Tamper evidencing container caps

• US 4,592,480 A
• Filed: 12/27/1983
• Issued: 06/03/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Durkee-French Foods Incorporated
• Original Assignee: SCM Corporation (Heidelberg Materials AG)
• Inventors: Hart, James A., Jacks, R. Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): Hall, George T.
• Application Number:
  US06/565,737
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• Field of Search: 220/214, 220/266, 220/270, 220/254, 220/306, 220/307, 220/339, 222/153, 222/541, 222/565, 222/569
• US Class Current: 220/270
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2251/1025 Integral locking elements penetrating in an opening, e.g. a flap through a slit, a hook in an opening
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2251/1091 Closures made integrally with the base element at a point remote from the hinge
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2401/15 Tearable part of the closure B65D2401/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/0833 Hinges without elastic bias
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 55/06 Deformable or tearable wires, strings, or strips containers specially constructed to be opened by tear-strips, strings or the like B65D17/00; caps or cap-like closures with tear-strips B65D41/32; Use of seals , e.g. destructible locking pins B65D55/022 takes precedence

Abstract

A tamper evidencing cap for use with containers for ingestibles, medicines, and the like. The cap comprises first and second cover members connected to each other. At least one lid is hinged to the second cover member for movement between open and closed positions. Tamper evidencing means is removably connected to and between the lid and one of the cover members to prevent the lid from opening until the tamper evidencing means is removed. The cap may additionally or alternatively include a further tamper evidencing means comprising a skirt that extends from the periphery of the first cover member for engaging a side surface of the container. The skirt has a plurality of spaced apart weakened zones around its periphery.

Claims

1. A tamper evidencing container cap, comprising:

first and second cover members connected to each other;

mounting means for securely mounting said second cover member to said first cover member to substantially prevent relative movement therebetween;

first and second lids hinged to said second cover member; and

tamper evidencing means removably connected to said first and second lids to prevent said lids from opening until said tamper evidencing means is removed.

2. A tamper evidencing container cap as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lids are hinged for pivoting movement about substantially parallel pivot axes;

and

said tamper evidencing means is integral with colinear edges of said lids along an axis substantially perpendicular to said parallel pivot axes.

3. A tamper evidencing container cap as claimed in claim 2, wherein said tamper evidencing means comprises an elongated bar member having at least one weakened zone along its length.

4. A tamper evidencing container cap as claimed in claim 3, wherein said bar member is L-shaped in cross-section.

5. A tamper evidencing container cap as claimed in claim 4, wherein the combined widths of said second cover member and said tamper evidencing means do not exceed the width of said first cover member, such that when said first and second cover members are closed, said bar member does not extend beyond the corresponding edge of said first cover member.

6. A tamper evidencing container cap as claimed in claim 1, comprising further tamper evidencing means incorporated in said first cover member.

7. A tamper evidencing container cap as claimed in claim 6, wherein said further tamper evidencing means comprises a skirt extending from the periphery of said first cover member for engaging a side surface of the container, said skirt having a plurality of spaced apart weakened zones around its periphery.

8. A tamper evidencing container cap as claimed in claim 7, wherein said skirt comprises a horizontal portion extending outwardly from the periphery of said first cover member and a vertical portion extending downwardly from the periphery of said horizontal portion;

said weakened zones being incorporated in said horizontal portion of said skirt, in said vertical portion of said skirt, or in both said horizontal and vertical portions of said skirt.

9. A tamper evidencing container cap as claimed in claim 8, wherein said weakened zones comprise elongated notches, said notches being substantially V-shaped in cross-section.

10. A tamper evidencing container cap as claimed in claim 9, wherein said weakened zones are disposed horizontally in said horizontal portion of said skirt and vertically in said vertical portion of said skirt.

11. A tamper evidencing container cap, comprising:

first and second cover members, said second cover member incorporating at least one lid selectively movable between open and closed positions to selectively permit access to the contents of the container;

mounting means for securely mounting said first and second cover members to each other; and

tamper evidencing means comprising a skirt extending from the periphery of said first cover member for engaging a side surface of the container, said skirt having a plurality of spaced apart weakened zones around its periphery.

12. A tamper evidencing container cap as claimed in claim 11 wherein said skirt comprises a horizontal portion extending outwardly from the periphery of said first cover member and a vertical portion extending downwardly from the periphery of said horizontal portion;

said weakened zones being incorporated in said horizontal portion of said skirt, in said vertical portion of said skirt, or in both said horizontal and vertical portions of said skirt.

13. A tamper evidencing container cap as claimed in claim 12, wherein said weakened zones comprise elongated notches, said notches being substantially V-shaped in cross-section.

14. A tamper evidencing container cap as claimed in claim 13, wherein said weakened zones are disposed horizontally in said horizontal portion of said skirt and vertically in said vertical portion of said skirt.

15. A tamper evidencing container cap, comprising:

first and second cover members connected to each other for covering a container and selectively providing access to the contents thereof;

first and second lids mounted to said second cover member for movement relative to said second cover member between open and closed positions, wherein in said open position the contents of the container are accessible from the outside and in said closed position the contents of the container are inaccessible from the outside; and

tamper evidencing means removably connected to said first and second lids, to prevent said lids from opening until said respective tamper evidencing means is removed.

16. A tamper evidencing container cap as claimed in claim 15, wherein said tamper evidencing means comprises first and second tab members, each having at least one weakened zone along its length;

said first tab member being integral with said first lid and said first cover member, and said second tab member being integral with said second lid and said first cover member.

17. A tamper evidencing container cap, comprising:

first and second cover members connected to each other;

mounting means for securely mounting said second cover member to said first cover member to substantially prevent relative movement therebetween;

lid means hinged to said second cover member; and

tamper evidencing means removably connected to and between said lid means and one of said cover members to prevent said lid means from opening until said tamper evidencing means is removed.

18. A tamper evidencing container cap as claimed in claim 17 wherein one edge of said lid means is substantially co-linear with one edge of said second cover member;

and

wherein said tamper evidencing means is integral with said one edge of said lid means and at least part of said one edge of said second cover member;

said tamper evidencing means comprising an elongated bar member having at least one weakened zone along its length.

19. A tamper evidencing container cap, comprising:

first and second cover means of substantially the same length and width, said first cover member including a central, rectangular, ribbed flange extending from the upper surface thereof, said flange being shorter in length and width than said first cover member, and said second cover member including means for slidably engaging said ribbed flange; and

tamper evidencing means removably connected to said first and second cover members to prevent said second cover member from opening until said tamper evidencing means is removed.

20. A tamper evidencing container cap as claimed in claim 19, said engaging means comprising a lower skirt extending from the periphery of said upper cover member, said lower skirt comprising a pair of opposed walls, a wall intermediate said opposed walls, and pairs of spaced apart ribs extending inwardly from said opposed walls.

21. A tamper evidencing container cap as claimed in claim 20, comprising further tamper evidencing means incorporated in said first cover member.

22. A tamper evidencing container cap as claimed in claim 21, wherein said further tamper evidencing means comprises a skirt extending from the periphery of said first cover member for engaging a side surface of the container, said skirt having a plurality of spaced apart weakened zones around its periphery.

23. A tamper evidencing container cap, comprising cover means,

at least one lid pivotally connected to said cover means selectively movable between open and closed positions to selectively permit access to the contents of the container;

first tamper evidencing means connected between said cover means and lid to prevent said lid from opening;

second tamper evidencing means comprising a skirt extending from the periphery of said cover means for engaging a side surface of the container, said skirt having a plurality of spaced-apart weakened zones around its periphery.

24. A tamper evidencing container cap as claimed in claim 23 wherein said skirt comprises a horizontal portion extending outwardly from the periphery of said cover means and a vertical portion extending downwardly from the periphery of said horizontal portion;

said weakened zones incorporated in said horizontal portion of said skirt.

25. A tamper evidencing container cap as claimed in claim 24 wherein said weakened zones comprise elongated horizontal notches, said notches being substantially V-shaped in cross-section.

26. A tamper evidencing container cap as claimed in claim 23 wherein said skirt comprises a horizontal portion extending outwardly from the periphery of said cover means and a vertical portion extending downwardly from the periphery of said horizontal portion;

said weakened zones being incorporated in said vertical portion of said skirt.

27. A tamper evidencing container cap as claimed in claim 26 wherein said weakened zones comprise elongated, vertically disposed notches, said notches being substantially V-shaped in cross-section.

28. A tamper evidencing container cap as claimed in claim 23 wherein said skirt comprises a horizontal portion extending outwardly from the periphery of said cover means and a vertical portion extending downwardly from the periphery of said horizontal portion;

said weakened zones being incorporated in both said horizontal and said vertical portions of said skirt.

29. A tamper evidencing container cap as claimed in claim 28 wherein said weakened zones comprise elongated notches, said notches being substantially V-shaped in cross-section.

30. A tamper evidencing container cap as claimed in claim 29 wherein said weakened zones are disposed horizontally in said horizontal portion of said skirt and vertically in said vertical portion of said skirt.