Container with crimped tamper-evident locking means

Abstract

A packaging container has an upper top member and a lower bottom member, and at least one cooperating locking means. Each locking means comprises an upstanding post and a cooperating opening or recess formed in extending lips of the top and bottom members. A weakened fault zone is formed in the immediate region of each post, or of each cooperating opening or recess, and circumscribes the same. The packaging container is locked in its closed position after it has been filled, by crimping the end of each post in an axial direction so as to mechanically deform the post. Any attempt to disengage a crimped post will result in failure of the respective weakened fault zone and may be construed as tampering, and thus the damaged material of the package in the region of the failed fault zone is evidence of tampering.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A packaging container having an upper top member and a lower bottom member, wherein the top and bottom members are adapted to fit to one another so as to lock the container in a closed condition by at least one cooperating locking means; wherein each cooperating locking means comprises an upstanding post formed in an outwardly extending lip on one of the top and bottom members, and an opening formed in an outwardly extending lip on the other of said top and bottom members;
 wherein each post has a base from which it is upstanding, a stem portion, and an end;   wherein the shape and size of each said opening is sufficient to accommodate the stem portion of the cooperating post when placed therein so as to extend therethrough;   wherein a weakened fault zone is formed in one of the immediate region of the outwardly extending lip in which each post is formed, and circumscribes the respective base thereof; or in the immediate region of the outwardly extending lip in which each opening is formed, and circumscribes the respective opening;   wherein the packaging container is locked in its closed position after it has been filled, by crimping the end of each post in an axial direction so as to mechanically deform at least the end of the post so that the material thereof extends radially outwardly beyond the outer periphery of the cooperating opening through which the post extends, so as to preclude removal of the post from the cooperating opening; and   wherein any attempt to disengage a crimped post from its cooperating opening will result in failure of the respective weakened fault zone circumscribing the base of the post or the opening through which the post has been placed;   whereby such attempt to disengage a crimped post from its cooperating opening may be construed as tampering, and so that the damaged material of the package in the region of the failed fault zone is evidence of tampering.   
     
     
         2 . The packaging container of  claim 1 , wherein said top and bottom portions are connected to each other by a flexible hinge means, and wherein there are at least two cooperating locking means. 
     
     
         3 . The packaging container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the openings are formed in the bottom portion thereof, and the upstanding posts are formed in the top portion thereof, and wherein the end is a convex end. 
     
     
         4 . The packaging container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the openings are formed in the top portion thereof, and the upstanding posts are formed in the bottom portion thereof, and wherein the end is a convex end. 
     
     
         5 . The packaging container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each respective post is configured so as to have a lower stem portion, and an upper engagement portion having an outwardly extending bead portion and a convex end, whereby an engagement zone of said post is formed around the periphery of said stem portion at least in the region immediately below said bead portion;
 wherein the shape and size of each said opening is sufficient to accommodate the stem portion of the cooperating post when fitted therein; and wherein the outwardly extending bead portion is larger than said opening, and at least said bead portion of the post is temporarily deformable so as to pass through said opening so that the engagement zone and said opening are in cooperating relationship to each other, whereby the container may be maintained in a closed condition.   
     
     
         6 . The packaging container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each respective weakened fault zone is formed by placing a plurality of perforations chosen from the group consisting of holes, slits, and slots, through the thickness of the material of the outwardly extending lip in which each post is formed, or through the thickness of the material of the outwardly extending lip in which each opening is formed. 
     
     
         7 . The packaging container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each respective weakened fault zone is formed by reducing the thickness and strength of the material of the outwardly extending lip in which each post is formed, or through the thickness of the material of the outwardly extending lip in which each opening is formed, by scoring or indenting the material. 
     
     
         8 . The packaging container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the material of the respective outwardly extending lips in which the openings are formed is hatched at least in the region immediately surrounding each respective opening. 
     
     
         9 . The packaging container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the material thereof is translucent. 
     
     
         10 . The packaging container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the material thereof is chosen from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene, polypropylene, and vinyl. 
     
     
         11 . A packaging container having an upper top member and a lower bottom member, wherein the top and bottom members are adapted to fit to one another so as to lock the container in a closed condition by at least one cooperating locking means;
 wherein each cooperating locking means comprises an upstanding post formed in an outwardly extending lip on one of the top and bottom members, and a cooperating recess formed in an outwardly extending lip on the other of said top and bottom members;   wherein the engagement of a post together with its cooperating recess is by friction fit so as to maintain the container in a closed condition, and may only be disengaged by applying sufficient disengagement force so as to overcome the friction fit;   wherein a weakened fault zone is formed in one of the immediate region of the outwardly extending lip in which each post is formed, and circumscribes the respective base thereof; or in the immediate region of the outwardly extending lip in which each recess is formed, and circumscribes the respective recess;   wherein the packaging container is locked in its closed position after it has been filled, by crimping the material of each cooperating post and its cooperating recess so as to mechanically deform the same, and thereby so as to preclude disengagement of any post from its cooperating recess; and   wherein any attempt to disengage a crimped post from its crimped cooperating recess will result in failure of the respective weakened fault zone circumscribing the base of the post or the opening through which the post has been placed;   whereby such attempt to disengage a crimped post from its crimped cooperating recess may be construed as tampering, and so that the damaged material of the package in the region of the failed fault zone is evidence of tampering.   
     
     
         12 . The packaging container of  claim 11 , wherein said top and bottom portions are connected to each other by a flexible hinge means, and wherein there are at least two cooperating locking means. 
     
     
         13 . The packaging container as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the weakened fault zone is formed by placing a plurality of perforations chosen from the group consisting of holes, slits, and slots, through the thickness of the material of the outwardly extending lip in which each post is formed, or through the thickness of the material of the outwardly extending lip in which each recess is formed. 
     
     
         14 . The packaging container as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the weakened fault zone is formed by reducing the thickness and strength of the material of the outwardly extending lip in which each post is formed, or through the thickness of the material of the outwardly extending lip in which each recess is formed, by scoring or indenting the material. 
     
     
         15 . The packaging container as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the material thereof is translucent. 
     
     
         16 . The packaging container as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the material thereof is chosen from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene, polypropylene, and vinyl. 
     
     
         17 . A method of locking a packaging container having an upper top member and a lower bottom member, wherein the top and bottom members are adapted to fit to one another so as to lock the container in a closed condition by at least one cooperating locking means;
 wherein each cooperating locking means comprises an upstanding post formed in an outwardly extending lip on one of the top and bottom members, and an opening formed in an outwardly extending lip on the other of said top and bottom members;   wherein each post has a base from which it is upstanding, a stem portion, and an end;   wherein the shape and size of each said opening is sufficient to accommodate the stem portion of the cooperating post when placed therein so as to extend therethrough;   wherein said method comprises the steps of:   (a) filling the container with the intended product;   (b) closing the container so that each post is received in its respective opening, and so that the end of each post has passed through its respective opening; and   (c) crimping each post at least at the end thereof in an axial direction of each post, so as to mechanically deform the end of the post so that the material thereof extends radially outwardly beyond the outer periphery of the cooperating opening through which the post extends, and thereby so as to preclude removal of the post from the cooperating opening.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein step (c) is carried out using a tool chosen from the group consisting of pliers, a staking machine, and a set of pinch rollers. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said end is a convex end. 
     
     
         20 . A method of locking a packaging container having an upper top member and a lower bottom member, wherein the top and bottom members are adapted to fit to one another so as to lock the container in a closed condition by at least one cooperating locking means;
 wherein each cooperating locking means comprises an upstanding post formed in and outwardly extending lip on one of the top and bottom members, and a cooperating recess formed in an outwardly extending lip on the other of said top and bottom members;   wherein the engagement of a post together with its cooperating recess is by friction fit so as to lock the container in a closed condition, and may only be disengaged by applying sufficient disengagement force so as to overcome the friction fit;   wherein a weakened fault zone is formed in the immediate region of the outwardly extending lip in which each post is formed, and circumscribes the base thereof;   wherein said method comprises the steps of:   (a) filling the container with the intended product;   (b) closing the container so that each post is received in its respective opening, and so that the convex end of each post has passed through its respective opening; and   (c) crimping each upstanding post and its cooperating recess in an axial direction of each post, so as to mechanically deform the material of each respective upstanding post and its cooperating recess, and thereby so as to preclude removal of the post from the cooperating recess.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein step (c) is carried out using a tool chosen from the group consisting of pliers, a staking machine, and a set of pinch rollers.