GB2290072A

GB2290072A - Tamper evident container

Info

Publication number: GB2290072A
Application number: GB9509179A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stephen Hrynacz
Original assignee: Waddingtons Cartons Ltd
Current assignee: Waddingtons Cartons Ltd
Priority date: 1994-06-08
Filing date: 1995-05-05
Publication date: 1995-12-13
Anticipated expiration: 2015-05-05
Also published as: GB9509179D0; GB2290072B; GB9411417D0

Abstract

A cut and creased sheet material packaging container has at least one tuck in flap 38, 40 provided with a tamper evident portion 78 which is a section of the flap defined by skip cut lines 62 - 68 leaving catch points connecting the tamper evident portion with the remainder of the tuck in flap. The tamper evident portion 78 presents an edge 62 where the tuck in flap would normally be engaged by the thumb or finger nail for the opening of the tuck in flap whereby allempts to open the flap by the normal procedure results in the tamper evident portion being at least partially separated from the remainder of the flap to show the tampering. The or each tuck in flap 38, 40 having a tamper evident portion is glued to another part of the container so that the force required to open the tuck-in flap 38, 40 is greater than when no such glueing is employed. <IMAGE>

Description

Improvements Relating to Packaging Containers This invention relates to packaging containers, which are of a type made from cut and creased sheet material such as cardboard or plastics material, or laminates thereof.

A widely used form of cut and creased sheet material packaging container is made from a blank of the material provided with appropriate crease lines to enable the blank to be folded into a box like construction. The container is provided with what is known as a tuck in flap in order to close the top, and often a similar flap is provided at the bottom of the container. Access to the container is obtained by opening of the flap which usually involves applying the thumb or thumb nail or a finger nail to the tuck in flap followed by a pulling open of the flap to hinge the flap away from the remainder of the container.

Because of the regrettable subversive practise of tampering with goods which are sold in shops and supermarkets, sharply increased awareness of the need to provide packaging containers which are tamperproof or tamper evident has been created. Manufacturers are now demanding of the suppliers of the packaging containers tamper evident or tamperproof features, and it is not always easy to provide such features on containers which are produced from cut and creased sheet material. More usually, packaging containers of cut and creased sheet material are overwrapped with a sealed shrink wrap film which has to be ruptured to gain access to the packaging container, or are wrapped with a plastics material film which has a tear strip requiring tearing of the strip to gain access to the packaging container.The addition of outer wrapping films of course leads to increased expense, and attracts criticism that the goods are over packaged.

Over packaged goods are also criticized by environmentalists.

The invention the subject of our co-pending UK patent application No 9321122.5 provides in a simple and effective manner a means whereby a cut and creased sheet material packaging container is provided with a tamper evident feature.

In accordance with the present invention the subject of that application, a cut and creased sheet material packaging container of the type having a tuck in flap is provided with a tamper evident portion which is a section of the flap defined by skip cut lines leaving catch points connecting the tamper evident portion with the remainder of the tuck in flap, and said tamper evident portion presenting an edge where the tuck in flap would normally be engaged by the thumb or finger nail for the opening of the tuck in flap whereby attempts to open the flap by the normal procedure results in the tamper evident portion being at least partially separated from the remainder of the flap to show the tampering.

Where the packaging container is a rectilinear box container with tuck in flaps at each end, preferably each of the tuck in flaps is provided with tamper evident portion.

The invention the subject of said co-pending application has wide application, and can be applied to packaging containers of varying construction, although it is best utilized in a packaging container where the tuck in flap engages the remainder of the container with sufficient friction or locking requiring sufficient prizing effort to release the flap from the remainder of the container.

In this connection, the tuck in flap may be provided with slits defining catch edges which catch under cover flaps of the container which underlie the tuck in flap.

Such cover flaps may be provided with printed information, or other marking to indicate tampering insofar as if the tamper evident portion is removed, the said printing or other information will be revealed.

The present invention seeks to enhance the tamperproofness of the packaging container according to the said co-pending application so that the likelyhood of tampering being indicated is even greater, and in accordance with the present invention the or each tuck in flap having a tamper evident portion is glued to another part of the container so that the force required to open the tuck-in flap is greater than when no such glueing is employed.

The glueing may be between the tuck-in flap and an inner wall of the packaging container or it may be between the tuck-in flap and one or both of said cover flaps.

In any case, careful prizing open of the tuck-in flap by a determined tamperer can be avoided.

The glue preferably will be applied at the site of erection of the container, prior to filling and closing of same.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a plan view of a blank for producing a packaging container according to the embodiment of the invention; and Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the top end of the container which is erected from the blank shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, a cut and creased cardboard blank is indicated by reference numeral 10, and it comprises a plurality of panels hingedly interconnected and foldable to form an elongated rectangular cross sectioned box. The panels comprise two base panels 12, 14 and two side panels 16, 18, and these panels are hinged together along crease or fold lines 20, 22 and 24. The free edge of panel 14 is provided with a glue strip 26 which is hinged to panel 14 along hinge line 28.

To the ends of panels 16 and 18 are provided cover flaps 30, 32 and 34, 36. These cover flaps are identical, but as shown are symmetrically arranged around the panel 12.

The panel 12 has tuck in flaps 38, 40 at its respective ends, these flaps again being identical, but being symmetrically arranged about the panel 12.

Each of the cover flaps 30, 32, 34 and 36 has a side edge cut away as shown at 42 to provide a locking lip 44 whose purpose will be explained hereinafter, and each of the tuck in flaps 38, 40 comprises a main cover panel 46, 48 and a tab 50, 52.

Each tab 50, 52 is defined in relation to the cover panel 46, 48 by cut lines 54, 56 which are shaped to provide locking tongues 58, 60, and furthermore each of the cover panels 46, 48 is provided with cut lines 62, 64, 66 and 68 leaving catch points 70, 72, 74 and 76 between these lines thereby defining a tamper evident portion 78 in each of the top panels 46 and 48.

Apart from the provision of the tamper evident portions 78, the blank of Fig. 1 is otherwise of well known construction.

It is erected quite simply by folding and glueing, the panels 12 to 18 being relatively folded about fold lines 20, 22 and 24 until the glue strip 26 overlaps the inside of panel 10 at its free edge to which it is glued. It is transported in this form to the customer who fills and closes same. The customer closes the container by tucking in the cover flaps 30 to 36, and finally by folding in the tuck in flaps 38 and 40 until the position at each end of the container is that shown in Fig.2 wherein the tab 50 or 52 is tucked inwardly of the outer panel 12. Additionally, the customer, prior to erection and closing of the container, applies glue thereto, by suitable equipment, which will cause adherence between the tuck-in flaps 38, 40 and the remainder of the container to enhance the anti-tamperproof effect.The glue may be applied in any suitable location such as that indicated in dotted lines by reference G on either or each of the tabs 50, 52, and/or in any of the cover flaps 30, 32, 34, 46, and/or on any other suitable location. It is after the container is erected in this way that the novel feature of the anti tamper portion 78 comes into effect. When the tuck in flap at either end is so tucked in as shown in Fig. 2, the lips 44 of the cover flaps and the tongues 58 and 60 of panel 46 or 48 inter engage making the subsequent opening of the container by opening the tuck in flap, quite difficult. The presence of the G increases the difficulty of opening the flap 38, 40.

Should a person therefore without authority seek to open the container for example by using the thumb 80 as shown in Fig 1, the thumb will engage the projecting edge created by the shown shaping of the cut 62, of the tamper evident portion 78, and any attempt to open the tuck in flap will cause the portion 78 to break the catch points 74 and 76, and also possibly the catch points 72 and 70, indicating tampering.

The cover panels 30 to 36 may be provided with some form of indicia indicated by reference numberal 82 and cross-hatching which becomes visible when the anti tamper proof portion is broken away as shown in Fig. 2 to indicate that the pack has been tampered with, and in this connection it may be desirable to make the cover flaps 30 to 36 of full length i.e. to extend across the width of the container, which tends not to be the normal practise. Any suitable form of indicia can be adopted.

It can be seen that the invention provides a package with tamper evident means, the container being in the form of cut and creased sheet material and not requiring any additional plastic film wrapping for the tamper evident feature.

The container as shown in drawings is particularly suitable for the holding of a tube of toothpaste which could be a particular candidate for a person wishing to effect serious tampering, but it will be appreciated that the invention can be adapted for other forms of container and for other types of contents.

Claims

1. A cut and creased sheet material packaging container of the type having at least one tuck in flap provided with a tamper evident portion which is a section of the flap defined by skip cut lines leaving catch points connecting the tamper evident portion with the remainder of the tuck in flap, and said tamper evident portion presenting an edge where the tuck in flap would normally be engaged by the thumb or finger nail for the opening of the tuck in flap whereby attempts to open the flap by the normal procedure results in the tamper evident portion being at least partially separated from the remainder of the flap to show the tampering, and wherein the or each tuck in flap having a tamper evident portion is glued to another part of the container so that the force required to open the tuck-in flap is greater than when no such glueing is employed.

2. A container according to claim 1, wherein the glueing is between the tuck-in flap and an inner wall of the packaging container or it may be between the tuck-in flap and one or both of said cover flaps.

3. A container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.