Patent Application
20190118992
The present invention relates to a storage container and more particularly to a storage container having a removable top secured via a tear strip.
Many goods and products are shipped and stored in shipping containers,such as cardboard or paperboard boxes. Containers are known for storing a wide variety of items such as miscellaneous hardware, school supplies, toys and the like. Additionally containers are used for storing food, including dry food, wet food and even liquids.
Tamper-proof packaging arrangements are often provided on various consumer products such as medicines, and also on packaging for various food products. These arrangements typically include locking structures which, when tampered with, enable the consumer to easily visually recognize such tampering so that the product can then be rejected. An example of such a tamper-evident structure is a plastic locking ring connected to a cap such as those utilized on beverages. When the cap is loosened to open the container, the ring disconnects from the cap and thus provides a visual clue to the consumer in the event that the container was opened by an unauthorized person. Another type of tamper-evident feature is a plastic strip or seal which is provided externally around an opening of a container which must be removed or torn off prior to opening the container. If this strip is missing or damaged, the consumer can reject the product. In both of the above arrangements, the tamper-evident structure essentially locks the container in the closed position, and opening of the container can only be achieved by damaging or removing the locking structure.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is disclosed an improved storage container for housing items in an enclosed housing with a tamper-evident closure that is easily removed to form a storage container for the items. The storage container includes a container formed as a thin walled, hollow cylindrical body closed at either end by end members and a peripheral wall defining top and bottom openings which are suitable for closure by the end members. The end members include a plurality of flaps that are integral with and extend from the hollow cylinder body and are folded over one another and then joined to each other. A perforation and tear strip encircle the peripheral wall of the cylindrical body.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is disclosed an improved storage container for housing items in an enclosed housing with a tamper-evident closure that is easily removed to form a storage container for the items. The storage container includes a container formed as a rectangular body which includes four peripheral walls. The peripheral walls define top and bottom openings which are suitable for closure by the end members. The end members include a plurality of flaps that are integral with and extend from the hollow container and are folded over one another and then joined to each other. A perforation and tear strip encircles about the peripheral wall of the container.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is disclosed an improved storage container for housing items in an enclosed housing with a tamper-evident closure that is easily removed to form the storage container for the items. The storage container includes a container formed as a thin walled, hollow body closed at either end by end members. A peripheral wall defines top and bottom openings which are suitable for closure by the end members. The end members include a plurality of flaps that are integral with and extend from the hollow body and are folded over one another and then joined to each other. A perforation and tear strip encircles the peripheral wall of the hollow body. A plastic insert to hold liquids is disposed within the hollow body.
The structure, operation, and advantages of the present invention will become further apparent upon consideration of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures (Figs.). The figures are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Certain elements in some of the figures may be omitted, or illustrated not-to-scale, for illustrative clarity. The cross-sectional views may be in the form of “slices”, or “near-sighted” cross-sectional views, omitting certain background lines which would otherwise be visible in a “true” cross-sectional view, for illustrative clarity.
[08] In the drawings accompanying the description that follows, both reference numerals and legends (labels, text descriptions) may be used to identify elements. If legends are provided, they are intended merely as an aid to the reader, and should not in any way be interpreted as limiting.
In the description that follows, numerous details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that variations of these specific details are possible while still achieving the results of the present invention. Well-known processing steps are generally not described in detail in order to avoid unnecessarily obfuscating the description of the present invention.
In the description that follows, exemplary dimensions may be presented for an illustrative embodiment of the invention. The dimensions should not be interpreted as limiting. They are included to provide a sense of proportion. Generally speaking, it is the relationship between various elements, where they are located, their contrasting compositions, and sometimes their relative sizes that is of significance.
In the drawings accompanying the description that follows, often both reference numerals and legends (labels, text descriptions) will be used to identify elements. If legends are provided, they are intended merely as an aid to the reader, and should not in any way be interpreted as limiting.
Containers come in all shapes and sizes and store all different types of products. Certain containers, such as food containers, utilize a sealable cover or lid which forms a seal with the container to maintain quality and freshness of the food items stored in the container. There are several different types of covers or lids for these containers. Some containers use a snap-fit or friction-fit lid to form a seal with the container. These lids, however, are difficult to stretch and secure to the containers and are also difficult to remove because of the tight friction fit. Other lids or covers include one or more latches which engage the container to hold the lid on the container. If the latches break or stop working properly, however, a new cover and possibly a new container must be purchased, which costs consumers additional time and money.
The improved storage container 10, as shown in
Referring to
The container 10 is formed of a cylindrical body 18 which includes a peripheral wall 20 defining top and bottom openings 22 and 24, respectively, as seen in
The end member 26 includes a plurality of flaps 26a, 26b, 26c and 26d that are integral with and extend from the hollow cylinder and are folded over one another and then joined to each other by means such as glue, tape, staples or cement. In the same manner, the end member 28 includes a plurality of flaps 28a, 28b, 28c and 28d that are integral with and extend from the hollow cylinder and are folded over one another and then joined to each other by means such as glue, tape, staples or cement.
Prior to closing the bottom opening 22 and the top opening 24, the items, such as cutlery 13, are inserted into the cylindrical body 18 through either opening 22 or 24. Then the end members 26 and 28 are closed so that the items 13 are not accessible. The house the cutlery in an enclosed housing with a tamper-evident closure, that is easily removed to form a storage container for the cutlery. The result is a cylindrical body closed at both ends that can be only be opened to remove the items by breaking into the container 12 in a way that would give evidence to the fact that the container had been tampered with.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
As shown in
In use, the cutlery 13 housed within the canister 12 is not accessible without opening the container. Until the tear strip 52 is torn, and the perforation 50 is separated, the top and bottom portions 56 and 58 are sealed within the canister 12, such that no one may tamper with the cutlery 13 therein until the canister 12 reaches the final consumer. When the user desires, he may tear the tear strip 52 and discard the top portion 56 so that the cutlery is stored in the bottom portion 58.
It should be noted that the container 10 may be constructed of any desired shape, such as the rectangular shaped container 30 as seen in
The end member 46 includes a plurality of flaps 46a, 46b, 46c and 46d that are integral with and extend from the rectangular body 32 and are folded over one another and then joined to each other by means such as glue, tape, staples or cement. In the same manner, the end member 48 includes a plurality of flaps 48a, 48b, 48c and 48d that are integral with and extend from the hollow cylinder and are folded over one another and then joined to each other by means such as glue, tape, staples or cement.
As illustrated in
Typically,the tear strip 62 is formed of a continuous length of material, such as plastic ribbon, string, cardboard, wire or any other type of material that is strong enough to cut through the wall of the container but malleable enough to be adhered to the inside wall or interior surface 60 of the container. The tear strip 62 is generally secured to an interior surface 66, as seen in
The improved storage container 100 relates to a rigid container 102 suitable for storing any suitable items, preferably flowers 104, designed with a removable closure. The improved storage container 100 is distinguished from the first embodiment of the improved storage container 10 in that it contains a plastic insert 106 to hold water or other liquids therein.
Typically, the container 102 is constructed of a single sheet of material, such as a corrugated paper material, cardboard, paperboard, plastic or any other material that may creased, folded and bonded, that is suitably rigid for storing items. Further, the container 102 may be of any suitable dimensions, such as for example a height with a range between______inches and______inches, and a circumference between______ inches and______inches, when in the cylindrical shape illustrated in
The container 102 is formed of a cylindrical body 108 which includes a peripheral wall 110 defining top and bottom openings 112 and 114, respectively, as seen in
There is a perforation 120 disposed along the peripheral wall 110 of the cylindrical body 108, preferably approximately 2/3 up the body. The perforation 120 forms a tear strip 122 to provide easy tearing in a direction generally transverse to the tear strip. The tear strip 122 is designed to tear open consistently, with a relatively uniform tearing force, without excessive distortion of the perforation 120. The tear strip 122 operates identically to the operation of the first embodiment of the improved storage container 10.
The perforation 120 is formed between top and bottom portions 124 and 126 of the cylindrical body 108. As described above, when the tear strip 122 is torn, and the perforation 120 is separated, the top and bottom portions 124 and 126 of the cylindrical body 108 are separated. The top portion 124 is typically discarded following their separation from the bottom portion 126. However, it is within the terms of the embodiment that the top portion 124 can be reattached to the bottom portion 126.
A plastic insert 106 is designed to hold liquids therein and is disposed within the bottom portion 126 of the cylindrical body 108. The plastic insert 106 has a closed end 107 and an open end 109. The closed end 107 of the plastic insert 106 typically rests against the end member 118 of the bottom opening 114. The open end 109 of the plastic insert 106 is disposed directly below the perforation 120, such that when the top portion 124 is separated from the bottom portion 126, the open end of the insert can be filled with a liquid if desired and the liquid will not permeate the bottom portion and/or the end member 118 to distort or otherwise ruin the integrity of the cylindrical body 108. It is also within the terms of invention for the open end of the plastic insert 106 to be disposed directly above the perforation 120, such that when the top portion 124 is separated from the bottom portion 126, the open end of the insert projects out of the bottom portion 126. Here again, the insert can be filled with a liquid if desired and the liquid will not permeate the bottom portion 126 and/or the end member 118 to distort or otherwise ruin the integrity of the cylindrical body 108.
In an alternative embodiment as seen in
In the same manner as described with respect to
As illustrated in
The tear strip 172 provides easy tearing along perforation 170. The tear strip 62 is designed to tear open consistently perforation 170, with a relatively uniform tearing force, without excessive distortion of the perforation 170.
Typically,the tear strip 172 is formed of a continuous length of material, such as the same material, such as cardboard of the rectangular container 150, disposed directly below or above the perforation 170 with an end 173 of the tear strip sticking out from the container. Functionally, the container 150, as shown in
Referring to
Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to a certain preferred embodiment or embodiments, certain equivalent alterations and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon the reading and understanding of this specification and the annexed drawings. In particular regard to the various functions performed by the above described components (assemblies, devices, etc.) the terms (including a reference to a “means”) used to describe such components are intended to correspond, unless otherwise indicated, to any component which performs the specified function of the described component (i.e., that is functionally equivalent), even though not structurally equivalent to the disclosed structure which performs the function in the herein illustrated exemplary embodiments of the invention. In addition, while a particular feature of the invention may have been disclosed with respect to only one of several embodiments, such feature may be combined with one or more features of the other embodiments as may be desired and advantageous for any given or particular application.
