GB2259496A - Security package - Google Patents

Abstract

A security package 1 has a unique distinguishing mark (such as a signature) placed on a flap 2. The flap is divided along a line and the package is sealed so that a distinctively marked identifying piece is incorporated in the seal of the package. Alternatively, the flap 2 may be divided along an irregular line 3 to provide a distinctively shaped marker piece, which is then secured to the package. The package may be made from transparent heat-sealable plastic, and the marker piece may be integral with the body of the package. If the marker piece is incorporated in the seal then it may be provided with perforations 9 along the line of the seal 5 to reduce the thickness of plastic being sealed together and thus provide a better seat. A second line of perforations 10 may be provided, to enable the folding of flap 2. <IMAGE>

Description

SECURITY PACKAGE The present invention relates to security packages, of the type which are sealed when they have been filled with goods so that it will be clear if the package has been tampered with after it has been sealed.

Security packages of the above mentioned type can be used to transport relatively small goods, such as bank notes, precious stones, confidential documents etc.

The invention also relates to packages of heat sealable material.

GB 1365240 provides a security package for bank notes, comprising a synthetic plastics material bag extruded in the form of a tube which is heat sealed to enclose the bank notes. A printed margin is provided adjacent to the sealed portions so that if the security package is opened by cutting off one of the seals and subsequently re-sealed, a printed margin will be lost. It will then be apparent to a person inspecting the security package that it has been tampered with.

GB 1132419 discloses a method of preparing a bag for bank notes in which an adhesive label is applied to = bag to identify the goods. As the label is applied to the outside of the bag, it cannot be used to provide a unique identification of the bag and its contents, as the label could be removed.

EP-A-O 183 489 discloses a security package which is sealed by folding a glued flap over the end. The glued flap is folded over an outwardly turned lip so that if the package is opened by lifting the flap, the flap will remain glued to the lip and the package will remain sealed. EP-A-O 183 489 also discloses marking the security package with a signature across a tear line on the unglued side of the flap. After signing the package, a strip having part of the signature can be torn from the security package to identify it.

The Invention A first aspect of the invention provides a method of forming a security package, a security package or means for forming a security package as set out in Claims 1, 2, 12, 13, 15, 16, 30, 31 or 32. Preferred and/or optional features of the first aspect of the invention are set forth in Claims 3 to 11, 14 and 17 to 21.

The first aspect of the invention allows each security package to be marked uniquely at any time before it is sealed. In a first embodiment, a distinctive mark may be provided in the form of a signature applied to a marker piece, the marker piece being then divided into a part which is secured within the security package (the identifying piece) and a second part.

Alternatively, in a second embodiment a marker piece may be divided into first and second parts having distinctive matching shapes by cutting the marker piece along an irregular line. The first piece is secured to the package to provide an identifying piece.

A person in possession of the second part can with both embodiments of the invention check at any time in the future whether the identifying part of any given security package matches the second part of the marker piece.

Preferably, the marker piece is both signed and cut along an irregular line through the signature so that the identifying piece is distinctive both in shape and in the portion of the signature it carries.

Preferably, in both embodiments, the identifying piece is incorporated in the seal of the package. This can be achieved if sealing means are used to close the package such that the identifying piece is secured to the package by the sealing means.

By enclosing an identifying piece in the package, it can be ensured that the identifying piece itself is protected from tampering and from the package' s surroundings. It is difficult to provide an indelible mark on some package materials, and enclosing the identifying piece within the package can prevent it being erased.

If the identifying piece is enclosed in the package, it is preferred that the package material be transparent so that it can be seen if the identifying piece is correct without having to open the package. If the package is then found to have been tampered with, it can be returned without being opened.

Preferably, the security package is in the form of a bag, made out of a heat sealable plastics material for convenience. It is very easy to provide transparent plastics material packages. However, many means of sealing may be used and many package materials. For example, glue or (if the contents of the package are large) stud seals may be used, or other mechanical closures which cannot be opened without damaging the material.

The security package of the first aspect of the invention is particularly suitable for transporting gemstones, which are small and sharp. It is preferred that the package should be heat sealed in this case, as if glue is used, there is a tendency for the gemstones to stick to the glue.

The security package can be very simply formed from a sleeve of extruded plastics material closed at one end and formed with a flap at the other end. Alternatively, the sleeve could have flaps at both ends, both flaps can be signed, divided and sealed to form a completely enclosed package. The security package of this embodiment is very simple to make.

The security package of the first aspect of the invention can also be made by sealing one or more sheets of material, which are folded or simply placed in layered configuration to define a closed space.

Preferably, the marker piece is integral with or made from the same piece of material as the body of the package. However, it is possible to prepare, sign and divide the marker piece separately and only include it with the security package during the sealing process.

The package is preferably made of substantially flexible material such as thin thermoplastic (preferably continuously extruded polyethylene or polyethylene based laminate), cloth, paper, rubber etc. However, the first aspect of the invention is also applicable to containers of other materials, including rigid materials, card, cardboard, metal or plastics material.

The second aspect of the invention provides a method of and means for forming a package as set out in Claim 22 or 26. Preferred and/or optional features of this aspect of the invention are set out in Claims 23 to 25 and 27 to 29.

The perforations allow a package to be formed having thick thermoplastic walls which would otherwise be very difficult to heat seal. In the regions of the perforations, the heat seal is effectively only between two layers and the third layer is firmly held in the heat seal.

The perforations are preferred to be fairly large holes (a few millimetres across), but not so large that objects can escape through the gaps.

The second aspect of the invention is also suitable for transporting gemstones which require tough packaging.

If heat sealable material (preferably plastic) is used, it has to be quite thick in order to avoid damage fro the gemstones. This in turn creates problems in heat sealing which may be overcome by the second aspect of the invention.

The package of the second aspect of the invention may comprise a plastic sleeve closed at one end and having a flap at the other end tucked in to the sleeve, the seal running across both layers of the sleeve and across the flap. The package could also be made of one or more sheets of material which are folded or placed in layered configuration to define a closed space.

Preferably the package of the second aspect of the invention is a security package having some or all of the features of the security package of the first aspect of the invention.

The invention will be further described by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings in which: Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 shows the sleeve from which the security package is made, before sealing; Figure 2 shows the security package of the invention, after sealing; and Figures 3 and 3a shows an alternative embodiment of the flap of the security package, before and after sealing.

Detailed Description of the Drawings As shown in Figure 1, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the security package is formed from a continuously extruded polyethylene or polyethylene based laminate plastic sleeve 1 closed at one end and having a flap 2 formed at the other end, extending beyond a central tubular section.

When the time comes for the package to be sealed, a person authorised to supervise the sealing signs the flap 2 and then cuts the flap along an irregular line through the signature (as shown chain-dotted at 3). The goods to be contained are then enclosed in the tubular portion of the sleeve 1 and the remaining piece of the flap 2, which forms an identifying piece 7, is folded as shown by the arrows 4 to tuck inside the tubular portion 6. The end of the security package is then heat sealed together (as shown in Figure 2) in a suitable machine (not shown) so that the heat seal 5 passes over and seals together both sides of the sleeve 1 and the identifying piece 7.As shown in Figure 2, the identifying piece 7 bearing a part of the signature cut along a wavy line is enclosed within the closed portion of the package, where it is free from tampering and general wear and tear in transport and storing. The off-cut 8 bearing a portion of the signature may be retained by the signor or posted to the recipient of the security package to identify the security package in question. The recipient can only be sure that the correct security package has been received if the identifying piece 7 inside the security package (which is preferably transparent) exactly matches the off-cut 8 The shape of the identifying piece and the divided signature serve to identify each package uniquely. It is, however, not necessary to use both. The marker piece may be just signed and divided along a straight line, or the marker piece may be divided along a distinctive line.

Two sets of perforations 9 and 10 may be provided as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The first set of perforations 10 (a line of slits) is provided to allow the material of the security package to be folded easily at its ends. When objects such as gemstones are to be transported in the security bag, the material of the bag will have to be strong and thick. Accordingly, it may be difficult to bend. The perforations 10 allow it to bend more easily in the regions shown.

Perforations in the form of holes 9 are provided as it may prove difficult to heat seal three layers of relatively thick plastic together. In the sealing region 5, it is necessary to seal together both layers of the sleeve forming the body of the package 1 and part of the identifying portion. In the case where the material is quite thick, a satisfactory seal may not be easily produced.

By providing perforations 9 in the flap 2, the heat sealing can be made to be more reliable. In the regions of the perforations 9, the two outer layers of the sleeve are almost in contact and can be sealed together as if there were no flap layer present. Thus the two outside layers of the sleeve may be sealed together strongly in the regions of the perforations 9 trapping the identifying piece 7 in the seal.

In an alternative embodiment, the functions of the perforations 9 and 10 may be combined by a single row of larger perforations 11, as shown in Figures 3 (sealed) and 3a (unsealed). The choice of perforation will depend on ease of manipulation and material properties.

The present invention has been described above purely by way of example, and modifications can be made within the spirit of the invention. The invention also consists in any individual features described or implicit herein or shown or implicit in the drawings or any combination of such features or any generalisation of any such features or combinations.

Claims (34)

1. A method of forming a security package, comprising: making a distinctive mark on a marker piece; dividing the marker piece so marked into at least two parts, each having a part of the distinctive mark; and sealing the package, wherein one of said parts is secured within the package, to provide an identifying piece.

2. A method of forming a security package, comprising: dividing a marker piece into at least two parts having distinctive matching shapes; and sealing the package, wherein one of said parts is secured to the package, to provide an identifying piece.

3. The method of Claim 2, wherein said one of said parts is secured within the package.

4. The method of Claim 1 or 3, wherein at least one portion of the security package is transparent, so that the identifying piece is visible.

5. The method of any of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the marker piece is integral with the package before sealing

6. The method of any of Claims 1 to 5 wherein the identifying piece is incorporated in the seal.

7. The method of any of the preceding Claims, when used to form a security package comprising a sleeve sealed at both ends.

8. The method of any of the preceding Claims, wherein the package is sealed to provide a tamper-evident seal.

9. The method of any of the preceding Claims, wherein the security package is formed from plastics material.

10. The method of any of the preceding Claims, wherein the package is heat sealed.

11. The method of Claim 1, wherein the distinctive mark comprises a signature.

12. A security package, comprising: a sealed package; and an identifying piece secured within the package, wherein the identifying piece comprises a fragment of a distinctively marked piece.

13. A security package, comprising: a sealed package; and an identifying piece secured to the package, wherein the identifying piece comprises a part of a marker piece which has been divided into at least two parts having matching distinctive shapes.

14. The security package of Claim 12 or 13, when formed by the method of any of Claims 3 to 11.

15. Means for forming a security package, comprising: at least one body part for forming a package; a marker piece for bearing a distinctive mark, a part of the marker piece having a part of the distinctive mark being removable to leave a matching identifying piece; and means for sealing the body part to form a closed package; wherein the identifying piece is securable within the package.

16. Means for forming a security package, comprising: at least one body part for forming a package; a marker piece, dividable into at least two parts having matching distinctive shapes; and means for sealing the body part to form a closed package; wherein one of said parts is securable to the package to provide an identifying piece.

17. The package forming means of Claim 16, wherein the identifying piece is enclosable within the security package.

18. The package forming means of Claim 15 or 17, wherein at least one portion of the body part is transparent so that the identifying piece is visible.

19. The package forming means of any of Claims 15 to 18, wherein the body part comprises a sleeve.

20. The package forming means of any of Claims 15 to 19, wherein the marker piece is integrally formed with the body part.

21. The package forming means of any of Claims 15 to 20, wherein the identifying piece is incorporatable with the seal.

22. Means for forming a package closeable by heat sealing together at least three layers of heat sealable material, wherein at least one inner layer is perforated, the package being closeable such that said inner layer is sealable together with the other layers in a region coinciding with the perforated region of said layer.

23. The means for forming a package of Claim 22, wherein the package is a security package.

24. The means for forming a package of Claim 22 or 23, the package further comprising a marker piece for bearing a distinctive mark, a part of the marker piece having a part of the distinctive mark being removable to leave a matching identifying piece, the identifying piece being securable within the package.

25. The means for forming a package of Claim 22 or 23, further comprising a marker piece, dividable into at least two parts having matching distinctive shapes, wherein one of said parts is securable to the package t provide an identifying piece.

26. A method of forming a package, comprising: closing a body part by heat sealing together at least three layers of heat sealable material, wherein at least one inner layer is perforated, said inner layer being sealed to the other layers in a region coinciding with the perforated region of said inner layer.

27. The method of Claim 26, when used to form a security package.

28. The method of Claim 26 or 27, further comprising: making a distinctive mark on a marker piece; dividing the marker piece so marked into at least two parts, each having a part of the distinctive mark; and securing one of said parts within the package to provide an identifying piece.

29. The method of Claim 26 or 27, further comprising: dividing a marker piece into at least two parts having distinctive matching shapes, and securing one of said parts to the package to provide an identifying piece.

30. A method of forming a security package, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

31. A security package substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

32. Means for forming a security package, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

33. A method of forming a package, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

34. Means for forming a package, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.