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US 9,546,018 B1Granted
Enhanced tamper-evident container
AssigneeSmart-Tab, LLC
InventorsTerry Vovan, Leon Rosen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tamper-evident container has a lid (14) that can be opened only by lifting and pulling a tab (18). Pulling of the tab breaks a breakable joint (41, 43, 70, FIG. 4) that connects the tab (18) to a hold-down (24) that is fixed to the lid, so when the tab is released from the hold-down the tab springs up (FIG. 2) to an upward incline J to indicate that the container was opened.
Claims18
A container for providing evidence of tampering, comprising:
- a base;
- a lid having a two component pull-tab assembly, said lid engageable with the base, said lid comprising an outer lid rim and a inner removable lid cover, said inner removable lid cover having a lockdown recess, and said two component pull-tab assembly connected to the outer lid rim;
- wherein said two component pull-tab assembly comprises an outer frangible pull-tab, and an inner hold-down tab;
- wherein the outer frangible pull-tab and the inner hold-down tab define a channel between the outer frangible pull-tab and the inner hold-down tab;
- wherein there is at least one frangible connection joint in the channel connecting the outer frangible pull-tab and the inner hold-down tab;
- wherein the outer frangible pull-tab further comprises a first rear connecting joint that defines a first terminus of the channel, and a second rear connecting joint that defines a second terminus of the channel;
- wherein the first rear connecting joint and the second rear connecting joint have a foldable hinge, and wherein the first rear connecting joint and the second rear connecting joint are connected to the outer lid rim;
- and,
- wherein the foldable hinge comprises at least one bend, wherein the bend positions the outer frangible pull-tab into a steep upward incline when the frangible connection joint in the channel is broken,
- whereby the upwardly inclined outer frangible pull-tab provides a user with visual evidence of tampering.
7 more elements
A container for providing evidence of tampering, comprising:
- a base:
- a lid having a two component pull-tab assembly, said lid engageable with the base, said lid comprising an outer lid rim and a inner removable lid cover, said inner removable lid cover having a lockdown recess, and said two component pull-tab assembly connected to the outer lid rim:
- wherein said two component pull-tab assembly comprises an outer frangible pull-tab, and an inner hold-down tab:
- wherein the outer frangible pull-tab and the inner hold-down tab define a channel between the outer frangible pull-tab and the inner hold-down tab:
- wherein there is at least one frangible connection joint in the channel connecting the outer frangible pull-tab and the inner hold-down tab:
- wherein the outer frangible pull-tab further comprises a first rear connecting joint that defines a first terminus of the channel, and a second rear connecting joint that defined a second terminus of the channel:
- wherein the first rear connecting joint and the second rear connecting joint have a foldable hinge, and wherein the first rear connecting joint and the second rear connecting joint are connected to the outer lid rim:
- and
- wherein the foldable hinge comprises at least one bend, wherein the bend positions the outer frangible pull-tab into a steep upward incline when the frangible connection joint in the channel is broken,
- whereby the upwardly inclined outer frangible pull-tab provides a user with visual evidence of tampering,
- wherein:
- said base has a rim, said base rim has a vertically-extending limit wall, an overhang wall joined to a top of said limit wall by a first inside corner and extending forward of said limit wall, and a primarily horizontally-extending base wall extending forward to said limit wall and joined to said limit wall by an inside corner;
- and said lid has a nesting wall that lies on a horizontally-extending base wall and said lid has a skirt that extends at an upward and rearward incline and that has a skirt top that lies at said first inside corner.
10 more elements
A container for providing evidence of tampering. comprising:
- a base:
- a lid having a two component pull-tab assembly. said lid engageable with the base, said lid comprising an outer lid rim and a inner removable lid cover, said inner removable lid cover having a lockdown recess. and said two component pull-tab assembly connected to the outer lid rim:
- wherein said two component pull-tab assembly comprises an outer frangible pull-tab, and an inner hold-down tab:
- wherein the outer frangible pull-tab and the inner hold-down tab define a channel between the outer frangible pull-tab and the inner hold-down tab:
- wherein there is at least one frangible connection joint in the channel connecting the outer frangible pull-tab and the inner hold-down tab:
- wherein the outer frangible pull-tab further comprises a first rear connecting joint that defines a first terminus of the channel. and a second rear connecting joint that defines a second terminus of the channel:
- wherein the first rear connecting joint and the second rear connecting joint have a foldable hinge, and wherein the first rear connecting joint and the second rear connecting joint are connected to the outer lid rim:
- and,
- wherein the foldable hinge comprises at least one bend, wherein the bend positions the outer frangible pull-tab into a steep upward incline when the frangible connection joint in the channel is broken,
- whereby the upwardly inclined outer frangible pull-tab provides a user with visual evidence of tampering,
- wherein the lid has a seal wall that presses against a perimeter seal wall of the base with an interference fit, and below the perimeter seal wall is a horizontal wall upon which is a horizontal lid supporting wall.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.