US4834552A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Tamper-evident seal for envelope and method of making same
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1988-03-23
•
Granted: 1989-05-30
•
Expires: 2008-03-23
Abstract
Abstract A tamper-evident seal for a plastic envelope with a pocket and closing flap having an adhesive sealing means and a tamper-evident layer(s) between the sealing means and plastic pocket for visually determining when tampering has occurred, said means becoming disrupted and visually distorted when a tamper attempt has been made on the flap of the envelope and another tamper-evident layer(s) on the region of the plastic material where the seal is to be made.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenneth R. Makowka
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 23:24
CPC Classifications
G; G09; G09F; G09F3/00; G09F3/02; G09F3/03; G09F3/0305; B; B65; B65D; B65D33/00; B65D33/16; B65D33/34; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S206/00; Y10S206/807
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim
205 words
A tamper-evident seal for use with a plastic envelope comprising: envelope pocket for holding contents therein made of an envelope material, the pocket having an opening therein through which contents can be placed into the pocket; plastic envelope closing means which when placed over and secured to the envelope forms a closed pocket; adhesive sealing means on at least one component, the closing means or envelope pocket, for sealing the closing means to the envelope; and tamper-evident means by which attempts to open the closing means will disrupt the continuity of the tamper-evident means so as to make it evident that tampering of the closing means has occurred, the tamper-evident means including tamper-evident layer means being located at least partially between the adhesive sealing means and the one component, the tamper-evident layer being bonded to the one component and adhering to the adhesive sealing means, and another tamper-evident layer at least partially located at the portion of the other component to which the adhesive sealing means is to be sealed, the other tamper-evident layer being bonded to the other component whereby after sealing the closing means to the envelope, the tamper-evident means visibly distorts and/or breaks apart if attempts are made to reopen the seal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
205 words
A tamper-evident seal for use with a plastic envelope comprising: envelope pocket for holding contents therein made of an envelope material, the pocket having an opening therein through which contents can be placed into the pocket; plastic envelope closing means which when placed over and secured to the envelope forms a closed pocket; adhesive sealing means on at least one component, the closing means or envelope pocket, for sealing the closing means to the envelope; and tamper-evident means by which attempts to open the closing means will disrupt the continuity of the tamper-evident means so as to make it evident that tampering of the closing means has occurred, the tamper-evident means including tamper-evident layer means being located at least partially between the adhesive sealing means and the one component, the tamper-evident layer being bonded to the one component and adhering to the adhesive sealing means, and another tamper-evident layer at least partially located at the portion of the other component to which the adhesive sealing means is to be sealed, the other tamper-evident layer being bonded to the other component whereby after sealing the closing means to the envelope, the tamper-evident means visibly distorts and/or breaks apart if attempts are made to reopen the seal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
12 words
The seal as in claim 1 wherein the tamper-evident layer includes paper.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
The seal as in claim 2 wherein one side of the paper has a heat-activatable layer of plastic that, when activated and placed on the components, bonds to the components.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
The seal as in claim 3 wherein the heat-activatable layer is polyethylene.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The seal as in claim 1 wherein the tamper-evident layer includes a porous material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The seal as in claim 1 wherein the tamper-evident layer includes fibrous material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
12 words
The seal as in claim 1 wherein the tamper-evident layer contains indicia.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The seal as in claim 1 wherein the tamper-evident layer forms a complete interface between the sealing means and the one component.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
The seal as in claim 1 wherein the closing means is a flap means integral with the pocket.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
The seal as in claim 1 wherein the closing means is a separate member from the pocket.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
The seal as in claim 1 wherein the sealing means material is one which is activated by placing the closing means onto the envelope over the opening and applying pressure to the sealing means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
57 words
The seal as in claim 1 wherein the closing means has two portions, a main portion which is adjacent the sealing means when the main portion is placed over the opening of the pocket and sealed thereat and a detachable end portion which can be removed from the main portion of the closing means as a receipt.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
The seal as in claim 12 wherein the main portion of the closing means has identifying indicia thereon.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
The seal as in claim 13 wherein the end portion of the closing means has identifying indicia thereon, at least a portion thereof which is common with the indicia on its respective main portion.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
71 words
The seal as in claim 1 wherein the envelope is constructed of a single panel of material wherein the pocket has a bottom portion opposite the opening means which is formed by a folded portion of the material, the fold forming the front and back of the pocket and side portions between the opening means and bottom portion formed by the bonding of the front and back portions of the pocket.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
The seal as in claim 1 wherein the envelope material includes a monolayer film.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
The seal as in claim 1 wherein the envelope material includes a multiple layer coextruded film.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
The seal as in claim 1 wherein the envelope material includes a laminated film.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
69 words
A tamper-evident system for a plastic member having an adhesive sealing means associated therewith comprising tamper-evident layer means located at least partially between the sealing means and plastic member, the tamper-evident layer means being bonded to the plastic member and adhering to the adhesive sealing means, whereby attempts to separate the adhesive sealing means from the plastic member cause the tamper-evident layer means to visibly distort and break apart.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
69 words
A tamper-evident system for a plastic member having an adhesive sealing means associated therewith comprising tamper-evident layer means located at least partially between the sealing means and plastic member, the tamper-evident layer means being bonded to the plastic member and adhering to the adhesive sealing means, whereby attempts to separate the adhesive sealing means from the plastic member cause the tamper-evident layer means to visibly distort and break apart.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system as in claim 31 wherein the tamper-evident layer means includes paper.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system as in claim 31 wherein the paper is bonded to the plastic material by a heat-activatable plastic material.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
85 words
The method of forming a tamper-evident sealing means onto a plastic envelope material comprising: bonding a tamper-evident layer means at least partially in the region of the plastic envelope where the seal is to be located; adhering an adhesive seal material in the region of the plastic material where the seal is to be located at least partially over the tamper-evident layer means; and bonding another tamper-evident means at least partially in the region of the plastic material where the seal is to be made.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
85 words
The method of forming a tamper-evident sealing means onto a plastic envelope material comprising: bonding a tamper-evident layer means at least partially in the region of the plastic envelope where the seal is to be located; adhering an adhesive seal material in the region of the plastic material where the seal is to be located at least partially over the tamper-evident layer means; and bonding another tamper-evident means at least partially in the region of the plastic material where the seal is to be made.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 22 preceded by the step of forming the plastic envelope.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 22 followed by the step of forming the plastic envelope.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 22 preceded by the step of placing a heat-activatable plastic material on the side of the tamper-evident layer means adjacent the envelope material.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 25 wherein the heat-activatable plastic material is heat-activated when placed on the tamper-evident layer and the tamper-evident layer is bonded to the envelope material while the heat-activatable plastic material is still heat-activated.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 22 preceded by the step of placing a heat-activatable plastic material on the envelope material in the region where the tamper-evident layer is to be bonded.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
183 words
A tamper-evident seal for use with a plastic envelope comprising: envelope pocket for holding contents therein made of a envelope material, the pocket having an opening therein through which contents can be placed into the pocket; plastic envelope closing means which when placed over and secured to the envelope forms a closed pocket; pressure-activated adhesive sealing means on at least one component, the closing means or envelope pocket, for sealing the closing means to the envelope; first tamper-evident layer means located at least partially between the adhesive sealing means and the one component, the first tamper-evident layer means being bonded to the one component and adhering to the adhesive sealing means; and second tamper-evident layer means located at least partially on a portion of the other component to which the adhesive sealing means adheres when the closing means is sealed to the envelope, the second tamper-evident layer means being bonded to the other component whereby after sealing the closing means to the envelope, at least one of the tamper-evident means visibly distorts and/or breaks apart if attempts are made to reopen the seal.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
183 words
A tamper-evident seal for use with a plastic envelope comprising: envelope pocket for holding contents therein made of a envelope material, the pocket having an opening therein through which contents can be placed into the pocket; plastic envelope closing means which when placed over and secured to the envelope forms a closed pocket; pressure-activated adhesive sealing means on at least one component, the closing means or envelope pocket, for sealing the closing means to the envelope; first tamper-evident layer means located at least partially between the adhesive sealing means and the one component, the first tamper-evident layer means being bonded to the one component and adhering to the adhesive sealing means; and second tamper-evident layer means located at least partially on a portion of the other component to which the adhesive sealing means adheres when the closing means is sealed to the envelope, the second tamper-evident layer means being bonded to the other component whereby after sealing the closing means to the envelope, at least one of the tamper-evident means visibly distorts and/or breaks apart if attempts are made to reopen the seal.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
28 words
The seal as in claim 28 wherein the first and second tamper-evident layer means have a heat-activatable layer thereon which bonds the tamper-evident layer means to the components.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
16 words
The seal as in claim 29 wherein the envelope, closing means and heat-activatable layer are polyethylene.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
62 words
The method of forming a tamper-evident seal system onto a plastic material comprising: bonding a tamper-evident means at least partially in the region of the plastic material where the seal is to be located; and adhering an adhesive seal material in the region of the plastic material where the seal is to be located at least partially over the tamper-evident layer means.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
62 words
The method of forming a tamper-evident seal system onto a plastic material comprising: bonding a tamper-evident means at least partially in the region of the plastic material where the seal is to be located; and adhering an adhesive seal material in the region of the plastic material where the seal is to be located at least partially over the tamper-evident layer means.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-05-29 | 1992-11-28 | 1993-05-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-05-29 | 1996-11-28 | 1997-05-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-05-29 | 2000-11-28 | 2001-05-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |