CA2211819C - Closure and seal device for sealing envelopes and plastic envelope supplied with the same - Google Patents
Closure and seal device for sealing envelopes and plastic envelope supplied with the same Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2211819C CA2211819C CA002211819A CA2211819A CA2211819C CA 2211819 C CA2211819 C CA 2211819C CA 002211819 A CA002211819 A CA 002211819A CA 2211819 A CA2211819 A CA 2211819A CA 2211819 C CA2211819 C CA 2211819C
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- strip
- locking pins
- envelope
- hinge line
- weakened
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Abstract
A device for the closure and sealing of envelopes and the like comprising first and second elongated strips of plastic material (2, 3), foldable, one upon the other, along a narrow longitudinal hinge line (4). The first strip (2) has a series of locking pins (6) distributed along its length, each of the locking pins having a weakened base, and the second strip (3) is provided with a series of sockets (8) adapted for receiving respective locking pins in locking relation therein. With the purpose of permitting the device to be opened easily, when applied to a plastic envelope (11) with the locking pins penetrating orifices formed along the two borders at the mouth of the envelope, at least a part along the length of the longitudinal hinge line (4), starting from a first end, is weakened (at 9), and each strip is provided, at its first end, with an appendage capable of being held between the fingers of the user.
Description
Title: "Closure and seal device for sealing envelopes and plastic envelope supplied with the same"
Technical field The present invention relates to a device for closing and sealing envelopes and the like, especially plastic envelopes for the transport of confidential documents or for rapid delivery services such as courier and related services.
Background art Devices suitable for this use are well known, one example being that disclosed in Brazilian Patent PI 8903982-3 which describes and illustrates an elongated rectangular piece of plastic in the form of two parallel strips connected to each other along a narrow hinge line around which the strips can be folded over each other. One of the strips is formed along its length with a series of small upstanding locking pins, while the other strip is formed with a corresponding series of sockets for receiving the locking pins in locking relation. The strip with the lock ing pins is fixed, by means of plastic soldering, along the external border of one side of the mouth of a plastic envelope, with the locking pins perforating both borders of the envelope. To close and seal the envelope one simply has to fold the strip with the sockets around the hinge line and press the two strips together until the locking pins enter the sockets and ' become held. The envelope is then closed With the hinge line situated along the mouth of the envelope, preventing access thereto.
When the envelope is closed and sealed in this way it is no longer possible to open it without breaking the locking pins which, for preference, have weakened bases. Any unauthorized attempt to open the envelope results in the breakage of one or more locking pins, leaving a clear indication of violation or attempted violation. Normal, or authorised, opening of the envelope is carried A'~E~D~D SEE
Technical field The present invention relates to a device for closing and sealing envelopes and the like, especially plastic envelopes for the transport of confidential documents or for rapid delivery services such as courier and related services.
Background art Devices suitable for this use are well known, one example being that disclosed in Brazilian Patent PI 8903982-3 which describes and illustrates an elongated rectangular piece of plastic in the form of two parallel strips connected to each other along a narrow hinge line around which the strips can be folded over each other. One of the strips is formed along its length with a series of small upstanding locking pins, while the other strip is formed with a corresponding series of sockets for receiving the locking pins in locking relation. The strip with the lock ing pins is fixed, by means of plastic soldering, along the external border of one side of the mouth of a plastic envelope, with the locking pins perforating both borders of the envelope. To close and seal the envelope one simply has to fold the strip with the sockets around the hinge line and press the two strips together until the locking pins enter the sockets and ' become held. The envelope is then closed With the hinge line situated along the mouth of the envelope, preventing access thereto.
When the envelope is closed and sealed in this way it is no longer possible to open it without breaking the locking pins which, for preference, have weakened bases. Any unauthorized attempt to open the envelope results in the breakage of one or more locking pins, leaving a clear indication of violation or attempted violation. Normal, or authorised, opening of the envelope is carried A'~E~D~D SEE
out, not at the mouth end because it is difficult, but by cutting open the end opposite to the mouth with scissors, thus leaving the closure device intact for :G:ci i;S~cGilGn iG ~~icr!i y wYl:ci ic; Gr :Gi aCCc~~ i,_ i ~ ~: nici~~~c i'a~ ~Jc~fi gained by unauthorised persons.
A similar device is described in EP-A-0 323 706 which is an earlier version of the product disclosed in Brazilian patent PI 8903982-3. In that particular case, the hinge line is formed by a series of longitudinally separated transverses bridges between the strips.
Object of the invention The principal object of the present invention is to provide a device, of the type described above, which permits intentional opening of the envelope, via its mouth end, without the need to use scissors to cut it open, while at the same time allowing very simple and quick visual verification of whether or not the seal has been violated.
Summary of the invention According to the present invention a closure and seal device, for closing and sealing envelopes and the like, comprises first and second elongated strips of plastics material, foldable, one over the other, around a narrow longitudinal hinge line extending from a first end to a second end of the device, the first strip being formed with a series of locking pins distributed therealong, each locking pin having a weakened base, and the second strip being formed with a series of sockets adapted for receiving the locking pins in locking relation therein, in a closed and sealed configuration of the device.
The device is characterised in that, starting from said first end and along an initial minor extension of the hinge line, the latter is weakened with respect to the remaining major extension thereof so as to define an initial tear line, and that each of the first and second strips is provided with an appendage capable of being held between the fingers of the user whereby, in said closed and sealed configuration, when the user grips and pulls apart said appendages, the strips are torn apart along the tear line, breaking the the weakened bases of the locking pins.
;1;,~F~.v~~_J ~-_ _ The device according to the present invention can be applied to an envelope in a manner identical to that described in the background art.
However, it can be opened by voiding each of the appendGges and puiling them firmly away from each other, thereby initiating the tearing apart of the firvo strips, breakage of the locking pins at their weakened bases and the consequent opening of the envelope. In order t6o check whether or not the device has been violated it is simply necessary to inspect the base of each locking pin to see whether it has been broken cleanly or if someone put adhesive on it in order to hide an unauthorised opening of the envelope. This method of verification is facilitated when the bases of the locking pins are joined to the respective strip of the device by means of small radial bridges in orifices formed in the strip. In this case, inspection can be carried out by holding the strip up to the light in order to check that the orifices are empty with the bridges broken.
The appendage to be held between the fingers of the user may consist of a thin extension, starting from a point at the first end of the respective strip, adjacent to the hinge line. Preferably it is "L" shaped, the "L" being in the plane of its associated strip.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, a plastic envelope supplied with a closure and seal device, the envelope being provided with an opening having first and second superimposed edges and the closure and seal device being that described above, the first strip of the device being fixed externally to the first border of the opening with each locking pin penetrating aligned orifices formed in the first and second edges of the opening, the first and second strips having lengths substantially equal to the lengths of each edge along the mouth of the envelope.
Brief description of the draHrings A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in greater detail, merely by way of example, reference being made to the ac-:~r~.~~_ _..
WO 96/22922 PCTBR96l00004 companying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a closure and seal device for envelopes, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the device shown in figure 1 mounted on a plastic envelope in preparation for closing;
Figure 3 is a perspective view, similar. to that of figure 2, but with the envelope closed and sealed by the de vice according to the invention; and Figure 4 shows the envelope being opened with the strips of the closure and seal device being pulled apart by the appendages provided by the invention.
Detailed description of the invention The closure and seal device illustrated in figure 1 consists of a single piece 1 of molded polypropylene or simi-lar material. It comprises two elongated rectangular strips 2 and 3, connected to each other along a narrow hinge line 4 around which the strips can be folded, one upon the other.
Strips 2 and 3 are provided with rectangular apertures 5 along their lengths, for the purpose of economising on the material used in their construction.
Strip 2 is formed with a series of locking pins 6 distributed therealong. The base of each locking pin 6 is connected, adjacent to the edge of strip 2 furthest from hinge line 4, to the inner border of a corresponding orifice by means of four small bridges 7, thereby weakening the con-nection between the locking pin and the strip.
Strip 3 is formed with a corresponding series of sockets 8 distributed therealong, inside each one of which there is a locking formation cooperable with a corresponding locking pin 6. Thus, substantially as described and illus trated in the above mentioned Brazilian Patent Application PI
8903982-3, upon folding strips 2 and 3 around hinge line 4 and squeezing the outer sides of the strips together, locking pins 6 enter sockets 8 where they become held in locked relation.
In accordance with the present invention, a short length of hinge line 4, starting from one end, is weakened by means of a plurality of perforations 9. Along with this, the internal edge, i.e. the edge adjacent to hinge line 4, of each of strips 2 and 3 is formed at its end with a small "L" shaped appendage 10, in the plane of each respective strip, so that, by holding each appendage 10 between the fingers of each hand and pulling the appendages away from each other, piece 1 is easily torn down its middle along hinge line 4.
Figure 2 shows the device of figure 1 mounted at the mouth of a plastic envelope 11. Here, strip 2 is placed ex ternally of and along a first border of the mouth of envelope 11 with its transverse ends soldered thereto 12. Locking pins 6 on strip 2 penetrate orifices 13, in the first border, which are in registration with corresponding orifices 13 in a second border on the other side of envelope 11. The envelope is il-lustrated in its closed configuration in figure 3 wherein, starting from the configuration shown in figure 2, the front facing, second, border of the mouth of envelope 11 is placed against the first border so that locking pins 6 on strip 2 penetrate orifices 13, whereupon strip 3 is folded downwards until locking pins 6 enter, and become locked in, respective sockets 8.
Intentional or authorised opening of the envelope is illustrated in figure 4, which shows a user gripping append-ages 10 between his fingers and pulling them apart. This breaks the length along hinge line 4 weakened by perforations 9 and initiates the tearing of the closure and seal device along the entire length of hinge line 4, such that the small bridges 7, weakening locking pins 6, are broken leaving the pins themselves trapped in sockets 8. Once the envelope has been opened, visual inspection of strip 2 - by, for example, holding it up to the light - will show that all the orifices, in which locking pins 6 were held by bridges 7, are empty, that is that there was no attempt to violate the seal, with consequent prior breakage of one or more of the locking pins, camouflaged by the use of adhesive to clog the orifices.
It should be understood that the existence of a hinge line 4 weakened by perforations 9 and the provision of appendages 10 allows greater facility in the opening of envel-ope 11, without having to use scissors or the like to cut it open and without prejudicing the degree of security afforded by the sealing system.
The device 1 illustrated in the figures is the pre y ferred embodiment of this invention. However, other configura tions are possible within the same inventive concept, and it should be understood that changes to the specific sealing sys tem can be made, without going beyond the intended scope of this invention. Similarly, the shape of the appendages 10 can be modified, the "L" shape being only a preferred configura-tion, and the length along hinge line 4, weakened due to per-forations 9, can be varied as long as it is sufficient to begin the tear as illustrated in figure 4.
The scope of the invention should therefore be lim ited only by the terms and interpretation of the following claims.
A similar device is described in EP-A-0 323 706 which is an earlier version of the product disclosed in Brazilian patent PI 8903982-3. In that particular case, the hinge line is formed by a series of longitudinally separated transverses bridges between the strips.
Object of the invention The principal object of the present invention is to provide a device, of the type described above, which permits intentional opening of the envelope, via its mouth end, without the need to use scissors to cut it open, while at the same time allowing very simple and quick visual verification of whether or not the seal has been violated.
Summary of the invention According to the present invention a closure and seal device, for closing and sealing envelopes and the like, comprises first and second elongated strips of plastics material, foldable, one over the other, around a narrow longitudinal hinge line extending from a first end to a second end of the device, the first strip being formed with a series of locking pins distributed therealong, each locking pin having a weakened base, and the second strip being formed with a series of sockets adapted for receiving the locking pins in locking relation therein, in a closed and sealed configuration of the device.
The device is characterised in that, starting from said first end and along an initial minor extension of the hinge line, the latter is weakened with respect to the remaining major extension thereof so as to define an initial tear line, and that each of the first and second strips is provided with an appendage capable of being held between the fingers of the user whereby, in said closed and sealed configuration, when the user grips and pulls apart said appendages, the strips are torn apart along the tear line, breaking the the weakened bases of the locking pins.
;1;,~F~.v~~_J ~-_ _ The device according to the present invention can be applied to an envelope in a manner identical to that described in the background art.
However, it can be opened by voiding each of the appendGges and puiling them firmly away from each other, thereby initiating the tearing apart of the firvo strips, breakage of the locking pins at their weakened bases and the consequent opening of the envelope. In order t6o check whether or not the device has been violated it is simply necessary to inspect the base of each locking pin to see whether it has been broken cleanly or if someone put adhesive on it in order to hide an unauthorised opening of the envelope. This method of verification is facilitated when the bases of the locking pins are joined to the respective strip of the device by means of small radial bridges in orifices formed in the strip. In this case, inspection can be carried out by holding the strip up to the light in order to check that the orifices are empty with the bridges broken.
The appendage to be held between the fingers of the user may consist of a thin extension, starting from a point at the first end of the respective strip, adjacent to the hinge line. Preferably it is "L" shaped, the "L" being in the plane of its associated strip.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, a plastic envelope supplied with a closure and seal device, the envelope being provided with an opening having first and second superimposed edges and the closure and seal device being that described above, the first strip of the device being fixed externally to the first border of the opening with each locking pin penetrating aligned orifices formed in the first and second edges of the opening, the first and second strips having lengths substantially equal to the lengths of each edge along the mouth of the envelope.
Brief description of the draHrings A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in greater detail, merely by way of example, reference being made to the ac-:~r~.~~_ _..
WO 96/22922 PCTBR96l00004 companying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a closure and seal device for envelopes, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the device shown in figure 1 mounted on a plastic envelope in preparation for closing;
Figure 3 is a perspective view, similar. to that of figure 2, but with the envelope closed and sealed by the de vice according to the invention; and Figure 4 shows the envelope being opened with the strips of the closure and seal device being pulled apart by the appendages provided by the invention.
Detailed description of the invention The closure and seal device illustrated in figure 1 consists of a single piece 1 of molded polypropylene or simi-lar material. It comprises two elongated rectangular strips 2 and 3, connected to each other along a narrow hinge line 4 around which the strips can be folded, one upon the other.
Strips 2 and 3 are provided with rectangular apertures 5 along their lengths, for the purpose of economising on the material used in their construction.
Strip 2 is formed with a series of locking pins 6 distributed therealong. The base of each locking pin 6 is connected, adjacent to the edge of strip 2 furthest from hinge line 4, to the inner border of a corresponding orifice by means of four small bridges 7, thereby weakening the con-nection between the locking pin and the strip.
Strip 3 is formed with a corresponding series of sockets 8 distributed therealong, inside each one of which there is a locking formation cooperable with a corresponding locking pin 6. Thus, substantially as described and illus trated in the above mentioned Brazilian Patent Application PI
8903982-3, upon folding strips 2 and 3 around hinge line 4 and squeezing the outer sides of the strips together, locking pins 6 enter sockets 8 where they become held in locked relation.
In accordance with the present invention, a short length of hinge line 4, starting from one end, is weakened by means of a plurality of perforations 9. Along with this, the internal edge, i.e. the edge adjacent to hinge line 4, of each of strips 2 and 3 is formed at its end with a small "L" shaped appendage 10, in the plane of each respective strip, so that, by holding each appendage 10 between the fingers of each hand and pulling the appendages away from each other, piece 1 is easily torn down its middle along hinge line 4.
Figure 2 shows the device of figure 1 mounted at the mouth of a plastic envelope 11. Here, strip 2 is placed ex ternally of and along a first border of the mouth of envelope 11 with its transverse ends soldered thereto 12. Locking pins 6 on strip 2 penetrate orifices 13, in the first border, which are in registration with corresponding orifices 13 in a second border on the other side of envelope 11. The envelope is il-lustrated in its closed configuration in figure 3 wherein, starting from the configuration shown in figure 2, the front facing, second, border of the mouth of envelope 11 is placed against the first border so that locking pins 6 on strip 2 penetrate orifices 13, whereupon strip 3 is folded downwards until locking pins 6 enter, and become locked in, respective sockets 8.
Intentional or authorised opening of the envelope is illustrated in figure 4, which shows a user gripping append-ages 10 between his fingers and pulling them apart. This breaks the length along hinge line 4 weakened by perforations 9 and initiates the tearing of the closure and seal device along the entire length of hinge line 4, such that the small bridges 7, weakening locking pins 6, are broken leaving the pins themselves trapped in sockets 8. Once the envelope has been opened, visual inspection of strip 2 - by, for example, holding it up to the light - will show that all the orifices, in which locking pins 6 were held by bridges 7, are empty, that is that there was no attempt to violate the seal, with consequent prior breakage of one or more of the locking pins, camouflaged by the use of adhesive to clog the orifices.
It should be understood that the existence of a hinge line 4 weakened by perforations 9 and the provision of appendages 10 allows greater facility in the opening of envel-ope 11, without having to use scissors or the like to cut it open and without prejudicing the degree of security afforded by the sealing system.
The device 1 illustrated in the figures is the pre y ferred embodiment of this invention. However, other configura tions are possible within the same inventive concept, and it should be understood that changes to the specific sealing sys tem can be made, without going beyond the intended scope of this invention. Similarly, the shape of the appendages 10 can be modified, the "L" shape being only a preferred configura-tion, and the length along hinge line 4, weakened due to per-forations 9, can be varied as long as it is sufficient to begin the tear as illustrated in figure 4.
The scope of the invention should therefore be lim ited only by the terms and interpretation of the following claims.
Claims (8)
1. Closure and seal device, for closing and sealing envelopes and the like, comprising first and second elongated strips of plastics material, foldable, one over the other, around a narrow longitudinal hinge line extending from a first end to a second end of said device, said first strip being formed with a series of locking pins distributed therealong, each of said locking pins having a weakened base, and said second strip being formed with a series of sockets adapted for receiving said locking pins in locking relation therein in a closed and sealed configuration of the device, said device characterised in that, starting from said first end and along an initial minor extension (9) of said hinge line, said hinge line (4) is weakened with respect to the remaining major extension of said hinge line to define an initial tear line, and that each of said first and second strips (3,2) is provided with an appendage (10) capable of being held between the fingers of the user whereby, in said closed and sealed configuration, when the user grips and pulls apart said appendages (10), said strips (3,2) are torn apart along said tear line, breaking the said weakened bases (7) of the locking pins (6).
2. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that each said appendage (10) comprises a thin extension, adjacent to said hinge line (4), starting at said first end.
3. Device according to claim 2, characterised in that said thin extension (10) is "L" shaped and lies in the same plane as its associated strip (3,2).
4. Device according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that said weakened base of each of said locking pins comprises small radial connections (7) formed in an aperture in said first strip (3).
5. Plastic envelope provided with a closure and seal device, said envelope being formed with an opening having first and second superimposed edges and said closure and seal device comprising first and second elongated strips of plastics material of substantially the same length as said edges, said first strip being formed with a series of locking pins distributed therealong, each of said locking pins having a weakened base, and said first strip being fastened externally to said first edge of said opening with each of sale locking pins penetrating orifices in said first and second borders of said opening in the envelope, and said second strip being joined to said first strip along a narrow longitudinal hinge line extending from a first end to a second end of said device, around which said second strip is capable of being folded to be superimposed on said first strip with said edges of said envelope held therebetween, said second strip being formed along its length with a series of sockets adapted for receiving said locking pins in locking relation therein in a closed and sealed configuration of the envelope and device, characterised in that, starting from said first end and along an initial minor extension (9) of said hinge line (4), said hinge line (4) is weakened with respect to the remaining major extension of said hinge line to define an initial tear line, and that each of said first and second strips (3,2) is provided with an appendage (10) capable of being held between the fingers of the user whereby, in said closed and sealed configuration, when the user grips and pulls apart said appendages (10), said strips are torn apart along said tear line, breaking the said weakened bases (7) of the locking pins (6) and separating the edges of the opening of the envelope (11).
6. Envelope according to claim 5, characterised in that each said appendage comprises a thin extension (10), adjacent to said hinge line, starting at said first end.
7. Envelope according to claim 6, characterised in that said thin extension (10) is "L" shaped and lies in the same plane as its associated strip (3,2).
8. Envelope according to claim 5, 6 or 7, characterised in that said weakened base of each of said locking pins comprises small radial connections(7) formed in an aperture in said first strip (3).
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| BRPI9500348-7 | 1995-01-27 | ||
| BR9500348A BR9500348A (en) | 1995-01-27 | 1995-01-27 | Device for closing and sealing envelopes and the like and plastic envelope with the same |
| PCT/BR1996/000004 WO1996022922A1 (en) | 1995-01-27 | 1996-01-25 | Closure and seal device for sealing envelopes and plastic envelope supplied with the same |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2211819A1 CA2211819A1 (en) | 1996-08-01 |
| CA2211819C true CA2211819C (en) | 2006-04-04 |
Family
ID=36143265
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002211819A Expired - Lifetime CA2211819C (en) | 1995-01-27 | 1996-01-25 | Closure and seal device for sealing envelopes and plastic envelope supplied with the same |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2211819C (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN105151495A (en) * | 2015-10-13 | 2015-12-16 | 中国联合网络通信集团有限公司 | Anti-fake packaging bag |
-
1996
- 1996-01-25 CA CA002211819A patent/CA2211819C/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN105151495A (en) * | 2015-10-13 | 2015-12-16 | 中国联合网络通信集团有限公司 | Anti-fake packaging bag |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| CA2211819A1 (en) | 1996-08-01 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| MKEX | Expiry |
Effective date: 20160125 |