GB2530066A

GB2530066A - Tamper-proof cover

Info

Publication number: GB2530066A
Application number: GB1416094.9A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jonathan Neil Kennedy
Original assignee: CODEX DIGITAL
Current assignee: CODEX DIGITAL
Priority date: 2014-09-11
Filing date: 2014-09-11
Publication date: 2016-03-16
Also published as: GB201416094D0

Abstract

A tamper-proof system comprises a body having a first portion 28 and a second portion 30. The body has at least one cavity 16 with a cavity wall that defines a surface opening. A fixing 18 is positioned in the cavity 16 and is arranged to secure the first portion 28 and the second portion 30. A tamper-proof cap 12 is positioned in the cavity 16, such that a top surface 20 of the tamper-proof cap 12 substantially closes the surface opening of the cavity 16 to limit access to the fixing 18. The tamper proof cap 12 has a tamper-proof cap wall 22 that at least partially encases the fixing 18. The tamper-proof cap wall 22 has an outer surface that at least partially abuts the cavity wall and an inner surface. The inner surface comprises a recess or a projection 21, wherein the recess or the projection 21 respectively co-operates with a projection or a recess on the fixing 18 to secure the tamper-proof cap 12 to the fixing 18. Alternatively the tamper-proof cap 12 may include a projection or recess on the outer wall which co-operates with a recess or projection in the cavity wall. In use, removal of the tamper-proof cap 12 from the cavity 16 results in damage to the tamper-proof cap 12, and provides evidence of tampering of the fixing 18 that secures the first portion 28 and the second portion 30.

Description

Tamper-proof cover

Field of invention

The present invention relates to a tamper-proof cover. In particular, the present invention relates to a tamper-proof cover for a fixing in a cavity of a capture drive,

Background to the invention

Electronic devices, for example capture drives for recording visual and audio data, are commonly encased in fiftings that allow access for professional repair through removable parts, such as covers that are fixed to the fitting, using, for example, screw fixings, The use of such conventional fixings means that it is difficult for a user to see whether the electronic device has previously been taken apart and put back together. In the event that the electronic device has been tampered with; for example accessed by a non-qualified person, the user of the electronic device may be unaware. Furthermore, such devices may contain data of a confidential nature and the physical integrity of the device is therefore of concern, It is known to cover fixings, such as screw fixings, with push caps, which prevent easy access to the fixings and hide them from view, Such push caps rely on frictional forces to either hold them in a recess that has the fixing in it, or to hold the push cap on the fixing, to prevent them from falling away and exposing the fixing. Such push caps are readily applied and equally readily removed, meaning that it is straightforward for a non-permitted person to remove the cap, access the fixing and replace the cap without alerting the user of the electronic device.

In order to mitigate for at least some of the above-described problems, according to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a tamper-proof system for a capture device comprising a body having a first portion and a second portion, the body having at least one cavity, the cavity having a cavity wall that defines a surface opening; a fixing positioned in the at least one cavity, the fixing arranged to secure the first portion and the second portion, thereby to at least partially seal the first portion and second portion; and a tamper-proof cap; wherein the tamper-proof cap is positioned in the cavity, such that a top surface of the tamper-proof cap substantially closes the surface opening of the cavity thereby to limit access to the fixing and wherein the tamper-proof cap further comprises a tamper-proof cap wall that at least partially encases the fixing, the tamper-proof cap wall having: an outer surface that at least partially abuts the cavity wall; and an inner surface, the inner surface comprising a recess or a projection, wherein the recess or the projection respectively co-operates with a projection or a recess on the fixing, thereby to secure the tamper-proof cap to the fixing, wherein, in use, removal of the tamper-proof cap from the cavity results in damage to the tamper-proof cap, thereby to provide evidence of tampering of the fixing that secures the first portion arid the second portion.

According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a tamper-proof cap, the cap insertable into a cavity having a cavity wall defining an opening providing access to a fixing, the tamper-proof cap comprising: a top surface dimensioned such that the top surface substantially closes the opening, thereby to limit access to the fixing; a tamper-proof cap wall dimensioned such that the tamper-proof cap wall at least partially encases the fixing, the tamper-proof cap wall having: an outer surface that at least partially abuts the cavity wall; and an inner surface, the inner surface comprising a recess or a projection, the recess or projection respectively being co-operable with a projection or recess respectively of the fixing, thereby to secure the tamper-proof cap to the fixing, wherein, in use, removal of the tamper-proof cap from the cavity results in damage to the tamper-proof cap, thereby to provide evidence of tampering.

According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a tamper-proof system for a capture device comprising: a body having a first portion and a second portion, the body having at least one cavity, the cavity having a cavity wall that defines a surface opening; a fixing positioned in the at least one cavity, the fixing arranged to secure the first portion and the second portion, thereby to at least partially seal the first portion and second portion; and a tamper-proof cap; wherein the tamper-proof cap is positioned in the cavity, such that a top surface of the tamper-proof cap substantially closes the surface opening of the cavity thereby to limit access to the fixing and wherein the tamper-proof cap further comprises a tamper-proof cap wall that at least partially encases the fixing, the tamper-proof cap wall having: an outer surface that at least partially abuts the cavity wall, the outer surface comprising a recess or a projection; wherein the recess or the projection respectively of the outer surface co-operates with a projection or a recess on the cavity wall, thereby to secure the tamper-proof cap to the fixing, wherein, in use, removal of the tamper-proof cap from the cavity results in damage to the tamper-proof cap, thereby to provide evidence of tampering of the fixing that secures the first portion and the second portion.

According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a tamper-proof cap, the cap insertable into a cavity having a cavity wall defining an opening providing access to a fixing, the tamper-proof cap comprising: a top surface dimensioned such that the top surface substantially closes the opening, thereby to limit access to the fixing; a tamper-proof cap wall dimensioned such that the tamper-proof cap wall at least partially encases the fixing, the tamper-proof cap wall having: an outer surface that at least partially abuts the cavity wall; wherein the outer surface comprising a recess or a projection, the recess or projection respectively being co-operable with a projection or recess respectively of the cavity wall, thereby to secure the tamper-proof cap to the fixing, wherein, in use, removal of the tamper-proof cap from the cavity results in damage to the tamper-proof cap, thereby to provide evidence of tampering.

Advantageously, the use of a non-standard fixing and cover combination means that the fixing cannot be accessed without causing visible damage to the cover, thereby alerting a user as to whether or not the fixing has been accessed. In use, this provides evidence of tampering with a device to which the fixing allows access.

Brief description of the figures

The present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a partially exploded schematic diagram of a tamper-proof system in accordance with an aspect of the invention; Figure 2 is a partially exploded schematic diagram of a tamper-proof system in accordance with an aspect of the invention; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional perspective view of a tamper-proof system in accordance with an aspect of the invention; Figure 4 is a partially exploded schematic diagram of a tamper-proof system in accordance with an aspect of the invention, showing a tool for undoing a fixing; and Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of a tamper-proof system in accordance with an aspect of the invention,

Detailed description of an embodiment

Figures 1 to 5 show various views of a configuration of a tamper-proof system 10. The tamper-proof system 10 is configured to protect a device casing 14 from being opened without alerting a user to the fact that the fixings t8 holding the device casing t4 together have been tampered with.

Figure 1 is a schematic showing a partially exploded view of a tamper-proof system 10 device, such as a capture device having storage memory, in a device casing 14. The device casing 14 has a first portion 28 and a second portion 30 that are sealed together using fixings 18, in order to house and protect the electronic components inside the device casing 14.

The first portion 28 and second portion 30 define in part a top and bottom surface of the system 10 respectively. The device casing 14 defines a volume space (not shown) in which the components of the capture device (such as the solid state memory) are housed, The first portion 28 and second portion 30 define an upper and lower portion of the casing 14 and are secured together via the fixing 18.

The tamper-proof system 10 shown in Figures 1 to 4 has four fixings 18 to hold the first portion 28 and the second portion 30 together. In Figure 1, three fixings t8 are not shown, rather the top surfaces 20 of the tamper-proof caps 12 associated with those fixings 18 are shown. In the configuration described below, the top surfaces 20 of the tamper-proof caps 12 hide the fixings 18 from view. For each fixing 18 that is used to hold a together the first portion 28 and the second portion 30 of the device casing 14, there is a cavity 16 that houses the fixing 18. One such cavity 16 is shown in the first portion 28. At the bottom of the cavity 16 there is an aperture, into which a fixing 18 may be screwed, Similarly, there is an aperture with an internal screw thread in a corresponding part of the second portion 30, which aligns with the aperture of the first portion 28, such that a fixing 8 is screwed through the first portion 28 and the second portion 30 in order to seal them together.

The fixing 18 shown in Figure 1 is a screw threaded fixing 18 that has a head with a recess 19. The recess 19 extends around the circumference of the fixing head on the edge of the head of the fixing and not on the top surface of the fixing and is arranged to co-operate with the internal portion of the tamper-proof cap 12, as described below.

Figure 2 shows the same tamper-proof system 0 of Figure 1, however in Figure 2, the fixing 18 is located in a position in the cavity 16 to fix the first portion 28 and the second portion 30. Figure 2 shows that the fixing 18 is hidden beneath the surface of the surrounding portion of the device casing 14, however, whilst the screw threaded portion of the fixing extends through the first portion 28 and the second portion 30 from the bottom of the cavity 16, the head of the fixing 18, comprising the recess 19, is housed within the cavity 16, so that it may co-operate with the internal structure of the tamper-proof cap 12, as described below.

Referring back to Figure 5, which shows a cross-sectional view of the tamper-proof system 10, the tamper-proof system 10 also comprises a tamper-proof cap 12 a top surface 20 and tamper-proof cap wall 22. The tamper-proof cap wall 22 has an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface has a projection 21 The projection 21 is a ridge that extends from the inner surface of the tamper-proof cap wall 22 towards the edge of the circumference of the head of the fixing 18 and is dimensioned to fit tightly within the recess 19 of the fixing 18 that is screwed through the first portion 28 and the second portion 30, leaving the head of the fixing 18 positioned within the cavity 16 below the surrounding surface of the device casing 14. The projection 21 is shown to have a tapered underside, which facilitates the insertion of the tamper-proof cap 12 into the cavity 16. In ifirther examples, the projection 21 may take any form that allows for cooperation with recess 19. The tamper-proof cap is inserted into the cavity 16 and encases the fixing 8, thereby substantially hiding the fixing from view, as shown at Figure 3 (which shows the same tamper-proof system 10 of Figure 1, 2,3 and 5), where the top surface 20 of the tamper-proof cap 12 is flush with the surrounding area of the first portion 28 of the device casing 14. The projection of the inner surface of the tamper-proof cap wall 22 co-operates with the recess 19 of the fixing 18, such that the tamper-proof cap 12 is secured in the cavity 16. The tamper-proof cap 12 in a preferred embodiment has an aperture 24 in the top surface 20. This is described in more detail below, with reference to Figure 4.

The tamper-proof cap 12 is dimensioned to tightly fit into the cavity 16. In Figure 1, the cavity 16 is stadium shaped with substantially vertical walls that define the stadium/discorectangle shape opening. Accordingly, the tamper-proof cap 12 has a top surface 20 that is also stadium/discorectangle shaped and substantially vertical tamper-proof cap walls 22 that are approximately the same height as the depth of the cavity 16, such that the tamper-proof cap 12 substantially fills the cavity 16. The tight fit of tamper-proof cap 12 in cavity 16 means that there are no significant gaps between the wall of the cavity 16 and the tamper-proof cap walls 22, which could be used to prise out the tamper-proof cap 12 from the cavity 16 without exerting substantial force on the tamper-proof cap 12, which would result in the tamper-proof cap 12 being removable from the cavity 6 without trace of having been forced.

In Figures 1 and 2, a gap 23 is shown in the tamper-proof cap walls 22, extending from the bottom rim of the tamper-proof cap 12 towards the top surface 20 of the tamper-proof cap 12.

The gap 23 enables the tamper-proof cap wall 22 one side of the gap 23 to flex towards the tamper-proof cap wall 22 the other side of the gap 23, thereby facilitating the insertion of the tamper-proof cap 12 into the cavity 12.

Removal of the tamper-proof cap 12 from the cavity 16 in which it is situated by forcing an implement down the side of the tamper-proof cap 12 between the tamper-proof cap wall 22 and the cavity wall in order to prise out the tamper-proof cap 12, causes pressure to be exerted on the tamper-proof cap 12. As the tamper-proof cap 12 is prised further, the projection of the inner surface of the tamper-proof cap wall 22 is subj ected to forces which damage the structural integrity of the tamper-proof cap 12. Such damage may be, for example, damage to the one or more projections on the inner surface of the tamper-proof cap wall 22, or it may be that the tamper-proof cap 12 develops a breakage or split. Further, there may be damage to the first portion 28, as it is used for leverage to prise out the tamper-proof cap 12. The tamper-proof cap 12 and the first portion 28 are configured such that the damage is evident and it is clear that there has been an attempt to access the fixing 18.

In other examples, the recess 19 is replaced with a projection on the fixing, which co-operates in the manner described above with a recess on the inner surface of the tamper-proof cap wall 22. Removal of the tamper-proof cap 12 by prising the tamper-proof cap 12 from the cavity 12 results in damage to the structural integrity of the tamper-proof cap 12. For example, the S edge of the recess on the inner surface of the tamper-proof cap wall 22 may be broken, split, or damaged in some way.

Figure 4 is a schematic of the tamper-proof system of Figures Ito 3 and 5, further showing a tool 26 being used to access fitting 8, An aperture 24 may be provided in the top surface 20 of the tamper-proof cap 12, thereby to facilitate access to the fixing 18. The fixing may be, for example, a screw with a cross-head, or head suitable for a hex key. The tool is shown 26 in Figure 4 to have unscrewed the fixing 18 from the internal screw-threaded apertures of the first portion 28 and the second portion 30, thereby lifting the tamper-proof cap 12 and the fixing 18 simultaneously from the cavity 16. The tamper-proof cap 12 remains attached to the fixing 18 due to the cooperation between the recess 19 of the fixing 18 and the protrusion of the inner surface of the tamper-proof cap wall 22.

The aperture may be smaller in diameter than the tool 26 used to undo the fixing.

Advantageously, this means that in order to access the fitting 18, the tool 26 must be pushed through the aperture 24. This results in damage or discoloration to the aperture 24 and/or top surface 20 of the tamper-proof cap 12, thereby alerting a user to the fact that a tool 26 has been pushed through the aperture 24. Advantageously, the use of a tool 26 to undo the fitting means that the tamper-proof cap 12 is damaged, but the surrounding casing 14, for example the surrounding casing of the first portion 28, is not damaged, as it might be when the tamper-proof cap 12 is prised out of the cavity 16. This means that a user is alerted to the fact that the fixing has been tampered with, but only has to replace the relatively inexpensive tamper-proof cap 2 rather than a part of the casing 14 as well.

In further examples, aperture 24 is covered with a thin membrane. Advantageously, a thin membrane is necessarily pierced in order to access the fixing 18 with the tool 26.

Advantageously, the use of a membrane means that the aperture 24 need not be smaller than the diameter of the tool, thereby making use of the tool 26 to open the device casing 14 more straightforward, which may be advantageous in certain circumstances, for example where the friction of the top surface 20 would otherwise cause a problem rotating the tool 26.

In further examples, the tamper-proof cap 12 is dimensioned to tightly fit into the cavity 16, wherein the cavity 16 has a different cross sectional plan shape to that shown in the Figures 1 to 4 and differently angled tamper-proof cap walls 22 to those shown in the Figures 1 to 4.

For example, the shape of the tamper-proof cap 12 may be cubic, cylindrical, substantially pyramidal etc. The fit of the tamper-proof cap 12 into the cavity 16 may include an interference fit between the walls of the cavity 16 and the outer surface of the tamper-proof cap walls 22. The fit of the tamper-proof cap 12 may also comprise an interference fit between the fixing 18 and the inner surface of the tamper-proof cap walls 22, In the example shown, the projection is formed on the inner surface of the tamper-proof cap wall 22 and the corresponding recess 19 is formed in the fixing 18. In another example, the projection 21 is formed on the outer surface of the tamper-proof cap wall 22 and the recess 19 is formed in the wall of the cavity 16, Alternatively, the recess 19 is formed in the outer surface of the tamper-proof cap wall 22 and the projection 21 is formed on the wall of the cavity 16.

Preferably the tamper-proof cap 12 is formed of rubber or plastic or a polymer.

Advantageously, such a material allows for ease of placement of the tamper-proof cap 12 into a cavity 16 with minimal damage. Conversely, removal of the tamper-proof cap 12 from the cavity 16 by prising the tamper-proof cap 12 from the cavity 16 results in greater forces on the recess/projection cooperation between the fixing 18 and the tamper-proof cap 12 than when the tamper-proof cap 12 is being inserted into the cavity 16, since an extra element is necessarily forced between the tamper-proof cap wall 22 and the wall of the cavity 16, which is not the case when the tamper-proof cap is being pushed into place in the cavity 16.

Consequently, more damage is done to the tamper-proof cap 12 upon its removal by prising it out, revealing evidence of tampering.

Preferably the fixing 18 is a screw thread fixing. However, other fixings 18 may be used to fix the first portion 28 and the second portion 30, in accordance with the invention.

Preferably the head of the fixing 18 comprises a recess 19 to co-operate with a protrusion on the inner surface of the tamper-proof cap wall 22, however, in further examples, the recess extends from the inner surface of the tamper-proof cap wall 22 into the tamper-proof cap wall 22 and the projection is on the head of the fixing 18.

In Figures 1 to 4, four cavities 16 with tamper-proof caps 12 are shown, however, there may be any number of fixings 18 housed in cavities 16, co-operating with tamper-proof caps 12.

The number may depend on the configuration of the device casing 14 and the necessary points to seal together the first portion 28 and the second portion 30.

Preferably the tamper-proof cap 12 has a gap 23 to enable easier insertion of the tamper-proof cap 12 into the cavity 16. However, in further examples, there is no gap 23 and the tamper-proof cap 12 can still be inserted into the cavity 16, which may be advantageous in providing enhanced structural integrity of the tamper-proof cap 12, depending on the material of construction. Similarly, more than one gap 23 may be provided in order to facilitate insertion of the tamper-proof cap 12 into the cavity t6, depending on the material of construction of the tamper-proof cap 12, Preferably the fixing 18 is positioned beneath the surface of the device casing of the first portion 28 surrounding the cavity t6 and the top surface 20 of the tamper-proof cap 12 is flush with the surface of the first portion 28 surrounding the cavity 16. However, in further examples, the fixing 18 and!or the top surface 20 of the tamper-proof cap 12 may at least partially protrude from the surface of the first portion 28 area surrounding the cavity 16, as long as the protrusion does not mean that the tamper-proof cap t2 can be removed without resulting in damage that provides evidence of tampering with the tamper-proof system 10,

Claims

Claims 1. A tamper-proof system for a capture device comprising: a body having a first portion and a second portion, the body having at least one cavity, the cavity having a cavity wall that defines a surface opening; a fixing positioned in the at least one cavity, the fixing arranged to secure the first portion and the second portion, thereby to at least partially seal the first portion and second portion; and a tamper-proof cap; wherein the tamper-proof cap is positioned in the cavity, such that a top surface of the tamper-proof cap substantiafly closes the surface opening of the cavity thereby to limit access to the fixing and wherein the tamper-proof cap further comprises a tamper-proof cap wall that at least partially encases the fixing, the tamper-proof cap wall having: an outer surface that at least partially abuts the cavity wall; and an inner surface, the inner surface comprising a recess or a projection, wherein the recess or the projection respectively co-operates with a projection or a recess on the fixing, thereby to secure the tamper-proof cap to the fixing, wherein, in use, removal of the tamper-proof cap from the cavity results in damage to the tamper-proof cap, thereby to provide evidence of tampering of the fixing that secures the first portion and the second portion.
2. A tamper-proof system according to claim 1, wherein the top surface of the tamper-proof cap in part defines an aperture to allow access to undo a fixing that is at least partially hidden in use by the top surface.
3, A tamper-proof system according to claim 2, wherein the aperture has a diameter less than the diameter of a tool usable to undo the fixing, thereby requiring that the aperture is defonned when accessing the fixing.
4. A tamper-proof system according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the aperture is at least partially covered with a membrane.
5. A tamper-proof system according to any preceding claim, wherein the tamper-proof cap is at least partially formed from a plastic or a polymer or a rubber.
6. A tamper-proof system according to any preceding claim, wherein the top surface is flush to an area of the body surrounding the cavity.
7. A tamper-proof system according to any preceding claim, wherein the tamper-proof cap is retained in the cavity at least partially by an interference fit.
8. A tamper-proof system according to any preceding claim, wherein the tamper-proof cap is retained in the cavity at least partially by friction.
9, A tamper-proof system according to any preceding claim, wherein there is a second cavity having a second tamper-proof cap encasing a fitting there within.
10. A tamper-proof system according to any preceding claim, wherein the fixing comprises second projection or recess cooperating with a second recess or projection respectively of the inner surface of the tamper-proof cap.
11. A tamper-proof cap, the cap insertable into a cavity having a cavity wall defining an opening providing access to a fixing, the tamper-proof cap comprising: a top surface dimensioned such that the top surface substantially closes the opening, thereby to limit access to the fixing; a tamper-proof cap wall dimensioned such that the tamper-proof cap wall at least partially encases the fixing, the tamper-proof cap wall having: an outer surface that at least partially abuts the cavity wall; and an inner surface, the inner surface comprising a recess or a projection, the recess or projection respectively being co-operable with a projection or recess respectively of the fixing, thereby to secure the tamper-proof cap to the fixing, wherein, in use, removal of the tamper-proof cap from the cavity results in damage to the tamper-proof cap, thereby to provide evidence of tampering. n j
12. A tamper-proof cap according to claim I, wherein the top surface of the tamper-proof cap comprises a hole to allow access to undo a fixing that is at least partially hidden in use by the top surface.
13. A tamper-proof cap according to claim 12, wherein the hole has a diameter less than the diameter of a tool usable to undo the fixing, thereby requiring that the hole is deformed when accessing the fixing.
14, A tamper-proof cap according to claim 12 or t3, wherein the hole is at least partially covered with a membrane.
15. A tamper-proof cap according to any of claims ii to t4, wherein the tamper-proof cap is at least partially formed from a plastic or a polymer or a rubber.
16. A tamper-proof cap according to any of claims it to 15, wherein the top surface is flush to an area of the device surrounding the cavity.
17. A tamper-proof cap according to any of claims 11 to 16, wherein the inner surface comprises a second projection or recess for cooperating with a second recess or projection respectively of the fixing.
18. A tamper-proof system for a capture device comprising: a body having a first portion and a second portion, the body having at least one cavity, the cavity having a cavity wall that defines a surface opening; a fixing positioned in the at least one cavity, the fixing arranged to secure the first portion and the second portion, thereby to at least partially seal the first portion and second portion; and a tamper-proof cap; wherein the tamper-proof cap is positioned in the cavity, such that a top surface of the tamper-proof cap substantiafly closes the surface opening of the cavity thereby to limit access to the fixing and wherein the tamper-proof cap further comprises a tamper-proof cap wall that at least partially encases the fixing, the tamper-proof cap wall having: an outer surface that at least partially abuts the cavity wall, the outer surface comprising a recess or a projection; wherein the recess or the projection respectively of the outer surface co-operates with a projection or a recess on the cavity wall, thereby to secure the tamper-proof cap to the fixing, wherein, in use, removal of the tamper-proof cap from the cavity results in damage to the tamper-proof cap, thereby to provide evidence of tampering of the fixing that secures the first portion and the second portion.U
19. A tamper-proof cap, the cap insertable into a cavity having a cavity wall defining an opening providing access to a fixing, the tamper-proof cap comprising: a top surface dimensioned such that the top surface substantially closes the opening, thereby to limit access to the fixing; a tamper-proof cap wall dimensioned such that the tamper-proof cap wall at least partially encases the fixing, the tamper-proof cap wall having: an outer surface that at least partially abuts the cavity wall; wherein the outer surface comprising a recess or a projection, the recess or projection respectively being co-operable with a projection or recess respectively of the cavity wall, thereby to secure the tamper-proof cap to the fixing, wherein, in use, removal of the tamper-proof cap from the cavity results in damage to the tamper-proof cap, thereby to provide evidence of tampering.H