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US 9,944,436 B2Granted
Tamper-evident container and method
AssigneeSabert Corporation
InventorDanny Kalmanides
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A tamper-evident container and method is disclosed. The tamper-evident container includes a base portion and a lid (or cover). In an untampered with state, one edge of the lid is removably connected to one edge of the base portion. Namely, the lid includes a tamper-evident tab, wherein the tamper-evident tab includes a grasping overhanging portion that is flanked by at least one breakable joint and wherein the lid is removably connected to the base portion via the breakable joint of the tamper-evident tab. Further, the tamper-evident container comprises an interlocking interface between the base portion and the lid. A method of using the tamper-evident container is provided.
Claims23
A tamper-evident container comprising:
- (a) a base comprising a recessed tab comprising a first grasping portion;
- (b) a lid comprising a tamper-evident tab at least partially overhanging the recessed tab, the tamper-evident tab comprising a second grasping portion flanked by a first breakable joint between the base and the lid, wherein the first breakable joint is severable along a line that is congruent to a periphery of at least one side of the second grasping portion;
- and
- (c) an interlocking interface formed between the base and the lid, wherein when the container is closed the interlocking interface renders contents inside the container substantially inaccessible without severing the first breakable joint and/or evidencing tampering with the container;
- wherein the first breakable joint is at least partially severed along the line that is congruent to the periphery of the at least one side of the second grasping portion when the second grasping portion is displaced relative to the first grasping portion, thereby evidencing tampering with the container,
- wherein the tamper-evident tab is flanked by a second breakable joint between the base and the lid, the second breakable joint being severable along a line that is congruent to the periphery of the other second grasping portion;
- and
- wherein the first breakable joint and the second breakable joint each comprise:
- (i) a first flap portion,
- (ii) a second flap portion adjoined to the second grasping portion via a score line or perforation that defines the line that is congruent to a periphery of at least one side of the second grasping portion, and
- (iii) a bend between the first flap portion and the second flap portion.
8 more elements
A tamper-evident container comprising:
- (a) a base comprising a recessed tab comprising a first grasping portion;
- (b) a lid comprising a tamper-evident tab at least partially overhanging the recessed tab, the tamper-evident tab comprising a second grasping portion flanked by breakable joints between the base and the lid, wherein the breakable joints are severable along lines that are congruent to a periphery of the second grasping portion at opposite sides of the second grasping portion, said breakable joints comprising (i) a first flap portion, (ii) a second flap portion adjoined to the second grasping portion via score lines or perforations that define the lines that are congruent to the periphery of the second grasping portion at the opposite sides of the second grasping portion, and (iii) bends adjacent the first flap portion and the second flap portion;
- and
- (c) an interlocking interface formed between the base and the lid, wherein when the container is closed the interlocking interface renders contents inside the container relatively inaccessible without severing the breakable joints and/or evidencing tampering with the container;
- and wherein the breakable joints are at least partially severed along the lines that are congruent to the periphery of the second grasping portion at opposite sides of the second grasping portion when the second grasping portion is displaced relative to the first grasping portion, thereby evidencing tampering with the container.
2 more elements
A method of evidencing tampering with a tamper-evident container, the method comprising:
- (a) providing a tamper-evident container, the tamper-evident container comprising:
- (i) a base comprising recessed tab comprising a first grasping portion;
- (ii) a lid comprising a tamper-evident tab at least partially overhanging the recessed tab, the tamper-evident tab comprising a second grasping portion flanked by breakable joints between the base and the lid, wherein the breakable joints are severable along lines that are congruent to a periphery of the second grasping portion at opposite sides of the second grasping portion, the breakable joints each comprising a second flap portion that becomes disjoined from the lid when the breakable joints are severed, and a first flap portion that remains hingeably adjoined to the base when the breakable joints are severed;
- and
- (iii) an interlocking interface formed between the base and the lid, wherein when the container is closed the interlocking interface renders contents inside the tamper-evident container inaccessible without severing the breakable joints and/or evidencing tampering with the container, and wherein the breakable joints are at least partially severed along the lines that are congruent to the periphery of the second grasping portion at the opposite sides of the second grasping portion by displacing the second grasping portion relative to the first grasping portion until at least one of the second flap portions is partially disjoined from at least one side of the second grasping portion, thereby evidencing tampering with the container;
- (b) instructing a user of the tamper-evident container to grasp the first grasping portion and/or the second grasping portion;
- and
- (c) evidencing tampering with the container when the second grasping portion is displaced relative to the first grasping portion until at least one of the second flap portions is partially disjoined from at least one side of the second grasping portion.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.