Tamper evident band for a food container

Abstract

An easy to open tamper evident band for a food container and, in particular, an easy to open tamper evident band with a pull tab extending past a seam and a perforation on the band for a frozen food container. The band withstands freezing storage temperatures and minimizes breakage of the band during freezing, storage, and transportation conditions while providing an easy way to open the band. The band is placed around the perimeter of the container and two end portions are sealed together at a seam, where one end portion extends past the seam and the other end portion to form a flap or pull-tab. The band also contains a perforation located between the seam and an end portion.

1 . A tamper evident seal for a container having an easy-open pull tab comprising:
 a band that is wrapped around a perimeter of a container rim, the band having a first end portion and a second end portion;   the first end portion overlaps the second end portion, and the second end portion is sealed to the band along a seam spaced apart from the first end portion;   a perforation adjacent the seam; and   the first end extends past the seam and past the second end to form the pull tab.   
     
     
         2 . The tamper evident seal of  claim 1 , wherein the container rim includes a lip of a lid and a portion of a base adjacent the lid, and the band includes an inner layer adjacent the container and an outer layer that overlaps the inner layer. 
     
     
         3 . The tamper evident seal of  claim 2 , wherein the pull tab extends from the seam to the first end and has an overlapping length of about 6.4 mm to about 25.4 mm. 
     
     
         4 . The tamper evident seal of  claim 2 , wherein the perforation is a line that generally spans an entire height of the band, from an upper edge adjacent the lid to a lower edge adjacent the base and is between the first end and the seam. 
     
     
         5 . The tamper evident seal of  claim 2 , wherein the perforation is located on the inner layer of the band and is covered by the outer layer of the band which also includes the pull tab. 
     
     
         6 . The tamper evident seal of  claim 2 , wherein the seam is positioned along the band between the inner layer and the outer layer and generally spans the entire height of the band from an upper edge adjacent the lid to a lower edge adjacent the base. 
     
     
         7 . The tamper evident seal of  claim 2 , wherein the band does not separate until a tearing force is applied and withstands temperatures as low as about −5° F. without separating. 
     
     
         8 . The tamper evident seal of  claim 3 , wherein one of the seam and the perforation do not separate until a tearing force is applied and both withstand temperatures as low as about −5° F. without separating. 
     
     
         9 . The tamper evident seal of  claim 2 , wherein the band is made of a polyvinyl chloride material. 
     
     
         10 . The tamper evident seal of  claim 2 , wherein the band has a height of about 34 mm, and keeps the lid and base joined together. 
     
     
         11 . The tamper evident seal of  claim 2 , wherein the pull tab is held in place against the inner layer of the band by an adhesive. 
     
     
         12 . The tamper evident seal of  claim 3 , wherein the perforation is held in place against the outer layer of the band by an adhesive. 
     
     
         13 . The tamper evident seal of  claim 2 , wherein the band is heat shrinked about the container rim and the seam is pre-sealed. 
     
     
         14 . The tamper evident seal of  claim 2 , wherein the seam is spaced from the first end portion and positioned between an inner side of the outer layer containing the first end portion and an outer side of the inner layer containing the second end portion, and at the second end portion. 
     
     
         15 . A method of removing a tamper evident seal on a container comprising:
 grasping a tab at an edge of a first end portion, wherein the first end portion overlaps a second end portion of a band positioned around a perimeter of the container and the second end portion is sealed to the band along a seam spaced from the first end portion; and   pulling the tab to break the band at one of a perforation or the seam.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the perforation is adjacent the seam on an inner layer adjacent the container. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the pull tab extends from the seam to the first end and has an overlapping length of about 6.4 mm to about 25.4 mm. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the band does not separate until a tearing force is applied and further withstands temperatures as low as about −5° F. without separating. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the band is made from a polyvinyl chloride material. 
     
     
         20 . A tamper evident band for a freezer container having an easy-open pull tab comprising:
 the band being wrapped around a perimeter of a container rim, the container rim comprising a lip of a lid and a portion of a base adjacent the lid;   the band having a first end portion and a second end portion, the first end portion overlapping the second end portion;   the second end portion is sealed to the band along a seam spaced apart from the first end portion, the first end portion extending past the seam to form the pull tab; and   a perforated line positioned between the seam and the first end portion.