Claims:WE CLAIM:

1. A tamper evident lid for container comprising

lid body having a permanently closed part and a hinged part adapted for flip based opening around a hinge;

said closed part and said hinged part being contiguous and integral with no visual top surface separation in the lid body while initial capping of the lid body to a container;

internal hinge supporting said hinged part for opening/folding of the hinged part; and

cooperative external tamper evident hinge link comprising visible local weaker portions on the top surface of the lid body connecting the hinged part to the permanently closed part which activate and break upon first opening/folding of the hinged part for visible indications of opening /tampering of the lid.

2. The tamper evident lid for container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the internal hinge is an inbuilt hinge/fulcrum disposed in under surface of the lid body which effectively separating the lid body in the permanently closed part for retaining on a container body and the hinged part for flip based opening and reclosing with respect to the container body across said hinge/fulcrum.

3. The tamper evident lid for container as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the external tamper evident hinge link is embedded in the lid top surface over the inbuilt hinge/fulcrum portion free on any visual indication configured to be breaking off while first flip based opening of the hinged part and provide a visible folding line on lid top surface exactly at the inbuilt hinge/fulcrum portion.
4. The tamper evident lid for container as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 3, wherein the lid body includes

downwardly extending peripheral wall for fitment on the container body;

one or more breakable joiners on said downwardly extending peripheral wall portion below the inbuilt hinge/fulcrum attaching the flipping lid portion with the static lid portion, whereby said joiners are configured to be breaking off on the first flip based opening of the hinged part detached from the permanently closed part and thus evidencing opening of the hinged part after fitment of the lid on the container body.

5. A tamper evident container/package involving the tamper evident lid as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 4 comprising

said tamper evident lid for container having

said lid body having a permanently closed part and a hinged part adapted for flip based opening around a hinge;

said closed part and hinged part being contiguous and integral with no visual top surface separation in the lid body while initial capping of the lid body to the container;

said internal hinge supporting said hinged part for opening/folding of the hinged part; and

said cooperative external tamper evident hinge link comprising visible local weaker portions on the top surface of the lid body connecting the hinged part to the permanently closed part which activate and get detached upon first opening/folding of the hinged part for visible indications of opening /tampering of the lid;

said permanently closed part of the lid body having atleast one downwardly extending peripheral wall portion to cooperate with a corresponding body portion of the container for permanently locking the closed part of the lid to said container.

6. The tamper evident container/package as claimed in claim 5, wherein the atleast one downwardly wall portion to cooperate with the corresponding body portion of the container comprises a downwardly extending member integral to the permanently closed part having internal configuration facing the container body with groove and protrusion matching with corresponding protrusion and groove in the container body such that the lid when press fitted against the container top the lid gets irreversibly locked with respect to the container body.

7. The tamper evident container/package as claimed in claim 5 or 6, comprises atleast a press activated lock to secure said lid hinged part on said container body during initial capping of the lid on the container body whereby only tamper evident removal of the press activated lock with respect to the container body enable subsequent opening/folding of the hinged part.

8. The tamper evident container/package as claimed in anyone of claims 5 to 7, wherein the container body comprises

a rectangular base;

side wall projected from the base with an open top;

collapsible side wall top portion for collapsed fitting within corresponding peripheral groove defined in the lid on capping of the lid on the container body such as to ensure contamination free maintenance content packed in the container body.

peripheral sealing rim on collar portion of the side wall.

9. The tamper proof container as claimed in claim 5 to 8, wherein the press activated lock comprises

at least one inward protrusion on the downwardly extending peripheral wall of the lid;

at least one outward protrusion on the side wall of the container body at its collar portion; and

an U shaped breaking tab on the sealing rim and connected thereto through frangible connectors, said breaking tab is disposed below said outward protrusion.

10. The tamper proof container as claimed in anyone of claims 5 to 9, wherein the inward protrusion rides over the outward protrusion and front portion of the downwardly extending peripheral wall is accommodated within the U shaped breaking tab on capping of the lid on the container body.

11. The tamper proof container as claimed in anyone of claims 5 to 10, wherein the inward protrusion and the outward protrusion includes mutual cooperating slopping surfaces to provide for an inner lock when the inward protrusion rides over the outward protrusion thus securing the lid on the container body whereby said inner lock arrest rides back of the inward protrusion over the outward protrusion without expanding the downwardly extending peripheral wall of the lid by breaking of the breaking tab.

12. The tamper proof container as claimed in anyone of claims 5 to 11, wherein the sealing rim includes opening across the inbuilt hinge/fulcrum portion to act as a window or inspection point where the break of the joiners could be witnessed before the lid gets opened properly.

13. The tamper proof container as claimed in anyone of claims 5 to 12, wherein the lid body includes axial supporting rib for providing structural support to the lid.

Dated this the 14th day of September, 2019 Anjan Sen
Of Anjan Sen & Associates
(Applicants Agent)
IN/PA-199
, Description:FIELD OF THE INVENTION:

The present invention relates to tamper proofing of packing container. More specifically, the present invention is directed to develop a tamper proof packing container comprising of a container body and a lid for closing the container body in completely leak proof and pilfer proof manner. Importantly and advantageously, in the present container, the lid, when fitted on the container body for the first time, is locked onto the container body through tamper evident locking arrangement to make thereafter first opening of the lid from the container body noticeable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:

Tub/container with closing lid used for packaging of a wide range of materials of regular consumption comprising ready to eat food items, need safety, security and adulteration free storing/transporting of such items to the consumers/end users.

Specifically, the containers with closing lid arrangement which are widely used for packaging/storing/transporting food/edible items require effective leak proof lid locking with respect to the container body which would also clearly show first opening of the lid from the container body to ensure adulteration free transporting of the food items to the consumers/end users. Moreover, such locking of the lid with the container body should be easily achievable, low cost and also facilitate simple, quick and easy means for unlocking the lid at the user end including the provision for easy reuse of the lid to re-close the container at the user end.

The presently available food containers which are usually plastic containers with press fitted closing lid arrangement continue to suffer from some inherent limitations especially in ensuring a pilfer proof operative connection between the container body and its closing lid for safe, secure and adulteration free storing/transporting of the food items to the consumers/end users.

Thus there has been a need for developing a solution by way of a novel easily achievable, low cost lid-container locking to ensure adulteration free storing/transporting of the food items to the consumers/end users and facilitate simple, quick and easy means for unlocking the lid at the user end including the provision for easy reuse of the lid to re-close the container at the user end.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION:

It is thus the basic object of the present invention is to develop a tamper evident lid for container to ensure adulteration free storing/transporting of food/edible items at the user end and facilitate simple, quick and easy means for unlocking the lid at the user end including the provision for indication of the first opening of the lid and easy reuse of the lid to re-close the container at the user end.

Another object of the present invention is to develop a tamper proof container with easily achievable lid- container body/tub locking to ensure adulteration free storing/transporting of consumable products including food/edible items at the user end.

Another object of the present invention is to develop a tamper proof container with easily achievable lid- container body/tub locking to adulteration free storing/transporting of food/edible items at the user end and facilitate simple, quick and easy means for unlocking the lid at the user end including the provision for easy reuse of the lid to re-close the container at the user end.

A still further object of the present invention is to develop a tamper proof container with low cost easily achievable lid- container body/tub locking arrangement.

Yet another object of the present invention is to develop a tamper proof container which would be easy to fabricate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:

Thus according to the basic aspect of the present invention there is provided a tamper evident lid for container comprising

lid body having a permanently closed part and a hinged part adapted for flip based opening around a hinge;

said closed part and said hinged part being contiguous and integral with no visual top surface separation in the lid body while initial capping of the lid body to a container;

internal hinge supporting said hinged part for opening/folding of the hinged part; and

cooperative external tamper evident hinge link comprising visible local weaker portions on the top surface of the lid body connecting the hinged part to the permanently closed part which activate and break upon first opening/folding of the hinged part for visible indications of opening /tampering of the lid.

In a preferred embodiment of the present tamper evident lid for container, the internal hinge is an inbuilt hinge/fulcrum disposed in under surface of the lid body which effectively separating the lid body in the permanently closed part for retaining on a container body and the hinged part for flip based opening and reclosing with respect to the container body across said hinge/fulcrum.

In a preferred embodiment of the present tamper evident lid for container, the external tamper evident hinge link is embedded in the lid top surface over the inbuilt hinge/fulcrum portion free on any visual indication configured to be breaking off while first flip based opening of the hinged part and provide a visible folding line on lid top surface exactly at the inbuilt hinge/fulcrum portion.
4. The tamper evident lid for container as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 3, wherein the lid body includes

downwardly extending peripheral wall for fitment on the container body;

one or more breakable joiners on said downwardly extending peripheral wall portion below the inbuilt hinge/fulcrum attaching the flipping lid portion with the static lid portion, whereby said joiners are configured to be breaking off on the first flip based opening of the hinged part detached from the permanently closed part and thus evidencing opening of the hinged part after fitment of the lid on the container body.

According to another aspect in the present invention there is provided a tamper evident container/package involving the above tamper evident lid comprising

said tamper evident lid for container having

said lid body having a permanently closed part and a hinged part adapted for flip based opening around a hinge;

said closed part and hinged part being contiguous and integral with no visual top surface separation in the lid body while initial capping of the lid body to the container;

said internal hinge supporting said hinged part for opening/folding of the hinged part; and

said cooperative external tamper evident hinge link comprising visible local weaker portions on the top surface of the lid body connecting the hinged part to the permanently closed part which activate and get detached upon first opening/folding of the hinged part for visible indications of opening /tampering of the lid;

said permanently closed part of the lid body having atleast one downwardly extending peripheral wall portion to cooperate with a corresponding body portion of the container for permanently locking the closed part of the lid to said container.

In a preferred embodiment of the present tamper evident container/package, the atleast one downwardly wall portion to cooperate with the corresponding body portion of the container comprises a downwardly extending member integral to the permanently closed part having internal configuration facing the container body with groove and protrusion matching with corresponding protrusion and groove in the container body such that the lid when press fitted against the container top the lid gets irreversibly locked with respect to the container body.

In a preferred embodiment, the present tamper evident container/package comprises atleast a press activated lock to secure said lid hinged part on said container body during initial capping of the lid on the container body whereby only tamper evident removal of the press activated lock with respect to the container body enable subsequent opening/folding of the hinged part.

In a preferred embodiment of the present tamper evident container/package, the container body comprises

a rectangular base;

side wall projected from the base with an open top;

collapsible side wall top portion for collapsed fitting within corresponding peripheral groove defined in the lid on capping of the lid on the container body such as to ensure contamination free maintenance content packed in the container body.

peripheral sealing rim on collar portion of the side wall.

In a preferred embodiment of the present tamper evident container/package, the press activated lock comprises

at least one inward protrusion on the downwardly extending peripheral wall of the lid;

at least one outward protrusion on the side wall of the container body at its collar portion; and

an U shaped breaking tab on the sealing rim and connected thereto through frangible connectors, said breaking tab is disposed below said outward protrusion.

In a preferred embodiment of the present tamper evident container/package, the inward protrusion rides over the outward protrusion and front portion of the downwardly extending peripheral wall is accommodated within the U shaped breaking tab on capping of the lid on the container body.

In a preferred embodiment of the present tamper evident container/package, the inward protrusion and the outward protrusion includes mutual cooperating slopping surfaces to provide for an inner lock when the inward protrusion rides over the outward protrusion thus securing the lid on the container body whereby said inner lock arrest rides back of the inward protrusion over the outward protrusion without expanding the downwardly extending peripheral wall of the lid by breaking of the breaking tab.

In a preferred embodiment of the present tamper evident container/package, the sealing rim includes opening across the inbuilt hinge/fulcrum portion to act as a window or inspection point where the break of the joiners could be witnessed before the lid gets opened properly.

In a preferred embodiment of the present tamper evident container/package, the lid body includes axial supporting rib for providing structural support to the lid.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS:

Fig. 1a – 1d shows different views of rectangular tub-lid combination of pilfer proof container in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2a shows different parts of the rectangular tub and its lid in accordance with the pilfer proof container embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2b shows opening of the lid of the pilfer proof container in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 3a and 3b shows the lid locked on the rectangular tub of the pilfer proof container in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 4 shows the stages in locking of the lid on the rectangular tub of the pilfer proof container in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 5a and 5b shows lid locking arrangement on the rectangular tub of the pilfer proof container in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 6 shows stages for using the pilfer proof container in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION WITH REFERENCE TO THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS:

As stated hereinbefore, the present invention discloses tamper proof packing container comprising of a container body and a lid for closing the container body in completely leak proof and pilfer proof manner. The present tamper proof packing container basically includes two temper evident arrangements for indication of the first opening of the lid from the container body. The accompanying Fig. 1a – 1d shows different views of present container body (rectangular tub) and a lid combination.

The lid of the present invention is a tamper evident lid which is specially configured for easily press fitting on the container body and having means for indication of the first opening of the lid and easy reuse of the lid to re-close the container at the user end. Reference is now invited from the Fig. 2a and 2b which shows a preferred embodiment of the present tamper evident lid which comprises a lid body (2) with indentation free even top surface, an internal hinge comprising inbuilt hinge/fulcrum (8) in under surface of the lid body (2) and a tamper external evident hinge link (11) embedded in the lid top surface over the inbuilt hinge/fulcrum portion (8).

In the present tamper evident lid, the lid body (2) includes downwardly extending peripheral wall for fitment on the container body (1). One or more breakable joiners (12) are provided on the downwardly extending peripheral wall portion below the inbuilt hinge/fulcrum (8).

As shown in the above referred figures, the inbuilt hinge/fulcrum (8) effectively separates the lid body (2) in a static permanently closed part (3) for retaining on a container body (1) and a flipping hinged part (4) for flip based opening and reclosing with respect to the container body (1) across said hinge/fulcrum (8). The internal hinge based inbuilt hinge/fulcrum (8) supports the hinged part (4) for opening/folding.

The tamper evident line (11) which is embedded in the lid top surface over the inbuilt hinge/fulcrum portion is free on any visual indication from top and the tamper evident line (11) includes visible local weaker portions on the top surface of the lid which is configured to be breaking off while first flip based opening of the hinged part (4) and provide a visible folding line on lid top surface exactly at the inbuilt hinge/fulcrum (8) portion.

The breakable joiners (12) provided on the downwardly extending peripheral wall portion below the inbuilt hinge/fulcrum (8) are adapted to attach the hinged part (4) with the permanently closed part (3) (as shown in Fig. 2a and Fig 2b ii). The joiners (12) are configured to be breaking off (as shown in the Fig. 2b iii, iv, ) on the first flip based opening of the hinged part (4) detached from the static permanently closed part (3) and thus evidencing opening of the hinged part (4) after fitment of the lid on the container body.
Reference is next invited from the accompanying figure 3a which shows a preferred embodiment of the entire packing container comprising rectangular tub shaped container body and the temper evident lid for capping on the tub type container body. The tamper evident lid can be press fitted on the container body for closing it. On such press fitted closing of the lid on the container body, the downwardly wall portion corresponding to the permanently closed part of the lid which comprises a downwardly extending member integral to the permanently closed part cooperates with the corresponding body portion of the container through the container body groove and protrusion (14) matching with corresponding protrusion (13) in the lid such that the lid gets irreversibly locked with respect to the container body.

As shown in Fig 2a, 3a and 3b, the container body or the tub (1) of the packing container comprises a rectangular base and side wall projected from the base with an open top. The top portion of the side wall comprises collapsible region (15) for collapsed fitting within corresponding peripheral groove defined in the lid on capping of the lid (2) on the container body (1) such as to ensure leak proof contamination free maintenance content packed in the container body. The container body (1) comprises also a peripheral sealing rim on collar portion of the side wall.

The downwardly wall portion corresponding to the hinged part of the lid is cooperates with the container body through press activated lock. The press activated lock is provided in the container to secure the lid on the container body during capping of the lid on the container body and arrest detachment of the lid from the container body without breaking said press activated lock. The press activated lock construction and operation is shown in the Fig 4 and 5 in detail.

Reference in now invited from the accompanying figure 4, 5a and 5b which show the construction and function of the press activated lock. As shown in the above referred figures, the press activated lock comprises one inward protrusion (13) on the downwardly extending peripheral wall of the lid (2), one outward protrusion (14) on the side wall of the container body (1) at its collar portion; and an U shaped breaking tab (5) on the sealing rim of the container body. As shown, the U shaped breaking tab (5) is disposed below the outward protrusion (14) and connected to the sealing rim and the side wall through frangible connectors (16).

The Fig 4 specifically shows the activation of the lock. As shown in the fig. 4, the inward protrusion (13) can rides over the outward protrusion (14) and front portion of the downwardly extending peripheral wall is accommodated within the U shaped breaking tab (5) on capping of the lid (2) on the container body (2). Both the inward protrusion (13) and the outward protrusion (14) includes mutual cooperating slopping surfaces to provide for an inner lock when the inward protrusion (13) rides over the outward protrusion (14) thus securing the lid on the container body. The inner lock arrest rides back of the inward protrusion (13) over the outward protrusion (14) without expanding the downwardly extending peripheral wall of the lid by breaking of the breaking tab (5).

In a preferred embodiment, the sealing rim on the container body includes an opening (6, Fig 2a) across the inbuilt hinge/fulcrum portion. The opening (6) is adapted to act as a window or inspection point where the break of the joiners (12) could be witnessed before the lid gets opened properly. Further in a preferred embodiment, the lid body includes axial supporting rib (10, Fig. 2a) for providing structural support to the lid.

It is thus possible by way of the present invention to achieve a container with lid locking involving pilfer proof arrangement comprising lid opening/tempering exhibiting arrangement and lid-container temper evident locking to ensure safe and secured packing, storing, and transporting of packing items such as food products. The involvement of temper evident features which indicates first opening of the lid with respect to the container body after capping of the lid onto the container body ensures customer/consumer when receives a sealed container about the as packed quality and quantity of contents as guaranteed by concerned manufacturer/packer. Thus, the lid locking arrangement and the temper evident features according to the present invention is not only capable of providing safe and secured leak proof, tamper evident sealing/capping of the lid on pail but also provides means for easy and safe detachability of the lid for the use of contents packed inside in a simple, cost effective and user friendly manner without loss/damage of the materials.