Packaging with tamper-evident seal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11964807-B2
Application number	US-202117359035-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 25, 2021
Priority date	Jun 25, 2021
Publication date	Apr 23, 2024
Grant date	Apr 23, 2024

Abstract

Packaging may include a base box and a lid having a tamper-evident seal. The tamper-evident seal may include a paper substrate having a first adhesive portion configured to attach to a side panel of the base box, a second adhesive portion configured to attach to a second side panel of the lid. The first and second adhesive portions may be disposed on opposing sides of the paper substrate, and a tab configured to be accessible on an exterior of a package when the tamper-evident seal is applied may be a part of the paper substrate. When the tab is pulled with sufficient force, the paper substrate tears such that the first adhesive portion and the second adhesive portion remain fixed to the first and second side panels, respectively, while the remainder of the paper substrate tears free so that the packaging may be opened.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tamper-evident seal for packaging, comprising:
a paper substrate comprising:
a first adhesive portion configured to attach to a side panel of a base box;
a second adhesive portion configured to attach to a second side panel of a lid, wherein the first and second adhesive portions are disposed on opposite surfaces of the paper substrate and are positioned between the side panel of the base box and the second side panel of the lid; and
a tab configured to be accessible on an exterior of a package when the tamper-evident seal is applied,

wherein when the tab is pulled with sufficient force, the paper substrate tears such that the first adhesive portion and the second adhesive portion remain fixed to the first and second side panels, respectively, while the remainder of the paper substrate tears free so that the packaging may be opened.

2. The packaging of claim 1 , wherein one of the first adhesive portions or the second adhesive portions comprises fiber tape.

3. The packaging of claim 1 , wherein the first adhesive portion and the second adhesive portion extend in opposite directions from the tab, thereby forming a T-shape.

4. The packaging of claim 1 , wherein the paper substrate is configured to tear to create tear paths extending along the direction of the pull force.

5. The packaging of claim 1 , wherein the tab is releasably attached to the base or lid when the base box and lid are in the closed configuration.

6. Packaging, comprising:
a base box comprising a first side panel;
a lid comprising a second side panel parallel to the first side panel; and
a tamper-evident seal disposed between the first and second side panels when the base box and lid are in a closed configuration, the tamper-evident seal comprising:
a paper substrate comprising:
a first portion extending in a first direction;
second and third portions extending in opposing directions, wherein the first, second, and third portions together form a T-shape, wherein the first portion is folded over onto itself at a first fold, and wherein the second and third portions are each respectively folded at second and third folds around a portion of the overlap of the first portion formed by the fold;

a first adhesive portion attached to the first side panel;
a second adhesive portion attached to the second side panel, wherein, in response to a force applied in a direction away from the packaging, the paper substrate is configured to tear such that the first portion tears free along a first and second line parallel to the folds of the second and third portions.

7. The packaging of claim 6 , wherein one of the first or second adhesive portions comprises fiber tape.

8. The packaging of claim 6 , wherein the first adhesive portion is attached to a surface of the first side panel that is facing the second side panel, and wherein the second adhesive portion is attached to a surface of the second side panel that is facing the first side panel.

9. The packaging of claim 6 , the base box further comprising:
an indentation to receive a portion of the tamper-evident seal on the outside of the base box, wherein the first portion of the paper substrate further comprises a releasable adhesive to engage the indentation when the packaging is in a closed configuration.

10. The packaging of claim 6 , wherein the paper substrate further comprises a tab extending from the first portion, wherein the tab is releasably attached to the base or lid when the base box and lid are in the closed configuration.

11. The packaging of claim 6 , wherein the paper substrate includes stress concentration features at an intersection point of the first and second and first and third portions, respectively.

12. The packaging of claim 6 , wherein the tamper-evident seal further comprises:
a stiffening element fixed to the first portion of the paper substrate and configured to increase stiffness of the first portion relative to one of the second or third portions.

13. The packaging of claim 6 , wherein widths of the individual portions of the paper substrate are equal.

14. The packaging of claim 6 , wherein the paper substrate further comprises a tab extending from the first portion, the tab having an increased width relative to the first portion, and wherein the width of the second and third portions are equal to each other.

15. The packaging of claim 6 , wherein the first portion of the paper substrate further comprises a releasable adhesive to engage one of the base box or the lid when packaging is in a closed configuration, prior to tearing the tamper-evident seal.

16. Packaging, comprising:
a base box comprising a first side panel and a base panel;
a lid comprising a second side panel parallel to the first side panel and perpendicular to the base panel when the packaging is closed; and
a seal disposed between the first and second side panels when the base box and lid are in a closed configuration, the seal comprising:
a paper substrate;
a first adhesive coupling the paper substrate to the base panel;
a second adhesive coupling the paper substrate to the second side panel, wherein, in response to a force applied in a direction away from the packaging, the first and second adhesive is configured to peel away from their respective panels.

17. The packaging of claim 16 , wherein the paper substrate does not tear during removal from the packaging.

18. The packaging of claim 16 , the seal further comprising:
a third adhesive coupling the paper substrate to the second side panel having a stronger shear strength than the second adhesive in order for the seal to be removed from the packaging.

19. The packaging of claim 16 , wherein the paper substrate is not attached to the first side panel.

20. The packaging of claim 16 , wherein the paper substrate extends along the base panel, folding inward and along the first side panel, and doubles back on itself such that the second adhesive may be coupled to the second side panel.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Lin Amanda Y
• Kumka David Samuel
• Andre Bartley K
• Chowdhury Abidur Rahman
• Dai Wei
• Hayes Isaac
• Luo Geng

Classifications

• B65D55/06 Primary

  Deformable or tearable wires, strings or strips (caps or cap-like closures with tear-strips B65D41/32); Use of seals · CPC title

• B65D5/38 Primary

  Drawer-and-shell type containers · CPC title

• B65D5/4233

  Cards, coupons, labels or the like formed separately from the container or lid · CPC title

• B65D2401/05

  Tearable non-integral strips · CPC title

• B65D2565/385

  especially suited for or with means facilitating recycling · CPC title