Plug for container

Abstract

An embodiment of a plug for insertion into an opening of a container has a handle attached to a wall of the plug and at least one line of weakness in the wall. When a force is exerted on the handle to remove the plug from the opening, the wall tends to fail along said at least one line of weakness, thus showing tamper evidence and releasing the plug for removal.

1 . A plug for securely covering an opening of a container, the plug comprising: 
 a floor defining a periphery;    a wall extending from the periphery of the floor, the wall being structured to engage the container;    at least one line of weakness defined in the wall or the floor of said plug; and    said plug being structured to be retained over the opening of the container and to fail along the at least one line of weakness upon the application of a force exerted on said plug in a direction to remove said plug from said opening, and after failure of said at least one line of weakness at least a part of said plug is removable from said opening.    
   
   
       2 . The plug according to  claim 1 , further comprising a handle attached to said plug adjacent to the at least one line of weakness; whereby a force exerted on said handle to remove said plug from said opening will cause the plug to fail along said at least one line of weakness.  
   
   
       3 . The plug according to  claim 2 , further comprising two said lines of weakness generally parallel to one another, said handle being attached between said two lines of weakness.  
   
   
       4 . The plug according to  claim 2 , wherein said handle is an elongate handle having a pair of ends, one of said ends being attached to said wall of said plug, and wherein at least one said line of weakness extends from one of said two ends to the other of said two ends.  
   
   
       5 . The plug according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one said line of weakness extends to a free edge of said wall.  
   
   
       6 . The plug according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one line of weakness encircles said floor.  
   
   
       7 . The plug according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one line of weakness extends from said floor over said tubular part to a free edge of said wall.  
   
   
       8 . The plug according to  claim 1 , further comprising ribs projecting from the wall of said plug, the ribs being structured to engage the sides of said container opening.  
   
   
       9 . The plug according to  claim 8 , wherein said ribs are substantially transverse to a usual direction of installation of said plug into said container opening.  
   
   
       10 . The plug according to  claim 9 , wherein at least some of said ribs project from a surface of said plug oblique to said direction of installation, said at least some ribs being spaced apart in said direction of installation, said ribs further having free edges defining an imaginary surface that is more nearly parallel to said direction of installation than is said surface of said plug, said imaginary surface and said surface of said plug being furthest apart at the end of said plug that is intended to be installed furthest into said container opening.  
   
   
       11 . The plug according to  claim 8 , wherein said ribs are substantially parallel to a usual direction of installation of said plug into said container opening.  
   
   
       12 . The plug according to  claim 11 , wherein said ribs define a barb structured to engage said container upon installation of said plug over said container opening.  
   
   
       13 . The plug according to  claim 8 , wherein the at least one line of weakness is so positioned that failure of the plug along the at least one line of weakness permits the ribs to disengage from the container.  
   
   
       14 . The plug according to  claim 8 , wherein the ribs are structured to present less resistance to installation of the plug to cover the container opening than to removal of the plug from the container opening.  
   
   
       15 . The plug according to  claim 13 , wherein said ribs are sufficiently flexible to deflect on installation of said plug to cover an opening, and wherein said ribs are sufficiently stiff to remain in a deflected position and to transmit a compressive force having a component substantially parallel to the direction of installation to oppose movement in the direction opposite to the direction of installation.  
   
   
       16 . A container, comprising: 
 at least one wall defining the container and defining at least one open end; and    a plug, comprising: 
 a floor defining a periphery;  
 a wall extending from the periphery of the floor, the wall being structured to engage the container;  
 at least one line of weakness defined in the wall or the floor of said plug; and  
 said plug being structured to be retained over the opening of the container and to fail along the at least one line of weakness upon the application of a force exerted on said plug in a direction to remove said plug from said opening, and after failure of said at least one line of weakness at least a part of said plug is removable from said opening.  
   
   
   
       17 . The container according to  claim 16 , further comprising ribs projecting from the wall of said plug, the ribs being structured to engage the sides of said container opening.  
   
   
       18 . The container according to  claim 17 , wherein at least some of said ribs project from a surface of said plug oblique to said direction of installation, said at least some ribs being spaced apart in said direction of installation, said ribs further having free edges defining an imaginary surface that is more nearly parallel to said direction of installation than is said surface of said plug, said imaginary surface and said surface of said plug being furthest apart at the end of said plug that is intended to be installed furthest into said container opening.  
   
   
       19 . The container according to  claim 17 , wherein the ribs are structured to present less resistance to installation of the plug to cover the container opening than to removal of the plug from the container opening.  
   
   
       20 . The container according to  claim 19 , wherein said ribs are sufficiently flexible to deflect on installation of said plug to cover an opening, and wherein said ribs are sufficiently stiff to remain in a deflected position and to transmit a compressive force having a component substantially parallel to the direction of installation to oppose movement in the direction opposite to the direction of installation.