Tamper-evident lid for a container

Abstract

A lid and a combination of a tub and the lid, the lid comprising a web and a circumferential skirt depending thereon; wherein the skirt comprises at least one tab, a first retention tooth and a second retention tooth, the first retention tooth being molded on an inner surface of the tab; and wherein for positioning the lid in a first closed position on the tub, the first and the second retention teeth are engaged under a top lip of the tub by applying a pressure on the lid; when first opening the tub once the lid is in the first closed position, the tab is broken free from the skirt into a position of the tab in which the tab remains pivotably attached to the skirt, and the tab is pulled, causing disengagement of the first retention tooth from under the top lip of the tub, the second retention tooth acting as a pivoting axis for the lid.

1 . A combination of a tub and a lid, the lid comprising a web and a circumferential skirt depending thereon; wherein the skirt comprises at least one tab, a first retention tooth and a second retention tooth;
 wherein the first retention tooth is molded on an inner surface of the tab; and   wherein:   i) for positioning the lid in a first closed position on the tub, the first and the second retention teeth are engaged under a top lip of the tub by applying a pressure on the lid;   ii) when first opening the tub once the lid is in the first closed position, the tab is broken free from the skirt into a position of the tab in which the tab remains pivotably attached to the skirt, and the tab is pulled, causing disengagement of the first retention tooth from under the top lip of the tub, the second retention tooth acting as a pivoting axis for the lid.   
     
     
         2 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein:
 iii) further pulling on the tab pivots the lid up and away from the tub until disengagement of the second retention tooth from under the top lip of the tub; and   iii) once the tub is thus first opened, the lid is replaceable in a closed position by applying a pressure on the lid to reengage the second retention tooth under the top lip of the tub.   
     
     
         3 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the skirt further comprises at least one secondary retention rib on an inner surface thereof; and wherein:
 iii) further pulling on the tab pivots the lid up and away from the tub until disengagement of the second retention tooth from the top lip of the tub; and   iv) once the tub is thus first opened, the lid is replaceable in the closed position by applying a pressure on the lid to reengage the second retention tooth and the at least one secondary retention rib under the top lip of the tub.   
     
     
         4 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the second retention tooth and the tab are integrally molded in the skirt. 
     
     
         5 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the tab is defined by a line of weakness in the skirt prior to first opening of the tub, the line of weakness is broken when first opening the tub by pulling the tab. 
     
     
         6 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the tab is defined by a line of weakness in the skirt prior to first opening of the tub, the line of weakness is broken when first opening the tub by pulling the tab, and the lid becomes pivotable about the second retention tooth until disengagement of the second retention tooth from under the top lip of the tub. 
     
     
         7 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein, from the open position of the tub, the second retention teeth engages under the top lip of the tub by applying a pressure on the lid. 
     
     
         8 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein, from the first closed position, the first retention teeth disengages from the top lip of the tub by detaching the tab from the skirt into a pivotable position in which the tab, further pulled, initiates a pivoting movement of the lid, the pivoting motion of the lid under further pulling the tab causing disengagement of the second retention tooth from under the top lip of the tub. 
     
     
         9 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein, from the first closed position prior to first opening of the tub, pulling the tab causes breaking the skirt along a line of weakness initially defining the tab on the skirt and detaching the tab from the skirt, thereby disengaging the first retention tooth from under the top lip of the tub, into a position in which the tab, still connected to the skirt by a resulting live-hinge, is further pulled to disengage the second retention tooth from under the top lip of the tub. 
     
     
         10 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the second retention tooth is positioned generally opposite the first retention tooth on the skirt. 
     
     
         11 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the first retention tooth comprises a bottom wall at an angle relative to a normal to an inner surface of the tab. 
     
     
         12 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the first retention tooth is a hollow tooth. 
     
     
         13 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the second retention tooth comprises a bottom wall at an angle relative to a normal to an inner surface of the tab. 
     
     
         14 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the second retention tooth is a hollow tooth. 
     
     
         15 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the lid is a one-piece lid, integrally made of molded plastic. 
     
     
         16 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the skirt is molded and the web is a paperboard web. 
     
     
         17 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the tub is made in one of: i) paperboard and ii) plastic. 
     
     
         18 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the combination has one of a rectangular geometry, an oval geometry, a round geometry, and a square geometry. 
     
     
         19 . A lid for a tub, the lid comprising a skirt, a first retention tooth on a tab defined on the skirt by lines of weakness, and a second retention tooth on the skirt;
 wherein, in a first closed position of the lid on top of the tub prior to first opening, the first and the second retention teeth are engaged under a top lip of the tub; and   wherein, from the first closed position, the skirt is broken along the lines of weakness by pulling on the tab, the tab remaining pivotably connected to the lid, pulling on the tab disengages the first retention tooth from under the top lip of the tub, and pivots the lid about the second retention tooth away from the top of the tub until disengagement of the second retention tooth from the top lip of the tub.   
     
     
         20 . The tamper-evident lid of  claim 19 , wherein the skirt further comprises at least one secondary retention rib on an inner surface thereof; and once the tub is opened, the lid is positioned in a closed position by applying a pressure on the lid to reengage the second retention tooth and the at least one secondary retention rib under the top lip of the tub.