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EP0349160A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Tamper indicating tape and delaminating film therefore

Assignee: 3M Co
•
Filing: 1989-06-15
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-06-15
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Abstract

Abstract The present invention relates to delaminating film and a tamper indicating tape made from same for use with a package to indicate opening of the package. Delaminating films typically include two or more layers of polymeric materials, bonded together either by heat lamination, by coextrusion, or by means of an adhesive layer. Delamination of these composite films by separation of the various layers from each other provides indication of tampering. However, lamination or coextrusion of multiple polymeric layers increases the material expense of the film and tape and requires complex manufacturing techniques. The present invention provides a tamper indicating film and tape for use with a package. The tape includes a delaminating film including phase separated polymers. Indicia are applied to opposing major surfaces of the film to indicate different conditions of the tape. The film is adhesively applied to secure container parts together and enclose an opening in the container. Whe applied, only one of the indicia is perceptible. When the film is internally delaminated, one set of indicia is obscured and the other set of indicia is rendered perceptible.

Inventors

  • 👤 Raymond R. C/O Minnesota Mining And Rivera
  • 👤 Stephen B. C/O Minnesota Mining And Vanvleet
  • 👤 Shari J. C/O Minnesota Mining And Wilson

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-29 06:01
CPC Classifications
G; G09; G09F; G09F3/00; G09F3/02; G09F3/0291; G09F3/0292; B; B65; B65D; B65D55/00; B65D55/02; B65D55/026; C; C08; C08L; C08L23/00; C08L23/02; C08L23/10; C08L23/14; C08L23/142; C08L23/04; C08L23/08; C08L23/0846; C08L23/0853; C08L23/0861; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S206/00; Y10S206/807; Y10S428/00; Y10S428/916; Y10T; Y10T156/00; Y10T156/11; Y10T156/1168; Y10T156/1195; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/13; Y10T428/1303; Y10T428/28; Y10T428/31504; Y10T428/31855; Y10T428/3188; Y10T428/31895; Y10T428/31899; Y10T428/31902

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim 81 words
A light transmissive film derived from a composition comprising 50 to 85 parts per weight of a first copolymer comprising at least one moiety derived from at least one olefinic monomeric unit and 50 to 15 parts by weight of a second copolymer comprising at least one moiety derived from at least one vinyl alcohol monomeric unit and said second copolymer being sufficiently incompatible with said first copolymer to form two phases within said film, one of said phases being continuous.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 81 words
A light transmissive film derived from a composition comprising 50 to 85 parts per weight of a first copolymer comprising at least one moiety derived from at least one olefinic monomeric unit and 50 to 15 parts by weight of a second copolymer comprising at least one moiety derived from at least one vinyl alcohol monomeric unit and said second copolymer being sufficiently incompatible with said first copolymer to form two phases within said film, one of said phases being continuous.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 17 words
The film of claim 1, wherein said first copolymer comprises at least 90 pbw propylene monomeric units.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 28 words
The film of claim 2, wherein said first copolymer comprises about 97 pbw propylene monomeric units and from about 2.2 pbw to about 2.7 pbw ethylene monomeric units.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 35 words
The film of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said first copolymer further comprises from 0 to 15 pbw of monomeric units from a polar copolymerizable monomer substantially free of hydroxy (-OH) groups.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 39 words
The film of claim 4, wherein said monomer is selected from acrylic acid, acrylonitrile, bicyclo [2,2,1] hept-2-ene, bis (B-chloroethyl) vinylphosphonate, carbon monoxide, diethyl fumarate, diethyl maleate, ethyl acrylate, methacrylic acid, N-methyl-N-­vinylacetamide, styrene, vinyl acetate, vinyl chloride, and vinyl fluoride.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 19 words
The film of claim 5, wherein the monomeric units are selected from acrylic acid, methacrylic acid and vinyl acetate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 25 words
The film of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said second copolymer is a copolymer containing monomeric units of hydrolyzed ethylene vinyl acetate.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 13 words
The film of claim 7, wherein said second copolymer is ethylene vinyl alcohol.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 197 words
A tamper indicating tape for securing a first container part to a second container part to enclose an opening in the container, comprising: (a) a light transmissive film according to any one of claims 1 to 8 having a first major surface and an opposing second major surface; (b) first colored indicia printed on said first major surface of said film; (c) second colored indicia printed on said second major surface of said film, said first and second indicia having contrasting colors; and (d) means for adhering said film to the first and the second container parts with a bond strength greater than the delamination force of said film, said adhesive means being coated on said first major surface of said film opposite said second indicia with a color substantially identical with said second indicia, whereby said second indicia are obscured when viewed against said adhesive means through said second major surface of said film; (e) whereby when said film delaminates, the film becomes opaque so that said first indicia are obscured when viewed through said delamination opaque film, but said second indicia are perceptible over said delaminated opaque film to indicate separation of the container parts.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 218 words
The tamper indicating tape of claim 9, wherein said adhesive means includes: (a) a first layer of adhesive coated on said first major surface of said film opposite said second indicia for adhering said film to the first container part, said first layer of adhesive having a color substantially identical to said second indicia whereby said second indicia are obscured by said first layer of adhesive when viewed through said second major surface of said film; and (b) a second layer of adhesive coated on said second major surface of said film for adhering said film to the second container part, said second layer of adhesive being colorless and light transmissive so that said first indicia are visible through said film and said second layer of adhesive; (c) whereby when the first and the second container parts are separated, said film delaminates with said first layer of adhesive and a portion of said delaminated film remaining on the first container part, and said second layer of adhesive and the remaining portion of said delaminated film remaining on the second container part, and said delaminated film becomes opaque so that said first indicia are obscured when viewed through said delaminated film, but said second indicia are perceptible on said delaminated opacified film to indicate separation of the container parts.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 31 words
The tamper indicating tape of either of claims 9 and 10, wherein said adhesive means includes a pressure sensitive adhesive layer coated on at least one major surface of said film.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 221 words
In combination: (a) a container having a first container part and a second container part for enclosing an opening in said container when secured together; and (b) a tamper indicating tape for adhesively securing said first and said second container parts together to enclose said opening in said container, including a light transmissive film according to any one of claims 1 to 9 having a first major surface and an opposing second major surface, first colored indicia printed on said first major surface of said film, second colored indicia printed on said second major surface of said film, said first and second indicia having contrasting colors, and adhesive means for adhering said film to said first and said second container parts with a bond strength greater than the delamination force of said film, said adhesive means being coated on said first major surface of said film opposite said second indicia with a color substantially identical with said second indicia whereby said second indicia are obscured when viewed against said adhesive means through said second major surface of said film, (c) whereby when said film is delaminated, said film becomes opaque so that said first indicia are obscured when viewed through said delaminated film, but said second indicia are perceptible over said delaminated opaque film to indicate separation of said container parts.

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