US20120292323A1

US20120292323A1 - Tamper evident lid for a container

Info

Publication number: US20120292323A1
Application number: US13/109,812
Authority: US
Inventors: Louis J. Young
Original assignee: Plastic Enterprises Co Inc
Current assignee: Plastic Enterprises Co Inc
Priority date: 2011-05-17
Filing date: 2011-05-17
Publication date: 2012-11-22
Also published as: CA2776566A1

Abstract

A tamper-evident lid for use with a container to provide an assembly that is particularly suitable for distributing a food product contained therein. The lid includes a circumferential skirt with a plurality of tabs that are pivotal relative to the skirt out of a locked position. The tabs include side margins severably secured to the skirt, with pivoting of the tabs out of the locked position causing the side margins to be severed from the skirt. The tabs further include a locking element to engage the container and thereby prevent removal of the lid from the container when the tabs are in the locked position and permit removal of the lid from the container when the tabs are pivoted out of the locked position.

Description

BACKGROUND

1. Field
The present inventive concept relates generally to a tamper-indicating device. More specifically, embodiments of the present inventive concept concern a tamper-evident lid for use with a container.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
Tamper indicators have become widely used with various applications in which it is desirable to know whether tampering has occurred. Generally, tamper indicators are not designed to prevent tampering, but to indicate whether tampering has occurred.
As applied to food applications, the mere nature of some food-distribution containers inherently provides tamper-indicating functionality. For instance, food distributed in a bag or a box is typically sealed therein with a seal that is not operable to be resealed. Possible tampering with such containers is indicated by simply observing whether the seal has been broken. Non-resealable containers are not ideal for many food applications, however, because their inability to be resealed translates to a relatively short shelf life for food stored therein.
For food applications in which a longer shelf life is desired, distributors may utilize food-distribution containers that provide a seal operable to be resealed, such as a container with a lid. Resealable containers permit consumption of food stored therein over a relatively long period of time after the seal has been initially broken. Resealable containers, however, do not inherently provide tamper-indicating functionality and must be equipped with an add-on tamper indicating element if such functionality is desired.
Conventional tamper indicators cooperate with the seal of the resealable container to permit separation of the lid from the container only after the tamper indicator is visibly altered in same manner. In some instances, the tamper indicator is entirely removed from the lid and the container. The ability to entirely remove the tamper indicator, however, presents a number of problems. For instance, after removal of the tamper indicator, it may be difficult for a casual observer to observe that the tamper indicator is missing, which increases the likelihood that any tampering will go unnoticed by the observer. This problem is aggravated if the observer is unfamiliar with the container and is not aware that the container was originally equipped with the tamper indicator. Further, during removal of the tamper indicator, the tamper indicator may inadvertently fall into the container, thus contaminating the food stored therein and posing a risk of inadvertent consumption if the tamper indicator within the container goes unnoticed. Still further, during removal of the tamper indicator, the tamper indicator may inadvertently fall on the ground, thus contaminating the environment. Tamper indicators that remain on the lid suffer from other known problems. For example, non-removable tamper indicators often fail to securely prevent removal of the lid prior to being altered in a visibly evident manner.

SUMMARY

The following brief summary is provided to indicate the nature of the subject matter disclosed herein. While certain aspects of the present inventive concept are described below, the summary is not intended to limit the scope of the present inventive concept.
Embodiments of the present inventive concept provide a tamper-indicating device for use with a container that does not suffer from the problems and limitations of conventional tamper indicators, such as those set forth above.
The present inventive concept broadly concerns a tamper-evident device that visually indicates whether the device has been accessed post distribution and perhaps tampered with, thereby heightening safety.
More specifically, according to one aspect of the present inventive concept, a tamper-evident lid for a container is provided. The lid includes wall structure comprising a circumferential skirt operable to sealingly engage the container. The skirt includes at least one tab that is altered in a visibly evident manner when the lid is permitted to be removed from the container. The at least one tab is pivotal relative to an adjacent skirt portion of the skirt out of a locked position and includes side margins severably secured to the adjacent skirt portion, with pivoting of the at least one tab out of the locked position causing the side margins to be severed from the adjacent skirt portion. Additionally, the at least one tab includes an inwardly projecting locking element that is operable to engage the container and thereby prevent removal of the lid from the container when the at least one tab is in the locked position. The locking element is shiftable out of locking engagement with the container when the side margins are severed and the at least one tab is pivoted out of the locked position to thereby permit removal of the lid from the container.
According to another aspect of the present inventive concept, a tamper-evident container and lid assembly is provided. The container presents an internal cavity and an opening communicating with the cavity. A lid covers the opening and includes a circumferential skirt sealingly engaging the container. The skirt includes at least one tab that is altered in a visibly evident manner when the lid is permitted to be removed from the container. The at least one tab is pivotal relative to an adjacent skirt portion of the skirt out of a locked position. The at least one tab includes side margins severably secured to the adjacent skirt portion, with pivoting of the at least one tab out of the locked position causing the side margins to be severed from the adjacent skirt portion. The at least one tab also includes an inwardly projecting locking element operable to engage the container and thereby prevent removal of the lid from the container when the at least one tab is in the locked position. The locking element is shiftable out of locking engagement with the container when the side margins are severed and the at least one tab is pivoted out of the locked position to thereby permit removal of the lid from the container.
In preferred embodiments, the skirt includes a line of weakness defined along each side margin of the at least one tab to facilitate severing of the side margins from the adjacent skirt portion. The line of weakness comprises a relatively reduced wall thickness defined along the junction of the corresponding side margin and the adjacent skirt portion.
The preferred container includes a sidewall and a bottom wall that cooperatively define the internal cavity, with the opening being defined along a top of the sidewall. The at least one tab is pivotally secured to the adjacent skirt portion about a substantially horizontally oriented living hinge. The side margins are generally upright. The at least one tab presents opposite inner and outer faces and includes a gripping projection spaced from the living hinge. The gripping portion extends outwardly from the outer face to facilitate manual pulling of the at least one tab out of the locked position. The skirt presents a lowermost edge and the living hinge is substantially linear and spaced upwardly from the lowermost edge. The side margins project from the lowermost edge to the living hinge with the adjacent skirt portion thereby presenting an inverted generally U shape. The skirt presents an uppermost edge and the living hinge is spaced from the uppermost edge.
The lid includes a top wall from which the skirt depends and the top wall spans the opening of the container. The skirt presents an uppermost edge and the top wall is continuous and interconnects the uppermost edge. The top wall and skirt are integrally formed. The container includes a sidewall that defines at least in part the internal cavity. The sidewall includes an outwardly projecting lip and the locking element is operable to abuttingly engage the lip when the at least one tab is in the locked position. The at least one tab presents opposite inner and outer faces and the locking element comprises a panel that extends obliquely from the inner face of the at least one tab. The container includes a bottom wall that cooperates with the sidewall to define the internal cavity with the opening is defined along a top of the sidewall. The lip is located adjacent the top of the sidewall. The at least one tab is pivotally secured to the adjacent skirt portion about a substantially horizontally oriented living hinge. The side margins are generally upright. The panel extends at an upward angle relative to the inner face. The angle is between about 30 and 60 degrees relative to vertical. The panel extends continuously between the side margins or extends substantially continuously between the side margins. The side margins are spaced along a curved portion of the skirt. The panel has at least a portion thereof that is curvilinear.
Additional aspects, advantages, and utilities of the present inventive concept will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the general inventive concept.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

Preferred embodiments of the present inventive concept are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an upper front left-side perspective view of a tamper-evident container and lid assembly in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present inventive concept, illustrating a tamper-evident lid having tabs in a locked configuration;

FIG. 2 is a lower front left-side perspective view of the tamper-evident container and lid assembly illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an upper front left-side perspective view of the tamper-evident container and lid assembly illustrated in FIG. 1, illustrating the tabs of the tamper-evident lid in an unlocked configuration;

FIG. 4 is an upper front left-side exploded perspective view of the tamper-evident container and lid assembly illustrated in FIG. 1, illustrating the tamper-evident lid removed from the container;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the tamper-evident lid illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the tamper-evident lid illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the tamper-evident lid illustrated in FIG. 6, particularly illustrating one of the tabs;

FIG. 8 is a lower front left-side perspective view of the tamper-evident lid illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 a is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the lid taken along 9-9 of FIG. 5 of the tamper-evident lid;

FIG. 9 b is an enlarged cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 9 a, but illustrating the lid assembled with the container;

FIG. 10 a is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along 10-10 of FIG. 5 of the tamper-evident lid;

FIG. 10 b is an enlarged cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 10 a, but illustrating the lid assembled with the container;

FIG. 11 a is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along 11-11 of FIG. 5 of the tamper-evident lid;

FIG. 11 b is an enlarged cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 11 a, but illustrating the lid assembled with the container;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the assembled container and lid similar to FIG. 11 b, but illustrating the tab between the locked configuration and an unlocked configuration;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged perspective view of the tamper-evident lid illustrated in FIG. 1, particularly depicting the tab in the unlocked configuration;

FIG. 14 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the tamper-evident lid illustrated in FIG. 1, illustrating other like tamper-evident lids stacked on the tamper-evident lid;

FIG. 15 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the container illustrated in FIG. 1, illustrating other like containers nested in the container; and

FIG. 16 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the tamper-evident container and lid assembly illustrated in FIG. 1, illustrating another tamper-evident container and lid assembly stacked thereon.

The drawing figures do not limit the present inventive concept to the specific embodiments disclosed and described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the preferred embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

Turning to FIGS. 1-4, a tamper-evident container and lid assembly 20 is illustrated in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present inventive concept. The assembly 20 includes a tamper-evident lid 22 operable to sealingly engage a container 24. The lid 22 and the container 24 are of a similar shape and like material to ensure secure engagement therebetween. In the exemplary embodiment, the lid 22 and the container 22 are formed from a plastic resin (e.g., polypropylene) and are of a generally rectangular shape with four corner curved portions 26, 28. It is foreseen, however, that the lid 22 and the container 24 may be of any material and/or shape so as to permit sealingly engagement therebetween without deviating from the scope of the present invention. For instance, the lid 22 and/or the container 24 may be formed from paper or a combination of resin and paper, and/or may be round, square, triangular, and/or oval. Furthermore, the container 24 and the lid 22 may be formed of dissimilar materials (e.g., the container 24 may be formed of paper and the lid 22 may be formed of plastic).
The container 24 includes a circumferentially-extending generally vertical sidewall 30 having opposing inner and outer surfaces 32, 34 with uppermost and lowermost edges 36, 38. Proximate to the lowermost edge 38 of the sidewall 30 and vertically spaced therefrom along the inner surface 32 of the sidewall 30 is a horizontal bottom wall 40. The sidewall 30 extends about the bottom wall 40 to define the four corners 28. Opposite to the bottom wall 40 and adjacent to the uppermost edge 36 of the sidewall 30 is an outwardly-projecting lip 44 that extends continuously about the sidewall 30. The lip 44 is curvilinear and presents uppermost, outermost, and lowermost abutment portions 46, 48, 50 about its surface, which each serve as independent abutment surfaces as discussed hereafter. In the illustrated embodiment, the lid 44 is formed by a curled portion of the sidewall 30.
The sidewall 30 and bottom wall 40 cooperatively define a storage cavity 52 with an access opening 54 defined by the uppermost edge 36 of the container 24. The opening 54 enables communication with the storage cavity 52 so that a food product or the like, such as a dairy product (not illustrated), housed therein is accessible. Furthermore, the vertically-spaced bottom wall 40 and the sidewall 30 cooperatively define an underside cavity 56 on a side of the bottom wall 40 opposite to the storage cavity 52 so that when the container 24 is stored on a surface 58 (e.g., a freezer shelf), the only part of the container 24 in contact with the surface 58 is the lowermost edge 38 of the sidewall 30. In this manner, the bottom wall 40 is spaced from the surface 58 and the underside cavity 56 permits circulation of air beneath the bottom wall 40 thereby providing efficient and even cooling of contents housed by the container 24.
Turning to FIGS. 5-9 b, the lid 22 provides a wall structure 72, which includes a horizontal top wall 60 sized and shaped to span the opening 54 of the container 24. The top wall 60 is vertically spaced from a ridge 62 via a ridge wall 64. The vertically-spaced top wall 28 and the ridge wall 64 cooperatively define a nesting cavity 66; the advantages of such discussed hereafter. The ridge wall 64 includes indents 68 formed therein to impart an increased degree of flexibility to the lid 22, which facilitates removal of the lid 22 from the container 24. In the exemplary embodiment, the ridge wall 64 includes two indents 68 spaced from each other and formed such that the ridge wall 64 is divided into equal halves. It is foreseen, however, that any number of indents 68 may be formed in the ridge wall 64 to impart a desired degree of flexibility to the lid 22 so that removal of the lid 22 from the container 24 is facilitated without deviating from the scope of the present inventive concept.
About an outer perimeter of the top wall 60 of the lid 24 is an integrally-formed end wall 70 that is continuous therewith. Depending from the end wall 70 and continuous therewith is a circumferential skirt 74. The skirt 74 includes opposing uppermost and endmost/ lowermost edges 76, 78 vertically spaced from each other by opposite inner and outer wall surfaces 80, 82. The inner and outer wall surfaces 80, 82 extend about the skirt 74. It is particularly noted that the skirt 74 has a shape corresponding to that of the container 24. Therefore, the preferred skirt 74 presents the four corners 26 that are sized and shaped to correspond with the four corners 28 of the container 24. The uppermost edge 76 of the skirt 74 interconnects the lowermost edge 78 of the skirt 74 with the top wall 60 via the end wall 70, which are all integrally formed. Spaced vertically along an upper portion 84 of the inner wall surface 80 are a plurality of circumferentially extending, inwardly projecting ribs 86 to enable the lid 22 to securely and abutingly engage the uppermost and outermost abutment portions 36, 38 of the lip 44 of the container 24, thus forming an airtight seal between the lid 22 and the container 24.
The skirt 74 further includes a plurality of pivotable tabs 88 circumferentially spaced from each other thereabout. The exemplary embodiment utilizes four tabs 88, one at each of the four corners 26, 28. Each of the tabs 88 is integrally formed into the skirt 74, as further discussed hereafter. It is foreseen, however, that any number of tabs 88 may be utilized with the skirt 74 without deviating from the scope of the present inventive concept.
The tabs 88 are vertically and pivotably connected to and depend from an upper-adjacent skirt portion 90 at an uppermost portion 92 of each of the tabs 88 via a hinge, such as living hinge 94. In the illustrated embodiment, each of the tabs 88 cooperates with the lip 44 and sidewall 30 of the container 24 to define corner cavities 96. The living hinge 94 is spaced upwardly from the lowermost edge 78 of the skirt 74 and oriented substantially horizontally or linear along the uppermost portion 92 of each of the tabs 88 and below the plurality of ribs 86.
The living hinge 94 is operable to permit independent pivoting of each of the tabs 88 relative to the upper-adjacent skirt portion 90 from a locked position, as illustrated in FIG. 1, to an unlocked position, as illustrated in FIG. 3. In the exemplary embodiment, each living hinge 94 is of sufficient strength or thickness to prevent separation of the tabs 88 from the skirt 74. It is foreseen, however, that any number of the living hinges 94 may be of a strength to permit separation of its respective tab 88 from the skirt 74, prevent separation of its respective tab 88 from the skirt 74, and/or a combination thereof without deviating from the scope of the present inventive concept.
Each of the tabs 88 are also horizontally and severably connected to laterally-adjacent skirt portions 98 via side margins 100. The side margins 100 extend generally upright on each side of each of the tabs 88 from the lowermost edge 78 of the skirt 74 and are spaced from each other along the curved portion 26 of the lid 22, which includes opposite inner and outer face surfaces 102, 104. In this manner, the side margins 100 and lowermost edge 78 of the skirt 74 cooperatively present each of the tabs 99 with an inverted generally “U” shape.
Along each of the side margins 100 and at a junction between the side margins 100 and the laterally-adjacent skirt portions 98 is a line of weakness 106. In the preferred embodiment, the line of weakness 106 is a linear area of reduced wall thickness relative to the laterally-adjacent skirt portions 98 and the side margins 100. Other suitable means for facilitating separation between the tabs 88 and the adjacent skirt portion 98 are within the scope of the present inventive concept (such as score lines, perforations, etc.). Each of the lines of weakness 106 is operable to facilitate severing of the side margins 100 from the laterally-adjacent skirt portions 98 when a respective one of the tabs 88 is initially pivoted (i.e., the first time after distribution of the lid and container assembly 20 with a product container therein) from the locked position to the unlocked position. Thus, upon initial pivoting of the tabs 88, the horizontal connection between the tabs 88 and the skirt 74 is destroyed, which provides a permanent visual indication that the tabs 88 have been pivoted.
Spaced vertically from the living hinge 94 along the outer face 102 of each of the tabs 88 is a circumferentially-extending gripping projection 108 that projects outwardly relative to the outer wall surface 82. The gripping projection 108 includes opposing upper and lower surfaces 110, 112 and a common outermost edge 114 therebetween. The lower surface 112 of the gripping projection 108 is joined to the inner face 102 of each of the tabs 88 by a common edge 116 therebetween. The gripping projection 108 extends across the outer face 104 and continuously between the side margins 100 of each of the tabs 88. The gripping projection 108 extends at an angle from each of the tabs 88. In the exemplary embodiment, the gripping projection 108 extends generally horizontal from each of the tabs 88. It is foreseen, however, that the gripping projection 108 may extend at any angle from each of the tabs 88 without deviating from the scope of the present inventive concept. In this manner, the gripping projection 108 is operable to facilitate independent, manual pulling of each of the tabs 88 from the locked position to the unlocked position.
Also spaced vertically from the living hinge 54, but along the inner face 102 of each of the tabs 88 is a circumferentially-extending locking element 118 that projects inwardly from the lid 22 with respect to the container 24. The locking element 118 includes a panel 120 having opposing upper and lower surfaces 122, 124 with a common innermost edge 126 therebetween. The upper surface 122 of the locking element 118 includes a curvilinear buttress portion 128 adjacent to the inner face 104 of each of the tabs 88 to increase structural integrity between the locking element 118 and the tab 88.
The preferred panel 120 extends continuously across the inner face 102 and between the side margins 100 of each of the tabs 88, or at least substantially continuously between the side margins 100 of each of the tabs 88. When one or more of the tabs 88 is in the locked position, its panel 120 extends at an angle from each of the tabs 88 so that the edge 126 of the panel 120 engages or almost engages a portion 130 of the sidewall 30 of the container 24 that is vertically spaced from the lowermost abutment portion 50 of the lip 44 of the container 24. In this manner, the panel 120 spans or substantially spans the distance between each of the tabs 88 and the sidewall 30 of the container 24 to close the corner cavity 96 by presenting the corner cavity 96 with another wall in addition to those provided by the lip 44 and sidewall 30 of the container 24 and the inner face 102 of the each of the tabs 88. In the exemplary embodiment, the panel 120 extends obliquely from each of the tabs 88 and preferably at an upward angle of between 30 and 60 degrees relative to vertical thereby cooperatively presenting a general “V” shape with each of the tabs 88. It is foreseen, however, that the panel 120 may extend from each of the tabs 88 in any direction (e.g., horizontally) or a combination thereof without deviating from the scope of the present inventive concept.
The vertical spacing of the panel 120 with respect to the lip 44 of the container 24, when its respective tab 88 is in the locked position, defines a limited range of vertical motion between the lid 22 and the container 24 such that the lid 22 is vertically movable relative to the container 24. Additionally, when the lid 22 is moved upward relative to the container 24 with the tab 88 in the locked position, an inner area of its respective corner cavity 96 is decreased and the panel 120 abuttingly engages the lowermost abutment portion 50 of the lip 44 such that the lip 44 is at least partially received into the “V” shape cooperatively presented by the panel 120 and the tabs 88. More specifically, when the tab 88 is in the locked position and the lid 22 is moved upwardly in the removal direction, the panel 120 engages the lip 44 and thereby prevents the lid from being removed from the container 24. In this manner, separation of the lid 22 from the container 24 is prevented when one or more of the tabs 88 is in the locked position and permitted when all of the tabs 88 are pivoted to the unlocked position.
Upon manufacture of the lid 22 and container 24 as set forth herein, the lid 22 and container 24 may be used or stored. If the lid 22 and container 24 are to be stored, the lid 22 and container 24 may be stacked separate from each other in a disassembled state and in a nesting configuration with other identical lids 222 and containers 224, as illustrated by FIGS. 14 and 15, respectively. The other lids 222, and particularly wall structures 226 thereof, are sized and shaped to receive the ridge 62 and ridge wall 64 of the lid 22 therein with the ridge abutting a lower surface 228 of a locking element 230 thereby allowing the lid 22 to nest therein. The other containers 224, and particularly sidewalls 234 thereof, are sized and shaped to nest within the storage cavity 52 of the container 24. In this manner, lids 22, 222 and containers 24, 224 consume a minimal amount of space when stacked.
If the lid 22 and container 24 are to be used, the container 24 is filled with a food product or the like, such as a dairy product (not illustrated), to be distributed therein. The lid 22 is then secured to the container 24 via sliding the locking elements 118 of the lid 22 past the lip 44 of the container 24 until the uppermost abutment portion 48 of the lip 44 abuttingly engages the top wall 60 of the lid 22 and the outermost abutment portion 48 of the lip 44 abuttingly engages the plurality of ribs 86 of the lid 22. Engagement of the uppermost and outermost abutment portions 46, 48 of the lip 44 and the plurality of ribs 86 forms the seal between the lid 22 and the container 24 so that the product may be preserved after filling and distribution of the product. The upward angle of the locking elements 118 facilitates movement of the locking elements 118 past the lip 44 of the container 24 without causing the lines of weakness 106 to be severed. Thus, when all of the tabs are in the locked position, separation of the lid 22 from the container 24 is prevented and the product is unable to be accessed. Additionally, the un-severed side margins 100 and the laterally-adjacent skirt portions 98 provide a visual indication that the product has not been accessed post distribution and perhaps tampered with post distribution. To access the product, all of the tabs 88 are pivoted from the locked position to the unlocked position, which causes the side margins 100 to be severed from laterally-adjacent skirt portions 98. After the side margins 100 have been severed from the laterally-adjacent skirt portions 98, such severing provides a visual indication that the product has been accessed post distribution and perhaps tampered with. Furthermore, with the tabs 88 in the unlocked position, the panel 120 can move past the lip 44 without abuttingly engaging the lowermost abutment portion 50. In this manner, an observer of the visual indication may confirm whether or not the product has been accessed post distribution and perhaps tampered with.
Irrespective of whether the tabs 88 are in the locked or unlocked position or whether the side margins 100 have been severed from the laterally-adjacent skirt portions 98, the container and lid assembly 20 may be stacked in an assembled state and in a nesting configuration with other identical container and lid assemblies 236, as illustrated in FIG. 16. The other container and lid assemblies 236, and particularly sidewalls 238 thereof, are sized and shaped to nest within the nesting cavity 66 of the lid 22 without concealing any of the tabs 88. In this manner, stacked container and lid assemblies 20, 236 consume a minimal amount of space before and after the tabs 88 have been pivoted and the product has been accessed and the state of the tabs 88 (i.e., whether the tabs have been pivoted from the locked position and whether the side margins 100 have been severed from the laterally-adjacent skirt portions 98) may be observed without unstacking the container and lid assemblies 20, 236.
Accordingly, the present inventive concept provides a tamper-evident container and lid assembly 20 that ensures any tampering of the assembly 20 is visually indicated to heighten safety. Moreover, the present embodiment ensures that all parts of the assembly 20 are retained thereon during use to minimize litter and other problems associated with removable tamper indicators.
The preferred forms of the present inventive concept described above are to be used as illustration only, and should not be utilized in a limiting sense in interpreting the scope of the present inventive concept. Obvious modifications to the preferred embodiments, as hereinabove set forth, could be readily made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present inventive concept.
The inventors hereby state their intent to rely on the Doctrine of Equivalents to determine and assess the reasonably fair scope of the present inventive concept as pertains to any apparatus not materially departing from but outside the literal scope of the present inventive concept as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. A tamper-evident lid for a container comprising:

wall structure including a circumferential skirt operable to sealingly engage the container,

said skirt including at least one tab that is altered in a visibly evident manner when the lid is permitted to be removed from the container,

said at least one tab being pivotal relative to an adjacent skirt portion of the skirt out of a locked position,

said at least one tab including side margins severably secured to the adjacent skirt portion, with pivoting of the at least one tab out of the locked position causing the side margins to be severed from the adjacent skirt portion,

said at least one tab including an inwardly projecting locking element that is operable to engage the container and thereby prevent removal of the lid from the container when the at least one tab is in the locked position,

said locking element being shiftable out of locking engagement with the container when the side margins are severed and the at least one tab is pivoted out of the locked position to thereby permit removal of the lid from the container.

2. The tamper-evident lid of claim 1,

said skirt including a line of weakness defined along each side margin of the at least one tab to facilitate severing of the side margins from the adjacent skirt portion.

3. The tamper-evident lid of claim 2,

said line of weakness comprising a relatively reduced wall thickness defined along the junction of the corresponding side margin and the adjacent skirt portion.

4. The tamper-evident lid of claim 1,

said at least one tab being pivotally secured to the adjacent skirt portion about a substantially horizontally oriented living hinge,

said side margins being generally upright.

5. The tamper-evident lid of claim 4,

said at least one tab presenting opposite inner and outer faces and including a gripping projection spaced from the living hinge,

said gripping portion extending outwardly from the outer face to facilitate manual pulling of the at least one tab out of the locked position.

6. The tamper-evident lid of claim 4,

said skirt presenting a lowermost edge,

said living hinge being substantially linear and spaced upwardly from the lowermost edge,

said side margins projecting from the lowermost edge to the living hinge, with the adjacent skirt portion thereby presenting an inverted generally U shape.

7. The tamper-evident lid of claim 6,

said skirt presenting an uppermost edge,

said living hinge being spaced from the uppermost edge.

8. The tamper-evident lid of claim 1,

said wall structure including an end wall from which the skirt depends.

9. The tamper-evident lid of claim 8,

said skirt presenting an endmost edge,

said end wall being continuous and interconnecting the endmost edge.

10. The tamper-evident lid of claim 8,

said end wall and skirt being integrally formed.

11. The tamper-evident lid of claim 1,

said at least one tab presenting opposite inner and outer faces,

said locking element comprising a panel that extends obliquely from the inner face of the at least one tab.

12. The tamper-evident lid of claim 11,

said side margins being generally upright,

said panel extending at an upward angle relative to the inner face.

13. The tamper-evident lid of claim 12,

said angle being between about 30 and 60 degrees relative to vertical.

14. The tamper-evident lid of claim 12,

said panel extending continuously between the side margins.

15. The tamper-evident lid of claim 14,

said side margins being spaced along a curved portion of the skirt,

said panel having at least a portion thereof that is curvilinear.

16. The tamper-evident lid of claim 11,

said inner face being configured to be spaced from the container so as to define a cavity therebetween, with the panel being dimensioned to span the cavity and engage the container.

17. The tamper-evident lid of claim 1,

said skirt including a plurality of circumferentially extending, inwardly projecting ribs,

said ribs being operable to engage the container and thereby provide sealing interengagement between the lid and the container.

18. The tamper-evident lid of claim 1,

said lid being substantially rectangular,

said at least one tab including a plurality of tabs, with each tab being positioned at a corner of the lid.

19. A tamper-evident container and lid assembly comprising:

a container presenting an internal cavity and an opening communicating with the cavity; and

a lid covering the opening,

said lid including a circumferential skirt sealingly engaging the container,

said at least one tab including an inwardly projecting locking element operable to engage the container and thereby prevent removal of the lid from the container when the at least one tab is in the locked position,

20. The tamper-evident assembly of claim 19,

21. The tamper-evident assembly of claim 20,

22. The tamper-evident assembly of claim 19,

said container including a sidewall and a bottom wall that cooperatively define the internal cavity, with the opening being defined along a top of the sidewall.

23. The tamper-evident assembly of claim 22,

said side margins being generally upright.

24. The tamper-evident assembly of claim 23,

25. The tamper-evident assembly of claim 23,

said skirt presenting a lowermost edge,

26. The tamper-evident assembly of claim 25,

said skirt presenting an uppermost edge,

said living hinge being spaced from the uppermost edge.

27. The tamper-evident assembly of claim 22,

said lid including a top wall from which the skirt depends,

said top wall spanning the opening of the container.

28. The tamper-evident assembly of claim 27,

said skirt presenting an uppermost edge,

said top wall being continuous and interconnecting the uppermost edge.

29. The tamper-evident assembly of claim 28,

said top wall and skirt being integrally formed.

30. The tamper-evident assembly of claim 19,

said container including a sidewall that defines at least in part the internal cavity,

said sidewall including an outwardly projecting lip,

said locking element being operable to abuttingly engage the lip when the at least one tab is in the locked position.

31. The tamper-evident assembly of claim 30,

said at least one tab presenting opposite inner and outer faces,

32. The tamper-evident assembly of claim 31,

said container including a bottom wall that cooperates with the sidewall to define the internal cavity, with the opening being defined along a top of the sidewall,

said lip being located adjacent the top of the sidewall,

said side margins being generally upright,

said panel extending at an upward angle relative to the inner face.

33. The tamper-evident assembly of claim 32,

said angle being between about 30 and 60 degrees relative to vertical.

34. The tamper-evident assembly of claim 32,

said panel extending continuously between the side margins.

35. The tamper-evident assembly of claim 34,

said side margins being spaced along a curved portion of the skirt,

said panel having at least a portion thereof that is curvilinear.

36. The tamper-evident assembly of claim 31,

said inner face being configured to be spaced from the container so as to define a cavity therebetween, with the panel spanning the cavity and engaging the container when the at least one tab is in the locked position.

37. The tamper-evident assembly of claim 30,

said lip extending continuously about the sidewall,

said ribs being operable to engage the lip and thereby provide sealing interengagement between the lid and the container.

38. The tamper-evident assembly of claim 30,

said lid including an end wall from which the skirt depends,

said end wall spanning the opening of the container,

said lip having oppositely facing first and second abutment surfaces, with the first abutment surface engaging the end wall and the second abutment surface being operable to engage the locking element when the at least one tab is in the locked position.

39. The tamper-evident assembly of claim 19,

said lid being substantially rectangular,

said at least one tab including a plurality of tabs, with each tab being positioned at a corner of said lid.