Tamper-evident closure
AssigneeMaryland Cup Corporation
InventorThomas W. Winstead
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tamper-evident closure for a container comprises a center portion for overlying an open portion of a container, a seal portion, and a circumferential line of weakness surrounding the seal portion and defining a circumferential tear-strip. At least the tear-strip comprises deformable material. The tear-strip comprises a portion which creates a separation therein upon deformation when the closure is secured to a container. A method for applying the closure to containers is also disclosed.
Claims24
A combination of a container and a closure, said container comprising a container rim surrounding an opening thereof and said closure comprising a closure rim cooperating with said container rim;
- said container rim comprising a first seal portion and an adjacent surface;
- said closure rim comprising a second seal portion for engaging said first seal portion and an adjoining surface which is substantially parallel to and engages said adjacent surface, and a tear-strip underlying at least a portion of said container for securing said closure thereto;
- wherein said adjoining surface is substantially coextensive with said adjacent surface along a first circumferential part of said closure and extends beyond said adjacent surface at a second circumferential part of said closure;
- said adjoining surface comprising a circumferential line of weakness for defining said tear-strip, wherein said line of weakness is juxtaposed to said adjacent surface along said first circumferential part of said closure and extends away from said adjacent surface along said second circumferential part of said closure for defining a tab portion upon removal of said tear strip.
A closure adapted to be applied to a container, said closure comprising:
- means for defining a center portion for overlying an open portion of the container;
- means for defining a seal portion for cooperating with the container;
- means for defining a circumferential line of weakness surrounding said seal portion and for defining a circumferential tear-strip;
- wherein at least said tear-strip comprises deformable material;
- said tear-strip further comprising a cut portion, and first and second portions on opposite sides of said cut portion which separate upon deformation of said tear-strip.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.