Container with curled tamper-evident band to retain closure

Abstract

A thin-walled, wide mouth molded plastic container is provided with a tamper evident band initially molded as a straight-walled cylinder spaced outwardly of the lip of the container and connected thereto by a frangible horizontal bridge. The upper edge of the cylindrical band extends above the level of the container lip. Subsequent to molding and preferably before capping, the band is curled inward by application of a curling tool. The container lid is axially applied, the outer edge of the lid displacing the curled band outward. The resilience of the band and bridge permits outward deflection and immediate restoration of the curl to its initial position. The curl prevents removal of the lid without fracture of the bridge and removal of the tamper-evident band.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A thin-walled, molded, resilient plastic container having an upper end comprising a wall having an upper lip having an uppermost edge, an initially cylindrical tamper-evident band spaced outwardly .Iadd.of said wall .Iaddend.and extending above the uppermost edge of said lip formed of a curlable material, .Iadd.at least a portion of said band being opposed to said wall, .Iaddend.and .Iadd.a .Iaddend.frangible .[.means.]. .Iadd.connection .Iaddend.joining said band to said wall adjacent said lip .Iadd.below said uppermost edge.Iaddend., said band being deformed, the upper portion of said band curling downward-inward in a curled portion, said curled portion having a terminal lowermost edge directly opposed to and spaced above said uppermost edge. 
     
     
       2. A container according to claim 1 in which said lip has a downward-outward curved extension, said frangible .[.means.]. .Iadd.connection .Iaddend.connecting a lower edge of said extension to a lower edge of said bend. 
     
     
       3. In combination, a container according to claim 1 and a lid, said lid comprising a top closing off the upper end of said container and extending outward beyond said lip and interposed between said lip and said lowermost edge of the inward curled portion of said band, a first portion engaging the inside of the upper portion of said wall below said lip and a peripheral depending skirt engaging the outside of said lip disposed inward of said band, whereby said lid cannot be removed without fracturing said frangible .[.means.]. .Iadd.connection .Iaddend.and removing said band. 
     
     
       4. In combination, a thin-walled molded, resilient plastic container having an upper end comprising a wall having an upper lip with a top surface initially cylindrical tamper-evident band spaced outwardly .Iadd.of said wall .Iaddend.and extending above the top surface of said lip formed of a curlable material, .Iadd.at least a portion of said band being opposed to said wall, .Iaddend.and a frangible .[.means.]. .Iadd.connection .Iaddend.joining said band to said wall adjacent said lip .Iadd.below said uppermost edge.Iaddend., said band being deformed, the upper portion of said band curling downward-inward in a curled portion, said curled portion having a terminus spaced above said lip, .[.sand comprising.]. .Iadd.and .Iaddend.a lid, said lid having a top closing off the upper end of said container, said top having an outer edge and an outward extending portion extending outward beyond said outer edge interposed between said lip and said terminus of the inward curled portion of the band, whereby said lid cannot be removed without fracturing said frangible .[.means.]. .Iadd.connection .Iaddend.and removing said tamper-evident band. 
     
     
       5. The combination of claim 4 in which said lip further comprises seal means sealingly engaging said .[.lip.]. .Iadd.lid.Iaddend.. 
     
     
       6. The combination of claim 5 in which the outer edge of said top engages an interior of said wall of said container and which further comprises an upward extending vertical edge, a ring extending outward from said vertical edge and engaging the top of said lip, and in which said terminus is located immediately above said ring. 
     
     
       7. The combination of claim 6 which further comprises a downward extending skirt on the outer edge of said ring, said skirt engaging an exterior of said lip. .Iadd. 
     
     
       8.  A plastic container comprising a body having an open end and a lip portion surrounding said open end, said lip portion having an outward extending surface and having an uppermost edge, a plastic band formed of a curlable material spaced outward of said body vicinal said open end, at least a portion of said band being opposed to said body,   a plurality of circumferentially spaced frangible connections frangibly attaching said band to said lip portion of said body below said outward extending surface,   said band having a distal portion deformable to an inward extending orientation directly opposed to and spaced from said outward extending surface, said band being deformed and said distal portion of said band curling downward-inward in a curled portion, said curled portion having a terminal lowermost edge directly opposed to and spaced above said uppermost edge. .Iaddend..Iadd.   
     
     
       9.  A container according to claim 8 in which said distal portion extends in a downward-inward direction toward said open end when said distal portion is deformed to said inward extending direction. .Iaddend..Iadd.10. A container according to claim 8 in which said lip portion has an annular rim adjacent said open end, said rim comprising said outward extending surface. .Iaddend..Iadd.11. A container according to claim 8 in which said lip portion further comprises a downward directed curved extension, and in which said frangible connections frangibly attach a lower edge of said 
     
     
        band to a lower edge of said extension. .Iaddend..Iadd.12.  In combination, a thin-walled molded, resilient plastic container and a lid, said container comprising a body having an open upper end comprising a wall having an upper lip portion surrounding said open end having a top surface, said lip portion having an outward extending surface, an initially cylindrical tamper-evident plastic band formed of a curlable material spaced outward of said body vicinal said open end and extending above said top surface of said lip, at least a portion of said band being opposed to said body, a plurality of circumferentially spaced frangible connections frangibly attaching said wall adjacent said lip portion of said body below said outward extending surface, said band being deformed and having a distal end portion deformed to a downward-inward curled portion having a terminus above said tip extending orientation directly opposed to and spaced from said outward extending surface;   said lid having a top covering said open end and a peripheral outer portion extending at least partially across said outward extending surface,   said outer portion of said lid being positioned between said outward extending surface and said end portion of said band when said end portion is deformed to said inward extending orientation to thereby secure said lid to said container, whereby said band may be removed fro said body by fracturing said frangible connections. .Iaddend..Iadd.13. The combination of claim 12 in which said lid further comprises seal means sealingly engaging said lip portion. .Iaddend..Iadd.14. The combination of claim 12 in which said lid has a downward-extending portion depending from said outer portion and positioned between said band and said lip portion. .Iaddend..Iadd.15. A plastic container comprising a body having an open end and a lip portion surrounding said open end said lip portion having an uppermost edge,   a plastic band formed of a curlable material spaced outward of said lip portion and connected to said body below said lip portion with a plurality of circumferential spaced frangible connections, at least a portion of said band being opposed to said body,   said band being deformed having a distal end portion deformable and curling downward-inward extending orientation directly opposed to and spaced above said lip portion in a curled portion having a terminal lowermost edge directly opposed to and spaced above said lip,   said frangible connections being intermediate said body and said distal end portion, whereby said band may be removed from said body by fracturing said frangible connections. .Iaddend..Iadd.16. A container according to claim 15 in which said distal end portion extends in a downward-inward direction toward said open end when said distal end portion is deformed to said inward extending orientation. .Iaddend..Iadd.17. The container of claim 15 in which said lip portion has an annular rim adjacent said open end, said rim comprising said outward extending body portion.   
     
     
        .Iaddend..Iadd.18.  In combination, a thin-walled molded, resilient plastic container body and a lid therefore, said container comprising a body having an open end comprising a wall and an upper lip portion having a top surface surrounding said open end, an outward extending body portion, and an initially cylindrical tamper-evident plastic band formed of a curlable material spaced outward of said outward extending and extending above the top surface of said lip of said body portion and connected to said wall of said body below said outward extending body portion and adjacent said lip with a plurality of circumferentially spaced frangible connections, said band having an upper distal end portion deformed and curling downward-inward in a curled portion having a terminus spaced above said lip to an inward extending orientation directly opposed to and spaced above said outward extending body portion,   said lid having a top covering said open end and a peripheral horizontally-extending outer portion extending at least partially across said outward extending body portion,   said distal end portion of said band overlapping said outer portion of said lid to thereby secure said lid to said container, whereby said band may be removed from said body by fracturing said frangible connections. .Iaddend..Iadd.19. The combination of claim 18 in which said lid further comprises seal means sealingly engaging said lip portion. .Iaddend..Iadd.20. The combination of claim 18 in which said lid has a downward-extending portion depending from said outer portion and positioned between said band and said lip portion. .Iaddend.