CANISTER WITH TAMPER-EVIDENT CLOSURE

Abstract

A canister in accordance with the present disclosure includes a container having a basin and a brim on the basin and a closure mounted on the brim. The closure includes a lid and a tear strip formed to include a finger-pull tab and coupled to the lid along a frangible tear line.

Description

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to canisters, and in particular, to closures for mounting on the top of containers. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a container and a tamper-evident closure having a tear strip that must be removed before the closure can be separated properly from the container.

Closures are provided to cover top openings formed in containers. It is known to provide a tamper-evident closure including a tear strip. If the tear strip is missing or disturbed when a consumer purchases the container, then the consumer is put on notice that someone may have tampered with the container and gained unauthorized access to product stored in the container through the top opening covered normally by the closure. After the tear strip is removed, a remaining portion of the closure is used to retain the closure in place on the container.

SUMMARY

A canister in accordance with the present disclosure includes a container having a basin and a brim on the basin and a closure mounted on the brim. The closure includes a lid and a tear strip formed to include a finger-pull tab and coupled to the lid along a frangible tear line.

In illustrative embodiments, the brim includes an inner annular strip coupled to the basin, an outer annular strip arranged to surround and lie in spaced-apart relation to the inner annular strip, and an annular bridge interconnecting the inner and outer annular strips. An outer retainer on the lid nests in a retainer receiver formed in the outer annular strip of the brim while another outer retainer on the tear strip nests in another retainer receiver formed in the outer annular strip of the brim.

Also in illustrative embodiments, an inner retainer on the lid mates with a reinforced portion of the inner annular strip when the lid is mounted on the container. This establishes a releasable interference fit between the lid and the brim to help retain the closure in place on the brim.

Additional features of the disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the disclosure as presently perceived.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a canister in accordance with the present disclosure showing a tamper-evident lid mounted on a container and a finger-pull tab included in a tear strip coupled to the lid and to the container along a frangible tear line represented by a dotted line;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 showing partial separation of the tear strip from the lid and the container using a counterclockwise pulling motion to uncouple the tear strip from the lid and the container so that the lid can be removed from and later reattached to the container;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view similar to FIGS. 1 and 2 showing a closure comprising the lid and the tear strip before the closure is mounted on a brim of the container to cover a basin included in the container to produce the canister shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the container shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4 showing a brim of the container wherein the brim includes an inner annular strip extending upwardly from a laterally extending annular top transition portion of the basin, a laterally extending annular bridge coupled to the inner annular strip, and an outer annular strip extending downwardly from an outer edge of the annular bridge;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the closure shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 6 showing that the lid includes a shallow central cup sized to contain a printed information disk (shown in phantom) and a radially outwardly extending brim ring coupled to and arranged to surround the central cup and showing that the tear strip is coupled to a downwardly extending outer side panel of the brim ring included in the lid;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 1 showing the closure mounted on the container and showing (1) “nesting” engagement of a radially inwardly extending lower outer retainer included in the tear strip in a lower outer retainer receiver formed in the outer annular strip of the container brim, (2) nesting engagement of a radially inwardly extending upper outer retainer included in the brim ring in an upper outer retainer receiver formed in the outer annular strip of the container brim, (3) nesting of a lowermost portion of the tear strip above an outwardly extending tear strip shield lip included in the outer annular strip of the container brim, and (4) an “interference fit” between an inner retainer appended to a side wall of the central cup and the inner annular strip included in the container brim;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 8 showing the lid mounted on the container brim after removal of the tear strip;

FIG. 10 is a partial sectional view similar to FIG. 5 showing two “stacked” containers; and

FIG. 11 is a partial sectional view similar to FIG. 7 showing two stacked closures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A canister 10 includes a container 12 and a closure 14 mounted on container 12 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 8. Container 12 includes a basin 16 and a brim 18 as shown in FIGS. 3-5. Closure 14 includes a lid 20 carrying a tear strip 22 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6-8. Tear strip 22 can be separated from lid 20 along a frangible tear line 21 in a manner suggested in FIG. 2 and lid 20 (without tear strip 22) can be remounted on brim 18 of container 12 as shown, for example, in FIG. 9. Separate stacks of containers 12 and closures 14 are shown, for example, in FIGS. 10 and 11.

As shown best in FIGS. 3-5, container 12 includes a basin 16 and a brim 18 extending around an upper portion of basin 16. Brim 18 is configured to define an opening into an interior basin region 24 formed in basin 16. In an illustrative embodiment, container 12 is made using a thermoforming process.

Basin 16 includes a floor 26 and a side wall 28 extending upwardly from floor 26 and cooperating with floor 26 to define interior basin region 24 as shown, for example, in FIG. 3. Basin 16 also includes an annular top transition portion 30 arranged to extend laterally and radially outwardly away from side wall 28 and to interconnect brim 18 and an upper portion of side wall 28 as suggested in FIGS. 3-5. In an illustrative embodiment, basin 16 provides a “tub” for storing foodstuff such as margarine or whipped topping.

Brim 18 includes an inner annular strip 31, a laterally extending annular bridge 32, and an outer annular strip 33 as shown, for example, in FIGS. 3-5. Inner annular strip 31 extends upwardly and has an annular interior surface 34 defining an interior brim region 36 lying above and communicating with interior basin region 24 formed in basin 16 as suggested in FIG. 5. Outer annular strip 33 extends downwardly around and in spaced-apart relation to inner annular strip 31 as suggested in FIGS. 3 and 4. Outer annular strip 33 has an exterior surface 38 facing away from interior brim region 36 as shown best in FIG. 5. Laterally extending annular bridge 32 interconnects inner and outer annular strips 31, 33 to locate inner and outer annular strips in spaced-apart relation to one another as suggested in FIG. 5.

As best shown in FIGS. 3, 6, and 7, closure 14 includes a lid 20 adapted to be mounted on container brim 18 to cover an opening into interior basin region 36 defined by container brim 18. Closure 14 also includes a tear strip 22 appended to lid 20 along a frangible tear line 21 as suggested in FIGS. 3 and 7. In an illustrative embodiment, closure 14 is made using an injection-molding process.

Lid 20 includes a central cup 40 formed to define a disk-receiving chamber 42 and a brim ring 44 arranged to surround central cup 40 as suggested in FIGS. 1, 6, and 7. Disk-receiving chamber 42 is sized to receive and retain an information disk 46 therein as suggested in FIGS. 1, 2, and 7. In an illustrative embodiment, information disk 46 is made of stiff cardstock and provides information about the product(s) stored in basin 16 on container 12. Brim ring 44 is configured to mate with brim 18 of container 12 as suggested in FIGS. 8 and 9 to retain lid 20 on container 12.

As suggested in FIGS. 8 and 9, lid 20 includes an upper outer retainer 48 that is arranged to extend into an upper outer retainer receiver 50 that is formed in exterior surface 38 of outer annular strip 33 of container brim 18 to retain lid 20 in a mounted position on container brim 18. Upper outer retainer 48 remains “nested” in upper outer retainer receiver 50 even after tear strip 22 is separated from lid 20 along frangible tear line 21 as shown in FIG. 9.

As suggested in FIG. 8, tear strip 22 includes a lower outer retainer 52 arranged to extend into a lower outer retainer receiver 54 formed in exterior surface 38 of outer annular strip 33 of container brim 18. This nesting of lower outer retainer 52 in lower outer retainer receiver 54 serves to retain tear strip 22 in a mounted position on container brim 18 until tear strip 22 is separated from lid 20 along frangible tear line 21.

Container brim 18 also includes an outwardly extending tear strip shield lip 56 as shown, for example, in FIGS. 1, 2, 5, 8, and 9. Tear strip shield lip 56 is arranged to lie under and in close proximity to tear strip 22 (as shown in FIG. 8) to shield tear strip 22 from impact to limit inadvertent movement of tear strip 22 relative to lid 20. This “shielding” will help to avoid unwanted separation of tear strip 22 from lid 20 along frangible tear line 21.

As shown best in FIG. 5, outer annular strip 33 of container brim 18 includes an interior surface 58 arranged to face toward and lie in spaced-apart relation to an exterior surface 60 of inner annular strip 31 of container brim 18. Laterally extending annular bridge 32 has a laterally extending width 59 that is about equal to a distance separating inner and outer annular strips 31, 33 as suggested in FIG. 5.

Outwardly extending tear strip shield lip 56 is included in outer annular strip 33 of container brim 18 as shown, for example, in FIGS. 5 and 9. Outer annular strip 33 also includes a downwardly extending wall 62 having an upper end coupled to laterally extending annular bridge 32 and a lower end coupled to outwardly extending tear strip shield lip 56 as suggested in FIGS. 5, 8, and 9. Downwardly extending wall 62 is formed to include the spaced-apart upper and lower retainer receivers 50, 54.

Downwardly extending wall 62 includes, in series, first, second, third, and fourth annular segments 71, 72, 73, and 74 as shown, for example, in FIGS. 5, 8, and 9. First annular segment 71 is coupled to laterally extending annular bridge 32 and is arranged to cooperate with second annular segment 72 to define upper outer retainer receiver 50. Fourth annular segment 74 is coupled to outwardly extending tear strip shield lip 56 and is arranged to cooperate with third annular segment 73 to define lower outer retainer receiver 54. Fourth annular segment 74 and outwardly extending tear strip shield lip 56 cooperate to define an obtuse included angle 57 therebetween as suggested in FIGS. 5 and 9.

Each of first, second, third, and fourth annular segments 71, 72, 73, and 74 are funnel-shaped as shown, for example, in FIG. 5. First annular segment 71 has a wide end coupled to a laterally extending annular bridge 32. Second annular segment 72 has a wide end and a relatively narrower narrow end coupled to a narrow end of first annular segment 71. Third annular segment 73 has a wide end coupled to the wide end of second annular segment 72 and a relatively narrower narrow end. Fourth annular segment 74 has a wide end coupled to outwardly extending tear strip shield lip 56 and a relatively narrower narrow end coupled to the narrow end of third annular segment 73.

As suggested in FIGS. 5 and 8, laterally extending annular bridge 32 lies in a first reference plane 101. Outwardly extending tear strip shield lip 56 extends away from basin 16 in lateral direction 156 relative to downwardly extending wall 62. Outwardly extending tear strip shield lip 56 lies in a second reference plane 102 that is oriented to lie in substantially spaced-apart parallel relation to first reference plane 101. As shown, for example, in FIG. 8, third annular segment 73, fourth annular segment 74, and outwardly extending tear strip shield lip 56 cooperate to define cavity means for receiving a lowermost portion 64 of tear strip 22 and lower outer retainer 52 of tear strip 22 therein to shield tear strip 22 from impact. This limits inadvertent movement of tear strip 22 relative to lid 20 so as to avoid unwanted separation of tear strip 22 from lid 20 along frangible tear line 21.

As shown, for example, in FIGS. 1, 6, and 7, central cup 40 includes an annular upright side wall 65, a floor 66 coupled to a lower portion of annular upright side wall 65, and a frustoconical retention ring 67 coupled to an upper portion of annular upright side wall 65. Annular upright side wall 65, floor 66, and frustoconical retention ring 67 cooperate to define disk-receiving chamber 42 containing information disk 46 as suggested in FIG. 7. Annular upright side wall 65 includes an exterior surface 68 surrounded by interior surface 34 of inner annular strip 31 of brim 18 as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

Central cup 40 also includes an inner retainer 69 anchored to exterior surface 68 of annular upright side wall 65 as suggested in FIGS. 7-9 and inner retainer 69 has, in an illustrated embodiment, an annular shape. Inner retainer 69 is arranged to extend in direction 156 toward outer annular strip 33 of brim 18 to mate with interior surface 34 of inner annular strip 31 to establish a releasable interference fit between lid 20 and brim 18 to help retain closure 14 on brim 18 of container 12. Inner retainer 69 is cantilevered to exterior surface 68 of upright side wall 65. As suggested in FIGS. 8 and 9, inner retainer 69 mates with a reinforced portion 70 of inner annular strip 31. In the illustrated embodiment, reinforced portion 70 has a thickness that is greater than the thickness of outer annular strip 33 of brim 18 and side wall 28 of basin 16. It is within the scope of this disclosure to vary the thickness of reinforced portion 70.

As suggested in FIGS. 1 and 2, tear strip 22 further includes a finger-pull tab 75. This tab 75 is sized and shaped to be gripped easily by a person wishing to separate tear strip 22 from lid 20. Tab 75 is bent outwards slightly for ease of access as shown in FIG. 1.

As suggested in FIGS. 3 and 6, at a factory, while container 12 is “opened” product can be deposited in interior basin region 24 of basin 16 before closure 14 is mounted on container 12. Once mounted, as shown in FIG. 8, lid 20 is mated to container brim 18 owing, in part, to (1) nesting engagement of radially inwardly extending upper outer retainer 48 included in brim ring 44 in upper outer retainer receiver 50 formed in outer annular strip 33 of container brim 18 and (2) engagement of inner retainer 69 of central cup 40 and inner annular strip 31 of container brim 18. In this mounted position, tear strip 22 is coupled to brim ring 44 along frangible tear line 21 and radially inwardly extending lower outer retainer 52 included in tear strip 22 nests in lower outer retainer receiver 54 formed in outer annular strip 33 of container brim 18 to place lowermost portion 64 of tear strip 22 just above and in close proximity to underlying outwardly extending tear strip shield lip 56.

If an attempt is made to remove closure 14 from container 12 without first separating tear strip 22 from lid 20, a portion of tear strip 22 will be separated from lid 20 along frangible tear line 21 to indicate “tampering” with closure 14. This tamper-evident closure and container design in accordance with the present disclosure can be applied to both round and non-round container and closure designs.

As suggested in FIG. 2, a consumer will separate tear strip 22 from lid 20 along frangible tear line 21 the first time the consumer removes lid 20 from container brim 18. As shown in FIG. 9, even though tear strip 22 has been removed lid 20 can be remounted and retained on container brim 18 so as to close the top opening into container 12 using retainers 48 and 69 and maintain “freshness” of product stored in container 12.

Turning now to FIG. 10, containers 12 are configured to be stacked in nested relation to one another as long as closures 14 are not mounted on containers 14. As suggested in FIG. 10, a downwardly facing portion of annular top transitional portion 30 of basin 16 mates with an upwardly facing portion of a laterally extending annular bridge 32 included in an underlying container 12′ to support container 12 in nested relation to that underlying container 12′.

A stack of closures 14 is shown in FIG. 11. Frustoconical retention ring 67 of underlying closure 14′ provides means for supporting floor 66 of an overlying closure 14 when lower outer retainer 52 of lid 20 is overlying closure 14 rests on brim ring 44 in underlying closure 14′.

Claims

1. A canister comprising

a container including a basin and a brim extending around an upper portion of the basin, the brim being configured to define an opening into an interior basin region formed in the basin, the brim including an inner annular strip having an interior surface defining an interior brim region communicating with the interior basin region formed in the basin, an outer annular strip extending around and in spaced-apart relation to the inner annular strip and having an exterior surface facing away from the interior brim region, and a laterally extending annular bridge interconnecting the inner and outer annular strips to locate the inner and outer annular strips in spaced-apart relation to one another, the exterior surface of the outer annular strip being formed to include spaced-apart upper and lower outer retainer receivers, and

a closure including a lid mounted on the brim to cover the opening into the interior basin region and a tear strip appended to the lid along a frangible tear line, the lid including an upper outer retainer arranged to extend into the upper outer retainer receiver formed in the exterior surface of the outer annular strip of the brim to retain the lid in a mounted position on the brim of the container, the tear strip including a lower outer retainer arranged to extend into the lower outer retainer receiver formed in the exterior surface of the outer annular strip of the brim to retain the tear strip in a mounted position on the brim until the tear strip is separated from the lid along the frangible tear line.

2. The canister of claim 1, wherein the outer annular strip includes an interior surface facing toward and lying in spaced-apart relation to an exterior surface of the inner annular strip.

3. The canister of claim 2, wherein the laterally extending annular bridge has a laterally extending width that is about equal to a distance separating the inner and outer annular strips.

4. The canister of claim 1, wherein the outer annular strip includes an outwardly extending tear strip shield lip arranged to lie under and in close proximity to the tear strip and a downwardly extending wall having an upper end coupled to the laterally extending annular bridge and a lower end coupled to the outwardly extending tear strip shield lip and wherein the downwardly extending wall is formed to include the spaced-apart upper and lower outer retainer receivers.

5. The canister of claim 4, wherein the laterally extending annular bridge lies in a first reference plane and the outwardly extending tear strip shield lip extends away from the basin in a lateral direction relative to the downwardly extending wall and lies in a second reference plane that is oriented to lie in substantially spaced-apart parallel relation to the first reference plane.

6. The canister of claim 4, wherein the downwardly extending wall includes, in series, first, second, third, and fourth annular segments, and wherein the first annular segment is coupled to the laterally extending annular bridge, the fourth annular segment is coupled to the outwardly extending tear strip shield lip, the first and second annular segments cooperate to define the upper outer retainer receiver and the third and fourth annular segments cooperate to define the lower outer retainer receiver.

7. The canister of claim 6, wherein the third and fourth annular segments are funnel-shaped, the third annular segment has a wide end coupled to the second annular segment and a relatively narrower narrow end coupled to the fourth annular segment, and the fourth annular segment has a wide end coupled to the outwardly extending tear strip shield lip and a relatively narrower narrow end coupled to the narrow end of the third annular segment.

8. The canister of claim 6, wherein the fourth annular segment of the downwardly extending wall and the outwardly extending tear strip shield lip cooperate to define an obtuse included angle therebetween.

9. The canister of claim 6, wherein the third annular segment, the fourth annular segment, and the outwardly extending tear strip shield lip cooperate to define cavity means for receiving a lowermost portion of the tear strip and the lower outer retainer of the tear strip therein to shield the tear strip from impact to limit inadvertent movement of the tear strip relative to the lid so as to avoid unwanted separation of the tear strip from the lid along the frangible tear line.

10. The canister of claim 1, wherein the outer annular strip includes a downwardly extending wall having an upper end coupled to the laterally extending annular bridge and a spaced-apart lower end, the downwardly extending wall includes, in series, first, second, third, and fourth annular segments, the first annular segment is coupled to the laterally extending annular bridge, the fourth annular segment is coupled to the outwardly extending tear strip shield lip, the first and second annular segments cooperate to define the upper outer retainer receiver, and the third and fourth annular segments cooperate to define the lower outer retainer receiver.

11. The canister of claim 10, wherein the third and fourth annular segments are funnel-shaped.

12. The canister of claim 11, wherein the third annular segment has a wide end coupled to the second annular segment and a relatively narrower end coupled to the fourth annular segment and the fourth annular segment has a wide end defining the lower end of the outer annular strip and a relatively narrower narrow end coupled to the narrow end of the third annular segment.

13. The canister of claim 1, wherein the lid further includes a central cup including an upright side wall having an exterior surface surrounded by the interior surface of the inner annular strip and an inner retainer anchored to the exterior surface of the upright side wall and arranged to extend in a direction toward the outer annular strip to mate with the interior surface of the inner annular strip to establish a releasable interference fit between the lid and the brim to help retain the closure on the brim of the container.

14. The canister of claim 13, wherein the inner retainer has an annular shape and is cantilevered to the exterior surface of the upright side wall.

15. The canister of claim 14, wherein the upright side wall has an annular shape and the central cup further includes a floor coupled to a lowermost portion of the upright side wall and a frustoconical retention ring coupled to an uppermost portion of the upright side wall.

16. The canister of claim 13, wherein the outer annular strip has a first thickness, the inner retainer mates with a reinforced portion of the inner annular strip, and the reinforced portion has a second thickness that is greater than the first thickness.

17. The canister of claim 13, wherein the basin includes a side wall having a first thickness, the inner retainer mates with a reinforced portion of the inner annular strip, and the reinforced portion has a second thickness that is greater than the first thickness.

18. The canister of claim 1, wherein the lower outer retainer included in the lid is configured to define means for resting on an underlying lid in a stack of lids upon separation of the lid including the lower outer retainer from the container.

19. The canister of claim 18, wherein each of the lid and the underlying lid includes a central cup including an annular upright side wall, a floor coupled to a lower portion of the annular upright side wall, and a frustoconical retention ring coupled to an upper portion of the annular upright side wall, and wherein the frustoconical retention ring of the underlying lid provides means for supporting the floor of the central cup of the lid located above the underlying lid when the lower outer retainer of the lid located above the underlying lid rests on a brim ring included in the underlying lid and coupled to the central cup of the underlying lid.

20. A canister comprising

a container including a basin and a brim extending around an upper portion of the basin, the brim being configured to define an opening into an interior basin region formed in the basin, the brim including an inner annular strip having an interior surface defining an interior brim region communicating with the interior basin region formed in the basin, an outer annular strip extending around and in spaced-apart relation to the inner annular strip and having an exterior surface facing away from the interior brim region, and a laterally extending annular bridge interconnecting the inner and outer annular strips to locate the inner and outer annular strips in spaced-apart relation to one another, the exterior surface of the outer annular strip being formed to include an outer retainer receiver, and

a closure including a lid mounted on the brim to cover the opening into the interior basin region and a tear strip appended to the lid along a frangible tear line, the lid including an outer retainer arranged to extend into the outer retainer receiver formed in the exterior surface of the outer annular strip brim to retain the lid in a mounted position on the brim of the container, and wherein the lid further includes a central cup including an upright side wall having an exterior surface surrounded by the interior surface of the inner annular strip and an inner retainer anchored to the exterior surface of the upright side wall and arranged to extend in a direction toward the outer annular strip to mate with the interior surface of the inner annular strip to establish a releasable interference fit between the lid and the brim to help retain the closure on the brim of the container.

21. The canister of claim 20, wherein the inner retainer has an annular shape and is cantilevered to the exterior surface of the upright side wall.

22. The canister of claim 21, wherein the upright side wall has an annular shape and the central cup further includes a floor coupled to a lowermost portion of the upright side wall and a frustoconical retention ring coupled to an uppermost portion of the upright side wall.

23. The canister of claim 20, wherein the outer annular strip has a first thickness, the inner retainer mates with a reinforced portion of the inner annular strip, and the reinforced portion has a second thickness that is greater than the first thickness.

24. The canister of claim 20, wherein the basin includes a side wall having a first thickness, the inner retainer mates with a reinforced portion of the inner annular strip, and the reinforced portion has a second thickness that is greater than the first thickness.

25. A canister comprising

a container including a basin and a brim extending around an upper portion of the basin, the brim being configured to define an opening into an interior basin region formed in the basin, the brim including an inner annular strip having an interior surface defining an interior brim region communicating with the interior basin region formed in the basin, an outer annular strip extending around and in spaced-apart relation to the inner annular strip and having an exterior surface facing away from the interior brim region, and a laterally extending annular bridge interconnecting the inner and outer annular strips to locate the inner and outer annular strips in spaced-apart relation to one another, the exterior surface of the outer annular strip being formed to include an outer retainer receiver, the outer annular strip including an outwardly extending tear strip shield lip, and

a closure including a lid mounted on the brim to cover the opening into the interior basin region and a tear strip appended to the lid along a frangible tear line, the lid including an outer retainer arranged to extend into the outer retainer receiver formed in the exterior surface of the outer annular strip of the brim to retain the lid in a mounted position on the brim of the container, and wherein the outwardly extending tear strip shield is arranged to lie under and in close proximity to the tear strip.

26. The canister of claim 25, wherein the outer annular strip farther includes a downwardly extending wall having an upper end coupled to the laterally extending bridge and a lower end coupled to the outwardly extending tear strip shield lip and the downwardly extending wall is formed to include the outer retainer receiver.

27. The canister of claim 26, wherein the laterally extending annular bridge lies in a first reference plane and the outwardly extending tear strip shield lip extends away from the basin in a lateral direction relative to the downwardly extending wall and lies in a second reference plane that is oriented to lie in substantially spaced-apart parallel relation to the first reference plane.