DESC:DESCRIPTION

The following specification describes the nature of this invention:-
[002] Technical field of invention: Disclosed is a novel form of envelope and pouches which are reusable and still tamper-evident and duplication-evident. These envelopes are sealed by security labels and on each reuse only security labels are changed rather than whole envelope. Motivation for this invention is two fold, first being ‘cost optimization by reusability’ and second is ‘environment friendliness’. A useful security label that can be used along with kind of design is disclosed in US patent application number US 13/590,871 in preferred embodiment .This invention can be exercised with other known security labels as well.

Background & Prior-art:
[003] One time usable tamper-evident envelopes are widely used in vaulting / logistics / confidential shipment industry, which is sealed after removing the protective liner on adhesive layer which is typically on closing flap of envelope. Any attempt to open the envelope results in tearing of envelope and thus it indicates tampering. These envelopes can also have unique serial numbers. But there are certain technical shortcoming necessitating new invention. For example same serial number can be replicated on duplicate envelopes and then it leaves no relevance for tamper-evidence. Further even for tamper-evidence to work, adhesive liners has to be removed and flap is to sealed and there is no way to remotely assert that flap has been indeed sealed and not just fixed by transparent tapes only to tamper later and then seal the flap appropriately to hide tampering. Thus it requires trusted parties to do sealing of flap at point-of-origin.

[004] Similarly for tamper-evidence there are known labels (tamper-evident stickers) which on tampering leaves residual imprint/marks on surface indicting tampering. But there are multiple known workarounds that can be exercised by insiders/outsiders both. Some of them can be as simple as covering with another identical labels making detection impossible. Labels should create their unique credential only when applied and change their credential once reused for highest level of security and a enabling invention has been disclosed in US 13/590,871.
[005] These labels are single point technology for both anti-counterfeiting and tamper-evidence and hence they can extend tamper-evidence and duplication-evidence in security envelopes.

Summary of invention
[006] This invention can be exercised in multiple embodiments ranging from document envelopes, pouches and sacks manufactured from different materials depending on use-case. For sake of clarity only envelope/pouch embodiment is described as all embodiments are based on same inventive concept.
[007] Tamper-evident envelopes are sealed by pressure sensitive adhesive after removing the protective liner on flap of envelope. In proposed embodiment, adhesive sealing is not necessary and envelope is sealed by a external security label . To open the envelope security label is cut and same envelope can be reused with new security label.
Brief description of drawings:
[008] The invention described herein is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the accompanying figures. For simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements illustrated in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some elements may be exaggerated relative to other elements for clarity.
[009] Block Diagram 1: Block diagram of tamper-evident envelope, which is known as prior-art with pressure sensitive adhesive protected by release liner typically on closing flap
[0010] Block Diagram 2: Block diagram of new tamper-evident envelope without adhesive sealing in opened condition showing two plates one on closing flap and another on body.
[0011] Block Diagram 3: Block diagram of new tamper-evident envelope with flap closed and envelope sealed by security label with both plates interlocked to prevent lifting of plate from sides
[0012] Block Diagram 4: Block diagram of new tamper-evident envelope with flap closed and envelope sealed by two security labels on both sides without requiring interlocking
Detailed description of invention:
[0013] Prior-art exists in form of envelope as shown in Fig.1, wherein typically closing flap has pressure sensitive adhesive layer protected by release liner. After removing release liner the flap can be pressed on body on envelope and thus envelope is sealed.
[0014] Proposed improved reusable envelope has two plates as shown in Fig.2 . One plate (002) is on closing flap and another on body of envelope. On sealing these plates get interlocked so that unless security label is cut/removed, plates cannot be lifted from sides. Fig 2 shows a projected rectangular portion (003) in one plate (002) that slide-in the cavity 9004) inside another plate . There can be various methods of interlocking like press-lock/click-open and many others and a person with ordinary skill in art can anticipate those. Plates can be of any suitable material that extends a flat surface for easy scanning of labels in envelopes otherwise having flexible surface. On one of plate (or anywhere else) of envelope unique identification number (005) can be put such that during scanning this number becomes index for security credential auto-acquired by label as disclosed in US 13/590,871. Also if two labels are used on both with two plates as shown in Fig. 4 , interlocking feature might not be necessary. With one label, it is preferred that these plates need to be interlocked to prevent tampering from sides. Security label seals the joining edge of both plates. One purpose of plates is also to extend a flat surface for scanning of security label as otherwise flexible surface of envelopes which might require careful scanning of security labels by semi-skilled person.
[0015] As US 13/590,871 discloses the label will auto-acquire its unique credential upon application. Invention described in US 13/590,871 has not been described in this application. A appropriate computing device can scan the unique credential and store in a remote database indexed with unique number of envelope for subsequent authentication. Label can be cut and new label can be applied for reusing the envelope for next application.
[0016] There can be multiple other embodiments and those obvious derivations are not shown in order to avoid obscurity. Example-sake plate can be embedded on other side of closing flap as well and in that case flap is to be rotated and then both plates get interlocked. In one embodiment, one still can have adhesive based sealing and additionally use security label to make envelope duplication-evident.
Business Process enablement:
[0017] Reusable envelope with tamper-evidence and duplication-evidence will enable escort envelope concept wherein end-customer asset with its packaging is placed inside and delivered under protection of tamper-evident and duplication-evident escort envelope. At point-of-delivery the scanning proves that shipment is not tampered and data/time/location of verification is recorded in database. Label is cut and envelope is opened and customer shipment along with its packaging is delivered and the reusable envelope is taken back to delivery hub of Logistics Company and that can be reused to escort the next customer shipment originating form that hub. Similarly it can be reused in vaulting application as well. This business process can even be exercised with carton boxes. This way the logistics/vaulting service provider can make their services more transparent. Scope of investigation for disputes about tampering is only limited to only point-of-packaging and point-of-delivery. This also helps in faster and conclusive settlement of insurance claims and better customer satisfaction.
,CLAIMS:I Claim:
1. A security envelope wherein, closing flap is sealed by using special security labels that can be scanned by using an appropriate computing device towards tamper-detection and envelope becomes duplication-evidence due to unique credential auto-acquired by label exactly at time of application envelope and envelope remains reusable with new label.

2. Envelope as claimed in claim 1, having two plates and envelope is sealed interlocking or joining those two plates together and joining edge is sealed by using external security label by applying it on flat surface extended by plates on otherwise flexible surface of envelopes.

3. Envelope as claimed in claim , is sealed by using more than one label and at-least two of labels are on both extreme of sealing edge of envelope flap.

4. A method of using security envelope, the method comprising:
used as escort carrier and secondary packaging for packaged asset placed inside;
its security credential can be scanned and verified by a computing device during delivery;
after scanning the packaged asset is delivered; and
envelope is reused for new asset with new labels.