Secure package edge

Abstract

An improved secure package and method for producing a secure package each provide for the impression, or deformation, of opposing first and second panels regions together to define a plurality of raised impressions. The raised impressions may define at least an edge portion or the entirety of an enclosed region of the package within which items of value may be contained. The plurality of raised impressions yield an edge portion in which the first panel and second panel may not be separated, e.g. in conjunction with fraudulent tampering, without causing readily detectable damage to the edge portion. The arrangement is particularly apt for implementation in a secure transaction card packages in which a transaction card is located within the enclosed region of a package at a point-of-sale location.

1 . A secure package, comprising:
 a first panel; and,   a second panel disposed in opposing relation to said first panel, wherein said first panel and second panel define at least a portion of an enclosed region therebetween, and wherein said first panel and said second panel are impressed together to define a plurality of raised impressions adjoining said first and second panel along at least an edge portion of the enclosed region.   
     
     
         2 . A secure package as recited in  claim 1 , wherein separation of said first and second panels along said plurality of raised impression to access said transaction card visibly alters at least one of the first and second panels. 
     
     
         3 . A secure package as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of raised impressions extend along and adjacent to at least a first peripheral edge portion of said package. 
     
     
         4 . A secure package as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said plurality of raised impressions extend along and adjacent to a plurality of peripheral edge portions of said package. 
     
     
         5 . A secure package as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said plurality of raised impressions extend along and adjacent to an entire periphery of said package. 
     
     
         6 . A secure package as recited in  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a separable portion for selectively accessing said enclosed region.   
     
     
         7 . A secure package as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said separable portion includes at least one of:
 a perforated panel portion; and   a pull strip panel portion.   
     
     
         8 . A secure package as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said separable portion comprises:
 a plurality of perforations formed in at least one of said first panel and said second panel, wherein said plurality of perforations define a separable portion in said at least one of the first panel and the second panel, and wherein said separable portion is manually manipulatable for separating said at least one of said first panel and said second panel to provide selective access to said enclosed region.   
     
     
         9 . A secure package as recited in  claim 8 , wherein said plurality of perforations extend along and adjacent to said first peripheral edge portion with said plurality of raised impressions therebetween. 
     
     
         10 . A secure package as recited in  claim 8 , wherein said plurality of perforations comprise:
 a first plurality of perforations formed in said first panel; and,   a second plurality of perforations formed in said second panel in opposing aligned relation to said first plurality of perforations, wherein said plurality of raised impressions define an adjoinment region between said aligned first and second pluralities of perforations and said first peripheral edge portion of said package, and wherein said adjoinment region is selectively removable along said first and second pluralities of perforations to define an edge opening to access said enclosed region.   
     
     
         11 . A secure package as recited in  claim 3 , further comprising:
 an adhesive disposed between and interconnecting peripheral edge regions of said first and second panels.   
     
     
         12 . A secure package as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said first and second panels are integrally interconnected along a second peripheral edge portion. 
     
     
         13 . A secure package as recited in  claim 12 , wherein an adhesive is disposed between said first and second panels along at least some of said plurality of raised impressions. 
     
     
         14 . A secure package as recited in  claim 12 , wherein said first peripheral edge portion and said second peripheral edge portion are disposed in substantially parallel relation. 
     
     
         15 . A secure package as recited in  claim 14 , further comprising:
 at least a first flap integrally interconnected to one of said first panel and said second panel along a first end region thereof and folded over at least a portion of said transaction card within said enclosed region.   
     
     
         16 . A secure package as recited in  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a second flap integrally interconnected to said one of the first panel and the second panel along a second end region thereof and folded over at least a portion of the transaction card within said enclosed region.   
     
     
         17 . A secure package as recited in  claim 16 , further comprising:
 an adhesive region disposed between and interconnecting said transaction card to said one of the first panel and the second panel.   
     
     
         18 . A secure package as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of raised impressions comprises:
 a first plurality of impressions projecting from a first side of the secure card package.   
     
     
         19 . A secure package as recited in  claim 18 , wherein said plurality of raised impressions further comprises:
 a second plurality of impressions projecting from a second side of the secure package.   
     
     
         20 . A transaction card package as recited in  claim 19 , wherein said first plurality of impressions and said second plurality of impressions are disposed in alternating offset relation to one another. 
     
     
         21 . A transaction card package as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a transaction card disposed within said enclosed region.   
     
     
         22 . A secure package as recited in  claim 21 , further comprising:
 a machine-readable marking disposed on an outside surface of one of the first panel and the second panel, said machine-readable marking being readable for activation in conjunction with a sale of the secure card package at a point-of-sale location.   
     
     
         23 . A secure package as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of raised impressions are arranged in a predetermined pattern. 
     
     
         24 . A secure package as recited in  claim 23 , wherein each of said plurality of raised impressions is one of a plurality predetermined configurations selected from a group comprising:
 geometric configurations;   alphabetic configuration; and,   numeric configuration.   
     
     
         25 - 37 . (canceled)