Tamper evident container lid and method of making the same

A tamper evident container lid comprising:

• (a) a seal structure for establishing sealing engagement with a container in the vicinity of an end opening thereof to close the opening;
• and
• (b) a lid skirt extending about the outer periphery of the lid comprising:
• (i) a first tear strip portion;
• (ii) a second skirt portion disposed between the tear strip portion and the seal structure;
• (iii) said tear strip portion defined by a series of skirt perforations and comprising a plurality of latching projections disposed along the juncture of the tear strip portion and the second skirt portion;
• and,
• (iv) a plurality of narrow necks formed between adjacent skirt perforations for frangibly connecting said tear strip portion to said second skirt portion, each projection having a neck at its base and projecting inwardly relative to said skirt proceeding in the direction of said second skirt portion from said tear strip portion.

A method of making a tamper evident container lid comprising the steps of:

• (a) forming a container lid comprising sealing structure which extends about a central lid panel portion;
• (b) fabricating a lid skirt extending about the outer periphery of the lid with the proximal skirt end formed continuously with the lid and the distal skirt end spaced away from the proximal end;
• (c) perforating the lid skirt between its ends at circumferentially spaced locations to form a tear strip skirt portion connected to the skirt by narrow necks of skirt material between adjacent perforations;
• and,
• (d) configuring the perforations to define latching projections in the tear strip portion which extend in a direction away from the distal skirt end and inwardly toward the central lid panel portion.