Tamper Event Detection Films, Systems and Methods

• US 20080075934A1
• Filed: 08/07/2007
• Published: 03/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pliant Corporation (Berry Global Group Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pliant Corporation (Berry Global Group Inc.)
• Inventors: Nelson, Keith, Barlow, William, Lilac, W., Middlesworth, Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 7,812,726 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/199
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2401/00 Tamper-indicating means relating to aerosol containers B65D83/224
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/00 Packages comprising articles or materials partially or wholly enclosed in strips, sheets, blanks, tubes, or webs of flexible sheet material, e.g. in folded wrappers B65D71/00 takes precedence; wrapping B65B11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/126 for a housing, e.g. a box, a safe, or a room
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24835 including developable image or soluble portion in coating or impregnation [e.g., safety paper, etc.]

Abstract

The present technology relates to tamper evident films, systems and methods for detecting tamper events in films or film packages. The present technology is especially useful in applications for detecting tamper events with individually packaged goods, as well as with bulk packaging or wrapped pallets in circumstances where visual inspection is hampered or prevented. In one or more preferred systems, films and methods of the present technology utilize a conductive pattern, a sensor and/or alarm circuit, and a wrapping film, such as a stretch film, shrink wrap, bagging or stretchhooder. In at least one particularly preferred embodiment, films of the present technology are stretch films having conductive ink patterns applied thereto that remain conductive when the films are stretched to a percent stretch of about 1% or greater. In other embodiments, a conductive material can be separately wrapped and/or cowrapped in conjunction with a film. Preferred tamper detection systems of the present technology also utilize radio frequency identification technology to indicate whether a tamper event has occurred.

Claims

1. A tamper evident film comprising at least one stretch film having at least one conductive ink applied thereto that remains conductive when the film is at a percent stretch of about 1% or greater.

2. The tamper evident film of claim 1, wherein the stretch film is a multilayer stretch film and the conductive ink is applied on at least one layer of the film.

3. The tamper evident film of claim 1, wherein the stretch film is a multilayer stretch film and the conductive ink pattern is applied between at least two layers of the film.

4. The tamper evident film of claim 1, wherein the conductive ink is in the stretch film.

5. The tamper evident film of claim 1, wherein the conductive ink forms a conductive ink pattern comprising at least one continuous trace.

6. The tamper evident film of claim 5, wherein the conductive ink pattern comprises at least two substantially parallel continuous traces.

7. The tamper evident film of claim 5, wherein the conductive ink pattern is operatively connected to at least one radio frequency identification tag and at least one power source to form a closed circuit.

8. The tamper evident film of claim 5, wherein the conductive ink pattern is operatively connected to at least one radio frequency identification tag having at least one power source to form a closed circuit.

9. A system for detecting a tamper event in a film comprising:

a. at least one stretch film having a conductive ink pattern applied thereto that remains conductive when the stretch film is at a percent stretch of about 1% to about 400%;

b. at least one sensor in operative contact with the conductive ink pattern;

c. at least one reader in operative communication with the sensor for detecting a tamper event; and

d. at least one power source that generates a current through the conductive ink pattern.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the power source is incorporated in the sensor.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the sensor transmits a signal when the current flows through a closed circuit comprising the conductive ink pattern.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the sensor does not transmit a signal when the resistance of the closed circuit comprising the conductive ink pattern is greater than about 10 mega-ohms.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the stretch film is a multilayer film.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein each layer of the multilayer stretch film comprises at least one olefin based polymer.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the conductive ink pattern comprises at least two parallel continuous traces or a grid.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the conductive ink pattern is photonically cured onto the flexible film.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein the conductive ink pattern remains conductive when the film is at a percent stretch from about 75% to about 150% stretch.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the sensor is at least one radio frequency identification tag.

19. A method of detecting a tamper event comprising the steps of:

a. providing at least one film having at least one conductive material thereon;

b. applying the film to at least one item;

c. providing at least one sensor in operative connection with the conductive material;

d. completing a closed circuit comprising the conductive material and the sensor; and

e. providing a reader in operative communication with the sensor to detect a tamper event.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of completing the closed circuit comprises providing a power source to generate a current through the circuit comprising the conductive material and the sensor.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of completing the closed circuit comprises operatively connecting at least one conductive strip to the conductive material.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one conductive material is a conductive ink printed on or within the film or comprises at least one conductive metal wire.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the film is a stretch film, a shrink wrap film, or a stretch hooder.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein a stretch film is applied over the film having at least one conductive material.

25. A system for detecting a tamper event in a film comprising:

a. at least one film having a conductive material applied thereto;

b. at least one sensor in operative contact with the conductive material;

c. at least one reader in operative communication with the sensor for detecting a tamper event; and

d. at least one power source that generates a current through the conductive material.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the film is a stretch film, a shrink film, or a stretch hooder.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the conductive material comprises a conductive ink applied on or within the film.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the conductive material comprises at least one conductive metal wire or a conductive metal foil.

29. (canceled)