IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,519,447
Granted Patent B1
US 11,519,447 · App. 16/797,138 · Granted Dec 6, 2022

Tamper proof plug

Inventor: Michael Payne (San Jose, CA)
F16B23/0007F16B41/005F16B23/00F16K35/00
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,519,447
App. No.
16/797,138
Granted
Dec 6, 2022
Kind
B1
Abstract

A tamper proof plug comprising a circular plug of material having a first side and a second side, with a first plurality of threads on the outer circumference to enable the circular plug to screw into a second plurality of inner circumference threads of a valve outlet that can control the flow of a liquid, wherein the circular plug has a polygon indentation in the middle of the first side of the plug, which is accessible to a tool having a protrusion the fits the size and shape of the polygon indentation, that allows a torque to be applied to the circular plug to screw the circular plug into a valve or unscrew the circular plug from a valve.

Claims (8)

1. A tamper proof plug and a corresponding tool comprising:

a circular plug with a uniform width dimension of material having a flat first side and a flat second side, with a first plurality of outside threads to enable the circular plug to screw into a second plurality of inside threads of a valve outlet to control the flow of liquid, wherein the circular plug has a polygon indentation having a set depth dimension and a uniform cross-section perpendicular to the depth dimension in the middle of the flat first side of the circular plug, and

a tool having a uniform cross-section protrusion that fits the size and shape of the polygon indentation, that allows a torque to be applied to the circular plug to screw the circular plug into a valve outlet or unscrew the circular plug from a valve outlet.

2. The tamper proof plug of claim 1 wherein the circular plug is fabricated from a material selected from the group of materials consisting of a metal, a metal alloy, a ceramic and a polymer.

3. The tamper proof plug of claim 1 wherein the polygon indentation having a depth dimension and a uniform cross-section perpendicular to the depth dimension is a shape selected from the group of shapes consisting of a triangle, a square, a pentagon, a hexagon, and a star.

4. The tamper proof plug of claim 1 wherein the circular plug is fabricated with the polygon indentation having a depth dimension and a uniform cross-section perpendicular to the depth dimension stamped into the circular plug.

5. The tamper proof plug of claim 1 wherein the circular plug is fabricated with the polygon indentation having a depth dimension and a uniform cross-section perpendicular to the depth dimension molded into the circular plug.

6. The tamper proof plug of claim 1 wherein the valve outlet is a cutout valve.

Cited By (1)
US 1,102,263