Pull tab on tear strip on plastic cover plastic cover, including break tab feature, and related apparatus and methods
View Patent ↗Apparatus and related methods for a container lid include a pull structure affixed to at least one end of a tamper evident tearstrip and positioned in an outer flange of the lid, the pull structure having a portion shaped to receive and engage a manipulator such as at least one finger of a user's hand, to assist the user to initiate tearing of the tearstrip from the lid. The shaped portion of the pull structure is configured to eliminate the need to grip the tearstrip between opposing digits of the user's hand. The lid may further include an extendible connection member positioned on at least one end of the tearstrip in an area or space generally defined as a “well.” Among other things, the extendible connection member can provide additional flex to a hinge portion of the lid, without destroying the subsequent tamper-evidencing value of the lid. A satellite ring may be attached to or provided on the lid or container to provide further tamper evidencing and protection to the lid assembly.
1. A plastic container and lid, comprising:
a container bead on an exterior of a container, the container exterior having at least one corner region;
a first flange below the container bead and extending from the container exterior;
a second flange below the first flange and extending from the container exterior, wherein the distance the second flange extends from the container exterior is greater than the distance the first flange extends from the container exterior, wherein the second flange crosses the corner region of the container exterior;
a third flange below the second flange and extending from the container exterior, wherein the distance the third flange extends from the container exterior is greater than the distance the first flange extends from the container exterior, wherein the third flange crosses the corner region of the container exterior;
a bumper contacting the second flange and the third flange;
a central body portion of a lid having a generally horizontal orientation;
an outer lid skirt extending generally vertically downward around a periphery of the central body portion;
a tearline on the outer lid skirt extending around the periphery of the central body portion defining between an upper portion of the outer lid skirt and a lower tearstrip portion of the outer lid skirt;
a lid bead on the interior of the tearstrip configured to secure the lid to the container and positioned to be below the container bead when the lid is secured to the container; and
an opening at a lateral end of the tearstrip and configured to receive a manipulator therein, wherein the tearstrip is configured to maintain the opening when the tearstrip is removed,
wherein the first flange is configured to extend from the container exterior at least to the lid bead and at most to the interior of the tearstrip when the lid is secured to the container,
wherein the second flange extends at least to the exterior of the tearstrip when the lid is secured to the container, and
wherein the tearstrip extends generally vertically downward to a close proximity with the second flange when the lid is secured to the container.
2. The plastic container and lid of claim 1 , further comprising:
a connector portion between a lower edge of the upper portion of the outer lid skirt and an upper edge of the lateral end of the tearstrip; and
a connector portion between the lower edge of the lateral end of the tearstrip and a lower edge of the outer lid skirt adjacent the lateral end of the tearstrip.
3. The plastic container and lid of claim 1 , wherein the central body portion of the lid is recessed below an upper edge of the opening.
4. The plastic container and lid of claim 3 , wherein the central body portion is above a lower edge of the opening.
5. The plastic container and lid of claim 1 , wherein the bottom of the lid bead is lower than the upper edge of the opening.
6. The plastic container and lid of claim 5 , wherein the bottom of the lid bead is higher than a lower edge of the opening.
7. The plastic container and lid of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first wall extending upwardly about the periphery of the central body portion;
a second wall extending upwardly and outwardly from the top of the first wall;
a third wall extending outwardly from the top of the second wall,
wherein the outer lid skirt extends generally vertically downward from the outer edge of the third wall; and
a inner lid skirt between the first wall and the outer lid skirt and extending downwardly from the underside of the third wall.
8. The plastic container and lid of claim 1 , further comprising:
a connector portion between a lower edge of the upper portion of the outer lid skirt and an upper edge of the lateral end of the tearstrip; and
a connector portion between the lower edge of the lateral end of the tearstrip and a lower edge of the outer lid skirt adjacent the lateral end of the tearstrip.
9. The plastic container and lid of claim 1 , wherein the lid bead is positioned to be above the first satellite ring when the lid is secured to the container.
10. The plastic container and lid of claim 1 , wherein the lateral end of the tearstrip is separated from the upper portion of the outer lid skirt by a gap.
11. The plastic container and lid of claim 1 , wherein lateral end of the tearstrip is coplanar with the upper portion of the outer lid skirt.
12. The plastic container and lid of claim 1 , wherein a width of the opening is greater than a height of a portion of the tearstrip.
13. The plastic container and lid of claim 1 , wherein the opening is substantially elliptical.
14. The plastic container and lid of claim 1 , wherein the lid bead includes an upper surface higher than an upper edge of the opening.
15. A plastic container and lid,
wherein the plastic container comprises:
a container bead on an exterior of the container, the container exterior having at least one corner region;
a first flange below the container bead and extending from the container exterior,
wherein the distance the first flange extends from the container exterior is greater than the distance the container bead extends from the container exterior;
a second flange below the first flange and extending from the container exterior,
wherein the distance the second flange extends from the container exterior is greater than the distance the first flange extends from the container exterior, wherein the second flange crosses the corner region of the container exterior;
a third flange below the second flange and extending from the container exterior,
wherein the distance the third flange extends from the container exterior is greater than the distance the first flange extends from the container exterior, wherein the third flange crosses the corner region of the container exterior; and
a bumper contacting the third flange; and
wherein the lid comprises:
a central body portion having a generally horizontal orientation;
an outer skirt extending generally vertically downward around a periphery of the central body portion;
a tearline on the outer skirt extending around the periphery of the central body portion defining between an upper portion of the outer skirt and a lower tearstrip portion of the outer skirt, the tearstrip having a first lateral end and a second lateral end opposite the first lateral end, wherein a portion of the tearstrip between the first and second lateral ends extends around the periphery of the central body portion, wherein the first lateral end of the tearstrip has an opening therein surrounded by portions of the first lateral end,
wherein the opening is sized to receive a finger therein, wherein the tearstrip is configured to maintain the opening when the tearstrip is removed,
wherein a lower edge of the tearstrip is configured to extend generally vertically downward to a close proximity with the second flange, where a distance between a top of the outer skirt and the lower edge of the tearstrip is generally the same around the periphery of the lid;
a lid bead on the interior of the tearstrip positioned to be below the container bead;
a first gap between an upper edge of the first lateral end and a lower edge of the upper portion of the outer skirt, wherein a distance between the upper edge of the first lateral end and the lower edge of the upper portion of the outer skirt is less than a height of the opening in the first lateral end;
a second gap between a lateral edge of the first lateral end and a lateral edge of the second lateral end, wherein a distance between the lateral edge of the first lateral end and the lateral edge of the second lateral end is less than a width of the opening in the first lateral end; and
a first connector portion in the first gap contacting the upper edge of the first lateral end and the lower edge of the upper portion of the outer skirt; and
a second connector portion in the second gap contacting the lateral edges of the first and second lateral ends.
16. The plastic container and lid of claim 15 , wherein the distance between the upper edge of the first lateral end and the lower edge of the upper portion of the outer skirt is less than a distance between an uppermost edge of the opening in the first lateral end and a center of the opening in the first lateral end.
17. The plastic container and lid of claim 15 , wherein the distance between the lateral edge of the first lateral end and the lateral edge of the second lateral end is less than a distance between an edge of the opening in the first lateral end that is closest to the first lateral end and a center of the opening in the first lateral end.
18. The plastic container and lid of claim 15 , wherein a height of the opening is greater than a height of the upper portion of the outer skirt.
19. The plastic container and lid of claim 15 , wherein the lid further comprises:
a first wall extending upwardly about the periphery of the central body portion;
a second wall extending upwardly and outwardly from the top of the first wall;
a third wall extending outwardly from the top of the second wall,
wherein the outer skirt extends generally vertically downward from the outer edge of the third wall; and
a inner skirt between the first wall and the outer skirt and extending downwardly from the underside of the third wall.
20. The plastic container and lid of claim 15 , wherein the lid bead is positioned to be above the first flange.
21. The plastic container and lid of claim 15 , wherein the first and second lateral ends of the tearstrip are coplanar with the upper portion of the outer skirt.
22. The plastic container and lid of claim 15 , wherein a width of the opening is greater than a height of a portion of the tearstrip.
23. The plastic container and lid of claim 15 , wherein the opening is substantially elliptical.
24. The plastic container and lid of claim 15 wherein the central body portion of the lid is recessed below an upper edge of the opening.
25. The plastic container and lid of claim 24 , wherein the central body portion is above a lower edge of the opening.
26. The plastic container and lid of claim 15 , wherein the lid bead includes an upper surface higher than an upper edge of the opening.
27. The plastic container and lid of claim 26 , wherein the bottom of the lid bead is lower than the upper edge of the opening.
28. The plastic container and lid of claim 27 , wherein the bottom of the lid bead is higher than a lower edge of the opening.
29. The plastic container and lid of claim 15 , wherein the lower edge of the tearstrip is configured to extend generally vertically downward to a substantially flush positioning with the second flange.
30. The plastic container and lid of claim 15 , wherein the lower edges of the first and second lateral ends of the tearstrip are configured to extend generally vertically downward to a close proximity with the second flange.