Tamper-proof container

• US 3,949,931 A
• Filed: 01/27/1975
• Issued: 04/13/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Willamette Industries, Inc. (Weyerhauser)
• Original Assignee: Willamette Industries, Inc. (Weyerhauser)
• Inventors: Hall, Richard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Moorhead, Davis T.
• Application Number:
  US05/544,362
• Time in Patent Office: 442 Days
• Field of Search: 229/34, 229/36, 229/45, 206/807
• US Class Current: 229/102
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/22 held erect by extensions of one or more sides being doubled-over to enclose extensions of adjacent sides
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/4295 Ventilating arrangements, e.g. openings, space elements
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/6652 Flaps or tabs provided at the side edges of the lid only
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 206/807 Tamper proof

Abstract

A box construction is provided in which the top closure of the box is secured to each of the side walls in such a manner that once the top has been secured in place, it cannot be moved to an open position without such damage to the box that this is readily apparent. In this way, any attempt at pilferage is readily ascertained.

Claims

1. A self-locking tamper-proof container comprising:

a rectangular bottom panel having side edges and end edges and having coutouts therein adjacent the end edges thereof;

a pair of side walls having spaced side edges and each connected along a fold line at one side edge thereof to a respective side edge of said bottom panel;

a top rectangular panel having end edges and connected along a fold line to the other side edge of one of said side walls;

a pair of top panel end flaps foldably connected along fold lines to the end edges of said top panel and each end flap having a free edge spaced from the fold line, a T-shaped locking tongue on the free edge of each of said end flaps, said locking tongues each having a head portion having a pair of arcuate edged locking ears which extend in the direction of said top panel end edges and a base integral with said head and each said top end flap to connect said head to said end flaps so that said locking ears are each spaced from the free edges of said end flaps;

a pair of end panels having opposite side edges and each connected along a fold line at one side edge thereof to said end edges of said bottom panel;

a pair of end wall flaps connected along fold lines to the other side edges of said end panels, and having extension tabs on said other side edges thereof, said tabs received in said bottom panel cutouts when said end wall flaps are folded to be co-extensive with said end panels;

said end panels each having an elongated cutout portion defined therein to receive one of said locking ears with one edge of said locking ear head portion engaging said end panel along one edge of said elongated cutout portion to lock said container top panel to said end panel, said elongated cutout portions each having one side longer than the other, with said long side positioned between the short side and said bottom panel, and arcuate ends connecting said sides;

a tearout tab in each of said end panels defined by scorelines in said end panels which extend from said elongated cutout portion and which are removable from said each end panel to form a long side toward said bottom panel opening therein so that said locking ears are accessible from outside of the container and can be freed from engagement with said end panels while giving an indication that the container has been tampered with by physically altering the appearance of the container.

2. The container as in claim 1 wherein the overall length of each tongue is greater than the width of the cutout portion.