GB2220648A

GB2220648A - Tamper-evident container

Info

Publication number: GB2220648A
Application number: GB8915964A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Lesley Stenhouse
Original assignee: ROTHWELLS PICKLES Ltd
Current assignee: ROTHWELLS PICKLES Ltd
Priority date: 1988-07-14
Filing date: 1989-07-12
Publication date: 1990-01-17
Anticipated expiration: 2009-07-12
Also published as: GB8816719D0; GB8915964D0; GB2220648B

Abstract

A tamper-evident container includes indicia on a closure member and container body which are in register in the initial sealed state; at least one of the indicia is substantially invisible to the naked eye but is capable of being viewed by subsequent treatment thereof. In the preferred embodiment two U.V. lines 10 are provided respectively on a cap 11 and body 12 of a container and are aligned (Fig. 1) when the container is sealed closed. Since the lines 10 are normally invisible, if the cap 11 is unscrewed, the probability is that the lines 10 will no longer then be coincident. When exposed to U.V. radiation the lines 10 will become visible indicating that the container may have been tampered with. The indicia may alternatively be made by a heat-sensitive ink dye. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO TAMPER-EVIDENCE CONTAINERS The present invention relates to a tamper-evidence container, and to a method of preparing a container, especially a food container, for a subsequent test to determine whether the container has been tampered with, and also to the tamper-evidence method thereby employed.

It is a problem in the food industry to determine whether food containers have been tampered with in the sense that the contents thereof have deliberately been contaminated. Numerous devices and methods have been suggested for tackling the problem such as having a dye located in the container threads and which visibly changes colour when the cap is unscrewed (European Patent (EP) No 109592). Paper tabs extending between the container body and cap are used, for example, in the wines and spirits industry, the tabs breaking on unscrewing of the cap.

Further methods/devices are described in the following patents: EP No 105971, El Jo 111900, US No 4601404, US No 4511052, US No 4557505, US No 4562605, US No 4448317 and US No 4424911.

It is an object of the present invention to solve or simplify the aforesaid problem.

According to an aspect of the invention there is provided a tamper-evidence container including a closure member and container body, indicia in register being provided on both the closure member and container body in the initial sealed state, at least one of said indicia being substantially invisible to the naked eye but being capable of being viewed by subsequent treatment thereof.

Preferably the indicia provided on the closure member and/or the container body comprises an ultra-violet responsive area, which can subsequently be viewed by impinging ultra-violet light thereon.

Preferably also, the registrable indicia is two coincident lines located on the closure member and container body.

Preferably also, the indicia on both the closure member and container are invisible before subsequent treatment.

Since a food manufacture as well as a grocer could locate the invisible indicia(s), a second aspect of the invention provides for preparation of the container for the further tamper-evidence investigation by a grocer or the like.

Accordingly, in a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method of preparing a capped container so as to show on further treatment whether the container has been tampered with, the method comprising forming in the initial sealed state a recognisable configuration defined by indicia in register on the closure member and container body, at least one of the indicia being invisible to the naked eye but being capable of being viewed by subsequent treatment thereof.

Therefore if the container contents are tampered with the probability of regaining the original invisible configuration of the indicia on recapping the container top, is very low; and if on further treatment to show up the indicia(s), the original recognisable configuration is disrupted, this would be an alert that the container may have been tampered with.

The further tamper-evidence test could be undertaken by a person, such as a grocer or house-wife, independent of the person preparing the container as aforesaid, and the further treatment of the invisible configuration thereby forms a third aspect of the invention.

In a third aspect of the invention there is provided a method of testing whether a container has been tampered with, comprising taking a container as defined in the first aspect of the invention, or prepared in accordance with the second aspect of the invention and further treating to show up the invisible container indicia.

A fourth aspect of the invention comprises the method of preparation, and further investigation of the recognisable configuration, as defined respectively in the second and third aspects of the invention.

The invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the following drawing, in which: Fig. 1 is a side schematic view of the top of a container having an invisible configuration, in accordance with the invention, where the cap is untampered with; and Fig. 2 is a side schematic view of the container portion shown in Fig. 1, where the cap has been removed and rescrewed.

U.V. responsive paint such as CJC Ethanol U.V.

readable ink obtainable from Willet Inks and Adhesives Limited of Runcorn, Cheshire was sprayed onto a capped container in the form of a narrow line 10 extending from the cap 11 to the container body 12. This coincident configuration of the line indicators 10 is normally invisible to the naked human eye, but can show up under a U.V. lamp 13.

The cap 11 was removed then rescrewed, and a U.V. lamp 13 switched on to show up the two invisible indicators 10.

It was found that the line indicators 10 had not been realigned, on replacing the cap 11, indicating that the cap 11 had been tampered with.

The recognisable configuration could take any number of forms, such as a figure of eight, and is designed so that the probability of regaining the original register of the indicators on recapping the container lid, is very low.

The indicators like-wise can be in any suitable form, such as dots or dashes.

Most preferably the configuration comprises of two substantially coincident indicators, preferably lines, on the cap and container so that on for example, on rescrewing the cap, it is very unlikely to realign the indicators/lines.

Preferably also, the invisible indicator(s) are formed using an ultra-violet responsive paint, which is advantageously sprayed. The painted indicators would thereby be invisible to the eye but would show up on further investigation by screening the container with an ultra-violet lamp. The U.V. paint (or dye) should be resistant to delation through normal wear and tear of a container.

The invention includes other methods (and containers obtained thereby), which will be apparent to the skilled man, of preparing invisible indicators and of the further investigations to subsequently render them visible. An example of this would be a suitable heat sensitive ink dye.

Claims

1. A tamper-evidence container including a closure member and container body, indicia in register being provided on both the closure member and container body in the initial sealed state, at least one of said indicia being substantially invisible to the naked eye but being capable of being viewed by subsequent treatment thereof.

2. A tamper-evidence container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the indicia provided on the closure member and/or the container body comprises an ultra-violet responsive area, which can subsequently be viewed by impinging ultraviolet light thereon.

3. A tamper-evidence container as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the registrable indicia is two coincident lines located on the closure member and container body.

4. A tamper-evidence container as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the indicia on both the closure member and container are invisible before subsequent treatment.

5. A tamper-evidence container substantially as described with reference to the drawings.

6. A method of preparing a capped container so as to show on further treatment whether the container has been tampered with, the method comprising forming in the initial sealed state a recognisable configuration defined by indicia in register on the closure member and container body, at least one of the indicia being invisible to the naked eye but being capable of being viewed by subsequent treatment thereof.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the indicia and location thereof are as further defined in claims 2 to 4.

8. A method of preparing a capped container substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

9. A method of testing whether a container has been tampered with, comprising taking a container as defined in any one of claims 1 to 6 and further treating to show up the invisible container indicia.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9 wherein U.V. light is shone on U.V. responsive indicia.

11. A method of preparation of a capped container and further investigation of tampering thereof comprising preparing a container in accordance with claims 6 to 8 and further investigating in accordance with claim 9 or 10.

12. Use of an U.V. responsive paint for preparing a container as defined in any one of claims 2 to 6.