Reclosable paperboard closure

Abstract

The present invention provides a cost effective, tamper-evident container that can be effectively closed and that is easy to use. The closure includes a disc having a aperture and a tab extending across the aperture. The tab is removably coupled to the disc in a tamper-evident method around the periphery of the aperture and permanently coupled to the disc at a connecting portion. The sidewall of the container is bent inward and down to provide a locking mechanism for maintaining the tab in a closed position after it has been opened.

The invention claimed is:  
     
         1 . A reclosable container comprising: 
 a container body having at least one sidewall defining an upper opening;    a disc having an aperture, wherein the shape of said disc is defined by said upper opening, and wherein said disc is located in said upper opening;    a tab, said tab extending across said aperture and including a connecting portion, wherein said tab is removably coupled to said disc at the periphery of said aperture, and wherein said connecting portion of said tab is permanently coupled to said disc, and wherein a lip portion of said sidewall is bent inward and over so as to provide a locking mechanism for said tab when said tab is in a closed position    
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1  wherein said disc and said tab are made of paper material.  
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 1  wherein a heat seal is used to couple said tab to said disc at the periphery of said aperture.  
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 3  wherein said periphery of said aperture is kiss cut before said heat seal is applied.  
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 3  wherein when said tab is initially opened fibers tear at the point of adhesion of said tab to said disc.  
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 3  wherein when said tab is initially opened a portion of said tab is torn away.  
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 1  wherein a cohesive bond is used to couple said tab to said disc at the periphery of said aperture.  
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 7  wherein said tab further including a perforated section defined by a plurality of perforations and located at the area of said tab that is bonded to said disc at the periphery of said aperture.  
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 1  wherein said tab includes a grip portion that is operable to assist in opening said tab.  
     
     
         10 . A tamper-evident, reclosable closure for dispensing consumer items from a container, comprising: 
 a disc having a aperture;    a tab extending across said aperture, said tab having an connecting portion coupled to said disc, said tab adhered to said disc at the periphery of said aperture by an adhesive that will repeatable adhere said tab to said disc, wherein said disc displays evidence of having been separated after the first separation;    a grip portion coupled to said tab; and    a locking section for maintaining said tab in a closed position.    
     
     
         11 . The closure of  claim 10 , wherein said disc and said tab are constructed of paper products.  
     
     
         12 . The closure of  claim 10  wherein said evidence of tampering is torn fibers coupled to said tab.  
     
     
         13 . The closure of  claim 10  wherein said evidence of tampering is fibers torn from said tab.  
     
     
         14 . The closure of  claim 10  wherein said tab further includes at least one perforated section defined by a plurality of perforations and located at the area of said tab that is adhered to said disc at the periphery of said aperture.  
     
     
         15 . The closure of  claim 14  wherein said evidence of tampering is that said at least one perforation section is torn from said tab.  
     
     
         16 . A reclosable container comprising: 
 a container body having at least one sidewall defining an upper opening;    a disc, said disc having an aperture, wherein said upper opening defines the shape of said disc;    a tab, said tab extending across said aperture, said tab adhered to said disc at the periphery of said aperture; and    said sidewall including a locking section for maintaining said tab section in a closed position.    
     
     
         17 . The container of  claim 16  wherein said locking section includes a portion of said sidewall overlapping a portion of said disc.  
     
     
         18 . The container of  claim 16  further comprising a grip portion coupled to said tab.  
     
     
         19 . The container of  claim 16  wherein said tab is partially separable from said disc.  
     
     
         20 . The container of  claim 16  wherein said tab includes an connecting portion that is permanently coupled to said container.