TAMPER-EVIDENT INFORMATION STORAGE DEVICE PROTECTOR
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tamper-evident information storage device protector for protecting an information storage device while it is retained in association with a sample of concrete so that it can be removed and reused if desired.
Background to the Invention
We have previously developed a system which is particularly suited to monitoring at least one characteristic of concrete in a concrete testing process to thereby monitor the quality of supplied concrete.
Ready mixed concrete is produced at a batching plant and transported to a construction site by concrete trucks. At the construction site, a sample of concrete is taken from some of the trucks. The sample is subjected to the performance of a series of tests to monitor the quality of supplied concrete. The tests which are performed on a concrete sample are usually a slump test and a compression strength test. Once the slump test has been performed, the concrete is formed into a test cube or test cylinder and stored for an appropriate time before performing the compression test.
In order to solve a problem of ensuring that the data identifying the product and relating to the slump test is kept with the test tube, we developed a system in which the information is written to an information storage device in the form of a radio frequency tag (or transponder) which is then inserted into the test cube or cylinder so that the information travels with the concrete sample.
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While this system provides better quality test results, the tags cannot readily be removed from the concrete sample and hence cannot be reused. However, it is important that if the tags are associated with the concrete sample in such a manner that they can be reused, it is not possible to tamper them.
Summary of the Invention
Accordingly the invention provides a tamper- evident information storage device protector for protecting an information storage device while it is retained in association with a concrete sample so that it can be removed and reused if desired, said information storage device protector having: barrier means for providing a barrier between the information storage device and uncured concrete so that the information storage device does not adhere to the concrete when it cures; and tamper-evident retaining means for retaining the information storage device in association with the cured concrete in such a manner that if the information storage device is removed from the retaining means there will be evidence that the information storage device has been removed.
Thus, the information storage device can be removed and reused but cannot be improperly tampered with or replaced.
Preferably, said retaining means has a perimeter wall adapted to surround the information storage device and the barrier means and also to be inserted into the uncured concrete so that the retaining means cannot be removed from the concrete once it cured.
Preferably, said perimeter wall is shaped to correspond to the shape of the information storage device.
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Preferably, a tamper-evident information storage device protector as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said barrier means is a sheet of flexible material which is located between the concrete and surfaces of said information storage device which would otherwise come in contact with said concrete when the information storage device is retained in association with the concrete.
Brief Description of the Drawings
A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described in relation to the following drawings in which: Figure 1 is a top view of the retaining means of an information storage device protector of a third preferred embodiment;
Figure 2 is a cross-section taken along line A to A of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a sheet of material suitable for use as a barrier means in the information storage device protector;
Figure 4 shows a radio frequency tag which can be protected using the information storage device protector of preferred embodiments;
Figure 5 is a top view of an assembled information storage device protector;
Figure 6 is a side view of the assembled information storage device protector of Figure 5; Figure 7 is a bottom view of an assembled information storage device protector;
Figure 8 shows an information storage device protector inserted in a sample of concrete;
Figure 9 is a bottom view of a barrier member of an information storage device protector of a first preferred embodiment;
Figure 10 is a top view of the barrier member;
Figure 11 is a side view of the barrier member;
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Figure 12 is a top view of a retaining member of an information storage device protector of the first preferred embodiment;
Figure 13 is a bottom view of the retaining member;
Figure 14 is a side view of the retaining member;
Figure 15 is a first cross-sectional view of an information storage device protector of a second preferred embodiment; and Figure 16 is a further cross-sectional view of the information storage device protector of the second preferred embodiment.
Description of the Preferred Embodiment
When a concrete sample is formed into a test cube or test cylinder which is suitable for use in the performance of a compression test, an information storage device, such as a radio frequency tag (transponder) 9 as illustrated in Figure 4, needs to be retained in association with the sample of concrete.
The preferred embodiments provide tamper-evident information storage device protector for protecting radio frequency tags of the type shown in Figure 4. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that the information storage device protectors can be adapted to protect information storage devices of other shapes .
In each of the preferred embodiments, an information storage device protector is provided in the form of a tag protector for protecting a ratio frequency tag 9. The tag protectors have a barrier means for protecting the tag from being damaged by concrete and tamper evident means for preventing the tag from being removed without it being clear that the tag has been tampered with.
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In the first preferred embodiment, barrier means is provided by a barrier member 20 having a base 21 and a barrier wall 22 extending around the perimeter of the base 21. The recess defined by barrier wall 20 is adapted to receive an information storage device in the form of a radio frequency tag 9 (transponder) of a generally circular or annular configuration.
The information storage device protector also includes a retaining member 25 which snap fits around the barrier member 20 so that the retaining wall 27 forms an additional barrier to the concrete. So that the barrier member 20 snap fits within retaining member 25, a pair of detents 23 are provided on the barrier wall approximately at the bottom of the barrier member 20. Corresponding recesses (not illustrated) are provided in the vicinity of flanges 28 on the retaining member. The detents 23 snap fit within the recesses of retaining member 25 when it is pushed over the barrier member 20 in correct alignment.
Flanges 28 can be pressed on by a user's digits while the user ejects the barrier member 20, typically by pressing on the tag (not illustrated) through apertures 31. The retaining member 25 also includes an abutment surface 29 which abuts the perimeter wall base 24 to ensure the barrier member 20 correctly locates within the retaining member 25.
In use, the tag protector is designed to be placed on the surface of an uncured concrete test cube so that base 21, retaining wall base 30 and flanges 28 all abut on the uncured (wet) concrete. After the concrete has been cured, it is only possible to remove the tag by rupturing or cutting cross piece 26 which thus provides tamper evident means.
A second preferred embodiment is illustrated in Figures 15 and 16. The tag protector 40 of this
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embodiment is designed to be used with concrete test cylinders .
Such test cylinders are typically formed by pouring concrete into a mould 44 having an outer wall 45a and an inner wall 45b. The inner wall 45b corresponding to the perimeter of the concrete test tube once formed.
In the second preferred embodiment, the tag protector 40 has a barrier member 41 which snap fits within retaining member 42 thereby enclosing a tag 9 within cavity 46.
The retaining member has a retaining pin 43 which is designed to pass through a hole in the mould 44 so as to retain the tag protector 40 in position while concrete is poured into the mould. The retaining pin 43 performs a further role of making it easy to identify where the tag 9 is positioned on the test cylinder.
It will be appreciated that the outer surface 50 of the tag protector is shaped to correspond to the inner surface 45b of the mould so that the tag protector forms part of the outer surface of the concrete test cylinder.
The tag protector 40 includes a latch mechanism 48 to ensure that the barrier member 41 is held within retaining means 50. The abutment 49 between barrier catch member 52 and retaining member inner wall 53 provides a water tight seal to prevent liquid from the concrete from entering the cavity 46 in which the tag 9 is retained while the concrete cures.
A V-shaped groove 54 is provided around the perimeter of the retaining means 50 to provide a resistance line along which the retaining means can be cut in order to remove the tag 9 from a cured concrete cylinder. As the retaining means 42 must be cut in order
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to remove the tag, any tampering will be evident.
An information storage device protector of a third preferred embodiment has two components : barrier means, provided in the preferred embodiment by a sheet of flexible material 7, for providing a barrier between the tag and uncured concrete so that the tag does not adhere to the concrete when it cures; and tamper-evident retaining means 1 for retaining the tag in association with the cured concrete in such a manner that if the tag is removed from the retaining means 1 there will be evidence that the tag 9 has been removed.
The tamper-.evident retaining means 1 is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. The tamper-evident retaining means 1 has a thin annular perimeter wall 2 which is adapted to surround tag 9. Two portions of the perimeter wall 2 are joined by a cross piece 3. The distance between inner faces 4 of the perimeter walls 2 is chosen so that when a tag 9 and the sheet of material 7 are located within the wall they fit snugly in place. However, the retaining means 1 is typically formed of a plastic material which has sufficient flexibility to accommodate some variation in tag size and sheet of material 7 thickness.
As illustrated in Figures 5, 6 and 7 the sheet of flexible material 7 provides barrier means and is located in use so that surfaces of the tag which would otherwise come in contact with concrete are prevented from doing so. As shown in Figures 5 and 7, the sheet of material 7 is folded around the tag 9 so that it protrudes through apertures 11 defined between the cross piece 3 and the perimeter wall 2.
The protrusion of portions of the sheet of material 7 is illustrated further in Figure 6.
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As shown in Figure 7 the entire bottom surface of the tag which would otherwise come into contact with the concrete, is protected from the concrete by the barrier of sheet material 7. The sides of the tag are also protected.
As shown in Figure 8, the information storage device protector together with tag 9 is typically inserted into a sample of concrete 12 so that part of the perimeter wall 2 is located below the surface 13 of the concrete sample 12. Once the concrete cures, the tag 9 can only be removed from the information storage device protector by rupturing cross piece 3. Thus, there will be evidence that the tag 9 has been removed and it will not be possible to replace the tag. The tags themselves are not usually chosen to be write once tags so that they can be overwritten.
Suitable flexible materials for providing the sheet material 7 are film like plastic materials or wax proof paper.
It will be apparent that various modifications may be made to the invention without departing form the scope of the invention. For example, other means may be provided to indicate tampering.
These and other modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art and will be understood as falling within the scope of the following claims.
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