Tamper proof seal assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020105166-A1
Application number	US-201916582900-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 25, 2019
Priority date	Sep 28, 2018
Publication date	Apr 2, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A tamper proof locking mechanism incorporating a first fixture for attachment to an index protective cover, a second fixture for attachment to an instrument, and a third fixture for connecting the first fixture to the second fixture. The first fixture may have a receptacle, the second fixture may have a plate with an opening, and the third fixture may have a protrusive structure that fits into the receptacle of the first fixture and into the opening in the plate to connect the first fixture to the second fixture. The protrusive structure may have a rivet that is partially embedded with a plastic-like material that reveals tampering when an attempt is made to break a connection between the first fixture and the second fixture.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A tamper proof locking mechanism comprising:
a first fixture for attachment to an index protective cover; a second fixture for attachment to an instrument; and a third fixture for connecting the first fixture to the second fixture; and wherein: the first fixture comprises a receptacle; the second fixture comprises a plate with an opening; the third fixture comprises a protrusive structure that fits into the receptacle of the first fixture and into the opening in the plate to connect the first fixture to the second fixture; and the protrusive structure comprises a rivet that is partially embedded with a plastic-like or marker technology material that reveals tampering when an attempt is made to break a connection between the first fixture and the second fixture.

2 . The mechanism of claim 1 , wherein:
the protrusive structure has an embossment of a pattern on a surface of plastic-like material at a first end; and an attempt or success to affect the protrusive structure to break the connection of the first fixture and the second fixture, results in a distortion of the pattern embossed on the surface at the first end of the protrusive structure.

3 . The mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the protrusive structure has a second end that reveals the rivet to have a flanged end.

4 . The mechanism of claim 3 , further comprising a collar that is situated around the flanged end of the rivet to prevent removal of the flanged end of the rivet or the rivet.

5 . The mechanism of claim 4 , wherein the collar is attachable to the instrument.

6 . The mechanism of claim 3 , wherein within the rivet at the flanged end is a plastic-like material surface of the protrusive structure having an embossment of a pattern.

7 . The mechanism of claim 1 , wherein:
the instrument is a meter; and the index protective cover is for the meter.

8 . The mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the first fixture comprises one or more additional receptacles.

9 . The mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the protrusive structure is fabricated with a plastic-like material molded to fit in an inside form of the receptacle of the first fixture.

10 . A method for a tamper proof connection comprising:
attaching a receptacle fixture to a first apparatus; obtaining a second apparatus with a plate, having an opening; connecting the first apparatus to the second apparatus by:
inserting the plate into the receptacle fixture; and
inserting a protruding structure into the receptacle and through the opening of the plate to connect the receptacle fixture to the plate, and thus resulting in a connection of the first apparatus and the second apparatus to each other; and
wherein: the protruding structure comprises a rivet having a portion on an outside surface of the rivet wrapped with a plastic-like material and having plastic-like material internally in the rivet, and having plastic-like material molded with a surface over a first end of the rivet and molded with a surface at a second end of the rivet; the rivet secures the receptacle by being inserted in the opening of the plate; the surface over the first end of the rivet is embossed with a pattern; the second end of the rivet is flanged toward the surface of the receptacle to prevent removal of the rivet from the opening of the plate; and an attempted or actual removal of the rivet to eliminate the connection between the receptacle and plate indicates a tampering according to a distortion of the pattern embossed in the surface of the plastic-like material over the first end of the rivet.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising embossing a pattern on a surface of plastic-like material at the second end of the rivet.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the attempted or actual removal of the rivet from the opening in the plate indicates a tampering according to a distortion of the pattern embossed on the surface at the second end of the rivet.

13 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
placing a collar around the second end of the rivet; and wherein the collar is attached to or a part of the second apparatus.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the collar, the rivet and the plate are composed of a hardened metal-like material.

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the surface over the first end of the rivet is embossed with a pattern, the surface of the second end of the rivet embossed with a pattern, and the second end of the rivet flanged with a set of pliers; the pattern for the surface over the first end of the rivet is on a first die situated on a first jaw of the set of pliers; the pattern for the surface over the second end of the rivet is on a second die situated on a second jaw of the set of pliers; the second jaw of the set of pliers has a component around the second die for flanging the second end of the rivet; and the set of pliers are aligned with the rivet so that when the pliers are closed, the first die embosses the surface at the first end of the rivet, the second die embosses the surface at the second end of the rivet, and the component around the second die flanges the second end of the rivet, so as to seal the protruding structure to the receptacle fixture with the rivet securing the plate via the opening in the plate.

16 . A tamper proof lock comprising:
a plate having a hole or opening for attachment to a first mechanism; a receptacle structure for attachment to a second mechanism; and a partially coated rivet pressed into the receptacle structure to lock the plate and the receptacle structure together; and wherein: the partially coated rivet has a malleable plastic-like material that is molded as a coating on the rivet in the receptacle upon the rivet being pressed into the receptacle as a seal; an insertion of at least a portion of the rivet into the hole or opening of the plate locks the plate and the receptacle structure together; and a surface of the plastic-like material at first end of the rivet is embossed with pattern.

17 . The lock of claim 16 , wherein the pattern reveals a distortion upon a tampering of the receptacle structure, plate, or the rivet.

18 . The lock of claim 16 , wherein a second end of the rivet is flanged towards the plate to secure the rivet to the plate to better prevent unlocking the plate and the receptacle structure from each other.

19 . The lock of claim 18 , further comprising a collar covering at least a portion of a flanged second end of the rivet, as an obstacle to removal of the rivet or to an elimination of a locking of the plate and the receptacle structure to each other.

20 . The lock of claim 17 , wherein:
the instrument is a gas meter; and the second instrument is a meter index cover.

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Pries Henning
• Wallmeyer August
• Kreftsiek Sandra
• Temme Hans-Werner

Classifications

• G09F2003/0277

  Tamper resistant · CPC title

• G09F3/0317 Primary

  having bolt like sealing means (means for preventing relative axial movement of a pin, spigot, shaft or the like and a member surrounding it F16B21/00) · CPC title

• E05B65/0089

  for utility meters or the like · CPC title

• E05B39/02 Primary

  with destructible seal closures or paper closures · CPC title

• B65D55/02

  Locking devices; Means for discouraging or indicating unauthorised opening or removal of closure · CPC title