AU726002B3 - Container - Google Patents

Description

P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION PETTY PATENT Invention title: Container The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: Container

I

Field of the invention The present invention relates to containers. More particularly, but not exclusively, the present invention relates to an improved form of container with lid or closure, being a container of what is termed the tamper-evident type.

Background of the invention Throughout the ensuing description reference will be made to an improved form of container in accordance with the present invention, as specifically illustrated in the drawings, including as principal components a container base and a top or closure therefor.

It should be realised, however, that the container as illustrated, and described in detail, represents merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In actual fact a container in accordance with the present invention can be of any physical shape, be it parallelepipedal, elliptical, round, oblong, square, or any combination thereof.

Containers of this general type, traditionally constructed of any suitable plastics material, have enjoyed usage in a variety of different contexts, and in particular for the packaging of foodstuffs, as for example frozen or dairy-case type foodstuffs, for a significant period of time. The prior art containers, whilst having enjoyed significant market acceptance, in more recent times have encountered increasingly more and more criticism by virtue of the fact that, in accordance with the known constructions and techniques, it is possible for the lid or closure to be partially, if not totally, removed from the container base, thereby destroying the integrity of the overall container and permitting unauthorised access to the contents thereof. With such known arrangements it is in fact possible for the person effecting unauthorised, premature removal of the lid or closure to replace the lid in such a manner that it was not readily evident to the shopkeeper, customer etc that the overall container itself had been tampered with, and the contents thereof (wholly or in part) tainted, tasted or sampled, removed and/or contaminated, in other words that the overall container had been compromised. The consequences of such a result could be catastrophic, as has been apparent from recent experiences of many manufacturers. In recent times, therefore, there has been an ever-increasing demand for a lidded container of the type wherein, once the lid has been removed from the base either deliberately or inadvertently it would be readily evidence to the viewer, be it either the shopkeeper or a potential customer or user, that such an undesirable step had taken place and the contents in some way possibly compromised. In the industry, what is termed a tamper-evident lidded container has been called for, to satisfy customer requirements, health regulations etc.

Prior art attempts at achieving such a tamper-evident container have not been particularly successful, or alternatively have involved a rather complicated arrangement which has given rise to inordinate expense in the overall manufacture thereof. In that regard it should be realised that industry and commercial requirements are not only that a tamper-evident type of container be provided, but that such a result be achieved at minimum additional cost (when compared with the existing, prior art containers).

By way of example only, one form of prior art container used for the packaging of foodstuffs, in particular foodstuffs of the perishable type, achieves a sealing effect through the use of a hermetic seal. In the main, such containers involve or include heat-sealed membranes of any suitable material, as for example a foil material, with a cap, whereby to provide the required shelf life and tamper protection. Such an arrangement has been found to be not conducive (to not lend itself) to current practices where large containers are often employed and the proposed contents of such containers do not call for, or in fact need, any form of hermetic seal.

It is known that a degree of tamper-evidence can be achieved, even with traditionally employed prior art containers, by the provision of a heat-shrunk protective band or sleeve surrounding the lidded container. However, such an arrangement has been found to add significantly to the overall packaging cost, and also has been found to be unsatisfactory by reason of the heating procedure associated therewith, a process which could adversely affect the contents of the container, this more especially if such contents are in the form of frozen and/or dairy products, or for that matter products of a perishable nature.

The present invention seeks to overcome the problems and disadvantages associated with the prior art by providing a tamper-evident container of the aforementioned general type which, apart from affording protection against deliberate or inadvertent removal of the lid from the base, achieves that result with a configuration which lends itself to ready highspeed manufacture, from a suitable plastics material, at comparable cost to that incurred with currently known and in use packaging procedures of this general type.

SEP 07 '00 02:59PM 0 RR H MELB 613 96138779 3 The present invention provides a container comprising a base member and a co-operating lid or closure therefor, said base member having a substantially vertically extending container wall having, at or in the vicinity of the upper edge thereof, an assembly adapted, in use, to co-operate with a substantially complementary-shaped assembly of said lid, thereby to provide a tamper-evident closure means for said container, wherein said lid includes a skirt assembly which is adapted, in use, to co-operate with and surround a rim of said base member, an upper portion of said rim having an outward projection, said base member including a substantially T-shaped formation or assembly associated therewith and adapted to extend substantially normally therefrom, and located whereby to provide a gap between said formation and said rim, said skirt of said lid having an inwardly directed cooperating bead or the like adapted, in use, to extend into said gap, wherein a portion of said T-shaped formation defines a strip at at least one location around the periphery of said container, the strip being separable from said container, thereby to provide access for lid removal and a tamper-evident means therefor.

In the closed position of the lid or closure on the base, the assembly of the base and the Tshaped formation provide a protective band around the lower edge of the skirt of the lid or closure to limit access thereto. Accordingly, the strip must be removed to obtain access to the lid lower edge of the skirt of the lid or closure to enable removal thereof, thereby rendering the container tamper evident.

Preferably the container is of generally parallelepipedal shape and the strip is located at at least one corner portion of the container. Location of the strip at a corner of the container assists access to the lid once the strip has been removed to facilitate ready opening of the container.

Preferably said T-shaped formation is further located to define an upwardly-facing annular recess with the container wall and the skirt of said lid has an outwardly directed foot below said bead or the like for extending into said annular recess.

Description of the drawiziga In order that the invention may be more clearly understood and put into practical effect there shall now be described in more detail preferred embodiments of a tamper-evident container in accordance with the invention. The ensuing description is given by way of non-limitative example only and is with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 07/09 '00 THU 14:54 fTX/RX NO 5778] FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a container (base member and co-operating lid or closure) in accordance with the invention; FIG. 2 is a top perspective view, similar to FIG. 1, showing the lid in position above the base member, but removed therefrom, thereby illustrating certain of the internal features of the base member; FIG. 3 is an exploded view of one comer of the base member of a container in accordance with the present invention, having a tamper-evident tab or removal flap associated therewith; FIG. 4 is a top view of a container base member in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 5 is a side view of the container base member of FIG. 4; FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a lid or closure means for a container in accordance with the invention; FIG. 7 is a sectional view, similar to FIG. 6, of the uppermost portion of a container base member in accordance with the invention, at a location around the periphery thereof removed from that portion of said overall container which houses a tamper-evident means in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a container (base member and lid) in accordance with the present invention, with the base member and lid of FIG's. 6 and 7 mechanically interconnected, being a view taken along the line 8-8 in FIG. 4; FIG. 9 is a view, similar to that of FIG. 8, of that portion of a container in accordance with the present invention which houses or includes a tamper-evident means, being a view taken along the line in FIG. 4; As illustrated, a substantially parallelepipedal lidded container, generally designated 1, is provided, such including a base member 2 and a lid or closure 3.

Preferably the base member 2 and lid 3 are constructed from a suitable plastics material, in a high-speed moulding operation. The actual material and method of construction, however, are not of the essence of the invention, and could be varied dependent upon the nature of the contents for the container. In an especially preferred embodiment a high density polyethylene or polypropylene material could be employed for both the base member and the lid or closure. Alternatively, a high-density polyethylene or polypropylene material could be used for construction of the base member, whilst a low density polyethylene or polypropylene material could be used for the construction of the lid or closure. Food quality materials may be employed when the containers in accordance with the invention are intended for the storage of foodstuffs and the like.

The base member 2, as best shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7, includes a substantially upwardly extending peripheral side wall 20 having, at or in the vicinity of the uppermost end thereof, an assembly generally designated 21 which, in manner to be explained hereinafter, co-operates with a substantially complementary-shaped assembly 31 provided at or in the vicinity of the outermost edge of the lid or closure 3, thereby to give rise to a tamper-evident closure/container in accordance with the present invention.

With particular reference now to FIGS. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7, the assembly 21 includes a shoulder portion or flange 22, a further wall portion 23 extending substantially normally and upwardly away from said shoulder portion or flange 22, a crest portion 24 and a depending portion or member 25. In the preferred embodiment illustrated the crest portion 24 takes the form of a member which is continuous with the further wall portion 23, but extends substantially normally thereto and relatively outwardly therefrom. The depending portion or member 25 then extends downwardly, and at an angle, away from that end of the crest portion 24 which is removed spatially from the further wall portion 23. The end result is that, in the especially preferred embodiment illustrated, the free end 26 of the depending member 25 is continuous and spaced circumferentially from the further wall portion 23.

Further wall portion 23, crest portion 24 and depending portion or member 25 together constitute an outward projection on base member 2.

The assembly 21 in accordance with the present invention also includes, on the base member 2 and preferably formed integrally therewith, a formation, generally designated 50, extending in a direction substantially normally to the further wall portion 23 so as to provide a circumferential gap 27 (see FIGS 7, 8 and 9) between the free end 26 of the depending member 25 and such formation 50. As best illustrated in, for example, FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, at angularly-spaced-apart locations around the circumference/periphery of the base member 2 there are provided reinforcing webs 23a, such webs 23a generally extending between, and being integral with, the downwardly extending further wall portion 23 of the base member 2. The formation 50 includes a substantially horizontally-disposed leg member 51, extending substantially normally to the further wall portion 23 via the web 23a, as well as respective upwardly and downwardly extending members 52 and 53. At or in the vicinity of the free end of the upwardly extending member 52 there is provided an inwardly projecting and sloping engagement bead 54. Preferably the upwardly extending member 52 of the formation 50 is provided, at its uppermost edge or end with an inwardly directed bevelled surface, which extends to form the protruding secondary engagement bead 54. The formation 50, with its respective upstanding and downstanding members 52 and 53, constitutes a protective band which extends around the entire periphery/circumference of the base member 2, intended to mechanically co-operate with the lid or closure 3.

The lid or closure 3, as best illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, 6, 8 and 9, is intended to mechanically co-operate with the base member 2 and has, at or in the vicinity of the outermost free edge thereof and extending around the entire periphery or circumference thereof, an assembly or configuration 31 of a substantially complementary shape to that of assembly 21 of the base member 2.

With particular reference to FIG. 6, the lid or closure 3 includes a substantially horizontally disposed inner section 32, terminating in a wall section 33 extending downwardly therefrom and substantially normally thereto. A the lowermost end of the inner section 33 there is provided a further substantially horizontal section 34, depending substantially normally therefrom, extending in an continuous manner into respective inclined section 37, downwardly inclined section 38, substantially vertical section 39, inclined section 40 and foot member 41 extending substantially normally to said inclined portion 40. The inclined portion 40 has, extending inwardly and rearwardly therefrom, a segmented primary engagement bead 42.

Turning now to FIG. 9, there is illustrated therein a preferred arrangement for a tamperevident means to be provided at one, or more, locations around the circumference or periphery of the container. In an especially preferred embodiment, when the container is of a parallelepipedal shape, such a tamper-evident means may be produced at at least one corner portion of the container. Alternatively, one such tamper-evident means may be located at or in the vicinity of each corner. With the preferred arrangement illustrated, the formation 50' is provided with an upwardly extending member 52' of an elongated length when compared with the similar member 52 as employed elsewhere around the base member 2. In addition, at the same location the reinforcing web 23a' has a portion thereof blanked out, thereby to provide a gap between it and the downwardly extending member 53' of the T-shaped formation 50'. The end result is that, in such locale(s) on the base member 2, the formation 50' has a different appearance to elsewhere on the base member 2, by virtue of its height extension 52', the formation 50' being attached to the base member 2, via the web 23a', in a frangible manner and is thus identified as a frangible piece. That section, or sections, around the periphery of the base member 2 having this configuration thereby constitute tamper-evident means for the assembled container. Any attempt, either deliberately or by accident, to access the container will result in breaking of the frangible formation 50', a result which would be readily apparent to the observer.

When assembled, as perhaps best seen in FIG. 8, the segmented engagement bead 42 of the lid 3 is located within the gap 27 existing between the free end 26 of the depending member 25 and the formation 50. At the same time the foot member 41 is in engagement with the bead 54 of the upwardly extending portion 52 of the formation 50. The result thereof is a double engagement of lid or closure 3 to base member 2, providing additional and improved security and integrity for the container and its contents.

In the preferred embodiment illustrated the downwardly extending member 53 of the formation or protective band 50 remains in firm attachment the web 23a apart, that is, from that region (or those regions) where the tamper evident means is provided. In the preferred embodiment illustrated the downwardly extending member 53 will have a length of the order of 3 times that of the upwardly extending member 52. It should be realised, however, that the relative lengths of such members are not of the essence of the invention.

The arrangement in accordance with the present invention is responsible for a number of practical advantages when compared with the prior art. Firstly it provides a tamper-evident means for the overall container. Secondly, it provides such a means in an efficient and cost-effective manner, adding negligible additional cost of manufacture when compared with the known art procedures. Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, the arrangement in accordance with the present invention lends itself readily to use with high-speed, thin-wall construction techniques.

The word 'comprising' and forms of the word 'comprising' as used in this description and in the claims does not limit the invention claimed to exclude any variants or additions.

Modifications and improvements to the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled 8 in the art. Such modifications and improvements are intended to be within the scope of this invention.

Claims (3)

1. A container comprising a base member and a co-operating lid or closure therefor, said base member having a substantially vertically extending container wall having, at or in the vicinity of the upper edge thereof, an assembly adapted, in use, to co-operate with a substantially complementary-shaped assembly of said lid, thereby to provide a tamper-evident closure means for said container, wherein said lid includes a skirt assembly which is adapted, in use, to co-operate with and surround a rim of said base member, an upper portion of said rim having an outward projection, said base member including a substantially T-shaped formation or assembly associated therewith and adapted to extend substantially normally therefrom, and located whereby to provide a gap between said formation and said rim, said skirt of said lid having an inwardly directed co-operating bead or the like adapted, in use, to extend into said gap, wherein a portion of said T-shaped formation defines a strip at at least one location around the periphery of said container, the strip being separable from said container, thereby to provide access for lid removal and a tamper-evident means therefor.

2. A container according to claim 1 wherein the container is of generally parallelepipedal shape and the strip is located at at least one corner portion of the container.

3. A container according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said T-shaped formation is further located to define an upwardly-facing annular recess with the container wall and the skirt of said lid has an outwardly directed foot below said bead or the like for extending into said annular recess. Ruskin Industries Limited 8 August 2000