TAMPER-EVIDENT BUBBLE WRAP

Abstract

A tamper-evident package comprises a bubble assembly defining at least one cavity; the opening of the at least one cavity is at least partially closed by a membrane; a sleeve is provided housing the bubble assembly; the sleeve has an upper side and a lower side; the lower side has a contact window aligned with the cavity; furthermore, a package integrity feature is applied to the lower side and covers the contact window; the package integrity feature is further applied to the membrane covering the cavity through the contact window.

Description

TAMPER-EVIDENT BUBBLE WRAP CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit with respect to U.S. application No. 62 / 935,446, filed on November 14, 2019, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. FIELD OF INVENTION This description relates to tamper-evident bubble wrap packaging and methods thereof. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Conventional product packaging, including food items and pharmaceuticals intended for ingestion, has historically involved considerations such as preventing physical damage to the product and maintaining it free from bacterial, chemical, or microbial contamination. More recently, packaged goods manufacturers have also considered the possibility of deliberate tampering with their product by a third party. Product tampering is a concern for all manufacturers due to the potential impact on product performance and, consequently, the manufacturer's reputation and goodwill, as well as the potential for injury to consumers. The challenges faced by those in the food and pharmaceutical industries, where products are ingested, are particularly acute.Contamination of food and medicine products with hazardous materials can have severe consequences. Therefore, it is desirable that retailers, consumers, and manufacturers have a method for determining whether packaging has been tampered with. In such cases, the product can be rejected, thereby reducing the likelihood of consuming a product that has been compromised. One such conventional method is described in patent no. EP0162378, assigned to Intini. Intini refers to a tamper-evident package with bubble wrap that is sealed between a front and back layer by means of openings created through the bubble wrap. In other words, the openings are formed through the bubble wrap to allow the front and back layers to bond together. APfrcnn / zznz / E / YiAi Despite such conventional packaging methods, the reality remains that malicious product tampering still occurs and can result in huge losses, e.g., lost sales and loss of consumer confidence. Therefore, the invention relates to a packaging system and method that provides a visual indication of product opening and, consequently, product tampering. The packaging system and method of the present invention is adaptable for use in a variety of environments and can be incorporated into various existing packaging devices with minimal effort. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION According to one embodiment, a tamper-evident bubble package is provided, comprising an assembly of bubbles defining at least one cavity. The opening of this at least one cavity is at least partially closed by a membrane. A sleeve housing the bubble assembly is also provided. The sleeve has an upper and a lower side, the lower side having a contact window aligned with the cavity. A packaging integrity feature is applied to the lower side, covering the contact window. This same integrity feature is also applied to the membrane covering the cavity through the contact window. In addition to one or more of the features described above, or alternatively, in additional modalities, the integrity feature of the packaging is a pressure-sensitive adhesive. In addition to one or more of the features described above, or alternatively, in additional modalities, the integrity feature of the packaging prevents the bubble assembly from being extracted laterally from the sleeve. In addition to one or more of the features described above, or alternatively, in additional modalities the integrity feature of the packaging is perforated and circumferentially delimits the contact window of the sleeve. In addition to one or more of the features described above, or alternatively, additional features include distinctive marks of origin or manufacture printed on the packaging integrity feature and contact window. In addition to one or more of the characteristics described above, or alternatively, in additional modalities the membrane is a sheet of metal, plastic, or cardboard. In addition to one or more of the features described above, or alternatively, in additional modalities the cavity contains a pill. RPfrcnn / zznz / E / YiAi In addition to one or more of the features described above, or alternatively, in additional embodiments, the sleeve further comprises an access window aligned with the cavity on the upper side of the sleeve to allow pressure dispensing of the tablet through the contact window. In addition to one or more of the features described above, or alternatively, in additional modalities the contact window is of sufficient size to allow the pill to pass through it. In addition to one or more of the features described above, or alternatively, in additional modalities the pressure-sensitive adhesive is permanent. In addition to one or more of the features described above, or alternatively, in additional modalities, the pressure-sensitive adhesive includes an elastomer and an adherent. In addition to one or more of the characteristics described above, or alternatively, in additional modalities, the elastomer is a natural rubber, vinyl ether, acrylic, butyl rubber, styrene block copolymer, silicone, or nitrile. In addition to one or more of the characteristics described above, or alternatively, in additional modalities the adherent is a terpene, aromatic resin or hydrogenated hydrocarbon. According to another embodiment, a tamper-evident bubble package is provided comprising an assembly of bubbles that defines at least one cavity for housing a tablet. A sleeve is also provided that houses the bubble assembly; the sleeve includes a lower side that defines a contact window vertically aligned with the cavity. Furthermore, a packaging integrity feature is applied over the contact window, and, through the contact window, the packaging integrity feature is also applied to an area of ​​the bubble assembly that defines the cavity. In addition to one or more of the features described above, or alternatively, in additional modalities, the integrity feature of the packaging is a pressure-sensitive adhesive. In addition to one or more of the features described above, or alternatively, in additional modalities, the integrity feature of the packaging prevents the bubble assembly from being extracted laterally from the sleeve. In addition to one or more of the features described above, or alternatively, in additional modalities the integrity feature of the packaging is perforated and circumferentially delimits the contact window of the sleeve. In addition to one or more of the features described above, or alternatively, additional features include distinctive marks of origin or manufacture printed on the packaging integrity feature and contact window. RPfrcnn / zznz / E / YiAi In addition to one or more of the features described above, or alternatively, in additional embodiments, the sleeve further comprises an access window aligned with the cavity on the upper side of the sleeve to allow pressure dispensing of the tablet through the contact window. In addition to one or more of the features described above, or alternatively, in additional modalities the pressure-sensitive adhesive is permanent. In addition to one or more of the features described above, or alternatively, in additional modalities, the pressure-sensitive adhesive includes an elastomer and an adherent. In addition to one or more of the characteristics described above, or alternatively, in additional modalities, the elastomer is a natural rubber, vinyl ether, acrylic, butyl rubber, styrene block copolymer, silicone, or nitrite. In addition to one or more of the characteristics described above, or alternatively, in additional modalities the adherent is terpene, aromatic resin, hydrogenated hydrocarbon resin or phenol terpene resin. According to yet another embodiment, a method is provided for manufacturing a tamper-evident bubble wrap package comprising a bubble assembly that defines at least one cavity, the opening of which is at least partially closed by a membrane. The bubble assembly is encased in a sleeve, which has a top and a bottom side. The bottom side has a contact window aligned with the cavity. A packaging integrity feature is applied to the bottom side, covering the contact window, and to the membrane covering the cavity through the contact window. In addition to one or more of the features described above, or alternatively, in additional modalities, the integrity feature of the packaging is a pressure-sensitive adhesive. In addition to one or more of the features described above, or alternatively, in additional modalities, the integrity feature of the packaging prevents the bubble assembly from being extracted laterally from the sleeve. In addition to one or more of the features described above, or alternatively, additional modalities include perforating the integrity feature of the packaging and circumferentially delimiting the contact window of the sleeve. In addition to one or more of the features described above, or alternatively, additional modalities include printing distinctive origin or manufacturing marks on the container integrity feature and contact window. According to yet another embodiment, a method is provided for manufacturing a tamper-evident bubble wrap package comprising providing a set of RPfrcnn / zznz / E / YiAi bubbles defining at least one cavity to house a tablet and housing the bubble assembly in a sleeve, the sleeve including a lower side defining a contact window that is vertically aligned with the cavity. In addition, a container integrity feature is applied over the contact window and, through the contact window, the container integrity feature is also applied to an area of ​​the bubble assembly that defines the cavity. In addition to one or more of the features described above, or alternatively, in additional modalities, the integrity feature of the packaging is a pressure-sensitive adhesive. In addition to one or more of the features described above, or alternatively, in additional modalities, the integrity feature of the packaging prevents the bubble assembly from being extracted laterally from the sleeve. In addition to one or more of the features described above, or alternatively, additional modalities include perforating the integrity feature of the packaging and circumferentially delimiting the contact window of the sleeve. In addition to one or more of the features described above, or alternatively, additional modalities include printing distinctive origin or manufacturing marks on the container integrity feature and contact window. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES The accompanying figures incorporated in and forming part of this specification illustrate various aspects of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the figures: Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating a front face of the tamper-evident bubble wrap according to a modality; Figure 2 is a plan view illustrating a back face of the tamper-evident bubble wrap packaging having pressure-sensitive adhesive applied along with a distinctive mark of origin or manufacture according to a modality; Figure 3 is a plan view illustrating a back face of the tamper-evident bubble wrap packaging in a handling state according to a modality; Figure 4 is a plan view illustrating a front face of the tamper-evident bubble wrap packaging with user pressure being applied to the cavity to dispense the pill through the access window according to a modality; Figure 5 is a plan view illustrating a rear side of the tamper-evident bubble wrap packaging in a tamper-evident state, with the bubble assembly removed from the sleeve according to a modality; and RPfrcnn / zznz / E / YiAi Figure 6 is a side section view illustrating the tamper-evident bubble wrap packaging according to a modality. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The following description will detail specific embodiments that provide improvements for tamper-evident / integrity packaging and methods where, in one embodiment, a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is heat-bonded to the lining material of the bubble cavity and / or compartment through a contact window provided in the sleeve. The contact window is provided with an opening sufficient to allow any product and / or tablet in the bubble cavity to be released. The pressure-sensitive adhesive layer may optionally be perforated, generally vertically aligned with the contact window. With reference to the figures, Figures 1-5 depict a tamper-evident bubble package 1 having a sleeve 3 with an upper side 3A and a lower side 3B. The package 1 houses an assembly of bubbles 12 with a cavity 7 containing a consumable product or pill 9. The pill 9 can be any food product, such as chewing gum or another confectionery or pharmaceutical pill, as desired. The sleeve 3 may have cutouts 13 on the lower side 3B to allow easy reach and access to the bubble assembly 12. One or more access windows 5 may also be provided to allow user interaction by pressure or finger force to dispense the pill 9 from the cavity 7.User access and interaction with the tablet 9 in the bubble assembly 12 can be achieved by pressure or other means applied directly to the top side 3A via visual location cues such as slots or delimitations provided in the sleeve 3. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the contact window 21 is provided on the underside 3B of the sleeve 3 directly above, and vertically aligned with, at least one of the bubble cavities 7. The contact window 21 is aligned opposite the access window 5 and has an opening wide enough to allow the tablet 9 to be dispensed from cavity 7. Once the product / tablet 9 has been packed into cavity 7 of the bubble assembly 12, the bubble assembly 12 is slidably inserted into the sleeve 3, where the contact window 21 is vertically aligned with any one of the bubble cavities 7. The cavity 7 may be surrounded by a membrane or covering material 19, such as a metal foil, plastic, or cardboard. Multiple contact windows 21 may be created in the sleeve 3 as desired. After that, a packaging integrity feature 15 (e.g., pressure-sensitive adhesive layer) is applied to the underside 3B of the sleeve 3 over the contact window 21. This adhesive layer 15 is then bonded to both the sleeve 3 and the coating material 19. RPfrcnn / zznz / E / YiAi the bubble cavity 7 through the contact window 21, joining the sleeve 3 and the bubble assembly 12 (through the coating material 19). The adhesive layer 15 can be provided over a substantial portion of the lower side 3B of the sleeve 3, or it can be more closely configured, e.g., only over the contact window 21. Note that improvements to the tamper-evident packaging 1 of the present invention can be achieved by adhering the pressure-sensitive adhesive 15 directly to the cavity 7 of the sleeve 3, without the use of a membrane 19, whereas the pellet packaging 9 does not further require such use of a membrane 19. In such a configuration, the adhesive layer 15 would directly join the sleeve 3 and the bubble assembly 12. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 2 and 3 below, the contact window 21 is optionally covered by distinctive origin or manufacturing marks 17, e.g., a UPC label. These distinctive marks 17 would allow visual detection of a broken seal and prevent the item from being purchased (i.e., it could not be scanned at the checkout). Alternatively, the distinctive marks 17 could also include additional features to indicate that the item was manufactured by the original manufacturer and is not counterfeit. The adhesive layer 15 can be formed by an elastomer and a bonding agent. The elastomer can be a material such as, but not limited to, natural rubber, vinyl ether, acrylic, butyl rubber, styrene block copolymer, silicone, or nitrile. The bonding agent can be a material such as, but not limited to, terpene, aromatic resin, hydrogenated hydrocarbon resin, or phenol terpene resin. The adhesive layer 15 can be permanent or temporary. As can be seen in Figures 4 and 5, the pressure exerted by the user on the access window 5 to dispense the pellet 9 through the bubble cavity 7, as well as the sliding / removal of the bubble assembly 12, compromises the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 15, providing distinctive tamper marks. As shown, the contact window 21 on the underside 3B of the sleeve 3 is shown with the optional perforated (open) adhesive layer 15, creating a cleaner appearance when the user accesses it. In other words, perforating the adhesive layer 15 would generally delimit the periphery of the contact window 21. Also, once broken, the optionally printed distinctive origin or manufacturing marks 17 (e.g., UPC label) provide further indications of tampering or prior access to the product / pellet 9. With reference to Figure 6, a side section view of the tamper-evident bubble packaging 1 of the present invention is shown. The packaging 1 has a sleeve 3 with an upper side 3A and a lower side 3B, with a sliding bubble assembly 12 provided therein. The assembly 12 further includes a cavity 7 that houses a tablet 9, as desired. The sleeve 3 also provides an access window 5 that allows the user to dispense the tablet 9 from the cavity 7 by applying pressure or finger pressure. RPfrcnn / zznz / E / YiAi Referring to Figure 6, the contact window 21 is provided on the underside 3B of the sleeve 3 directly above, and vertically aligned with, at least one of the bubble cavities 7. The contact window 21 has an opening wide enough to allow the pellet 9 to be dispensed from cavity 7. As can be seen, the bubble assembly 12 is slidably inserted into the sleeve 3, where the contact window 21 is vertically aligned with any one of the bubble cavities 7. The cavity 7 may be surrounded by an optional membrane or coating material (not shown). Multiple contact windows 21 can be created in the sleeve 3 as desired. As shown, a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 15 is applied to the lower side 3B of the sleeve 3 over the contact window 21. This adhesive layer 15 is then bonded to the sleeve 3 of the bubble cavity 7 through the contact window 21, joining the sleeve 3 and the bubble assembly 12. The adhesive layer 15 can be provided over a substantial portion of the lower side 3B of the sleeve 3, or it can be more narrowly configured, e.g., only over the contact window 21. All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents cited in this description, are hereby incorporated as references to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated for inclusion as a reference and expressed in full in this description. The use of the terms "one" and "the," as well as similar referents in the context of the description of the invention (especially in the context of the claims that follow), should be interpreted to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by the context. The terms "comprising," "having," "including," and "containing" should be interpreted as open terms (i.e., meaning "including," "among others") unless otherwise indicated. Mention of ranges of values ​​in the description is intended only as a shorthand method for referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the description as if it were mentioned individually herein.All methods described herein may be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly inconsistent with the context. The use of any examples or illustrative language (e.g., such as) herein is intended solely for clarity of the invention and does not impose any limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. Nothing in the specification should be construed as indicating any element not claimed as essential to carrying out the invention. RPfrcnn / zznz / E / YiAi This description outlines preferred embodiments of the invention, including the best means known to the inventors for carrying it out. Variations from these preferred embodiments may be apparent to those skilled in the art after reading the preceding description. The inventors expect that those skilled in the art will use these variations as they deem appropriate and further intend that the invention may be carried out in any manner other than that specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and subject-matter equivalents of the appended claims permitted by applicable law.Furthermore, the invention encompasses any combination of the elements described above in all possible variations thereof, unless otherwise indicated in the present description or otherwise clearly contradictory to the context.

Claims

1. A tamper-evident bubble-type package comprising: a bubble assembly defining at least one cavity, the opening of the at least one cavity being at least partially closed by a membrane; a sleeve housing the bubble assembly, the sleeve having an upper side and a lower side, the lower side having a contact window aligned with the cavity; a package integrity feature applied to the lower side and covering the contact window; and wherein the package integrity feature is further applied to the membrane covering the cavity through the contact window.

2. The container according to claim 1, further characterized in that the integrity feature of the container is a pressure-sensitive adhesive.

3. The container according to claim 1, further characterized in that the integrity feature of the container prevents the bubble assembly from being extracted laterally from the sleeve. 4 - The container according to claim 1, further characterized in that the integrity feature of the container is perforated and circumferentially delimits the contact window of the sleeve.

5. The container according to claim 1, further characterized in that it additionally comprises distinctive marks of origin or manufacture printed on the integrity feature of the container, and the contact window. 6 - The container according to claim 1, further characterized in that the cavity includes a tablet and the sleeve further comprises an access window aligned with the cavity on the upper side of the sleeve to allow dispensing of the tablet by pressure through the contact window.

7. The container according to claim 6, further characterized in that the contact window is of sufficient size to allow the tablet to pass through it.

8. A tamper-evident bubble package comprising: a bubble assembly defining at least one cavity for housing a tablet; a sleeve housing the bubble assembly, the sleeve including a lower side defining a contact window that is vertically aligned with the cavity; a package integrity feature applied over the contact window; and wherein, through the contact window, the package integrity feature is further applied to an area of ​​the bubble assembly defining the cavity. RPfrcnn / zznz / E / YiAi 9. The container according to claim 8, further characterized in that the integrity feature of the container is a pressure-sensitive adhesive.

10. The container according to claim 8, further characterized in that the integrity feature of the container prevents the bubble assembly from being extracted laterally from the sleeve.

11. The container according to claim 8, further characterized in that the integrity feature of the container is perforated and circumferentially delimits the contact window of the sleeve.

12. The container according to claim 8, further characterized in that it additionally comprises distinctive marks of origin or manufacture printed on the integrity feature of the container, and the contact window.

13. The container according to claim 8, further characterized in that the sleeve also comprises an access window aligned with the cavity on the upper side of the sleeve to allow dispensing of the tablet by pressure through the contact window.

14. A method for manufacturing a tamper-evident bubble wrap comprising: providing a bubble assembly defining at least one cavity, the opening of the at least one cavity being at least partially closed by a membrane; housing the bubble assembly in a sleeve, the sleeve having an upper side and a lower side, the lower side having a contact window that is aligned with the cavity; applying a packaging integrity feature to the lower side and covering the contact window; and applying the packaging integrity feature to the membrane covering the cavity through the contact window. 15.- The method according to claim 14, further characterized in that the integrity feature of the container is a pressure-sensitive adhesive.

16. The method according to claim 14, further characterized in that the integrity feature of the container prevents the bubble assembly from being extracted laterally from the sleeve.

17. The method according to claim 14, further characterized in that it additionally comprises the act of piercing the integrity feature of the container and circumferentially delimiting the contact window of the sleeve.

18. The method according to claim 14, further characterized in that it additionally comprises the act of printing distinctive marks of origin or manufacture on the integrity feature of the container, and the contact window.

19. A method for manufacturing a tamper-evident bubble wrap comprising: providing an assembly of bubbles defining at least one cavity for housing a tablet; housing the bubble assembly in a sleeve, the sleeve including a lower side defining a contact window that is vertically aligned with the cavity; applying a packaging integrity feature over the contact window; and wherein, through the contact window, the packaging integrity feature is further applied to an area of ​​the bubble assembly defining the cavity. 5 20. The method according to claim 19, further characterized in that the integrity feature of the container is a pressure-sensitive adhesive.

21. The method according to claim 19, further characterized in that the integrity feature of the container prevents the bubble assembly from being extracted laterally from the sleeve. 10 22. The method according to claim 19, further characterized in that it additionally comprises the act of piercing the integrity feature of the container and circumferentially delimiting the contact window of the sleeve.

23. The method according to claim 19, further characterized in that it additionally comprises the act of printing distinctive marks of origin or manufacture on the 15 integrity feature of the container, and the contact window.

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