Closure fasteners – Seals – Encasing
Patent
1997-01-30
1999-03-02
Meyers, Steven
Closure fasteners
Seals
Encasing
70436, B65D 2730
Patent
active
058760768
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to tamper indication apparatus.
Such apparatus is particularly useful to indicate whether undesired access to a restricted location, region, receptacle, container or area etc. has been attempted, or achieved.
One known tamper indicator comprises a so-called electric security seal which forms the subject matter of published European Patent Application EP-A-0 618 559.
Known devices of this type are of an electronic nature and thus require a power source. Once enabled to provide for tamper indication, the known device displays alpha-numeric information generated in a random manner at the time of establishing a seal. If the seal is broken, i.e. in an attempt to gain access to the secured receptacle or other container, any attempt to reseal the device, i.e. in an attempt to disguise the attempted, or successful, access to the receptacle or container, causes the device to electronically generate a further random alpha-numeric display. This display, in view of the random nature of the generation of the numbers/letters, has an insignificantly small probability of displaying the previous random number or letters. The randomly generated alpha-generic information is displayed electronically.
Disadvantages are however experienced with such known apparatus in that the continued accurate operation thereof is dependent upon the provision of a sealed power source which has a limited life. Also, the known apparatus suffers from robustness limitations. Furthermore, the known apparatus only generates a further random number when an attempt is made to reseal the device.
It has been found that such known apparatus can only have limited use.
The present invention seeks to provide tamper indication apparatus having advantages over known tamper indication apparatus.
In accordance with the present invention there is provided a tamper indication apparatus comprising movable indicia means arranged to be visible from outside the apparatus, drive means for imparting movement to said movable indicia means to alter in a random manner the visible indicia, and retainer means selectively engageable with said movable indicia means to retain them against movement, wherein said drive means is arranged to be actuable in response to an opening/closing force and/or an opening/closing movement of a security device associated with said tamper indication apparatus.
An embodiment of apparatus of invention advantageously provides tamper indicator apparatus having a simple mechanical structure, and mechanism, capable of achieving the random generation of a tamper-indication code without the identified disadvantages of the prior art.
The movable indicia means may advantageously have an at least part arcuate surface, which preferably has a plurality of indicia provided thereon. In this manner, the movable indicia means may advantageously be arranged rotatably, or pivotally, within the apparatus so as to allow for the viewing of different portions of said arcuate surface and thus different indicia.
In particular, the movable indicia means may comprise rotatable means which, in one particular embodiment, may comprise wheel means.
In a presently preferred embodiment, said movable indicia means comprise a number of wheels each having a plurality of indicia provided on the circumferential surface thereof.
The provision of wheels or wheel means is particularly advantageous having regard to the required generation of a potentially large number of random positions of the indicia means. A plurality of indicia means are advantageously provided on the circumferential surface of each said wheel, for example.
To enhance the security function of the apparatus, the movable indicia means advantageously comprises a plurality of discrete movable indicia members.
Such members are advantageously provided with similar dimensions and, in particular, are arranged to rotate freely and independently.
In order to achieve a particularly compact construction of the apparatus of the present invention, the said plurality of movable indicia members may a
REFERENCES:
patent: 439623 (1890-11-01), Beasley
patent: 506647 (1893-10-01), Littell
patent: 585016 (1897-06-01), Aldrich
patent: 923584 (1909-06-01), Ruddy
patent: 1578060 (1926-03-01), Nash
patent: 1590046 (1926-06-01), Man
patent: 2700360 (1955-01-01), Stegman
patent: 4118057 (1978-10-01), Michael
patent: 4766419 (1988-08-01), Hayward
Estremsky Gary
Mecom Standard Limited
Meyers Steven
LandOfFree
Tamper indication apparatus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Tamper indication apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Tamper indication apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-415679