SINGLE USE CONTAINER
A single use container comprises a slider having first and second closable profiles having an adhesive or epoxy disposed thereon. The profiles are configured, for example, to prevent premature closing and bonding.
Latest ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS, INC. Patents:
Pursuant to 37 C.F.R. § 1.78(a)(4) and 35 U.S.C. § 119(e), this application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/475,431, filed Jun. 3, 2003.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThis invention generally relates to security bags or containers, and in particular to single use or tamper evident containers.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ARTMany industries, such as the financial services, armored car and retail and grocery store industries purchase security bags to move money and other important documents from one location to another. It is desirable that a security bag be capable of evidencing tampering that may have occurred as the bag is moved from a first location where it is filled to a second location where it is desired that the contents be delivered with confirmation that no tampering of the bag's contents has occurred. A security bag protects the contents of the bag from unauthorized tampering. This object has been accomplished by incorporating various security features such as, for example, tamper evident “void tape” or sequential numbering on both the bag and tear off receipts. However, such products have not proven to be completely satisfactory and improved security bags and/or containers are needed.
Prior art devices have also utilized an adhesive disposed on one or both of the closing strips such that when the strips are pressed securely together to close the bag. To open the bag after closing it becomes necessary to tear the bag, which, of course destroys the bag and provides evidence of tampering. Such bags are prone to premature closing, for example, when the strips come into contact with one another during manufacturing or shipping, or if they inadvertently come into contact at any time. Bags that close prematurely cannot thereafter be used.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccordingly, the present invention comprises a tamper resistant or single use container. One embodiment of the invention includes a bag or flexible container having an opening with a pair of interlocking fastener strips and a slider for closing the strips. A bonding agent such as an adhesive or epoxy is disposed on at least one of the fasteners strips. The slider is movable along the strips to fuse them together so that the bag must be torn apart to gain entry.
In another embodiment of the invention, there may be no end stops on one or both ends of the profiles so that the slider may be moved off of the fasteners strips and thrown away. Still another embodiment of the invention may include the feature of microencapsulated bonding agents such that movement of the slider crushes the capsules resulting in the combining of a two-part epoxy compound. A further embodiment of the invention involves two pair of profiles, one being a single use profile and the other being a reclosable closure. Either one of the two pair could be the external pair of profiles.
These and other objects of the present invention will be classified in the following description of the preferred embodiments in connection with the drawings, the disclosure and the appended claims, wherein like reference numerals represent like elements throughout. The drawings constitute a part of this application and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention and illustrate various features thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
It should be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements shown in the Figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements are exaggerated relative to each other for clarity. Further, where considered appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the Figures to indicate corresponding elements.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTSFor the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.
Referring to
Referring to
The closure or interlocking of the profiles is achieved by moving the slider 25 from the position of
Referring to
Thus, in the event that an effort is made to separate the profiles 21 and 22 after they have been closed by the slider, they cannot be separated without tearing one or the other of the profiles, thereby providing tamper evidence.
Referring in detail to
In operation, moving the slider 56 along the fastener strips to the position illustrated in
Closure assembly 69 also comprises a slider such as the slider 81 shown in
The protector 91 is shown in
Any and all of the aforementioned embodiments can be modified to include one or more mechanically scored or laser scored portions (e.g., near the center of the length of the profiles, or at various places along the length thereof, or along the entire length thereof). Such scored portions may be provided to weaken the attachment of either the male or the female profile to the flange of the fastener strips. For example, if there is a single, short line of weakening between a profile and the fastener flange, then during an attempt to open the bag the profiles would easily separate only at this weakened area. This weakened area can be sized to be small enough to not permit access to the interior of the bag yet big enough to allow a finger or two into the interior of the bag, such that the person would be able to tear it apart to provide evidence of tampering.
In another embodiment, there could be a score line between a fastener profile and the flange of the fastener strips as described above, leading to a second score line. The second destruction could be along a second score line (such as one that extends at an angle from the first score line).
Although the foregoing detailed description of the present invention has been described by reference to two exemplary embodiments, and the best mode contemplated for carrying out the present invention has been shown and described, it will be understood that modification or variations in the structure and arrangement of this embodiment other than those specifically set forth herein may be achieved by those skilled in the art and that such modifications are to be considered as being within the overall scope of the present invention. Therefore, it is contemplated to cover the present invention and any and all modifications, variations, equivalents that fall with in the true spirit and scope of the underlying principles disclosed and claimed herein. Consequently, the scope of the present invention is intended to be limited only by the attached claims.
Claims
1-20. (canceled)
21. A fastener assembly for attachment to a container, comprising:
- first and second interlockable fastener strips attachable to a bag opening, said first and second fastener strips having respective first and second interlockable profiles capable of engaging one another, said first and second fastener strips having respective third and fourth profiles attachable to the bag opening and capable of repeatedly engaging one another and repeatedly disengaging one another; and
- a bonding agent disposed upon at least a portion of at least one of the first and second profiles;
- wherein said first and second profiles are capable of being adhered together by the bonding agent when said first and second profiles are interlocked to one another.
22. The fastener assembly of claim 21 which further comprises a pair of flanges for attachment to a bag opening, wherein said third profile is between said first profile and one said flange, and said fourth profile is between said second profile and the other said flange.
23. The fastener assembly of claim 22 which further comprises a score line between said third profile and the one said flange.
24. The fastener assembly of claim 22 which further comprises a slider mechanism for moving said first and second interlockable profiles into contact such that the bonding agent securely fastens said first and second profiles together.
25. The fastener assembly of claim 21 which further comprises a slider mechanism for moving said first and second interlockable profiles into contact such that the bonding agent securely fastens said first and second profiles together.
26. The fastener assembly of claim 21 wherein said third profile does not have a bonding agent disposed thereon and said fourth profile does not have a bonding agent disposed thereon.
27. A fastener assembly for attachment to a container, comprising:
- first and second profiles attachable to a bag opening, the first profile having a male protrusion formed thereon and the second profile having a female receptacle formed thereon adapted and configured to engage the male protrusion; and
- a flexible guard coupled to one of said first profile or said second profile and moveable from a first position generally between the male protrusion and the female receptacle to a second position wherein the guard is not between the male protrusion and the female receptacle.
28. The fastener assembly of claim 27 which further comprises a slider slidably mounted to said first and second profiles for engaging the first and second profiles, the slider including a separator configured to move the guard from the first position to the second position as the slider is moved along the length of the profiles.
29. The fastener assembly of claim 27 which further comprises a bonding agent disposed upon at least a portion of at least one of the first and second profiles.
30. The fastener assembly of claim 27 which further comprises third and fourth profiles attachable to the bag opening and capable of repeatedly engaging one another and repeatedly disengaging one another.
31. The fastener assembly of claim 30 which further comprises a pair of flanges for attachment to a bag opening, wherein said third profile is between said first profile and one said flange, and said fourth profile is between said second profile and the other said flange.
32. The fastener assembly of claim 31 which further comprises a score line between said third profile and the one said flange.
33. A fastener assembly for attachment to a container, comprising:
- first and second interlockable fastener strips attachable to said container opening, said first and second fastener strips having respective first and second profiles attached to the container at the opening, the first profile having a male protrusion formed thereon and the second profile having a female receptacle formed thereon sized to receive the male protrusion, each of said fastener strips including a flange for attachment to said container opening;
- a bonding agent disposed upon at least a portion of at least one of the first and second profiles; and
- a score line between one of said first or second profiles and the corresponding said flange for separation of the one profile from the flange.
34. The fastener assembly of claim 33 which further comprises a slider slidably mounted to said first and second interlockable fastener strips and movable thereon in a direction to interlock said first and second strips.
35. The fastener assembly of claim 33 which further comprises a protective film over said bonding agent.
36. The fastener assembly of claim 33 which further comprises third and fourth interlockable fastener strips attachable to said container and capable of interlocking with one another and enclosing at least a portion of said first and second fastener strips when said third and fourth fastener strips are joined to one another.
37. The fastener assembly of claim 33 which further comprises third and fourth interlockable fastener strips attachable to said container and capable of interlocking with one another, said third and fourth fastener strips being at least partly enclosed by said first and second fastener strips when said first and second fastener strips are joined to one another.
38. A fastener assembly for attachment to a container, comprising:
- a first pair of interlockable fastener strips attachable to a container, said first pair of fastener strips being capable of interlocking with one another,
- a second pair of interlockable fastener strips capable of interlocking with one another and enclosing at least a portion of said first pair of interlockable fastener strips when said second pair are interlocked,
- a slider slidably mounted to one of said first pair of fastener strips or said second pair of fastener strips and movable thereon in a direction to interlock the one said pair.
39. The fastener assembly of claim 38 wherein said first pair of fastener strips are capable of repeatedly engaging and repeatedly disengaging with one another and said second pair of fastener strips are not capable of disengaging from one another without permanent deformation.
40. The fastener assembly of claim 39 which further comprises a bonding agent disposed upon at least a portion of said second pair of fastener strips.
41. The fastener assembly of claim 38 wherein said second pair of fastener strips are capable of repeatedly engaging and repeatedly disengaging with one another and said first pair of fastener strips are not capable of disengaging from one another without permanent deformation.
42. The fastener assembly of claim 41 which further comprises a bonding agent disposed upon at least a portion of said first pair of fastener strips.
43. The fastener assembly of claim 38 which further comprises a score line for detaching said second pair of fastener strips from said fastener assembly.
44. The fastener assembly of claim 38 wherein said slider is a first slider, and which further comprises a second slider slidably mounted to the other of said first pair or said second pair and movable in a direction to interlock the other said pair.
45. A tamper evident bag, comprising:
- a bag having an opening with two opposing sides;
- a first interlockable fastener strip along one side of the bag opening, a second interlockable fastener strip along the other side of the bag opening, said first and second fastener strips being capable of interlocking with one another,
- a tamper evident member for limiting access to at least a portion of said opening, said tamper evident seal including a third interlockable fastener strip and a fourth interlockable fastener strip, said third and fourth fastener strips being capable of interlocking with one another separately from the interlocking of said first and second fastener strips, and
- a slider slidably mounted to one of said first and second fastener strips or said third and fourth fastener strips and movable thereon in a direction to interlock the one said pair.
46. The bag of claim 45 wherein said first said first and second fastener strips are capable of repeatedly engaging and repeatedly disengaging with one another without permanent deformation and said third and fourth fastener strips are not capable of disengaging from one another without permanent deformation.
47. The bag of claim 46 which further comprises a bonding agent disposed upon at least a portion of said third and fourth fastener strips.
48. The bag of claim 45 which further comprises a score line for detaching said third and fourth fastener strips from said bag.
49. The bag of claim 45 wherein said slider is a first slider, and which further comprises a second slider slidably mounted to the other of said first and second fastener strips or said third and fourth fastener strips and movable in a direction to interlock the other said pair.
50. The bag of claim 45 wherein said first and second fastener strips enclose at least a portion of said third and fourth fastener strips.
51. The bag of claim 45 wherein said third and fourth fastener strips enclose at least a portion of said first and second fastener strips.
Type: Application
Filed: May 30, 2006
Publication Date: Sep 14, 2006
Applicant: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS, INC. (Glenview, IL)
Inventor: Robert Stolmeier (Shelbyville, IN)
Application Number: 11/420,991
International Classification: B65D 33/14 (20060101); B65D 33/16 (20060101); A44B 19/16 (20060101);