Household product package with tamper evident cap

Abstract

The present invention is a generally parallelepiped shaped container including generally parallel opposite lateral side panels, generally parallel opposite longitudinal side panels and a generally flat bottom panel. A first generally flat top panel is provided near the first lateral side panel and a second generally flat top panel is provided near the second lateral side panel, the first and second top panels being interconnected to form a generally continuous top portion of the container. A dispensing neck extends upwardly from the first top panel and a cover member is removably positioned over the open end of the dispensing neck. The shape of the container and the cover member are such that the height of the cover member, when on the dispensing neck is less than the height of the second top panel so that the containers may be stacked one above the other without applying pressure to either the cover member or the dispensing neck.

1 . A container generally in the shape of a parallelepiped comprising: 
 two generally parallel opposite lateral side panels and two generally parallel opposite longitudinal side panels, the lateral side panels being interconnected with the longitudinal side panels, each side panel having an upper edge and a lower edge, a first lateral side panel and a first portion of each of the longitudinal side panels connected to the first lateral side panel being of a first predetermined height and a second lateral side panel and a second portion of each of the longitudinal side panels connected to the second lateral side panel being of a second predetermined height greater than the first predetermined height by at least a first predetermined distance;    a generally flat bottom panel extending from and interconnecting the lower edges of each of the side panels;    a first generally flat top panel extending from and interconnecting the upper edges of the first lateral side panel and the first portion of each of the longitudinal side panels;    a second generally flat top panel extending from and interconnecting the upper edges of the second lateral side panel and the second portion of each of the longitudinal side panels, the first and second top panels being interconnected to form a generally continuous top portion of the container;    a dispensing neck extending upwardly from the first top panel, the dispensing neck having an open end, a predetermined length, a predetermined width and a predetermined height; and    a cover member removably disposed over the open end of the dispensing neck, the cover member having an upper panel, a predetermined length, a predetermined width and a predetermined height, the height of the dispensing neck and the height of the cover member together being less than the first predetermined distance so that the upper panel of the cover member does not extend beyond the second top panel.    
   
   
       2 . The container as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the width of the first top panel is greater than the width of the cover member.  
   
   
       3 . The container as recited in  claim 1  further including a transition top panel extending between and interconnecting the first and second top panels.  
   
   
       4 . The container as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the width of the second top panel is greater than twice the width of the first top panel so that when two containers are stacked, one above the other, all of the weight of the upper container is borne by the second top panel of the underlying container.  
   
   
       5 . The container as recited in  claim 1  further including a recessed area in the first top panel proximate to the dispensing neck to facilitate removal of the cover member.  
   
   
       6 . The container as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the container is formed of a polymeric material.  
   
   
       7 . The container as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the interconnections of the lateral side panels to the longitudinal side panels, the bottom panel to the side panels and the first and second top panels to the side panels are all rounded.  
   
   
       8 . The container as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the cover member is tamper evident.  
   
   
       9 . The container as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the cover member comprises: 
 a generally circular upper panel;    a generally cylindrical skirt extending downwardly from the periphery of the upper panel; and    a liftable tab member formed by creating a pair of weakened areas in a portion of the upper panel and a portion of the skirt such that lifting the tab member separates the tab member from the upper panel and the skirt along the weakened areas so that the tab member may be used to lift the cover member off of the dispensing neck.    
   
   
       10 . The container as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the weakened areas are generally parallel to each other.  
   
   
       11 . The container as recited in  claim 10 , wherein a hinge line extends between the distal ends of the weakened areas.  
   
   
       12 . The container as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the cover member further includes a gripping lug extending outwardly form the skirt portion of the tab member to facilitate lifting the tab member.  
   
   
       13 . The container as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the cover member further includes an arrow for alignment of the tab member with a recessed area proximate to the dispensing neck to facilitate lifting of the tab member for removal of the cover member.  
   
   
       14 .- 23 . (cancel)  
   
   
       24 . A cover member for a container comprising: 
 a generally circular upper panel;    a generally cylindrical skirt extending downwardly from the periphery of the upper panel; and    a liftable tab member formed by creating a pair of weakened areas in a portion of the upper panel and a portion of the skirt such that lifting the tab member separates the tab member from the upper panel and the skirt along the weakened areas so that the tab member may be lifted to remove the cover member from the container.    
   
   
       25 . The cover member as recited in  claim 24 , wherein the weakened areas are generally parallel to each other.  
   
   
       26 . The cover member as recited in  claim 25 , wherein a hinge line extends between the distal ends of the weakened areas.  
   
   
       27 . The cover member as recited in  claim 24 , further including a gripping lug extending outwardly from the skirt portion of the tab member to facilitate lifting of the tab member.  
   
   
       28 . The cover member as recited in  claim 24 , further including an arrow for alignment of the tab member with a recessed area on the container to facilitate lifting of the tab member for removal of the cover member from the container.