SEALING FASTENER

Abstract

A plastic sealing fastener includes a fixing member, a latching ribbon formed on the fixing member and at least one locking portion. The locking portion is for locking the latching ribbon in the fixing member. The fixing member includes a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, a first covering portion formed on the first surface and a second covering portion formed on the second surface. The first covering portion defines a first covering hole. The second covering portion defines a second covering hole. The at least one locking portion is formed on a side surface of the second covering hole. A depth of the second covering hole exceeds twice the length of the locking portion; and a depth of the first covering hole exceeds the length of the locking portion.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

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.

BACKGROUND

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.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

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.

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an embodiment of a plastic sealing fastener including a fixing member and a cover.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the plastic sealing fastener of FIG. 1, shown in another aspect.

FIG. 3 is a cross section of a plastic sealing fastener of FIG. 2, taken along the line III-III.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an embodiment of a plastic sealing fastener 200 includes a substantially rectangular fixing member 21, a first covering portion 22, a second covering portion 23, an elastic locking portion 24 (FIG. 3) and a latching ribbon 25. The fixing member 21 is a board, and includes a first surface 211 and a second surface 213 opposite to the first surface 211. The first covering portion 22 is formed on the first surface 211; the second covering portion 23 is formed on the second surface 213. The latching ribbon 25 is formed at an end of the fixing member 21.

Also referring to FIG. 3, the first covering portion 22 is a rectangular frustum pyramid. The first covering portion 22 defines a rectangular first covering hole 221. The second covering portion 23 is similar to the first covering portion 22 in shape. The second covering portion 23 defines a rectangular second covering hole 231. Both the first and second covering holes 221, 231 extend into the fixing member 21 and communicate with each other. In the illustrated embodiment, a width of the first covering hole 221 is less than that of the second covering hole 231; a depth H1 of the first covering hole 221 is less than a depth H2 of the second covering hole 231. Alternatively, the depth H2 of the second covering hole 231 may be equal to the depth H1 of the first covering hole 221.

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.

Claims

1. A plastic sealing fastener comprising:

a fixing member comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface;

a first covering portion formed on the first surface, the first covering portion defining a first covering hole;

a second covering portion formed on the second surface, the second covering portion defining a second covering hole, the second covering hole communicating with the first covering hole;

a latching ribbon formed on the fixing member; and

a locking portion, wherein the locking portion is formed on an inner surface of the second covering hole for locking the latching ribbon in the fixing member, a depth of the second covering hole exceeds twice the length of the locking portion, a depth of the first covering hole exceeds the length of the locking portion.

2. The plastic sealing fastener of claim 1, wherein a width of the second covering hole exceeds a width of the first covering hole.

3. The plastic sealing fastener of claim 2, wherein the locking portion is adjacent to the first covering hole.

4. The plastic sealing fastener of claim 1, wherein the locking portion comprises a pair of teeth, and each tooth is angled on the side wall of the second covering hole, and extending away from the first covering hole.

5. The plastic sealing fastener of claim 4, wherein the latching ribbon forms a plurality of latching portions thereon, and each latching portion comprises a latching surface engaging with the locking portion.

6. The plastic sealing fastener of claim 5, wherein the plurality of the latching portions are arranged on both surfaces of the latching ribbon, and the pair of teeth are symmetrically positioned on the side wall of the second covering hole.

7. The plastic sealing fastener of claim 6, wherein a distance between the vertices of each pair of the latching portions is substantially equal to the width of the first covering hole.

8. A plastic sealing fastener comprising:

a fixing member comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface;

a first covering portion formed on the first surface, the first covering portion defining a first covering hole;

a second covering portion formed on the second surface, the second covering portion defining a second covering hole, the second covering hole communicating with the first covering hole;

a latching ribbon on the fixing member; and

a pair of elastic teeth formed on an inner surface of the second covering hole, wherein the pair of teeth are capable of elastically deforming towards the inner surface of the second covering hole, thereby allowing the latching ribbon to pass through into the second covering hole and locking the latching ribbon, a depth of the second covering hole exceeds twice the length of the locking portion, and a depth of the first covering hole exceeds the length of the locking portion.

9. The plastic sealing fastener of claim 8, wherein a width of the second covering hole exceeds a width of the first covering hole.

10. The plastic sealing fastener of claim 9, wherein the locking portion is adjacent to the first covering hole.

11. The plastic sealing fastener of claim 8, wherein each tooth is angled on the side wall of the second covering hole, and extending away from the first covering hole.

12. The plastic sealing fastener of claim 8, wherein the latching ribbon forms a plurality of latching portions thereon, and each latching portion comprises a latching surface engaging with the locking portion.

13. The plastic sealing fastener of claim 12, wherein the plurality of the latching portions are arranged on both surfaces of the latching ribbon, and the pair of teeth are symmetrically positioned on the side wall of the second covering hole.

14. The plastic sealing fastener of claim 13, wherein a distance between the vertices of each pair of the latching portions is substantially equal to the width of the first covering hole.