Patent EP0111900A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0111900A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Tamper visible indicator for container lid
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1983-12-15
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2003-12-15
Abstract
Abstract (57) A disc or other insert 14, 64, 110, 170, 220 placed on the neck 48, 104 of a container 50, 102 provides a visible indication that the lid 40, 120, 146, 200, 210 of the container had been removed or tampered with. An indicator 30, 74, 84, 112, 176 is provided on the disc surfaces and it changes its character to provide its indication upon removal of the lid. For example, the indicator might be microencapsulated, and the microcapsules would be broken upon separation of the discs. Means 12, 70, 86, 90, 126, 174, 202, 214 in the lid rub the indicator for activating it. In a variant of this, the lid 120, 146, 200, 210 is transparent and permits viewing of the indicator through the lid. The disc 220 may have a foam layer under the indicator for compensating for manufacturing tolerances.
Inventors
- 👤 Milton Schonberger
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 10:37
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D55/00; B65D55/02; B65D55/06; B65D55/066; B65D55/026
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
149 words
A container and lid for indicating that lid removal has been attempted, comprising: a container body having an opening into it and the opening being surrounded and defined by a neck of the container; a lid for the container neck; the lid having a top which covers the container opening at the neck; a container insert for emplacement on the container neck; the insert having an upper surface facing toward the top of the lid; indication means at one of the top of the lid facing downward toward the insert and the upper surface of the insert facing toward the lid; and the indication means being adapted to respond to at least the commencement of removal of the lid from the container neck and from the insert secured to the neck wherein the indication means is activated to provide an indication upon that at least commencement of lid removal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
149 words
A container and lid for indicating that lid removal has been attempted, comprising: a container body having an opening into it and the opening being surrounded and defined by a neck of the container; a lid for the container neck; the lid having a top which covers the container opening at the neck; a container insert for emplacement on the container neck; the insert having an upper surface facing toward the top of the lid; indication means at one of the top of the lid facing downward toward the insert and the upper surface of the insert facing toward the lid; and the indication means being adapted to respond to at least the commencement of removal of the lid from the container neck and from the insert secured to the neck wherein the indication means is activated to provide an indication upon that at least commencement of lid removal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
The container of claim 1, wherein the container insert is initially inserted into the lid.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
The container of claim 1, wherein the top of the lid is of material permitting viewing beneath the lid so that the indication means is visible through the top of the lid.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The container of claim 3, wherein the indication means is at the upper surface of the insert.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
The container of claim 1, wherein the other of the-top of the lid facing downward and the upper surface of the lid from the indication means carries activating means for activating the indication means in response to at least commencement of lid removal from the container.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
56 words
The container of claim 5, wherein the indication means is adapted to be activated by being rubbed; the activating means is adapted for rubbing the indication means; the lid and the container body being adapted for the lid to be moved with respect to the container body to effect removal of the lid from the container.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
93 words
The container of claim 6, wherein the indicating means includes a microencapsulated substance supported on the respective one of the upper surface of the insert and the top of the lid; and the activating means comprises rupture means on the other of the upper surface of the insert and the top of the lid for rupturing microcapsules, which microcapsules encapsulate the substance, when lid removal from the container body is at least commenced, the indicating means responding to the rupturing of the microcapsules by changing a human perceivable characteristic of the indicating means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The container of claim 7, wherein the rupture means projects from the lid toward the indicator.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
The container of claim 7, wherein the lid is of material permitting viewing beneath the lid so that the indicator is visible through the lid.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
The container of claim 7, wherein said human perceivable characteristic is a tactile characteristic.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The container of claim 7, wherein said human perceivable characteristic is a visual characteristic.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
12 . The-container of claim 7, further comprising a thin film covering the indicator for containing it on the one of the container and the lid.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
The container of claim 7, wherein the rupture means comprises a plurality of projections defined on the underside of the lid for rubbing the indicator and rupturing the microcapsules as the lid is removed from the container.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
The container of claim 4, wherein the top of the lid carries activating means for activating the indication means in response to at least commencement of lid removal from the container.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
58 words
The container of claim 1 4 , wherein the indication means is adapted to be activated by being rubbed; the activating means is adapted for rubbing the indication means; the lid and the container body being adapted for the lid to be moved with respect to the container body to effect removal of the lid from the container.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
52 words
The _container of claim 15, wherein the lid is moved with respect to the container during its removal, and the insert remains with the container during lid removal, whereby the lid and the upper surface of the insert move with respect to each other for rubbing the indication means for activating it.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
28 words
The container of claim 15, wherein the activating means comprises a rigid blade defined beneath the lid and shaped and sized for engaging and rubbing the indication means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
36 words
.18. The container of claim 15 , wherein the indication means is adapted for being activated by being rubbed and the activating means comprises a flap biased toward the indication means for rubbing the indication means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
39 words
The container of claim 1 5 , wherein the rupture means comprises a plurality of projections defined on the underside of the lid for rubbing the indicator and rupturing the microcapsules as the lid is removed fron the container.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
27 words
The container of claim 19, wherein the indication means comprises a disc for being supported on the co n - tainer body and carrying the microcapsules thereon.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
72 words
. The container of claim 2 0 , wherein the disc has a plurality of layers including a bottom supporting layer for sitting on the neck of a container, a deformable top layer carrying the indicating means thereon and facing toward the lid and a cushion layer between the bottom and top layers, and the cushion layer being adapted to deform for adjusting the tolerances in the container and the lid fabrication.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
13 words
The container of claim 21, wherein the cushion layer is of foam material.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
110 words
23 . The container of claim 1, wherein the indication means is adapted to be activated by being rubbed; rub- bin 4 means on the other of the lid and the insert for rubbing and activating the indication means; the lid and the container body being adapted for the lid to be moved with respect to the container body to effect removal of the lid from the container; the lid, which is moved with respect to the container upon its removal, and the upper surface of the insert, which remains with the container during lid removal, move with respect to each other for rubbing the indication means for activating it.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
20 words
24 . The container of claim 23 , wherein the rubbing means comprises a flap biased toward the indication means.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
69 words
The container of claim 24 , wherein the flap is shaped and oriented to slide lightly over the indication means when the lid is moved in one direction with respect to the container, but the flap is biased to attempt to resist reverse direction motion of the lid with respect to the container, and the attempted resistance against reverse direction rotation rubs and causes activation of the indicator means.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
33 words
The container of claim23 , wherein the indication means comprises a microencapsulated liquid, and the microcapsules of liquid are placed for being broken upon movement of the lid with respect to the container.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
45 words
The lid insert of claim 1, wherein the indication means comprises two separate components which, when mixed together, produce an indication responsive to that mixing, and the components are placed such that upon separation of the lid and the container, the components are mixed together.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
35 words
The lid insert of claim 27, wherein at last one of the components comprises a microencapsulated liquid, and the microcapsules of liquid are placed for being broken upon separation of the lid and the container.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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