Tamper-evident bag seal and tamper-evident bags and methods
View Patent ↗A tamper-evident bag seal and tamper-evident bags and methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, the tamper-evident bag seal may be a paper or paperboard panel that folds over the handles of an existing bag and is secured to the sides of the bag. The tamper-evident bag seal includes a perforated fold, seam, or line along that is the mechanism for opening the bag and wherein the perforated fold, seam, or line is also the tamper-evident feature of the bag. In another embodiment, the tamper-evident bag includes a sealable flap for securing the bag in the closed state. In another embodiment, the tamper-evident bag includes a tear-away strip along the sealable flap that is the mechanism for opening the bag and wherein the tear-away strip is also the tamper-evident feature of the bag.
1. A tamper-evident bag seal comprising:
a body having a length and a width, the body comprising a first flap and a second flap with the first and second flaps each having a bag facing side and an outward facing side;
a perforated fold between the first flap and the second flap;
a handle opening provided along the perforated fold and between the first flap and the second flap, the handle opening configured for receiving handles of a bag therethrough;
a first adhesive strip on the bag facing side of the first flap and a second adhesive strip on the bag facing side of the second flap, the first and second adhesive strips configured to secure the respective first and second flaps to respective first and second sides of the bag, wherein in its manufactured state the first and second adhesive strips have a length that extends a distance that is longer than the length of the body of the tamper-evident seal such that a portion of the first and second adhesive strips extend beyond at least one end of the body of tamper-evident bag seal; and
wherein the bag facing side of the first flap is configured to be secured to a first side of a bag and the bag facing side of the second flap is configured to be secured to a second side of the bag with the handles of the bag extending through the handle opening between the first flap and the second flap.
2. The tamper-evident bag seal of claim 1 , wherein the perforated fold comprises at least one of a fold, a seam or a line that is perforated and operates a mechanism for opening a bag once the tamper-evident seal is secured on the first and second sides of the bag with the handles of the bag extending through the handle opening.
3. The tamper-evident bag seal of claim 2 , wherein the perforated fold comprises a tamper-evident feature.
4. The tamper-evident bag seal of claim 1 , wherein the first and second adhesive strips comprise double-sided tape.
5. The tamper-evident bag seal of claim 1 , wherein the portions of the first and second adhesive strips that extends beyond the ends of the body of the tamper-evident bag seal extend past the ends about 0.25 inches.
6. The tamper-evident bag seal of claim 1 , wherein the first flap comprises a fold about midway of the first flap and the second flap comprises a fold about midway of the second flap.
7. The tamper-evident bag seal of claim 1 , wherein the width and length of the body of the tamper-evident bag seal is such that when installed upon a bag to be sealed, the installed tamper evident bag seal covers an entire opening of the bag.