Tie-type security seal

Abstract

A tie-type security seal is described that comprises a body ( 2 ) of thermoplastic material with a passage ( 7 ) therethrough, a metallic insert element ( 11 ) that is fixed in the passage and has at least one opening ( 15 ) aligned therewith, as well as a locking tooth ( 14 ). An elongated strip of thermoplastic material ( 4 ) is integral, at one end, with the body ( 2 ) and has another free end for insertion through the passage ( 7 ) in a first direction where it is locked by the tooth ( 14 ) against removal from the cavity in the opposite direction, the body and strip having been manufactured by a plastic injection operation. In accordance with the invention, the seal is not only highly secure against tampering, but can also easily be mass manufactured since the metallic insert element ( 11 ) is incorporated into the body of thermoplastic material ( 2 ) during the injection operation.

1 . A tie-type security seal comprising a body of thermoplastic material with a locking cavity in the form of a passage through the body, a metallic insert element fixed in said cavity and formed with at least one through-opening aligned with said passage and also a locking tooth, and an elongated strip of thermoplastic material integral at one end with the body and having another free end for insertion through said passage in a first direction where it is locked by said tooth to prevent removal from the cavity in the opposite direction, the body and the strip having been manufactured by a plastic injection operation, wherein the metallic insert element has been incorporated into said body of thermoplastic material during the injection operation.  
   
   
       2 . The security seal according to  claim 1 , wherein the passage that defines the cavity in the body of the seal has a cross section substantially identical to that of the strip, at least in the greater part of the length of the latter.  
   
   
       3 . The security seal according to  claim 2 , wherein the free end portion of the strip has a smaller cross section than the remaining part of the strip to facilitate the initial introduction through said passage.  
   
   
       4 . The security seal according to  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , wherein the metallic insert element is a substantially flat part stamped with a main region cut out in its center to define a plurality of teeth bent outwardly from the plane of the part, defining an opening between the ends of the teeth for passage of the strip, and, on each side and in the same plane as the main region, a lateral extension of which the end coincides with the side of said body.  
   
   
       5 . The security seal according to  claim 4 , wherein said end of each lateral extension of the metallic insert element has the form of a two-pronged fork.  
   
   
       6 . The security seal according to  claim 4 , wherein the end of each of said side extensions is integral with a corresponding end of a side extension of a metallic insert element of another similar seal, and the seal comprises one element in a “comb” of similar seals manufactured in the same injection operation, the individual seals being separable by breaking the junctions between the ends of the lateral extensions of the metallic insert elements.  
   
   
       7 . The security seal according to  claim 5 , wherein the end of each of said side extensions is integral with a corresponding end of a side extension of a metallic insert element of another similar seal, and the seal comprises one element in a “comb” of similar seals manufactured in the same injection operation, the individual seals being separable by breaking the junctions between the ends of the lateral extensions of the metallic insert elements.