Hinged top container with tamper evident feature

Abstract

Various embodiments include a tamper evident container including a container base, a lid, and a tamper evident tab. The container base may include an inner chamber for holding one or more added substances and a container opening for accessing the inner chamber from outside the container base. The lid may be sized to securely close the container opening. The lid may prevent access to the inner chamber through the container opening from outside the container base without at least partially removing the lid from the container opening. The tamper evident tab may be pivotally secured to the lid and attached to the container base. Separation of the tamper evident tab from the container base may provide an indication that the tamper evident container has been opened.

What is claims is: 
     
         1 . A tamper evident container, comprising:
 a container base including an inner chamber for holding one or more added substances and a container opening for accessing the inner chamber from outside the container base;   a lid sized to securely close the container opening, wherein the lid prevents access to the inner chamber through the container opening from outside the container base without at least partially removing the lid from the container opening; and   a tamper evident tab pivotally secured to the lid and attached to the container base, wherein separation of the tamper evident tab from the container base provides an indication that the tamper evident container has been opened.   
     
     
         2 . The tamper evident container of  claim 1 , wherein the lid includes a tab stop that extends beyond an outer periphery of the container base, wherein the tamper evident tab is pivotally secured to the lid at a surface of the tab stop. 
     
     
         3 . The tamper evident container of  claim 2 , wherein the tamper evident tab is configured to pivot toward the tab stop once the tamper evident tab is separated from the container base. 
     
     
         4 . The tamper evident container of  claim 2 , wherein a distal end of the tab stop includes a locking notch configured to receive and hold an interlocking protrusion on the tamper evident tab. 
     
     
         5 . The tamper evident container of  claim 2 , wherein the tab stop includes an aperture and the tamper evident tab include a protruding element, wherein the tamper evident tab is configured to pivot toward the tab stop until the protruding element at least partially sits inside the aperture. 
     
     
         6 . The tamper evident container of  claim 1 , wherein the tamper evident tab is pivotally secure to the lid by a flexure bearing. 
     
     
         7 . The tamper evident container of  claim 1 , wherein the tamper evident tab is configured to remain pivotally secured to the lid once the tamper evident tab is separated from the container base. 
     
     
         8 . The tamper evident container of  claim 1 , wherein the tamper evident tab is integrally formed with the lid. 
     
     
         9 . The tamper evident container of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment between the tamper evident tab and the container base is configured to brake in response to pressure being applied to a distal end of the tamper evident tab in a direction away from the container base.