Tamper indicating device

• US 6,416,857 B1
• Filed: 10/25/2000
• Issued: 07/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 3M Company, 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Wright, Mark A., Gosselin, Raymond R., Cooley, Julian B., Hanschen, Thomas P., Rivera, Raymond R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Parker, Fred J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LIGHTFOOT, ELENA TSOY
• Application Number:
  US09/696,453
• Time in Patent Office: 622 Days
• Field of Search: 428/42.1, 428/36.7, 428/343, 428/354, 428/213, 428/214, 428/216, 428/217, 428/515, 428/500
• US Class Current: 428/343
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0292 tamper indicating labels
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/915 Fraud or tamper detecting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/916 Fraud or tamper detecting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1352 Polymer or resin containing [i.e., natural or synthetic]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2495 Thickness [relative or absolute]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24959 of adhesive layers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24967 Absolute thicknesses specified
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/273 of coating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/28 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component and having an adhesive outermost layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2848 Three or more layers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31855 Of addition polymer from unsaturated monomers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31909 Next to second addition polymer from unsaturated monomers

Abstract

The invention is a tamper indicating device including a backing. The backing includes a first phase and a second phase. The backing is normally light transmissive, but a peeling force causes the backing to internally delaminate and become opaque. A first skin layer is fixed to the backing wherein the skin layer minimizes pre-destruction of the backing. A layer of adhesive is applied to the first skin layer, which can be affixed to a substrate.

Claims

1. A tamper indicating device, comprising:

a backing including a first phase and a second phase, wherein the backing is light transmissive, and wherein a peeling force causes the backing to internally delaminate and become more opaque;

a first skin layer fixed to the backing wherein the skin layer minimizes pre-destruction of the backing, and has a modulus of firmness (G′

) of between 62169 Pascals and 291163 Pascals at about 77°

F. (25°

C.);

a layer of adhesive applied to the first skin layer.

2. A tamper indicating device, comprising:

a backing including a first phase and a second phase, wherein the backing is light transmissive, and wherein a peeling force applied to the tamper indicating device causes the backing to internally delaminate and become more opaque;

a first skin layer comprising a random copolymer of propylene and ethylene wherein the first skin layer is fixed to the backing and minimizes pre-destruction of the backing; and

a layer of adhesive applied to the first skin layer.

3. The tamper indicating device of claim 2 wherein the first skin layer is less than or equal to about 0.00078 inches (0.0198 mm) in thickness.

4. The tamper indicating device of claim 2 wherein the layer of adhesive has a weight greater than or equal to about 6 grains/24 inches² (25.2 grams/meter²).

5. The tamper indicating device of claim 2 wherein the layer of adhesive has a weight less than or equal to about 24 grams/24 inches² (100.6 grams/meter²).

8. The tamper indicating device of claim 5, wherein the layer of adhesive has a weight greater than or equal to about 6 grains/24 inches² (25.2 grams/meter²).

9. The tamper indicating device of claim 5, wherein the layer of adhesive has a weight less than or equal to about 24 grams/24 inches² (100.6 grams/meter²).

6. A tamper indicating device, comprising:

a backing including a first phase and a second phase, wherein the backing is light transmissive, and wherein a peeling force applied to the tamper indicating device causes the backing to internally delaminate and become more opaque;

a first skin layer comprising a low density polyethylene wherein the first skin layer is fixed to the backing and minimizes pre-destruction of the backing; and

a layer of adhesive applied to the first skin layer.

7. The tamper indicating device of claim 6 wherein the first skin layer is less than or equal to about 0.00075 inches (0.0191 mm) in thickness.

10. A tamper indicating device, comprising:

a backing including a first phase and a second phase, wherein the backing is light transmissive, and wherein a peeling force applied to the tamper indicating device causes the backing to internally delaminate and become more opaque;

a first skin layer fixed to the backing having a modulus of firmness (G′

) of between about 62169 Pascals and about 291163 Pascals at about 77°

F. (25°

C.),

wherein the first skin layer minimizes pre-destruction of the backing; and

a layer of adhesive applied to the first skin layer.

11. A tamper indicating device, comprising:

a backing including a first phase and a second phase, wherein the backing is light transmissive, and wherein a peeling force applied to the tamper indicating device causes the backing to internally delaminate and become more opaque;

a first skin layer having a modulus of firmness (G′

) of between about 62169 Pascals and about 291163 Pascals at about 77°

F. (25°

C.), wherein the first skin layer is fixed to the backing and minimizes pre-destruction of the backing; and

a layer of adhesive applied to the first skin layer.

12. The tamper indicating device of claim 11 wherein the first skin layer comprises the same material as the first phase.

13. The tamper indicating device of claim 11 wherein the backing contains about 75 percent by weight of the first phase and about 25 percent by weight of the second phase.

14. The tamper indicating device of claim 11 wherein the backing and the first skin layer are formed using a co-extrusion blown film method.

15. The tamper indicating device of claim 11 wherein the first phase comprises a random copolymer of propylene and ethylene.

16. The tamper indicating device of claim 11 wherein the first skin layer is less than or equal to about 0.00075 inches (0.0191 mm) in thickness.

17. The tamper indicating device of claim 11 further comprising an initially viewable indicator that becomes obscured upon internal delamination of the backing.

18. The tamper indicating device of claim 11 further comprising a latent indicator that becomes viewable upon internal delamination of the backing.

19. The tamper indicating device of claim 11 wherein the backing includes a first backing surface and a second backing surface, and the first skin layer is fixed to the first backing surface and further comprising a second skin layer fixed to the second backing surface.

20. The tamper indicating device of claim 11 further comprising an overlaminate layer on the backing opposite the adhesive layer.

21. The tamper indicating device of claim 11 wherein the first skin layer is composed of an adhesive.

22. The tamper indicating device of claim 11 and further comprising an article, wherein the adhesive affixes to a surface of the article.

23. The tamper indicating device of claim 11, wherein the first skin layer includes pigment.