Tamper evident dispensing closure assembly

• US 4,610,371 A
• Filed: 10/09/1984
• Issued: 09/09/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Owens-Illinois Plastic Products Incorporated (Graeme Richard Hart, MBA)
• Original Assignee: Dougherty Brothers Company
• Inventors: Karkiewicz, Kenneth G.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US06/659,057
• Time in Patent Office: 700 Days
• Field of Search: 220/266, 220/339, 220/307, 220/254, 222/153, 222/541, 206/807, 215/237
• US Class Current: 220/266
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2401/15 Tearable part of the closure B65D2401/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/0838 located at an edge of the base element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 206/807 Tamper proof

Abstract

A closure assembly for a container has a dispensing opening which is selectably closed by a cover. To indicate that the container has been tampered with, the cover has a portion connected thereto by a weak zone which is severed as a result of moving the cover to an open position.

Claims

1. A tamper-evident dispensing closure assembly comprising:

a closure having a periphery adapted for attachment to the open end of a container, said closure having a wall containing a dispensing opening;

a cover movably connected to said closure for movement between a closed position and an open position with respect to said opening; and

means on said assembly for evidencing tampering including a pin attached directly to said cover by a weak zone, said pin having a projecting portion at one end and an exposed portion at its opposite end, said projecting portion of said pin engaging a recess in said wall of said closure in a force fit relationship upon moving said cover to its closed position, said weak zone severing as a result of movement of said cover to its open position from said closed position, said projecting portion of said pins remaining engaged in said recess after opening and said exposed portion evidencing tampering.

2. A closure assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said cover and closure are made in one piece from a polymeric plastic.

3. A closure assembly in accordance with claim 2 wherein said cover is connected to said closure by an integral hinge for pivotable movement of the cover between open and closed positions.

4. A closure assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein two discrete covers are associated with said closure, said closure having a discrete opening associated with each cover.

5. A closure assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein a curved portion of the periphery of said closure is weakened and adapted to sever in the event that an attempt is made to separate the closure from a container.

6. A container having a tamper-evident dispensing closure assembly comprising:

a rectangular container having rounded corners and open at one end;

a closure attached to said open end of said container and closing said open end of said container, said closure having a wall with at least one opening to facilitate dispensing contents from the container;

a cover movably connected to said closure for movement between a closed position and an open position with respect to said opening in said wall; and

means for evidencing tampering including a first portion on said cover and a second portion being connected to said cover by a weak zone which is severed as a result of moving said cover to its open position, said closure having rounded corners and at least some of the rounded corners on said closure having a weak zone which is severed as a result of an attempt to separate the closure from the container.

7. A container in accordance with claim 6 wherein said tamper indicating means includes a pair of projections each connected to said cover by said weak zone and a mating pair of recesses in said closure.

8. A container in accordance with claim 7 wherein the cover is generally rectangular with a narrowed neck portion on a free end thereof, said projections being on opposite sides of said narrowed neck portion.

9. A container in accordance with claim 6 where said cover has an integral projection which enters said opening in the closed position of the cover.