초록 ▼

The present invention is a tamper-resistant and tamper-evident container for holding solid and liquid goods, such as food items. The container has a base portion with a male member extending upwardly from the base and extending about an opening in the base, the outer surface of the male member havin

The present invention is a tamper-resistant and tamper-evident container for holding solid and liquid goods, such as food items. The container has a base portion with a male member extending upwardly from the base and extending about an opening in the base, the outer surface of the male member having a guard lip extending outwardly. The container has a cover with a female member extending upwardly for frictionally engaging the male member when the container is closed. The guard lip renders the lower edge of the outer portion of the female member relatively inaccessible. The container has a hinge connecting the cover to the base having a removable portion that may be removed to facilitate opening the container.

대표청구항 ▼

1. container comprising: a. a base portion defining an interior space for holding solid or liquid goods, the interior space having an upwardly facing opening having a perimeter, the base portion having an upwardly projecting male member extending substantially about the perimeter of the opening, the

1. container comprising: a. a base portion defining an interior space for holding solid or liquid goods, the interior space having an upwardly facing opening having a perimeter, the base portion having an upwardly projecting male member extending substantially about the perimeter of the opening, the male member having a top and having inner and outer surfaces extending downward from the top, each surface having a height, the outer surface of the male member having a guard lip extending horizontally outwardly below the top of the male member to an outer edge, the guard lip extending substantially about the perimeter of the opening, wherein the guard lip is flat and has no upwardly or downwardly members projecting from or attached to the outer edge of the guard lip;b. a cover portion having a perimeter and a female member extending substantially about the perimeter of the cover portion, the female member having a top and having inner and outer portions extending downward from the top for frictionally engaging the inner and outer surfaces of the male member respectively to form a seal when the container is closed, each portion having a height, the outer portion of the female member having a lower edge, wherein, when the container is closed, the guard lip renders the lower edge of the outer portion of the female member relatively inaccessible; andc. a hinge connecting the outer portion of the female member to the outer surface of the male member, the hinge having a portion that is removable to facilitate opening the container, wherein the outer surface of the male member and the outer portion of the female member are substantially vertical and the guard lip extends substantially horizontally from the outer surface of the male member, and wherein no portion of the cover portion extends outward beyond the substantially vertical outer portion of the female member, and wherein the outer surface of the male member has a lower edge and the guard lip extends outwardly from the lower edge of the outer surface of the male member, and wherein the height of the outer portion of the female member is approximately equal to the height of the outer surface of the male member so that the lower edge of the outer portion of the female member abuts the guard lip when the container is closed and the top of the male member abuts the top of the female member when the container is closed, and wherein the outer portion of the female member contains no apertures or holes therethrough. 2. The container of claim 1 wherein removing the removable portion of the hinge exposes a tab attached to the outer portion of the female member, the tab being adapted for facilitating removal of the cover portion from the base portion when the container is closed. 3. The container of claim 1 wherein the outer surface of the male member has a lower edge and wherein the hinge connects the lower edge of the outer portion of the female member to the lower edge of the outer surface of the male member so that the hinge is substantially horizontally oriented when the container is closed. 4. The container of claim 1 wherein the male and female members extend completely about the perimeter of the opening and the perimeter of the cover portion respectively. 5. The container of claim 1 wherein the inner surface of the male member and the inner portion of the female member are substantially vertical. 6. A container comprising: a. a cover portion having an downwardly projecting male member extending substantially about the perimeter of the cover portion, the male member having a bottom and having inner and outer surfaces extending upward from the bottom, each surface having a height, the outer surface of the male member having a guard lip extending horizontally outwardly above the bottom of the male member to an outer edge, the guard lip extending substantially about the perimeter of the cover portion, wherein the guard lip is flat and has no upwardly or downwardly members projecting from or attached to the outer edge of the guard lip;b. a base portion defining an interior space for holding solid or liquid goods, the interior space having an upwardly facing opening having a perimeter, the base portion having a downwardly projecting female member extending substantially about the perimeter of the opening, the female member having a bottom and having inner and outer portions extending upward from the bottom for frictionally engaging the inner and outer surfaces of the male member respectively to form a seal when the container is closed, each portion having a height, the outer portion of the female member having an upper edge, wherein, when the container is closed, the guard lip renders the upper edge of the outer portion of the female member relatively inaccessible; andc. a hinge connecting the outer portion of the female member to the outer surface of the male member, the hinge having a portion that is removable to facilitate opening the container, wherein the outer surface of the male member and the outer portion of the female member are substantially vertical and the guard lip extends substantially horizontally from the outer surface of the male member, and wherein no portion of the base portion extends outward beyond the substantially vertical outer portion of the female member, and wherein no portion of the base portion extends outward beyond the horizontal guard lip on the male member, and wherein the outer surface of the male member has an upper edge and the guard lip extends outwardly from the upper edge of the outer surface of the male member, and wherein the height of the outer portion of the female member is approximately equal to the height of the outer surface of the male member so that the upper edge of the outer portion of the female member abuts the guard lip when the container is closed and the bottom of the male member abuts the bottom of the female member when the container is closed, and wherein the outer portion of the female member contains no apertures or holes therethrough. 7. The container of claim 6 wherein removing the removable portion of the hinge exposes a tab attached to the outer portion of the male member, the tab being adapted for facilitating removal of the cover portion from the base portion when the container is closed. 8. The container of claim 6 wherein the outer surface of the male member has an upper edge and wherein the hinge connects the upper edge of the outer portion of the female member to the upper edge of the outer surface of the male member so that the hinge is substantially horizontally oriented when the container is closed. 9. The container of claim 6 wherein the female and male members extend completely about the perimeter of the opening and the perimeter of the cover portion respectively. 10. The container of claim 6 wherein the inner surface of the male member and the inner portion of the female member are substantially vertical.