Tamper-evident tab thermoformed packaging

A thermoformed package comprising:

• a base defining an opening, said base including a flange extending around said opening, said flange including:
• an annular upwardly extending rail,
• a tamper-evident tab movable from a closed position to an open position, said tamper-evident tab including a portion of said rail and extending inwardly a substantial distance from said rail, said tamper-evident tab joined to said flange at a first radial end by a first land and a second radial end by a second land, said tamper-evident tab including an extension adjacent to said first radial end, and
• a fixed tab disposed adjacent to said tamper-evident tab, said fixed tab including an extension disposed adjacent said first radial end opposite said first land;
• and
• a lid releasably fitted to said base over said opening, said lid terminating in a peripheral edge adjacent to an inward side of said rail, whereby said rail impedes access to said peripheral edge when said lid is installed on said base;
• wherein said tamper-evident tab is selectively movable from a closed position to an open position by manually gripping said fixed tab extension and said tamper-evident tab extension and then breaking said first land and bending said tamper-evident tab out of alignment with said flange about said second land without breaking said second land such that said tamper-evident tab remains connected to said flange, movement of said tamper-evident tab into said open position exposing a portion of said peripheral edge of said lid, whereby said peripheral edge of said lid can be gripped by a user and used to lift said lid from said base.

A tamper-evident food package comprising:

• top and bottom parts capable of being selectively interlocked to close the package, said top and bottom parts shaped to cooperatively define an article-receiving space when interlocked, said bottom part including a circumferential flange with a rim extending around said flange adjacent to an outer edge of said flange, said top part including a peripheral edge terminating inwardly of said rim, whereby access to said peripheral edge is impeded by said rim;
• said flange including a tamper-evident tab movable between a closed position and an open position, said tamper-evident having a first radial end joined to said flange by a breakable land and a second radial end joined to said flange by a permanent land, said tamper-evident tab having an extension extending outwardly from said tamper-evident tab adjacent to said breakable land and remote from said permanent land, said tamper evident tab including a portion of said rim, whereby movement of said tamper-evident tab moves said portion of said rim away from said top part to expose a portion of said peripheral edge;
• said flange further including a fixed tab disposed adjacent to said breakable land opposite said tamper-evident tab, said fixed tab including an extension extending outwardly from said flange, whereby a user can remove said top part from said bottom part by gripping said fixed tab with one hand, gripping said tamper-evident tab extension with the other hand and applying force in such a way as to first break said breakable land and second bend said tamper-evident tab away from its closed position about said permanent land without breaking said permanent land such that said tamper-evident tab remains connected to said flange.