponder, an antenna, and a battery.

12. The bolt lock device of claim 11, wherein the transponder, the antenna, and the battery are disposed within the receiving member.

13. The bolt lock device of claim 11, wherein the transponder comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) chip.

14. The bolt lock device of claim 11, wherein the transponder, the antenna, and the battery are disposed within the tethering member.

15. The bolt lock device of claim 11, wherein the battery is adapted to electrically couple to the electrical circuit only when the bolt member has been received in the receiving member.

16. A method for electronically detecting whether a bolt lock has been tampered with, the method comprising:

receiving a bolt member in a receiving member, the receiving member being connected to the bolt member via a tethering member comprising a conductive medium and adapted to tether the bolt member and the receiving member to one another;

locking the bolt member to the receiving member via a lock groove formed in the bolt member when the bolt member has been received in the receiving member;

forming a continuous electrical circuit comprising the bolt member, the receiving member, and the conductive medium when the bolt member has been received in the receiving member;

detecting an interruption in a continuity of the electrical circuit with a sensory circuit comprising memory; and

in response to detecting an interruption in the continuity of the electrical circuit, recording a current date and time in the memory.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving a read request from an external device; and

in response to the request, transmitting data comprising the recorded date and time to the external device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein transmitting the data comprising the recorded date and time to the external device further comprises wirelessly transmitting the data comprising the recorded date and time to the external device.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein forming the continuous electrical circuit comprises:

interfacing a lock member of the receiving member with the lock groove of the bolt member to facilitate the locking,

wherein a first contact of the sensory circuit is electrically connected to the lock member via the conductive medium and a second contact of the sensory circuit is electrically connected to the bolt member via the conductive medium when the bolt member has been received in the receiving member.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein detecting an interruption in the continuity of the electrical circuit comprises transmitting an electrical current at periodic intervals.