Secure locking container

Abstract

A secure locking container and lid assembly, including a resilient plastic container and lid, are closed by snap-lock engagement of the lid in a locking groove in the interior of the container mouth making it virtually impossible to manually remove the lid without damaging the container assembly or the product therein.

1 . A secure locking container and lid assembly comprising: 
 a resilient container having an open mouth defined by a generally vertical inner first wall portion, a generally horizontal second wall portion extending radially inwardly from a lower edge of said first wall portion, a locking bead uniformly distributed and extending peripherally along at least about 15% of the perimeter of and radially inwardly from said first wall portion, said bead having a generally planar lower surface spaced vertically above said horizontal second wall portion, such that said first wall portion, second wall portion and the lower surface of the bead define a locking groove; and    a resilient lid sized to fit within the locking groove of the container and having a peripheral lip arrangement, including an upper peripheral substantially planar lip portion, a downwardly extending intermediate web portion, and a lower substantially planar surface portion extending inwardly from a lower edge of said intermediate web portion and generally parallel to said lip portion;    whereby in response to vertical downward insertion of the lid into the mouth of the container, the lip arrangement overrides the locking bead and is inwardly deflected by contact therewith move past said bead and is locked in said locking groove to substantially preclude manual removal of the lid.    
     
     
         2 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said container locking bead includes a lead-in surface and the downwardly extending intermediate web portion of the lid is downwardly convergent to facilitate inward deflection of the lip arrangement during insertion.  
     
     
         3 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the container and the lid are generally rectangular with rounded corners and the locking bead comprises bead sections along each container edge between and interrupted by said corners.  
     
     
         4 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 3  wherein said locking beads include widened center portions between opposite bead ends to define deepened locking groove portions.  
     
     
         5 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 4  wherein said edge beads are tapered along their lengths to extend inwardly from the opposite bead ends.  
     
     
         6 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the distance between the lip portion and the lower surface portion of the lip arrangement is just slightly greater than the distance between the planar lower surface of the bead and the second wall portion of the container, whereby the lip arrangement fits snuggly in the locking groove.  
     
     
         7 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the distance between the lip portion and the lower surface portion of the lip arrangement is substantially less than the distance between the planar lower surface of the bead and the second wall portion of the container, whereby a clearance is provided between the lower surface of the bead and the upper lip portion of the lip arrangement.  
     
     
         8 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 7  including a thin flexible card inserted between the lower surface of the bead and the upper lip portion of the lip arrangement.  
     
     
         9 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 1  including a layer of adhesive applied to one of said upper lip portion and lower surface portion prior to insertion of the lid into the container.  
     
     
         10 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 9  wherein said adhesive comprises a UV curable adhesive.  
     
     
         11 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the container and the lid are rectangular and include respective linear mouth edge portions and lip portions, the opposite ends of one mouth edge portion having weakened wall portions permitting the edge portion to be broken and deflected away from the remaining container mouth and the lid to be slid along the locking grooves adjacent and perpendicular to said one mouth edge portion to at least partially remove the lid from the container.  
     
     
         12 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 11  wherein the weakened wall portions comprise perforations.  
     
     
         13 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein one of the surface of the lid and an opposite container bottom wall includes a knock-out panel permitting limited access to the interior of the container.  
     
     
         14 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 13  wherein the knock-out panel is defined by a perforated edge.  
     
     
         15 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 14  wherein opposite ends of the perforated edge are connected by a hinge line.  
     
     
         16 . The assembly as set forth in  claim 15  wherein the hinge line comprises a score line.