WO2004111976A2

WO2004111976A2 - Security seal

Info

Publication number: WO2004111976A2
Application number: PCT/IB2004/002014
Authority: WO
Inventors: Allessandro Ricardo Frau
Original assignee: Soldenhoff, Alexander
Priority date: 2003-06-19
Filing date: 2004-06-17
Publication date: 2004-12-23
Also published as: WO2004111976A3; WO2004111976B1

Abstract

The invention provides a security seal (10) comprising a tag (16) for receiving an identifier (20) and a first and a second seal configuration (12, 14). Each seal configuration comprises a housing (12.3, 14.3) attached to the tag, wherein the housing includes a clipping formation (33). Each seal configuration also includes a seal member (12.1, 14.1) associated with the housing and extending transversely from the tag. The seal member includes a ratchet section (12.2, 14.2) wherein the clipping formation is configured to allow the ratchet section to be moved in one direction through the housing but prevents movement of the ratchet section in an opposite direction. Typically the seal can be used for securing files against tampering.

Description

SECURITY SEAL

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

THIS invention relates to a security seal.

People making use of food delivery services sometimes have the unpleasant experience that food which is delivered to them have been tampered with. As the person receiving the delivery has the fullest right to decline such a delivery, and will invariably do so, both the restaurant providing the food and the delivery service delivering the food will suffer a loss in the event of a delivery being declined.

The food need not necessarily have been tampered with, with a culpable intention but could be the result of an accident. For example, a person delivering the food trips over a step and the food is flung from its container onto the ground. The delivery person returns the spilled food to its container and delivers it without mentioning that the food has been spoiled. This is clearly an unacceptable practice.

Investigating officers at police stations have in the past been confronted by the problem that dockets containing sensitive information on crimes have been tampered with or have been viewed by unauthorised persons. To date there has been no effective means of deterring these occurrences. Similarly corruption and tampering with sensitive documents also take place in various other industries and it would be beneficial if a means existed whereby tampering with such documents could be identified.

It is an object of the invention to address the above problems. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention there is provided a security seal comprising:

a tag for receiving an identifier; and

a first and a second seal configuration, each seal configuration comprising firstly a housing attached to the tag, the housing having a clipping formation, and secondly a seal member associated with the housing and extending transversely from the tag, the seal member including a ratchet section wherein the clipping formation is configured to allow the ratchet section to be moved in one direction through the housing, but prevents movement of the ratchet section in an opposite direction.

Advantageously the housings of the first and second configuration are attached to one side of the tag and their respective seal members on the opposite side of the tag.

More advantageously the seal members are perpendicularly orientated relative to the tag.

Preferably the seal members are spaced apart a distance ranging from 70mm to 90mm. More preferably the seal members are spaced apart a distance of 80mm.

In an embodiment of the invention the seal members and the tag are integrally formed by way of injection moulding and the identifier comprises a unique number which is printed on the tag in ink. In this embodiment of the invention the ratchet section comprises a number of inclined teeth.

In a further embodiment of the invention the identifier is in the form of a barcode. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of a security seal according to the invention;

Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the first embodiment of the security seal and a container which is to be sealed with the security seal;

Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a portion of the container of Figure 2 sealed with the security seal;

Figure 4 shows a cross section at the line 4-4 in Figure 3;

Figure 5 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of a security seal according to the invention;

Figure 6 shows a partial cross sectional view of the security seal of Figure 5 employed to seal a container; and

Figure 7 shows a perspective view of the first embodiment of the invention orientated for securing an arch lever file.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

Figure 1 shows a security seal according to the invention 10 comprising a first and a second seal configuration, generally indicated with the reference numerals 12 and 14 respectively. Each seal configuration comprises a seal member 12.1 and 14.1 which in turn includes a ratchet section 12.2 and 14.2 respectively. As shown each ratchet section is provided by a series of inclined teeth. The seal configurations 12 and 14 each includes a housing, indicated with the reference numerals 12.3 and 14.3 which are associated with one of the seal members 12.1 and 14.1. Each housing 12.3 and 14.3 includes a clipping formation 33 for cooperation with the ratchet section of its associated seal member, such that the ratchet section is allowed to be moved in one direction through the housing, but is prevented from moving in an opposite direction back through the housing.

The seal configurations 12 and 14 are connected to a tag 16. As shown the seal members 12.1 and 14.1 are perpendicularly orientated relative to the tag 16 while the housings 12.3 and 14.3 extend across the width of the tag. The tag 16 has a face 18 which carries an identifier 20. The identifier 20 of this embodiment of the invention comprises a unique number which is printed on the tag 16 in ink. It will however be appreciated that the identifier 20 could take a number of forms and could, for example, be provided by a barcode.

The components of the security seal 10 of the present embodiment is integrally formed by injection moulding a thermoplastic polymer.

The operation of the security seal 10 will now be explained with reference to Figures 2, 3 and 4 wherein a container 22 is to be sealed with the security seal 10. In this embodiment the container is used for delivering food and in particular pizza. Before the security seal 10 can be located in the container 22, a set of holes need to be provided in the container. This is done with a punch which is normally used for providing holes in A4 sized paper. Typically the punch will be a standard 80mm punch. For this reason the first and the second seal member have been manufactured spaced apart a distance of 80mm. The distance between the seal members 12.1 and 14.1 may however range substantially, but typically between 70mm and 90mm.

To seal the container 22 the seal members 12.1 and 14.1 are pushed through punched holes 24.1 and 24.2 of the container and wound around an outer portion of the container. This is clearly seen in Figure 4. The ratchet sections 12.2 and 14.2 are thereafter pushed through the housings 12.3 and 14.3 to seal the container in the manner as described above. It is pointed out that the tag 16 lies flush with the container 22 and therefore does not interfere with the stackability of a number of sealed containers on top of each other.

A person contacting a food delivery service will now be provided with a unique number which will be reflected as the identifier on the tag. When the food is placed in a container by a restaurant, the container will be sealed with a security seal bearing this unique number. Upon delivery of the ordered food, a person may inspect the container to ensure that the security seal has not been tampered with and that the unique number corresponds with the number provided when the order was placed, before accepting delivery.

Referring now to Figure 5 and Figure 6 of the drawings, a second embodiment of the invention 26 is shown having two seal configurations 28 and 30. Each seal configuration includes a seal member 28.1 and 30.1 having a ratchet section indicated with the reference numerals 28.2 and 30.2 for location in housings 28.3 and 30.3 respectively. The housings each include a clipping formation 33 for cooperation with the ratchet sections as described above.

The security seal 26 further comprises a tag 32 having a face 34 and a tongue 35 bearing an identifier 36, the tag 32 having an angled profile as shown. The reason for this profile of the tag 32 can be explained by way of example. Normally a container for fast foods includes a lid having a relatively long tongue such that the lid may be held in a closed position by the frictional forces which act between an outer wall of the container and the tongue. A tongue which is normally used in such containers is shown in broken lines in Figure 6. By providing a security seal 26 having a tag 32 as shown comprising a tag and a tongue 35 which are angled relative to each other, the length of the tongue which is normally required to keep the container closed can be dramatically reduced with subsequent cost savings. This can be seen in Figure 6 by comparing the length of a tongue of a current container, shown in broken lines, with a tongue 38 of a lid 40 proposed for use with security seals according to the invention. It will be appreciated that as the lid 40 is held in a closed position by the sealed security seal 26 the lid 40 can not be opened. This embodiment alsd addresses the problem where an end portion of the lid can be squeezed ajar such that a hand of a person can be slid into the container.

It is envisaged that the security seal could be moulded with a wire embedded therein. This could provide an indication where the seal has been severed and the contents of a container sealed with the security seal, tampered with. As it is may be possible to mend a plastic security seal with adhesive, a severed wire, which can not readily be repaired after having been severed, will provide evidence of tampering.

It is envisaged that the security seal of the invention need not only be used for securing food containers but could be used in a variety of container types. In such cases it may be desirable to provide colour coded security seals for different purposes. In one colour-code system red security seals may be used for food containers, black security seals for containers holding hardware and white security seals for stationary. In such a colour-code system, white security seals may for example be used to seal police dockets.

In a stationary application of the invention the security seal could be used for securing a file. This is shown in Figure 7 of the drawings wherein the security seal 10 of Figure 1 is to be placed through holes 52,which are spaced apart a distance of 80mm in an arch lever file 52 and secured in a manner as described above. It is pointed out that the fact that the seal members 12.1 and 14.1 are spaced apart a distance of 80mm is an important aspect of the invention. The reason for this is that the holes which are made by paper punches of international standard size are typically 80mm apart. A person who now, for example, requires a file containing confidential information to be sealed, can simply insert the seal members of the security seal in the existing holes of the file and seal the file.

A security seal as described above and which is sized to fit in holes made by standard sized paper punches can be used to address the problems described in the background portion of the specification.

Claims

1. A security seal comprising:

a tag for receiving an identifier; and

2. A security seal according to claim 1 wherein the housings of the first and second configuration are attached to one side of the tag and their respective seal members on the opposite side of the tag.

3. A security seal according to either claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the seal members are perpendicularly orientated relative to the tag.

4. A security seal according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the seal members are spaced apart a distance ranging from 70mm to 90mm.

5. A security seal according to claim 4 wherein the seal members are spaced apart a distance of 80mm.

6. A security seal according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the identifier comprises a unique number.

7. A security seal according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the identifier is a barcode.

8. A security seal according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the ratchet sections comprise a series of angled tooth.

9. A security seal according to any one of the preceding claims having a wire embedded therein.

10. A security seal substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the illustrated embodiments.