Tamper evident container
OwnerLaura P. Mobberley, Ernest L. Smith +1inventors
InventorsLaura P. Mobberley, Ernest L. Smith, George E. MacEwen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tamper evident package for dairy products and other foods and consumables. A conventional container and lid are included, along with a plastic disk which is wedged in place on top of the lid with the edge of the disk fitting in a channel in order to prevent removal of the lid. The disk has a frangible center section which must be broken away before the disk can be removed to release the lid. The presence of the disk intact on the lid indicates that the container has not been opened, while absence or mutilation of the disk provides visible evidence of tampering.
Claims20
A tamper evident container assembly comprising:
- a container having a hollow interior for holding materials packaged therein and an open top providing access to the container contents when exposed;
- a removable lid applicable to the container to close the top of the container, said lid covering said top of the container when applied thereto and presenting a peripheral portion engaging the container in a manner to releaseably retain the lid on the container, said peripheral portion being deformable to release from the container to permit removal of the lid;
- and
- a plate member on the lid acting against said peripheral portion of the lid in a manner to retain said peripheral portion against deformation, said plate member fitting tightly on the lid and having a frangible section which must be broken before the plate member can be removed from the lid to permit removal of the latter from the container.
A tamper evident container assembly comprising:
- a container having a hollow interior formed within a wall of the container and an open top providing access to the interior and the contents thereof when exposed;
- a removable lid applicable to the container to cover said top thereof and enclose the contents of the container;
- mating portions on said lid and said container wall which interfit in a manner to releaseably retain the lid on the container, the mating portion on said lid being releaseable from the mating portion on said wall to permit removal of the lid from the container;
- a plate having a shape similar to the shape of the lid and a size to fit on the lid with an edge portion of the plate in engagement with said mating portion of the lid to prevent release of said mating portion of the lid from said mating portion of the container wall, thereby securing the lid on the container;
- and
- a frangible section of said plate which is situated at an accessible location and which must be broken away from the plate before the plate can be removed from the lid, whereby the presence of said frangible section on the plate intact provides assurance that the container has not been opened.
A tamper evident food package comprising:
- a container having a container wall and an interior formed within the wall for containing foods, said container wall having a substantially circular rim extending around an open top of the container which provides access to the contents of the container when exposed;
- a generally disk shaped lid applicable to the container to cover said top thereof;
- a peripheral portion of said lid presenting a bead thereon;
- a groove in said container wall having a size and shape to closely receive said bead in a manner to retain the lid on the container, said bead being releaseable from said groove to permit removal of the lid from the container;
- a disk having a size to span the top of the container on top of the lid and presenting an edge fitting tightly against said bead to prevent release of same from the groove when said disk is in place on the lid;
- and
- a frangible section of said disk which must be broken to permit detachment of the disk from the lid, said frangible section being at a visible and accessible location.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.