Pull-tab tamper evident container
AssigneeSmart-Tab, LLC
InventorsTerry Vovan, Jane Vovan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention relates to a plastic container having a tamper evident lid and methods therefor, and particularly to a plastic container having a two-component pull-tab attached to part of the lid at its edge which is used to pull the lid off the container, where the pull-tab has a frangible break line where the act of pulling the pull-tab breaks an outer section away from an inner locked down tab, and once the frangible section is broken, provides evidence that the container was opened, since both parts of the pull-tab are now separated and the outer one bent upwards at an angle.
Claims23
A tamper evident pull-tab for a container comprising:
- a pull-tab connected at a first end by a resilient living hinge to an edge of a first part of a two part container, the pull-tab also connected along one side of the pull-tab to the edge of a first part of a two part container by an outer pre-cut channel with breakable joints disposed within the outer pre-cut channel,
- the pull-tab having an upper surface with a pull-tab grip at a second end and having a pre-cut aperture channel at a mid-section with breakable joints disposed within the pre-cut aperture channel, a lower surface of the pre-cut aperture channel is configured with a male-female connector having a tensioning element around its circumference, and
- a base-tab connected to an edge of a second part of the two part container and aligned with the pull-tab, the base-tab having a recessed sidewall and an upper wall that forms a locking male-female connection aligned with the pull-tab male-female connector, and
- the base-tab having recessed sidewalls, a recessed lock upper wall that having an outer circumference larger than the circumference of the pre-cut aperture channel, the base-tab also having a support pier on the upper wall of the base located to be in operative association with the lower wall of the second end of the pull-tab, the support pier having a height above the upper wall of the base-tab greater than the height of the recessed sidewalls, and the base-tab having a finger grip adjacent the support pier,
- wherein the tension of joining the raised pull-tab with the locking male-female connector is greater than the combined strength of the breakable joints in both the pre-cut aperture channel and the outer pre-cut channel.
A container having a tamper evident pull-tab, comprising:
- a pull-tab connected at a first end by a resilient living hinge to an edge of a first part of a two part container, the pull-tab also connected along one side of the pull-tab to the edge of a first part of a two part container by an outer pre-cut channel with breakable joints disposed within the outer pre-cut channel;
- the pull-tab having an upper surface with a pull-tab grip at a second end and having a pre-cut aperture channel at a mid-section with breakable joints disposed within the pre-cut aperture channel, on a lower surface of the pre-cut aperture channel is configured with a male-female connector having a tensioning element around its circumference;
- and
- a base-tab connected to an edge of a second part of the two part container and aligned with the pull-tab, the base-tab having a recessed sidewall and recessed lock upper wall that forms a male-female connection with the pull-tab of the first part, the sidewalls of the recess having an upper wall with an outer circumference larger than the circumference of the pre-cut aperture channel, the base-tab also having a support pier on the upper surface of the base located to be in operative association with the lower surface of the second end of the pull-tab, the support pier having a height above the upper surface of the base-tab and greater than the height of the recessed sidewalls, and the base-tab having a finger grip adjacent the support pier;
- wherein the first part of the two-part container and the second part of the two-part container are joined along part of the edge by a foldable hinge;
- and
- wherein the tension of joining the raised pull-tab forming the male-female connector is greater than the strength of the breakable joint.
A method of making a tamper resistant container, comprising the step of providing a lid for a base, said lid having a two-component pull-tab attached to an edge of the lid, wherein said two-component pull-tab is used to pull the lid off the container, wherein both components of the pull-tab, an outer section and an inner tab, stay connected to the edge of the lid, wherein the outer section and the inner tab of the pull-tab are connected by a frangible break line, wherein the inner tab is secured to the lid using a button on an underside of the inner tab that fits into a recess on a top of the lid, wherein the act of pulling the pull-tab breaks the outer section away from the inner tab, wherein the outer section is only connected to the inner tab, and the pulling of the outer section against the buttoned inner tab breaks the frangible line, and wherein once the frangible section is broken, provides evidence that the container was opened by showing that both parts of the pull-tab assembly are now separated, with the inner tab button-locked into the lid, and wherein the outer section has a tensioned hinge wherein, upon separation from the inner tab, the released outer section is bent upwards at an angle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.