CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present invention is an addition to Indian Patent Application 201641001475 filed on January 14, 2016, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by way of reference.
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. Even other adhesives like solvent acrylic and water based PSA also loses its bond strength when heat is applied directly on to the surface of tape or label. 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 colour. The colour 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 packaging 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 wherein a readable pre-printed message in form of code can be converted to non-readable code with exuded ink when an attempt of tampering occurs by cutting

the tape, as a result the exuded ink covers the printed code and make it non-readable with any readers and scanners available.
Another object of the invention is to provide a tamper evident bleeding tape printed with customized machine readable code, 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, bleeding ink, third layer, fourth layer, fifth layer and sixth layer, each such layer having a front and a 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 with printed customized machine readable code.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a multi-layered tamper evident bleeding tape wherein the second layer and third layer may be a laminate of clear film with heat sealing properties.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a multi-layered tamper evident bleeding tape wherein the second layer and third layer may be a single layer polymeric film which may be coloured or transparent depending on the requirement with heat sealing properties.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a multi-layered tamper evident bleeding tape wherein the second and third layer are heat sealable metalized films 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 a paper layer or polymeric film layer.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a multi-layered tamper evident tape wherein the fifth layer is a pressure sensitive adhesive layer.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a multi-layered tamper evident tape wherein the sixth 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 first layer and second layer.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a multi-layered tamper evident bleeding tape wherein the first layer and second 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.
Still another object of the invention is to print label printed with customized machine readable code with some special coating which shall alter colour 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 printed with customized machine readable code, which shows visible signs of tampering by exuding bleeding ink and making the machine readable code almost non-readable 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 tamper 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 a machine readable code using 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 i.e. fifth layer attaching the fourth layer at one side and a sixth layer on the other side; wherein the sixth layer is 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 printed with customized machine readable code and a back surface. Preferably, the face layer is a porous substrate like paper or porous polymeric film having a top opaque surface. The bleeding ink is a thermo-chromic ink which is invisible at the normal temperature and becomes visible on thermal exposure, temperature ranging from 60-120ºC. The thermo-chromic ink i.e. bleeding ink is responsive to thermal tampering. The customized machine readable code includes but not limited to a bar code, QR code or any other printed art-work acting as an authentication means.
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 present 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, in the bleeding tape, the bleeding ink comes in contact with the face layer as a result, the stained portion of the face layer will get mixed with the printed machine readable code and transforms into a state that is not legible to an observer as well as any machine code scanner.
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 water base varnishes can be used as a solution for bleeding. Oil and varnish can be coloured or colourless, 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 or label 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 a perspective view of the bleeding tape (103) or label attached on a packaging box (101);
Fig. 4 is another perspective view of the tamper evident bleeding tape elucidating the incidence of bleeding according to the preferred embodiment of present invention;
Fig. 5(a) and 5(b) shows the arrangement of bleeding tape over packaging box according to the preferred embodiment of present invention; and
Fig. 6 elucidates the arrangement various layers of the tamper evident bleeding tape according to the preferred embodiment of present invention.
Fig. 7 and 8 elucidate die cutting patterns on the tamper evident bleeding tape according to the preferred embodiment of the 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 or label attached on a packaging box, is elucidated. In this embodiment, the bleeding tape (103) is attached to the closing surfaces of the packaging box (101). The tape is printed with customized machine readable code which contains product related information. For better application of the bleeding tape 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 (103) is attempted to remove from the packaging box (101), by physically damaging the configuration of the bleeding tape (103) 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 machine readable code almost non-readable with machine readable code reader/scanner. The bleeding ink may have same colour as of printed barcode as well as any other dark coloured ink can be used.
Referring to Fig. 3, a perspective view of the bleeding tape (103) or label attached on a packaging box (101), is elucidated. In this embodiment, the bleeding tape (103) attached to the closing surfaces of the packaging box (101). The tape is printed with customized QR code which contains product related information. For better application of the bleeding tape 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. 4, is another perspective view of the tamper evident bleeding tape (103) elucidating the incidence of bleeding on a manual tampering attempt is provided. In this embodiment, the bleeding tape (103) is attempted to remove from the packaging box (101), by physically damaging the configuration of the bleeding tape (103) using a cutting tool preferably, a cutter. It is shown that any manual tampering attempt would damage the underlying bleeding ink (203)

containing laminated structure and that would cause bleeding ink (203) to cause stain (104) on the face layer (201) by making QR code almost non-readable with reader/scanner. The bleeding ink (203) may have same colour as of printed barcode as well as any other dark coloured ink can be used.The present invention is applicable to other forms/variation of QR codes and other printed variable data codes.
Referring to Fig. 5(a) shows an arrangement of affixing bleeding tape (103) over the packaging box (101) in which the bleeding tape (103) is affixed over the BOPP tape on the closure surface of packaging box (101). Referring to Fig. 5(b) elucidates an arrangement of affixing bleeding tape (103) over the packaging box (101) in which the bleeding tape (103) is affixed on the closure surface of the packaging box (101) and a BOPP tape is applied over the bleeding tape (103).
Fig. 6 shows the arrangement various layers of the tamper evident bleeding tape according to the preferred embodiment of present invention, wherein the multi¬layer tape comprises of first layer (201), second layer (202), bleeding ink (203), third layer (204), fourth layer (205), fifth layer (206) and sixth layer (207). The bleeding ink (203) is coated on third layer (204) by a printing process such as screen printing or by dripping coloured/colourless ink at specific spot on third layer (204). The bleeding ink (203) is encapsulated between the second layer (202) and third layer (204) by using an adhesive or by heating. The first layer (201) is the face layer with a back surface which is paper printed or metallised and a front surface which is opaque white. The fourth layer (205) is a paper or porous film. The fifth layer (206) is a heat sensitive adhesive and sixth layer (207) is a liner which acts as a protective layer for the adhesive on the fifth layer (206) during the time not in use.
In both the arrangements shown in Fig. 5(a) and 5(b), as soon as a tampering takes place by any means such as heating, cutting, peeling or solvent application, the bleeding ink (203) stains the first layer (201) and makes the customized

machine readable code almost non-readable with any machine readable code reader/scanner.
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 colourless but once the temperature around 60-120ºC is applied, it changes colour permanently, showing the indication of thermal tempering. Also, the bleeding tape is applied with a coating that changes the colour permanently if a solvent such as heptane or toluene is applied for tampering.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the bleeding tape (103) in addition is having die cut pattern such that in case of peeling for tampering the bleeding tape (103) is ripped into pieces. For die cutting, the perimeter of each bleeding tape (103) is cut by a sharp metal die or laser beam such that the liner layer i.e. sixth layer (207) is not penetrated.
Fig. 7 and 8 show two possible die cutting patterns on the bleeding tape (103) to make the bleeding tape (103) almost non-peelable without tear in normal conditions. The die cut pattern is a random pattern are created onto the bleeding tape (103) which make it impossible to peel the tape without losing its integrity and hence shows clear evidence of tampering in normal condition without applying heat or solvent.
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 which is normally transparent changes its colour and stains the bleeding tape (103) turning the machine readable code into non-readable form by any machine readable code

scanner. Similarly, the bleeding tape (103) gets ripped off completely while peeling for tampering due to the die cutting pattern.
Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention set forth herein will readily occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

CLAIMS We claim:
1. A tamper evident bleeding tape (103) comprising:
a first layer (201), located on top having a front and a back surface;
a second layer (202) located under the first layer (201);
a third layer (204) located under the second layer (202) and fused together to create an encapsulation for storing a bleeding ink (203);
a fourth layer (205), located under the third layer (204);
a fifth layer (206) is a coating of a adhesive; and
a sixth layer (207) acting as a release liner for the fifth layer (206);
wherein:
the first layer (201) is an opaque surface printed with at least one machine
readable code on the front surface;
said tamper evident bleeding tape is having die cutting and rips off upon peeling and turns the machine readable code into unreadable form from machine readable code scanners; and
the bleeding ink (202) stains the front surface of the first layer (201) upon tempering and turns the machine readable code into unreadable form from machine readable code scanners.
2. The tamper evident bleeding tape (103) 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 (103) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the machine readable code is printed on the front surface of the first layer (201) using suitable printing process like flexography, screen printing.

4. The tamper evident bleeding tape (103) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the machine readable code printed on the front surface of the first layer (201) includes but not limited to a bar code, QR code or any other printed art work as authentication means.
5. The tamper evident bleeding tape (103) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bleeding tape (103) is provided in form of closed pouch or packet.
6. The tamper evident bleeding tape (103) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bleeding ink (203) is a thermochromic ink that transforms to a colored state when exposed to a temperature in the range of 60-120ºC.
7. A method for manufacturing a bleeding tape (103), comprising the steps of:
affixing a first layer (201) having an opaque front surface and a back surface, the front surface printed with atleast one machine readable code;
incorporating a second layer (203) below the first layer (201);
affixing a third layer (204) below the second layer (202) to create an encapsulation for a bleeding ink (203);
incorporating a fourth layer (205) below the third layer (204);
coating a fifth layer (206) below the fourth layer (205) acting as an adhesive layer; and
adding a sixth layer (207), acting as a release liner;
wherein:
tampering the bleeding tape (103) with the bleeding ink (203) tampers the encapsulation and causes the bleeding ink (203) to stain the front surface of first layer (201) allowing the bleeding ink (203) to be absorbed by the first layer (201) and transform the machine readable code into unreadable form with a machine readable code scanner; and

tampering the bleeding tape (103) with a die cut pattern tampers the bleeding tape (103) to rip off and transform the machine readable code into unreadable form with a machine readable code scanner.
8. The tamper evident bleeding tape (103) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the machine readable code is printed on the front surface of the first layer (201) using suitable printing process like flexography, screen printing.
9. The tamper evident bleeding tape (103) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bleeding ink (203) is a thermochromic ink that transforms to a colored state when exposed to a temperature in the range of 60-120ºC.
10. The tamper evident bleeding tape (103) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second layer (202) below the third layer (204) is thermally fused to create an encapsulation.
11. The tamper evident bleeding tape (103) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the die cut pattern is a random pattern cut using a sharp metal die or laser beam.