Tear strip container

• US 5,249,694 A
• Filed: 01/13/1992
• Issued: 10/05/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Highland Plastics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Highland Plastics, Inc.
• Inventors: Nelson, James L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Garbe, Stephen P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): STUCKER, NOVA E
• Application Number:
  US07/820,114
• Time in Patent Office: 631 Days
• Field of Search: 215/32, 215/256, 215/253, 215/254, 220/276, 220/306, 220/266, 229/212, 229/235, 229/237
• US Class Current: 220/276
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2401/10 Tearable part of the container B65D2401/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00092 circular
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00296 Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00472 Skirt
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00527 NO contact
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00537 on the outside, or a part turned to the outside of the mouth of the container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00546 NO contact
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00629 Massive bead
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00685 Totality
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/0074 Massive bead
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00796 Totality
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00898 by means of a coin or other tool in recesses or similar on container or lid
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/0206 inside a peripheral U-shaped channel in the mouth of the container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/0212 only on the outside, or a part turned to the outside, of the mouth B65D43/0206 takes precedence

Abstract

A tamper evident container having an easily removable tear strip that snugly fits around the rim or skirt of a lid. The tear strip has a break away tab and is joined to the wall of the container by a series of thin rupturable links. The strip snugly holds the lid on the container preventing removal without some evidence of tampering but may be easily stripped away to allow use of the contents of the container.

Claims

1. A tamper evident container for storing food products comprising;

a concave circular container having an open end;

a lid having a peripheral flange fitting over the open end of said container;

said container having a peripheral ridge around a lip on the open end of said container for securing said lid;

a removable flanged strip formed around an outside upper edge of said container;

said removable flanged strip covering a substantial portion of said flange on said lid when said lid is mounted on said container;

said removable flanged strip comprising, an L-shaped flange forming an upward oriented annulus for receiving and substantially covering said peripheral flange on said lid, said L-shaped flange being joined to said container by a plurality of easily ruptured links defined by a plurality of slots so that said flanged strip may easily be completely removed from said container;

pry preventing means for preventing an edge of said lid being pried up prior to removal of at least a section of said removable flanged strip;

said pry preventing means comprising a shoulder extending outwardly from said peripheral flange on said lid; and

a ridge extending inwardly from an upwardly directed wall of said flanged strip, said shoulder forming an interference fit with said ridge when said lid is mounted on said container so that an edge of said lid flange is concealed to prevent prying;

whereby said removable flanged strip substantially prevents removal of said lid without evidence of tampering.

2. The container according to claim 1 in which said rupturable links of said flanged strip are substantially thinner than the thickness of said remainder of said flanged strip.

3. The container according to claim 2 in which the circumferential slots is greater than the circumferential length of said rupturable links.

4. The container according to claim 3 in which the ratio of the circumferential length of said slots to said links is approximately 2 to 1.

5. A tamper evident container for storing food products comprising;

a concave circular container having an open end;

a lid having a peripheral flange fitting over the open end of said container;

said container having a peripheral ridge around a lip at the open end of said container for securing said lid;

a removable flanged strip formed around substantially the entire circumference of an outside upper edge of said container below said peripheral ridge;

said removable flanged strip covering a substantial portion of said lid flange when said lid is mounted on said container;

said removable flanged strip comprising, an L-shaped flange forming an upward oriented annulus for receiving and substantially covering said peripheral flange on said lid, said L-shaped flange being joined to said container by a plurality of easily ruptured links which are substantially thinner than the thickness of the remainder of said flanged strip so that said flanged strip may easily be completely removed from said container;

said rupturable links being defined by a plurality of slots around substantially an entire circumferential periphery of said removable flanged strip;

said slots defining acutely angled sharply tapered corners at each end of each of said rupturable links joining said removable flanged strip to said container so that said sharply tapered corners act as tear initiators to facilitate complete removal of said flanged strip;

whereby said removable flanged strip substantially prevents removal of said lid without evidence of tampering.

6. The container according to claim 5 in which the circumferential length of said slots is greater than the circumferential length of said rupturable links.

7. The container according to claim 6 in which the circumferential length of said slots is approximately twice the circumferential length of said rupturable links.

8. The container according to claim 7 including means to prevent prying said lid off said container, said pry preventing means comprising a shoulder extending outwardly from said peripheral flange on said lid forming an interference fit with a ridge extending inwardly from an upwardly directed wall of said flanged strip so that a prying tool may not be inserted beneath an edge of said lid.