Irreversible locking mechanism

Abstract

Embodiments of an irreversible locking mechanism are presented herein. According to one embodiment, an irreversible locking mechanism comprises a body, a gate, and a spring-loaded pin. The body comprises two opposing ends separated by a gap. The gate is supported by a first of the two opposing ends and advances from the first opposing end to span the gap and engage a second of the two opposing ends such that the gate is engaged with the first and second opposing ends of the body. The gate transitions from an advancing state, where the spring-loaded pin is depressed within a seat in the first opposing end by the gate and the gate is free to span the gap, to an irreversible locked state, where the gate engages the second opposing end and the spring-loaded pin projects from the seat in the first opposing end into a catch of the gate.

1 . An irreversible locking mechanism comprising a body, a gate, and a spring-loaded pin, wherein:
 the body comprises two opposing ends separated by a gap;   the gate is supported by a first of the two opposing ends and advances from the first opposing end to span the gap and engage a second of the two opposing ends such that the gate is engaged with the first and second opposing ends of the body; and   the gate transitions from an advancing state, where the spring-loaded pin is substantially depressed within a seat in the first opposing end by the gate and the gate is free to span the gap, to an irreversible locked state, where the gate engages the second opposing end and the spring-loaded pin projects from the seat in the first opposing end into a catch of the gate.   
   
   
       2 . The irreversible locking mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism is configured such that, with the transition of the gate to the locked state, the locking mechanism thereafter maintains a closed loop clip profile. 
   
   
       3 . The irreversible locking mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the seat comprises an opening end and a terminating end; and   the opening end opens to the gate, while the terminating end terminates within the first opposing end of the body.   
   
   
       4 . The irreversible locking mechanism of  claim 3 , wherein the spring-loaded pin is positioned within the seat such that a spring of the spring-loaded pin is positioned proximal to the terminating end of the seat, while a pin of the spring-loaded pin is positioned proximal to the opening end of the seat. 
   
   
       5 . The irreversible locking mechanism of  claim 4 , the spring-loaded pin is configured such that, with the projection of the spring-loaded pin from the seat into the catch, the pin is positioned partially within the seat and partially within the catch so as to irreversibly lock the engagement of the gate with the first and second opposing ends of the body. 
   
   
       6 . The irreversible locking mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the catch is a cavity in an interior channel of the gate such that a wall of the interior channel depresses the spring-loaded pin in the seat in the first opposing end until the catch is positioned substantially entirely over the seat and the spring-loaded pin such that the spring-loaded pin projects from the seat into the catch in the gate. 
   
   
       7 . The irreversible locking mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first and second opposing ends of the body comprise threaded exterior surfaces; and   an interior channel of the gate comprises a threaded surface complimentary to the threaded exterior surfaces of the first and second opposing ends.   
   
   
       8 . The irreversible locking mechanism of  claim 7 , wherein the gate advances from the first opposing end of the body and engages the second end of the body by rotating the threaded surface of the interior channel of the gate along the threaded exterior surfaces of the first and second opposing ends. 
   
   
       9 . An irreversible locking mechanism comprising a body, a gate, and a spring-loaded pin, wherein:
 the body comprises two opposing ends separated by a gap;   the gate is supported by a first of the two opposing ends and advances from the first opposing end to span the gap and engage a second of the two opposing ends such that the gate is engaged with the first and second opposing ends of the body;   an interior channel of the gate comprises a threaded surface complimentary to threaded exterior surfaces of the first and second opposing ends;   the gate transitions from an advancing state, where the spring-loaded pin is substantially depressed within a seat in the first opposing end by the gate and the gate is free to span the gap, to an irreversible locked state, where the gate engages the second opposing end and the spring-loaded pin projects from the seat in the first opposing end into a catch of the gate such that a pin of the spring-loaded pin is positioned partially within the seat and partially within the catch so as to irreversibly lock the engagement of the gate with the first and second opposing ends of the body; and   the gate transitions from the advancing state to the locked state by rotating the threaded surface of the interior channel of the gate along the threaded exterior surfaces of the first and second opposing ends.   
   
   
       10 . The irreversible locking mechanism of  claim 9 , wherein the locking mechanism is configured such that, with the transition of the gate to the locked state, the locking mechanism thereafter maintains a closed loop clip profile. 
   
   
       11 . The irreversible locking mechanism of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the seat comprises an opening end and a terminating end; and   the opening end opens to the gate, while the terminating end terminates within the first opposing end of the body.   
   
   
       12 . The irreversible locking mechanism of  claim 11 , wherein the spring-loaded pin is positioned within the seat such that a spring of the spring-loaded pin is positioned proximal to the terminating end of the seat, while a pin of the spring-loaded pin is positioned proximal to the opening end of the seat. 
   
   
       13 . The irreversible locking mechanism of  claim 9 , wherein the catch is a cavity in the interior channel of the gate such that a wall of the interior channel depresses the spring-loaded pin in the seat in the first opposing end until the catch is positioned substantially entirely over the seat and the spring-loaded pin such that the spring-loaded pin projects from the seat into the catch in the gate.