초록 ▼

A container having tamper evident and resistant features includes a tray, a cover, and a blocking wall that prevents direct access to a peripheral cover lip of the cover when the cover is in a closed position on the tray. The container includes at least one tab that prevents direct access to the per

A container having tamper evident and resistant features includes a tray, a cover, and a blocking wall that prevents direct access to a peripheral cover lip of the cover when the cover is in a closed position on the tray. The container includes at least one tab that prevents direct access to the peripheral cover lip and which is at least partially separable from the container along at least one line of weakness to provide access to the peripheral cover lip for removing the cover from the tray. The tab further includes an interference element that inhibits replacement of the tab into its original position with respect to the container after the at least one line of weakness have been severed.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A container comprising: a tray comprising a bottom wall and a peripheral side wall extending upwardly from the bottom wall, which collectively define a compartment, and terminating in a tray rib to at least partially define an open top providing access to the compartment;a cover comprising a top

1. A container comprising: a tray comprising a bottom wall and a peripheral side wall extending upwardly from the bottom wall, which collectively define a compartment, and terminating in a tray rib to at least partially define an open top providing access to the compartment;a cover comprising a top wall terminating in a cover rib having a peripheral cover lip;a blocking wall provided with the tray rib and preventing direct access to the peripheral cover lip when the cover is on the tray in a closed position on the open top of the tray; andat least one tab included with the blocking wall and partially separable from the container along at least one line of weakness, wherein the at least one tab is moveable from a first position, where the at least one tab prevents direct access to the peripheral cover lip, and a second position, where the at least one tab is at least partially separated from the container along the at least one line of weakness to provide access to the peripheral cover lip;an interference element extending from the at least one tab and engaging the peripheral cover lip through an interference fit when the cover is in an initial closed position, free from a force from a user, prior to the at least partial separation of the at least one tab from the container, wherein the peripheral cover lip is deflected by the interference element when the cover is in the initial closed position;wherein the at least partial separation of the at least one tab from the container along the at least one line of weakness provides an indication that the cover has been removed from the tray to provide access to the compartment and wherein the interference element inhibits re-positioning of the at least one tab into the first position after movement of the at least one tab to the second position. 2. The container of claim 1 wherein the at least one tab is pivotable relative to the blocking wall. 3. The container of claim 1 wherein the at least one tab remains at least partially connected with the container when the at least one line of weakness is severed. 4. The container of claim 1 wherein the at least one tab is capable of being removed from the container when the at least one line of weakness is severed. 5. The container of claim 1 wherein the at least one line of weakness comprises perforations, score lines, areas of removed material, a series of crests and troughs of narrowed thickness, or combinations thereof. 6. The container of claim 1 wherein the blocking wall is spaced from an outer wall of the tray rib by a gap and the peripheral cover lip is received within the gap when the cover is in the closed position. 7. The container of claim 6 wherein the interference element extends from the at least one tab into the gap to deflect the peripheral cover lip when the cover is in the initial closed position and the tab is in the first position. 8. The container of claim 1 wherein the tray rib comprises a tray seal structure and the cover rib comprises a cover seal structure that engages the tray seal structure when the cover is in the closed position to form a peripheral seal. 9. The container of claim 1 wherein the at least one tab includes a projection to facilitate grasping the at least one tab to move the at least one tab from the first position to the second position. 10. The container of claim 1 wherein the interference element comprises a rib or a rounded protuberance. 11. The container of claim 1 wherein the interference element comprises an angled face to facilitate deflection of the peripheral cover lip during placement of the cover on the tray into the initial closed position. 12. The container of claim 1 wherein a perimeter of the tray and the cover comprises a circular, rectangular, square, or oval shape. 13. The container of claim 1, further comprising a hinge defining a hinge axis and connecting the tray and the cover for relative rotation about the hinge axis between the closed position and an opened position. 14. The container of claim 1 wherein the interference element is located in a central portion of the tab. 15. The container of claim 1 wherein the interference element is offset from a central portion of the tab. 16. The container of claim 1 wherein the at least one tab forms a portion of the blocking wall. 17. The container of claim 1 wherein the peripheral cover lip deflects the interference element and/or the at least one tab when the cover is in the initial closed position. 18. A container having tamper evident and tamper resistant features comprising: a tray comprising a bottom wall and a peripheral side wall extending upwardly from the bottom wall, which collectively define a compartment, and terminating in a U-shaped tray rib to at least partially define an open top providing access to the compartment;a cover comprising a top wall and terminating in a U-shaped cover rib that is configured to mate with the U-shaped tray rib when the cover is in a closed position on the open top of the tray, the cover rib further comprising a peripheral cover lip; anda blocking wall provided with the tray rib, the tray rib further including an outer wall connected with the blocking wall by a tray flange to define a gap between the blocking wall and the outer wall that receives the peripheral cover lip when the cover is in the closed position, the blocking wall preventing direct access to the peripheral cover lip when the cover is in the closed position;at least one tab included with the blocking wall and partially separable from the container along at least one line of weakness, wherein the at least one tab is moveable from a first position, where the at least one tab prevents direct access to the peripheral cover lip, and a second position, where the at least one tab is at least partially separated from the container along the at least one line of weakness to provide access to the peripheral cover lip; andan interference element extending from the at least one tab into the gap to engage the peripheral cover lip through an interference fit when the cover is in an initial closed position, free from a force from a user, prior to the at least partial separation of the at least one tab from the container, wherein the peripheral cover lip is deflected by the interference element when the cover is in the initial closed position;wherein the at least partial separation of the at least one tab from the blocking wall along the at least one line of weakness provides an indication that the cover has been removed from the tray to provide access to the compartment and wherein the interference element inhibits re-positioning of the at least one tab into the first position after movement of the at least one tab into the second position. 19. The container of claim 18 wherein the at least one tab is pivotable relative to the blocking wall. 20. The container of claim 18 wherein the at least one tab remains at least partially connected with the container when the at least one line of weakness is severed. 21. The container of claim 18 wherein the at least one tab is capable of being removed from the container when the at least one line of weakness is severed. 22. The container of claim 18 wherein the at least one line of weakness comprises perforations, score lines, areas of removed material, a series of crests and troughs of narrowed thickness, or combinations thereof. 23. The container of claim 18 wherein the tray rib comprises a tray seal structure and the cover rib comprises a cover seal structure that engages the tray seal structure when the cover is in the closed position to form a peripheral seal. 24. The container of claim 18 wherein the at least one tab includes a projection to facilitate grasping the at least one tab to move the at least one tab from the first position to the second position. 25. The container of claim 18 wherein the interference element comprises a rib or a rounded protuberance. 26. The container of claim 18 wherein the interference element comprises an angled face to facilitate deflection of the peripheral cover lip during placement of the cover on the tray into the initial closed position. 27. The container of claim 18 wherein a perimeter of the tray and the cover comprises a circular, rectangular, square, or oval shape. 28. The container of claim 18, further comprising a hinge defining a hinge axis and connecting the tray and the cover for relative rotation about the hinge axis between the closed position and an opened position. 29. The container of claim 18 wherein the interference element is located in a central portion of the tab. 30. The container of claim 18 wherein the interference element is offset from a central portion of the tab. 31. The container of claim 18 wherein the at least one tab forms a portion of the blocking wall. 32. The container of claim 18 wherein the peripheral cover lip deflects the interference element and/or the at least one tab when the cover is in the initial closed position. 33. A container comprising: a tray comprising a bottom wall and a peripheral side wall extending upwardly from the bottom wall, which collectively define a compartment, and terminating in a tray rib to at least partially define an open top providing access to the compartment;a cover comprising a top wall terminating in a cover rib having a peripheral cover lip;a blocking wall provided with the tray rib and preventing direct access to the peripheral cover lip when the cover is on the tray in a closed position on the open top of the tray, the blocking wall including at least one tab that is partially separable from the container along at least one line of weakness, wherein the at least one tab is moveable from a first position, where the at least one tab prevents direct access to the peripheral cover lip, and a second position, where the at least one tab is at least partially separated from the blocking wall along the at least one line of weakness to provide access to the peripheral cover lip; andan interference element extending from the at least one tab and engaging the peripheral cover lip through an interference fit when the cover is in an initial closed position, free from a force from a user, prior to the at least partial separation of the at least one tab from the blocking wall, wherein the peripheral cover lip is deflected by the interference element when the cover is in the initial closed position;wherein the at least partial separation of the at least one tab from the blocking wall along the at least one line of weakness provides an indication that the cover has been removed from the tray to provide access to the compartment and wherein the interference element inhibits re-positioning of the at least one tab into the first position after movement of the at least one tab to the second position. 34. The container of claim 33 wherein the at least one tab is pivotable relative to the blocking wall. 35. The container of claim 33 wherein the at least one tab remains at least partially connected with the blocking wall when the at least one line of weakness is severed. 36. The container of claim 33 wherein the at least one tab is capable of being removed from the blocking wall when the at least one line of weakness is severed. 37. The container of claim 33 wherein the at least one line of weakness comprises perforations, score lines, areas of removed material, a series of crests and troughs of narrowed thickness, or combinations thereof. 38. The container of claim 33 wherein the blocking wall is spaced from an outer wall of the tray rib by a gap and the peripheral cover lip is received within the gap when the cover is in the closed position. 39. The container of claim 38 wherein the interference element extends from the at least one tab into the gap to deflect the peripheral cover lip when the cover is in the initial closed position and the tab is in the first position. 40. The container of claim 33 wherein the tray rib comprises a tray seal structure and the cover rib comprises a cover seal structure that engages the tray seal structure when the cover is in the closed position to form a peripheral seal. 41. The container of claim 33 wherein the at least one tab includes a projection to facilitate grasping the at least one tab to move the at least one tab from the first position to the second position. 42. The container of claim 33 wherein the interference element comprises a rib or a rounded protuberance. 43. The container of claim 33 wherein the interference element comprises an angled face to facilitate deflection of the peripheral cover lip during placement of the cover on the tray into the initial closed position. 44. The container of claim 33 wherein a perimeter of the tray and the cover comprises a circular, rectangular, square, or oval shape. 45. The container of claim 33, further comprising a hinge defining a hinge axis and connecting the tray and the cover for relative rotation about the hinge axis between the closed position and an opened position. 46. The container of claim 33 wherein the interference element is located in a central portion of the tab. 47. The container of claim 33 wherein the interference element is offset from a central portion of the tab. 48. The container of claim 33 wherein the peripheral cover lip deflects the interference element and/or the at least one tab when the cover is in the initial closed position.