Reclosable Bag Header with Tearable Flap for Tamper Evidence
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Solution Overview
Problem
Reclosable bags lack a tamper-evident feature that allows access to the closure without damaging the bag or leaving adhesive residue, compromising the bag's usability after the seal is removed.
Innovation Solution
A reclosable bag design featuring a header with a covering flap and removable panel, including zones of weakness that allow controlled tearing to access the closure without damaging the bag, ensuring the bag remains usable after tampering evidence is revealed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an adhesive seal is placed over the reclosable closure to prevent using the closure without first breaking the seal, then tamper evidence is provided, but the bag may be damaged or adhesive residue is left on the closure affecting operation after seal removal
Solution Approach 1:
The header is divided into a covering flap and a removable panel separated by a separation line. The covering flap can be removed from the header body without damaging the closure, allowing tamper evidence to be provided while preserving closure functionality. The separation line enables clean separation of components.
Solution Approach 2:
The covering flap is extracted as a separate removable component from the header body. This allows the covering flap to be removed and discarded after providing tamper evidence, while the header body and closure remain intact and functional for continued use.
2Ease of operation
If the covering flap is made easily removable from the header, then access to closure is facilitated, but the bag body and covering flap may tear through the zone of weakness when removed from header pack
Solution Approach 1:
The zone of weakness is strategically positioned in the covering flap at a location spaced apart from the separation line. This local weakening allows easy removal of the covering flap from the header body while preventing tearing of the covering flap when the bag is removed from the header pack. The separation line provides a different tearing path for bag removal.
3Strength
If the separation line is made strong to prevent tearing, then bag integrity is maintained, but the covering flap cannot be easily removed from the header
Solution Approach 1:
The header is segmented into a covering flap and a removable panel separated by a separation line. This segmentation allows the separation line to be designed with specific tear strength characteristics that enable easy removal of the covering flap while maintaining bag integrity during normal use.
Solution Approach 2:
The tear strength parameter of the separation line is optimized to be lower than the covering flap material strength. This parameter change allows the separation line to fail first during covering flap removal, enabling easy access to the closure while maintaining the strength of the bag body and covering flap during normal operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A bag has a bag body that defines an interior and opening. A reclosable closure is configured for repeatably and nondestructively closing and opening the opening. A covering flap is connected to the bag body, extends away from the bag opening, and has a zone of weakness. The covering flap can be attached to the bag body while covering the closure. To access the closure, the covering flap is torn along its zone of weakness. The bag can also have a removable panel, which can be attached to the removable panels of other bags to form a header pack. The bag body and covering flap can be removed from the header pack by being torn along another zone of weakness between the covering flap and removable panel that has a lower tear strength that the zone of weakness of the covering flap.