Tamper evident plastic dispensing container
Tamper-resistance is provided in spice container closures and containers through use of tamper-evident and/or tamper-resistant elements. A tamper evident closure includes a base, a cover, and a tamper strip, with the tamper strip being joined to the base and cover by a first hinge connecting the tamper strip to the base and a second hinge connecting the tamper strip to the cover. At least one dispensing port in the base is selectively coverable by a flap of the cover. The tamper strip is adapted to be manually torn away and fully released from the cover and base. The flap is hinged to the cover by a third hinge. In addition, or alternatively, a snap lock connection is formed between a container closure and the container.
1. A tamper evident closure, comprising:
a base having at least one dispensing port therethrough;
a cover having at least one flap removably covering the at least one dispensing port;
a tamper strip;
a first hinge connecting the tamper strip to the base; and
a second hinge connecting the tamper strip to the cover;
wherein the cover includes a support secured to the base, the at least one flap being hinged to the support at a third hinge, the third hinge oppositely disposed from the first hinge and the second hinge.
2. The tamper evident closure of claim 1 , wherein the base, the cover, the tamper strip, the first hinge, the second hinge, and the third hinge are a one piece integrally molded component.
3. The tamper evident closure of claim 1 , further comprising an at least one alignment structure between the base and the cover for securing the cover to the base, the at least one alignment structure is located on the support such that the support is a raised plane parallel to and above a plane that contains the base.
4. The tamper evident closure of claim 1 , wherein the first and second hinges comprise a plurality of thin tearable webs, wherein the tamper strip is adapted to be manually torn and fully released from the cover and the base.
5. A tamper evident closure, comprising:
a base having at least one dispensing port therethrough;
a cover having at least one flap removably covering the at least one dispensing port;
a tamper strip;
a first hinge connecting the tamper strip to the base; and
a second hinge connecting the tamper strip to the cover;
wherein the first and second hinges comprise a plurality of thin tearable webs, wherein the tamper strip is adapted to be manually torn and fully released from the cover and the base;
wherein the cover includes a support secured to the base, the at least one flap being hinged to the support at a third hinge.
6. The tamper evident closure of claim 5 , wherein the third hinge is oppositely disposed from the first hinge and the second hinge.
7. The tamper evident closure of claim 5 , wherein:
the base includes a plurality of the dispensing ports;
the cover includes a plurality of the flaps with each of the plurality of flaps removably covering a corresponding one of the plurality of dispensing ports; and the tamper evident closure has a generally rectangular configuration adapted for a spice container.
8. The tamper evident closure of claim 5 , wherein the support is plastically welded to the base.
9. The tamper evident closure of claim 8 , further comprising an alignment and welding mechanism between the base and the cover for plastic welding the support to the base, the alignment and welding mechanism including a plurality of weld posts received in a plurality of receiving pockets.
10. The tamper evident closure of claim 5 , wherein the base includes a platform and a pair of skirts depending downwardly from the platform, the pair of skirts defining a receiving channel therebetween adapted to receive a top free edge of a container.
11. The tamper evident closure of claim 5 , wherein, the cover is disposed on top of the base in a substantially parallel manner to form a juncture between the cover and the base, with the first and second hinges and the tamper strip joining the cover to the base along adjacent edges of the cover and base, and the tamper strip spanning the juncture between the base and cover.
12. The tamper evident closure of claim 5 , wherein the base, the cover, the tamper strip and the hinges are a one piece integrally molded component.
13. The tamper evident closure of claim 12 , wherein the cover is folded on top of the base via the hinges and the tamper strip.
14. A method of providing a tamper strip on a container, comprising:
connecting a tamper strip to a base along a first pivot location;
connecting the tamper strip to a cover along a second pivot location spaced from the first pivot location; and
folding the cover on top of the base by pivoting the tear strip relative to the base about the first and second pivot locations;
securing the cover to the base at a support structure disposed on a plane that is parallel to and elevated from a plane that contains the base.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the base includes at least one dispensing port therethrough and the cover includes at least one flap removably covering the at least one dispensing port.
16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising hinging the at least one flap at a third pivot location located on the support structure and oppositely disposed from the first pivot location and the second pivot location.