Teartape

Abstract

A teartape ( 10 ) comprises a base film ( 12 ) of monoaxially oriented polypropylene, having on an upper side thereof a coating ( 14 ) of release agent, and having on a lower side thereof a coating of pressure sensitive adhesive ( 16 ). A printed image ( 18 ), in particular a fiscal indicium, is formed on the base film ( 12 ), which image extends substantially for the full width of the tape ( 10 ). A stripe ( 20 ) is printed on the base film ( 12 ), which stripe is narrower than the tape ( 10 ). The base film, adhesive ( 16 ) and release layer ( 14 ) are transparent so that the image ( 18 ) and strip ( 20 ) may be viewed through the tape. The image ( 10 ) is preferably complex and multicoloured, so as to be difficult to reproduce by a would-be counterfeiter.

1 . A method of applying fiscal indicia to articles, the method comprising enclosing at least a portion of an article with filmic packaging material and a tear tape, wherein the tear tape comprises a base film of oriented thermoplastics material having a coating of pressure sensitive adhesive on one side of the film and having a coating of release agent on an opposed side of the film, and wherein the tear tape carries a fiscal indicium thereon.  
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the method comprises bringing together the portion of tear tape and a portion of filmic packaging material, causing the portion of tear tape to adhere to the portion of filmic packaging material, causing the tear tape and packaging material to register with an article to be wrapped, so that the fiscal indicium will occupy a predetermined location in relation to the wrapped article, and wrapping the article.  
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 2  wherein the tape has a registration mark which is used to register the tape and packaging material with the article.  
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 2  or  3  comprising wrapping at least a portion of an article in a sheet of filmic packaging material.  
     
     
         5 . A method according to any of  claims 2  to  4  comprising wrapping at least a portion of an article in a heat shrinkable sleeve of filmic packaging material.  
     
     
         6 . A tear tape comprising a base film of oriented thermoplastics material having a coating of pressure sensitive adhesive on one side of the film and having a coating of release agent on an opposed side of the film, the tape being provided with visual indicia thereon, including at least a plurality of discrete elements.  
     
     
         7 . A tear tape according to  claim 6  wherein the discrete elements are spaced evenly along the length of the tear tape.  
     
     
         8 . A tear tape according to  claim 6  or  claim 7  wherein the discrete elements comprise printed images.  
     
     
         9 . A tear tape according to any of  claims 6  to  8  wherein the discrete elements comprise embossed images.  
     
     
         10 . A tear tape according to any of  claims 6  to  9  wherein the discreteelements comprise holographic images.  
     
     
         11 . A tear tape according to any of  claims 6  to  10  wherein the discrete elements comprise etched images.  
     
     
         12 . A tear tape according to any of  claims 6  to  11  including a registration mark for registering the tape, and any packaging material to which it is adhered, with an article to be wrapped.  
     
     
         13 . A tear tape according to any of  claims 6  to  12  wherein the discrete elements each include a unique printed identification code.  
     
     
         14 . A method of manufacturing a tear tape, the method comprising forming discrete images on a base film of oriented thermoplastics material, coating one side of the base film with a pressure sensitive adhesive composition and coating an opposed side of the base film with release agent.  
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 14  wherein the discrete images are formed by printing onto the base film.  
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 14  or  claim 15  wherein the discrete images are formed by embossing a layer of lacquer on the base film.  
     
     
         17 . A method according to any of  claims 14  to  16  wherein the images are formed as holograms.  
     
     
         18 . A method according to any of  claims 14  to  17  wherein the images are formed by depositing a layer of material on the base film and etching the layer to remove part of it.  
     
     
         19 . A method according to any of  claims 14  to  18  comprising a method of manufacturing a tear tape bearing a series of discrete fiscal indicia.