Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TAMPER-EVIDENT TAB THERMOFORMED PACKAGING
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to packaging and more particularly to
tamper-
evident thermoformed packaging.
[0002] Thermoformed packaging is used in a wide variety of application. The
design and
construction of thermoformed packaging typically varies from application to
application. One
common application for thermoformed packaging is food packaging. For example,
fruits and
vegetables are now commonly sold in containers made from thermoformed parts.
Although food
packages may vary in design and construction, one type of common food package
includes a
thermoformed base and a thermoformed lid that can be closed to cooperatively
define an article-
receiving space. In some applications, the base and lid are formed from a
single portion of
thermoplastic material and are joined together along a living hinge. In other
applications, the
base and lid are separately formed.
[0003] The base and lid can be secured together using a variety of different
options. For
example, the base and lid can be permanently sealed (e.g. welded) together to
make it difficult to
open and therefore tamper with the content of the package. However,
permanently sealed
packaging has a number of disadvantages. For example, permanently sealing the
package can
increase the cost of packaging because it may require the use of relatively
expensive sealing
equipment (e.g. a welder). Further, consumers have increasingly expressed
resistance to the use
of permanently sealed thermoformed packaging. Permanently sealed packages can
be difficult to
open, thereby providing a source of frustration for consumers. As a result of
these (and perhaps
other) disadvantages, there has been an effort to develop alternative
packaging constructions that
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are not welded or otherwise permanently sealed. Some alternative constructions
currently in use
include a base and a lid that are snap-fitted together, and can therefore be
relatively easily
opened and closed.
[0004] With food packaging (and some other applications), it can be desirable
to provide
a mechanism that allows a consumer to determine whether or not the package has
been opened.
With welded or otherwise permanently-sealed packages, the process of opening
the package will
typically leave an obvious visual indication that the package has been opened.
With other types
of packages, such as snap-locked packaging, special accommodations may be
needed to provide
a visual indication when desired. For example, some conventional food packages
include a tear
strip that must be removed from a package before it can be opened. Removal of
the tear strip
leaves an unmistakable visual indication that the package has been opened.
Tear strips provide
some advantages, but they can increase the overall cost of the package, as
well as present
difficulties during use.
[0005] Other types of tamper-evident packaging include a container having a
lid that is
fitted onto a base. The base includes a peripheral rail that surrounds and is
closely aligned with
the peripheral edge of the lid. The rail prevents easy access to the edge of
the lid and thereby
makes it difficult to remove the lid from the base. To obtain access to the
edge of the lid, a
portion of the base containing a section of the rail is capable of being
folded down away from the
edge of the lid. In this type of container, the movable portion of the base is
joined to the
remainder of the base along a hinge disposed at its inner-most edge. In use,
the movable portion
is folded down along the hinge. Although this configuration has some benefits,
the movable
portion of the base provides only limited access to the edge of the lid when
folded down. This
can make it difficult to grasp the edge of the lid and open the container.
Further, even after
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opening it can be difficult to recognize that the container has been tampered
with. This is caused
in part by the fact that the folded movable portion does not provide the
container with sufficient
visual discontinuity. The problem can be compounded when, after the movable
portion has been
bent down, the hinge attempts to return to its original shape, thereby pulling
the movable portion
back into closer alignment with the peripheral edge of the lid.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention provides a package having a lid seated on a base
where the
edge of the seated lid is generally inaccessible due to contours in the base,
and where the edge is
made accessible by breaking away a portion of the based. In one embodiment,
the base includes
a tamper-evident tab that is joined to the base on opposite ends and is
movable by breaking the
tamper-evident tab free from the base on one end. This allows the tab to be
bent out of the way
to provide access to the edge of the lid. The tamper-evident tab is configured
to overlay a
significant portion of flange so that, once the tab is moved, a significant
portion of the flange is
accessible in the region previously occupied by the tab.
[0007] In one embodiment, the tab is secured to the base at opposite ends by
small lands
of material that are generally sufficient to hold the tab in place until the
tab is intentionally
broken away by a user. The tab may be secured to base at one end by a
breakable land and at the
opposite end by a permanent land. The permanent land may be substantially
greater in width
than the breakable land so that substantially greater force is required to
break the permanent land.
For example, the permanent land may be 1.5, 2 or 3 times the width of the
breakable land. In
use, access to the edge of the lid may be obtained by rupturing the breakable
land and bending
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the tab out of the way about the permanent land. In this way, the tab remains
secured to the base
so that there is no waste material that needs to be discarded. The tamper-
evident tab may include
an extension adjacent to the breakable land and the fixed tab may include an
extension adjacent
to the tamper-evident tab extension opposite the breakable land. The tamper-
evident tab
extension and fixed tab extension may each be positioned immediately adjacent
to the breakable
land.
[0008] In one embodiment, the lid is generally circular and the base defines a
generally
circular opening that is selectively close by the lid. The base may include a
generally circular
shoulder that receives the lid. The shoulder made include a circumferential
rail having an inner
circumference only slightly larger than the outer circumference of the lid,
whereby the rail
impedes access to the peripheral edge of the lid. In one embodiment, the tab
includes a portion
of the shoulder and the rail.
[0009] In one embodiment, the lid and the base are shaped so that the lid is
snap-fitted
into a seated position on the base over the opening. The base may include a
shoulder that forms
an undercut configured to receive a corresponding shoulder extending from the
lid. In one
embodiment, the undercut extends circumferentially around the opening. In one
embodiment,
the lid shoulder extends circumferentially round the lid.
[0010] In one embodiment, the package is generally rectangular with a
generally
rectangular base and a generally rectangular lid. The tamper-evident tab may
be located in a
corner of the base. The corner may be somewhat inset to provide additional
space for the
tamper-evident tab. The inset allows the package to include a relatively large
tamper-evident tab
arrangement.
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[0011] In one embodiment, the generally rectangular package may include
somewhat
convex walls that curve outwardly toward the middle causing the package
corners to be inset
from the outermost extents of the walls. In such embodiments, the tamper-
evident tab may
extend beyond the length and width of the package as defined by the outermost
extents of the
walls. The walls of one package may be curved enough so that even if the
tamper-evident tab of
an adjacent package extends beyond the length and width of the adjacent
package, the corher is
inset enough to accommodate the extra length and width occupied by the tab of
an adjacent
package. In use, this allows each package to include a tamper-evident tab that
exceeds the length
and width of the package without reduce the number of packages that can be
placed on a shelf
[0012] In one embodiment, a fixed tab is disposed immediately adjacent to the
movable
tamper-evident tab. The fixed tab may provide a structure for holding the
package with one hand
while the other hand is used to break free and bend down the tamper-evident
tab. The tamper-
evident tab may include an extension adjacent to the breakable land and the
fixed tab may
include an extension adjacent to the tamper-evident tab extension opposite the
breakable land.
[0013] The present invention provides a simple and effective tamper-evident
tab
arrangement that can be readily integrated into a wide range of thermoformed
packages. The
tab is disposed so that its removal exposes a significant portion of the edge
of the lid so that the
lid can be easily gripped from above and below and then lifted to separate the
lid from the base.
The tab may be oriented so that once opened it provides a high degree of
visual discontinuity
making it obvious that the tab has been opened or otherwise subject to
tampering. The tab may
include a permanent land that keeps it firmly secured to the base, thereby
eliminated waste that
would otherwise need to be discarded. The present invention may be implemented
in a package
with a circular lid. In circular implementations, the lid can be installed on
the base in essentially
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, .
any rotational position, thereby eliminating any need to utilize manufacturing
equipment
configured to provide rotational alignment between the lid and the base. The
present invention
may be implemented in a generally rectangular package. In generally
rectangular packages, the
corner containing the tamper-evident tab may be inset so that the protruding
tab does not
increase or provides a limited increase in the overall dimensions of the
package. The
rectangular package may include somewhat convex walls that allow the tamper-
evident tab of
another container to exceed the length and width of the container without
interfering with the
placement of packages immediately adjacent to one another on a shelf.
[0014] These and other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will
be more
fully understood and appreciated by reference to the description of the
current embodiment and
the drawings.
[0015] Before the embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is
to be
understood that the invention is not limited to the details of operation or to
the details of
construction and the arrangement of the components set forth in the following
description or
illustrated in the drawings. The invention may be implemented in various other
embodiments
and of being practiced or being carried out in alternative ways not expressly
disclosed herein.
Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein
are for the purpose
of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of "including"
and "comprising"
and variations thereof is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and
equivalents thereof
as well as additional items and equivalents thereof. Further, enumeration may
be used in the
description of various embodiments. Unless otherwise expressly stated, the use
of enumeration
should not be construed as limiting the invention to any specific order or
number of components.
Nor should the use of enumeration be construed as excluding from the scope of
the invention any
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. .
additional steps or components that might be combined with or into the
enumerated steps or
components. Any reference to claim elements as "at least one of X, Y and Z" is
meant to include
any one of X, Y or Z individually, and any combination of X, Y and Z, for
example, X, Y, Z; X,
Y; X, Z ; and Y, Z.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a package in accordance with an
embodiment of
the present invention.
[0017] Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the package.
[0018] Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of the package showing the
tamper-evident
tab.
[0019] Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the package showing the
lid and the
base in the region of the tab.
[0020] Fig. 5 is an enlarged view similar to Fig. 3 with the tamper-evident
tab broken
away to provide access to the edge of the lid.
[0021] Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a package in accordance with an
alternative
embodiment of the present invention.
[0022] Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the alternative package.
[0023] Fig. 8 is an enlarged view of a portion of the alternative package
showing the
tamper-evident tab.
[0024] Fig. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the alternative package
showing the
lid and the base in the region of the tab.
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[0025] Fig. 10 is an enlarged view similar to Fig. 8 with the tamper-evident
tab broken
away to provide access to the edge of the lid.
[0026] Fig. 11 is an enlarged view of a portion of the base.
[0027] Fig. 12 is an enlarged view of a portion of the lid.
[0028] Fig. 13 is a top view of a plurality of packages arranged in an array.
DESCRIPTION OF THE CURRENT EMBODIMENT
[0029] A package having a tamper-evident tab arrangement in accordance with an
embodiment of the present invention is shown in Fig. 1. The package 10
includes a base 12 and
a lid 14. The base 12 is configured to receive items to be packaged and
defines an opening 16
through which items can be placed into and removed from the package 10. The
lid 14 is
configured to close the opening 16 in the base 12. In the embodiment of Fig.
1, the base 12
includes a flange 26 and a rail 18 that extends around the opening 16. The lid
14 has a peripheral
edge 20 having an outer shape that closely follows the inner shape of the rail
18. The edge 20 is
shielded by the rail 18 to prevent a consumer from easily gripping the edge 20
to open the lid 14.
The flange 26 includes a tamper-evident tab 38 that is movable to provide
access to the
peripheral edge 20 of the lid 14. The tamper-evident tab 38 may be connected
to the flange 26 at
opposite ends by lands 42 and 44. Land 42 may be breakable and land 44 may be
a permanent
tab that is intended to remain intact and function as a hinge about which the
tamper-evident tab
38 is bent into the open position. The flange 26 may also include a fixed tab
40 disposed adjacent
to the tamper-evident tab 38 opposite the breakable land 42. The fixed tab 40
may provide a
gripping structure to assist in moving the tamper-evident tab 38 into the open
position. In the
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embodiment of Fig. 1, the package 10 is generally cylindrical and the lid 14
can be placed on the
base 12 in any orientation. In an alternative embodiment shown in Fig. 6, the
package 210 may
be rectangular and the tamper-evident tab arrangement may be positioned in a
corner of the
package 210. In this embodiment, the sidewall 24 of the base 12 may include a
corner segment
26e that is inset from the rectangular profile to provide space for an
extended tamper-evident tab
arrangement. As with package 10, the tamper-evident tab arrangement of package
210 may
include a movable tamper-evident tab 238 and a fixed gripping tab 40. The lid
214 may include
an extended horizontal portion that forms a lifting tab 253 that overlies the
tamper-evident tab
238. In use, movement of the tamper-evident tab 238 into the open position
exposes the lifting
tab 253, thereby facilitating removal of the lid 214.
[0030] Although the present invention is described in connection with a
package 10
intended for use in packaging food, such as fruits or vegetables, the present
invention may be
implemented in connection with packages intended for use in packaging other
items. The size,
shape and configuration of the package may vary from application to
application, as desired. For
example, the width, depth or shape of the base and/or lid may be varied to
accommodate
essentially any item or items to be packaged. The illustrated package 10 is
intended to provide
point-of-sale or point-of-purchase packaging for articles, but the present
invention may be
implemented in other types of packaging, if desired. It should also be noted
that the present
invention is illustrated in connection with a package 10 having a separate
base 12 and lid 14.
Alternatively, the present invention may be incorporated into a clamshell
package in which the
base and lid are joined along a living hinge.
[0031] Directional terms, such as "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom,"
"upper,"
"lower," "inner," "inwardly," "outer" and "outwardly," are used to assist in
describing the
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invention based on the orientation of the embodiments shown in the
illustrations. The use of
directional terms should not be interpreted to limit the invention to any
specific orientation(s).
[0032] As noted above, the package of Figs. 1-5 generally includes a base 12
and a lid 14
cooperatively define an internal space for receiving an item or items to be
packaged. In the
illustrated embodiment, the package 10 is generally cylindrical in external
shape widening
slightly toward the top. The shape of the package 10 may vary from application
to application as
desired. For example, the package may alternatively be generally rectangular
in shape as shown
in Figs. 6-10 and described below. The lid 14 can be selectively installed on
the base 12 to close
the package 10. In this embodiment, the lid 14 is configured to snap onto the
base 12. In the
illustrated embodiment, the base 12 is configured to contain the bulk of the
packaged item(s) and
the lid 14 is configured primarily to close the open upper end of the base 12.
In this
embodiment, the base 12 is relatively deep and the lid 14 is relatively
shallow, but the relative
size and shape of the base 12 and lid 14may vary from application to
application. For example,
the base 12 may alternatively be a relatively shallow tray and the lid 14 may
form a relatively
deep cover that contains the bulk of the packaged article(s).
[0033] Referring now to Figs. 2, the base 12 generally includes a bottom 22, a
sidewall
24 and a flange 26. The bottom 22, sidewall 24 and flange 26 may be integrally
thermoformed
from a single sheet of stock material. In this embodiment, the bottom 22 is
generally circular
and may include contours, as desired. For example, the bottom of the base 12
may include a
trough 28. The trough 28 may, among other things, provide a place to
accumulate fluid, such as
water that may run off of packaged fruits or vegetables. The trough 28 may
also strengthen the
base 12. The size, shape and configuration of the bottom 22 may vary from
application to
application, as desired. The trough 28 may be eliminated when not desired.
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[0034] The sidewall 24 of this embodiment extends upwardly from the peripheral
edge of
the bottom 22. In this embodiment, the sidewall 24 corresponds in shape with
the bottom 22.
More specifically, the sidewall 24 of this embodiment is generally tubular
having a slight
outward taper from bottom to top. The size, shape and configuration of the
sidewall 24 may vary
from application to application, as desired. In the illustrated embodiment, a
shoulder 30 is
disposed toward the upper end of the sidewall 24. In this embodiment, the
shoulder 30 is
configured to provide a structure for snap-locking the lid 14 into place on
the base 12. The
shoulder 30 of this embodiment is an annular structure that extends entirely
around the periphery
of the package 10. In this embodiment, the shoulder 30 is continuous, but it
may be
discontinuous or otherwise extend through only one or more portions of the
periphery of the
package 10. As perhaps best shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the base shoulder 30 may
be formed to
define an undercut 32 that allows the shoulder 30 to receive a corresponding
shoulder 50 formed
into the lid 14 (described in more detail below). The interaction of these
shoulders 30 and 50
allows the lid 14 to be snap-locked onto the base 12. The size, shape and
configuration of the
shoulder 30, including undercut 32, may be varied to control the amount of
force required to
install the lid 14 on the base 12 and to separate the lid 14 from the base 12.
[0035] The flange 26 extends outwardly from the upper end of the sidewall 24
above
shoulder 30 to form a peripheral lip extending around the top of base 12. In
the illustrated
embodiment, the flange 26 extends at an angle of just over ninety degrees from
the sidewall 24
along a plane generally parallel to the bottom 22. The flange 26 includes a
horizontal portion 27
that is configured to underlie the peripheral edge of the lid 14. The flange
26 of this embodiment
generally includes a rail 34 that extends upwardly around the horizontal
portion 27 of the flange
26. The rail 34 is configured to prevent access to the peripheral edge of the
lid 14. To that end,
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. .
the rail 34 includes an internal diameter that is only slightly greater than
the external diameter of
the lid 14. In this embodiment, the rail 34 is generally continuous except for
a pair of relatively
narrow breaks at opposite ends of the tamper-evident tab 36. The size, shape
and configuration
of the rail 34 may vary from application to application. The flange 26
includes a movable
tamper-evident tab 36 that can be opened to provide access to a section of the
peripheral edges of
the lid 14 (as described in more detail below). In the illustrated embodiment,
the tamper-evident
tab 36 extends inwardly from the peripheral edge of the flange 26 through the
rail 34 and into the
horizontal portion 27 so that its movement into an open position provides
access to a substantial
portion of the peripheral edge of the lid 14. The tamper-evident tab 36 may
extend into the
horizontal portion 27 a distance sufficient to expose enough of the peripheral
edge 20 to allow it
to be firmly grasped between two fingers closing on the lid 14 from the top
and bottom. The
tamper-evident tab 36 is joined to the flange 26 by a series of lands 42 and
44. In the illustrated
embodiment, there are lands 42 and 44 situated at opposite ends of the tamper-
evident tab 36, but
the number of lands may vary from application to application, as desired. In
the embodiment of
Fig. 2, land 42 is configured to break as the tamper-evident tab is opened,
while land 44 is a
permanent land that is configured to bend, but otherwise remain intact to
function as a hinge
while preventing the tamper-evident tab 36 from separating from the base 12.
The tamper-
evident tab 36 may include an extension 38 that protrudes outwardly to provide
a structure for
gripping the tamper-evident tab 36. The tamper-evident tab extension 38 may be
positioned near
the breakable end of the tamper-evident tab 36 so that opening force applied
to the tamper-
evident tab extension 38 is applied more directly to the breakable land 42.
The flange 26 may
also include a fixed tab 40 that is disposed adjacent to the breakable end of
the tamper-evident
tab 36. The fixed tab 40 may include an extension 41 that protrudes outwardly
from the flange
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26 to provide a structure that can be easily gripped by a user. In use, a user
can break open the
tamper-evident tab 36 by gripping the fixed tab extension 41 with one hand and
the tramper
evident movable tab 38 with the other hand, and then applying enough force to
removable tab 28
to break lands 42 and move the tamper evident portion into an open position
(See Fig. 5). The
permanent land 44 may be substantially greater in width than the breakable
land 42 so that
substantially greater force is required to break the permanent land 44. For
example, the
permanent land 44 may be 1.5, 2 or 3 times the width of the breakable land 42.
It is not,
however, necessary for the permanent land 44 to be wider than the breakable
land 42 for this
functionality to occur. The structure of the tamper-evident tab 36 and fixed
tab 40 may focus
force on the breakable land 42 so that it breaks while the permanent land 44
does not. For
example, positioning the extensions 38 and 41 on opposite sides of, and
immediately adjacent to,
the breakable land 42 results in focusing the force applied to the extensions
38 and 41 on the
breakable land 42 and not on the permanent land 44. As a result, a user
manipulating the tamper-
evident tab 36 in the manner described will inherently rupture the breakable
land 42 without
breaking the permanent land 44, and will gain access to the edge of the lid 14
by bending the
tamper-evident tab 36 about the permanent land 44 without any need to break
the permanent land
44.
[0036] As noted above, the lid 14 is configured to be fitted onto the base 12
to close the
package 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the lid 14 is generally circular
and includes a
peripheral edge 48 and a shoulder 50. The peripheral edge 48 is generally
planar and is
configured to lay against the horizontal portion of the flange 26 and
terminate just inside the rail
34 (when the lid 14 is installed on the base 12). The spacing between the
inside diameter of the
rail 34 and the outside diameter of the peripheral edge 48 is small enough to
make it difficult for
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a consumer to access the peripheral edge 48. The shoulder 50 of the lid 14
extends downwardly
into the base 12 to interlock with the shoulder 30 of the base 12. The lid
shoulder 50 is sized and
shaped to fit tightly within the base shoulder 30, thereby providing a firm
interlock (See Fig. 4).
In the illustrated embodiment, the lid 14, shoulder 50 and peripheral edge 48
are circular and
concentric, and are configured so that the lid 14 can be secured to the base
12 in essentially any
rotational position. This facilitates packaging by eliminating the need to
provide specific
alignment between the lid 14 and the base 12 during installation of the lid
14. Although
beneficial in some applications, the base 12 and/or lid 14 may be configured
such that alignment
between the base 12 and lid 14 is required. For example, the lid 14 and base
12 may include
contours that ensure proper registration between the base 12 and the lid 14.
[0037] Operation of the tamper-evident arrangement of the present invention as
implemented in package 10 will now be described with reference to Figs. 3 and
5. When the lid
14 is installed on the base 12, the interlock between the lid shoulder 50 and
the base shoulder 40
hold the lid 14 securely on the base 12. To remove the lid 14, it is generally
beneficial to grip
the peripheral edge 20 of the lid 14 and pull it upwardly away from the base
12. However, in the
manufactured condition, the peripheral edge 20 of the lid 14 extends to within
close proximity of
the rail 34 making it difficult for a user to access the peripheral edge 20.
To provide access to
the peripheral edge 20, the tamper-evident tab 36 may be moved into the open
position. The
tamper-evident tab 36 extends into the horizontal portion of the flange 26 so
that, once opened, a
user can grip the peripheral edge 20 of the lid 14 between two fingers closing
on the edge 20
from top and bottom. To break open the tamper-evident tab 36, a user can grip
the fixed tab 40
with one hand and the movable tab 38 with the other hand, and then apply
enough force to break
land 42 and bend the tamper-evident tab 36 down along the permanent land 44
into an open
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position. Once the tamper-evident tab 36 is moved into the open position, it
will not only expose
a portion of the peripheral edge 20 of the lid 14, but also provide an obvious
visual indication
that the package 10 has been tampered with or opened.
[0038] An alternative embodiment of the present invention incorporated into a
rectangular package 210 is shown in Figs. 6-12. As with package 10, package
210 generally
includes a base 212 and a lid 214 that have a tamper evident arrangement that
can be moved into
an open position to allow the lid 214 to be removed from the base 212 (See
Figs. 6 and 7). In
this embodiment, the tamper evident arrangement is incorporated into a corner
of the package
210 (See Fig. 8). For purposes of the disclosure, package 210 will be
described with two digit
reference numerals that generally correspond with those of package 10, except
that they will be
preceded with a "2" in the hundreds place. For example, with package 10, the
base is identified
by reference numeral 12 and with package 210, the base is identified by
reference numeral 212.
[0039] Referring now to Fig. 7, the base 212 generally includes a rectangular
bottom 222,
a sidewall 224 and a flange 226. The bottom 222, sidewall 224 and flange 226
may be integrally
thermoformed from a single sheet of stock material. In this embodiment, the
bottom 222 is
generally rectangular with front 225a, rear 225b, left 225c and right 225d
peripheral edges. The
illustrated bottom 222 has rounded corners and the four peripheral edges 225a-
d each follow a
shallow outward curve. The bottom 222 may include internal contours, as
desired. For example,
the bottom 222 of the base 212 may include an internal trough 228 or other
contours intended to
strengthen the package 210 or to retain water or other fluids that might
accumulate.
[0040] The sidewall 224 of the rectangular embodiment of Figs. 5-12 extends
upwardly
from the peripheral edge of the bottom 222. In this embodiment, the sidewall
224 generally
corresponds in shape with the bottom 222 having front 227a, rear 227b, left
227c and right 227d
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segments that each follow a shallow outward curve. In this embodiment, the
tamper-evident tab
arrangement is positioned in a corner of the package 210. To accommodate the
tamper-evident
tab arrangement, the sidewall 224 also includes a corner segment 227e. The
sidewall 224
segments of the illustrated embodiment each have a slight outward taper from
bottom to top.
The size, shape and configuration of the sidewall 224 may vary from
application to application,
as desired. In the illustrated embodiment, a shoulder 230 is disposed toward
the upper end of the
sidewall 224. In this embodiment, the shoulder 230 is configured to provide a
structure for snap-
locking the lid 214 into place on the base 212. The shoulder 230 of this
embodiment is an
annular structure that extends entirely around the periphery of the base 212
through the front,
rear, left, right and corner segments. In this embodiment, the shoulder 230 is
continuous, but it
may be discontinuous or otherwise extend through only one or more portions of
the periphery of
the package 210. As perhaps best shown in Fig. 9, the shoulder 230 may be
formed to define an
undercut 232 that allows the shoulder 230 to receive a corresponding shoulder
250 in the lid 214
to snap-lock the lid 214 in place on the base 212. The size, shape and
configuration of the
shoulder 230, including undercut 232, may be varied to control the amount of
force required to
install the lid 214 on the base 212 and to separate the lid 214 from the base
212.
[0041] The package 210 may include additional aesthetic and functional
features. For
example, the front segment 227a and rear segment 227b may include features
that interfit with
corresponding features in the lid 214 to help prevent the front segment 227a
and rear segment
227b from bowing out when the package 210 is loaded. In this embodiment, the
front segment
227a and rear segment 227 b each include a riser 229 that extends upwardly
from the bottom 222
and terminates at its upper end in a T-shaped protrusion 231 having a central
leg 233 and a cross
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leg 235 (See Fig. 11). The T-shaped protrusion 231 is configured to receive a
pair of fingers 259
that extend downwardly from the lid 214 (See Fig. 12).
[0042] As with the flange 26 of package 10, the flange 226 of package 210
extends
outwardly from the upper end of the sidewall 224 above shoulder 230 to form a
peripheral lip
extending around the top of base 212. In the illustrated embodiment, the
flange 226 extends at
an angle of just over ninety degrees from the sidewall 224 along a plane
generally parallel to the
bottom 222. In this embodiment, the flange 226 includes a rail 234 that
extends upwardly to
prevent access to the peripheral edge of the lid 214. To that end, the rail
234 includes an internal
diameter that is only slightly greater than the external diameter of the lid
214. In this
embodiment, the rail 234 is generally continuous except for a pair of
relatively narrow breaks at
opposite ends of the removable portion 236. The size, shape and configuration
of the rail 234
may vary from application to application. As noted above, the package includes
a tamper
evident arrangement that is disposed in a corner of the package 210. In the
illustrated
embodiment, the tamper event arrangement is incorporated into the portion of
the flange 226
extending from corner segment 227e of the sidewall 223. As shown, the flange
226 includes a
tamper-evident tab 236 that can be opened to provide access to a section of
the peripheral edges
of the lid 214. In the illustrated embodiment, the tamper-evident tab 236
includes a horizontal
portion 227 that is configured to underlie the peripheral edge of the lid 214.
The tamper evident
tab 236 extends inwardly from the peripheral edge of the flange 226 through
the rail2 34 and into
the horizontal portion 227 so that its movement into an open position provides
access to a
substantial portion of the peripheral edge 220 of the lid 214. The tamper-
evident tab 236 may
extend into the horizontal portion 227 a distance sufficient to expose enough
of the peripheral
edge 220 to allow it to be firmly grasped between two fingers closing on the
lid 214 from the top
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and bottom. The tamper-evident tab 236 is joined to the flange 226 by a series
of lands 242 and
244. In the illustrated embodiment, there are lands 242 and 244 situated at
opposite ends of the
tamper-evident tab 236, but the number of lands may vary from application to
application, as
desired. In the embodiment of Fig. 8, land 242 is configured to break as the
tamper-evident tab
is opened, while land 244 is configured to remain intact so that the tamper-
evident tab 236 does
not separate from the base 212. The tamper-evident tab 236 may include an
extension 238
located near the breakable end of the tamper-evident tab 236. The tamper
evident arrangement
may also include a fixed tab 240 that is disposed adjacent to the breakable
end of the tamper-
evident tab 236. The fixed tab 240 may include an extension 241 that protrudes
outwardly from
the flange 226. As with package 10, a consumer can break open the tamper-
evident tab 236 of
package 210 by gripping the fixed tab extension 241 with one hand and the
tamper-evident tab
extension 240 with the other hand, and then applying enough force to break
land 242 and bend,
without breaking, the tamper-evident tab 236 about land 244 into an open
position (See Fig. 10).
The permanent land 244 may be substantially greater in width than the
breakable land 242 so that
substantially greater force is required to break the permanent land 244. For
example, the
permanent land 244 may be 1.5, 2 or 3 times the width of the breakable land
242. It is not,
however, necessary for the permanent land 244 to be wider than the breakable
land 242 for this
functionality to occur. The structure of the tamper-evident tab 236 and fixed
tab 240 may focus
force on the breakable land 242 so that it breaks while the permanent land 244
does not. For
example, positioning the extensions 238 and 241 on opposite sides of, and
immediately adjacent
to, the breakable land 242 results in focusing the force applied to the
extensions 238 and 241 on
the breakable land 242 and not on the permanent land 244. As a result, a user
manipulating the
tamper-evident tab 236 in the manner described will inherently rupture the
breakable land 242
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=
without breaking the permanent land 244, and will gain access to the edge of
the lid 214 by
bending the tamper-evident tab 236 about the permanent land 244 without any
need to break the
permanent land 244.
[0043] To provide a large tamper evident arrangement while still having
efficient use of
shelf space, the package 210 may be shaped so that the tamper evident
arrangement substantially
fills the space between adjacent packages 210 when placed immediately adjacent
to one another
on a shelf More specifically, the shallow curves in the segments of the
sidewall 224 cause the
corners of the package 210 to be recessed or inset from the outermost extents
of the package 210.
This may be seen best in Fig. 13, which includes reference lines tangent to
the front, rear, left
and right peripheral edges of the flange 226. Further, the corner segment 226e
is inset even
farther from the outermost extent to provide additional space for a tamper
evident arrangement.
As can be seen in Fig. 8, the tamper-evident tab 236 and fixed tab 240 extend
beyond the
outermost extents of the flange on adjacent sidewall segments. The dimensions
of the tamper-
evident tab 236 and fixed tab 240 are selected so that the tamper-evident tab
236 and fixed tab
240 substantially fill the available space when packages 210 are stacked in an
array on a shelf
[0044] The lid 214 of package 210 is configured to be fitted onto the base 212
to close
the package 210.
In the illustrated embodiment, the lid 214 is generally rectangular
corresponding in small with the opening in the base 212. The lid 214 includes
a peripheral edge
248 and a shoulder 250. The peripheral edge 248 is configured to terminate
just inside the rail
234 so that it is difficult for a consumer to access the peripheral edge 48
when the lid 214 is
installed. The shoulder 250 of the lid 214 extends downwardly into the base
212 to interlock
with the shoulder 230 of the base 212. The lid shoulder 250 is sized and
shaped to fit tightly
within the base shoulder 230, thereby providing a firm interlock. The lid 250
includes a tamper
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evident corner 251 configured to interact with the tamper-evident tab
arrangement. As perhaps
best shown in Fig. 7, the shoulder 250 extends at an angle of approximately
forth five degrees
through the tamper evident corner 251. The peripheral marginal portion of the
lid 214 disposed
outwardly from the shoulder 250 forms an enlarged lifting tab 253. In the
illustrated
embodiment, the lifting tab 253 is generally planar and includes a peripheral
edge with the same
general size and shape and the other corners of the lid 214. The size, shape
and configuration of
the lifting tab 253 may be varied from application to application by varying
the shoulder 250 and
the peripheral marginal portion of the lid 214 outside the shoulder 250 in the
tamper-evident
corner 251.
[0045] The lid 214 may include additional contours, as desired, to provide
strength or to
implement aesthetic or functional features. For example, in the illustrate
embodiment, the lid
214 includes a generally rectangular central planar cavity 257. The primary
purpose of the
cavity 257 is to receive a label (not shown). If desired, the cavity 257 may
also be configured to
closely receive the bottom of an above-stacked package 210 to provide nesting
and improve the
stability of stacked packages. Further, the lid 214 and base 212 may include
mating features that
help to prevent the front and rear segments of the sidewall 234 from bowing
out. In this
embodiment, the lid 214 includes a pair of small downwardly extending fingers
259 near the
front and rear edges that mate with the T-shaped protrusions 231 in the front
and rear segments
of the sidewall 234 (See Fig. 12). When the lid 214 is installed on the base
212, each pair of
fingers 259 straddles the central leg 233 of the corresponding T-shaped
protrusion 231 in the
space between the cross leg 235 and the sidewall 234.
[0046] Package 210 operates in a manner similar to that of package 10. When
the lid 214
is installed on the base 212, the interlock between the lid shoulder 250 and
the base shoulder 240
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will hold the lid 214 securely on the base 212. To remove the lid 214, the
tamper-evident tab
236 is moved into the open position to provide access to a portion of the
peripheral edge 220 of
the lid 214. To open the tamper-evident tab 236, a user grips the fixed tab
extension 241 with
one hand and the tamper-evident tab extension 238 with the other hand, and
then applies enough
force to break land 242 and bend the tamper-evident tab 236 down about the
permanent land 244
into an open position. Once the tamper-evident tab 236 is moved into the open
position, a
portion of the peripheral edge 220 of the lid 214 will be exposed. The user
can then remove the
lid 214 by gripping the fixed tab 240 with one hand and the exposed portion of
the lid 214 with
the other. Once gripped firmly, the user can lift the lid 214 away from the
base 212. To remove
the lid 214, the user may grip the fixed tab extension 241 with one hand and
the exposed portion
of the peripheral edge 220 of the lid 214 with the other hand, and then lift
with enough force to
overcome the interlock between the lid shoulder and the base shoulder.
Movement of the
tamper-evident tab 236 into the open position also provides an obvious visual
indication that the
package 210 has been opened or at least tampered with.
[0047] The above description is that of current embodiments of the invention.
Various
alterations and changes can be made without departing from the spirit and
broader aspects of the
invention as defined in the appended claims, which are to be interpreted in
accordance with the
principles of patent law including the doctrine of equivalents. This
disclosure is presented for
illustrative purposes and should not be interpreted as an exhaustive
description of all
embodiments of the invention or to limit the scope of the claims to the
specific elements
illustrated or described in connection with these embodiments. For example,
and without
limitation, any individual element(s) of the described invention may be
replaced by alternative
elements that provide substantially similar functionality or otherwise provide
adequate operation.
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This includes, for example, presently known alternative elements, such as
those that might be
currently known to one skilled in the art, and alternative elements that may
be developed in the
future, such as those that one skilled in the art might, upon development,
recognize as an
alternative. Further, the disclosed embodiments include a plurality of
features that are described
in concert and that might cooperatively provide a collection of benefits. The
present invention is
not limited to only those embodiments that include all of these features or
that provide all of the
stated benefits, except to the extent otherwise expressly set forth in the
issued claims. Any
reference to claim elements in the singular, for example, using the articles
"a," "an," "the" or
"said," is not to be construed as limiting the element to the singular.
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