TAMPER EVIDENT PRODUCE CONTAINER
The present invention relates to a tamper evident produce container having two front corners. The produce container includes a receptacle, a lid and a pair of frangible tabs. The receptacle has a mouth circumscribed by a first flange. The lid is associated with the receptacle to close off the mouth. The lid has a second flange. Each frangible tab is joined to either one of the first or second flange at or in close proximity to one of the two front corners by an area or line of weakness. Each frangible tab includes a first locking formation which is adapted to interlock with a second locking formation provided on or in the other of the first or second flange when the lid is positioned on the receptacle to close off the mouth.
This application claims priority to and the benefit of Australian Patent Application No. 2019900262, filed Jan. 29, 2019, the contents of which as are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
BACKGROUND Related FieldThe present invention broadly relates to packaging containers. More particularly, the present invention relates to a tamper evident produce container.
Related ArtSince there has been reported incidents of needles being deliberately planted in fresh produce such as strawberries contained in punnets with a vicious motive, it is generally recognised that there is a need in the packaging industry to provide tamper evident packaging so as to alert consumers to punnets which may have been tampered with while carrying contaminated produce.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a tamper evident produce container which may meet the above need, or which will at least provide a useful alternative.
BRIEF SUMMARYAccording to the present invention, there is provided a tamper evident produce container having two front corners, the produce container including: a receptacle with a mouth circumscribed by a first flange; a lid associated with the receptacle to close off the mouth, the lid having a second flange; and a pair of frangible tabs, each frangible tab being joined to either one of the first or second flange at or in close proximity to one of the two front corners by an area or line of weakness, wherein each frangible tab includes a first locking formation which is adapted to interlock with a second locking formation provided on or in the other of the first or second flange when the lid is positioned on the receptacle to close off the mouth.
In certain embodiments, the area or line of weakness includes a perforated or scored line. As such, any attempt to forcibly disengage the lid from the receptacle causes the frangible tab to break away from either the first or second flange so as to indicate tampering.
In certain embodiments, each frangible tab is joined to the first flange. More optimally, the area or line of weakness is where the first flange joins the frangible tab. Advantageously, the area or line of weakness follows a path that begins at one edge of the flange, goes around the first locking formation and ends at another edge of the flange.
In certain embodiments, the first and second locking formations are configured to be snap-fit connectors. More optimally, the first locking formation is a male member which is adapted to mate and interlock with the second locking formation being a complementary female member so as to secure the lid to the receptacle when the lid is in a closed position. Most advantageously, the male member includes a substantially frustoconical protrusion.
In certain embodiments, the first flange includes an upwardly projecting rim which provides a first loading bearing surface.
In certain embodiments, the second flange includes a second loading bearing surface, and a vertical wall having one side substantially orthogonally and integrally joined to the second loading bearing surface and another side integrally joined to an outwardly extending fringe. Advantageously, the outwardly extending fringe is adapted to abut the first loading bearing surface when the lid is in a closed position. As such, the outwardly extending fringe is spaced from the first flange by the upwardly projecting rim.
The invention may be better understood from the following non-limiting description of the exemplary illustrated embodiment, in which:
Referring to
The lid 18 is associated with the receptacle 16 to close off the mouth 24 via a hinge 28 located at the rear of the container 10. The lid has a (second) flange 30. The second flange 30 has a second loading bearing surface (see
As shown in
As best shown in
Turning now to
On the above bases, a broken, breached, missing, torn or damaged tab in whichever manner would serve the purpose of providing solid visible evidence to consumers that tampering to the container 10 may have occurred.
Now that an advantageous and exemplary embodiment of the present invention has been described in some detail, it will be apparent to a skilled person in the art that the tamper evident produce container of the present invention may offer at least the following advantages: it is easy to apply and operate; and it allows consumers to identify containers that have been tampered with.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention described herein is susceptible to variations and modifications other than those specifically described. For instance, with or with adaptions, the frangible tabs 42 and 44 may be provided in the lid 18 being joined to the second flange 30 instead of the first flange 26. Also, although the area or line 48 of weakness in the present embodiment is in the form of a perforated line, the weakness may also be a scored line 58 as shown in
Claims
1. A tamper evident produce container comprising:
- two front corners;
- a receptacle with a mouth circumscribed by a first flange;
- a lid associated with the receptacle to close off the mouth, the lid having a second flange; and
- a pair of frangible tabs, each frangible tab being joined to either one of the first or second flange at or in close proximity to one of the two front corners by an area or line of weakness,
- wherein each frangible tab includes a first locking formation which is adapted to interlock with a second locking formation provided on or in the other of the first or second flange when the lid is positioned on the receptacle to close off the mouth.
2. The tamper evident produce container of claim 1, wherein the area or line of weakness includes a perforated or scored line.
3. The tamper evident produce container of claim 1, wherein each frangible tab is joined to the first flange.
4. The tamper evident produce container of claim 2, wherein the area or line of weakness is where the first flange joins the frangible tab.
5. The tamper evident produce container of claim 2, wherein the area or line of weakness follows a path that begins at one edge of the flange, goes around the first locking formation and ends at another edge of the flange.
6. The tamper evident produce container of claim 1, wherein the first and second locking formations are configured to be snap-fit connectors.
7. The tamper evident produce container of claim 1, wherein the first locking formation is a male member which is adapted to mate and interlock with the second locking formation being a complementary female member so as to secure the lid to the receptacle when the lid is in a closed position.
8. The tamper evident produce container of claim 7, wherein the male member includes a substantially frustoconical protrusion.
9. The tamper evident produce container of claim 1, wherein the first flange includes an upwardly projecting rim which provides a first loading bearing surface.
10. The tamper evident produce container of claim 1, wherein the second flange includes a second loading bearing surface, and a vertical wall having one side substantially orthogonally and integrally joined to the second loading bearing surface and another side integrally joined to an outwardly extending fringe.
11. The tamper evident produce container of claim 10, wherein the outwardly extending fringe is adapted to abut the first loading bearing surface when the lid is in a closed position.
12. The tamper evident produce container of claim 10, wherein the outwardly extending fringe is spaced from the first flange by the upwardly projecting rim.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 17, 2019
Publication Date: Jul 30, 2020
Inventor: John Lam (Silverwater)
Application Number: 16/443,394