GB2138396A

GB2138396A - Bags with tamper indicators

Info

Publication number: GB2138396A
Application number: GB08410441A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Norman Entwistle
Original assignee: Decoflex Ltd
Current assignee: Decoflex Ltd
Priority date: 1983-04-21
Filing date: 1984-04-24
Publication date: 1984-10-24
Also published as: GB2138396B; GB8410441D0

Abstract

A bag comprises a flap (7) for closing the bag, a band (8) of adhesive and a covering barrier sheet (8a) which is removable to permit the band of adhesive to secure the flap to retain the bag closed; the adhesive containing a mixture of dyestuffs which are soluble in solvents capable of softening the adhesive. Any attempt to open the mouth of the bag by the application of solvent causes the adhesive to change its colour and give an indication that the bag has been tampered with. The bag also carries areas (9, 10) of security printing. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to bags This invention has reference to bags capable of receiving contents and which have a surface or part of a surface capable or displaying information about the intended destination of the bag. Some of such bags are also referred to as envelopes but are herein referred to as bags.

In the specification of our Patent No.

11 3241 9 there is described a bag intended primarily to contain bank notes having a label 'applied to the outer face of the bag to receive details of the contents of the bag and in which it is arranged that the bag may be closed by a heat seal operation with the bank notes enclosed in the bag.

Such a bag is intended to be used for containing bank notes which have to be moved, for example, from one branch of the bank to another branch. However it is alo required that bags should be available which are capable of being closed for example, in a store where it is required to circulate money from one department to another and from the store to a bank. it is also intended that such bags be used for containing other valuables or documents.

In such an application for containing bank notes the use of a heat sealing machine in each department would not be justified and it is the object of the present invention to provide an improved bag which is capable of being closed in such a way that any attempt to tamper with the bag becomes apparent without the necessity for supplying a heat sealing machine.

Also in the specification of our Patent No.

1 523933 there is described a bag comprising a pocket part having a surface capable of displaying information about the intended destination of the bag or the contents of the bag, a flap part which is capable of being folded over the mouth of the pocket part, and an adhesive strip secured to the bag and com prising a band of adhesive and covering bar rier sheet being removable to permit the band of adhesive to secure the flap part of the pocket part when the former is folded onto the latter to retain the bag closed, the side edges of the pocket part and the side of the bag adjacent to the mouth where the flap part overlies the pocket part when the bag is closed being provided with security printing so that once closed the bag cannot be reo pened and any of the contents extracted and then resealed without the fact being made apparent by the distortion and destruction of some of the security printing.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved bag primarily intended to contain bank notes but which may also be used for containing other valuables or documents.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a bag which is capable of being sealed by adhesive and which will give an indication that the bag has been tampered with by the application of solvent to the adhesive to release the adhesive.

According to the present invention a bag comprises a pocket part having a surface capable of displaying information about the intended destination of the bag or the contents of the bag, a flap part which is capable of being located over the mouth of the pocket part to close the mouth of the pocket part and an adhesive strip secured to the bag and comprising a band of adhesive and a covering barrier sheet being removable to premit the band of adhesive to secure the flap part to the pocket part when the former is located onto the latter to retain the bag closed, and wherein the adhesive contains a colour former subject to colour change on application of a solvent and so arranged that any attempt to open the mouth of the bag by the application of solvent causes the adhesive to change its colour and give an indication that the bag has been tampered with.

Bags in accordance with the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 and Figure 2 show a bag according to the invention in Fig. 1 the bag is in an open position and in Fig. 2 the bag is in the cosed position.

Figure 3 shows a cross-section. taken on the line Ill to Ill in Fig. 2, and Figure 4 is a detailed view.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings, the bag as generally designated 1 is intended to contain bank notes but may contain valuables or documents. The bag is formed from a continuous web of thermoplastics film e.g.

polyethylene, by locating as by folding the continuous web about a fold line 2 which constitutes the bottom of the bag. One olded side 2a is wider than the other folded side 2b with the two folded sides together forming a pocket with part of the longer folded side projecting to form a flap The web is subsequently heat sealed transversely of the web to form the side edges 4,5, of the bag. A label 6 is applied to the bag and serves as a writing surface to received hand-written or the like details of the notes contained in the bag. The label is preferably subdivided into areas to receive information about the bank notes contained in the bag and areas to receive the cashier's stamp and the signatures of the persons responsible for the bag.

The flap 7 is capable of being folded over the outer end of the shorter folded side 2b to close the bag. The inside face of the flap 7 has a line of hot melt adhesive 8 or other similar adhesive strip applied, this is protected by a barrier sheet 8a.

In order to make any attempt to tamper with the bag immediately obvious, areas of security printing 9 are provided adjacent to the welded transverse edges 4 and 5 of the bag. This security printing is similar to that described in our prior Patent No. 1 365240 except that it is applied to both side edges of the bag rather than to the top and bottom of the bag and for example comprises the name of the bank repeated in lines of microprint in close juxtaposition on the bag, or other forms of security printing.

For the same reason a further area of secu rity printing 10 is provided on the shorter side of the bag adjacent to the mouth in the area to be covered by the flap 7, and this further area is so positioned as to be overlayered by the band of adhesive when the flap is in the closed position. This area of security printing may extend from the lip of the bag for a distance of about two inches down the bag.

This adhesive contains mixed dyestuffs. At least one of the dyestuffs is soluble in any solvent which will soften the adhesive layer.

There are many suitable dyestuffs. An example is a mixture of Diazo Yellow-CI reference Solvent Yellow 29-21230 and azo chromium complex-Cl reference Solvent Red 8-12715.

If an attempt is made to open the flap 7 the fact will be immediately apparent as this area of security printing will be distorted. If a solvent is applied to assist in opening the bag the application of the solvent will have the effect of dissolving one or more of the dyestuffs in the adhesive changing the appearance of the adhesive. It is desirable that any solvent that is capable of rendering the adhesive strip 8 tacky also serves as a dissolving agent for the dyestuffs so that if any solvent is applied to the adhesive strip as shown in Fig.

4 it will give an indication that the bag has been tampered with.

Additionally small perforations 1 ova are formed near the base of the bag to prevent the egress of air from the bag to prevent air being trapped within the bag.

When it is required to seal the bag, the bank notes having been inserted in the bag, the barrier sheet 8a is removed from the flap 7 of the bag and the flap is folded upon the end of the shorter folded side 2b at the mouth of the bag. The line of adhesive 8b secures the flap 7 to the shorter folded side 2b.

Alternatively the adhesive strip can be applied to the shorter side of the pocket near the mouth to secure the flap when the latter is folded over to close the bag. Also instead of applying a label 6 an area of printing ink suitable to receive written information may be applied to the bag so as to be capable of receiving information about the contents of the bag.

Claims

1. A bag comprising a pocket part having a surface of capable of displaying information about the intended destination of the bag or the contents of the bag, a flap part which is capable of being located over the mouth of the pocket part to close the mouth of the pocket part and an adhesive strip secured to the bag and comprising a band of adhesive and a covering barrier sheet the covering barrier sheet being removable to permit the band of adhesive to secure the flap part to the pocket part when the former is located onto the latter to retain the bag closed, and wherein the adhesive contains a colour former subject to a colour change on application of a solvent and so arranged that any attempt to open the mouth of the bag by application of solvent causes the adhesive to change its colour and give an indication that the bag has been tampered with.

2. A bag according to claim 1 wherein the colour former is soluble in a solvent which will soften the adhesive layer.

3. A bag according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the colour former is a mixture of soluble dyestuffs.

4. A bag according to claim 3 wherein the colour formers are diazo yellow and an azo chromium complex

5. A bag according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the adhesive strip is applied to the inside face of the flap part.

6. A bag according to any one of the preceeding claims 1 to 4 wherein the adhesive strip is applied to the shorter side of the pocket part near the mouth of the bag to secure the flap when folded over the mouth of the bag.

7. A bag as claimed in claim substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.