Closure fasteners – Seals – Rigid shackle ends
Patent
1995-03-14
1998-06-16
Meyers, Steven N.
Closure fasteners
Seals
Rigid shackle ends
292307A, B65D 5506
Patent
active
057658854
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention refers to a security seal and more particularly to a seal of the type known as "pull-tight". This type of seal has a seal body defining a tunnel having first and second open ends and being formed internally with at least one locking tooth. An element to be locked in the tunnel comprises a flexible elongate element having a free end, the elongate element having a series of sealing formations along its length so that, on insertion of the free end through the first end of the tunnel and on it being pulled through the second end of the tunnel, the sealing portions cooperate with the sealing tooth in a manner similar to a ratchet. This prevents withdrawal of the elongate element through the first end of the tunnel.
Security seals of the aforementioned type are widely used--often as ties--spite of the reduced degree of security they offer. It will therefore be understood that the introduction of a needle or the like into that side of the tunnel from which the free end of the elongate element protrudes permits--sometimes with great facility--the unlocking of the inner locking teeth from the formations or teeth on the elongate element, thus permitting the slow, but progressive withdrawal of the elongate element from the seal body.
Furthermore, the formations or teeth on the elongate element are relatively aggressive to the touch and this is prejudicial to those whose work involves the application of large daily amounts of this type of seal.
A seal of this type is known that has a considerably improved degree of security due to the specific configuration of the flexible elongate part, whereby the sealing formations comprise stepped depressions along the elongate element the surface of which adjacent the depressions is substantially smooth and without sharp corners or edges. This results in a smoother--less aggressive--touch for the hands of the user.
A seal with this improvement is disclosed in Brazilian patent application PI 8906110 of Dec. 01, 1989, the degree of security being further improved due to the fact that, at the second end of the tunnel in the seal body, there is a pair of flexible tabs aligned with the locking teeth, which serve together with the section of the elongate part to close the second end of the tunnel, this making it difficult to introduce needles or the like during an unauthorized attempt to open the seal. Forming the seal body with the inner locking teeth and also with the protecting tabs, however, makes the manufacture of the seal more difficult with the necessity to use more complex moulds.
The object of this invention is to provide a seal of the above type, that has the same improved degree of security as the seal illustrated in Brazilian patent application PI 8906110, but which is much simpler to manufacture.
SUMMARY
According to the present invention, a security seal of the above defined type is characterised by comprising a locking accessory integral with the seal body and formed with a through opening of a shape substantially identical to the cross section of the elongate element and with at least a part of its edge flexible to adjust itself to the differences in such cross section in the regions of the sealing formations, the accessory being foldable with respect to the seal body so that the through opening may be superimposed over the second open end of the tunnel in the seal body.
The result of this improvement is that, in use, the second end of the tunnel in the seal body is substantially closed not only by the elongate element itself, but also by the accessory that is moulded in a region of the mold away from that corresponding to the more complex seal body.
Preferably, the flexible edge part of the through opening comprises a tab which, in the folded position with the opening superimposed on the second end of the tunnel, is aligned with the locking tooth of the latter.
In the presently preferred embodiment of the invention, there are two locking teeth and two flexible edge parts of the through opening in the form of tabs w
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ELC Produtos de Seguranca e Comercio Ltda.
Lecher Donald J.
Meyers Steven N.
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