US 5,931,332 A · Tamper-evident closure with pull-tab

Abstract

A tamper-evident container system having a lid fitting over a container and a pull-tab attached to the lid along frangible lines. The pull-tab angles inwardly and upwardly from a peripheral rim of the lid and terminates below the topmost portion of the lid. The pull-tab joins to the adjacent walls of the lid rim along thin integrally formed webs which are easily severed upon displacement of the pull-tab to provide highly visible evidence of tampering. The webs extend from an inner section of the rim and across at least a portion of an upper bridge formed on the rim, further enhancing the visibility of any tampering. The pull-tab forms a small angle with a vertical inner wall of a recess of the lid and extends circumferentially around the inner wall without extending above the rim. A sealing ring formed on the lid below the pull-tab enables the container system to be resealed by the consumer after opening. A poppet-style injection molding assembly is used to form the lid which creates a space between the mold parts forming the angled pull-tab prior to release of the lid from an undercutting mold structure.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A closure for use on a tamper-evident container having an opening and a lip surrounding the opening, the closure comprising:

a bridge on the closure which covers the container lip when the closure is covering the opening;
a skirt which depends from the periphery of the closure bridge;
a non-removable pull-tab on the closure and extending inwardly, the pull-tab joined to the closure by at least one leg;
and
a frangible web formed in the closure and beginning at the point where the leg is joined to the closure, the web extending at least partially across the bridge and adapted to tear upon pulling the pull-tab upwardly and outwardly so as to provide a visible indication that the closure has been removed without removing the pull-tab from the closure, wherein the pull-tab has at least one leg extending at least partially across the bridge and having approximately the same thickness as the bridge so as to form a continuation of the bridge profile, and the web joins the leg on both sides to the bridge.

2 more elements

A tamper-evident container and closure, comprising:

a container having an upper lip which surrounds an opening in the container;
an outwardly extending shelf surrounding the periphery of the container and joined to the container proximate to the container lip;
an upwardly extending flange joined to the shelf and spaced from the container;
a closure which covers the opening in the container;
a peripheral rim, a bridge and an outer wall on the closure combining to removably secure the closure on the container lip when the closure is covering the opening, the outer wall depending from the bridge and fitting between the container lip and the flange, a bottom edge of the outer wall terminating proximate to the shelf so that the bottom edge of the outer wall cannot be easily manually engaged to remove the closure from the container;
a pull-tab on the closure and extending inwardly from the peripheral rim, the pull-tab joined to the closure by at least one leg;
and
a frangible web formed in the closure and beginning at the point where the leg is joined to the closure, the web extending at least partially across the bridge of the rim, the web being adapted to tear upon pulling the pull-tab upwardly and outwardly so as to provide a visible indication that the closure has been removed, the pull-tab being connected to the closure so as not to separate from the closure upon tearing of the web and removal of the closure from the container, wherein the pull-tab is substantially U-shaped and is joined to the closure by two legs and wherein a web is provided on both sides of each leg.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Tamper-evident closure with pull-tab

Life of this patent

Tamper-evident closure with pull-tab

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24