Tamper evident feature

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a container having a container body and a collar integrally formed on the container body. The collar may include a discontinuous annular portion which extends circumferentially outward from the container body and includes a slot disposed therein. The collar may further include a tamper evident tab formed integrally with the discontinuous annular portion, the tamper evident tab having an annularly extending portion and an insert notch positioned on the annularly extending portion. The collar may also include at least one living hinge that joins the tab to the collar and at least one frangible connection which connects the tab to the collar prior to actuation of the tab. The container may further include a friction barrier located adjacent the discontinuous annular portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A container comprising a container body and a collar integrally formed on the container body, wherein when the collar is in an unopen position, the collar comprises:
 a discontinuous annular portion which extends circumferentially outward from the container body and includes a slot disposed therein;   a tamper evident tab formed integrally with the discontinuous annular portion, wherein the tab comprises:
 an annularly extending portion at least partially aligned with the annular portion of the collar; and 
 an insert notch positioned on the annularly extending portion; 
   at least one living hinge that joins the tab to the collar; and   at least one frangible connection which connects the tab to the collar prior to actuation of the tab;   wherein the container further comprises a friction barrier located adjacent the discontinuous annular portion.   
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the collar further comprises a discontinuous radially outward edge which extends vertically from the annular portion and extends substantially circumferentially about the container body. 
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein the tab further comprises a radially outward edge which extends vertically from the annularly extending portion of the tab and is at least partially aligned with the discontinuous radially outward edge of the collar. 
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 1 , the container further comprising a rim extending circumferentially around an upper portion of the container body wherein the friction barrier is positioned on a lower portion of the rim and the collar is located near an upper portion of the rim of the container body. 
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the friction barrier comprises a substantially three-dimensional teardrop shaped configuration, and wherein the friction barrier is positioned between the at least one living hinge and the slot. 
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 3 , wherein both the annular portion and the radially outward edge of the collar are discontinuous at the location of the tab, and wherein the annular portion of the collar is discontinuous at the same circumferential location as the radially outward edge of the collar. 
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one living hinge is on the opposite side of the tab as the at least one frangible connection, and wherein the slot is positioned more proximate to the at least one living hinge than the at least one frangible connection. 
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one living hinge connects the annular portion of the collar and the annularly extending portion of the tab, and wherein the at least one living hinge can bend and rotate without breaking from the collar and the tab. 
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one frangible connection joins the annular portion of the collar and the annularly extending portion of the tab, and wherein the at least one frangible connection joins the radially outward edge of the collar and the radially outward edge of the tab. 
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one frangible connection disconnects from the collar by the application of force. 
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the insert notch is configured to be removably inserted into the slot and the tab is disposed on or above the friction barrier when the at least one living hinge is in a hinged configuration. 
     
     
         12 . The container of  claim 11 , wherein the friction barrier aids in securing the tab in the hinged configuration. 
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the insert notch, the slot and the friction barrier comprise a locking mechanism. 
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 13 , wherein the locking mechanism includes the rotation of the tab towards and over the friction barrier until the tab is disposed on or above the friction barrier and the insert notch is removably inserted into the slot of the collar. 
     
     
         15 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one living hinge is offset from the radius of a cross section of the container. 
     
     
         16 . The container of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one living hinge is offset by between 0.30 degrees and 0.70 degrees, based upon the 360 degrees of the container. 
     
     
         17 . The container of  claim 15 , wherein the angle of the at least one living hinge is offset by between 0.40 degrees and 0.60 degrees, based upon the 360 degrees of the container. 
     
     
         18 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the container further includes a closure having a leading edge that is removably fitted on the container body adjacent the collar, wherein the collar covers the leading edge of the closure when the tamper evident tab is in the unopened position, and wherein the leading edge of the closure is accessible when the tamper evident tab is in an open position. 
     
     
         19 . A container comprising a container body and a collar integrally formed on the container body, wherein the collar comprises:
 a discontinuous annular portion which extends circumferentially outward from the container body;   a tamper evident tab formed integrally with the discontinuous annular portion and includes an annularly extending portion at least partially aligned with the annular portion of the collar;   at least one living hinge that joins the tab to the collar; and   at least one frangible connection which connects the tab to the collar prior to actuation of the tab;   wherein the container further comprises a tamper evident locking mechanism.   
     
     
         20 . The container of  claim 19 , wherein the locking mechanism includes a slot disposed on the discontinuous annular portion of the collar and an insert notch positioned on the annularly extending portion of the tamper evident tab. 
     
     
         21 . The container of  claim 20 , wherein the locking mechanism includes the rotation of the tab towards the slot and the removable insertion of the insert notch into the slot of the collar. 
     
     
         22 . The container of  claim 20 , wherein the locking mechanism further comprises a friction barrier located on the container adjacent the discontinuous annular portion. 
     
     
         23 . The container of  claim 22 , wherein the locking mechanism includes the insert notch being configured to be removably inserted into the slot and the tab being disposed on or above the friction barrier when the at least one living hinge is in a hinged configuration, and wherein the hinged configuration includes the at least one living hinge being partially or fully bent towards the slot without breaking. 
     
     
         24 . The container of  claim 19 , wherein the collar further comprises a discontinuous radially outward edge which extends vertically from the annular portion and extends substantially circumferentially about the container body, and wherein the tab further comprises a radially outward edge which extends vertically from the annularly extending portion of the tab and is at least partially aligned with the discontinuous radially outward edge of the collar. 
     
     
         25 . A container comprising a container body and a collar integrally formed on the container body, wherein when the collar is in an unopen position, the collar comprises:
 a discontinuous annular portion which extends circumferentially outward from the container body and includes a slot disposed therein;   a tamper evident tab formed integrally with the discontinuous annular portion, wherein the tab comprises:
 an annularly extending portion at least partially aligned with the annular portion of the collar; and 
 an insert notch positioned on the annularly extending portion; 
   at least one living hinge that joins the tab to the collar; and   at least one frangible connection which connects the tab to the collar prior to actuation of the tab.   
     
     
         26 . A container comprising a container body and a collar integrally formed on the container body, wherein when the collar is in an unopen position, the collar comprises:
 a discontinuous annular portion which extends circumferentially outward from the container body;   a tamper evident tab formed integrally with the discontinuous annular portion and includes an annularly extending portion at least partially aligned with the annular portion of the collar;   at least one living hinge that joins the tab to the collar; and   at least one frangible connection which connects the tab to the collar prior to actuation of the tab;   wherein the container further comprises a friction barrier located adjacent the discontinuous annular portion.   
     
     
         27 . The container of  claim 26 , the container further comprising a rim extending circumferentially around an upper portion of the container body, wherein the friction barrier is positioned on a lower portion of the rim, and wherein the collar is located near an upper portion of the rim of the container body. 
     
     
         28 . The container of  claim 26 , wherein the tab is rotated towards and over the friction barrier until the tab is disposed on or above the friction barrier. 
     
     
         29 . The container of  claim 26 , wherein the friction barrier includes a substantially three-dimensional teardrop shaped configuration, and wherein the friction barrier is positioned between the at least one living hinge and the slot. 
     
     
         30 . A method of using a container having a tamper evident system, the method comprising:
 providing a container body;   providing a collar integrally formed on the container body, wherein the collar comprises:
 a discontinuous annular portion which extends circumferentially outward from the container body and includes a slot disposed therein; 
 a tamper evident tab formed integrally with the discontinuous annular portion, wherein the tab comprises:
 an annularly extending portion at least partially aligned with the annular portion of the collar; and 
 an insert notch positioned on the annularly extending portion; 
 
 at least one living hinge that joins the tab to the collar; and 
 at least one frangible connection which connects the tab to the collar prior to actuation of the tab; 
   wherein the container further comprises a friction barrier located adjacent the discontinuous annular portion;   disconnecting the at least one frangible connection from the collar;   rotating the tab towards the slot and the friction barrier while the at least one living hinge bend towards the slot without breaking;   disposing the tab on or above the friction barrier; and   inserting the insert notch into the slot.