Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02133395 2006-01-20
Security Seal for Sealing the End of a Tubular Member
The present invention refers to a one-piece security seal for inviolable
sealing of the end of a tttbular niember of the type that comprises, adjacent
the ed~.;e
of such end, means for receiving locking elenlents, such as slits in its side
wall or
even internal ribs, disposed in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of
the
opening at the end to be sealed.
It is known to provide a seal shaped as a cover to be placed over the
end of a tubular meniber to be sealed, the end being foi-n7ed with two
dianletrically
opposite openings. Sueh seal is shaped as a cover-seal placeable so as to
embrace the
end to be sealed of the tubular member which has, adjaceiit is edge, a pair of
diametrically opposite openings. The cover-seal has a top panel and a
cylindrical
skirt split dian-ietrically in two halves hinged to each other along a
vertical line at the
division between the two halves of the skirt, an inner protuberance in each
said half
fitting into one of the diametrically opposite openings in the tubular member,
so tliat
the cover-seal can be closed by means of a hinge inovement around the end of
the
tubular member and that, in the closed position, its axial movenleat is
prevented by
the interlocking engagement of a male locking element with a female locking
element, respectively provided on the two halves of the cover-seal.
Although it inviolably seals the end of the tubular
CA 02133395 2006-01-20
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member, the above described seal has a feature that, in certain applications,
may limit
its use, that is to say, the fact that the seal embraces (froni the outside)
the end of the
tubular member, makes its application difficult and sometimes impossible when
there
is little space available around the end of the tubular member. For example,
wheli the
latter is closely adjacent a wall or any other object, it is impossible to
place the seal
over and around the end of the hibular member.
An example of a tubular niember of the type mentioned herein is an
electricity meter commonly used in the United States of America.
It is tlierefore an object of the present invention to provide a seal that
may be installed totally within the end of the tubular membei-, without the
neeci for
space in the outer region immediately adjacent such end, and that provides a
tamper-
proof seal for that end.
This object is attained in accordance with the present invention by a
one-piece security seal for sealing the end of a tubul.ar member provided with
engagement means in its side wall, which comprises: a plug portion adapted to
be
received in the tubular end; blocking means on the plug portion adapted for
cooperation with the engagement nleans on the end of the tubular nlenlber;
first
locking means on the plug portion; a closure portion hingeably attached to thc
plug
portion and provided with second locking means, the seal having an open
configuration in which the closure portion is renlote from the plug portion
and a
second sealed configuration in whicll the closure portion is folded over the
plug
portion with the first and second locking means in mutual locking cooperatiou;
and
displacenlent means on the closLire portion, that cooperate in use with the
plug means
in the sealed configuration with the plug portion within the end of the
tubular
member to the sealed, to displace the blocking means froni an unblocked
configuration to a blocked configuration in cooperation with the engagement
mcans
on the end of the tubular member.
Preferably, the plug portion comprises two halves expandable from a
position in which they are relatively adjacent each other to a second position
in which
they are rela-
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tively separated from each other and said displacement means
comprise a wedge on the closure portion positioned to enter
between and separate said two halves as the seal passes from
the open configuration to the sealed configuration.
The blocking means may suitably comprise an outer
protuberance on each of the halves of the plug portion and the
engagement means may be a pair of openings in the wall of the
tubular member, such openings being adapted to receive the
protuberances in the sealed configuration.
In another aspect, the invention relates to a one-
piece security seal for sealing the end of a tubular member
provided with a pair of engagement means in its side wall, the
seal comprising: a closure portion provided with a pair of
locking teeth and, between the locking teeth, a wedge portion;
a plug portion comprising a pair of independent plug halves,
each plug half having a locking formation for locking cooper-
ation with a respective one of the locking teeth; a pair of
flexible arms independently connecting the plug halves to the
closure portion; each plug half being formed externally with a
blocking portion cooperable with a respective one of the en-
gagement means when the plug portion is inserted into the end
of the tubular member with the plug halves relatively adjacent
to each other and the closure portion is folded over the plug
halves about the flexible arms so that the wedge portion en-
ters between the plug halves and forces them into a relatively
separated position in which the locking teeth cooperate with
the locking formations.
In order to facilitate authorized opening of the de-
vice being sealed (i.e. authorized breakage of the seal), each
locking tooth may be joined to the closure portion by a weak-
ening. In a preferred embodiment, the locking teeth are formed
on a tearaway strip of the closure portion.
The present invention will now be described in
greater detail, but only by way of example, with reference to
four preferred embodiments illustrated in the accompanying
drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first side of a
security seal according to a first preferred embodiment of the
invention, in its open position;
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Figure 2 is a perspective view, similar to that of
Figure 1, but showing the opposite side of the same security
seal;
Figure 3 is side elevation of the seal of Figures 1
and 2, the opposite side being identical;
Figure 4 is a plan view of the seal, corresponding
to the side shown in Figure 1;
Figure 5 is a plan view, similar to that of Figure
4, but corresponding to the side of the seal seen in Figure 2;
Figure 6 is an end elevation of the seal, seen from
the left side of Figure 4;
Figure 7 is an end elevation of the seal, seen from
the right side of Figure 4;
Figure 8 is side elevation of a seal according to a
second embodiment of the invention;
Figure 9 is an enlarged view of the detail indicated
in Figure 8;
Figure 10 is a perspective view of the end of a tu-
bular member to be sealed by a seal according to the present
invention;
Figure 11 is a perspective view of the end of the
tubular member of Figure 10, sealed by the seal shown in Fig-
ures 1 to 7;
Figure 12 is a plan view of a security seal accord-
ing to a third embodiment of the present invention, similar to
that of Figure 5, but illustrating an alternative form of
fitment/locking means;
Figure 13 is a top view, similar to that of Figure
7, of the seal of Figure 12;
Figure 14 is a partial side elevation of the seal of
Figure 12, showing only the portion corresponding to the seal
closure plate;
Figure 15 is a perspective view, similar to that of
Figure 2, of a seal according to a fourth preferred embodiment
of the present invention; and
Figure 16 is a perspective view of a tubular member
sealed with the fourth embodiment seal which is in the process
of being opened.
As can be seen from Figures 1 to 7, a plastic in-
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jection molded one-piece security seal according to a first
embodiment of the present invention comprises a closure plate
1 having an outer or top surface 2 visible in Figures 1 and 4,
an inner or bottom surface 3 visible in Figures 2 and 5, and
5 two flexible arms 4 extending from one edge of the closure
plate 1. At the end of each flexible arm 4 there is one half
5A of a plug element 5 designed to be introduced into the in-
terior of an end E of a tubular member (Figures 10 and 11) to
be sealed , as will be explained later.
The inner surface 3 of closure plate 1 is provided
centrally, along its length, with a wedge member 6 in the form
of a wall provided with separator ribs 7 on both sides. Inner
surface 3 of closure plate 1 is also provided, on both sides
of wedge member 6, with a pair of locking means or teeth 8 in
the form of protuberances extending normally from surface 3
and having recesses 9 in their side walls that face the flexi-
ble arms 4 in the open configuration of the seal.
Plug element 5, in this embodiment formed by the two
halves 5A that are respectively connected to the flexible arms
4, is formed internally of each half 5A with a pair of second
locking means 10, each in the form of a cavity having a small
protuberance 11 therein that cooperates with the corresponding
locking tooth 8 on the inner surface 3 of closure plate 1, as
will be described below.
The small protuberances 11 and the recesses 9 are so
shaped that, on introducing the locking teeth 8 into the cavi-
ties 10, the protuberances 11 enter the recesses 9 and make it
impossible to remove teeth 8 from cavities 10 without destroy-
ing the teeth or the protuberances.
Each of the halves 5A of the plug element 5 also has
an outer rib 12, extending normally from its outer wall and
designed for fitting into slot openings R formed in the wall
of end E of the tubular element to be sealed (see Figure 10
and 11). Each half 5A also has an outer end circumferential
flange 13 for resting on the end edge of the tubular member in
the sealed configuration.
The application of the seal of the first embodiment
of the invention with a view to sealing the end E of a tubular
member will now be described. Firstly, flexible arms 4 are
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flexed inwardly so that halves 5A of plug element 5 close
against each other. The plug element 5 is then, in such con-
figuration, inserted into the end E of the tubular member. As
soon as ribs 12 register with slot openings R in the tubular
member and pressure is released from arms 4, the latter to-
gether with halves 5A expand to their original configuration
and ribs 12 enter slot openings R, axially locking the plug
element 5 in the inserted position.
Closure plate 1 is then folded over plug element 5,
flexible arms 4 acting a hinge, and teeth 8 enter cavities 10
until the small protuberances of the latter click into the
small recesses 9 in the teeth, thus locking the seal in the
closed or sealed configuration shown in Figure 11.
It is important to note that, as closure plate 1 is
folded over, wedge 6 forces its way between halves 5A of plug
member 5 and separator plates 7 then expand halves 5A to main-
tain the plug tightly inside the end E of the tubular member
with ribs 12 thus positively blocked in slot openings R. Con-
sequently, once the seal has been closed, it is impossible to
remove it since the cooperation between the ribs 12 and the
slots openings R prevent any axial movement of the seal,
whereas opening of the seal itself is prevented by the cooper-
ation between locking teeth 8 and protuberances 11.
It will also be noted from Figures 1, 4 and 11 of
the drawings that the bases of teeth 8 are weakened at 8' so
that, when access to the end E of the tubular member is au-
thorized (for example when an authorized employee of the elec-
tricity company has to gain access to the electricity meter
being protected by the seal), closure plate 1 may be forcibly
lifted until pins 8 break off at their weakened bases. As clo-
sure plate 1 is lifted, wedge 6 leaves the interior of plug
element 5 and permits the latter to be removed simply.
Figures 8 and 9 illustrate a second embodiment of
the invention in which a plug element 5', instead of ribs 12,
is formed with axial splines 14 of deformable material along
the outer wall of each half 5A. This embodiment of the in-
vention may be used for sealing the ends of tubular member
having internal ribs or protuberances in planes substantially
parallel to the plane of the end edge, that is to say, perpen-
7
dicular to splines 14.
On applying such a seal basically as described
above, splines 14 are forced against the internal ribs (not
shown) in the end of the tubular member and are thus deformed
so as to provide a means for positively preventing the removal
of the seal.
Referring now to Figures 12, 13 and 14, a seal ac-
cording to a third embodiment of the invention has first lock-
ing means situated on the inner surface 3 of a closure plate
1, in the form of two lateral recesses 9', one on each outer
side of a centrally arranged wedge member 6'. There are also
two wall sections 15 adjacent and parallel respectively to the
other two sides of the wedge member 6'.
Similarly to the seals of Figures 1 to 9, the plug
element 5'' of the seal of Figures 12 to 14 is split into two
halves 5A''. Each half 5A'' is similar to halves 5A and 5A' of
the previously described embodiments, but they have locking
means on their inner side walls in the form of two flexible
projections 10' that cooperate with the lateral recesses 9' in
wedge member 6'.
Consequently, when the closure plate 1 is folded
over plug element 511, in a manner similar to that described
above, wedge element 6' forces halves 5A'' of plug element 5''
against the inner walls of the end E of the tubular member be-
ing sealed at the same time that the flexible projections 10'
penetrate recesses 9' to lock the seal closed.
Wall sections 15 serve, in the sealed configuration,
to prevent access to the region of the locking means 9', 10',
thus improving the degree of security offered by the seal.
It will naturally be understood that Figures 12 to
14 do not show the ribs 12 or the splines 14 or any equivalent
means for locking the closed seal within end E of the tubular
member being sealed. This is merely for the purpose of simpli-
fying the visualization of the embodiment, it being obvious
that such locking means will also be provided in this case.
Finally, a fourth preferred embodiment is illus-
trated in Figures 15 and 16. The basic difference between this
fourth embodiment and the first embodiment shown in Figures 1
to 11 is the manner in which authorized opening of the seal is
8
facilitated and, moreover, unauthorized opening is more easily
observed. In the case of the seal of Figures 15 and 16, the
two halves 5A "' of the plug 5" ' are joined together by a
pair of peripheral flexible connections 16 to make the plug
element more sturdy, the two halves 5A "' then pivoting about
such connections to when the plug is inserted into the end E
of the tubular member being sealed.
The locking teeth 8' of the fourth embodiment seal
do not have individual weakened bases as in the case of the
first embodiment. Instead, closure plate l' is itself formed
with a pair of parallel weakening lines 17 from one side to
the other to define a tearaway strip 18 on which the wedge 6'
is formed. Locking teeth 8' are arranged on closure plate 1'
externally (one on each side) of strip 18. One end of tearaway
strip 18 extends outwardly from the rest of the seal in the
form of a blade 19. When the seal is to be opened (see Figure
16), the authorized person grips the blade 19 and pulls
upwardly so the strip 18 is torn away from the rest of the
seal, taking wedge 6' with it. This permits both easy removal
of the plug portion 5''' and destroys the closure plate 1' so
that there is no possibility that a tampered seal can ever be
replaced to avoid detection in a cursory inspection.
Finally it will be understood that the present in-
vention has been described with respect to only four presently
preferred embodiments given purely by way of example and that
any modifications within the same inventive concept should be
considered within the scope of the invention which should only
be limited by the terms of the following claims.
