Tamper evident unit dose packaging

Abstract

A tamper resistant unit dose pouch having a first and second opposing panel sealed together along two peripheral sides and the bottom side. A flap having adhesive is used to seal the top portion of the pouch. When sealed, the pouch provides a moisture resistant unit dose packaging solution.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tamper resistant pouch comprising:
 a front panel having inner and outer surfaces defined by a bottom edge, two side edges and a top edge;   a back panel having inner and outer surfaces defined by a bottom edge, two side edges and a top edge, wherein the distance from the top edge to the bottom edge of the back panel is greater than the distance from the top edge to the bottom edge of the front panel, thereby defining a flap extending beyond the top edge of the front panel when the inner surfaces and bottom edges of the front and back panels are in registration;   a seal, whereby the bottom edge and two side edges of the back panel are each respectively joined to the bottom edge and two side edges of the front panel;   a fold line extending across the flap of the back panel at an x-distance above the top edge of the front panel;   an adhesive applied across the inner surface of the back panel and extending from the top edge of the back panel to a y-distance above the fold line; and   a tear indicator formed in each of the two sides.   
     
     
         2 . The tamper resistant pouch of  claim 1 , wherein the x-distance is greater than the y-distance. 
     
     
         3 . The tamper resistant pouch of  claim 2 , wherein the x-distance is less than half of a flap length, wherein the flap length is defined by the distance between the top edge of the back panel and the top edge of the front panel. 
     
     
         4 . The tamper resistant pouch of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive is a pressure-sensitive adhesive. 
     
     
         5 . The tamper resistant pouch of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the front panel and the back panel comprise a layered material. 
     
     
         6 . The tamper resistant pouch of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the front panel and the back panel comprise a paper/poly/foil/poly layered material. 
     
     
         7 . The tamper resistant pouch of  claim 5 , wherein the layered material comprises:
 a polyvinylidene chloride layer;   a polyethylene terephthalate layer; and   a linear low density polyethylene layer.   
     
     
         8 . The tamper resistant pouch of  claim 1 , wherein the front panel comprises a paper/poly/foil/poly layered material, and wherein the paper layer is the outer surface of the front panel. 
     
     
         9 . The tamper resistant pouch of  claim 8 , wherein the adhesive comprises a minimum bond strength greater than a tear-resistance strength of the paper layer. 
     
     
         10 . The tamper resistant pouch of  claim 1 , wherein the fold line comprises a perforated line. 
     
     
         11 . The tamper resistant pouch of  claim 1 , wherein each tear indicator is a notch extending inwardly from the corresponding side edge and into, but not through, the seal. 
     
     
         12 . The tamper resistant pouch of  claim 11 , wherein each tear indicator is positioned in close proximity to the top edge of the flap when folded at the fold line. 
     
     
         13 . A tamper resistant pouch comprising:
 a front panel comprising a plurality of layers and having inner and outer surfaces defined by a bottom edge, two side edges and a top edge;   a back panel comprising multiple layers and having inner and outer surfaces defined by a bottom edge, two side edges and a top edge, wherein the distance from the top edge to the bottom edge of the back panel is greater than the distance from the top edge to the bottom edge of the front panel, thereby defining a flap extending beyond the top edge of the front panel when the inner surfaces and bottom edges of the front and back panels are in registration;   a seal, whereby the bottom edge and two side edges of the back panel are each respectively joined to the bottom edge and two side edges of the front panel;   a perforated line extending across the flap of the back panel at an x-distance above the top edge of the front panel;   a pressure-sensitive adhesive applied across the inner surface of the back panel and extending from the top edge of the back panel to a y-distance above the fold line; and   a tear indicator formed in each of the two sides and positioned in close proximity to the top edge of the flap when folded at the fold line.   
     
     
         14 . The tamper resistant pouch of  claim 13 , wherein the front panel comprises a paper/poly/foil/poly layered material, and wherein the paper layer is the outer surface of the front panel. 
     
     
         15 . The tamper resistant pouch of  claim 14 , wherein the x-distance is greater than the y-distance. 
     
     
         16 . The tamper resistant pouch of  claim 15 , wherein the x-distance is less than half of a flap length, wherein the flap length is defined by the distance between the top edge of the back panel and the top edge of the front panel. 
     
     
         17 . The tamper resistant pouch of  claim 16 , wherein the adhesive comprises a minimum bond strength greater than a tear-resistance strength of the paper layer. 
     
     
         18 . The tamper resistant pouch of  claim 17 , wherein each tear indicator is a notch extending inwardly from the corresponding side edge and into, but not through, the seal.