Closure with tamper evident secondary piece

Abstract

Embodiments in accordance with the present invention relate to a dispensing closure that comprises a tamper evident secondary lock. Provided is a dispensing closure that encompasses a lid portion and a body portion configured to operatively engage a container. The tamper evident secondary lock is configured to be coupled with the body portion of the dispensing closure and to prevent access to the container and its contents until a tamper evident portion of the secondary lock has been removed. In this manner an end-user can readily determine if the container has been opened prior to the end-user's first use and thus be alerted to possible tampering with the contents of the container. Also provided are embodiments directed to a container assembly and a method for forming the closure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A closure, comprising:
 a lid portion;   the lid portion comprising a body portion configured to operatively engage the lid portion; and   a secondary lock operatively engaged with the body portion, the secondary lock comprising a tamper evident upper portion configured to engage with the lid portion and a lower portion configured to engage with the body portion.   
     
     
         2 . The closure of  claim 1 , wherein the lid portion is formed of a first colored material and the secondary lock is formed of a second colored material, different from the first colored material. 
     
     
         3 . The closure of  claim 1 , wherein at least the tamper evident upper portion is configured to be removed upon a first opening of the lid portion. 
     
     
         4 . The closure of  claim 3 , wherein the tamper evident upper portion comprises a pull-tab configured to facilitate removal of such upper portion. 
     
     
         5 . The closure of  claim 1 , wherein the secondary lock further comprises an extension portion coupling the tamper evident upper portion to the lower portion, wherein the extension portion is configured to break or tear when the tamper evident upper portion is removed. 
     
     
         6 . A container assembly, comprising:
 a container; and   a dispensing closure attachable to the container, wherein the dispensing closure comprises:
 a lid portion; 
 a body portion configured to operatively engage the lid portion and the container; and 
 a tamper evident secondary lock operatively engaged with the body portion, wherein an upper portion of the tamper evident secondary lock is configured to be engaged with the lid portion and a lower portion of the tamper evident secondary lock is configured to be engaged with the body portion. 
   
     
     
         7 . The container assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the lid portion is formed of a first colored material and the tamper evident secondary lock is formed of a second colored material, different from the first colored material. 
     
     
         8 . The container assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the secondary lock further comprises an extension portion coupling the tamper evident upper portion and the lower portion. 
     
     
         9 . The container assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the tamper evident upper portion is configured to be removed upon a first opening of the lid portion. 
     
     
         10 . The container assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the tamper evident upper portion comprises a pull-tab configured to facilitate removal of such upper portion. 
     
     
         11 . The container assembly of  claim 8 , wherein extension portion is further configured to break or tear when the tamper evident upper portion is removed. 
     
     
         12 . A method of forming a tamper evident container, comprising:
 first forming a lid portion and a body portion of a closure, wherein the body portion is attached to the lid portion by one of a living hinge or a pivot hinge;   second forming a tamper evident secondary lock;   operatively engaging the tamper evident secondary lock with the body portion wherein the lid portion is closed with respect to the body portion;   coupling the body portion to a container; and   wherein a first portion of the tamper evident secondary lock is configured to remain engaged with the body portion and the container and a second portion of the tamper evident secondary lock is configured to disengage from the body portion.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein first forming the body portion comprises forming a skirt portion of the body portion wherein the skirt portion further comprises internal screw threads. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein coupling the closure to a container comprises coupling the internal screw threads of the skirt portion with screw threads of the container. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12  wherein first forming a lid portion and a body portion comprises first forming using a material of a first color and wherein second forming a tamper evident secondary lock comprises using a material of a second color different than the first color. 
     
     
         16 . The closure of  claim 5  wherein the lower portion comprising one or more extended areas and one or more indented areas wherein such extended areas and indented areas are configured to securely engage the tamper evident secondary lock with a body portion of a dispensing closure. 
     
     
         17 . The container assembly of  claim 6  wherein the body portion is non-removably engaged to the container. 
     
     
         18 . The container assembly of  claim 6  wherein the body portion of the dispensing closure further comprises a skirt portion having internal screw threads. 
     
     
         19 . The container assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the internal screw threads comprise a non-removable ratchet feature.