COVER FOR CONTAINER

Abstract

A cover for a container, the container having an opening proximate the top thereof and having three or more corners proximate the opening. The container has a bead proximate the opening which circumscribes the top portion of the container near the opening. The cover includes a downwardly depending skirt that releasably secures the cover in a closed position on the container to at least two corners of the container. The cover further has a plurality of protrusions on the skirt exposed substantially parallel to the lower edge of the downwardly depending skirt around the corners of the cover. Each protrusion may be sized, constructed and arranged for engaging a bead which circumscribes the container whereby tension placed on the cover when removing the cover from one corner of the container generates additional force on the remaining corner thus making the cover harder to open.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Tamper resistant covers for rigid and semi-rigid containers are widely used because of numerous incidents involving tampering with or improper access to the contents of conventional containers, particularly in the drug field and household products. However, covers for rectangular containers that are easy to close but difficult to open have not been as widely adopted.

Tamper indicating means have been provided in the form of container seals, tear strips or the like. Covers for semi-rigid containers and rigid containers having tear strips are frequently fabricated from synthetic plastics and are located on the container so that they prevent the opening of the container until the tear strip is severed from the cover or at least make such opening very difficult and evident. In such containers, after the tear strip has been removed, it has been an advantage in the past to make removal of the cover easy after initial removal of the tear strip to allow sufficient access to the contents of the container.

An example of such a cover may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,617,968 Container Cover having Primary and Secondary detent means.

The cover of the '968 patent provides primary and secondary detents engageable with a cover retaining means on the associated container, with the primary detent means being mounted on a tear-evident strip and being removable with the tear strip when opening of the cover is desired. The '968 cover is designed to be easy to open after the tear strip has been removed. However, there are advantages to a container cover that is not easy to open, to slow access to more harmful contents or prevent inadvertent opening.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to container cover that obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.

The present invention concerns a cover for a semi-rigid container. The cover has an opening proximate to the top thereof and three or more corners on the usually four for a rectangular container. The container has a bead proximate the opening that circumscribes the top portion of the container near said opening.

The cover is configured in a shape corresponding to the opening of the container, including having corners corresponding to the opening. The cover includes a central web, a downwardly depending skirt extending from the central web and at least two horizontal protrusions extending from an underside of the downwardly depending skirt such that at least two of said corners each includes at least one of said horizontal protrusions.

In one embodiment, the cover may include a hinge disposal laterally across the cover so as to allow opening of a portion of the cover while retaining the remainder of the cover on the container.

In another embodiment, the present invention may include the container itself in combination with the cover.

Further embodiments, features, and advantages of the container cover, as well as the structure and operation of the various embodiments of the container cover, are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying figures, which are incorporated herein and form part of the specification, illustrate a container cover. Together with the description, the figures further serve to explain the principles of the container cover described herein and thereby enable a person skilled in the pertinent art to make and use the container cover.

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the container and cover according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the cover according to one embodiment of the present invention showing illustrating the tear strip and downwardly depending skirt.

FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the cover FIG. 2 illustrating the tear strip being removed from the cover.

FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective view of the cover of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective view, partially cut away, illustrating the underside of the cover of FIGS. 14.

FIG. 6 is a side cutaway view of the corner of the cover and container of FIGS. 1-5.

FIG. 7 is a front view of the container of FIGS. 1-6 in combination with the cover of FIG. 1 in a partially opened state.

FIG. 8 is a front perspective view of the container and cover of FIG. 1 illustrating the cover after the tear strip has been removed.

FIG. 9 is a front perspective view of the container of FIG. 1 illustrating an embodiment having a hinged cover in an open position on the container.

FIG. 10 is a front perspective view of a container and cover according to one embodiment of the present invention without a hinge in the cover.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the container cover with reference to the accompanying figures, in which like reference numerals indicate like elements.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

While the present invention is shown in the following drawings, it is understood that the invention is not limited thereto except insofar as the invention is not limited thereto except insofar as those who have the disclosure before them are able to make modifications and variation s therein without departing from the scope of the invention.

As illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings, a cover 12 for a container 10 is shown. As illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 9, container 10 has an opening 14 proximate the top 16. Container 10 further has at least three corners, 18, 20, 22, and 24. In one exemplary embodiment the container has four corners and is rectangular in shape. Container 10 further has a bead 26 proximate opening 14 which circumscribes the top portion 16 of the container near opening 14.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the cover 12 may include a central web 40 and a downwardly depending skirt 50. The downwardly depending skirt 50 may further include removable tear strip 72 removable from the cover 12 along a frangible score line 80. The tear strip 72 may extend partially or completely along a periphery of the cover 12 such that a portion of a downwardly depending skirt 50 and retaining elements thereon may remain to affix the cover 12 to the container 10. The tear strip 72 may further include a hole 90 for receiving a manipulator such as a finger. For example, when removal of tear strip 72 is required, a user my grasp the tear strip 72 via hole 90 and peel away tear strip 72 along frangible score line 80. If the tear strip 70 partially extends along the periphery of the cover, the cover may remain partially affixed to the container, as illustrated in FIG. 8.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, skirt 50 may have two or more downwardly depending flanges 52 and 54 that remain on the cover 12 after removal of tear strip 72. As illustrated in FIG. 4, cover 12 further includes a plurality of protrusions 56, 58, 60, and 62 on an underside 30 of the skirt 50. In the illustrated embodiment, the protrusions 56, 58, 60, and 62 are disposed substantially parallel to a lower edge of the downwardly depending skirt around the corners 42, 44, 46, and 48. Protrusions 56, 58, 60, and 62 may engage bead 26, as illustrated in FIG. 6, whereby when removing the cover 12 from one corner 18-22, tension is placed on the cover 12, thus making the cover harder to open or requiring application of force to at least two of the corners at roughly the same time to remove the cover from the container.

While the embodiment shown at FIGS. 1-10 are rectangular in shape, the shape of the container may be selected from the group comprising triangular, rectangular, hexagonal, or octagonal as long as there are at least two or more corners which the cover 12 can be affixed to.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, cover 12 may include a plurality of ribs 64a-z (64a-64d are numbered; the remainder are clearly shown) that depend downwardly from cover 12. Ribs 64a-z may be included to reinforce cover 12 making the cover stiffer while still utilizing considerably less plastic than would be required to strengthen the cover by thickening the entire cover 12.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, and 9, cover 12 may include a hinge 66 integrally formed in cover 12. In one embodiment hinge 66 comprises a score line formed in cover 12 that allows at least one portion of the cover to be pivoted upward or downward, as illustrated in FIG. 9, when opening and closing a container 10. As a result, a portion 68 of cover 12 may be opened, while the remainder 70 remains affixed to the container.

As further seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, removable tear strip 72 may be formed as part of the downwardly depending skirt 50 and to circumscribe corners 18 and 20 as well as a portion of the sides 74, 76, and 78 of container 10.

Embodiments of the present invention may further include the cover 12 in combination with the container 10, which provides a packaging system for selectively opening and closing a container 10 but inhibiting easy opening of the container. The size of the container 10 is not limited so the present system may be used for small packages or for large shipping containers. The container and cover may be manufactured of polyethylene, polypropylene or other known polymers.

While various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not limitation. It will be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art that various changes in form and detail can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A cover for a container having an opening proximate the top thereof and having three or more corners proximate the opening, said container having a bead proximate said opening and circumscribing the top portion of said container near said opening, said cover being configured in a shape corresponding to the opening including having corners corresponding to said opening, the cover comprising:

a central web;

a downwardly depending skirt extending from central web; and

two horizontal protrusions extending from an underside of the downwardly depending skirt such that at least two of said corners each includes at least one of said horizontal protrusions;

2. The cover of claim 1 in which said skirt comprises two or more downwardly depending flanges on said skirt.

3. The cover of claim 2 wherein said horizontal protrusions on the underside of said downwardly depending skirt are disposed substantially parallel to a lower edge of the downwardly depending skirt around the corners of said cover, each protrusion being sized constructed and arranged by snap locking onto said bead whereby tension placed on the cover when removing the cover from one corner of the container, generates additional force on the remaining corner, thus making the cover harder to open.

4. The cover of claim 3 in which said protrusions extend around said corner and engage a bead on said top of said container when said cover is closed.

5. The cover of claim 1 in which said container is configured in a shape which may be selected from the group comprising triangular, rectangular, hexagonal or octagonal.

6. The cover of claim 1 in which said cover includes a plurality of ribs depending downwardly.

7. The cover of claim 1 and further comprising a hinge disposed laterally across said cover so as to allow opening of a portion of said cover while retaining the remainder of said cover on said container.

8. The container of claim 1 further comprising a removable tear strip extending partially along a periphery of said cover for initially securing said cover to said container with a portion of the downwardly depending skirt remaining secured to the container after the tear strip is removed.

9. The cover of claim 1 further comprising a removable tear strip extending along a periphery of said cover for selectively retaining a portion of said downwardly depending skirt of said cover on said container.

10. The cover of claim 9, wherein a portion of the horizontal protrusions extend from a portion of the removable tear strip.

11. A container having an opening proximate the top thereof and a cover, the opening including two or more corners, said cover being configured in a shape corresponding to the opening including having one or more corresponding corners, comprising:

a central web;

a downwardly depending skirt extending from central web; and

two horizontal protrusions extending from an underside of the downwardly depending skirt such that at least two of said corners each includes at least one of said horizontal protrusions;

12. The container of claim 11 in which said container comprises a bead circumferentially disposed about said container and proximate to said opening.

13. The container of claim 11 in which said downwardly depending skirt includes a removable tear strip such that upon removal of said tear strip, the downwardly depending skirt includes at least two flanges each corresponding to one of said corners.

14. The container of claim 12 wherein said horizontal protrusions are disposed substantially parallel to the corners of said cover for engaging said bead.

15. The container of claim 11 in which said container is configured in a shape which may be selected from the group comprising triangular, rectangular, hexagonal or octagonal.

16. The container of claim 14 in which said horizontal protrusions are disposed on the underside of said cover.

17. The container of claim 11 further comprising a plurality of ribs disposed on said cover.

18. The container of claim 11 further comprising a hinge disposed laterally across said cover so as to allow opening of a portion of said cover while retaining the remainder of said cover on said container.

19. The container of claim 11 in which said downwardly depending skirt includes at least two flanges corresponding to said corners.

20. The container of claim 11 in which said cover includes a removable tear strip on said downwardly depending skirt.

21. The cover of claim 20, wherein a portion of the horizontal protrusions extend from a portion of the removable tear strip.