Security fastening device

Abstract

A security fastening device is disclosed which is similar to a cable tie but which cannot be removed without destroying the device. A locking head with locking mechanism is enclosed and protected by a shroud that prevents access to the mechanism to defeat it. The head has an entrance opening and the shroud has an exit opening through which an elongated member with locking projections of the fastening device passes and the projections cooperate with the locking mechanism to lock the fastening device. The projections all have a diameter that is only slightly smaller than the diameter of the entrance opening. When the elongated member has been inserted through the locking mechanism and shroud a locking projection sits in each of the entrance and exit openings. Due to the snug fit nothing can be inserted through the entrance opening to defeat the locking mechanism and open the fastening device. A variation of the security fastening device has an insert that is mounted inside the shroud from the exit opening. The insert has a hole through it having the same diameter as the entrance opening and the elongated member passes through the hole. Due to the snug fit between the hole and locking projection nothing can be inserted through the insert hole to defeat the locking mechanism and open the fastening device. Another variation has a cup that is placed over the locking head and shroud. The cup has two holes of the same diameter as the entrance opening that are coaxial with the entrance opening when the cup is placed over the locking head and shroud. In use of the fastening device a locking projection lies in each hole of the cup and due to the snug fit nothing can be inserted between the two to defeat the locking mechanism and open the fastening device.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to security fastening device, and more particularly to a fastening device that is similar to a cable tie but which cannot be removed without destroying the device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Fastening devices, such as cable ties, are well known in the art and commonly comprise an elongated strip of material, such as plastic or nylon, having a head at one end, a tail at the other end and either teeth or rungs disposed along the length of the strip. Feeding the tail of the tie through the head results in the tie taking the shape of a loop with the tail engaging and being locked in position by a pawl inside the head, the tail being difficult to remove once it is inserted in the head.

Cable ties are commonly used to bundle a plurality of items such as wires, but when they are used as fastening devices they are used in place of padlocks or other complex locking devices in conjunction with locking hasps or aligned holes of containers, doors or other items to be sealed where the level of security that can be provided by a padlock is not required. This has been very attractive because use of a padlock requires that the recipient of a sealed contained with a padlock have the key for the lock, or the key must be shipped with the sealed container, door or other item. This has been very inconvenient. In addition, keys are too easily lost or copied.

However, prior art fastening devices similar to cable ties are not fool proof. They are too easily defeated. A person using a small diameter, pointed object, such as a pin, can reach inside the fastening device head described in the previous paragraph, retract the locking pawl inside the head, and then withdraw the toothed tail from the head without destroying or damaging the fastening device. Contents inside a container, door or other item sealed with such a fastening device can then be easily pilfered and the fastening device replaced. From the outside no one can determine if anything has been pilfered from inside whatever is sealed.

When a container sealed with such a fastening device passes through a number of carriers during shipment, and contents are pilfered in the manner described above, it is difficult or impossible to determine when or where the fastening device was defeated, contents pilfered from the container, and the fastening device replaced. As each carrier takes possession of the sealed container they can only inspect the fastening device which will look perfect. When the designated recipient receives the sealed container, cuts the fastening device, opens the container and finds contents are missing there is no way of determining when the fastening device was defeated and contents of the sealed container pilfered. The missing items may never have been placed inside the container at the source.

Similarly, a container may be sealed and then stored and/or moved around within a company, including shipment between different locations of the same company. The fastening device may be defeated at any time and contents of the container pilfered. Company security personnel find it almost impossible to determine when, where or by whom the contents of the sealed container were pilfered. Pilferage is a common problem in the business world because it so hard, or close to impossible, to determine when, where or by whom the contents of a sealed container were pilfered.

Thus, the prior art use of such fastening devices has been limited for use in sealing containers that are shipped via common carrier, and limited for use in sealing containers that stored and/or moved around within a company.

In addition, in the prior art fastening devices similar to cable ties are often made from two or more discrete pieces, and the “safer” the device is claimed to be the more pieces there are. These extra pieces increase the cost of manufacturing the fastening devices.

Thus, there is a need in the art for a new type of inexpensive fastening device that overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art as described above. There is a need for a fastening device that cannot be defeated in the same manner that prior art fastening devices are defeated. There is also a need for a fastening device that cannot be defeated without destroying it and anyone can immediately determine that the fastening device has been destroyed. Finally, there is a need in the art for a fastening device that can be made as a single piece and no assembly work is required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The forgoing needs in the prior art are satisfied by the present invention. A novel, inexpensive fastening device is provided that in one embodiment is molded as a single piece and is very difficult to open, and in a second embodiment is impossible to open.

The basic novel fastening device is similar to a cable tie and is made from an elongated strip of material, such as tough nylon, has a locking head at one end, a tail at the other end, and locking cones are disposed along the length of an elongated central portion of the device. When the fastening device is used the tail and some number of the locking cones are fed through the locking head and are locked therein. In the first embodiment of the invention it is very difficult to insert something into the locking head and retract the locking element therein to withdraw the elongated portion with locking cones from the locking head. In the second embodiment of the invention a cylindrical second piece is added inside the locking head and it is then impossible to insert something into the locking head and retract the locking element therein to withdraw the elongated portion with locking cones from the locking head.

The cross section of the elongated central portion of the fastening device is round and has a plurality of locking cones spaced along it. Each locking cone has a conical shape and the axis of each cone is coincident with the axis of the elongated, round central portion of the fastening device. The locking head has an entrance hole that has a diameter that is only a fraction of a millimeter wider than the widest diameter at the base of each of the conical shaped locking cones. When the tail and one or more conical cones are inserted through the entrance hole in the locking head the widest portion of a locking cone is flush with the entrance hole of the locking head. Nothing can be inserted alongside the last mentioned locking cone to retract the locking element inside the locking head since the space is only a fraction of a millimeter. Any attempts to insert something through this small space will noticeably damage the fastening device.

In the second embodiment of the invention the hole through the second piece mounted inside the locking head has a diameter that is only a fraction of a millimeter wider than the diameter of the widest portion of a conical shaped locking cone inside the locking head. The last mentioned locking cone is immediately adjacent to or lies inside the hole through the second piece. The second piece hole creates an exit hole for the fastening device that the tail and possibly some locking cones exit from when the fastening device is in use. When the fastening device is in use a locking cone inside the locking head lies adjacent to or just inside the hole through the second piece and nothing can be inserted through the last mentioned hole and alongside the last mentioned locking cone to retract the locking element inside the locking head.

The locking element inside the locking head has a hollow, conical shape. The locking element is truncated at the top at the pointed end of its conical shape that creates a hole through its top. The tail and the locking cones pass along the elongated central portion pass through the locking element hole when the fastening device is utilized. The diameter of the locking element hole is the same as the diameter of the round, elongated central portion of the fastening device. There are slits along the length and through the sides of the conical locking element so that it comprises a plurality of pieces that can spread apart as each locking cone passes there through. The locking element pieces will spread apart when the tail and locking cones are inserted through the locking element hole because the widest diameter of each of the conical shaped locking cones is wider than the hole through the top of the locking element inside the locking head.

Finally, there is a cylindrical piece or shroud molded as part of the locking head that surrounds the locking element therein. It also surrounds and holds the cylindrical second piece of the second embodiment of the invention. The shroud has a cylindrical shape the inside diameter of which is equal to the outside diameter of the second piece. Without the second piece it is very difficult to insert something inside the shroud and alongside a locking cone therein to reach the slots through the sides of the locking element to retract them and withdraw the locking cones from the locking head. With the second piece in place inside the shroud it is impossible to insert anything inside the shroud and alongside a locking cone therein to reach the slots through the sides of the locking element to retract them and withdraw the locking cones from the locking head.

A third embodiment of the invention uses a cup shaped piece that slides sideways over the locking head instead of the second piece of the second embodiment of the invention mentioned in the previous paragraph. There are holes through the cup shaped piece that are coaxial with both the locking head entrance hole and the open end of the shroud when the cup shaped piece is placed over the locking head. Both holes through the cup shaped piece are only slightly larger than the locking cones along the elongated central portion of the fastening device. When the tail of the fastening device is inserted through a locking head when it is placed in use the tail and some locking cones must also pass through the two holes through the cup shaped piece and thereby prevent it from being removed from the locking head without destroying it. The widest portion of a locking cone lies in each hole through the cup shaped piece thereby preventing the insertion of something into the locking head to defeat the fastening device.

Thus, the novel fastening device must be destroyed in order to gain access to a container that is sealed by it. At a glance it can be determined if the fastening device has been damaged by attempting to open it, or has been destroyed and the security of the container breached. Thus, it can be more easily determined who destroyed a fastening device and breached the security of a container.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood upon reading the following Detailed Description in conjunction with the drawing in which:

FIG. 1 shows a three dimensional view of the locking head of a prior art tie that can be opened using a pin;

FIG. 2 a three dimensional view of the locking head of a first embodiment of the novel fastening device;

FIG. 3 shows a side view of the novel fastening device;

FIG. 4 shows a top view of the novel fastening device;

FIG. 5 shows a bottom view of the novel fastening device;

FIG. 6 shows a side view of the tail and elongated central portion of the novel fastening device inserted through the locking head thereof to fasten the device;

FIG. 7 shows a side cutaway side view of the locking head of the first embodiment of the invention with locking cones therein;

FIG. 8 shows a three dimensional view of a cylindrical piece that is fastened inside the locking head of the novel fastening device for a second embodiment of the invention that makes it impossible to unfasten the fastening device without destroying it;

FIG. 9 shows a side cutaway side view of the locking head for the second embodiment of the invention with the cylindrical piece installed therein and with locking cones therein;

FIG. 10 shows a three dimensional view of a cup shaped piece that is placed over the locking head of the novel fastening device for a third embodiment of the invention that makes it impossible to unfasten the fastening device without destroying it; and

FIG. 11 shows a side cutaway side view of the locking head for the third embodiment of the invention with the cup shaped piece installed over the locking head while in use and preventing access to locking cones therein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

While two embodiments of a novel, single fastening device 16 are shown in the figures and are described hereinafter, it should be understood that devices may be manufactured comprising two of the novel fastening devices described herein for applications such as handcuffs. In addition, in other applications the locking head 31 of device 16 may be separate from the elongated portion 18 thereof with the locking cones 26. The locking head 31 may be attached to a hole through a surface, and the elongated portion 18 with the locking cones 26 may be attached to some device and the locking cones 26 inserted through the locking head 31 to fasten device 16 to the surface.

Due to the actual length of the novel fastening device 16, in order to maintain the proper size perspective between all parts, breaks 30 are shown in FIGS. 2 through 4 in order to truncate the length of tail 24 and elongated, central portion 25. Thus, while three conical locking cones 26 are shown in these Figures there are actually eight conical locking cones. In addition, elongated portion or tail 18 is longer than is shown. A set of dimensions are given further in this description. The set of dimensions given for novel fastening device 16 are only for one configuration and the dimensions may be changed by those skilled in the art while still practicing the teaching of the present invention.

In FIG. 1 is shown a three dimensional view of a locking head 11 of a prior art tie 10 disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,079,804. Similar to the present invention it has a conically shaped, truncated top, hollow locking element 14 that has three slots 15 that divide locking element 14 into three pieces 14a, 14b and 14c. When an elongated or tail piece 12 having conical locking cones, not shown in FIG. 1 but similar to the locking cones 26 of the present invention that are shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, is inserted into and through hole 13 in the bottom of base 11 and through hollow element 14 as it is shown in FIG. 1, the locking cones 26 push locking element pieces 14a, 14b and 14c out of the way as they pass through the hole in the top of locking element 14. Due to the conical shape of the locking cones (not shown) positioned along elongated tail piece 12, the locking cones and elongated piece 12 cannot readily pass backward through locking element 14.

However, to easily defeat this prior art locking head 11 one has only to use a thin pointed tool (not shown), including a paper clip, and reach into slots 15 or up through hole 13 to spread locking element pieces 14a, 14b and 14c and thereby permit elongated tail piece 12 with locking cones there along to be withdrawn from locking head 11.

In FIG. 2 is shown a three dimensional view of a locking head 31 of the present invention that is used with the two embodiments of the present invention described herein. Unlike FIG. 1, in FIG. 3 dashed lines showing a lot of details of locking head 31 are not shown in order to keep the Figure simple and not detract from showing the invention which is described below. The details that are not shown in FIG. 2 are shown in great detail in other Figures.

Locking head 31 in FIG. 2 is made up of four locking elements 20a, 20b, 20c and 20d that have slots 21 between them and in combination make up hollow, truncated top, locking element 20 alike the prior art shown in FIG. 1. Locking element 20 is formed on top of base 17 which is in turn connected to an elongated tail 18. Elongated tail 18 with locking cones 20 thereon is not shown in detail in FIG. 2 but is shown in and described in detail with reference to other Figures.

The improvement on the prior art is that there is a cylindrical element 23 formed onto the top of base 11, as shown, which creates a protective shroud surrounding locking element 20 to make it hard to defeat fastening device 16. When tail 18 with locking cones 20 thereon, not shown in FIG. 2 but shown in and described in detail with reference to other Figures, is inserted through hole 19 in base 17 they pass through the hole in the top of locking element 20 and cannot pass backward through locking element 20. This is shown and described in greater detail hereinafter with reference to other Figures. The novel aspect of the invention is that cylindrical element 23 acts as a protective shroud that makes it difficult to use anything to spread ones of locking elements 20a, 20b, 20c and 20d inside of cylindrical element 23 to withdraw tail 18 with locking cones 20 thereon back through locking element 20. This will be better understood upon reading the description hereinafter in conjunction with FIG. 7.

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 respectively show orthogonal side, top and bottom views of novel fastening device 16 and when viewed collectively show details of device 16. Other Figures show finer details of device 16.

In FIG. 3 is shown a side view of the novel fastening device 16 in accordance with the teaching of the present invention. As previously described the more important elements of device 16 are shown in proper perspective to each other so breaks 30 are added to the tail 24 to shorten the length thereof. In addition, breaks 30 are added to central section 25 and to connecting piece 18. As a result, for example, while three locking cones 26 are shown there are actually eight.

Device 16 is molded as a single piece from nylon or another tough but flexible plastic. This is a first embodiment of the invention in which there are no additional latch pieces or other pieces to be added to device 16 during manufacture. As previously described fastening device 16 of the first embodiment of the invention makes it difficult to defeat and remove device 16 once it has been installed without destroying it or greatly damaging it. This will be better understood upon reading further in this detailed description. Thus, any attempt to defeat fastening device 16 is immediately noticeable. In a second embodiment of the invention which utilizes device 16 shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 a single, simple, additional piece 32 is added which is shown in and described with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9. The addition of piece 32 makes it virtually impossible to defeat fastening device 16 and remove it once it has been installed, without destroying device 16. Similarly, with a third embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 the use of cup piece 39 also makes it virtually impossible to defeat fastening device 16 and remove it once it has been installed, without destroying device 16.

Briefly, fastening device 16 comprises a locking head 31, a connecting portion 18, and elongated central section 25 and an elongated tail 24. Locking head 31 comprises a base 17 on which is a hollow, truncated conical locking element 20 that is surrounded by cylindrical element 23.

The exact shape of elongated tail 24 is best understood when viewing FIG. 3 in conjunction with FIG. 4. Tail 24 is flat and is 1 millimeter (mm) thick by 4 mm wide by 40 mm long.

Device 16 also has an elongated central portion 25 between a tapered section 18 and tail 24. Central portion 25 is 100 mm long and has a circular cross section diameter of 2.3 mm. There are a plurality of conical shaped locking cones 26 spaced every 6.5 mm along central portion 25. The widest point of each locking cone 26 is 4 mm, and the length of each cone is 2.5 mm. While only three locking cones 26 are shown in each of FIG. 2-4, because of breaks 30 there are actually eight conical locking cones 26 along elongated central portion 25. A break 30 is also used to truncate the length of tail 24 as shown.

Device 16 also has a locking head 31 that is connected to elongated central portion 25 by a tapered section 18. The shape of section 18 is best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. Tapered section 18 is 40 mm long and 1.5 mm thick. A break 30 is used to truncate the length of tapered section 18 as shown.

As described above locking head 31 comprises a base 17 on which is a hollow, truncated conical locking element 20 that is surrounded by cylindrical element or shroud 23. Base 17 is generally circular and has a diameter of 13 mm and a thickness of 1.6 mm. Through the center of base 17 is a hole 19 that has a diameter of 4.05 mm.

Cylindrical element 23 extends 5.4 mm above base 17 and has an inside diameter of 7.5 mm. Its wall thickness is 0.7 mm.

On top of base 17 and inside of cylindrical element 23 is locking element 20 that has a hollow, conical shape and its top is truncated. There are four slits 21 spread ninety degrees apart along the length and through the sides of conical locking element 20 so that it comprises four pieces 20a, 20b, 20c and 20d. The width of each slit 21 is 1 mm. The wall thickness of locking element pieces 20a, 20b, 20c and 20d is 1 mm. There is a circular hole 22 through the truncated top of locking element 20 that has a diameter of 2.3 mm. Locking element 20 is 4.9 mm high and its top is 4.5 mm below the top of cylindrical element 23. Pieces 20a-20d are spread apart as a locking cone 26 passes through hole 22 because the hole has a diameter of 2.3 mm, the same as the diameter of elongated central portion 25, and the widest diameter of each locking cone 26 is 4 mm. Because of the difference between the diameter of hole 22 and the diameter of locking cones 26 it is very difficult to reach into the inside of cylindrical element 23 and attempt to spread pieces 20a-20d to withdraw elongated central portion 25 and tail 24 from locking head 31.

Hole 19 has a diameter of 4.05 mm and, as described above the widest diameter of a locking cone 26 is 4.0 mm. When fastening device 16 is in use tail 24 and one or more locking cones 26 are passed though hole 19, hole 22 and cylindrical element 23. The widest part of a locking cone 26 lies in hole 19 through base 17. Because there is only 0.05 mm difference between the diameter of hole 19 and the widest diameter of the locking cone lying in hole 19 it is virtually impossible to insert anything through the 0.05 mm space to spread pieces 20a-20d.

In FIG. 4 is shown a top view of the novel fastening device 16. The description given above regarding the side view shown in FIG. 3 also applies to FIG. 4 and is not repeated for the sake of brevity. In conjunction with the side view in FIG. 3 this top view better shows the flat shape of tail portion 24, the flat shape of tapered section 18, the circular shape of central section 25 with locking cones 26, and the details of locking head 31. In FIG. 4 it can also be seen that there is an identity code 33 embossed into the surface of tail 24. While the digits “123” are shown the code 33 can be a much longer alphanumeric code that identifies a specific fastening device 16. Devices 16 are thereby provided with serial numbers 33. In use of fastening device 16 to seal a container (not shown) the code 33 would be recorded. That way no one can destroy a device 16, steal the contents of a container that the device sealed, and place another fastening device 16 on the container. The code 33 would not match. The specific person(s) having access to a sealed container when the code 33 on the fastening device 16 changed can be quickly and easily determined.

This is a big improvement over the prior art when, sometime during transit and a sealed container passed through a number of hands, a fastening device could be defeated and contents stolen from the sealed container. Even checking a sealed container each time it changed hands during transit it could not be determined that the fastening device had been defeated and contents stolen from the container.

In FIG. 5 is shown a bottom view of the novel fastening device 16. The description given above regarding the side view shown in FIG. 3 also applies to FIG. 5 and is not repeated for the sake of brevity. In conjunction with the side view in FIG. 3 this bottom view best shows the flat shape of tail portion 24, the flat shape of tapered section 18, the circular shape of central section 25 with locking cones 26, and the details of locking head 31. This bottom view also better shows details of locking head 31 such as hole 19 through base 17. It can also be seen that the diameter of hole 19 through base 17 is only slightly larger than the diameter of hole 22 through the top of truncated locking piece 22. The particular dimensions given above for elements of fastening device 16 are critical in its ability to provide security and this is better understood when reading the description of FIG. 7.

In FIG. 6 is shown a shown a side view of a novel fastening device 16 with tail 24 and some of locking cones 26 inserted through locking head 31 which is what would done when a device 16 is in its sealed position and is used to seal a container. It can be seen that in this position a locking cone 26b lies in and substantially fills hole 19 so that no access can be obtained through hole 19 to defeat fastening device 16. Similarly, there is a locking cone 26c inside cylindrical piece 23 that makes it difficult to access the locking element inside cylindrical piece 23 to defeat fastening device 16.

In FIG. 7 is shown a side cutaway view of a locking head 31 in its sealed position as depicted in FIG. 6 with locking cones inside of head 31. It can be seen that the widest point of locking cone 26b almost completely fills hole 19 so there is not enough space to access locking element 20 through hole 19 alongside locking cone 26b to defeat fastening device 16 and spread one or more of locking elements 20a-20d to withdraw locking cone 26d from locking head 31. Because of the difference between the diameter of the widest portion of locking cone 26d and the diameter of hole 22 at the top 29 of locking element 20, and the presence of circular element or cylindrical piece 23 it is difficult to access and spread one or more of locking elements 20a-20d to withdraw locking cone 26d from locking head 31.

In FIG. 8 is shown a second embodiment of the invention. Shown is a three dimensional view of an additional cylindrical piece 32 that is installed by inserting it inside cylindrical piece 23 of locking head 31 as shown in FIG. 9 to assure that it is virtually impossible to defeat a fastening device 16. Piece 32 has an outside diameter equal to the inside diameter of cylindrical piece 23 which is 7.5 mm. The height of piece 32 is 5.0 mm. Piece 32 has a central hole 33 which has a diameter of 4.05 mm and its wall thickness is 2.48 mm. As may be seen in FIG. 8 there is a ring 34 formed around its outside that has a right triangular cross section as better seen in FIG. 9. The highest dimension of ring 34 extends 0.1 mm above the surface of cylindrical piece 32. As cylindrical piece 32 is forced inside cylindrical piece 23 the ring 34 causes the wall of cylindrical piece 23 to momentarily deforms outward until ring 34 enters into mating groove 35 formed around the inside wall of cylindrical piece 23. The wall of piece 23 then relaxes back to its original shape. Thereafter, it is impossible to expand the wall of piece 23 and withdraw cylindrical piece 23 without destroying cylindrical piece 23. Such damage is instant notice of tampering with fastening device 16 to defeat its security purpose. While in FIG. 8 ring 34 protrudes from the surface of additional cylindrical piece 32 and mating groove 35 is formed around the inside wall of cylindrical piece 23, these may be reversed. A ring 34 may protrude from the inner surface of cylinder 23 and a mating groove is formed in the outer wall of additional cylindrical piece 32. The choice depends mainly on the ease of molding the parts.

In FIG. 9 the additional cylindrical piece 32 is shown installed inside cylindrical piece 23 of a locking head 31 as mentioned in the previous paragraph. The hole 33 through additional cylindrical piece 32 has a diameter which is the same as hole 19 in base 17. As previously described the diameter of hole 19 through base 17 is only slightly larger than the largest diameter of the locking cones 26 spaced along elongated portion 18. Thus, as seen in FIG. 9 there is too little space between the inside wall of hole 33 of cylindrical piece 32 and locking cones 26d and between hole 19 and locking cone 26b to insert anything inside locking head 31 of device 16 to defeat the previously described locking mechanism therein.

In a variation of additional cylindrical piece 32, its ring 34 is replaced by a groove (not shown) that may have one of many cross sectional shapes but preferably has an arctuate shaped cross section. To mate with this variation groove, around the inside wall of cylindrical piece 23 of a locking head 31 the groove 35 is replaced with a raised arctuate ring that has a cross section that matches the arctuate shaped groove around the inside wall of piece 32. The particular shape and size are chosen to simplify the molding of locking head 23 and cylindrical piece 32.

FIG. 9 shows a side cutaway view of a locking head 31 with a cylindrical piece 32 installed therein. Around the inside wall of cylindrical piece or shroud 23 is the groove 35 that has a right triangle cross section that matches ring 34 of piece 32. When piece 32 is installed it is pushed into the top opening of cylindrical piece 23. As it travels inside cylindrical piece 23 it expands it slightly until ring 34 snaps into the mating groove 35. It is then virtually impossible to remove cylindrical piece 32 from cylindrical piece 23 without destroying the cylindrical piece.

In FIG. 9 an elongated, circular cross section, central piece 25 with locking cones 26 along it is shown in phantom dotted line view through locking head 31. As previously described the diameter of hole 19 is 4.05 mm and the diameter of locking cone 26b lying inside hole 19 is 4.0 mm. This leaves a space of 0.05 mm which is not enough space to reach in alongside locking cone 26b and spread ones of locking elements 20a-20d to defeat fastening device 16. Similarly, with cylindrical piece 32 installed inside cylindrical piece 23 the space between it and the widest diameter of locking cone 26d is also only 0.05 mm. Alike rear hole 19 there is not enough space to reach in alongside locking cone 26d and reach locking elements 20a-d to defeat fastening device 16. Thus, a fastening device 16 with a cylindrical piece 32 installed is virtually impossible to defeat.

While only a single groove 35 and mating ring 34 are shown in FIG. 9, more than one ring may be provided on cylindrical piece 32 and a like number of grooves 35 formed in the inside wall of cylindrical piece 23. This will provide even better retention of piece 32 inside cylindrical piece 23.

In FIG. 10 is shown a three dimensional view of a cup shaped, hollow piece 36 that is placed over the locking head 31 of the novel fastening device 16 for a third embodiment of the invention that makes it impossible to unfasten fastening device 16 without destroying it. Cup shaped piece 36 is rounded at one end, as shown, with an inside width and diameter of 12.6 mm which matches the outside diameter of base 17 of device 16. The opposite end of piece 36 is open at 39 to the hollow interior of piece 36. The interior height of piece 36 is 12.0 mm which is the same height as locking head 31. The wall thickness of piece 36 is 1.0 mm making the overall height of piece 36 14.0 mm. The maximum depth of the interior of piece 36 is 13 mm which covers all of locking head 31 when piece 36 is installed over the locking head. With these dimensions cup shaped piece 36 fits snugly over locking head 31 as shown in cross sectional view in FIG. 10.

Cup shaped piece 36 has two holes through it. Hole 37 is through the top and hole 38 is through the bottom. These two holes are coaxial with each other. The diameter of both holes 37 and 38 is 4.1 mm which is the same as the diameter of hole 19 through the base 17 of locking head 31. When piece 36 is slid over locking head 31, as indicated by the arrow W in both FIGS. 10 and 11, holes 37 and 38 are coaxial with hole 19 as shown in FIG. 11 and described with reference to FIG. 11.

FIG. 11 shows a side cutaway side view of the locking head 31 for the third embodiment of the invention with the cup shaped piece 36 installed over the locking head 31 while in use and preventing access to locking cones 26 therein to defeat fastening device 16. In this Figure it can be seen that hole 38 is coaxial with hole 19.

When a fastening device is used its tail 24 and elongated center section are placed through a loop of a lock on a container to be sealed. Tail passes all the way through the locking head 31 and cup shaped piece 36 and is then pulled to pull locking cones 26 through the locking head 31. FIG. 11 shows three locking cones 26e, 26f and 26g passing through both locking head 31 and the holes 37 and 38 of cup shaped piece 36 in a dotted line, phantom format.

It can be seen in FIG. 11 that the 4.0 mm wide base of locking cone 26e lies in the 4.1 mm hole 19 through base 17 of locking head 31 and may sometimes also lie partially in 4.1 mm hole 38 through cup shaped piece 36. The 0.1 mm clearance between locking cone 26e and the wall of both holes 19 and 38 prevents anything from being inserted around cone 26e and into the interior of locking head 31 to attempt to defeat fastening device 16.

It can also be seen in FIG. 11 that the 4.0 mm wide base of locking cone 26g lies in the 4.1 mm hole 37 of locking head 31. The 0.1 mm clearance between locking cone 26g and the wall of hole 38 prevents anything from being inserted around cone 26g and into the interior of locking head 31 to attempt to defeat fastening device 16.

Since the interior height of cup shaped piece 36 is the same height as locking head 31, and with cylindrical piece 23 being present, nothing can be inserted into the open end 39 of the piece 36 to attempt to defeat fastening device 16. It can also be appreciated that with the elongated center portion 25 and locking cones 26 passing through holes 38, 19 and 37 that cup shaped piece 36 cannot be removed without destroying it.

Cup shaped piece 36 as shown in FIG. 10 may be placed over locking head 31 as shown in FIG. 11, or it may be inverted one hundred eighty degrees so that hole 38 is facing upward and hole 37 is facing downward. This makes it easier to install piece 36 since no thought must be given to its position when it is slid onto a locking head 31.

In FIG. 2 it can be seen that there is a base or edge 17 around the base of locking head 31. This edge 17 may be deleted during manufacture to make cup shaped piece 36 fit tighter over locking head 31. There would be no space between the outer wall of cylindrical piece 23 and the inner wall of cup shaped piece 36 as is seen in FIG. 11.

Thus, fastening device 16 cannot be defeated without destroying it or damaging it to the point that the damage is easily seen during inspection. This is a big improvement over the prior art when, sometime during transit and a sealed container passed through a number of hands, a fastening device could be defeated and contents stolen from the sealed container. Even checking a sealed container each time it changed hands during transit it could not be determined that the fastening device had been defeated and contents stolen from the container. In addition, during molding of fastening device 16, cup shaped piece 36 can be molded at the same time and the two would be connected by a leader connected between elongated portion 18 adjacent to base 17 of device 16 and a corner of cup 36.

While what has been described herein are three embodiments of the invention it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the second embodiment of the invention is a plug 32 that snaps into the inside of cylindrical piece 23 and the plug has a hole having a diameter only slightly larger than the diameter of the locking cones 26. The inside diameter of the cup equals the outside diameter of the cylindrical piece and locking grooves 35 and projections 34 may be utilized to prevent the cup from being removed. The diameter of the hole through the bottom of the cup is also only slightly larger than the diameter of the locking cones 26.

Claims

1. A fastening device used to seal a container, door or other item, the fastening device comprising: a locking head at a first end of the fastening device, the locking head having a base with a hole through it; locking means that is part of the locking head; a shroud around the locking means to limit access to the locking means; an elongated piece connected to the locking head; and a plurality of locking projections spaced along the elongated piece, the elongated piece being inserted through the hole through the base of the locking head and through the locking head and shroud when the fastening device is used to seal something, and a first one of the locking projections is held by the locking means and prevents the elongated piece from being withdrawn from the locking head to open the fastening device; wherein the width of each locking projection is only slightly smaller than the hole through the base of the locking head and when the elongated piece is positioned through the hole in the base of the locking head and shroud while in use a locking projection is positioned in the hole through the base and restricts passing through the hole into the interior of the shroud to access the first locking projection therein and withdraw the elongated piece from the locking head to open the fastening device.

2. The fastening device of claim 1 wherein the locking projections are cone shaped and the pointed end of the cone shaped projections are inserted first through the locking head hole and then through the locking means within the shroud, and wherein the locking means comprise a plurality of flexible arms that are spread as a cone shaped locking projection passes through the locking means and the arms close behind the widest end of a locking projection as it completely passes through the locking means, and the widest end of each locking projections is shaped in a way prevents it from passing back through the locking means to open the fastening device.

3. The fastening device of claim 2 wherein the elongated piece has a first end that is connected to the locking head and a second end that has an extension on which there are no locking projections, and further comprising an indicia embossed into the extension that is unique and is used for identification purposes and no two fastening devices have the same indicia embossed into their extension.

4. The fastening device of claim 1 further comprising an insert piece that is inserted into the shroud, the insert piece having a hole through which the elongated piece with locking cones pass when the fastening device is in use.

5. The fastening device of claim 4 wherein the hole through the insert piece is only slightly larger than the width of each locking projection and when the elongated piece is positioned through the hole in the base of the locking head a locking projection is positioned in the hole through the insert piece and thereby restricts passing anything into the interior of the locking head to access the locking means inside the locking head to withdraw the elongated piece from the locking head and open the fastening device.

6. The fastening device of claim 5 wherein the locking projections are cone shaped and the pointed end of the cone shaped locking projections are inserted through the locking head base hole, the locking means, and the insert piece hole when the fastening device is utilized, and wherein the locking means comprise a plurality of flexible arms that are spread as a cone shaped locking projection passes through the locking means and the arms close behind the widest end of a cone shaped locking projection as it completely passes through the locking means, and the widest end of a cone is shaped in a way that prevents the cone shaped locking projection from passing back through the locking means to open the fastening device.

7. The fastening device of claim 6 wherein the shroud has an interior wall which has a first means as a part thereof, and the insert piece has a second means as part a thereof, and when the insert piece is inserted into the shroud the first means and the second means cooperate to prevent removal of the insert piece from the shroud and open the fastening device.

8. The fastening device of claim 4 wherein the shroud, the hole through the base of the fastening device, the hole through the insert piece and the widest ends of the cone shaped locking projection cooperate to prevent access to the locking means inside the shroud to withdraw the elongated piece from the locking head and open the fastening device.

9. The fastening device of claim 8 wherein the elongated piece has a first end that is connected to the locking head and a second end that has an extension on which there are no locking projections, and further comprising an indicia embossed into the extension that is unique and is used for identification purposes and no two fastening devices have the same indicia embossed into their extension.

10. The fastening device of claim 1 further comprising a cup piece having an open end, and a first and a second hole through the sides of the cup piece; wherein the open end of the cup piece is slid over the locking head and shroud until the first hole is coaxially aligned with the hole through the locking head base and the second hole is approximately coaxially aligned with the hole through the locking head base, the elongated piece is then inserted through the first hole, the hole through the base of the fastening device, the locking means and the second hole, and a first one of the locking projections is held by the locking means; and wherein the elongated piece inserted through the locking head and the holes through the cup piece prevents removal of the cup piece and prevents thereby access to the locking means inside the shroud to withdraw the elongated piece from the locking head.

11. The fastening device of claim 10 wherein the first and second holes through the cup piece are only slightly larger than size of the locking projections and when the elongated piece is inserted through the first hole, the hole through the base of the fastening device, the locking means and the second hole, a locking projection is positioned in the first hole and in the second hole and it restricts passing anything into the interior of the shroud to access the locking means and withdraw the elongated piece from the locking head.

12. The fastening device of claim 10 wherein the shroud, the size of the hole through the base of the fastening device, the size of the first and the second holes through the cup piece and the width of the locking pieces cooperate to restrict passing anything into the shroud to access the locking projections and withdraw the elongated piece from the locking head.

13. The fastening device of claim 12 wherein the elongated piece has a first end that is connected to the locking head and a second end that has an extension on which there are no locking projections, and further comprising an indicia embossed into the extension that is unique and is used for identification purposes and no two fastening devices have the same indicia embossed into their extension.

14. A fastening device used to seal an item the fastening device comprising: a locking head having a base with a first hole through it; locking means that is part of the locking head; a shroud around the locking means and having a top with a second hole through it which is further from the first hole through the base than the locking means; an elongated piece that may be connected to the locking head; and a plurality of locking projections spaced along the elongated piece, the elongated piece being inserted through the first hole, through the locking head and through the second hole through the shroud when the fastening device is in use; wherein the width of each locking projection is only slightly smaller than the width of either the first hole and the second hole, and when the elongated piece is inserted completely through the locking head and shroud a first locking projection is positioned in the first hole through the base and a second locking projection is positioned in the second hole through the shroud to restrict passing anything through either of the two holes into the interior of the shroud to access the locking means and withdraw the elongated piece from the locking head.

15. The fastening device of claim 14 wherein the locking projections are cone shaped and the pointed end of the cone shaped projections are inserted through the hole in the base and through the locking means within the shroud, and wherein the locking means comprise a plurality of flexible arms that arm spread as a cone shaped projection passes through the locking means and the arms close behind the widest end of a cone shaped projection as it completely passes through the locking means, and the widest end of each cone shaped projection is shaped in a way that prevents a cone shaped projection from passing back through the locking means to open the fastening device.

16. The fastening device of claim 15 wherein the shroud, the first hole through the base of the fastening device, the second hole through the shroud and the widest ends of the cone shaped projections cooperate to prevent access to the locking means inside the shroud to withdraw the elongated piece from the locking head.

17. The fastening device of claim 16 wherein the elongated piece has a first end that is connected to the locking head and a second end that has an extension on which there are no locking projections, and further comprising an indicia embossed into the extension that is unique and is used for identification purposes and no two fastening devices have the same indicia embossed into their extension.

18. The fastening device of claim 14 wherein the elongated piece has a first end that is connected to the locking head and a second end that has an extension on which there are no locking projections, and further comprising an indicia embossed into the extension that is unique and is used for identification purposes and no two fastening devices have the same indicia embossed into their extension.

19. The fastening device of claim 1 wherein the elongated piece has a first end that is connected to the locking head and a second end that has an extension on which there are no locking projections, and further comprising an indicia embossed into the extension that is unique and is used for identification purposes and no two fastening devices have the same indicia embossed into their extension.

20. The fastening device of claim 6 wherein the shroud has an interior wall which has a protrusion formed therein, and the insert piece has a groove on its exterior, and when the insert piece is inserted into the shroud the groove of the insert piece with the protrusion of the shroud, the groove and projection cooperating to prevent removal of the insert piece from the shroud and open the fastening device.

21. A security cover for a fastening device used to seal a container, door or other item, wherein the fastening device has a locking head, locking means attached to the locking head, a shroud attached to the locking head and surrounding the locking means, an elongated piece connected to the locking head and having a plurality of locking projections spaced along the elongated piece, the elongated piece being inserted through a hole through the base of the locking head and through the locking means when the fastening device is used, and a first one of the locking projections is held by the locking means to prevent the elongated piece from being withdrawn from the locking head to open the fastening device, the security cover comprising: A cup shaped piece having an opening in one side and a top and a bottom with the distance between the top and bottom inside the cup being slightly higher than the overall height of the locking head and shroud, there being a hole through the top and through the bottom of the cup, the dimensions of the hole through the top and bottom of the cup being only slightly larger than cross sectional dimensions of the elongated piece, the width of the cup shaped piece inside the cup being slightly wider than the width of the wider of the locking head or shroud, wherein when the cup shaped piece is used to provide security against opening the fastening device the cup opening is slid over the locking head of the fastening device so that the holes through the top and bottom of the cup shaped piece are approximately coaxially aligned with the hole through the base of the locking head, the elongated piece is then inserted through the hole through the bottom of the cup shaped piece, through the hole through the base of the locking head, through the locking means inside the shroud, and through the hole though the top of the cup shaped piece, and one of the locking projections is held by the locking means, the cup shaped piece then cannot be removed and it prevents access to the locking means inside the shroud to withdraw the elongated piece from the locking head.