Tamper evident closure apparatus
First Claim
1. In a tamper evident closure apparatus for incorporation into a container for non-prescription drugs and the like for detecting whether a lid has been removed from the container after initial installation thereon, the combination which comprises:
- (a) closure sensing means responsive to the removal of the lid from the container for providing a lid removal signal;
(b) sound generating means responsive to the lid removal signal for generating a safety signal informing the person opening the container that the container has not been opened previously; and
(c) safety means responsive to the lid removal signal for inhibiting the sound generating means from responding to a second lid removal signal whereby the replacement and second removal of the lid will not trigger the generation of a second safety signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A tamper evident closure apparatus is described in which a closure sensing switch is positioned inside of a container for nonprescription drugs and the like for producing a lid removal signal upon the removal of the lid from the container. A sound signal generator responds to the lid removal signal and generates an auditory sound of safety signal informing the person opening the container that the lid has not been previously removed. A safety circuit also responds to the removal of the lid and inhibits the sound signal generator from responding to a second or subsequent lid removal signal so that the replacement and subsequent removal of the lid will not trigger the generation of a second sound of safety signal.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. In a tamper evident closure apparatus for incorporation into a container for non-prescription drugs and the like for detecting whether a lid has been removed from the container after initial installation thereon, the combination which comprises:
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(a) closure sensing means responsive to the removal of the lid from the container for providing a lid removal signal; (b) sound generating means responsive to the lid removal signal for generating a safety signal informing the person opening the container that the container has not been opened previously; and (c) safety means responsive to the lid removal signal for inhibiting the sound generating means from responding to a second lid removal signal whereby the replacement and second removal of the lid will not trigger the generation of a second safety signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A tamper evident closure apparatus for detecting whether a container has been opened after an initial closure thereof comprising:
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(a) closure sensing means disposed within the container and responsive to the opening of the container for producing a container opening signal; (b) signal generating means disposed within the container and responsive to the container opening signal for generating a safety signal informing the person opening the container that the container had not been previously opened; and (c) safety means disposed within the container and responsive to the container opening signal for inhibiting the signal generating means from responding to a second container opening signal whereby the closure and subsequent opening of the container will not trigger the generation of a second safety signal. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A tamper evident closure apparatus incorporated into a container for detecting whether a lid has been removed from the container after the initial installation comprising:
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(a) a source of voltage; (b) closure sensing means connected to the voltage source and responsive to the removal of the lid from the container for producing a lid removal signal in digital format; (c) latch control means connected to the voltage source for generating a digital "sound of safety" signal in response to the lid removal signal; (d) a sound signal generator connected to the voltage source generating a predetermined electrical oscillatory "sound of safety" output signal in response to the digital "sound of safety" signal; (e) a transducer adapted to convert an electrical oscillatory signal into an audio signal; (f) safety signal generating means responsive to the removal and replacement of the lid on the container for producing a "first time" sound enable signal only upon the initial installation of the lid; and (g) gating means coupled to the safety signal generating means and connected in series between the sound signal generator and the transducer for coupling the output signal from the sound signal generator to the transducer in response to the "first time" sound enable signal, whereby the transducer is driven to produce an auditory "sound of safety" signal only upon the first removal of the lid. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification