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US 2019/0337677 A1Published application
Containers with tamper indicative hatch for sample removal
AssigneePlasgad Plastic Products Acs Ltd
InventorIFTAH PORAN
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Abstract
Disposable containers with a tamper indicative hatch for sample removal, methods of manufacturing and using the same are described; the containers are configured with a closure essentially obstructing the hatch, so that upon opening the hatch, the container bears a visually apparent indication that the closure has been subjected to tampering and opening.
Claims15
A disposable stackable container with a hatch, configured for removal sample from said container, said disposable stackable container comprises:
- (a) a rectangular bottom plate, configured for said stacking said disposable stackable container;
- (b) two pairs of sidewalls erecting from edges of said bottom plate;
- (c) at least one hatch disposed in at least one of said sidewalls, said hatch is configured for removal of a sample from said disposable stackable container;
- (d) at least one closure element, configured for essentially obstructing said hatch;
- (e) a mechanism configured for providing an indication that said at least one closure element has been subjected to at least one operation selected from the group consisting of:
- tampering and opening;
- wherein said mechanism comprises at least one structural element, forming a purposefully breakable connection between at least one edge of said closure element and at least one respective edge of said hatch, selected from the group consisting of:
- (I) a perforation pattern comprising a plurality of essentially elongated gaps and a plurality of detachable connectors disposed in-between said gaps, and
- (II) a peripheral groove comprising a portion of weakened material, configured for being teared;
- (f) a hinge portion configured to sustain partial rotation of said closure element, by being slightly bent or deformed, without disconnecting said closure element from said disposable stackable container and while substantially maintaining structural integrity of said hinge portion, comprising at least one structural element connecting said closure element to said disposable stackable container, selected from the group consisting of:
- (I) a perforation pattern comprising a plurality of gaps interposed by a plurality of non-detachable connectors, and
- (II) a peripheral groove comprising a portion of weakened material, configured for being bent;
- said disposable stackable container is characterized by that upon removal of said sample, said at least one closure element is returnable into an essentially re-closed conformation, while said mechanism still bears a visually apparent indication that said at least one closure element has been subjected to said at least one operation selected from the group consisting of:
- tampering and opening.
11 more elements
A method of manufacturing a disposable container with a tamper indicative hatch, configured for sample removal, said method comprises:
- (a) molding a bottom plate and two pairs of sidewalls of said disposable container;
- (b) shaping a mold to form at least one hatch in at least one of said sidewalls, said hatch is configured for removal of a sample from said disposable container;
- (c) molding at least one closure element, configured for essentially obstructing said hatch;
- (d) shaping said mold to form a purposefully breakable structural element connecting between at least one edge of said closure element and at least one respective edge of said hatch, selected from the group consisting of:
- (I) a perforation pattern comprising a plurality of essentially elongated gaps and a plurality of detachable connectors disposed in-between said gaps, and
- (II) a peripheral groove comprising a portion of weakened material, configured for being teared;
- (e) shaping said mold to form a hinge portion configured to sustain partial rotation of said closure element, by being slightly bent or deformed, without disconnecting said closure element from said disposable container and while substantially maintaining structural integrity of said hinge portion, comprising at least one structural element connecting said closure element to said disposable container, selected from the group consisting of:
- (I) a perforation pattern comprising a plurality of gaps interposed by a plurality of non-detachable connectors, and
- (II) a peripheral groove comprising a portion of weakened material, configured for being bent;
- said disposable container is characterized by that upon removal of said sample, said at least one closure element is returnable into an essentially re-closed conformation, while still bearing a visually apparent indication that said at least one closure element has been subjected to at least one operation selected from the group consisting of:
- tampering and opening.
8 more elements
A method of using a disposable container with a tamper indicative hatch, said method comprises:
- (a) providing a disposable container comprising:
- (I) a bottom plate and two pairs of sidewalls;
- (II) at least one hatch in at least one of said sidewalls;
- (III) at least one closure element, configured for essentially obstructing said hatch;
- (IV) a purposefully breakable structural element connecting at least one edge of said closure element to at least one respective edge of said hatch, selected from the group consisting of:
- (i) a perforation pattern comprising a plurality of essentially elongated gaps and a plurality of detachable connectors disposed in-between said gaps and (ii) a peripheral groove comprising a portion of weakened material, configured for being teared;
- (V) a hinge portion configured to sustain partial rotation of said closure element, by being slightly bent or deformed, without disconnecting said closure element from said disposable container and while substantially maintaining structural integrity of said hinge portion, comprising at least one structural element connecting said closure element to said disposable container, selected from the group consisting of:
- (i) a perforation pattern comprising a plurality of gaps interposed by a plurality of non-detachable connectors and (ii) a peripheral groove comprising a portion of weakened material, configured for being bent;
- (b) exerting a manual force onto said at least one closure element, so as to break said purposefully breakable structural element;
- (c) opening said at least one closure element;
- (d) removing a sample from said container via said hatch;
- (e) returning said at least one closure element into an essentially re-closed conformation;
- (f) visually inspecting said container;
- (g) detecting an apparent indication that said at least one closure element has been opened.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.