Claims:WE CLAIM:
1. A security seal (100), said seal (100) comprising:
a housing (110) having an interior surface (102), an exterior surface (104), a closed end (106), and an open end (108), said exterior surface (104) having a plurality of holes (112, 114) in communication with said interior surface (102);
first female fittings (130) configured on said interior surface (102);
a filament (150) configured to pass through each of said plurality of holes (112, 114);
a first locking element (170) receivable in said housing (110) through said open end (108) of said housing (110), said first locking element (170) having first male fittings (172) and second female fittings (174), said first male fittings (172) configured to be irreversibly engaged with said first female fittings (130) when said first locking element (170) is received in said housing (110); and
a second locking element (190) receivable in said housing (110) through said open end (108), said second locking element (190) having second male fittings (192) configured to be irreversibly engaged with said second female fittings (174) when said second locking element (190) is received in said housing (110).
2. The seal (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first locking element (170) has a first side (176), a second side (178), and a third side (180), wherein said second side (178) and said third side (180) extend from said first side (176).
3. The seal (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first side (176), said second side (178), and said third side (180) of said first locking element (170) define space therebetween to receive said second locking element (190).
4. The seal (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first male fittings (172) are configured on an operative outer surface of each of said second (178) and third sides (180) of said first locking element (170), and said second female fittings (174) are configured on an operative inner surface of each of said second (178) and third sides (180) of said first locking element (170).
5. The seal (100) as claimed in claim 4, wherein said first male fittings (172) and said second female fittings (174) are made integral with said second side (178) and said third side (180).
6. The seal (100) as claimed in claim 2, which comprises:
a first channel (182) configured on at least one of said second side (178) and said third side (180); and
a pair of second channels (194) configured on said second locking element (190);
wherein, said first channel (182) and said second channels (194) are configured to receive said filament (150) when said first locking element (170) and said second locking element (190) are fully received in said housing (110) respectively.
7. The seal (100) as claimed in claim 6, wherein said plurality of holes (112, 114) includes:
a first set of holes (112) registering with said first channels (182); and
a second set of holes (114) registering with said second channels (194).
8. The seal (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the length of said open end (108) is more than the length of said closed end (106).
9. The seal (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said filament (150) is of stainless steel.
10. The seal (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first (172) and second male fittings (192) include resilient inclined projections.
11. The seal (100) as claimed in claim 10, wherein said first female fittings (130) are recesses having shapes complementary to said inclined projections of said first locking element (170), and said second female fittings (174) are recesses having shape complementary to said inclined projections of said second locking element (190).
12. The seal (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second locking element (190) includes a handle (196) configured to seal said open end (108) of said housing (110) when said second locking element (190) is fully received in said housing (110).

13. The seal (100) as claimed in claim 12, wherein each of said second male fittings (192) and said handle (196) is made integral with said second locking element (190).

14. The seal (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said housing (110), said first locking element (170), said second locking element (190), said first male fittings (172), and said second male fittings (192) is of plastic.
, Description:FIELD
The present disclosure relates to the field of security seals.
BACKGROUND
The background information herein below relates to the present disclosure but is not necessarily prior art.
Wire security seals are known in the art, which are used to seal a product to prevent unwanted access to the product. A conventional wire seal includes a housing, a locking element, and a wire. A first end of the wire is initially passed through the housing and/or the locking element. The first end is then passed through a provision configured on the product to be sealed. The first end is then again passed through the housing, and the locking element is inserted in the housing to secure the portion of the wire in the housing. Once the locking element is inserted, the wire cannot be removed from the housing. However, in such seals, the wire may be pulled out and pushed back in without leaving evidence of tampering. Further, use of single locking element fails to prevent attempt of tampering to the product. In some of the conventional seals, the locking element can be removed from the housing using a sharp tool like a screw driver, and can be reinserted after accessing the product. In such cases, the attempt of tampering cannot be identified.
Therefore, there is felt a need of a security seal that alleviates the aforementioned drawbacks of the conventional wire security seals.
OBJECTS
Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment herein satisfies, are as follows:
An object of the present disclosure is to provide a security seal that is tamperproof.
Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a security seal that is durable.
Yet another object of the present disclosure is to provide a security seal that has ergonomic configuration.
Yet another object of the present disclosure is to provide a security seal that is easy to use.
Other objects and advantages of the present disclosure will be more apparent from the following description, which is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
SUMMARY
The present disclosure envisages a security seal. The security seal comprises a housing, first female fittings, a filament, a first locking element, and a second locking element. The housing has an interior surface, an exterior surface, a closed end, and an open end. The exterior surface has a plurality of holes in communication with the interior surface of the housing. The first female fittings are configured on the interior surface of the housing. The filament is configured to pass through each of the plurality of holes. The first locking element is receivable in the housing through the open end of the housing. The first locking element has first male fittings and second female fittings. The first male fittings are configured to be irreversibly engaged with the first female fittings when the first locking element is received in the housing. The second locking element is receivable in the housing through the open end. The second locking element has second male fittings configured to be irreversibly engaged with the second female fittings when the second locking element is received in the housing.
The first locking element has a first side, a second side, and a third side. The second side and the third side extend from the first side. The first side, the second side, and the third side of the first locking element define space therebetween to receive the second locking element. The first male fittings are configured on an operative outer surface of each of the second and third sides of the first locking element. The second female fittings are configured on an operative inner surface of each of the second and third sides of the first locking element.
The seal further comprises a first channel configured on at least one of the second side and the third side, and a pair of second channels configured on the second locking element. The first channel and the second channels are configured to receive the filament when the first locking element and the second locking element are fully received in the housing respectively.
The plurality of holes includes a first set of holes registering with the first channels, and a second set of holes registering with the second channels.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWING
The security seal, of the present disclosure, will now be described with the help of the accompanying drawing, in which:
Figure 1 illustrates a sectional front view of a housing of a tamper evident seal, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
Figure 2 illustrates a rear view of the housing of Figure 1;
Figure 3 illustrates a front view of a first locking element of the tamper evident seal;
Figure 4 illustrates a sectional isometric view of the first locking element of Figure 3;
Figure 5 illustrates a front view of a second locking element of the tamper evident seal;
Figure 6 illustrates a sectional view of the second locking element of Figure 5;
Figure 7 illustrates an isometric view of an assembly of the tamper evident seal, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
Figure 8 illustrates another isometric view of the assembly of the tamper evident seal;
Figure 9 illustrates another isometric view of the assembly of the tamper evident seal;
Figure 10 illustrates yet another isometric view of the assembly of the tamper evident seal;
Figure 11 illustrates yet another isometric view of the assembly of the tamper evident seal;
Figure 12 illustrates another isometric view of the assembly of the tamper evident seal; and
Figure 13 illustrates another isometric view of the assembly of the tamper evident seal.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
100 – Security seal
102 – Interior surface
104 – Exterior surface
106 – Closed end
108 – Open end
110 – Housing
112 – First set of holes
114 – Second set of holes
130 – First female fittings
150 – Filament
152 – Loop of the filament
170 – First locking element
172 – First male fittings
174 – Second female fittings
176 – First side
178 – Second side
180 – Third side
182 – First channel
190 – Second locking element
192 – Second male fittings
194 – Second channels
196 – Handle
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Embodiments, of the present disclosure, will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing.
Embodiments are provided so as to thoroughly and fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to the person skilled in the art. Numerous details, are set forth, relating to specific components, and methods, to provide a complete understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to the person skilled in the art that the details provided in the embodiments should not be construed to limit the scope of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, well-known processes, well-known apparatus structures, and well-known techniques are not described in detail.
The terminology used, in the present disclosure, is only for the purpose of explaining a particular embodiment and such terminology shall not be considered to limit the scope of the present disclosure. As used in the present disclosure, the forms "a,” "an," and "the" may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly suggests otherwise. The terms "comprises," "comprising," “including,” and “having,” are open ended transitional phrases and therefore specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, modules, units and/or components, but do not forbid the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The particular order of steps disclosed in the method and process of the present disclosure is not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance as described or illustrated. It is also to be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed.
When an element is referred to as being "mounted on," “engaged to,” "connected to," or "coupled to" another element, it may be directly on, engaged, connected or coupled to the other element. As used herein, the term "and/or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed elements.
The terms first, second, third, etc., should not be construed to limit the scope of the present disclosure as the aforementioned terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another component, region, layer or section. Terms such as first, second, third etc., when used herein do not imply a specific sequence or order unless clearly suggested by the present disclosure.
Terms such as “inner,” “outer,” "beneath," "below," "lower," "above," "upper," and the like, may be used in the present disclosure to describe relationships between different elements as depicted from the figures.
The present disclosure envisages a security seal. A security seal 100, accordance with the present disclosure, is now described with reference to Figure 1 through Figure 13. The security seal 100 comprises a housing 110, first female fittings 130, a filament 150, a first locking element 170, and a second locking element 190.
Referring to Figure 1 and Figure 2, the housing 110 has an interior surface 102, an exterior surface 104, a closed end 106, and an open end 108. The exterior surface 104 has a plurality of holes 112, 114 in communication with the interior surface 102 of the housing 110. In an embodiment, the first plurality of holes includes a first set of holes 112 and a second set of holes 114. The first set of holes 112 is configured away from the axis of the housing 110 as compared to the second set of holes 114. More specifically, the first set of holes 112 and the second set of holes 114 are configured on opposite sides of the exterior surface 104. In an embodiment, the first set of holes 112 includes four holes, wherein two holes are coaxial. Similarly, the second set of holes 114 includes four holes, wherein two holes are coaxial.
The housing 110, more specifically the interior surface 102, defines a space accessible via the open end 108 of the housing 110.
The first female fittings 130 are configured on the interior surface 102 of the housing 110. In an embodiment, the first female fittings 130 are configured on the sides of the interior surface 102 which are orthogonal to the sides of the exterior surface 104 on which the plurality of holes 112, 114 is configured. In another embodiment, the first female fittings 130 are in the form of recesses as shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2.
The filament 150 is configured to pass through each of the plurality of holes 112, 114. The filament 150 is preferably of a metallic material. In an embodiment, the filament 150 is a multi-strand wire of stainless steel.
The first locking element 170, as shown in Figure 3 and Figure 4, is receivable in the housing 110 though the open end 108 of the housing 110. The first locking element 170 has first male fittings 172 and second female fittings 174. The first male fittings 172 are configured to be irreversibly engaged with the first female fittings 130 when the first locking element 170 is received in the housing 110.
The first locking element 170 has a first side 176, a second side 178 and a third side 180. The second side 178 and the third side 180 extend from the first side 176. In an embodiment, the second side 178 and the third side 180 extend orthogonally from operative ends of the first side 176. Further, the first side 176, the second side 178, and the third side 180 define a space therebetween to receive the second locking element 190.
In an embodiment, the first male fittings 172 include resilient inclined projections. The shapes of the first female fittings 130, more specifically the recesses, are complementary to the first male fittings 172, more specifically the resilient inclined projections.
In an embodiment, the first male fittings 172 are configured on an operative outer surface of each of the second side 178 and the third side 180. The second female fittings 174 are configured on an operative inner surface of each of the second side 178 and the third side 180 of the first locking element 170.
In an embodiment, the first male fittings 172 and the second female fittings 174 are made integral with each of the second side 178 and the third side 180. In another embodiment, the second female fittings 174 are in the form of recesses.
In another embodiment, the length of the open end 108 of the housing 110 is more than the length of the closed end 106 of the housing. Such arrangement prevents pulling of the first locking element 170 by damaging the closed end 106 of the housing 110.
Further, the first locking element 170 comprises a first channel 182. The first channel 182 is configured on at least one of the second side 178 and the third side 180. In an embodiment, the first channel 182 is configured on both the second side 178 and the third side 180. The first channel 182 is configured to receive the filament 150 when the first locking element 170 is fully received in the housing 110.
The first set of holes 112 register with the first channels 182. In an embodiment, the first set of holes 112 registers with operative ends of the first channels 182.
Referring to Figure 5 and Figure 6, the second locking element 190 is shown. The second locking element 190 is receivable in the housing 110 through the open end 108. More specifically, the second locking element 190 is inserted in the housing 110 after inserting the first locking element 170 in the housing 110 and the filament 150 through the second set of holes 114. The second locking element 190 is received in the space defined between the sides of the first locking element 170. The second locking element 190 has a second male fittings 192 configured to be reversibly engaged with the second female fittings 174 of the first locking element 170, when the second locking element 190 is received in the housing 110.
In an embodiment, the second male fittings 192 include resilient inclined projections. The shapes of the second female fittings 174, more specifically the recesses, are complementary to the second male fittings 192, more specifically the resilient inclined projections.
The second locking element 190 comprises a pair of second channels 194 configured thereon. The second channels 194 are configured to receive the filament 150 when the second locking element 190 is received in the housing 110.
The second set of holes 114 registers with the second channels 194. In an embodiment, the second set of holes 114 registers with operative ends of the second channels 194.
The second locking element 190 includes a handle 196 configured to seal the open end 108 of the housing 110 when the second locking element 190 is fully received in the housing 110. This arrangement restricts access to inner portion of the housing 110, the first locking element 170, and the projections of the second locking element 190.
In an embodiment, each of the second male fittings 192 and the handle 196 is made integral with the second locking element 190.
The seal 100 can be made of any suitable material. In an embodiment, each of the housing 110, the first locking element 170, the first male fittings 172, the second locking element 190, and the second male fittings 192 is of plastic, preferably polycarbonate.
A method of assembling the seal 100 is now described in subsequent paragraphs with reference to Figure 7 to Figure 13.
Initially, as shown in Figure 7, one end of the filament 150 is passed through two coaxial holes of the first set of holes 112 on the housing 110. Once the filament 150 is passed through the holes of the first set of holes 112, the first locking element 170 is inserted in the housing 110, as shown in figure 8, such that the filament 150 is received in the first channel 182 configured on the first locking element 170 as shown in Figure 8. In an embodiment, the coaxial holes of the first set of holes 112 are provided to register with the first channels 182 configured on the second side 178 and the third side 180. This enables insertion of the filament 150 though any of the coaxial holes of the first set of holes 112. At this stage, the filament 150 is bent at four distinct points and is tightly held in place between the housing 110 and first locking element 170. The clearance between the first locking element 170 and the housing 110 is determined so as to restrict the movement of the filament 150 therebetween. The engagement between the first locking element 170 and the housing 110 via the first male fittings 172 and the first female fittings 130 locks the first locking element 170 and the housing 110 in place. Further, as shown in Figure 9, the second locking element 190 is inserted in the housing 110 such that the second locking element 190 is just above the second set of holes 114. Further, the end of the filament is passed through the second set of holes 114 such that a loop 152 of the filament 150 is formed as shown in Figure 10 and Figure 11. The filament 150 can be looped around a product or article to be sealed. For example, the end of the filament 150 is passed though the coaxial holes of the second set of holes 114. Further the same end of the filament 150 exiting through the coaxial holes of the second set of holes 114 is passed through the provision configured on the product/article to be sealed, and further passed through the remaining two coaxial holes of the second set of holes 114. Once the product/article is looped around, the second locking element 190 is inserted fully in the housing 110 as shown in Figure 12 and Figure 13. Both the first locking element 170 and the second locking element 190 do not allow forcibly pulling of the filament 150 out of the housing 110 unless the whole seal 100 is tampered or destroyed.
The seal, of the present disclosure, securely seals a product/article, and is tamperproof as the product can only be tampered if the seal is destroyed. Further, the seal has ergonomic configuration, and is easy to use.
The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Individual components of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, are interchangeable. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the present disclosure, and all such modifications are considered to be within the scope of the present disclosure.
TECHNICAL ADVANCEMENTS
The present disclosure described herein above has several technical advantages including, but not limited to, the realization of a security seal that:
• is tamperproof;
• is durable;
• has ergonomic configuration; and
• is easy to use.
The embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained with reference to the non-limiting embodiments in the following description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, the examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.
The foregoing description of the specific embodiments so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the embodiments as described herein.
The use of the expression “at least” or “at least one” suggests the use of one or more elements or ingredients or quantities, as the use may be in the embodiment of the disclosure to achieve one or more of the desired objects or results.
Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like that has been included in this specification is solely for the purpose of providing a context for the disclosure. It is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form a part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the disclosure as it existed anywhere before the priority date of this application.
The numerical values mentioned for the various physical parameters, dimensions or quantities are only approximations and it is envisaged that the values higher/lower than the numerical values assigned to the parameters, dimensions or quantities fall within the scope of the disclosure, unless there is a statement in the specification specific to the contrary.
While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the components and component parts of the preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that many embodiments can be made and that many changes can be made in the preferred embodiments without departing from the principles of the disclosure. These and other changes in the preferred embodiment as well as other embodiments of the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein, whereby it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative of the disclosure and not as a limitation.