GB2203720A

GB2203720A - Sealing tape with tear strip for packaging

Info

Publication number: GB2203720A
Application number: GB08805579A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mark John Mckay Oldfield; Robert Leslie Elliott Ransome
Original assignee: Elliott Tape & Printing Compan
Current assignee: Elliott Tape & Printing Compan
Priority date: 1987-03-09
Filing date: 1988-03-09
Publication date: 1988-10-26
Also published as: GB8805579D0; GB8705424D0

Abstract

In sealing a package, using an adhesive sealing tape (24), a strip of tear strip material (30) is interposed between the tape and the surfaces being sealed. The tape and tear strip material are then severed by a blade (32) so as to provide a tab (38) of tape to which the tear strip material is adhered and which can be pulled to cause the tear strip material to sever the tape whereby the package can be opened. Apparatus for carrying out the method may be in the form of a hand-held device with an additional spool (29) of tear strip material which is fed beneath the sealing tape, or in the form of an automatic or semi-automatic sealing machine. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO PACKAGING This invention relates to packaging using tape adhered to the package and to applicators for the tape, which is preferably a self-adhesive tape.

The use of adhesive tape, particularly selfadhesive tape, for closing packages has been known for a long time. The self-adhesive tape is unwound from a reel of tape, led so as to overlap two edges to be joined and then cut at an appropriate point. Many of these tapes are made of plastics material and are quite tough so that in order to open the package it is necessary to cut the tape with a knife or other cutting implement. This can be hazardous and, in addition, is inconvenient if a knife or the like is not readily available.

It is an object of the invention to provide a package which is sealed with an adhesive tape and which is easy to undo but in which the seal is such that an indication is provided if the seal has been tampered with.

It is a further object of the invention to provide sealing apparatus for sealing such packages and which apparatus may be manual, semi-automatic or fully automatic.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of effecting a seal, comprising the steps of applying a sealing tape to a region where a seal is to be effected under conditions such as to adhere the tape to the region, interposing a strip of tear-strip material between the tape and said region, and severing the tape and tear-strip material so as to provide a tab of tape to which the tear-strip material is adhered, whereby by pulling on the tab the strip of tear-strip material can be caused to sever the tape. In using this method to seal a package, the sealing tape is applied to an edge or join of the package under conditions such as to adhere the tape to the package while interposing the strip of tear-strip material between the tape and the package.The tape and tear-strip material are then severed so as to leave a tab, either projecting or inset, of tape material to which the tear-strip material is adhered. Preferably, the tape is a self-adhesive tape and the tab is preferably provided centrally of the severed end of the tape.

Another aspect of the invention provides a seal effected by this method, and a package sealed by this method. The package can be readily undone by pulling on the tape so that the strip of tear-strip material severs the tape.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided apparatus for effecting a seal, comprising means for supplying a length of sealing tape to a region to be sealed under conditions such as to adhere the tape to the region, means for supplying a length of tear-strip material between the tape and said region, and means for severing the tape and tear-strip material so as to provide a tab of tape to which the tear-strip material is adhered.

Yet a further aspect of the invention provides a seal effected with this apparatus and a package sealed by the apparatus.

The apparatus may be in the form of a hand-held applicator or a semi-automatic or automatic package sealing machine, such as a carton sealing machine.

In order to enable the invention to be more readily understood, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate diagrammatically and by way of example some embodiments thereof, and in which: Figure 1 is an exploded view of a hand applicator for applying self-adhesive tape to seal a package, Figure 2 is a side view of the applicator in an assembled condition, Figure 3 is a perspective view to an enlarged scale of a detail of the applicator shown in Figure 1 and the cut end of a tape, Figures 4 and 5 are views similar to Figure 3 showing variants of the detail and cut ends of tapes, Figures 6 to 9 diagrammatically show various stages in the sealing of a package in an automatic package sealing machine, and Figure 10 is a perspective view of certain parts of the automatic packaging sealing machine shown in Figures 6 to 9.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a hand-held applicator for applying a length of adhesive tape to the edges, top or bottom of a package so as to seal the latter, or for applying a length of adhesive tape for any other purpose. The applicator is mainly of conventional construction and comprises a hand grip 1 with a platform 2 at the end of which a guide blade 3 is mounted on a spring mounting 4. A side bracket 5 is attached to one side of the platform 2 by means of screws 6. A first hollow spindle 7 is held between the side bracket 5 and a side plate 8 by screws 9 and a blade carrier 10 having a tubular mounting part 11 is held between the side bracket 5 and the side plate 8 by screws 12.

A rubber roller 14 is mounted on the spindle 7 and, as shown in Figure 2, the guide blade 3 is urged by its spring mounting into contact with the roller 14. The blade carrier 10 is formed with a forwardly directed ledge 15 formed with two slits (not shown) to receive parts of a blade 32 to be described in detail hereinafter. The ledge 15 is formed with locating lugs 16 which project into apertures 17 formed in the side bracket 5 and side plate 8.

An L-shaped severing plate 18 is formed with slits (also not shown) registering with those in the ledge 15 and is secured to the ledge by nuts and bolts 19 which also secure the blade 32 in place.

A spindle 20 with a threaded end is fixed to the side plate 5 and a tricuspid spool carrier 21 is mounted on the spindle 20 and held in place by a screw 22.

The applicator as so far described is mainly of conventional construction and, in use, a reel 23 of selfadhesive tape 24 is mounted on the spool carrier 21. The free end of the tape is led between the roller 14 and the guide blade 3 so that, as shown at 24A, it is ready to engage a package to be sealed. The tape is then unwound from the reel 23 and when the package has been sealed the applicator is turned so that the blade engages the tape, now in the position 24B relative to the applicator. The severing plate 18 is then pushed against the tape so that it is severed by the blade. In a conventional applicator, the blade is one which makes a cut straight across the tape and is usually in the form of a plurality of closely spaced sharp pointed teeth.

However, the applicator of the present invention differs in its cutting blade construction from a conventional applicator and has an additional mount for a spool of tear-strip material.

A shown in Figure 1, a bracket 25 is secured to the platform 2 by the screws 6 and carries a spindle 26, secured in place by a nut 27 and bolt 28 on which spindle d spool 29 of tear strip material 30 can be mounted as shown in Figure 2. A guide eye 31 is mounted on the platform 2 for guiding the tear strip material centrally to pass between the guide blade 3 and the adhesive tape 24 to which the tear strip material becomes adhered.

In an alternative construction, the guide eye 31 is dispensed with and one or more guide slits for the tear strip material is or are formed in the guide blade 3.

As shown in Figure 3, the cutting blade 32 is formed of two transverse blade members 33 and 34 which extend across the direction of travel of the tape 24 parallel to one another and two blade members 35 and 36 which extend in the direction of travel of the tape and are also parallel to one another. The blade members 33 to 36 are formed with slits extending substantially halfway through them so that they can be fitted into one another in a cruciform configuration as shown. The blade member 33 which may be regarded as the leading blade member in the direction of travel of the tape is formed with a plurality of sharp pointed cutting teeth except for the portion which lies between the blade members 35 and 36 and which is recessed below the roots of the teeth, so as to be devoid of cutting means between the blade members 35 and 36.In contradistinction, the trailing blade member 34 is formed with similar teeth only in the portion which lies between the blade members 35 and 36. The blade members 35 and 36 are formed with similar teeth on the portions leading to both blade members 33 and 34. The blade members 33 and 34 are formed with holes 37 to accommodate the screws 19 by which the blade 32 is secured to the blade holder 10 and the foot of the severing plate 18.

As a result of this configuration of the cutting edges of the blade 32 constituted by the teeth, the final cut on the tape 24 and adherent tear strip 30 will appear as shown in Figure 3 with a protruding tab 38. The tab 38 has been cut by the teeth on the blade member 34 and the teeth on the portions of the blade members 35 and 36 lying between the blade members 33 and 34 while the teeth on the portions of the blade members 35 and 36 leading the blade member 33 have formed perforations 39 in the tape.

When a package which has been sealed with selfadhesive tape using the present application is to be undone, the tab 38 is loosened and then pulled backwards, and the tear strip 30 causes the package to be undone in a neat and simple manner, the perforations 39 serving to guide the rupture of the tape in the required direction.

The perforations 39 also serve as means for providing evidence as to whether a package has been tampered with, since any attempt to tamper with the package by peeling off the sealing tape will cause the tape to tear along the line of weakness provided by the perforations, thus indicating tampering.

Figures 4 and 5 show variants of blade and the resulting final cut on the tape 24 and tear-strip 30. In the blade shown in Figure 4, there is but one transverse blade member 40 while the blade members extending in the direction of travel of the tape are joined in a U-shaped configuration to form one blade 41 so that the end of the tab on the tape 24 is rounded as shown. In the blade shown in Figure 5, there is again only one transverse blade member 42 and there are two separate blade members 43 extending in the direction of travel. When a tape is cut by the blade shown in Figure 5, a tab 44 is formed at each end of the cut length of tape. Although the tabs 44 do not project beyond'the cut end of the tape 24, they can easily be teased loose enough to be gripped and then pulled to tear the tape and open the package.

It will be appreciated that many other modifications of the hand-held applicator just described may be made.

However, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to hand-held applicators but can be incorporated in any tape dispenser for applying a selfadhesive tape including semi-automatic and automatic carton sealing machines or other machines in which a strip of self-adhesive tape is applied to seal a package.

Such an arrangement is shown in Figures 6 to 10 which shows a carton-sealing machine. Most of the machine is of conventional construction and will therefore not be described in detail. In the carton-sealing machine shown in Figures 6 to 10, cartons 50 to be sealed are fed by a conveyor indicated at 51 in the direction of the arrows beneath a sealing head 52. The sealing has a post 53 mounting a spindle (not shown) on which a spool 54 of sealing tape 55 is carried. The tape 55 passes over guide rollers 56 and 57 and its non-adhesive side rests against an applicator roller 58 carried on an arm which is pivotally mounted to the head 52 and depending below it.

Mounted upstream of the sealing head, relative to the direction of travel of the cartons on the conveyor 51 is a spool 59 of tear strip material 60 which is fed over guide rollers 61 and 62 and is united with the sealing tape 55 at the guide roller 56.

The sealing head also mounts a cutter blade 63 similar to one of those shown in Figures 3 to 5, the cutter blade 63 being movable up and down by means not shown for cutting the sealing tape, and a smoothing roller 64 which is also carried on an arm pivotally mounted to the head 52.

Finally, a corner-piercing device 65 is provided downstream of the sealing head. The corner-piercing device essentially comprises an E-shaped bracket arrangement of which the outer arms of the bracket support smoothing rollers 66 and the central arm of which is constituted by two spikes 67. The E-shaped bracket is carried at the end of an arm 68 and is pivotal about the end of the arm, the bracket being, however, urged by a spring 69 to lie at an angle of about 450 to the vertical with its arms facing upstream as shown. Means is also provided, but not shown, for moving the arm 68 downwardly a short distance for a purpose to be explained.

In the operation of the carton-sealing machine shown in Figures 6 to 10, a carton to be sealed has, in conventional manner, four flaps which have been folded inwards with the flaps 70 on the longer sides on top, and is to be sealed by applying a length of adhesive tape longitudinally across the centre of the carton so as to overlap the join between the flaps 70. The carton is carried by the conveyor until, as shown in Figure 6, the leading end of the carton engages the free end of the tape 55 to which the tear-strip material 60 is adhered. The tape is urged in to contact with the end of the carton by the roller 58, which, as the carton advances, rides up the end of the carton and presses the tape on to the edges of the flaps 70. The leading end of the carton the engages the smoothing roller 64 which also rides up the end of the carton and serves to smooth the applied tape.When the leading end of the carton reaches the position shown in Figure 7 where the leading end and the top of the carton engage the rollers 66, the means for moving the arm 68 is triggered and the arm is jerked downwardly so that the spikes 67 pierce the sealing tape 55 on each side of the tear strip 60 and at the corner of the carton. As the carton approaches the position shown in Figure 8, the cutter blade is caused to descend to cut the tape running between the end of the carton and the wheel 58, the cut ensuring that there is an end 71 (Figure 8) of tape which can be pressed on to the trailing end of the carton-by the smoothing roll 64. Finally, the corner-piercing device which has ridden along the top of the carton comes off the end of the carton as shown in Figure 9 where again the arm 68 is jerked downwardly to cause the spikes to pierce the tape at the corner.

As shown in Figure 10, the carton is now sealed with a length of tape 55 beneath which is a length of tear strip 60 and a tab 72 is provided at one end whereby the carton can be opened. When the tab is pulled to open the carton, the tape may still join the flaps 70 to the ends of the carton but since these portions of tape have been pierced as at 73 by the spikes 67, there is a zone of weakness facilitating rupture of the tape at the corners of the carton.

It will of course be appreciated that the automatic carton sealing arrangement just described may be adapted to seal cartons along their sides, bottoms or edges, and that conventional carton sealing machines may be adapted by the incorporation of a reel of tear-strip material and a shaped cutting blade at appropriate locations.

The self-adhesive tape may be any conventional tape known in the art such as tapes made of vinyl, polyvinylchloride, polypropylene and other materials.

Likewise, the tear-strip material is any conventional material known in the art and could include textile thread.

In certain packaging and other machines an adhesive or other liquid, e.g. water, may be applied to a tape immediately prior to the tape being used to seal a package.

In such case it is envisaged that the tear-strip material could be applied to the package simultaneously with the tape.

Claims

CLAIMS;

1. A method of effecting a seal, comprising the steps of applying a sealing tape to a region where a seal is to be effected under conditions such as to adhere the tape to the region, interposing a strip of tear-strip material between the tape and said region, and severing the tape and tear-strip material so as to provide a tab of tape to which the tear-strip material is adhered, whereby by pulling on tab the strip of tear-strip material can be caused to sever the tape.

2. A method as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the seal is effected at an edge or join of a package.

3. A method as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the tape is a self-adhesive tape.

4. A method as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein an adhesive is applied to the tape immediately prior to its being used to effect the seal.

5. A method as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the tab projects beyond the cut end of the tape.

6. A method as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein a tab is formed at each end of the tape.

7. A method as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 6, wherein the tape is made of vinyl, polyvinylchloride or polypropylene.

8. A method of effecting a seal substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 5 or 3 to 10 of the accompanying drawings.

9. Apparatus for effecting a seal, comprising means for supplying a length of sealing tape to a region to be sealed under conditions such as to adhere the tape to the region, means for supplying a length of tear-strip material between the tape and said region, and means for severing the tape and tear-strip material so as to provide a tab of tape to which the tear-strip material is adhered.

10. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 9, wherein the apparatus is in the form of an applicator to be held in the hand, and comprises a hand grip, means for supporting a spool of sealing tape, a cutter blade for the tape, means for guiding a length of said tape unwound from the spool along a first path, means for supporting a spool of tearstrip material, means for guiding a length of tear-strip material unwound from its spool along a second path, the guiding means being arranged so as to unite the paths whereby a combined length of tape and tear-strip material may be provided and used for sealing, the cutter blade being positioned to be capable of cutting the combined length of tape and tear-strip material in such a way as to provide a tab on the cut material.

11. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 9, wherein the apparatus is in the form of an automatic or semi-automatic carton sealing machine, and comprises means for feeding cartons to be sealed to a sealing station, means at said station for supporting a spool or like reservoir of sealing tape, means for guiding a length of tape unwound from the spool along a first path, means for supporting a spool or like reservoir of tear-strip material, means for guiding a length of tear-strip material unwound from the spool along a second path, the guiding means being arranged so as to unit the paths and feed a combined length of tape and tearstrip material to a position where it can be engaged by a carton, applicator and smoothing rollers for applying the combined tape and tear-strip material to a carton during its passage through the station, a cutter blade for cutting said combined tape and tear-strip material to provide a tab, and means for piercing the tape at the corner edges of the carton.

12. Apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 9 to 11, wherein the cutter blade comprises a first cutting portion extending along a line transverse to the longitudinal direction of the tape, and two second cutting portions transverse to the first and spaced apart the width of the tab to be formed.

13. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 12, wherein the first cutting portion is devoid of cutting means between the second cutting portions, and wherein the second cutting portions are joined to form the end of the tab.

14. Apparatus for effecting a seal substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 5 or 3 to 10 of the accompanying drawings.

15. A seal effected by the method claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 8.

6. A seal effected by the apparatus claimed in any one of Claims 9 to 13.

17. A package sealed by a seal as claimed in Claim 14 or 15.