Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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~'IEhD O~' THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a container adapted to
securely engage a cover and equipped with frangible tabs,
the breaking of which will indicate that the closed
container has been tampered with and, also, will allow
the cover to be easily lifted from the container.
BACKGROUND Ok' THE INVENTION
Containers having a tamper-proof feature have
become an important item of commerce. Generally, these
tamper-proof assemblies comprise a cover with a tab
attached to one part of the assembly by a breakable web.
Often, the tab is broken simply by the act of opening the
container, i.e. removing the cover. One such assembly
may be found described in U.S. patent ~lo. 4,362,253
issued December 7, 1982 to Wortle;y et al.
OEJEGTB AND STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to
provide, on a container which is adapted to securely
engage a cover, an integrally formed side wall flange
including frangible tab means which must be broken in
order to have access to the cover's peripheral edge in
order to remove or lift the cover from the container.
A close relationship is defined between the
flange and the depending skirt of the cover thus
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rendering difficult the insertion of fingers or prying
tools between the skirt and the flange for lifting the
cover from the container. Authorized removal of the
cover from the container is accomplished by breaking the
tab means on the flange to subsequently facilitate the
manual grasping of the skirt's lower edge and
subsequently disengage the cover from the container.
The present invention therefore relates to a
container adapted to securely engage a cover displaying
a peripheral dependent skirt which comprises:
- a body including side walls having an
upper edge portion adapted to engage
the peripheral depending skirt of the
cover; the side walls include a
peripheral flange consisting of a
horizontal portion projecting outwardly
from the side wall and of an outer
vertical portion distanced from the
side wall; these portions receive in
close relationship therewithin a lower
part of the skirt: and
- a pair of opposite side projections
each having a horizontal portion
integrally formed with the side wall
and with the horizontal portion of the
flange, and a downwardly extending
vertical portion integrally formed with
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the vertical portion of the flangep tab
means on the side projections are
connected at least to the vertical
portion of 'the flange through weakened
areas to thereby render the tab means
breakable when pressure is applied
thereon, thus providing visual
indication of tampering, whether
authorized or unauthorized, and
allowing removal of the cover from the
container.
In one form of the invention, the tab means
have a horizontal portion slightly distanced from the
side wall of the container.
Tn another form of 'the invention, the side
projections are constructed in a manner that similarly
constructed containers can be nested one into the other.
The lower edges of the side projections are thus shaped
with recessed areas to respectively receive the flange
and the upper portion of the container wall.
Other objects and further scope of
applicability of the present invention will become
apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter.
It should be understood, however, that this detailed
description, while indicating preferred embodiments of
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the invention, is given by way of illustration only,
since various changes and modifications within the spirit
and scope of the invention will become apparent to those
skilled in the art.
BRIEF DEBCRIP'fIO'~1 OF' TTiE D1~AWIDTGB
Figure 1 is a top plan view of a container made
in accordance with the present invention showing part of
a cover thereon;
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along
lines 2-2 of figure 1p
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along
lines 3-3 of figure 1;
Figure 4 is a perspective view showing one
corner area of the container of the present inventions
Figure 5 is a side elevational view showing the
upper part of the container with the partly broken-away
cover thereon;
Figure 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of
similarly constructed containers made in accordance with
the present invention in a nested engagement:
Figure 7 is a top plan view of an other
embodiment of a container made in accordance with the
present invention showing part of a cover thexeon;
Figure 8 is as side elevation view thereof
without the cover:
Figure 9 is a cross sectional view taken along
lines 9-9 of figure 7f
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Figure 10 is an enlarged view of the side
projection of the container shown in figure 8;
Figure 11 is a cross sectional view showing the
tab means removed from the side protection; and
Figure 12 is a cross sectional view taken along
lines 12-12 of figure 7.
OE~CRTP'fIOl~ OF PREFERRED EMBODIME11~1'fS
Referring to figure 1, there is shown a
container, generally denoted 10, adapted to securely
engage a cover, generally denoted 12. The container has
a bottom wall 14 and four slightly inclined side walls
16, 18, 20 and 22. The four side walls display a
continuous peripheral flange, generally denoted 24,
having an inverted L-shape and disposed slightly lower
than the upper edge portion 26 of the side wall. The
flange is integrally formed with the side walls and
includes peripherally spaced triangular shaped
reinforcing ribs 27 therebeneath. As illustrated in
figure 2, the peripheral upper edge portion 26 of the
side walls displays a pair of vertically spaced
circumferential beads 28 and 30.
Referring to figures 2, 3 and 4, the peripheral
flange 24 consists of a horizontal portion 32 having one
end integral with the side wall of the container and the
opposite end terminating in a vertical portion 34
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displaying an upper extension 36 and a lower extension
38.
On two opposite sides of the container, the
flange 24 has downwardly ex~tanding enlarged areas 38'
defining handles. As can be seen in figure 4, these
handles have a general rectangular shape with a
frontwardly projecting lower portion 40, the lower edge
of which displays, on the opposite narrow sides thereof,
a pair of recessed areas 42 and 44, the function of which
will be described hereinbelow. The outer recessed area
42 i:~ in vertical alignment with the upper portion 36 of
the flange while the inner recessed area 44 is in
vertical alignment with the upper edge portion 26 of the
container.
As Shawn in figures 1 and 2, the cover 12 has
a flat central surface 46 and an inverted U-shaped
peripheral edge 48 displaying a depending skirt 50 having
a circumferential inner bead 52 and a flat outwardly
projecting lower edge 54. This lower edge is confined
within the recessed area defined by the upper edge
portion 26, the horizontal portion 32 of the flange and
the upper vertical extension 36. The material of the
cover is preferably an injection moulded plastic so that
the skirt 50 may be somewhat flexed to be forced into
snap engagement with the peripheral upper edge portion 26
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of the container with bead 52 engaging underneath bead
30.
In the handle area of the flange, the
horizontal portion has a first line of reduced thickness,
such as illustrated at 56, in order to make the material
frangible along that line (horizontal portion 32 has also
a further line 58 of reduced thickness to render the
material, bendable). Similarly, the front face of the
handle has a U-shaped outline 60 of reduced thickness,
thus defining a tab 62 (see figure 4).
As i1 lustrated in .f figure 2 , to remove the cover
securely engaged with the container, one must press on
the tab 62 in the direction of arrow 63 to force it
inwardly within the cavity defined behind the handle, as
shaven by dotted lines 62°. Tn th:is position, the lower
edge 54 of the cover skirt may be manually grasped to be
lifted in the direction of arrow 64 to remove the cover,
as illustrated by arrow 66.
It is recognized that it may be possible to
insert a prying tool between edge 54 and the flange (on
side wall 20 for example) to remove carefully the cover
without breaking the tabs. However, this is extremely
difficult due to the close confinement of the skirt edge
54 rearvaardly of the flange's upper portion 36.
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Referring to figure 6, two similarly
constructed containers made in accordance with the
present invention are shown to illustrate the function of
recesses 42 and 44 which are adapted to respectively
receive the upper portion 36 of the flange and the upper
portion 26 of the container's side wall. Hence, nested
containers are supported by the two handles 38' on the
opposite sides of the container, and not an the inner
faces of the side walls of the container.
Referring to figures 7 and 8, there is shown
another embodiment of a container, generally denoted 110,
adapted to securely engage a cover, generally denoted
112. The container has a bottom wall 114 and four
slightly inclined side walls 116, 118, 120 and 122. The
four side walls display a continuous peripheral flange,
generally denoted 124, having an inverted L shape and
disposed slightly lower than the upper edge portion 126
of the side walls. The flange is integrally formed with
the side walls. As illustrated in figure 8, the
peripheral upper edge 126 displays, on part thereof, a
bead 128. Similar beads are provided on the other side
walls, two of which are shown as 127 and 129 at the upper
edge of respective side walls 116 and 120.
Referring to figure 7, the peripheral flange
124 consists of a horizontal portion 132 having one end
integral with the side wall of the container and the
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opposite end terminating in a vertical portion 134
displaying an upper edge 136 and a lower edge 138 (see
figure 8).
~n two opposites sides of the container, 'the
flange 124 is integral with a downwardly extending
projection 139. Each opposite side projection 139 has a
general rectangular shape with a frontwardly projecting
lower portion 140, the lower edge of which displays, on
opposite narrow sides thereof, a pair of recessed areas
142 and 244 (see figure 9). The outer recessed area 142
is in vertical alignment with the upper portion 136 of
the flange while the inner recessed area 144 is in
vertical alignment with the upper edge portion 126 of the
container. Thus, two similarly constructed containers
made in accordance with the present invention may be
nested in a manner similar t,o the two similarly
constructed containers illustrated in figures 1-6.
As further shown in f figure 9 , the cover 112 has
a flat central surface 146 and an inverted U-shaped
peripheral edge 148 displaying a depending skirt 150
having a circumferential inner bead 152 and a flat
outwardly projecting lower edge 154. This lower edge is
confined within the recessed area defined by the upper
edge portion 116, the horizontal portion 132 of the
flange and the upper vertical extension 136. The
material of the cover is preferably an injection molded
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plastic so that the skirt 150 may be somewhat flexed to
be forced into snap engagement with the peripheral upper
edge 126 of the container with bead 152 engaging
underneath head 130.
In the side projection 139, there is formed a
tab 162 which has a horizontal portion slightly spaced
from the adjacent side wall of the container arid from
adjacent horizontal portions of the peripheral flange.
As an alternative, there may also be provided a thin
plastic connection between horizontal portion 132' of the
side projection and its adjacent portions of the side
walls and the flange.
As illustrated in figure 10, the front face of
the side projections as a U-shaped outline 160 defined by
a space between the tab 162 and the side projection 139.
In the gap 160, there is provided a series of thin
bridging portions 163 thus providing weakened areas which
may be easily broken by pressing inwardly the tab 162.
As illustrated in figure 9, to remove the cover
securely engaged with the container, one must press on
the tab 162 in the direction of arrows 161 to force it
inwardly within the cavity defined behind the side
projection, as shown by dotted lines 162 ° , or in full
lines as shown in figure 11 wherein the broken bridging
portions 163 appear part on the falling tab 162 and part
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on the vertical partion of the side projection 139. In
this position, the lower edge 15~ of the cover may be
manually grasped to be lifted to thereby remove 'the
COVer.
Referring to figure 12, a handle 170 has its
opposite ends pivotally mounted at 17~ to the vertical
wall of the side projections 139 next to the tabs 162.
Preferably, the cover and the container of 'the
present invention are made of injection moulded plastic
material.
Although the invention has been described above
with respect with one specific form, it will be evident
to a person skilled in the art that it may be modified
and refined in various ways. It is therefore wished to
have it understood that the presewt invention should not
be limited in scope, except by the terms of the following
claims.
