Tamper evident tape and sealed bag assembly for handled bags and method

Abstract

A tamper evident delivery bag assembly includes a first and second that each includes an upper section terminating at an upper edge of the first panel and an opposed upper edge of the second panel. The upper edges cooperate to define a bag opening into a content receiving region. The upper sections are movable between an opened condition and a closed condition, the closed condition where the upper edges are oriented in opposed, adjacent, relationship to one another. A handle is mounted to each upper section of the first and second panels, and each handle includes a pair of spaced-apart leg portions that are aligned adjacent one another when the upper sections are oriented in the closed condition. A single use closure tape is laterally mounted to the first panel upper section, and includes an upper lateral portion extending laterally above the first edge thereof in an unsealed condition. The tape upper lateral portion includes a pair of cutouts strategically aligned with the first leg portion of the first handle. The tape upper lateral portion can be folded over the second edge of the second panel such that an adhesive of the tape is brought into contact with the exterior surface of the second panel, substantially sealing the bag opening in a sealed condition. The leg portions of the handles are received through the cutouts of the tape.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tamper evident delivery bag comprising:
 a sheet-like first panel, an opposed sheet-like second panel, and a bottom gusset, each the first and second panel having an interior surface that faces the opposing panel and an exterior surface, each panel further including a top edge, the top edges of the first and second panels cooperating to at least partially define a bag opening into a content receiving region;   a first loop handle attached to or integrally formed with an upper section of the first panel, the first handle having spaced-apart first leg portions;   
       a second loop handle attached to or integrally formed with an upper section of the second panel, the second handle having spaced-apart second leg portions, wherein the first and second handles are configured to be collectively gripped at a location above the top edges of the first and second panels to facilitate carrying the tamper evident delivery bag;
 a sealing tape including a mounting portion, a closure portion, and an inner surface that includes inner surfaces of the mounting and closure portions, wherein (i) the inner surface of the mounting portion of the sealing tape is adhesively attached to an exterior surface of the first panel, and (ii) the closure portion of the closure tape includes two handle cutouts, each handle cutout being aligned with an associated one of the first handle leg portions thereby effectively defining three closure sections including a middle closure section positioned between the handle cutouts and side closure sections on opposite sides of the first loop handle, (iii) each of the closure sections extends beyond the top edge of the first panel and are configured to be folded over the top edge of the second panel; and (iv) a height of the middle closure section above the top edge of the panels is less than a loop height of the first and second handles such that the middle closure section can pass unobstructed through the first and second loop handles when folded over the top edge of the second panel; 
 a closure adhesive disposed on at least a portion of the inner surface of the closure portion of the sealing tape, the closure adhesive being a single use adhesive; and 
 a removable protective strip that covers the closure adhesive; and 
 wherein the sealing tape is positioned such that when the first protective strip is removed and the top edges of the first and second panels are aligned in a closed state, the closure sections of the sealing tape can be folded over the top edge of the second panel to bring the closure adhesive into contact with an upper portion of the second panel to thereby seal the paper delivery bag in a tamper evident manner. 
 
     
     
         2 . A tamper evident delivery bag as recited in  claim 1 , wherein
 the first leg portions of the first loop handle extend substantially in parallel upward from the top edge of the first panel and the second leg portions of the second loop handle extend substantially in parallel upward from the top edge of the second panel and the height of the middle closure section above the top edges of the first and second panels is less than a height of the substantially parallel first and second leg portions of the first and second loop handles above the top edges of the first and second panels.   
     
     
         3 . A tamper evident delivery bag as recited in  claim 1 . wherein
 the height of the middle closure section above the top edges of the first and second panels is sufficiently less than the loop height of the first and second loop handles and the handle cutouts are sufficiently wide such that the middle closure section will not contact either of the first or second loop handle when folded along a fold line parallel to the top edges of the first and second panels.   
     
     
         4 . A tamper evident delivery bag as recited in  claim 1 , wherein
 the height of the middle closure section above the top edges of the first and second panels is sufficiently less than the loop height of the first and second loop handles such that the middle closure section passes unobstructed through the loop handles when the middle  9 , closure section is folded over the top edge of the second panel to be adhered to the external surface of the second panel.   
     
     
         5 . A tamper evident delivery bag as recited in  claim 1 , wherein
 the height of the middle closure section is at least less than about ½ the loop height of the loop handles.   
     
     
         6 . A tamper evident delivery bag as recited in  claim 1 , wherein
 the sealing tape includes a plurality of scoring slits.   
     
     
         7 . A tamper evident delivery bag as recited in  claim 6 , wherein
 the scoring slits include at least one of letter-shaped slits and number-shaped slits.   
     
     
         8 . A tamper evident delivery bag as recited in  claim 1 , wherein
 the first and second loop handles are rope handles.   
     
     
         9 . A tamper evident delivery bag as recited in  claim 1 , wherein
 a height of the protective strip above the top edges of the first and second panels is less than the loop height of the loop handles.