SE1251194A1 - Container with warranty seal - Google Patents

Abstract

18ABSTRACT The present irivention relatee to a tamper evident container that cornprises e linerincluding a liner oottont, and a liner eidewell extendirig from the liner tvottorn forming estorage cavity. lt ttirther comprisee a container body that includes a container bottom ande container sidewali which extende from the container bottom, thereby forming a containeroavity. The container cavity receives the liner bottom and a portion of the liner aidewall.The ternper evident container also oornprises a lid having a lid top and e Iid sidewallextending from the lici top forrning a Iid cavity. The container body and liner eidewall form a first cooperative cetching errengement forconnecting the container body to the liner, and the lid and liner sidewall forrn a secondoooperative catching arrangement tor releasably conneoting the Iid to the liner. (Flo 3)

Description

Ut 2G CONTAINER WlTH TAMPER EVlDENT SEAL TECHNICAL FEELD The present invention relates to the field of containers for use with consumer products,and more particularly e container provided with e ternper evident seal.

BACKGROUND OF THE lNVENTlON Tamper~evident design is intportaitt in the erea of product packeging and laoeling, where it can be vital to know tltet the product has not been altered since it left the rnartufecturer.

Cans of baby-food were among the first high~profile cases, where rnanufecturers wereblsckmailed by persons clsiming to have added various poisons to baby-food, andreplaced them on supermarket shelves. The amount of stock which needed to bedestroyed (because it was impossible to tell if a given item had been tampered with) endthe threat of public fear meant that terrlper-evident design principles had the potential to save a lot of money in future.

The Tylenol Crisis of 1982 involved over-theætounter medications. Due to FDAregulations, meny rnanufacturers of food and medicine (as well as other products) nowuse induction sealiitg and other special means to help provide evidence of tsmpering.Break-away components which cartnot be reattached are useful. Custom seals, tapes,labels, RFlD tags, etc. are sometimes added.

Loose tobacco and related tobacco products are typically packages! and sold in disc-shaped containers. ln rnany cases, the conteiners comprise s metal or plastic lid seatedupon either a metal, plastic or cardboaird can. Often, a band-type label is adhesivelyseoured over the seem between the lid and can to securely festen the lid to the can eswell as to provide a tamper evident seel. The bond-type label must be broken by the customer prior to opening the container the first time.

US20090014343 discloses a three piece pocket size hybrid container for holding aconsumer product such es srnokeless tobacco in en interior volume of en inner ringmechanically secured to en interior of a bottom container housing including a cover to fitover and snugly around the inner ring. When closed, the cover sidewall engages thesidewall of the bottom container housing to form a flustt exterior sidewall of the closedcontainer. The cover sidewall may also be spaced apart from the bottom container lO 2 housing to form a gap in the exterior sidewall of the closed container. The bottomcontainer housing and cover can be made from metal and the inner ring can be plastic toprovide a strong and robust package that maintairis product freshness while it is easiiyopened and closed. After the coritainer has been filled with said consumer product andclosed, a membrane seal may be provided by the manufacturer of the consumer productto surround the periphery of the hybrid container. The membrane seal overlaps the partingline seam between the hybrid container cover and the bottom container housing. The membrane seal serves as a 'ramper evidence seal.

WO200906828G discloses a threepiece pocket-size container for holding a consumerproduct such as a smokeiess tobacco product in an interior volume of a perimeter bandwhich has a base iocked to a lower rim portion and an openable cover on an upper rimportion of the perimeter band. When closed, the cover, the perimeter band and the baseform a flush exterior sidewall of the container. The base and cover can be metal and theperirnetei' band can be transparent (clear, tinted or colored) or opaque plastic to provide acontainer that maintains product freshness, and is easily opened and closed. Ûptionally, asecond membrane seal surrounds the peripliery of the container. The second membraneoverlaps the parting line seam between the cover and the perimeter band upper shelf, and may be used as tamper evident seai.

US20tOOO0888 discloses a tobacco container that includes a lid, a container body and aninsert in the form of a liner. The liner releasably connects the lid to the container body.Each of the lid and container body receives and connects to the liner. The liner caninclude a compression lip that is cieformed when the liner is connected to the containerbody. The liner connects the container body and lid to one another without the twocomponents contacting each other. The container may be secured together by forexample a band-type adhesive label during the packaging process. After the labei hasbeen broken, the container ntay be repeatedly opened and closed such that the consumermay access, as often as desiring a chosen amount of the contents stored in the container. lt is the primary object of tiie present invention to provide an alternative packaging withimproved tamper resistance to deter tampering and which also includes tampenevidentfeatures to heip indicate tantpering as it tears open raggedly and cannot be resealecl. Afurther object of the invention is to provide a tamper resistant package that may be easilymanufactured, filled with consumer product and finally sealed. 2D SUMMARY GF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a tamper evident container' that cornorises a linerincluding a liner bottom, artd a liner sidewall extending from the liner bottom forming astorage cavity. lt further connprises a container body that includes a container bottom anda container sidewall which extends from the container bottom, thereby forming a containercavity. The container cavity receives the liner bottom and a portion of the iiner sidewatl.The tamper evident container atso comprises a tid having a tid top and a tid sidewallextending from the tid top forming a tid cavity.

The container body and liner sidewatt form a first cooperative catching arrangement forconnecting the container body to the liner, and the tid and liner sidewatt form a second cooperetive catching arrangernent for releasably connecting the tid to the liner.

The liner further includes a tearable non-reetttacitable element arranged between the firstand second cooperative catching arrangements and extendirtg aiong the perimeter of theliner sidewatl. Said tearable nonwe-attachable element forms the tantper evident seal onsaid container, and once it has been torn end/or removed it is evident that the containerhas been opened and its content can no longer be guaranteed by the mantifacturer.

The tamper evident container may typically be used for consumer goods such as loosetobacco, related tobacco products or other goods suitable for retail purchase by aconsumer. The container is of pocket-reise package and has an overall size that atlows aconsumer to comfortably hold the container within the palm of a hand and to store thecontainer within a shirt pocket or in a rear pocket of a pair of pants. Typicatly the size isbetween about 4 to 9 cm in diameter and between about 1.5 to 4 cm thick, and most typicalty about 7 cm in diameter and approximately 2.5 cm titick.

The tamper evident container may have a variety of shapes such as square, pentagonat,hexagonal etc., but advantageotisly the container is circular or has a rounded cornershape with parallei long sides (te. straight walls and short curved ends).

The container body, tid and liner are suitabty formed from a variety of different materials orcombinations thereof, such as metal, plastic, cardboard, and the like. Advantageousty, thecontainer body and tid are formed from metal, while the tiner is preferably made from aresilient rnateriat that is flexibla yet setf-stipporting More preieraoly, the tiner is formedfrom a plastic materia! such that the liner is sufficiently rigid to be sett-supporting, yetresiliertt enough to give way when titted in a first and second cooperating arrangement with the tid and container 4 The resilient material is advantageottsly of the group oonsistirtg of polypropylene,polyethylene, poiystyrene, nylon, polysulfoite, polyester, polyuretitane, and oombiriationsthersof. Because some plastios ahsorb flavors, a preferred plastio is poiypropylene if theenolosed product includes fiavors.

The lid end container body may loe made from metal. Suitable rnetals for the lid andcontainer body ntay include without iimitation aluminunt, afurninum slloys, steels, Stainlesssteel alloys, titanium, titaniuin alloys, ntegnesiurrt, inegnesiurn alloys, tin, tin alloys,copper, copper alioys, brasses, and comhinations thereof.

The liner sidewall cornprises a container coooerating oatching means that resilientlyprotrudes outwards fronn the outside of the liner sidewell and engeges e distal end of thecontainer sidewall. Due to the fiexible material of the liner and the fact that the containercooperating oatohing means is not completely integrated with the sidewall, hut protrudessome distance away frorn the liner sidewell, the container cooperating oatching means willpress in a resilient way against the inside of the container body and keep the liner inpiece. Furthermore, the container oooperating catching means comprises a first oiernpingoleft into which the uoperrnost (ie. the distal) end of the container sidewall fits, therehyfurther engagirtg the liner to the container. The container oooperating catohing means ofthe liner and the uppermost end of the container sidewall together form a first cooperativecatehing arrangement.

The container oooperating oatohing means may he a single continuous protrusion thatextends unbroken and unlnterrupted around the lower portion of the sidewall, or two ormore protrusions angularly spaoed, and forrning gaps thereloetween.

The liner sidewall further oomprises a lid cooperating catching means that resilientlyprotrudes outwards from the outside of the liner sidewall and engagee a distal end of thetid sidewall. Due to the flexible rnaterial of the liner' and the feet that the lid oooperatingcatching means is not oompietely integrated with the liner sidewall, but protrudes somedistance away from the liner sidewali, the lid cooperating oatching means will pressresiliently against the inside of the lid and keep the tid firmly in place. The tid cooperatingoetohing means is a single continuous protrusion that extends around the liner sidewaiiunbroken and uninterrupted.

Furthermore, the lid oooperating catohing means oomprises a second clarnping cleft intowhich the distal end of the lid sidewell fits, thereloy further ertgagirtg the liner to the liol.Together the lid ooopereting oatohing nneans of the liner and the distal end of the lid 5 sidewall form a second cooperative catching arrangement for reieasahly oonnecting the líd to the liner.

The second cooperetive catching arrangement comprises a tearahle non-re-attachabieelement connected to the lid oooperating catching means through a thinwvalletf seem. 'Fhethin-waited searn may extend continuously between the lid cooperating catching meansand the teareble nort~re~attaohable element throughout a periphery of the liner sidewall.Alternativeiy the thin~walied seem may extend discontinuously between the lidcooperating catching means and the tearabla non-reettachahle element throughout aperipttery of the liner side-wall. The thin-walled seam breaks when tlte tearabie non~re~attachahle element connected to the lid cooperating catching means is torn before thetamper evident container is opened for the first time. A broken thinwvalled seem providesevidence that the container has heen opened, and the content may have been tamperedwith.

The tearaote non~re~attachahie eiement rnay further include a iooking protrusion. Saidlooking orotrusion is attached to the outer surface of the liner sidewall at one or moreattachment spots. Preferahly the lict cooperating catching means, including the tearahienon-ra-attachable element, is attached to the outar stirface of the liner sidewall in at leasttwo, three four or more attachment sports. When the container cavity has been filled withconsumer goods and the distal end of the tid sidewall rias heen connected to the linercooperating catching means, the tid is pressed firmly downward, whereby the lookingprotrusion and the tearable non-re attachahle eternent breaks away from the iiner sidewallat the at least one attachment spot and slides past a peripheral ridge on the iiner sidewallto enter' a looking cavity. The container is thereby provided by a tamper evident seai.

An important aspect of the container of the present invention is that all parts ot the lineri.e. the liner body, the container cooperating catching means and lid cooperating catohingmeans, including the tearable rton-re-attachable element rnay be manufactured as oneunitary product by means of injection molding. This provides a oonsideraoie savingsregarding rnanufacturing costs as the coinplete container, including the tamper evidentseal is constituted by only three parts: the container body, the lid and the liner.

A further advantage that arises from the inventive design of the liner is the simplifiedprocess for packing and sealing the pocltehsize package with the constimer product.Theretore a second aspect of the invention relates to a process for packing and sealingthe pocket-size package with a consumer product. The liner is fitted into the cavity ot' thecontainer body and the container body is connected to the liner loy means of a first 1G G cooperative catching arrangernertt. The storage cavity is filled with the consumer product,and the lid is connected to tite liner by rneans of the second oooperative catching arrangement.

Thereatter, the tamper evident seal is established on the pocketsize package by applyinga ciownwardly directed pressure onto the lid, whereby the lid cooperating catching nteansincluding the tearable non~re~attachable element will separate from tite liner sidewall at the attachment spot.

The looking protrusion on the tearable non-re-attacltable element will sit-ap tirmly into thelooking cavity on the liner sidewall, therehy providing the pocket-size package with atamper evident seal. Once the looking protrusion on the tearable non~re~attachableelement ltas entered the looking cavity, the lid may no longer be removed from thecontainer body without breaking the thin-walled seam between the lid cocperativeoatching means and the tearable non-re-attachahle element. When the user removes thelid for the first time, the tttin-walied seam located between the upper part of the lidcooperating catchiitg means and the tearable non~re~attachable element will break.

After having been torn, the tearable rion-re-attachalole element may not be re-attacried tothe lid cooperating catching means, and consequentty, once the thin-waliecl seem hasbeen broken it is evident that the container has been opened and its content can no longer be guaranteed by the manufacturer.

Alternatively, the tarnper evident sealed container nray be opened by having the user graba pulktab attached to the tearable nomre-attachable eleinerwt and pull said tearalole non-re-attachable element at an angle from the container, until it is completely rennoved Gnce the tearable non-re-attachable element has been removed it is evident that thecontainer has been opened and its content can no longer be guaranteed hy the manufacturer, BRlEF ÛESCRlPTiON OF THE DRAWINGS Figures 'i and b show a general overview ot a container according to the lnvention.Figure 2 shows the different parts of the container according to the invention.Figure 3 shows the liner assembled into the container cavity.

Figure 4 shows the step wherein the lid is connected to the liner.

UT 1.0 7 Figure 5 shows the rnethod for applying the tamper evident seal to the container Figure 6 shows the container with the ternper evident seal before and after the seal has been broken.

Figure 7 shows the container efter the tamper evident seal and the lid fras been removed.

DETAILED ÜESGRlPTlÛN ln the following the invention wiil be described in a non-Jiiniting way and in ntore detaiiwith reference to exempiary embodiments illustrated in the enclosed drawings, in which: Figures 'la and b show an overview of the package ^i0 of the invention. The package 10comprises three components including a container' body 11, which serves as a cup ordish, e lid 12 (i.e. a cover) and a liner 13 forming a pan or tray to line the bottom of the container body.

The container has an overall size that allows a consumer to comfortably hold thecontainer within the palm of a hand and to store the container within a shirt pocket or in arear pocket of a pair of pants. Typically the size is between about 4 to 9 cm in diameterand between about 1.5 to 4 cm thick, and most typicelly about 6 cm in diameter and approximately 3 cm thick.

The container 10 may have a variety of shapes such as square, pentagonal, ltexagoitaietc., but adventageously the container 10 is circular or has a rounded corner shape withparallel long sides (ie. straight walls and short curved ends).

The container body 11, lid 12 and liner 13 are suitably forrned from a variety of differentmaterials or combinations thereof, such es metal, plastic, cardboard, and the like.Adventageously, the container body 11 and Iid 12 are formed from metal, while the liner13 is preferably formed from a resilient but self-supporting material. More preferably, theliner 13 is formed frorn a plastic material such that the liner is sufficiently ngid to be self-supporting, yet resilient enough to give way when fitted in a first and second cooperating arrangement with the lid and container (see below).

Suitable plastics inciude, without limitation, polypropyiene, poiyethylene, potystyreite,nylon, polysulfoite, polyester, polyurethane, and combinations thereof. Because somepiastics absorb flavors, the preferred plastic is polypropylene if the ericlosed product includes flavors.

Stiitable metals for the lid '32 and container body 11 include without limitation aluminium, aluminium alloys, steels, stainless steel alioys. titaniurn, titaniuni alloys, magnesium. 1D 8 magnesium alloys, tin, tin alloys, copper, copper alloys, brasses, and oombinatlonsthereof. The lid 12 and container body 11 are preferably identical in shape with the onlydifferences being the height of the sidewall and possibly the width of an inwardly rolled edge.

The container body 11 is forrned from a relatively thin piece of rnetal (e.g., sheet nte-tal).As shown in figure 2, the container' body 11 includes a container bottom 14 and aperipheral container sidewall 15 that extends from and oircurnferentially surrounds thebottom 14. The container body is a unitary body formed by the bottom 14 and sldewall 15.The bottom 14 and the sidewall 15 generally define a eavity 16 of the container body thatreoeives a bottom portion ot the liner 13. A rolled over portion 17 forms a distal ertd of thecontainer body sidewatl 15. The rolled over portion 17 is rolled radially inwardly andforrned from the distal portion of the container body sidewall 15 opposite the bottom 14.

The lid 12 is forrned from a relatively thin piece of metal (e.g., sheet metal). As shown infig. 2, the iid includes a lid top 18 and a skin: in the form of a lid sidewall 19 that extendsfrom the lid top 18. in the iilustrated ernbodiment, the lid 12 is a unitary body formed bythe lid top 18, and the lid sidewall 19. "The lid top 18 and sidewall 19 generaily define aoavity 20 of the lid that reoeives an tippar portion of the liner 13. As shown in FlG. 4, whenthe lid is positioned or seated upon the upper portion of the liner 13, an enolosed storageoavity 21 is defined within the container. The storage cavity 21 is where the product isstored until removed by tlwe consumer. A rolled over portion 22 forms a distal end of the lidsidewall 19. The rolled over portion 22 is rolled radially inwardly end formed from thedistal portion of lid sidewall 19 opposite the lid top 18.

The liner 13 includes a liner' bottom 23 and a liner sidewall 24 that extends from, andcircurnferentially surrounds the liner bottom 23. The liner sidewall 24 includes an upperportion 25, a lower portion 27 and an intermediate portion 26 therebetween. The bottom23 portion of the liner is received by the cavity 16 in the container body and is Securedthereto as described below. The upper portion of the liner sidewall 5 is received by the lid12 and more particularly by the lid oavity 20. Thereby the liner' 13 seoures the lid 12 to thecontainer body 11 without the container body 11 needing to directly contact the lid 12.

The lower portion 27 of the liner sidewall includes one or more resilient and protrudingcontainer oooperating oatohing means 30 for connecting the container body 11 to the liner'13 (see figure 2). The container oooperating oatching means 30 may vary in design, butadvantageously includes a first slanted surface 31 that extends outwards from the lowerportion 2"? of the liner sidewall and towards the interrnediate portion 26 on the outside of 2G 9 the liner sidewall 24, at an angie of between 15 to 45 degrees. The first slented surface 31ende in a first clamping oleft 327 that includes a substantially planar first abutment surface33 extending generally perpendicularly to the liner sidewall 24, and faoing away from theupper portion 25 of the liner sidewell 24. Due to the flexibla rnaterial of the liner and thefact that the cooperating catching means is located on the outside of the liner wall, willmake the cooperating catching means press in a resilient way against the inside of thecontainer body and help keep the liner in place.

The container oooperating catohing means 30 engages the roiled over portion 17 of thecontainer body sidewail 15 and clamps said roiled over portion 17 to the suhstantiallyplaner first abutment surface 33, forming a first cooperative catching arrangement 28,thereby oonnecting the container body 11 to the liner 13 (see figure 3).

Arivantageously, the one or more container cooperating oatching means 30 is notcompletely integrated with the sidewall 24. but protmdes some distance away from theliner sidewail 24. The reason for this wiii be explained below. The container cooperatingoatchirtg rneans 30 may be a singie continuous protrusion that extends tinhroken anduninterrupted around the lower portion of the sidewaii, or two or more protrusions angularly spaced. and forming gaps therebetween.

The upper portion 25 of the liner sidewall 24 includes a resiiient lid oooperating catchingmeans 34 that protrudes outwards from the outside of the liner sidewall 2-4 (see figure 2).The lid cooperating catohing means 34 may vary in design, but advantageousiy includes asecond slanted surface 35 that extends outwards from the upper portion of the linersidewall 25 on the outside and down towards the intermediate portion 26, at an angle ofbetween 15 to 45 degrees. The second slanted surface 35 ende in a second clampingcleft 36, that includes a stibstaittially pianar second abutment surface 37 extendinggenerally perpendicular to the iiner sidewall 24 and facing away from the iiner bottom 23.Advantageously the lid cooperating catohing means 34 engages a distal end of the lidsidewall 19, eg. the rolied over portion 22, of the lid sidewall 19 and clamps said rolledover portion 22 to the substantially planer second abutnient surface 37, thereby forrningthe second cooperetive catching arrangement 29 for releasahly connecting the tid 12 tothe liner 13 (see figure 4).Tite iid cooperating catohing means 34 is a single continuousprotrusioit that extends around the liner sidewali 2-4 unbroken and uninterrupted.

The bottom part of the lid cooperating cetohing means 34 constitutes a tearable non-re»attachable element 38 that may be separated from the lid cooperating catching means 34 either hy rernoving the lid 12 when connected to the liner 13, or hy pulling on a pull teh 39 (see figure t) located on the eierrtent 38.

The tearable nomre-attachaole elernent 38 is connected to the upper part of the lidcooperating catching means 34 through a thinwvalled seem 4G, said seam 4G extendingcontinuously or discontintiously (ie. provided with gaps) between the upper part of the lidcooperating catching means 34 and the tearahie nomre-attacltable element 38 throughoutthe periphery of the liner sidewall 24 (see figure2).

The llcl cooperating catching means 34, incttiding the tearalole non-re-attachable element38, is attached to the outer surface of the liner sidewall 24 in at least cite attachment spot41. Preferably the lid cooperating catching rneans 34, including the tearabie norr-re-attacltaple element 38, is attached to the outer surface of the liner sidewall 24 in at leasttwo, three four or more attachment spets 41 .Said at least one attachment spot 41 islocated on a looking protrusiort 42 on the tearahle non-reettachable element 38, saidlooking protrusion 42 prcjecting towards, and being attached to, the otitei' surface of theliner sidewall 24. The attachment spot 41 is located above a peripheral ridge 43 thatextends along the outar peripitery in the liner sidewall intermediate portion 26. The uppersurface 44 of said peripheral riclge 43 is advantageously inciined towards the linersidewall lid cooperating catching means 34, while the lower surface 45 of said peripheralridge 43 is advantageously perpendicular to the liner siclewall 24. The lower ridge surface45 is advantageotisly located so as to provide a looking cavity 46 into which the lookingprotrtision 41 on the tearable non~re~attachable element 38 may fit snugly.

A further advantage that arises from the inventive design of the liner is the sirnplifiedprocess for packing and sealing the pocket-size package 10 with the consumer product.This process will now be described in more detail (Figures 2-23): Referring now to figures 2 and 3, the liner 13 is fitted into the cavity 16 of the containerbody 11, and becomes connected to the liner 13 hy means of a first cooperative catchingarrangement 28. The rolled over portion 17 of the container sidewall slides along the firstslanted surface 31 on the container cooperating catching nteans 30. Due to the fact thatsaid container' cocperating catching means 30 advantageously protrudes some distanceaway from the liner sidewall 24 and is :nade from a resiiiertt materiai, the roiled overportion t? of the container sidewall wiil press the container cooperating catching means30 towards the liner sidewall 24 during its sliding on the first slanted surface 31, andthereafter snap into piece into the first clamping cleft 32 against the first abutment surface 11 33. The liiter 13 is now firrnly connected to the container body 'l1 by ineans of a first cooperative catching arrangement 28.

Thereafter the storage oavity 21 is filled with the consumer product according to thenianufacturers recommendations, and the lid 12 is connected to the liner 13 hy means ofthe second cooperative catching arrangement 29. Referring to Figure 4, the lid is fitteci tothe lid cooperating catching ineans 34 of the liner sidewall 24. Tits rolled over portion 22of the lici sidewall slides along the second slanted surface 35 on the lid oooperatingcatching means 34, Due to the fact that said tid cooperating catching rneans 34advantageously protrudes some distance away from the liner sidewall 24 and is madefrom a resilient rnaterial, the rolled over portion 22 of the lid sidewall will press theprotruding iid cooperating catching means 34 towards the liner sidewall 24 during itseliding on the second slanted surface 35, and thereafter snap into place into the secondclainping cleft 36 and rest against the second abutment surface 37. The iid 12 is nowfirmly connected to the liner 13 by means of the second cooperative catching arrangement 29.

Once the lid 12 is mounted and firmly connected to the liner 13 through the secondcooperative catching arrangement 29, the tamper evident seal is established on thecontainer by applying a downwardly directed pressure onto the lid (see figure 5). Thepressure will make the lid oooperating catching means 34 including tite tearahle non-reattachable element 38 separate from the liner sidewall 24 at the attachment spot 41, Theentire lid cooperating catching means 34 including the tearahle norwe-attaohable element38 will, due to the inclined upper siiiface 44 of the peripherai ridge 43, be forced up ontothe peripheral riclge 43 located in the intermediate portion 26 of the liner sidewall 24. Titeresilient material of the liner 13 will make the looking protrusion 42 on the tearabie non~re-attachacle element 38 snap firrnly into the looking cavity 4G, once it has passed the tower ridge surface 45.

Once the looking protrtisiori 42 on the tearalole norwaattachable element 38 has enteredthe looking cavity 46, the lid 12 may :to longer be removed front the container body 11without removing the entire tid 12 and thereby tearing the tearable nonweettachatvleelement 38. The container has been provided with a tarnper eviclent seal (see figure S).

When the user removes the lid for the first time, the thin~walled seem 40 located betweenthe upper part of the iid cooperating catching means 34 and the tearable non-re-attachable element 38 will break, Qnce the tearahle non~re~attachable element 36 has 12 been removed it is evident that the container has been opened and its content can no longer be guaranteed by the rnanufaoturer (see figure 7).

As an alternative the tamper evident sealed container may be opened by having the usergran a putt-tab 37 attached to the tearable nomre-attacttable etement 38 and putt saidtearabta nonwefattachabte etement 38 at an angte from the container 11, untit it iscompletely removed (see figure 6). The pulling action will break the thin-watled seam 38located between the upper part of the tid cooperating catching rneans 25 and the tearalolenon-re-attachabte eternent 36. The tearabte nort~re~attachable element 36 may not be re-attactted to the tid cocperating catchiitg means 25, and consequentty, once the tearablenon~re~attachable element 36 has been removed it is evident that the container has beenopened artd its content can no longer be guaranteed by the manufacturer (see figure 7), t-towever, the tid 12 may continuously be removed and titted onto the container body 11as the second catching arrangement between the tid 12 and Iicl cooperating catchingmeans 25 will together with the peripherat ridge 42 create a cooperating closingarrangement that witt secure the tid 12 to the container 11 once the tearable non-re attaohable element 36 has been removed.

The above ntentioned and described ernbodirnents are only given as examples andshould not be liinitirtg to the present invention. Other sotutions, uses, objectives, andfunctions within the scope of the invention as claímed in the below described patent claims should be apparent for the person skilled in the art.

Claims (1)

1. t. A raocketäsize package (10) for' consumer goods, cornprieing: 1G ~ a liner (13) including a liner bottom (23) and a liner sidewall (24) extending fromthe liner bottom (23) forrning a storage cavity (21), « a container body (11) including a container bottom (14) and a container sidewall(15) extending from the container bottom (14) forrning a container cavity (16), saidcontainer' cavity (16) receiving the liner bottom (23) and a portion of the linersideweil (24); and - e lid (12) having a lid too (18) and a lid eidewall (19) extending from the lid top(18) forrning e lid cevity (20); said container body (11) and liner sidewali (24) form a firat cooperative catchingarrangement (28) for connecting the container body (11) to the liner (13); eitdsaid lid (12) and liner siden/ell (24) form a second cooperative catchingarrangement (29) for releasably connecting the lid (12) to the liner (13),characterized in that the liner (13) includes a tearebie non~re-attachable element (38) arrangeclbetween the first and second cooperative catchirtg errangementa (28, 29)extending along the perimeter of the liner sidewall (24). . The pocket-size package (10) for consumer goods according to claim 1, wherein the liner (13) ie rnade from a reeilient ntaterial. _ Tlte rzocket-eize package (10) for consumer goods according to claim 2, wherein the reeilient rneterial is of the group coneieting of polypropylene, polyethylerte,polystyrene, nylon, polyeuifone, polyester, polyurethane, and/or cornbinationethereof. . The pocketeize package (10) for coneurner goods according to claim 2, wherein the reeilient material is ooiypropylene. _ The oooketeize package (10) for consumer goods according to any one of clairne 14, wherein the lid (12) and container body (11) are made from metal. . Tlte pocketeize package (10) for consumer goods according to ciaiin 5, wherein the metal material is of the group consieting of aluminium, aluminium alioys,steels, Stainless steel alloys, titaniunt, titanium alloye, rnagneeitzm, rriagneeiumalloye, tin, tin alloys, copper, copper alloye, brecsee, and/or comloinatione thereof. 10. 11. 12. 13. 15. 14 Ttte pocketeaize package (10) tor consumer goods according to any one of ciaime1-6, wherein the liner sidewall (24) cornprises container coooerating catchingmeans (30) that resiliently protrudea outwards front the outside of the liner sidewall(24) and engagee a dietal end (17) of the container eidewall (15) thereby forrningthe first comparative catching arrangement (28). The pockebaize package (10) for consumer' goods according to claim 7, whereinthe container cooperating catching means (30) extende as a single tmbroken anduninterruptect orotrusioit around the lower portion of the liner eidewall (24). The pocketeize package (10) for' consumer goods according to clalm 7, whereinthe container cooperating catching nteans (30) form two or more protrusioneangularly epaced and extending around the lower portion of the eldewall (24),forming gapa tlterebetweert. “The pocketeize package (10) for consumer goods according to any one of claims1-9, wherein the liner sidewall (24) comprisee a lid cooperating catching rneane(34) that resiliently protrudes outwarcts from the outside of the liner sidewall (24)and engagee a distal end (22) of the lid sidewall (19), thereby forrnirig the second cooperative catching arrangement (29). The pocket-size package (10) for consumer goods according to claiin 10, whereinthe lid coooeratlve catching means (34) comprisea a tearable non-reattachableelement (38) connected thereto through a thin-wallect eeam (40). The oocketeize package (10) tor consumer goods according to clairn 11, whereinsaid thin~walled eeam (40) extends continuouely between the lid coooeratlngcatching nteans (34) and the tearable rton-re-attachable element (38). The pocketeize package (10) for consumer goods according to claim 10, where-lnsaid thlrwvalled seem (40) extends discontiituously between the lid cooperatingcatchirig rneans (34) and the tearable non-re-attachable element (38). .The pooketeize package (10) for consumer goods according to any one of clairne 143, whereln the tearable non-re-attachahle element (38) further includes alooking protrusšon (42), The pocketeize package (10) for consumer goods according to clairn 14, whereinthe tocking protrueiort (42) is attached to the outer surface of the liner eidewall (24)at one or more attachment soots (41). 16. 17. Ttte pooketelze package (10) for consumer goods according to cleim 15, whereiitthe looking protrueion (42) enters a looking oavity (46) on the liner sidewell whensaid pocket-size package (10) is provided with e tantper evident seal. A process for peokirtg end seeling the pocket-size package (10) of clalms 1-16with a consumer product, wherein ~ the liner (13) is titted into the cavity (16) of the container body (11); and - the container body (11) is connected to the liner (13) by rneane of e firstcooperetive cetching artrengentent (28); and - tilling the storage oevity (21) with the consumer product; and ~ oonrtectirtg the lid (12) to the liner (13) by means ot' the second oooperetivecetchiitg errengement (29) ohereoterized in that the tamper evident eeal is established on the poelteteize package (10) hy applyinga downwardly direoted pressure onto the licl (12), whereby the lid cooperetingcatching nteans (34) including the tearable non-reetteohable element 38 willseparate from the liner sidewell (24) et the one or more attachment epote (41); andthe looking protrtision (42) on the teareble rton-re-etteohable element (38) willsnep firrnly inte the looking oavity (46) on the liner eidewell (24), thereby providingthe pocket-size package (10) with e tarnper evident seal.