Patent Application
20140041343
The invention relates to molded plastic containers suitable for packaging food products and more particularly to a container having a lid which can only be opened by performing a strategic manipulation in a predetermined location on the container.
There are several plastic containers used for packaging food wherein a lid can, as a practical matter, only be opened by breaking off a section of a peripheral plastic structure which prevents access to an edge of the lid. One container of this type is thermoformed of a clear plastic and has an integral, hinged lid.
The present invention provides a container comprising the combination of a deep base and a shallower lid structure, the two being suitable for thermoforming. The container has a raised peripheral ridge around the open top and a recessed undercut which generally parallels the ridge but departs inwardly therefrom at a strategic location to form a flat deck. The lid has a peripheral, downwardly-projecting ridge structure that snap-fits into the undercut on the base to releasably secure the lid to the base. The interfitting relationship between the lid and base is such that the base ridge effectively surrounds the outside edge of the lid so that it is difficult to gain access to the lid edge for removal purposes. However, the lid ridge is truncated at a location that corresponds to the strategic base location to form a tab which overlies the lid deck. By exerting an upward force on the underside of the container deck, one can raise an edge of the lid enough to permit removal of the lid from the container. The deck can be formed to provide a breakaway portion which indicates that the lid may have been opened.
Other advantages, features and characteristics of the present invention, as well as methods of operation and functions of the related elements of the structure, and the combination of parts and economies of manufacture, will become more apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description and the appended claims with reference to the accompanying photographs, the latter being briefly described hereinafter.
The description herein makes reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views and wherein:
Referring now to
The container base 12 is generally rectangular with three rounded corners. One corner is truncated for purposes to be described. A raised, peripheral rim structure 24 is fully rectangular interrupted only by the hinge 16. An interior undercut recess 25 follows the contour of the rim 24 except at corner 23 where it is truncated, giving rise to a generally triangular deck 30 adjacent the truncated corner 23. Two strengthening grooves 32 are molded in the deck 30 on opposite sides of a breakaway tab 34 having three sides which are die-cut at 36 leaving only small frangible uncut sections 38 along the three die-cut sides. The fourth side; i.e., the side of the breakaway tab 34 closest to the peripheral edge feature 24 is uncut, thereby to create a hinge function as hereinafter described.
The undercut locking recess 25 is formed just inside of and generally parallel to the rim structure but, unlike the rim structure 24, runs inside of the deck 30 and the push-up tab 34. The lid 14 is similarly configured with an overall rectangular shape and has a male ridge structure 40 which mates with the female undercut 25 of the base to “lock” the lid 14 to the base 12 by pressing the structure 40 resiliently down within the undercut 25 until the entire lid structure snaps into place. A truncated portion 42 of the lid rim cooperates with the corner structure of the base to the extent that it runs inside of the tab 34. However, a thin, resilient edge tag 44 of the lid 14 lies outside of the corner 42 to overlie the push-up tab 34 and the deck 30 to the extent that it abuts up against the inside edge of the upstanding rim structure 24 tightly enough to prevent access to an edge of the edge rim 27 at any point. The tight fit between the rim edge 27 and the inside surface of the rim structure 24 such that no point of the lid edge can be reached except possibly with the use of a sharp tool.
To open the package, the user places a finger on the underside of the tab 34 as shown in
Although shown with respect to two illustrative embodiments, it will be understood that the breakaway portion can be formed in still other configurations including those involving a partial breakaway as well as those in which a piece or section of the corner deck is completely broken away. The former has the advantage of eliminating a scrap piece. While
While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, which scope is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures as is permitted under the law. The material of construction can be any of several polymers, including a clear acrylic plastic which allows the contents of the container to be seen through the lid and base.
