Theft resistant container for displaying and storing retail products

Abstract

A theft resistant container is disclosed for storing and displaying retail products. The container includes a base and a lid connected to each other by a hinge. The base and lid both have a generally rectangular structure with front and rear edges and a pair of side edges. The base and lid have respective contact areas secured to each other by welding or an adhesive to resist movement of the lid relative to the base. The side edges of the lid each have a lip that overlaps a mating edge of the respective side edges of the base to create a barrier when the container is closed that prevents penetration by a knife blade or the like to tamper with the welded contact areas. A plastic overwrap is placed over the base and the lid, which provides an additional resistance to movement of the lid relative to the base.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A theft resistant container for retail products, comprising: 
 a base having a first contact area;    a lid connected to said base by a hinge, said lid having a second contact area; and    said first and second contact areas being secured to each other to resist movement of said lid about said hinge relative to said base.    
     
     
         2 . The theft resistant container according to  claim 1 , wherein said first and second contact areas are secured to each other by welding.  
     
     
         3 . The theft resistant container according to  claim 1 , wherein said first and second contact areas are secured to each other by adhesive.  
     
     
         4 . The theft resistant container according to  claim 1 , wherein said base has a first pair of side edges that extend along respective sides of said base, said lid has a second pair of side edges that extend along respective sides of said lid, said first contact area comprising a first pair of engaging surfaces formed on said first pair of side edges, respectively, and said second contact area comprising a second pair of engaging surfaces formed on said second pair of side edges, respectively.  
     
     
         5 . The theft resistant container according to  claim 4 , wherein said first pair of engaging surfaces extend along a length of said first pair of side edges of said base, and said second pair of engaging surfaces extend along a length of said second pair of side edges of said lid, said first pair of engaging surfaces being secured to said second pair of engaging surfaces to resist movement of said lid about said hinge relative to said base.  
     
     
         6 . The theft resistant container according to  claim 4 , wherein said side edges of said base and said lid each have stepped profiles that cooperate with each other to conceal and protect the respective engaging surfaces from tampering.  
     
     
         7 . The theft resistant container according to  claim 4 , wherein said side edges of one of said lid and said base each have a lip that overlaps a mating edge of the side edges of the other of said lid and said base, said lip creating a barrier when the container is closed that prevents a blade from contacting said first and second contact areas.  
     
     
         8 . The theft resistant container according to  claim 4 , wherein said base has front and rear edges that extend between respective ends of said first pair of side edges to form a generally rectangular shape, said lid has front and rear edges that extend between respective ends of said second pair of side edges to form a generally rectangular shape, and said hinge connects the rear edge of said base to the rear edge of said lid.  
     
     
         9 . The theft resistant container according to  claim 8 , wherein said first contact area comprises a third engaging surface formed on said front edge of said base, and said second contact area comprises a third engaging surface formed on said front edge of said lid.  
     
     
         10 . The theft resistant container according to  claim 9 , wherein said third engaging surfaces of said base and said lid extend along respective lengths of the front edges of said base and said lid, and said third engaging surfaces of said base and said lid are secured together to resist movement of said lid about said hinge relative to said base.  
     
     
         11 . The theft resistant container according to  claim 9 , wherein said front edges of said base and said lid each have stepped profiles that cooperate with each other to conceal and protect the third engaging surfaces from tampering.  
     
     
         12 . The theft resistant container according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first and second contact areas has an energy director to facilitate an ultrasonic weld between said first and second contact areas.  
     
     
         13 . The theft resistant container according to  claim 1 , further comprising a plastic overwrap covering said base and said lid, said plastic overwrap resisting movement of said lid about said hinge relative to said base.  
     
     
         14 . A theft resistant container containing a retail product the container comprising: 
 a base having a generally rectangular structure with front and rear edges and a pair of side edges, said base having a first contact area formed on at least one of said front and side edges thereof;    a lid having a generally rectangular structure with front and rear edges and a pair of side edges, said lid having a second contact area formed on at least one of said front and side edges thereof, said rear edge of said lid being connected to said rear edge of said base by a hinge;    said first and second contact areas being secured to each other to resist movement of said lid relative to said base; and    a plastic overwrap covering said base and said lid, said plastic overwrap providing an additional resistance to movement of said lid relative to said base.    
     
     
         15 . The theft resistant container as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein said first and second contact areas comprise engaging surfaces extending along the lengths of said side edges of said base and said lid, respectively, said engaging surfaces being secured to each other by welding.  
     
     
         16 . The theft resistant container as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein said first and second contact areas comprise engaging surfaces extending along the lengths of said side edges of said base and said lid, respectively, said engaging surfaces being secured to each other by an adhesive.  
     
     
         17 . The theft resistant container as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein said side edges of one of said lid and said base have a lip that overlaps a mating edge of the respective side edges of the other of said lid and said base, said lip creating a barrier when the container is closed that prevents a blade from contacting said first and second contact areas.  
     
     
         18 . The theft resistant container as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein at least one of said first and second contact areas has an energy director to facilitate an ultrasonic weld between said first and second contact areas.  
     
     
         19 . The theft resistant container as set forth in  claim 14 , further comprising a first pair of disc guard projections protruding from spaced locations on a first side edge of said base toward said tip, and a second pair of disc guard projections protruding from spaced locations on a second side edge of said base toward said lip, said disc guard projections being constructed to prevent a disc-shaped product contained in said container from sliding out of said container when said first and second contact areas are separated less than a predetermined distance.  
     
     
         20 . The theft resistant container as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein said container is a plastic clamshell case and said retail product is an optical media.  
     
     
         21 . A method of making a theft resistant container, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a base having a generally rectangular structure with front and rear edges and a pair of side edges;    providing a lid having a generally rectangular structure with front and rear edges and a pair of side edges, said rear edge of said lid being connected to said rear edge of said base by a hinge;    welding at least one of said side edges of said base to at least one of said side edges of said lid to thereby resist movement of said lid relative to said base; and    covering said base and said lid with a plastic overwrap that provides an additional resistance to movement of said lid relative to said base.    
     
     
         22 . The method of making a theft resistant container according to  claim 21 , wherein said welding step comprises supporting one of said base and said lid against a stationary surface and contacting the other one of said base and said lid with an energy transfer mechanism that applies a high frequency vibration to create a weld between engaging surfaces of said base and said lid.