Flexible bags – With closure – Including securing element designed to extend through...
Patent
1997-07-17
1999-07-20
Pascua, Jes F.
Flexible bags
With closure
Including securing element designed to extend through...
24 305R, 383 5, 383 79, 383200, B65D 3316
Patent
active
059247975
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
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 locking 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 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 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.
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 holding each of the appendages and pulling them firmly away from each other, thereby initiating the tearing apart of the two strips, breakage of the locking pins at their
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patent: 1542561 (1925-06-01), Laskin et al.
patent: 2843309 (1958-07-01), Wheeler
patent: 3727829 (1973-04-01), Huni
patent: 4042267 (1977-08-01), Clinch et al.
patent: 4983047 (1991-01-01), Netto
patent: 5600978 (1997-02-01), Netto
ELC Produtos de Seguranca Industria E Comercio LTDA
Hylton Robin A.
Pascua Jes F.
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