Food container having improved tamper evident features

Abstract

A plastic food container includes a lid adapted for sealing arrangement with a base. The rim of the base has an undercut formation adapted to receive the perimeter flange and flange tab of the lid when the lid and base are in the sealed arrangement. The flange tab includes an undercut release mechanism that allows a user to grasp a portion of the flange tab and initially open a sealed container via the extraction of the flange tab from the undercut formation by application of pulling force to the undercut release mechanism. The flange tab includes tamper evident means that provides visible indication that the undercut release mechanism has been utilized to initially open the sealed container.

1 . A plastic food container comprising:
 a lid adapted for sealing arrangement with a base;   the lid having a perimeter flange;   a flange tab integrally formed in the perimeter flange;   the base having a floor and a rim and a sidewall extending between the floor and the rim;   the rim of the base having an undercut formation, the undercut formation being adapted to receive the perimeter flange and flange tab when the lid and base are in the sealed arrangement;   the flange tab including an undercut release mechanism:   the undercut release mechanism being adapted to permit a user to: a) grasp a portion of the flange tab; and b) initially open a sealed container via the extraction of the flange tab from the undercut formation by application of pulling force to the grasped portion of the flange tab; and   the flange tab further including tamper evident means that provides visible indication that the undercut release mechanism has been utilized to initially open the sealed container.   
   
   
       2 . The food container of  claim 1  wherein the undercut release mechanism is integrally formed in the flange tab. 
   
   
       3 . The food container of  claim 1  wherein the tamper evident means includes a fracture line on the flange tab that ruptures upon utilization of the undercut release mechanism. 
   
   
       4 . The food container of  claim 3  wherein the fracture line is located, extended or patterned on the flange tab to enhance the deformation of the flange tab when the undercut release mechanism is utilized. 
   
   
       5 . The food container of  claim 2  wherein the undercut release mechanism is a grip tab defined by a frangible outline in the flange tab. 
   
   
       6 . The food container of  claim 5  wherein the grip tab can be extracted from the flange tab and placed in a graspable position via the application of finger pressure within the frangible outline. 
   
   
       7 . The food container of  claim 5  wherein the grip tab includes a pressing area formed in the grip tab and a pop-up tip, the application of downward pressure on the pressing area causing the pop-up tip to separate from the flange tab and assume a graspable position. 
   
   
       8 . The food container of  claim 1  wherein the lid is hinged to the base.