1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to security, and especially to a plastic sealing fastener for securing closures.
2. Description of Related Art
A commonly used plastic sealing fastener includes a fixing member and a latching strip thereon. The fixing member defines a locking hole. The latching strip is latched in the locking hole for securing a closure. However, the plastic sealing fastener is easily unlocked by moving the latching strip with an ordinary tool like a metal strip.
Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.
The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the views.
Referring to
Also referring to
The locking portion 24 is angled on an inner surface of the second covering hole 231, and extends away from the first covering hole 231. In the illustrated embodiment, the locking portion 24 includes a pair of elastic teeth 241 symmetrically positioned in the second covering hole 231 partially covering the first covering hole 221. The depth H1 of the first covering hole 221 exceeds a length of the tooth 241; the depth H2 of the second covering hole 231 exceeds twice the length of the tooth 241.
The latching ribbon 25 forms a plurality of longitudinal V-shaped latching portions 251 on both side surfaces thereof. The latching portions 251 are arranged in pairs, for receiving the locking portion 24. In the illustrated embodiment, a distance between the vertices of each pair of the latching portions 251 is substantially equal to the width of the first covering hole 221.
In use, a free end of the latching ribbon 25 away from the fixing member 21 passes through a structure or object to be sealed, and is then bent and received in the first covering hole 221. The latching ribbon 25 resists and deforms the teeth 241 in the direction of insertion, thus passing through the second covering hole 231, and finally exiting the fixing member 21. After the deformation of the teeth 241 is recovered, each tooth 241 latches one of the latching portions 251 to fix or lock the latching ribbon 25 in the first covering hole 221. The plastic sealing fastener 200 must then be destroyed to release the seal. Since the depth H1 of the first covering hole 221 exceeds the length of the tooth 241, and the depth H2 of the second covering hole 231 exceeds twice the length of the tooth 241, removal using simple tools such as the metal strips is thereby prevented. The distance between the vertices of each pair of the latching portions 251 is substantially equal to the width of the first covering hole 221, and the latching ribbon 25 completely covers the first covering hole 221, to further limit tampering.
It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure or sacrificing all of its material advantages.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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201010565894.0 | Nov 2010 | CN | national |
This application is related to two co-pending U.S. patent applications which are application serial no. [to be determined], with Attorney Docket US37708 and US37712, and entitled “SEALING FASTENER”. In the co-pending applications, the inventor is LEI ZHANG. The co-pending application have the same assignee as the present application. The disclosure of the above identified application is incorporated herein by reference.