Tamper evident closure for container
AssigneeSealright Co., Inc.
InventorErnest L. Smith
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tamper evident container assembly for packaging of dairy and other food products. A container is provided with a closure comprising an end board, a downwardly extending peripheral skirt along an edge of the end board and an upturned locking ring projecting inwardly from a bottom edge of the skirt. The locking ring engages the container rim and prevents removal of the closure while the locking ring is in place. The skirt and locking ring are integrally molded with the end board being attached to the skirt subsequent to the molding process. The locking ring and a portion of the skirt may be severed from the remainder of the skirt along a score line to permit removal of the closure after initial application to the container. Removal of the locking ring provides a visual indication of possible product tampering.
Claims18
A closure lid for an open topped container having a rim presenting a lip at a top edge thereof, said closure lid comprising:
- an end board sized for covering said open top of the container when applied thereto;
- a skirt extending downwardly along a peripheral edge of said end board;
- a raised portion extending upwardly from said skirt and mating with said end board to secure said end board to said skirt;
- a locking ring extending inwardly and upwardly from a bottom edge of said skirt to engage the lip of the container to prevent removal of the closure lid when applied to the container;
- and
- a score line separating the skirt into upper and lower segments and located below the lowest edge of said container lip when said closure is engaging said container, said score line establishing a weakened line of detachment permitting separation of the skirt lower segment and attached locking ring from the skirt upper segment during initial removal of the closure lid from the container, whereby removal of the closure lid from the container requires detachment of the skirt lower segment and the locking ring.
A container assembly for packaging of food items, said container assembly comprising:
- an open topped container having a sidewall terminating in an outwardly rolled top rim;
- an end board sized for covering said open top of the container;
- a skirt extending downwardly along a peripheral edge of the end board;
- a raised portion extending upwardly from said skirt and mating with said end board to secure said end board to said skirt;
- a locking ring extending inwardly and upwardly from a bottom edge of the skirt and engaging the lip of the container to prevent removal of the closure when the locking ring is in place;
- and
- a score line separating the skirt into upper and lower segments and located below the lowest edge of said container lip when said closure is engaging said container, said score line establishing a weakened line of detachment permitting separation of the skirt lower segment and attached locking ring from the skirt upper segment during initial removal of the closure from the container, whereby removal of the closure from the container requires detachment of the skirt lower segment and the locking ring.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.