Package or product having a use indicator
AssigneeOwens-Brockway Glass Container Inc.
InventorsChris D. Anderson, Megan Herman, Brad Malcolm, Paola A. Rubiano
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A product includes a use indicator carried by a container so that, upon removal of a closure from the container or upon removal of flowable product from within the container, a coloration of the product changes irreversibly to indicate to a user that the package has been used, wherein the container includes a wall recess and the use indicator is carried in the wall recess.
Claims10
A product that includes:
- a container;
- and
- a use indicator comprising a capsule and a capsule activator corresponding to a cavity and depressible therein, the use indicator carried by the container so that, upon removal of a closure from the container or upon removal of flowable product from within the container, a coloration of the product changes irreversibly to indicate to a user that the package has been used, wherein the container includes a wall recess and the use indicator is carried in the wall recess,
- wherein the capsule includes at least one of an etchant or a colorant and is carried in the wall recess of the container, and the use indicator includes a cover over the capsule activator and the capsule.
A method of discouraging reuse of a package including a container after opening of the container, which includes the step of:
- applying a permanent discoloration to the container, which is observable by a potential user to indicate that the container has already been used, wherein said step of applying a permanent discoloration to the container is carried out by carrying a capsule of at least one of etchant material or colorant material in a wall recess in an external surface of the container in such a way that the etchant and/or colorant material is released to change the appearance of the container upon rupture of the capsule caused by a user, wherein the capsule and a capsule activator are part of a user indicator corresponding to the wall recess of the container and depressible therein, the use indicator carried by the container so that, upon removal of a closure from the container or upon removal of flowable product from within the container, the permanent discoloration indicated to a user that the package has been used.
A product that includes:
- a container;
- and
- a use indicator comprising a capsule and a capsule activator corresponding to a cavity and depressible therein, the use indicator carried by the container so that, upon removal of a closure from the container or upon removal of flowable product from within the container, a coloration of the product changes irreversibly to indicate to a user that the package has been used,
- wherein the container includes a wall recess and the use indicator is carried in the wall recess,
- wherein the cavity is in an external surface of the container.
A product that includes:
- a container;
- and
- a use indicator comprising a capsule and a capsule activator corresponding to a cavity and depressible therein, the use indicator carried by the container so that, upon removal of a closure from the container or upon removal of flowable product from within the container, a coloration of the product changes irreversibly to indicate to a user that the package has been used,
- wherein the container includes a wall recess and the use indicator is carried in the wall recess,
- wherein the capsule activator is a rigid member that corresponds in shape and size to the cavity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.