Tamper-Evident Fastener With Sensor Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Securable medication dispensing cabinets often fail to provide evidence of unauthorized access, as fasteners can temporarily deform without permanent damage, allowing unauthorized access without detection, especially in low-traffic areas where unauthorized changes or theft may go undetected for extended periods.
Innovation Solution
The container features a tamper-evident fastener that breaks at intentional points when sufficient force is applied, coupled with a sensor to detect the breakage and trigger an alert, ensuring physical evidence of unauthorized access and immediate notification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional fastener is used to secure the container lid, then the container can be closed and secured, but the fastener can temporarily deform without permanent damage, allowing unauthorized access without detection
Solution Approach 1:
The fastener is divided into multiple portions (first portion extending from lid, second portion, third portion, fourth portion with contact member) connected at defined break points. This segmentation allows the fastener to break at specific locations when subjected to unauthorized access forces, providing visible evidence of tampering while maintaining overall structural integrity for normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastener is pre-configured with intentional break points at specific locations between portions. These break points are designed to fail under certain force conditions before the lid can be opened, providing preliminary evidence of unauthorized access attempts before the container is compromised.
2Reliability
If the fastener is designed to break easily to provide tamper evidence, then unauthorized access can be detected, but the container security is weakened and can be opened too easily
Solution Approach 1:
Different portions of the fastener have different structural properties and break points positioned at specific locations. The first portion extends perpendicular to the lid plane, the second portion extends perpendicular to the first axis, the third portion extends parallel to the first axis, and the fourth portion contains the contact member. This local variation in quality ensures that normal operation forces do not trigger breakage while unauthorized access forces do.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastener geometry is designed with specific dimensional relationships between portions, with break points positioned at calculated locations based on expected force magnitudes and directions. The multi-axis orientation (first axis perpendicular to lid, second axis perpendicular to first, third axis parallel to first) creates different mechanical resistance parameters for normal vs. unauthorized access scenarios.
3Ease of manufacture
If a simple fastener design is used, then manufacturing is easier and cost is lower, but there is no mechanism to provide evidence of unauthorized access
Solution Approach 1:
The fastener combines multiple functions into a single component: securing the lid closed, providing mechanical engagement with the receptacle, and detecting unauthorized access through predetermined break points. The contact member in the fourth portion engages with a sensor in the receptacle to provide automatic detection capability, merging security and detection functions into one manufacturable part.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastener structure itself serves as the detection mechanism through its predetermined break points. When unauthorized access occurs, the fastener automatically breaks at defined locations, providing self-evidencing of tampering without requiring separate complex sensing mechanisms, thereby maintaining ease of manufacture while achieving reliability.
Data Source
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AI summary
A container is described. The container includes a receptacle, lid, and fastener. The receptacle includes a latch. The lid is coupled to the receptacle and moves between an open and a closed position. The fastener is coupled to the lid and fastens the lid to the receptacle. The fastener includes first, second, third, and fourth portions. The first portion is coupled to the lid and extends along a first axis that is perpendicular to a plane of the lid when the lid is in the closed position. The second portion is coupled to the first portion and extends along a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis. The third portion is coupled to the second portion and extends along an axis that is parallel to the first axis. The fourth portion is coupled to the third portion and includes a contact member that couples to the latch.