Receptacles – Sectional – Container formed of only two similar sections
Patent
1998-12-01
1999-11-30
Castellano, Stephen
Receptacles
Sectional
Container formed of only two similar sections
B65D 818
Patent
active
059926635
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to security containers. It is particularly concerned with small containers housing an electronic device which should not be tampered with, and to which physical access is never required. For example, it could be a transponder which may be interrogated from time to time by a radio frequency identification device. There is no need for a lock and key closure: the container should be closable about the device with an irreversible action, requiring damage or even destruction to gain access again.
In addition, the container itself should have means for making it secure to a fixed object associated with or being the member to which the electronic device relates.
It is the aim of this invention to provide such a security container.
According to the present invention there is provided a security container characterised by two parts that snap together in an effectively inseparable manner to make a substantially closed chamber apart from an aperture through which a strop with a closed loop can extend, the container internally having a formation over which the loop can pass with the parts separated, but which is trapped when the parts are snap fitted together.
In the preferred form, the strop has two closed loops, one at each end, whereby both can be passed over the formation to leave the intermediate section as a bight that lies largely outside the container. The aperture is conveniently formed by a cutaway portion in at least one rim of one part, the opposed rim co-operating as the container is closed to complete the aperture. The aperture may be elongated to accept two passes of the strop, or there may be a separate aperture for each. The strop can thus be passed round an object and its two loops brought together and made captive inside the container whose two parts are then closed together.
Conveniently, the formation is part of the snap fitting. It may be an internally barbed socket on one part which receives and retains a toothed pillar on the other part. The barbs will be inaccessible to manipulation from outside the closed container.
In addition, the container may have externally on at least one part means for retaining a label which will give eye-readable information about the member to which the container is attached.
For a better understanding of the invention, one embodiment will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a security container,
FIG. 2 is an interior plan view of one part of the container,
FIG. 3 is a section on the line III--III of FIG. 2,
FIG. 4 is a section on the line IV--IV of FIG. 2,
FIG. 5 is an interior plan view of another part of the container,
FIG. 6 is a section on the line VI--VI of FIG. 5, and
FIG. 7 is a section on the line VII--VII of FIG. 5.
The container has two complementary circular dish-like parts 1 and 2 with a strop 3, all in plastics material. The strop has loops 4 at each end with an intermediate portion 5 that forms a bight outside the closed container while the loops 4 are trapped inside, as described below.
The part 1 has a stepped rim 6 and a central, rectangular pillar 7 projecting from the centre of its interior surface well above the rim 6. At its upper end, the pillar has teeth 8, on each of the two larger sides, with sloping flanks tapering in towards the top and with undersides substantially at right angles to the pillar. At the base of the pillar there are apertures 9 at each of the larger sides, left by the teeth moulding process. Part of the rim 6 is cut away or reduced at 10.
The other part 2 has a stepped rim 11 complementary to the rim 6, and has a cutaway or reduced portion 12 which will register with the portion 10 when the parts are brought together. The bight 5 of the strop 3 passes through the resultant slot.
While this symmetrical arrangement is preferred, an adequate slot could be obtained by cutting away just one rim. Also, instead of having an elongate slot, two separate apertures, each to take one pass of the strop, could be provided in a
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patent: 262946 (1882-08-01), Glover
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patent: 3367157 (1968-02-01), Woofter
patent: 4549693 (1985-10-01), Barlics
patent: 4727668 (1988-03-01), Anderson et al.
Castellano Stephen
Scafftag Limited
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