DESC:FORM 2

THE PATENTS ACT, 1970

(39 of 1970)

&

THE PATENT RULES, 2003

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

[See Section 10 and Rule 13]

TITLE:

“¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬TAMPER EVIDENT BLEEDING TAPE”

APPLICANT:

MANIPAL TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
A company registered under Indian Companies Act, 1956 having address at
Press corner, Manipal-576104, Karnataka, India

PREAMBLE TO THE DESCRIPTION:
The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be informed:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a tamper evident bleeding tape acting as a thermal, chemical and manual tampering indicator. More particularly, the invention provides a multi-layered tape, which shows visible signs of tampering by exuding bleeding ink, providing visual indications of tampering.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Tampering involves the deliberate altering or adulteration of information, a product, a package, or system. Solutions may involve all phases of product production, distribution, logistics, sale, and use. No single solution can be considered as "tamper proof". Often multiple levels of security are provided to reduce the risk of tampering. Some considerations might include: improving the tamper resistance by making tampering more difficult, time-consuming, and adding more tamper-evident features to help indicate the existence of tampering.
Most of the times the time available for tampering are particularly limited, particularly during transit. Anyone intending to tamper with tamper-evident-protected goods, valuables, cash and confidential documents generally only has a window of opportunity of a few minutes before discovery is likely. This makes it both difficult and unlikely that they will have time to open the packaging, examine or remove the items, and restore the packaging to its original un-tampered condition.
For sealed packages and containers, it is essential to determine if the package or container has been opened, to ensure reliability and authenticity of the product. Laminates, such as labels based on films and paper, may be used to indicate tampering with a package or container. Tamper-evident design is perhaps most visible in the process of product packaging and labelling. Further, there is a major problem if the number of boxes to be inspected is very large, as careful examination may lead to wastage of several man hours.
Tertiary packages (CFB) while in shipment are tampered by cutting the BOPP sealing tape with cutting devices like blade and knife. The purpose is to alter the original product with a counterfeit product or to steal the original product.
There are various ways of tampering a label from Box:
Simply by peeling off the label- The easiest method of all, but is most likely to damage the label;
By Heat Treatment -Usually most of the labels available on the packages have hot melt pressure sensitive adhesive. Hot melt pressure sensitive adhesives usually soften at 80-100 degree centigrade. Heat gun is the simplest tool to remove label from the box without any indication of tampering; and
By solvent Treatment- Adhesive are easily removed by using solvents like Heptane and Toluene. These solvents are used to remove label and they will paste the same label once they are through with tampering.
One of the innovative ideas to stop tampering is by using bleeding ink; these inks are encapsulated in between polymeric Film layers to contain and maintain its consistency. However, the major drawback of such products is their synthetic nature and also its toxic nature that limit it. In such assembly, the ink is preferably colourless that reacts with adhesive present in BOPP tape consisting of acrylic base, for coloured reaction, that indicates tampering. Therefore, if the BOPP tape comprising of acrylic solution is removed either by chemical reaction or replacing with hot melt BOPP tape, then the tape remains ineffective. Such tapes, although may not drip ink but there are evidences of volatile chemical formulation that shall affect edible substances and may be toxic.
GB2280402 discloses a tape which includes a first film, a second film, a first adhesive layer disposed between the first and second films and adhering the films in face to face relationship, the first adhesive layer including at least one blister containing a dye, wherein removal of the tape from a surface or tampering with the tape causes a blister to rupture and dye to stain the surface. The major drawback of the present approach is that it is limited to only manual or physical tampering attempts. Hence, the approach is unresponsive to other tampering attempts including thermal tampering, chemical tampering, etc.
US 20150255009 A1 discloses a tamper-evident laminate comprising a dye layer, face layer, and adhesive adjoined with liner having release coating displaced upon the face of liner that is adjacent to adhesive. The film may be adhered to tape sealing a package and, in the event that additional tape is subsequently added above the laminate, then the inventive film will develop a color. The color may indicate that additional tape was added, which may be used to signal potential tampering with the package. The major limitation of the tamper evident laminate is that the approach is limited to physical tampering attempts and hence would be unable to indicate the other incidents of tampering preferably, a thermal tampering. Furthermore, the approach needs further development in order to provide a versatile, effective and a cleaner anti-tampering approach.
Therefore, there is a need for tamper evident boxes that can relay clear and prominent signs of tampering without careful or minute examination, which is non-toxic and natural to increase it usability and make it cost effective.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
The main object of the invention is to provide a tamper evident bleeding tape acting as a thermal, chemical and manual tampering indicator. More particularly, the invention provides a multi-layered tape, which shows visible signs of tampering by exuding bleeding ink thereby providing visual indications of tampering.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a multi-layered tamper evident bleeding tape comprising of first layer, second layer, third layer, fourth layer, and fifth layer having front and back surface.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a multi-layered tamper evident bleeding tape wherein the first layer is a porous substrate, preferably a paper or porous polymeric films.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide first layer acting as a face layer and reversely printed with at least one tamper evident message like “tampered”, “void”, “opened” or any other customized message.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a multi-layered tamper evident bleeding tape wherein the second layer act as a hiding layer and possess heat sealing and hiding properties.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a multi-layered tamper evident bleeding tape wherein the third layer is a heat sealable metalized film possessing heat sealing as well as hiding properties.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a multi-layered tamper evident bleeding tape wherein the fourth layer is an adhesive layer.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a multi-layered tamper evident tape wherein the fifth layer acts as a release liner.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a multi-layered tamper evident bleeding tape wherein the bleeding ink is sandwiched between the second layer and third layer.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a multi-layered tamper evident bleeding tape wherein the second layer and third layer sandwiching the bleeding ink are laminated by using some suitable adhesive or by heat sealing.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a multi-layered tamper evident bleeding tape wherein the preferred laminate is in the form of a pouch which is sealed from all the sides and contains invisible bleeding ink.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a multi-layered tamper evident bleeding tape that is responsive to thermal tampering evidences.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a tamper evident bleeding tape which is preferably natural, non-toxic and hence very economically implemented.
Yet another object of the invention is to print label with some special coating which shall alter color permanently when these solvents are applied on the label.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a tamper evident bleeding tape acting as a thermal, chemical and manual tampering indicator. More particularly, the invention provides a multi-layered tape, which shows visible signs of tampering by exuding bleeding ink which shows visible signs of tampering by exuding bleeding ink thereby providing visual indications of tampering.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a multilayered tampered evident bleeding tape (hereinafter, bleeding tape) capable of providing of visual indications of thermal and manual tampering attempts. The bleeding tape comprises of a top first layer printed with at least one thermo-chromic reactive ink; a second layer and a third layer, acting as impermeable layers encapsulating a bleeding ink; a bottom adhesive layer attaching the third layer at one side and a surface on the other side; and optionally a removable release liner layer to protect the adhesive layer, when not in use.
In yet another embodiment, the first layer acts as a face layer having a front opaque surface and a back surface. Preferably, the face layer is a porous substrate like paper or porous polymeric film having a top opaque surface. The back surface is printed with at least one invisible indicator. The thermo chromic ink is invisible at the normal temperature and becomes visible on thermal exposure, temperature ranging from 60-120 ºC. The thermo-chromic printing of the hidden message makes the film responsive to thermal tampering. The hidden message can be any text or character that serves as an indication for a tampering attempt. Preferably, the hidden message may be “void”; “opened”; “tampered”; any other suitable indications.
The bleeding ink is encapsulated within the second and third layers forming an encapsulated structure. The encapsulation is done using suitable techniques preferably, heat sealing and suitable adhesives. The layer or film conducive to thermal manipulation to adapt it for encapsulating the bleeding ink or to form bleeding ink filled laminated structure used in the proposed invention. In preferred embodiment, the second and third layer can be a laminate of metalized film, PE and PP, heat sealable metalized film, white or black pigmented PE film having both heat sealing as well as hiding properties.
In another embodiment, many embodiments of the present invention may be possible by substituting film layer materials. For example, the first and second layer can be eliminated/replaced with suitable PE coated paper.
In a preferred embodiment, the act of manual tampering involves any attempt that cause physical damage to the bleeding tape for a purpose of removing the tape from a package or container or any surface where it is applied. For e.g., if a person attempts to open the package by cutting the bleeding tape using a cutting tool, such attempt shall disrupt the encapsulated enclosure containing bleeding ink and diffuses the face layer. Therefore, the bleeding tape, the bleeding ink comes in contact with the face layer as a result, the stained portion of the face layer will appear transparent and the invisible printed message transforms into a visible state that is legible to an observer from the top.
As far as application of the bleeding tape is concerned, the bleeding tape may be applied by removing the release liner layer by sufficiently laminating it using a conventional transparent BOPP tape, to provide a better protection to a package, container, or any surface requires protection from tampering. Furthermore, the application of the bleeding tape on a surface is independent to a BOPP tape.
The present invention is proposed as a solution against tampering of banking and aviation security, medical packaging seals, electronic goods protection, and protection of a variety of paper and plastic bags, boxes and cartons, and customized designs. The solution is a cut evident label comprising of a laminated construction including paper, a bleeding ink, film, adhesive and liner.
The preferred ink is of high viscosity vegetable oil which is inherently green and a cost effective solution than printing varnishes. Food grade varnishes can be used as a solution for bleeding. Oil and varnish can be colored or colorless, both options may be implemented. The bleeding ink is formulated to resist drying, for prolonged storage under harsh conditions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A complete understanding of the system and method of the present invention may be obtained by reference to the following drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the bleeding tape attached on a packaging box, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the tamper evident bleeding tape elucidating the incidence of bleeding on a manual tampering attempt.
FIG. 3 is another perspective view of the multilayered tape, encapsulating the bleeding ink in between the second and third layer.
FIG. 4 shows the arrangement pattern of all the layers of the tamper evident bleeding tape according to the preferred embodiment of present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiment set forth herein. Rather, the embodiment is provided so that this disclosure will be thorough, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

Referring to FIG. 1, a perspective view of the bleeding tape attached on a packaging box, is elucidated. In this embodiment, the bleeding tape (103) attached to the closing surfaces of the packaging box (101). For better application of the bleeding tape of to protect the closing surfaces, a conventional transparent BOPP tape (102) is applied by longitudinally laminating the bleeding tape and closing surfaces of the packaging box (101).
Referring to FIG. 2, is another perspective view of the tamper evident bleeding tape elucidating the incidence of bleeding on a manual tampering attempt is provided. In this embodiment, the bleeding tape is attempted to remove from the packaging box, by physically damaging the configuration of the bleeding tape using a cutting tool preferably, a cutter. It is shown that any manual tampering attempt would damage the underlying bleeding ink containing laminated structure and that would cause bleeding ink to stain the face layer by making it slightly transparent and transforming the hidden printed message (not in figure) to a visible state that is accessible to an observer from the top of face layer.
Referring to FIG. 3, the bleeding ink (203) is encapsulated between the second layer (202) and third layer (204). The face layer (201) is disposed on the second layer (202) with a face-to-face relationship. Similarly, the third layer (204), fourth layer (205) and fifth layer (206) are attached together in a face to face relationship.
FIG. 4 elucidates the arrangement pattern of the tamper evident bleeding tape according to the preferred embodiment of present invention, wherein the multi-layer tape comprises of first film (201), second film (202), third film (204) fourth film (205) and fifth film (206), having front and back surface. The bleeding ink (203) sandwiched between second film (202) and third film (204), colored /colorless ink coated at specific spot on second film (204).
In yet another embodiment the invention provides a multi-layered tamper evident bleeding tape with a print label having thermochromic ink, which at normal temperature is colorless but once the temperature around 60-120 ºC is applied, it changes color permanently, showing the indication of thermal tempering.
As explained above, the bleeding tape according to the proposed invention is responsive to thermal and manual tampering attempts and clearly shows visible indications of thermal and manual tampering, whatever is the case. As used herein, the thermal tampering means any act of removing the bleeding tape by exposing the face layer to thermal energy. In preferred embodiment, the thermal energy may be applied by any device capable of generating heat preferably, a heating gun. Upon thermal exposure, the thermochromic ink printed hidden message transformed to a visible state. ,CLAIMS:CLAIMS
We claim:
1. A tamper evident bleeding tape comprising:
a first layer, located on top having a front and a back surface;
a second and a third layer, located under the first layer, fused together to create an encapsulation by thermal treatment for storing a bleeding ink;
a fourth layer, located under the third layer providing an adhesive surface for attachment to a packaging; and
a fifth layer, acting as a release liner for the fourth layer;
wherein:
the first layer is an opaque surface printed with at least one invisible indicator on the back surface; and
the bleeding ink diffuses towards a punctured area and interacts with at least one invisible indicators on the back surface allowing at least one invisible indicators to become transparent and hence visible on the opaque surface.

2. The tamper evident bleeding tape as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first layer is preferably any porous substrate, including a paper, or a porous polymeric film or a combination of paper and polymer.

3. The tamper evident bleeding tape as claimed in claim 1, wherein the invisible indicators are printed on the opaque surface of the face layer using suitable printing process like flexography, screen printing, using a thermochromic ink, which is transparent at room temperature.

4. The tamper evident bleeding tape as claimed in claim 1, wherein the invisible indicators printed on the opaque surface shall become visible.
5. The tamper evident bleeding tape as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bleeding tape is provided in form of closed pouch or packet.

6. The tamper evident bleeding tape, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thermo-chromic ink transformed to the colored state when exposed to a temperature in the range of 60-120 ºC.

7. A method for detecting tampering via bleeding tape, the steps comprising of:

affixing a first top layer, having a front opaque surface and a back surface, the first top layer is printed with atleast one invisible indicator;
incorporating a thermally fused second and a third layer to create an encapsulation for a bleeding ink;
affixing a fourth bottom layer, acting as an adhesive layer; and
optionally adding a fifth layer, acting as a release liner;

wherein:

puncturing the capsule with the bleeding ink disrupts the laminated structure and causes the bleeding ink to diffuse towards the puncture, allowing the bleeding ink to be absorbed by the first top layer and reacts with the at least one invisible indicator on the back surface allowing at least one invisible indicators to become transparent and hence visible on the opaque surface.

8. The tamper evident bleeding tape as claimed in claim 1, wherein the invisible indicators are printed on the opaque surface of the face layer using suitable printing process like flexography, screen printing, that become transparent on reaction to the thermo-chromic ink.

9. The tamper evident bleeding tape as claimed in claim 1, wherein the invisible indicators printed on the opaque surface shall become visible.