Canister with tamper-evident closure

Abstract

A canister in accordance with the present disclosure includes a container having a basin and a brim on the basin and a closure mounted on the brim. The closure includes a lid and a tear strip formed to include a finger-pull tab and coupled to the lid along a frangible tear line.

1 . A canister comprising 
 a container including a basin and a brim extending around an upper portion of the basin, the brim being configured to define an opening into an interior basin region formed in the basin, the brim including an inner annular strip having an interior surface defining an interior brim region communicating with the interior basin region formed in the basin, an outer annular strip extending around and in spaced-apart relation to the inner annular strip and having an exterior surface facing away from the interior brim region, and a laterally extending annular bridge interconnecting the inner and outer annular strips to locate the inner and outer annular strips in spaced-apart relation to one another, the exterior surface of the outer annular strip being formed to include spaced-apart upper and lower outer retainer receivers, and    a closure including a lid mounted on the brim to cover the opening into the interior basin region and a tear strip appended to the lid along a frangible tear line, the lid including an upper outer retainer arranged to extend into the upper outer retainer receiver formed in the exterior surface of the outer annular strip of the brim to retain the lid in a mounted position on the brim of the container, the tear strip including a lower outer retainer arranged to extend into the lower outer retainer receiver formed in the exterior surface of the outer annular strip of the brim to retain the tear strip in a mounted position on the brim until the tear strip is separated from the lid along the frangible tear line.    
     
     
         2 . The canister of  claim 1 , wherein the outer annular strip includes an interior surface facing toward and lying in spaced-apart relation to an exterior surface of the inner annular strip.  
     
     
         3 . The canister of  claim 2 , wherein the laterally extending annular bridge has a laterally extending width that is about equal to a distance separating the inner and outer annular strips.  
     
     
         4 . The canister of  claim 1 , wherein the outer annular strip includes an outwardly extending tear strip shield lip arranged to lie under and in close proximity to the tear strip and a downwardly extending wall having an upper end coupled to the laterally extending annular bridge and a lower end coupled to the outwardly extending tear strip shield lip and wherein the downwardly extending wall is formed to include the spaced-apart upper and lower outer retainer receivers.  
     
     
         5 . The canister of  claim 4 , wherein the laterally extending annular bridge lies in a first reference plane and the outwardly extending tear strip shield lip extends away from the basin in a lateral direction relative to the downwardly extending wall and lies in a second reference plane that is oriented to lie in substantially spaced-apart parallel relation to the first reference plane.  
     
     
         6 . The canister of  claim 4 , wherein the downwardly extending wall includes, in series, first, second, third, and fourth annular segments, and wherein the first annular segment is coupled to the laterally extending annular bridge, the fourth annular segment is coupled to the outwardly extending tear strip shield lip, the first and second annular segments cooperate to define the upper outer retainer receiver and the third and fourth annular segments cooperate to define the lower outer retainer receiver.  
     
     
         7 . The canister of  claim 6 , wherein the third and fourth annular segments are funnel-shaped, the third annular segment has a wide end coupled to the second annular segment and a relatively narrower narrow end coupled to the fourth annular segment, and the fourth annular segment has a wide end coupled to the outwardly extending tear strip shield lip and a relatively narrower narrow end coupled to the narrow end of the third annular segment.  
     
     
         8 . The canister of  claim 6 , wherein the fourth annular segment of the downwardly extending wall and the outwardly extending tear strip shield lip cooperate to define an obtuse included angle therebetween.  
     
     
         9 . The canister of  claim 6 , wherein the third annular segment, the fourth annular segment, and the outwardly extending tear strip shield lip cooperate to define cavity means for receiving a lowermost portion of the tear strip and the lower outer retainer of the tear strip therein to shield the tear strip from impact to limit inadvertent movement of the tear strip relative to the lid so as to avoid unwanted separation of the tear strip from the lid along the frangible tear line.  
     
     
         10 . The canister of  claim 1 , wherein the outer annular strip includes a downwardly extending wall having an upper end coupled to the laterally extending annular bridge and a spaced-apart lower end, the downwardly extending wall includes, in series, first, second, third, and fourth annular segments, the first annular segment is coupled to the laterally extending annular bridge, the fourth annular segment is coupled to the outwardly extending tear strip shield lip, the first and second annular segments cooperate to define the upper outer retainer receiver, and the third and fourth annular segments cooperate to define the lower outer retainer receiver.  
     
     
         11 . The canister of  claim 10 , wherein the third and fourth annular segments are funnel-shaped.  
     
     
         12 . The canister of  claim 11 , wherein the third annular segment has a wide end coupled to the second annular segment and a relatively narrower end coupled to the fourth annular segment and the fourth annular segment has a wide end defining the lower end of the outer annular strip and a relatively narrower narrow end coupled to the narrow end of the third annular segment.  
     
     
         13 . The canister of  claim 1 , wherein the lid further includes a central cup including an upright side wall having an exterior surface surrounded by the interior surface of the inner annular strip and an inner retainer anchored to the exterior surface of the upright side wall and arranged to extend in a direction toward the outer annular strip to mate with the interior surface of the inner annular strip to establish a releasable interference fit between the lid and the brim to help retain the closure on the brim of the container.  
     
     
         14 . The canister of  claim 13 , wherein the inner retainer has an annular shape and is cantilevered to the exterior surface of the upright side wall.  
     
     
         15 . The canister of  claim 14 , wherein the upright side wall has an annular shape and the central cup further includes a floor coupled to a lowermost portion of the upright side wall and a frustoconical retention ring coupled to an uppermost portion of the upright side wall.  
     
     
         16 . The canister of  claim 13 , wherein the outer annular strip has a first thickness, the inner retainer mates with a reinforced portion of the inner annular strip, and the reinforced portion has a second thickness that is greater than the first thickness.  
     
     
         17 . The canister of  claim 13 , wherein the basin includes a side wall having a first thickness, the inner retainer mates with a reinforced portion of the inner annular strip, and the reinforced portion has a second thickness that is greater than the first thickness.  
     
     
         18 . The canister of  claim 1 , wherein the lower outer retainer included in the lid is configured to define means for resting on an underlying lid in a stack of lids upon separation of the lid including the lower outer retainer from the container.  
     
     
         19 . The canister of  claim 18 , wherein each of the lid and the underlying lid includes a central cup including an annular upright side wall, a floor coupled to a lower portion of the annular upright side wall, and a frustoconical retention ring coupled to an upper portion of the annular upright side wall, and wherein the frustoconical retention ring of the underlying lid provides means for supporting the floor of the central cup of the lid located above the underlying lid when the lower outer retainer of the lid located above the underlying lid rests on a brim ring included in the underlying lid and coupled to the central cup of the underlying lid.  
     
     
         20 . A canister comprising 
 a container including a basin and a brim extending around an upper portion of the basin, the brim being configured to define an opening into an interior basin region formed in the basin, the brim including an inner annular strip having an interior surface defining an interior brim region communicating with the interior basin region formed in the basin, an outer annular strip extending around and in spaced-apart relation to the inner annular strip and having an exterior surface facing away from the interior brim region, and a laterally extending annular bridge interconnecting the inner and outer annular strips to locate the inner and outer annular strips in spaced-apart relation to one another, the exterior surface of the outer annular strip being formed to include an outer retainer receiver, and    a closure including a lid mounted on the brim to cover the opening into the interior basin region and a tear strip appended to the lid along a frangible tear line, the lid including an outer retainer arranged to extend into the outer retainer receiver formed in the exterior surface of the outer annular strip brim to retain the lid in a mounted position on the brim of the container, and wherein the lid further includes a central cup including an upright side wall having an exterior surface surrounded by the interior surface of the inner annular strip and an inner retainer anchored to the exterior surface of the upright side wall and arranged to extend in a direction toward the outer annular strip to mate with the interior surface of the inner annular strip to establish a releasable interference fit between the lid and the brim to help retain the closure on the brim of the container.    
     
     
         21 . The canister of  claim 20 , wherein the inner retainer has an annular shape and is cantilevered to the exterior surface of the upright side wall.  
     
     
         22 . The canister of  claim 21 , wherein the upright side wall has an annular shape and the central cup further includes a floor coupled to a lowermost portion of the upright side wall and a frustoconical retention ring coupled to an uppermost portion of the upright side wall.  
     
     
         23 . The canister of  claim 20 , wherein the outer annular strip has a first thickness, the inner retainer mates with a reinforced portion of the inner annular strip, and the reinforced portion has a second thickness that is greater than the first thickness.  
     
     
         24 . The canister of  claim 20 , wherein the basin includes a side wall having a first thickness, the inner retainer mates with a reinforced portion of the inner annular strip, and the reinforced portion has a second thickness that is greater than the first thickness.  
     
     
         25 . A canister comprising 
 a container including a basin and a brim extending around an upper portion of the basin, the brim being configured to define an opening into an interior basin region formed in the basin, the brim including an inner annular strip having an interior surface defining an interior brim region communicating with the interior basin region formed in the basin, an outer annular strip extending around and in spaced-apart relation to the inner annular strip and having an exterior surface facing away from the interior brim region, and a laterally extending annular bridge interconnecting the inner and outer annular strips to locate the inner and outer annular strips in spaced-apart relation to one another, the exterior surface of the outer annular strip being formed to include an outer retainer receiver, the outer annular strip including an outwardly extending tear strip shield lip, and    a closure including a lid mounted on the brim to cover the opening into the interior basin region and a tear strip appended to the lid along a frangible tear line, the lid including an outer retainer arranged to extend into the outer retainer receiver formed in the exterior surface of the outer annular strip of the brim to retain the lid in a mounted position on the brim of the container, and wherein the outwardly extending tear strip shield is arranged to lie under and in close proximity to the tear strip.    
     
     
         26 . The canister of  claim 25 , wherein the outer annular strip farther includes a downwardly extending wall having an upper end coupled to the laterally extending bridge and a lower end coupled to the outwardly extending tear strip shield lip and the downwardly extending wall is formed to include the outer retainer receiver.  
     
     
         27 . The canister of  claim 26 , wherein the laterally extending annular bridge lies in a first reference plane and the outwardly extending tear strip shield lip extends away from the basin in a lateral direction relative to the downwardly extending wall and lies in a second reference plane that is oriented to lie in substantially spaced-apart parallel relation to the first reference plane.