Anti-theft Electronic Seal with Scratch-Interrupted Antenna
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic bolt seal technologies fail to prevent theft when a burglar uses an electric tool to rotate the bolt, as the seal can be reset, and quality control is inefficient due to the high cost of identification hosts.
Innovation Solution
An antenna composed of a glue layer and a metal layer, combined with an elastic sheet, provides pre-pressure to ensure a lower contact circuit connection, which is interrupted by scratching the metal layer when the bolt is rotated, maintaining the warning function and allowing cost-effective quality control testing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If the electronic seal uses a bolt and bolt seat structure that can be reset after rotation, then the seal can be reused, but the warning function is lost when a burglar rotates the bolt with an electric tool
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-arranging a fragile connection between the bolt and bolt seat that is designed to break under specific conditions. The bolt includes a fragile portion that will snap when the bolt rotates beyond a certain angle, preventing reset and maintaining the warning function. This preliminary structural arrangement ensures that the seal cannot be falsely reset after attempted tampering.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful action of forced rotation into a beneficial warning mechanism. When a burglar attempts to rotate the bolt with an electric tool, the excessive rotation force causes the fragile portion to snap, which triggers the warning function by preventing reset and potentially activating an alarm signal. The harmful forced rotation thus becomes the trigger for the security warning.
2Measurement precision
If expensive identification hosts are used for quality control testing, then testing accuracy is improved, but production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs cheap, disposable test bolts for quality control purposes. These test bolts are inexpensive versions of the actual product that can be used repeatedly for testing without concern for their eventual wear or damage. By using these low-cost test specimens, the company achieves adequate testing accuracy without investing in expensive identification hosts or high-precision measurement equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates simplified copies or models of the actual bolt structure that are sufficient for quality control testing. Rather than using the full-featured, expensive identification host system for every test, the patent employs simplified test versions that replicate the essential functions needed for quality verification, thereby reducing testing costs while maintaining adequate measurement precision.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively prevents theft by maintaining the electronic seal's warning function and reduces quality control costs by enabling efficient, low-cost testing of electric connections.
Implementation Method 1
the elastic sheet can provide a pre-pressure for the antenna when the bolt and bolt seat is positioned with the first, second engagement portions
Implementation Method 2
the circuit or lower contact is controlled to scratch the metal layer to form a short-circuit ring area
Data Source
AI summary
A bolt includes a conductor having an accommodation hole and a circuit board installed in the accommodation hole, where the upper part of the conductor is covered with an insulating sleeve, and the lower part thereof is configured with a first engagement portion, a RFID chip and lower contact of the circuit board is formed into a control circuit, and the lower contact is allowed to be protruded out of the bottom end of the accommodation hole. An antenna and elastic sheet are configured inside the bolt seat, and the outer peripheral thereof is configured with an insertion hole and second engagement portion adapted to position the first engagement portion, the elastic sheet have a pre-pressure to allow the antenna, control circuit and conductor to be in electric connection with one another. Whereby, the electric connection can be interrupted when the bolt is cut.