Description:A LID WITH HORIZONTAL FRANGIBLE CONNECTORS FOR INDICATING TAMPERING OF A JAR
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to a lid covering a jar. The present invention, in particular, relates to a lid for indicating tampering of the jar.

BACKGROUND
[0002] Traditionally, jars include lids that can be opened and close multiple times. The jars are always accessible and a possibility of any product inside the jars being tampered is always high. The product inside the jars is unsafe and unprotected if the jars can be opened and closed easily.
[0003] However, some lids employ a tamper evident feature for jars or bottle for consumer products that include usage of induction seals, shrink sleeves, caps with tamper evident band and vertical frangible connections or usage of tear-off strips as tamper proof member.
[0004] A conventional solution discloses a tamper evident rigid plastic food container whose lid and tray are permanently bonded together after the food is placed in the tray with the use of radiation light based curing or ultrasonic welding or by radio frequency welding. Once the consumer opens the lid, the plastic food container can be closed again using interlocking snap fit. Hence, the invention requires an additional stimulus in the form of welding or curing to activate the tamper evident feature of the package after filling the product.
[0005] Another conventional solution discloses a bottle cap with detachable tamper evident band with screw on thread design. The band detaches from the cap and stays below the locking surface of the bottle, while unscrewing the cap. However, the bottle is reclosed or opened by the user by means of screwing and unscrewing actions respectively.
[0006] Yet another conventional solution discloses a one-piece closure made with injection molding with tear off strip that functions as a tamper evident feature for the system. The strip or band is removed for the first time to open the closure from the container. For the ease of tearing off the strip, the system has a pull tab to initiate the tearing. The lift tab is exposed once after tearing off the strip, thereby allowing the user to open the lid.
[0007] Accordingly, there is a need for a solution to overcome above mentioned drawbacks.

SUMMARY
[0008] This summary is provided to introduce concepts related to a lid for indicating tampering of a jar. The concepts are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.
[0009] The present subject matter relates to a lid for indicating tampering of a jar. The lid includes a fixed part placed around a periphery of an opening of the jar. The lid includes a movable flip attached to the fixed part in a close orientation with respect to the fixed part blocking an access to the opening. The lid further includes at least two horizontal frangible connectors fixed to the movable flip configured to detachably attach the movable flip in the close orientation to the fixed part at two or more first locations. The at least two horizontal frangible connectors break when the movable flip is moved from the close orientation to an open orientation in a first attempt to access the opening of the jar indicating that the jar is tampered.
[0010] To further understand the characteristics and technical contents of the present subject matter, a description relating thereto will be made with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the drawings are illustrative only but not used to limit the scope of the present subject matter.
[0011] Various objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the inventive subject matter will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, along with the accompanying drawing figures in which like numerals represent like components.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES
[0012] The illustrated embodiments of the present disclosure will be best understood by reference to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals throughout. The following description is intended only by way of example, and simply illustrates certain selected embodiments of devices, systems, and processes that are consistent with the subject matter as claimed herein, wherein:
[0013] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic block diagram depicting a lid configured to indicate tampering of a jar, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter;
[0014] FIG. 2 illustrates a diagram depicting a perspective view of the lid in a close orientation, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter;
[0015] FIG. 3 illustrates a diagram depicting the lid in an open orientation, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter;
[0016] FIG. 4 illustrates a front view diagram depicting the lid, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter;
[0017] FIG. 5 illustrates a diagram depicting a jar to be fitted with the lid, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter; and
[0018] FIG. 6 illustrates a diagram depicted the lid fitted to the jar, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.
[0019] The figures depict embodiments of the present subject matter for the purposes of illustration only. A person skilled in the art will easily recognize from the following description that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles of the disclosure described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0020] A few aspects of the present disclosure are explained in detail below with reference to the various figures. Example implementations are described to illustrate the disclosed subject matter, not to limit its scope, which is defined by the claims. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize a number of equivalent variations of the various features provided in the description that follows.

EXEMPLARY IMPLEMENTATIONS
[0021] While the present disclosure may be embodied in various forms, they are shown in the drawings, and will hereinafter be described, some exemplary and non-limiting embodiments, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated. Not all of the depicted components described in this disclosure may be required, however, and some implementations may include additional, different, or fewer components from those expressly described in this disclosure. Variations in the arrangement and type of the components may be made without departing from the scope of the claims as set forth herein.
[0022] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic block diagram 100 depicting a lid 102 configured to indicate tampering of a jar, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter. The jar may be one of a straight neck jar, and an angled neck jar. The lid 102 may include a fixed part 104, a movable flip 106, at least two horizontal frangible connectors 108, a hinge 110, a flip locking member 112, a base ring 114, and a shape retention ring 116. In an embodiment, the lid 102 may be a single piece molded lid with all the components described above molded as a single component. In an embodiment, the lid may be manufactured with a one-step molding process. In another embodiment, the lid may be prepared with a molding process requiring a number of steps.
[0023] The lid 102 may be configured to cover the jar for blocking and providing an access to an opening of the jar. The lid 102 may be manufactured by one of a number of molding techniques. Examples of the number of molding techniques may include, but are not limited to, an injection molding technique, a bi-injection molding technique, a sandwich molding technique, a gas assisted injection molding technique, a water assisted injection molding technique, a physical formed injection molding, a chemical formed injection molding, a transfer molding technique, a compression molding technique, a rotational molding technique, a thermoforming technique, and an extrusion blow molding technique.
[0024] Furthermore, the lid 102 may be made of one of one or more compatible polymers, a copolymer associated with the one or more compatible polymers, blends, and composites. Examples of the one or more compatible polymers may include, but are not limited to, High Density Polyethylene (HDPE), Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE), one of a Linear LDPE (LLDPE), Polypropylene (PP), and Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), one of Polyethylene Terephthalate glycol (PETG), Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and Polylactic acid (PLA), and Polybutylene adipate-co-terephthalate (PBAT).
[0025] Furthermore, the lid 102 may be of one of a polygon shape, a circular shape, and a conic shape. Examples of the polygon shape may include, but are not limited to, a triangular shape, a square shape, a rectangular shape, a pentagon shape. Further, examples of the conic shapes may include, but are not limited to, an ellipse, a parabola, and a hyperbola. The lid 102 may be of any size, configuration, shape, and dimensions based on a size, a configuration, shape, and dimensions of the jar. The lid 102 may be of a weight ranging between 1 gram to 500 grams. The lid 102 may include one of a number of surfaces. The number of surfaces may include a plane surface, a surface with texture, a surface with knurling in a form of embossing/debossing. The lid 102 may be labelled while molding in a form of in mold labels or may be labelled in a post molding process by using a similar material as that of the lid 102. The lid 102 may be labelled using paper, flexible laminate, and films. Further, the lid 102 may be transparent, translucent or opaque and may be colored by adding one or more of pigments, and dyes directly or in the form of masterbatch during the molding of the lid 102. The lid 102 may also be colored by using a compounded resin.
[0026] Continuing with the above embodiment, the fixed part 104 may be configured to attach the lid 102 with the jar. The fixed part 104 may be placed around a periphery of an opening of the jar. In an embodiment, the fixed part 104 may be permanently attached to the jar for permanently placing the lid 102 around the periphery. In another embodiment, the fixed part 104 may be detachably attached to the jar such that the lid 102 may be detached from the periphery of the jar only after tampering.
[0027] Moving forward, the movable flip 106 may be configured to cover the opening of the jar. The movable flip 106 may include a sealing lip 118 projecting internally from the movable flip 106. The sealing lip 118 may be configured to circumferentially cover the periphery of the jar. The sealing lip 118 may be of any size, dimension, configuration, and shape based on the size, the dimensions, the configuration, the shape, a weight, and a thickness of the lid 102. The movable flip 106 may further include a number of ribs 120 protruding internally from the movable flip 106 to a center of the movable flip 106 in order to restrict a deformation of the movable flip 106 and the lid 102. The number of ribs 120 may range from 0 to 100 in any angle depending on the dimensions, aesthetics, and performance of the lid 102. In an exemplary embodiment, the number of ribs may be 0.
[0028] Each rib from the number of ribs 120 may include a first end and a second end. The first end may be attached to the movable flip 106 and the second end of each rib may be attached with one another in the center of the movable flip 106. Each of the number of ribs 120 may be uniform with one another in terms of a size, dimensions, a shape, and a configuration of each rib. Further, the size, the dimensions, the shape, and the configuration may be based on the size, dimensions, a shape, and a configuration of the movable flip 106.
[0029] The movable flip 106 may be attached to the fixed part 104 of the lid 102. The movable flip 106 may be detachably attached to the fixed part 104 at two or more first locations and permanently attached to the fixed part 104 at a second location. The movable flip 106 may be attached at the second location via a hinge 110 mechanism in a close orientation with respect to the fixed part 104. Further, the movable flip 106 may be configured to block an access to the opening in the close orientation as the movable flip 106 may be covering the opening of the jar. The movable flip 106 may be configured to move between the close orientation and an open orientation with respect to the fixed part 104. In an embodiment, the lid 102 may include a number of movable flips 106 based on the size, and the design of the lid 102.
[0030] To that understanding, the at least two horizontal frangible connectors 108 may be fixed to the movable flip 106 and the fixed part 104 such that the movable flip 106 may be detachably attached to the fixed part 104 in the close orientation via the at least two horizontal frangible connectors 108. Further, the at least two horizontal frangible connectors 108 may also be of any size, configuration, and dimensions based on the size, the configuration, and the dimensions of the lid 102, and the jar. The movable flip 106 may be detachably attached to the fixed part 104 at the two or more first locations associated with the fixed part 104.
[0031] Furthermore, the two or more first locations may be spread across the fixed part 104. Furthermore, the at least two at least two horizontal frangible connectors 108 may be configured to break when the movable flip 106 is moved from the close orientation to the open orientation in a first attempt. The movable flip 106 may be moved from the close orientation to the open orientation in the first attempt to access the opening of the jar. The at least two at least two horizontal frangible connectors, when in a broken state, may indicate that the jar is tampered. In an exemplary embodiment, the at least two horizontal frangible connectors 108 may range between 2 to 500. In an embodiment of the present subject matter, the at least two horizontal frangible connectors may be 10.
[0032] Continuing with the above embodiment, the hinge 110 may be configured to link the movable flip 106 with the fixed part 104 at the second location. The hinge 110 may be configured to provide the hinge 110 mechanism to the movable flip 106 such that the movable flip 106 may be enabled to move between the close orientation and the open orientation with respect to the fixed part 104 when the at least two horizontal frangible connectors 108 are broken.
[0033] Examples of the hinge 110 may include, but are not limited to, hinge 110 is one of a butterfly hinge 110, a straight hinge 110, a child-resistant hinge 110, a double hinge 110, and a triple hinge 110. Further, the hinge 110 may be of any size, shape, configuration, and dimensions based on the lid 102, and the jar. In an embodiment, the lid 102 may include a number of hinges 110 when the size of the lid 102 is greater than a capacity of one hinge 110 to keep the movable flip 106 fixed to the fixed part 104 of the lid 102.
[0034] Moving forward, the flip locking member 112 may be mounted on the lid 102 to lock the movable flip 106 in the close orientation with the fixed part 104 to temporarily block the access to the opening of the jar. The flip locking member 112 may include a protrusion projecting internally for locking the movable flip 106 with the jar. The internal protrusion on the flip locking member may be configured to snap fit a flip locking ring extending from the neck of the jar circumferentially for locking the movable flip 106 with respect to the fixed part 104. Further, the flip locking member 112 may be of any size, shape, configuration, and dimensions based on flip locking ring, the lid 102, and the jar. In an embodiment, the lid 102 may be fastened to the jar via threaded feature or thermal sealing or welding by means of ultrasonic source or radio frequency source. In an embodiment, the lid 102 may include a number of flip locking members 112 based on the size of the lid.
[0035] To that understanding, the base ring 114 may be configured to snap fit with the jar so as to fit the lid 102 upon the jar. Further, the base ring 114 may be of any size, shape, configuration, and dimensions based on the lid 102, and the jar. Moving forward, the shape retention ring 116 may be configured to provide support to the fixed part 104 of the lid 102 while the movable flip 106 is switched between the open orientation and the close orientation. The shape retention ring 116 may be of any size, shape, configuration, and dimensions based on the lid 102, and the jar.
[0036] FIG. 2 illustrates a diagram 200 depicting a perspective view of the lid 102 in a close orientation, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter. The lid 102 may be attached to a jar as referred in the fig. 1 in order to cover the jar. The lid 102 may be configured to cover the jar via the movable flip 106 as referred in the fig. 1. In an embodiment, where it is determined that the movable flip 106 is in an open orientation, the lid 102 may be providing an access to an opening of the jar. In another embodiment, where it is determined that the movable flip 106 is in a close orientation, the lid 102 may be covering the opening of the jar and blocking the access to the opening of the jar. The movable flip 106 may be resting on the opening or a mouth of the jar in the close orientation. The lid 102 may be referred as a tamper evident lid 102 as the lid 102 may be configured to indicate a tampering of the jar when the at least two horizontal frangible connectors 108 connecting the fixed part 104 and the movable flip 106 of the lid 102 are broken. The at least two horizontal frangible connectors 108 may be broken in a first attempt to access the opening of the jar.
[0037] FIG. 3 illustrates a diagram 300 depicting the lid 102 in an open orientation, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter. The lid 102 may be attached to a jar as referred in the fig. 1. The lid 102 may be in the open orientation for providing an access to an opening of the jar. The lid 102, in the open orientation may indicate that the movable flip 106 of the lid 102 is in the open orientation while being attached to the fixed part 104 of the lid 102 in a hinge mechanism. The fixed part 104 may be placed around the jar so as to connect the lid 102 to the jar. The movable flip 106 may be attached to the fixed part 104 via the hinge 110 as referred in the fig. 1 in the open orientation. Further, the lid 102 in the open orientation may include the at least two horizontal frangible connectors 108 in a broken state, further indicating that the jar is tampered. The at least two horizontal frangible connectors 108 may be detachably attaching the movable flip 106 to the fixed part 104 of the lid 102 in a close orientation, covering the opening of the jar. The at least two horizontal frangible connectors 108 may break when a first attempt is made to access the opening of the jar. The first attempt may include moving the movable flip 106 from the close orientation to the open orientation as depicted in the fig. 3. For moving the movable flip 106 from the close orientation to the open orientation, the flip locking member 112 as referred in the fig. 1 may be pulled in a direction opposite to the opening or a mouth of the jar thus breaking the at least two horizontal frangible connectors 108. The flip locking member 112 may be configured to lock the movable flip 106 onto the jar by snap fitting a flip locking ring extending circumferentially on a neck of the jar. The flip locking member 112 may be configured to snap fit the flip locking ring with protrusion projecting internally on the flip locking member 112.
[0038] Continuing with the above embodiment, the movable flip 106 may again be placed in the close orientation following the first attempt to access the opening of the jar. Further, the movable flip 106 may be locked in the close orientation with the flip locking member 112 as referred in the fig. 1 to reclose the lid 102 on the jar. For reclosing the lid 102, the flip locking member 112 may be pressed against flip locking ring of the jar. Once the at least two horizontal frangible connectors 108 are broken, the lid 102 may be opened and closed to provide and block the access to the opening of the jar, with the broken at least two horizontal frangible connectors 108 indicating that the jar may be tampered.
[0039] FIG. 4 illustrates a front view diagram 400 depicting the lid 102, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter. The lid 102 may be fitted to a jar. The front view diagram 400 includes the fixed part 104, the flip locking member 112, and the base ring 114 as referred in the fig. 1. The flip locking member 112 may be configured to lock with a flip locking ring circumferentially extending from a neck of the jar. The flip locking member 112 may include at least one protrusion configured to snap fit the flip locking ring such that the lid 102 may be locked in a close orientation covering an opening or a mouth of the jar.
[0040] FIG. 5 illustrates a diagram 500 depicting a jar 502 to be fitted with the lid 102, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter. The jar 502 may include a diameter ranging between 14mm to 200 mm. In an exemplary embodiment, the diameter of the jar 502 may be 83 mm. The jar 502 may be covered with the lid 102 so as to protect a tampering of the jar 502. The lid 102 may be fitted to the jar 502 placed around a periphery of an opening of the jar 502. The lid 102 may be fitted to the jar 502 by snap fitting the lid 102 around the periphery. The jar 502 may include a neck supporting ring 504 configured to position the lid 102 at right position of the jar 502. The jar may further include a lid holding ring 506 configured to hold the lid 102 to the jar 502 while the movable flip 106 is opened. The jar 502 may also include a flip locking ring 508 configured to hold the flip locking member 112 as referred in the fig. 1 for locking the lid 102 in a close orientation with respect to the jar 502. The lid 102 in the close orientation may cover the opening of the jar 502, thus blocking access to a product packed in the jar 502.
[0041] Continuing with the above embodiment, the jar 502 may be used as a secondary packaging tool to pack discrete units of packed products. Examples of the discrete units of packed products may include, but are not limited to, candies, chocolates, jellies, cheese, soaps, pharmaceutical tablets, snacks, hair oil, shampoo, ketchup, sauce, mayonnaise, milk powder and granular products such as rice, pulses, beans, lentils, fertilizer and pesticides. The lid 102 fitted to the jar 502 may be configured to protect the discrete units of packed products from tampering.
[0042] FIG. 6 illustrates a diagram 600 depicted the lid 102 fitted to the jar 502, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter. The lid 102 may be permanently attached to the jar via the fixed part 104 as referred in the fig. 1 placed around a periphery of an opening of the jar 502. The base ring 114 may be configured to snap fit with the jar 502 so as to fit the lid 102 upon the jar 502.
ADVANTAGES
[0043] The proposed lid provides an indication of any kind of tampering with a jar. Further, the lid includes a locking mechanism that ensures that the lid may be locked and unlocked even after the horizontal frangible connectors break, indicating that the jar is tampered. Also, the lid is designed in a way to prevent littering as the lid stays attached to the jar throughout a life cycle of the jar unless pulled intentionally, but only after tampering.
[0044] The above description does not provide specific details of the manufacture or design of the various components. Those of skill in the art are familiar with such details, and unless departures from those techniques are set out, techniques, known, related art or later developed designs and materials should be employed. Those in the art are capable of choosing suitable manufacturing and design details.
[0045] Further, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. It will be appreciated that several of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be combined into other systems or applications. Various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations, or improvements therein may subsequently be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as encompassed by the following claims.
[0046] The claims, as originally presented and as they may be amended, encompass variations, alternatives, modifications, improvements, equivalents, and substantial equivalents of the embodiments and teachings disclosed herein, including those that are presently unforeseen or unappreciated, and that, for example, may arise from applicants/patentees and others.
[0047] It will be appreciated that variants of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be combined into many other different systems or applications. Various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations, or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims.
, Claims:We Claim:
1. A lid (102) for indicating tampering of a jar (502), the lid (102) comprising:
a fixed part (104) placed around a periphery of an opening of the jar (502);
a movable flip (106) attached to the fixed part (104) in a close orientation with respect to the fixed part (104) blocking an access to the opening; and
at least two horizontal frangible connectors (108) fixed to the movable flip (106) configured to detachably attach the movable flip (106) in the close orientation to the fixed part (104) at two or more first locations, wherein the at least two horizontal frangible connectors (108) break when the movable flip (106) is moved from the close orientation to an open orientation, in a first attempt to access the opening of the jar (502) indicating that the jar (502) is tampered.
2. The lid (102) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:
a hinge (110) fixed at a second location associated with the fixed part (104) configured to permanently attach the movable flip (106) to the fixed part (104) at the second location, wherein the hinge (110) enables a movement of the movable flip (106) between the open orientation and the close orientation with respect to the fixed part (104) when the at least two horizontal frangible connectors (108) are broken; and
a flip locking member (112) configured to lock the movable flip (106) in the close orientation with the fixed part (104) to temporarily block the access to the opening of the jar (502), wherein the flip locking member (106) comprises at least one protrusion projecting internally configured to snap fit a flip locking ring (504) extended circumferentially on the jar (502) for locking the movable flip (106) with the fixed part (104).
3. The lid (102) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the movable flip (106) comprises a sealing lip (118) projecting internally from the movable flip (106) to circumferentially cover the periphery of the jar (502).

4. The lid (102) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hinge (110) is one of a butterfly hinge, a straight hinge, a child-resistant hinge, a double hinge, and a triple hinge.

5. The lid (102) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lid (102) is manufactured by one of an injection molding technique, a bi-injection molding technique, a sandwich molding technique, a gas assisted injection molding technique, a water assisted injection molding technique, a physical formed injection molding, a chemical formed injection molding, a transfer molding technique, a compression molding technique, a rotational molding technique, a thermoforming technique, and an extrusion blow molding technique.

6. The lid (102) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lid (102) is made up of one of one or more compatible polymers, a copolymer associated with the one or more compatible polymers, blends, and composites, further wherein the one or more compatible polymers comprises High Density Polyethylene (HDPE), Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE), one of a Linear LDPE (LLDPE) , Polypropylene (PP), and Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) , Polyethylene Terephthalate glycol (PETG) , Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) , and Polylactic acid (PLA) , and Polybutylene adipate-co-terephthalate (PBAT) .

7. The lid (102) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the movable flip (106) covers the opening of the jar (502) in the close orientation.

8. The lid (102) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lid (102) is in one of a polygon shape such as a triangle, a square, a rectangle, a pentagon, and a conic shape such as a circle, an ellipse, a parabola, and a hyperbola or a combination.