GB2305164A

GB2305164A - Tamper-evident containers

Info

Publication number: GB2305164A
Application number: GB9609229A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stephen John Coates
Original assignee: Smurfit Ltd
Current assignee: Smurfit Kappa UK Ltd
Priority date: 1995-09-12
Filing date: 1996-05-02
Publication date: 1997-04-02
Also published as: GB9609229D0; GB9518556D0

Abstract

A tamper-evident container has two interlocking parts (13,14,17) which co-operate to secure a closure portion in a container-closing position in such a way that damage to the parts occurs when the closure portion is moved away from the container-closing position. The container may be formed by folding a sheet of carton-card.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO CONTAINERS This invention relates to containers and is concerned with containers which, having been opened and then reclosed, provide a visible indication that they have already been opened.

It is well known to provide tamper-evident containers for containing articles such as food or medical supplies. If the container has been opened by an unauthorised person with the intention of perhaps adulterating the contents or exchanging the contents for similar goods of inferior quality, then the fact that the container has previously been opened is readily apparent. Thus, in the absence of an indication that the container has been previously opened, the proper user of the contents can be sure that the contents have not been tampered with subsequent to their being packaged in the container by, or on behalf of, the manufacturer.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a tamper-evident container of this type.

According to the present invention there is provided a tamper-evident container for articles comprising a plurality of container-forming portions including a closure portion for closing the container after the introduction of said articles, said closure portion being secured in its container-closing position by interlocking means comprising a first part provided on said closure portion and a second part, co-operable with said first part, provided on another of said portions whereby movement of said closure portion from its container-closing position such as to gain access to the articles in said container results in damage to the interlocking means.

In an embodiment, the damage to the interlocking means becomes visibly apparent when said closure portion has been returned to its container-closing position In an example of this embodiment, the interlocking means comprises a first flap including an aperture and a second flap capable of at least partially passing through said aperture in the first flap. The arrangement is such that the articles in the container give rigidity to the container and particularly to the flaps to enable the second flap to pass through the aperture in the first flap. Movement of the closure portion from its container-closing position in order to provide access to the container can only occur after the second flap has torn away from the remainder of the container-forming portions.When the closure portion is returned to its container closing position, the fact that the second flap is missing is immediately apparent and hence it is clear that the container has already been opened and that the articles therein may have been tampered with.

In another embodiment, the damage to the interlocking means becomes apparent when an attempt is made to return the closure portion to its containerclosing position in that the container portion cannot be secured in its container-closing position because of the damage.

In an example of this embodiment the interlocking means comprises a flap and an aperture having relative dimensions such that the flap can only be inserted into the aperture, in order to secure the closure portion in its container-closing position, when suitably oriented with respect to the aperture. Once the flap has been inserted into the aperture, it cannot readily be removed from the aperture. Opening of the container is achieved by exerting sufficient force on the interlocking means to detach the flap from the remainder of the container-forming portion of which it forms a part. The closure portion can no longer be secured in its container-closing position by the interlocking means because of the damage to the interlocking means and thus it is immediately apparent that the container has been opened.If desired, the closure portion can be temporarily held in its container-closing position, in use of the container, by engaging said remainder of the container-forming portion in another suitably located aperture.

The container is preferably in the form of a carton formed from sheet material, such as carton card, wherein the container-forming portions are integrally formed together. Preferably score lines are provided between the portions to facilitate folding of the sheet material to form the container.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a carton blank for forming into a container in accordance with the present invention, Figure 2 shows the blank of Figure 1 partially erected to form the container, Figure 3 is a section along line III-III of Figure 2, Figure 4 is a front perspective view of the container of Figure 2 at a further erected stage with the closure portion in an open position, Figure 5 is a section along line V-V of Figure 4 with the closure portion in its container-closing position, Figure 6 is a front perspective view of the container of Figure 4 at a still further erected stage so that the closure portion is secured in its container-closing position, Figure 7 is a section along line VII-VII of Figure 6, Figure 8 is a section similar to Figure 7 but with the closure portion moved from its secured closed position to an open position, Figure 9 is a front perspective view of the container of Figure 6 with the closure portion returned to the container-closing position after the container has been opened, Figure 10 is a plan view of another carton blank for forming a container in accordance with the present invention, Figure 11 is a front perspective view of the resultant container with its closure portion secured in its container-closing position, Figure 12 is a front perspective view of the container of Figure 11 after it has been opened, and Figure 13 is a front perspective view of the container of Figure 12 when subsequently temporarily closed.

In the drawings corresponding parts are denoted by like reference numerals.

Referring now to Figure 1 there is shown a carton blank 1 formed of carton card for erection into a container in accordance with the present invention.

The carton blank includes a back-defining portion 2, a first side-defining portion 3 located at one edge of the back-defining portion, a front-defining portion 4 located at an edge of the first side-defining portion opposite to the back-defining portion, and a second side-defining portion 5 located at that edge of the front-defining portion 4 opposite to the first sidedefining portion 3. The blank includes a side tab portion 6 located on that side of the second sidedefining portion 5 opposite to the front-defining portion 4. The blank also includes, on each sidedefining portion, a top tab portion 7 and a bottom tab portion 8. Each bottom tab portion 8 is generally tapered towards its free end such that it includes an enlarged zone 9 adjacent to its respective sidedefining portion 3 and 5.

The carton blank also includes a top-defining portion 10 and a bottom-defining portion 11 located at the top and bottom respectively of the back-defining portion 2. Located at that side of the top-defining portion 10 opposite to the back-defining portion 2 is a front-covering portion 12 terminating in a first flap portion 13 including a triangular aperture 14. The portions 10, 12 and 13 together constitute a closure portion for the eventual container.

The bottom-defining portion 11 includes a tab portion 15 on its side opposite to the side at which the back-defining portion 2 is located. The bottomdefining portion 11 includes a cut 16 forming a second flap 17 and a slot 18 is provided between the tab 15 and the bottom-defining portion 11. In addition, cutouts 19 are provided between the tab 15 and the bottom-defining portion 11. The various portions of the carton blank are separated from one another by score lines shown as dotted lines in the figure to facilitate folding of the carton blank to produce the container.

The container is formed by folding the blank about the score lines between portions 2 and 3, portions 3 and 4, portions 4 and 5 and portions 5 and 6 and then securing the side tab portion 6 to the back-defining portion 2 by suitable adhesive so as to form a tube of generally rectangular section as shown in Figure 2.

(The tube may be of square cross-section.) Thereafter, the bottom tab portions 8 are folded inwardly in the directions shown by the arrows in Figure 2 about the score lines between them and their respective sidedefining portions 3 and 5 and the carton is then folded about the score lines between back-defining portion 2 and bottom-defining portion 11 and between bottomdefining portion 11 and tab portion 15 so that the tab portion enters into the rectangular-section tube and the enlargements 9 of the tab portions 8 enter into the cutouts 19 to retain the tab portion 15 in position so that the portion 11 reliably defines the bottom of the container (Figure 4).

Thereafter the articles to be accommodated in the container (denoted by chain dotted line 20) are inserted into the container via the open end of the generally rectangular-section tube and the top tab portions 7 are folded about their score lines so as to partially close the open end of the tube. Then the carton blank is folded again about the score lines between back-defining portion 2, top-defining portion 10, front covering portion 12 and flap portion 13 so that the flap portion 13 passes through the slot 18 as shown in Figure 5.

Thereafter the flap 17 is manipulated (by hand or by means of a jig including a suitable protruding member) so that it extends partially through the aperture 14 in the flap portion 13 and is located between the tip of the flap portion 13 and the articles 20 as shown in Figures 6 and 7. The rigidity of the flap portion 13 and the presence of the articles 20 facilitates the introduction of the flap 17 through the aperture 13 and into position between the tip of the flap portion 13 and the articles 20. Thus, the flap 17 is interlocked in the aperture 14 of flap portion 13 and the container is securely closed without the articles being visible.

In order to open the resultant container, the flap portion 13 of the closure portion must be pulled out of the slot 18. This can only be done by rupturing the flap 17 and, as a consequence, the flap 17 becomes detached from the bottom portion 11 as shown in Figure 8. If, thereafter, the closure portion is returned to its container closing position by re-introducing the flap portion 13 into the slot 18, then the aperture 14 lies in registry with the gap in the bottom portion 11 formed by removal of the flap 17. Hence the aperture 14 can be readily seen (as can the articles 20) which was not the case prior to the opening of the container.

It is thus readily apparent that the container has been opened and hence that the contents may not be in the form as introduced by the manufacturer.

Referring now to Figures 10 to 13, the carton blank of this embodiment is generally similar to that of the embodiment of Figures 1 to 9 except that the flap 13 does not include the triangular aperture 14 and that the bottom defining portion 11 does not include the cut 16. Also, a line of perforations 31 is provided between the flap 13 and the front-covering portion 12 to which it is attached and an arcuate cut 32 is provided in the front-defining portion 4 of a length such that it can partly receive the frontcovering portion 12.

The container is formed by folding the blank in the manner previously described with reference to Figure 4 and the articles to be accommodated in the container are then inserted and the top tab portions 7 are folded about their score lines so as to partially close the open end of the tube. Then, the carton blank is folded again about the score lines between backdefining portion 2, top-defining portion 10, and frontcovering portion 12 so that the flap 13 is adjacent slot 18. The length of slot 18 is less than the width of flap 13 but the flap can be inserted into the slot 18 by suitably bending it, and the front-covering portion 12 as necessary, so that narrow side 33 enters the slot 18 first. The flap 13 is retained in the slot 18 as a consequence of edges 34 of the flap 13 abutting against parts 35 defining the slot 18.

In order to open the resultant container, it is necessary to apply force to the front-covering portion 12 to cause the perforations 31 to rupture and allow the flap 13 to become detached from the front-covering portion 12 as shown in Figure 12. Thus the flap 13 remains in the container as shown by dotted lines (although it is additionally shown in solid lines in Figure 12 to illustrate the manner in which it is detached from the front-covering portion 12) and access can be had to the interior of the container by bending front-covering portion 12 about the score line between it and top-defining portion 10 and by bending topdefining portion 10 about the score line between it and back-defining portion 2.

Because of the detaching of flap 13, it can no longer hold the closure portion in its containerclosing position as shown in Figure 11 and hence the fact that the container has been opened is immediately apparent. The closure portion can be temporarily held in its container closing position by inserting the free end of the front-covering portion 12 in the cut 32 as shown in Figure 13.

Claims

1. A tamper-evident container for articles comprising: a plurality of container-forming portions, including a closure portion for closing the container after the introduction of said articles; said closure portion being secured in its container-closing position by an interlocking means comprising a first part provided on said closure portion and a second part, co-operable with said first part, provided on another of the container-forming portions, whereby movement of said closure portion from its container-closing position to gain access to the articles in the container results in damage to the interlocking means.

2. A tamper-evident container according to claim 1 in which the damage is visibly apparent when said closure portion is returned to its container-closing position.

3. A tamper-evident container according to claim 2 in which, when the closure portion is in its container-closing position, the articles are invisible when the interlocking means is undamaged and visible when the interlocking means is damaged.

4. A tamper-evident container according to any preceding claim in which the interlocking means comprises a first flap indluding an aperture and a second flap capable of at least partially passing through the aperture in the first flap, whereby movement of the closure portion from its containerclosing position can only occur when the second flap has torn away from the remainder of the containerforming portion to which it is attached.

5. A tamper-evident container according to claim 4 in which the second flap is a triangular flap, one corner of which can be manipulated into said aperture in the first flap to secure the closure portion in its container-closing position.

6. A tamper-evident container according to claim 1 in which the damage to the interlocking means prevents the closure portion from being secured in its container-closing position.

7. A tamper-evident container according to claim 6 in which the interlocking means comprises a flap and an aperture smaller than the flap, in which the flap is insertable in the aperture when suitably oriented with respect to the aperture in order to secure the closure portion in its container-closing position, and movement of the closure portion from-its container-closing position detaches the flap from the remainder of the container-forming portion of which it is part, thereby preventing the closure portion from being secured in its container-closing position.

8. A tamper-evident container according to claim 7 in which said flap is provided on the end of the closure portion.

9. A tamper-evident container according to claim 8 in which a line of perforations is provided at the join between the flap and the rest of the closure portion allowing the flap to be readily detached.

10. A tamper-evident container according to any of claims 6 to 9 having a further aperture to temporarily hold said remainder of the containerforming portion in a container-closing position.

11. A tamper-evident container according to any preceding claim in which the container is formed as a tube of substantially rectangular cross section, the container having a bottom defining portion closing the bottom end of the tube, the bottom defining portion including said second part of the interlocking means, the closure portion comprising a top defining portion closing the top end of the tube, and a front covering portion having said first part of the interlocking means attached thereto, wherein the first and second parts of the interlocking means are brought together and interlock in the region of the bottom end of the tube, to secure the closure portion in the container-closing position, the front covering portion extending from the top end of the tube to the bottom end of the tube.

12. A tamper-evident container according to any preceding claim in which the container is formed from sheet material, the container-forming portions being integrally formed together.

13. A tamper-evident container according to claim 12 in which said sheet material is carton-card.

14. A tamper-evident container according to claim 12 or 13 in which score lines are provided to allow the sheet material to be easily folded to form the container.

15. A tamper-evident container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1-9 or 10-13 of the accompanying drawings.