GB2272684A

GB2272684A - Tamper-evident containers

Info

Publication number: GB2272684A
Application number: GB9321949A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James Osborne
Original assignee: LIN PAC CONTAINERS INT
Current assignee: LIN PAC CONTAINERS INT
Priority date: 1992-11-18
Filing date: 1993-10-25
Publication date: 1994-05-25
Anticipated expiration: 2013-10-25
Also published as: GB9321949D0; GB2272684B

Abstract

A blank of foldable material is cut and creased to form, when erected, a container of the type comprising a base (2), side walls, and a lid (32). The lid (32), when closed, has at least one flap (34, 35) located within the container and lying in confronting relationship with a corresponding side wall. The or each flap (34, 35) and an inner portion of the corresponding side wall have respective complementary locking means, such as, a tab (38) and slot (8), interengaged with each other to lock the lid (21) and base (11) together. An outer portion of the corresponding side wall has a displaceable panel (9) located in registration with the interengaged, complementary locking means (38, 8), such that access thereto from outside the erected container is denied by the presence of the panel (9). Unauthorised displacement of the panel (9) from the outer portion of the corresponding base side wall (15) to render the interengaged locking means (38, 8) accessible, provides evidence of tampering with the container. <IMAGE>

Description

TAMPER-EVIDENT CONTAINER DESCRIPTION This invention relates to a blank for a tamperevident container and an associated container comprising a base and lid, the blank being made of corrugated board or other fibrous material. The invention is especially, but not exclusively, related to such a blank of unitary structure, in which case, the lid of the erected container is hingedly connected to the base, usually along a top edge of an end or side wall thereof.

One method of rendering such a container tamperevident is to shrink wrap the container once it has been erected from the associated blank and filled with its contents. In this manner, unauthorised access to the container and its contents is evident from a break or tear in the shrink wrapping.

However, this known method of rendering a filled container tamper-evident is expensive, in that additional shrink wrapping has to be employed at extra material and labour costs.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a tamper-evident container comprising a base and lid, which overcomes, or at least substantially reduces, this and other disadvantages associated with known forms of tamper-evident container.

Accordingly, a first aspect of the invention provides a blank of foldable material which is cut and creased to form, when erected, a container of the type comprising a base with side walls upstanding therefrom and a lid with at least one flap depending therefrom and, with the lid closed, the or each flap being located within the container and lying in confronting relationship with a corresponding side wall of the base, wherein the or each flap of the lid and an inner portion of the corresponding side wall of the base have respective complementary locking means interengaged with each other to lock the lid and base together and an outer portion of the corresponding side wall of the base has a displaceable panel located in registration with said interengaged complementary locking means, such that access to said means from outside the erected container is denied by the presence of the displaceable panel, the arrangement being such that unauthorised displacement of the panel from the outer portion of the corresponding side wall of the base to render the interengaged complementary locking means accessible, provides evidence of tampering with the container.

Preferably, the complementary locking means comprises an interengageable tab and slot associated with respective ones of the lid flap and the inner portion of the corresponding base side wall.

The displaceable panel may be partially or totally removable from the outer portion of the corresponding base side wall and, in the former case, the panel may be pivotable about a crease by which it is connected to the outer portion of the base side wall.

In a preferred embodiment, the corresponding base side wall is of double thickness such that the inner portion of the corresponding base side wall is constituted by the inner thickness thereof and the outer portion, by the outer thickness thereof.

A second aspect of the invention resides in a blank of foldable material which is cut and creased to form, when erected, a container of the type comprising a base with side walls upstanding therefrom and a lid with at least one flap depending therefrom and, with the lid closed, the flap being located within the container and lying in confronting relationship with a corresponding side wall of the base, wherein: (a) the corresponding side wall of the base is of double thickness, the inner thickness thereof having a slot therein and the outer thickness thereof having a removable panel located adjacent the slot; and (b) the or at least one of the flaps of the lid has a tab which engages in a slot in the confronting inner thickness of the corresponding side wall of the base, to lock the lid and base together, such that access to the interengaged tab and slot from outside the container is denied by the presence of the removable panel, the arrangement being such that unauthorised removal of the panel from the outer thickness of the side wall of the base to render the interengaged tab and slot accessible, provides evidence of tampering with the container.

The lid is preferably hingedly connected, usually by means of a crease, to the top edge of one of the side walls of the base, whilst, in a preferred embodiment, respective pairs of tabs and slots are associated with a pair of opposed lid flaps and corresponding base side walls of the container.

It has been found also that other similar arrangements for the blank and associated container erected therefrom can be used to render the container tamper-evident by suitable modification of the blank.

Accordingly, a third aspect of the invention provides a blank which is of a foldable material and which is cut and creased to form, when erected, a container of the type comprising a base with at least one side wall upstanding therefrom and a lid with a flap depending therefrom and, with the lid closed, the flap being located inside the container and lying in confronting relationship with a corresponding side wall of the base, wherein: (a) the corresponding side wall of the base is of at least partially double thickness and the outer thickness thereof has a panel detachably secured thereto; and (b) the flap of the lid has a portion thereof for engaging between the double thicknesses of the corresponding side wall of the base in the region of the panel to lock the lid in its closed position with respect to the base, such that access to the lid flap portion engaged between the two thicknesses of the corresponding base side wall, is denied by the presence of the detachable panel, the arrangement being such that unauthorised detachment of the panel from the outer thickness of the corresponding base side wall to render access to the lid flap portion for disengaging it from between the two thicknesses of said side wall to unlock the lid from the base, provides evidence of tampering with the container.

Detachment of the panel from the outer thickness of the corresponding side wall of the base may, again, be partial or total. In the former case, the panel may, again, be pivotable about a crease by which it is connected to the outer thickness of the base side wall.

In preferred embodiments of the inventive blanks and associated containers, the blanks are of unitary structure, in which case, the detachable or otherwise displaceable panels are formed integrally therewith.

Alternatively, however, the panels may be detachably secured to the exterior surfaces of the outer thicknesses of the corresponding side walls of the bases over apertures therein lying in registration with the lid flap portions, tabs or other interengaging locking means.

The portion of the lid flap which engages between the double thickness of the corresponding side wall of the base, may be arranged to do so in an upward manner, in which case, the flap portion may be formed in the blank and may be folded back about a suitable crease through about 1800 when the container is erected therefrom, such that it extends generally upwardly adjacent the flap. The flap portion, which is preferably in the form of a tab or tongue, may then be engaged between the double thicknesses on closure of the lid, via, say, a slot in the inner thickness of the corresponding side wall of the base, as in accordance with the blank, and erected container, of the second aspect of the invention defined above.

Alternatively, the slot may be replaced by other suitable interengaging means by which the flap portion, tab, tongue or the like can be engaged between the double thicknesses of the correspond base side wall. For instance, the most suitable means has been found to be the provision of an edge of the inner thickness, which, in the case of the slot, is defined by the upper edge of that slot.

In a preferred embodiment, such an edge is provided by the bottom, generally horizontal edge of a downwardly extending inner thickness of the corresponding base side wall, which extends only partially down the height of the outer thickness of the corresponding side wall, as will be described in more detail hereinbelow.

A further alternative might be the provision of a slit, rather than a slot, in the inner side wall thickness for receiving the flap portion, tab, tongue or the like therethrough and into engagement between the base side wall thicknesses.

Advantageously, the corresponding side wall of the base is the front wall thereof, in which case, the front lid flap is in general confronting relationship with that front wall, when the lid is closed.

The invention also provides a container when erected from a blank in accordance with any of the inventive blanks defined above.

Preferred embodiments of blank and associated container in accordance with the invention, will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a first embodiment of blank in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the base of a container erected from the blank of Figure 1, with the corresponding lid not shown; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the lid of the container erected from the blank shown in Figure 1 but with the base not shown.

Figure 4 is a plan view of a second embodiment of blanks; and Figure 5 is a front elevational view of a container erected from the blank of Figure 4, with its lid closed.

Referring firstly to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings, a blank cut and creased from a sheet of corrugated board, comprises two portions 10, 20. The first portion 10 is cut and creased for erection into the base 11 of an associated container, as shown in Figure 2. This base 11 comprises a generally rectangular base wall 12, a pair of opposed end walls 13, 14 and a pair of opposed side walls 15.

The base, end and side walls 12 to 15 of the base 11 are formed from respective panels 2 to 5 of the base portion 1 of the blank. Each panel 5 has a double normal crease 6 which, when the blank is erected, provides each side wall 15 of the base 11 with double thickness, the inner and outer thicknesses being indicated at 15' and 15" in Figure 2. Corner panels 7 of the base portion 1 of the blank locate between respective pairs of inner and outer thickness 15', 15" of the erected container but are not shown in Figure 2.

The lid 21, as shown in Figure 3, comprises a generally rectangular top portion 22, a downwardly depending front flap 24 and a pair of downwardly depending, opposed side flaps 25 formed from respective panels 32, 34 and 35 of the lid portion 20 of the blank shown in Figure 1. The depth of the front end flap 24 of the lid 21 corresponds generally with that of the end wall 14 of the base 11 but the depth of the side flaps 25 of the lid 21 is less than that of the side walls 15 of the base 11.

A generally rectangular slot 8 is cut from each of the side wall panels 5 of the base portion 10 of the blank, such that, in the erected base 11 of the container, the slots 8 are located in the inner thickness 15' thereof, only one being shown in Figure 2. A removable panel 9 in each base side wall panel 5 is defined by one major side of each slot 8 and a perforation line 9'. In the erected container base 11, as shown in Figure 2, this removable panel 9 extends from the inner thickness 15' to the outer thickness 15" of each side wall 15.

In each side flap 35 of the lid portion 20 of the blank, there is provided a tab in the form of a tongue 38 defined by a pair of opposed cuts 39 and a reverse crease 39'. When the container lid 21 is erected, the tongue 38 is folded outwardly of the side wall 25 through approximately 1800 about the double crease 39', so that it extrudes upwardly, as shown in Figure 3.

When the base 11 and lid 21 of the container are erected from the respective base and lid portions 10, 20 of the blank, the lid can be moved from its open position to its closed position with respect to the base 11 by pivotal movement about a normal crease 40 at the juncture of the end wall 3 of the base and the top wall 32 of the lid. In the normal closed position of the lid 21, the tongue 38, slot 8 and removable panel 9 on each side of the erected container lie in juxtaposition, with the side flaps 25 of the lid located inwardly of the base side walls 15. If the top wall 32 of the lid 21 is then depressed slightly further in a downward direction in the region of each tongue 38, the inherent resilience of the corrugated board from which the blank and container are made causes each tongue 38 to be urged outwardly of the container, so that it engages in the corresponding slot 8.Subsequent release of those depressed regions of the lid 21 causes the tongue 38 to move upwardly between the thicknesses 15', 15" of the corresponding side wall 15 of the base 11, such that the upper edge of each tongue 38 is located above the top edge of the corresponding slot 8 in the inner thickness 15'. In this manner, the lid 21 is now locked into position with respect to the base 11 of the container. Access to the interlocked tongues 38 and slots 8 is only achievable by breaking the perforation lines 9' in the outer thicknesses 15" of the side walls 15 of the base 11, either to lift those panels 9 upwardly about the double creases 6 or to remove them completely from the side walls 15.

If the lid is depressed subsequently in the manner described above for causing interengagement between the tongues 38 and their corresponding slots 8, then the inherent resilience of the material of the container causes the tongues 8 to be forced outwardly of the container against the inner surfaces of the outer thicknesses 15" of the base side walls 15, such that they cannot be disengaged from the corresponding slots 8. Thus, when such depression is removed from the lid 21, the tongues 38 remain interlocked with their respective slots 8.

Thus, if access to the interior of the closed container is required, the panels 9 have to be removed by breaking the perforation lines 9' to pivot them outwardly about respective double creases 6 or to remove them completely from the side walls 15. In this manner, unauthorised tampering with the accessdenying panels 9 becomes evident.

Referring now to Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings, a second embodiment of inventive blank is cut and creased from a sheet of corrugated board and comprises two portions 100, 200. The first portion 100 is cut and creased for erection into the base 101 of an associated container, as shown in Figure 5. This base 101 is generally square and is formed from interlocking panels 102 to 105 of the blank, a pair of opposed front and rear walls of which only the front wall 106 is shown, and a pair of opposed side walls 107, forming a generally cubic base.

The front, rear and side walls 106, 107 of the base 101 are formed from respective panels 108 to 111 of the base portion 100 of the blank. The panel 108 has an extension panel 112 connected thereto by a double normal crease 113 which, when the blank is erected, provides the front wall 108 of the base 101 with double thickness for a portion of its height at the top region thereof, the inner thickness being indicated at 112' in Figure 5. Tongues 114 at respective opposed ends of the extension panel 112 locate in corresponding slots 115 between pairs of panels 108, 110 and 108, 111 of the base portion 100 of the blank, to maintain the inner thickness 112' in position with respect to the front wall thickness 106 of the erected base 101.

The lid 201, as shown in Figure 5, comprises a generally square top 202, formed from panel 203 of the lid portion 200 of the blank, and a downwardly depending front flap 204 formed from panel 205 of the lid portion 200 of the blank shown in Figure 1. The depth of the front flap 204 of the lid 201 corresponds generally with that of the front wall 106 of the base 101.

A panel 116 is partially detachably secured to the panel 108 by a perforation line 117 and one of the double creases 113 about which the panel 116 is pivotable on breaking of the perforation line 117.

The flap panel 205 of the lid portion 200 is provided with a pair of spaced flap portions in the form of tabs 206 each defined by a reverse crease 207 and a shaped cut line 208. The shaded portion 209 associated with each tab 206 is removable when the blank is erected, so that the tab 206 can be rotated through about 1800 about the reverse crease 207. In this manner, and when the blank is erected, the tabs 206 extend generally upwardly and almost parallel to the panel 205.

The lower edge 112" of the inner thickness 112' of the front wall 106 of the base 101 has a pair of cut-outs 118 in it, which cut-outs are spaced apart by the same distance as are the tabs 206 of the flap panel 205 of the lid portion 200 of the blank. On erection of the blank and closure of the lid, the tabs 206 lie in register with respective ones of the cutouts 118 inwardly thereof. The respective pairs of in-register tabs 206 and cut-outs 118 also lie behind and inwardly of the panel 116 in the front wall 106 of the base 101.

When the base 101 and lid 201 of the container are erected from the respective base and lid portions 100, 200 of the blank, the erected lid 201 can be moved from its open position to its closed position with respect to the base 101 by pivotal movement about a normal crease 210 at the juncture of the rear wall base panel 109 of the base portion 100 and the panel 203 of the lid portion 200. In the former, justclosed position of the lid 201, the pairs of inregister tabs 206 and cut-outs 118 in the lower edge 112" of the inner front wall thickness 112' of the front wall 106 lie in juxtaposition.If the top 202 of the lid 201 is then depressed slightly further in a downward direction in the region of the front of the lid 201, the inherent resilience of the corrugated board from which the blank and container are made, causes each tab 206 to be urged outwardly of the container, so that the tabs locate beneath their respective cut-outs 118 and rest upon the inner surface of the outer front wall thickness 106 of the base 101. Subsequent release of that depressed front region of the lid top 202 then causes the tab 206 to move upwardly and engage between the inner and outer thicknesses 112', 106 of the front wall of the base 101 to extend upwardly beyond the cut-outs 118, as the lid 201 resumes its normal position with respect to the base 101. In this manner, the lid 201 is now locked into position with respect to the base 101 of the container.

Auxiliary lid locking means are also provided in the form of open-ended slots 211 located at respective opposed ends of normal crease 212 about which the front flap panel 205 is pivoted with respect to the top lid panel 203, when the panel 205 is tucked inside the front wall 106 of the erected base 101 to form the front lid flap 204. Shaped ends 119 of top panels 120 on respective base panels 110 and 111 engage lockingly in those slots 211 at the top front corners of the base 101, as shown in Figure 5 and when the lid 201 is closed.

Access to the locking tabs 206 engaged between the inner thickness 112' and the outer thickness of the front wall 106 of the erected and closed container is only achievable by breaking the perforation lines 117 in the outer front wall thickness of the base 101, either to lift the panel 116 upwardly about the double crease 113 or to remove it completely from the front wall 106.

If the lid top 202 is depressed subsequently in the manner described above for causing interengagement of the tabs 206 between the double thicknesses of the front wall 106, then the inherent resilience of the material of the container still causes the tabs 206 to be urged outwardly of the container against the inner surface of the outer thickness of the base front wall 106, such that they cannot be disengaged therefrom, even though they may be located below the cut-out 118 and, possibly, the lower edge 112" of the reduced height inner front wall thickness 112. Thus, when such depression is removed from the lid top 202, the tabs 206 remain interlocked between the double thicknesses of the front base wall, as the lid 201 recovers to its original closed position.

Thus, if access to the interior of the closed container is required, the front panel 116 has to be removed at least partially by breaking the perforation line 117 to pivot it outwardly about the double creases 113 or to remove it completely from the front base wall 106. In this manner, unauthorised tampering with the access-denying panel 116 becomes evident.

It is to be appreciated that, although this embodiment, as well as the first embodiment, has its lid attached to the base for pivotal movement with respect thereto between open and closed positions, a separate lid may be used, as long as it has the necessary locking tab or tongue for interengaging between the double thickness of an associated side/end wall of the base.

Claims

1. A blank of foldable material which is cut and creased to form, when erected, a container of the type comprising a base with side walls upstanding therefrom and a lid with at least one flap depending therefrom and, with the lid closed, the or each flap being located within the container and lying in confronting relationship with a corresponding side wall of the base, wherein the or each flap of the lid and an inner portion of the corresponding side wall of the base have respective complementary locking means interengaged with each other to lock the lid and base together and an outer portion of the corresponding side wall of the base has a displaceable panel located in registration with said interengaged complementary locking means, such that access to said means from outside the erected container is denied by the presence of the displaceable panel, the arrangement being such that unauthorised displacement of the panel from the outer portion of the corresponding side wall of the base to render the interengaged complementary locking means accessible, provides evidence of tampering with the container.

2. A blank according to claim 1, wherein the complementary locking means comprises an interengageable tab and slit or slot associated with respective ones of the lid flaps and the inner portion of the corresponding base side wall of the erected container.

3. A blank according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the corresponding base side wall of the erected container is of double thickness, whereby the inner portion of the side wall is constituted by the inner thickness and the outer portion, by the outer thickness.

4. A blank according to claim 3, wherein the inner thickness of the corresponding base side wall of the erected container extends partially down the height of the outer thickness thereof, with the lower edge of the inner thickness constituting one of said complementary locking means with which the other of said complementary locking means of the lid flap is cooperable to interengage between the inner and outer thicknesses of the side wall.

5. A blank according to any preceding claim, wherein said complementary locking means of the lid flap comprises a portion thereof.

6. A blank according to claim 5, wherein said portion of the lid flap comprises a tab, tongue or the like which, in the erected container, is bent out of the plane of the flap to extend generally upwardly and adjacent thereto.

7. A blank of foldable material which is cut and creased to form, when erected, a container of the type comprising a base with side walls upstanding therefrom and a lid with at least one flap depending therefrom and, with the lid closed, the flap being located within the container and lying in confronting relationship with a corresponding side wall of the base, wherein: (a) the corresponding side wall of the base is of double thickness, the inner thickness thereof having a slot therein and the outer thickness thereof having a removable panel located adjacent the slot; and (b) the or at least one of the flaps of the lid has a tab which engages in a slot in the confronting inner thickness of the corresponding side wall of the base, to lock the lid and base together, such that access to the interengaged tab and slot from outside the container is denied by the presence of the removable panel, the arrangement being such that unauthorised removal of the panel from the outer thickness of the side wall of the base to render the interengaged tab and slot accessible, provides evidence of tampering with the container.

8. A blank which is of a foldable material and which is cut and creased to form, when erected, a container of the type comprising a base with at least one side wall upstanding therefrom and a lid with a flap depending therefrom and, with the lid closed, the flap being located inside the container and lying in confronting relationship with a corresponding side wall of the base, wherein: (a) the corresponding side wall of the base is of at least partially double thickness and the outer thickness thereof has a panel detachably secured thereto; and (b) the flap of the lid has a portion thereof for engaging between the double thicknesses of the corresponding side wall of the base in the region of the panel to lock the lid in its closed position with respect to the base, such that access to the lid flap portion engaged between the two thicknesses of the corresponding base side wall, is denied by the presence of the detachable panel, the arrangement being such that unauthorised detachment of the panel from the outer thickness of the corresponding base side wall to render access to the lid flap portion for disengaging it from between the two thicknesses of said side wall to unlock the lid from the base, provides evidence of tampering with the container.

9. A blank according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the tab extends generally upwardly adjacent its lid flap in the erected container.

10. A blank according to any preceding claim, wherein displacement, removal or detachment of the panel, as the case may be, from the outer portion or thickness of its associated base side wall of the erected container, is partial or total.

11. A blank according to claim 10, wherein, in the erected container, such displacement, removal or detachment of the panel is partial, with the panel being pivotable about a crease by which it is connected to the outer portion or thickness of its associated base side wall.

12. A blank according to any preceding claim, wherein respective pairs of confronting pairs of locking means or respective pairs of tabs and slots, as the case may be, are associated with a pair of opposed slid flaps and corresponding base side walls of the erected container.

13. A blank according to any of claims 1 to 11, wherein the corresponding side wall of the base is the front wall thereof, with the front lid flap in generally confronting relationship therewith, when the lid of the erected container is closed.

14. A blank according to any preceding claim which is of unitary structure, with the displaceable, removable or detachable panel, as the case may be, of the outer portion or thickness of its associated base side wall of the erected container, being formed integrally therewith.

15. A blank substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

16. A container when erected from a blank according to any preceding claim.

17. A container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.