TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a safety lock system and, more particularly, to a safety lock system for use in machine, electric or electronic appliances in order to avoid frauds and damage.

BACKGROUND

Safety lock systems are widely known from the prior art, being differentiated by the various configuration and purpose types.

Machine safety lock systems can be noted, as an example, from documents Pl 0500166-8, Pl 0500922-7, Pl 9501603-1 and US 6.684.670, which provide different configurations.

The Brazilian Patent Application Pl 0503404-3 describes an electronic safety lock system for electricity meters.

Patent application Pl 0503404-3 describes an electronic lock system of the electro-mechanical type for locking power meters, thus avoiding the breach/counterfeiting of the same and the consequent theft of electric power. The system utilizes an electronic seal, a data collector and an electronic seal reader to perform fraud detection.

However, the prior art systems mentioned above are difficult to assemble and of a high cost. Also, these systems have interference when in use, and their performance is far from the ideal when the corresponding lock is activated. Finally, the cables utilized in the prior art systems are susceptible to damage when in use, causing problems in the system operation.

SUMMARY

The present invention relates to a safety lock system comprising at least three coplanar openings where a cable passes that adjusts itself to an appliance that the user wants to protect. The lock system has a safety system comprising a cutting assembly, a clip provided with an elastic element and a fastener that together assure the system safety.

In one aspect, the present invention comprises a safety lock system comprising a housing that receives a casing formed by a base, a cover and a lid; said housing has at least three openings that match at least three openings in the casing, the base having an inner curved channel and comprising a clip, a cutting assembly consisting of a receiving portion that includes a cavity and a cutting blade, and a fastener, said fastener being located before the third opening; wherein a cable travels the inner curved channel, one of the cable ends being caught within the casing, an elastic element being received inside the clip inner cavity and the receiving portion cavity.

The summary of the present invention is not intended as a description of each embodiment described in the present application or every implementation of the present invention. The figures and the detailed description that follows illustrate more particularly the illustrative embodiments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is an exploded view of the safety lock system of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an upper view of the safety lock system of the present invention;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the safety lock system of the present invention; and Figure 4 is a perspective view of the safety lock system of the present invention, in its assembled for use configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention will be described in detail below with reference to the figures.

Figure 1 illustrates an exploded view of safety lock system 5 of the present invention. As can be noted from the figure, safety lock system 5 comprises a base 10 upon which there are arranged a clip 90, which receives an elastic element 100 into an inner cavity, a cable 80, a fastener 40, 50, and a cutting assembly 60, 70, which has an inner cavity 260 that receives the other end of elastic element 100. Later, said components are enclosed by a cover 20 that matches base 10, forming a casing.

To the outer surfaces of base 10 and cover 20 identifying elements 30 can be applied, such as visual indicators or radiofrequency identification (RFID) electronic tags, among others. The casing is eventually slidingly enclosed within housing 120 illustrated in Figure 4 and closed by a lid 250. Lid 250 may be joined to base 10 or cover 20 or be comprised by an additional piece.

As can be noted from Figure 2, one end of cable 80 is caught in a cavity of base 10. Cable 80 then exits casing 10, 20 through a first opening 130, reentering the same through a second opening 140 adjacent to the former. When cable 80 enters casing 10, 20 for the second time, it follows a curved channel 190 inside the same and exits again through a third opening 150, traversing previously fastener 40, 50. The at least first, second and third openings are preferably coplanar. As a way of example, fastener 40, 50 consists of two pieces having grooves 230 which prevent the cable from traveling the path opposed to that where it has been inserted. This avoids that, once installed in an appliance, the user attempts to remove lock system 5 without damaging it. The housing that receives the casing also has at least three openings 160, 170, 180 preferably coplanar with 130, 140, 150 for the passing of cable 80. Housing 120 prevents access to the system components thereby preventing tampering with the safety lock system. Alternatively, the first and second openings 160, 170 of housing have protruding portions 210 extending from said openings, each protruding portion 210 having a furrow 220 where the cable is seated.

Safety lock system 5 is coupled to the appliance the user wants to protect between the first and second openings. The free end of the cable passes through the appliance and enters again housing 120 and casing 10, 20 completing a loop which keeps tightening against the appliance as the free end is pulled by the third opening. The more the free end of the cable is pulled, tighter the loop will be, while the grooved fastener prevents any clearance from being formed in the loop existing between the first and second openings, since it applies a gripping force opposed to the direction of insertion of the cable.

Inner channel 190 of the casing that receives the cable has a curved form, which prevents the cable from being damaged when inserted in the casing. Also, the channel assures that the cable will travel the ideal path for exiting through the third opening, improving the system performance.

Taking Figures 2 and 3 as a whole, one can note that, when no more clearance exists in the system, cable 80 will be responsible for activating the safety system, causing clip 90 to engage cutting assembly 60, 70. This cutting assembly consists of receiving portion 60 and a cutting blade 70. The cable will be responsible for pushing clip 90 until its back end fits the receiving portion 60 of the cutting assembly. Elastic element 100 housed inside the clip and the receiving portion will be compressed. When trying to break lock system 5, for example, by cutting the cable, clip 90 will move in the opposite direction toward lid 250, due to the expansion action of the elastic element. Since clip 90 is engaged in the receiving portion, obviously the cutting assembly will move together with the clip, causing cutting blade 70 to move as well, which damages identification element 30, partially destroying its circuit.

When the safety lock system operator tries to make the reading of the data from identification element 30, he will realize that the same has been damaged by an action from outside. Alternatively, the partial destruction of the identification element may cause a signal to be sent to a control center, which monitors the safety lock systems installed, which would speed up the detection of the tag breach. This would allow the dispatch of the system operator to the site where the system is installed by means of the fault remote detection. Alternatively, an embodiment of the present invention may not utilize the identification element, only providing the new lock configuration without the technical feature of damage identification.

Although the above description refers to preferred embodiments, it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the details of the above teachings.

It should be noted that variations, modifications and changes to the invention herein described are possible to those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention or its equivalents, as embraced by the appended claims and their equivalents.