Tamper resistant seals for transparent or other egg cartons

Abstract

A tamper proof seal for egg cartons that is particularly suitable for transparent egg cartons is described The seal is typically located on the side rims of the tray and lid. The seal is comprised of first contact area on the tray rim and a second contact area on the lid rim. The first and second contact areas are mechanically engaged or bonded together to form a sealed area between the lid and the tray that prevents the lid from being opened from the tray. A tear-away section on the tray and lid rim surrounds the sealed area. The tear-away section allows the sealed area to be easily removed from the egg carton by tearing-away the sealed area from the rim thereby allowing the egg carton to be opened.

1 . An egg carton comprising, 
 a tray with a plurality of egg compartments and an upper portion defining a tray rim,    a lid hingedly connected to the tray to permit opening and closing of the lid over the tray; the lid having a lower portion defining a lid rim,    a first contact area on the tray rim and a corresponding second contact area on the lid rim, the first contact area and the second contact area being configured to be in contact with one another when the lid is closed over the tray, and where in a first condition the first and second contact areas include a sealed area between the lid and the tray that prevents the lid from being opened from the tray; and    a tear-away section on the tray rim and lid rim, the tear-away section being configured to remove the sealed area from the lid and tray rims when the tear-away section is removed in a second condition that permits the lid to be opened from the tray.    
   
   
       2 . The egg carton of  claim 1  wherein the egg carton is made of transparent polymeric material.  
   
   
       3 . The egg carton of  claim 2  wherein the transparent polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of a polylactic acid polymer, a poly glycolic acid polymer, and a polylactic-glycolic acid co-polymer.  
   
   
       4 . The egg carton of  claim 25  wherein the material is polylactic acid.  
   
   
       5 . The egg carton of  claim 1  wherein the first and second contact areas are located on an end of the tray and lid rims, respectively.  
   
   
       6 . The egg carton of  claim 1  wherein one of the first and second contact portions comprises a protrusion, the other of the first and second contact portions comprises a hole dimensioned to receive the protrusion, and the seal comprises a region where a top portion of the protrusion is expanded over a perimeter of the hole.  
   
   
       7 . The egg carton of  claim 6  wherein the protrusion includes upper portion that fits into a perimeter of the hole, the upper portion configured to be collapsible over the hole to form a greater perimeter over the hole than when the upper portion is not collapsed over the hole.  
   
   
       8 . The egg carton of  claim 6  wherein the upper portion of the protrusion is domed shaped.  
   
   
       9 . The egg carton of  claim 6  wherein the upper portion of the protrusion is flanged relative to a lower portion of the protrusion.  
   
   
       10 . The egg carton of  claim 6  wherein a perimeter of the upper portion of the protrusion is fluted around a cylindrical cross section of the protrusion.  
   
   
       11 . The egg carton of  claim 6  wherein the upper portion of the protrusion includes flaps that are outwardly bendable over the perimeter of the hole.  
   
   
       12 . The egg carton of  claim 6  wherein the perimeter of the hole is raised to form a collar around the hole.  
   
   
       13 . The egg carton of  claim 1  wherein the first and second contact portions are sealably engaged by being bonded together.  
   
   
       14 . The egg carton of  claim 13  wherein the bonded together portions of the first and second contact areas includes at least one of a melted, glued, and a co-solubilized portion of the first and second contact areas.  
   
   
       15 . The egg carton of  claim 13  wherein the first and second contact portions have flat surfaces bonded in contact with one another in the first condition.  
   
   
       16 . The egg carton of  claim 1  wherein the tear-away section on the tray rim and the lid rim comprises perforations through the tray and lid rims and the perforations at least partially surround the sealed area.  
   
   
       17 . The egg carton of  claim 16  wherein the perforations are configured in lines that meet at a vertex positioned interior to an edge of the tray and lid rims and behind the sealed area.  
   
   
       18 . The egg carton of  claim 16  wherein the perforations are configured in lines positioned interior to an edge of the tray and lid rims, wherein a slot is formed through at least one of the tray and lid rims, and the lines of the perforations end at the slot.  
   
   
       19 . The egg carton of  claim 16  wherein the perforations are configured in at least a partially circular arrangement with a portion of the perforations being positioned interior to an edge of the tray and lid rims behind the sealed area.  
   
   
       20 . The egg carton of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the tray rim and the lid rim include a slot positioned interior to an edge of the tray and lid rims and behind the sealed area, and the other of the lid and tray rims includes a tab configured to fit through the slot, and wherein the perforations end at the slot.  
   
   
       21 . The egg carton of  claim 1  wherein the tear-away section is formed on the side ends of the tray and lid rims.  
   
   
       22 . The egg carton of  claim 1  further including a flap attached to the tray, the flap including at least three buttons configured to engage corresponding holes in the lid to reversibly nterlock the tray and the lid.  
   
   
       23 . The egg carton of  claim 22  wherein the flap includes lattice struts that include a vertical portion and a horizontal portion transversely oriented to the vertical portion within a plane of the flap.  
   
   
       24 . The egg carton of  claim 23  wherein the lattice struts form a triangular cross sectional area.  
   
   
       25 . The egg carton of  claim 23  wherein the lattice struts form at least one of a “W” shaped and a half “W” shaped planar cross section in the flap.  
   
   
       26 . The egg carton of  claim 25  wherein at least two of the “W” shaped and/or half “W” shaped cross section is positioned less than 0.5 inches from a button on the flap.  
   
   
       27 . The egg carton of  claim 1  further including a rear tower element located interiorly at a rear section of the tray, the tower element including a tab positioned at an apex of the tower element configured to fit into a corresponding hole positioned on the lid when the lid is closed over the tray.  
   
   
       28 . The egg carton of  claim 1  further including a plurality of towers located in the tray between a plurality of adjacent egg compartments, each of the plurality of towers having an interior surface contiguous with an interior surface of the adjacent egg compartments.  
   
   
       29 . The egg carton of  claim 28  further including a rear tower element located interiorly at a rear section of the tray, the tower element including a tab positioned at an apex of the tower element configured to fit into a corresponding hole positioned on the lid when the lid is closed over the tray.  
   
   
       30 . The egg carton of  claim 28  wherein the towers extend upward from a tray rim for a height sufficient to contact an interior surface of a top of the lid when the lid is closed over the tray.  
   
   
       31 . The egg carton of  claim 28  wherein the tray has a tray rim and a guide element located at a rear comer of the tray rim, interior to, and extending above the tray rim, and configured to guide an interior surface of a rear comer of the lid over an exterior surface of the guide element.  
   
   
       32 . The egg carton of  claim 1  wherein the lid is hingedly attached to the tray with “W” shaped hinge.  
   
   
       33 . The egg carton of  claim 28  wherein the lid is hingedly attached to the tray with “W” shaped hinge.  
   
   
       34 . An egg carton comprising, 
 a tray with a plurality of egg compartments,    a lid hingedly connected to the tray with a “W” shaped hinge;    a closure flap hingedly connected to a front surface of the tray; the tray, lid and flap being made of a transparent polymeric material, and the flap having at least three button tabs configured to fit into at least one of corresponding holes and corresponding pockets in a front surface of the lid when the lid is closed and interlocked with the flap;    a first contact area on the tray rim and a corresponding second contact area on the lid rim, the first contact area and the second contact area being configured to be in contact with one another when the lid is closed over the tray, and where in a first condition the first and second contact areas include a sealed area between the lid and the tray that prevents the lid from being opened from the tray; and    a tear-away section on the tray rim and lid rim, the tear-away section being configured to remove the sealed area from the lid and tray rims when the tear-away section is removed in a second condition that permits the lid to be opened from the tray.