Tamper indicator for use with a reclosable container assembly

A tamper indicator for use with a reclosable container assembly which includes a container having a locking ledge thereon and a closure member having a skirt thereon which engages the locking ledge to attach the closure member to the container, the tamper indicator comprising:

• a tear-off strip means attached to the skirt for locking the closure member to the locking ledge, including
• (1) an inner surface having a portion thereof adapted to engage the locking ledge,
• (2) an outer surface on a side of said tear-off strip means opposite to said inner surface,
• (3) a plurality of arcuate sections spaced from each other to define a gap between adjacent sections, said gaps being spaced apart to be located at a plurality of positions about the circumference of the container when the closure member and said tear-off strip means are assembled with the container and
• (4) web means connecting adjacent sections together and covering the gaps between said adjacent sections so that gaps are not present in said tear-off strip means outer surface whereby said outer surface is essentially continuous and uninterrupted, said web means being adapted to break whenever some part of said tear-off strip means inner surface is moved from disengagement with the locking ledge for producing a discontinuity in said tear-off strip means outer surface and providing an indication of attempted or actual opening of a closed container.

A closure member and tamper indicator for use with an open ended container having a container lip extending around said open end and an external locking ledge including an upper section and a lower section formed on said container below said lip to attach the closure member over the open end of the container to form a reclosable container assembly comprising:

• (1) a cover section adapted to extend over the open end of said container,
• (2) a generally inverted U-shaped section for receiving said container lip, said U-shaped section having inner leg means for engaging an inner surface of said container and an outer leg means for engaging an outer surface of said container, said inner leg means being connected to said cover section and said outer leg means having a lower terminal end section with an inner surface configured to receive the upper section of said locking ledge.
• (3) a tamper indicator and tear-off strip secured to said lower terminal end section of the outer leg means and having a lower edge which forms the lower extremity of said closure member and tamper indicator, said tamper indicator and tear-off strip including a strip inner surface configured to receive the lower section of said external locking ledge,
• (4) and a tear-line means connecting said tamper indicator and tear-off strip to the lower terminal end section of said outer leg means,
• (5) said tamper indicator and tear-off strip including a plurality of spaced apart grooves formed in said tamper indicator and tear-off strip and extending around the extent thereof, said grooves extending upwardly from the lower edge of said tamper indicator and tear-off strip and inwardly to a thin, flexible membrane which extends across and bridges each said groove.