Tamper monitoring article, system and method

• US 20050179548A1
• Filed: 02/01/2005
• Published: 08/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ccl Label Incorporated (CCL Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Avery Dennison Corporation
• Inventors: Sandt, Richard L., Sullivan, Terrence, Kittel, Mark D., Miglionico, Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 7,135,973 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/568.200
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07798 part of the antenna or the integrated circuit being adapted for rupturing or breaking, e.g. record carriers functioning as sealing devices for detecting not-authenticated opening of containers electronic seals G09F3/03
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1445 with detection of interference with a cable tethering an article, e.g. alarm activated by detecting detachment of article, breaking or stretching of cable furniture, e.g. shelves for displaying merchandise, incorporating tethers to prevent theft A47F7/024, A47F5/0861

Abstract

A tamper monitoring article and system, and an associated method of making, installing and using the article and system. The article has an elongate body portion. The body portion has a first end portion that adheres to a second end portion, if present, or to a substrate. The article also includes a pathway structure that runs along or throughout the body portion and can conduct energy, such as light or electricity, along its length. A monitor communicates with the pathway structure and detects a change in the energy being conducted thereby. A change in the energy is indicative of a change in a conductive property of the pathway structure caused by, for example, manipulation of the body portion and the pathway structure that is disposed therein or thereon. The monitor can then signal, or respond to a request signal, and provide information that such manipulation has occurred.

Claims

1. A tamper monitoring article, comprising:

an elongate body portion having a first end portion and a second end portion, the first end portion being adherable to the second end portion or to a substrate; and

a pathway structure extending along the body portion that is responsive to manipulation by indicating that manipulation has occurred, whereby the article can be secured to the substrate and can indicate whether the body portion has been manipulated.

2. The article as defined in claim 1, wherein the body portion is a strap comprising a material selected from the group consisting of plastic, metal, inorganic fibers, organic fibers, natural fibers, synthetic fibers, and combinations thereof.

3. The article as defined in claim 1, wherein the first and second end portions are the same or are different from each other.

4. The article as defined in claim 3, wherein the second end portion defines an aperture of sufficient size that the first end portion can be extended therethrough.

5. The article as defined in claim 3, wherein the first end secures to the second end along a common, single surface.

6. The article as defined in claim 1, wherein the end portion comprises a temperature responsive material.

7. The article as defined in claim 6, wherein the temperature responsive material is a heat sealable thermoplastic adhesive.

8. The article as defined in claim 6, wherein the temperature responsive material is a heat-activated adhesive.

9. The article as defined in claim 8, wherein the end portion is operable to adhere to the substrate or second end in response to an application heat.

10. The article as defined in claim 1, wherein the end portion is adherable with an adhesive strength that is increased relative to a cohesive strength of the body portion or that is greater than a threshold of the pathway structure above which the pathway structure indicates manipulation.

11. The article as defined in claim 1, wherein the pathway structure is an electrically conductive pathway.

12. The article as defined in claim 1, wherein the pathway structure is a light conductive pathway.

13. The article as defined in claim 12, wherein the pathway structure is an optical fiber.

14. The article as defined in claim 13, wherein the optical fiber comprises glass or polymer.

15. The article as defined in claim 13, wherein the optical fiber includes a single fiber or is a bundle of fibers, and defines a plurality of projections or ridges extending substantially radially outward, the plurality of projections or ridges are operable to engage a surface to anchor the optical fiber in a desired location relative to the surface.

16. The article as defined in claim 1, wherein the pathway structure is one of a plurality of pathway structures that are the same or are different from each other.

17. The article as defined in claim 1, wherein the pathway structure extends substantially throughout the entire body portion.

18. The article as defined in claim 1, further comprising a monitor that is associated with the pathway structure and which is operable to monitor the pathway structure for an indication that the pathway structure is bending, breaking or stretching.

19. The article as defined in claim 18, wherein the monitor includes a radio frequency identification device (RFID).

20. The article as defined in claim 19, wherein the radio frequency identification device (RFID) is an active device comprising a power source.

21. The article as defined in claim 20, wherein the power source is a polymeric battery.

22. The article as defined in claim 21, wherein the battery is flexible.

23. The article as defined in claim 1, further comprising an embossable layer disposed on or in the first end portion.

24. The article as defined in claim 23, wherein the embossable layer is physically embossable, the embossable layer is responsive to pressure from a sealer surface by conforming to a texture of the sealer surface, whereby the embossable layer has a corresponding texture after contact with the sealer surface.

25. The article as defined in claim 24, wherein the embossable layer comprises a thermochromic ink that responds to the heat present in a heat sealing operation by changing colors, opacity, conductivity, or like property.

26. The article as defined in claim 24, wherein the corresponding texture on the embossable layer forms a pattern that is difficult to replicate.

27. The article as defined in claim 23, wherein the embossable layer is holographically embossable.

28. The article as defined in claim 23, wherein the embossable layer is magnetically embossable.

29. The article as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first or second end portions comprises a temperature responsive material, and the first end portion and the second end are operable to secure to each other by a heat seal structure, and the body portion is configured to define a loop when the first end portion is adhered to the second end portion.

30. The article as defined in claim 1, wherein manipulation includes bending, breaking, cutting or stretching.

31. The article as defined in claim 1, wherein the first end portion includes a layer selected from the group consisting of frangible layer, de-laminatable layer, embossable layer, print layer, tie layer, embeddable layer, moisture resistant layer, skin layer, heat resistant layer, abrasion resistant layer, optically opaque layer, conductive layer, anti-static layer, electrically insulative layer, chemically resistant layer, reinforcing layer, and combinations thereof.

32. A method of securing an opening defined by first and second edges that operable to move apart relative to each other and widen the opening, comprising:

heat sealing a first end portion of an elongate body to the first edge;

heat sealing a second end portion of the body to the second edge; and

detecting when the first end portion moves relative to the second end portion, whereby a widening of the opening is detected.

33. A securing system, comprising:

means for detecting manipulation; and

means for attaching the detecting means to a surface.

34. The system as defined in claim 33, further comprising:

means for heat sealing a first end portion of an elongate body to the first edge;

means for heat sealing a second end portion of the body to the second edge; and

detecting means is further operable to detect when the first end portion moves relative to the second end portion, whereby a widening of the opening is detected.

35. A system for monitoring tampering, comprising:

a body portion configured to secure to an item to be monitored for tampering and having a free end portion,

the end portion comprising a plurality of layers that are substantially adjacent to each other to define a multi-layer composite,

the plurality of layers comprising;

a facestock layer,

an adhesive layer supported on the facestock layer comprising a heat seal adhesive or a heat activatable adhesive, and

a frangible layer, embeddable layer or a de-laminatable layer supported on the facestock layer.

36. The system as defined in claim 35, wherein the embeddable layer supports a monitoring subsystem comprising a conductive pathway structure and an RFID in communication with the pathway structure.

37. The system as defined in claim 35, wherein the frangible layer responds to manipulation of the body portion by changing appearance or properties.

38. The system as defined in claim 35, wherein the de-laminatable layer comprises two coextruded colored layers that are substantially adjacent to and coextensive with each other along an inner surface, and two adhesive tie layers, wherein each tie layer is substantially adjacent to and coextensive with a respective one of the colored layers, and the tie layers have an adhesive strength that is increased relative to an inter-laminar strength of the colored layers.

39. A tamper monitoring article, comprising:

a pathway structure responsive to manipulation by indicating that manipulation has occurred; and

a monitor operatively coupled to the pathway structure, to allow detection of manipulation of the pathway structure by detection an interruption in the pathway structure;

wherein the pathway structure is configured to be placed at least in part around an object to be monitored.

40. The article of claim 39, wherein the pathway structure is an electrically conductive pathway.

41. The article of claim 39, wherein the pathway structure is a light conductive pathway.

42. The article of claim 41, wherein the pathway structure is an optical fiber.

43. The article of claim 42, wherein the optical fiber comprises glass or polymer.

44. The article of claim 42,

wherein the optical fiber is part of a strap that also includes a coating situated around the optical fiber;

wherein the coating has a plurality of ridges extending substantially radially outward; and

wherein the plurality of ridges are operable to engage a surface to anchor the optical fiber in a desired location relative to the surface.

45. The article of claim 44,

wherein the monitor is in a monitor body, and

wherein the strap passes through an opening in the monitor body.

46. The article of claim 45, ridges of the coating engage the surface within the monitor body, thereby securing the strap in the opening.

47. The article of claim 45, wherein the strap passes through another opening in the monitor body, thereby forming a strap loop.

48. The article of claim 47, wherein the ridges engage the surface within the monitor body in both of the openings, thereby preventing enlargement of the loop.

49. The article of claim 45, wherein the ridges are angled, preventing movement relative to the surface in one direction.

50. The article of claim 49, wherein the coating has an axial groove that is engaged by a protrusion from the opening in the monitor body.

51. The article of claim 39, wherein the monitor includes a radio frequency identification device (RFID).

52. A security strap comprising:

a data-carrying medium;

a coating encircling the data-carrying medium;

wherein the coating as plural transverse ridges protruding therefrom.

53. The strap of claim 52, wherein the ridges are angled ridges.

54. The strap of claim 53, wherein the ridges are configured to engage a surface, to prevent relative motion of the strap and the surface in one direction.

55. The strap of claim 52, wherein the coating has an axial groove therein.

56. The strap of claim 55, wherein the axial grove is configured to engage a protrusion from an opening.

57. The strap of claim 52, wherein the data-carrying medium is an optical fiber.

58. The strap of claim 57, wherein ends of the optical fiber are exposed for connection to optical couplings.

59. The strap of claim 52, wherein the data-carrying medium is a conductive material.

60. The strap of claim 52, wherein the outer coating is a plastic coating.