Abstract:
A resealable tamper evident container including a first material with a first adhesive at least about a portion of the perimeter of the first material where the first material is at least partially perforated about the perimeter of the first material. The container further includes a second material with a second adhesive at least about a portion of the perimeter of the second material where the first material is engaged with the second material such that at least a portion of the first adhesive remains exposed. The container also includes a tray with a cavity and a flange extending about at least a portion of the perimeter of the tray where the tray is releasably engaged to the second material by at least a portion of the second adhesive.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates in part to point of purchase display packaging and in part to resealable containers for any number or kinds of items. 
     Point of purchase display packaging often consists of a display card with merchandise either shrink-wrapped against the card, or contained in a clear plastic vacuum-formed container, which is adhered to a card by adhesive. In either case the seal between the card and the clear plastic wrap or container is destroyed when the container is first opened. 
     In one variation on such packaging, the card itself is perforated behind the plastic container. The package is opened by breaking open the card along the perforations. The seal is thus also permanently broken when the card is opened along the perforations. 
     At one time, hardware product was sold in a container with a cover adhered to the container by a resealable adhesive, such that the container could be opened to remove some product, but resealed to contain the balance of the product. However, the container opened in the store such that product spilled out. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,389,827 to Abere et al. discloses an easy opening container sealed with pressure sensitive sealing tape. U.S. Pat. No. 5,725,311 to Ponsi et al. provides a resealable package for cloths, wherein an adhesive layer tab is removed and replaced providing access to the contents of the container. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect, the present invention is a package with a tamper evident resealable adhesive cover, and to a resealable container with a double adhesive seal, one which is releasably resealable, and one which is more permanent such that product contained in the container cannot accidentally spill out of the container prematurely. The cover is adhered to at least a portion of the surface of the container adjacent the perimeter of the container opening by a releasable resealable adhesive, and includes a tamper indicator, which extends beyond the opening perimeter surface, and is separable from the rest of the cover. The tamper indicator is adhered to a substrate, which also extends beyond the opening perimeter surface, by an adhesive, which is permanent rather than releasable and resealable. Thus, the cover has to be separated from the tamper indicator in order to first open the container. This affords visual evidence that the cover has been opened a first time, even after it is resealed to the container, and also provides a second seal against accidental opening. 
     In one aspect of the invention, the substrate to which the tamper indicator is adhered is an extension of the container surface. In another aspect of the invention, however, it is a separate member, which traps a flange on the container between the cover and the substrate. When the cover is opened, the tamper indicator and the substrate are then separable from the resealable container. 
     In another aspect, the invention comprises a resealable container, preferably a display pack, with an easy to manufacture resealable adhesive cover. The underside of the cover can be completely covered with said releasable, resealable adhesive, but that portion of the cover which overlies the container opening can itself be substantially covered by a layer of material, which prevents the contents of the container from contacting the releasable, resealable adhesive. The use of the covering layer eliminates the need to apply adhesive to only a portion of the cover undersurface in order to keep the container contents from being exposed to the adhesive. 
     Thus the present invention comprises a package which is user friendly, easy to open and easy to reseal. These and other features, advantages, and objects of the present invention will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by reference to the following specification, claims, and appended drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded back perspective view of one embodiment of the resealable tamper evident container; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded front perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded front perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIGS. 4-6 demonstrate the process of opening and use of the resealable tamper evident container; 
     FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the resealable tamper evident container taken along line VII—VII of FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the embodiment in which both the releasable, resealable adhesive and the permanent adhesive are adhered to a flange at the top of the container. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the resealable tamper evident package  10  includes a cover  12 , which is releasably and resealably adhered to the surface of the perimeter flange  20  of container  18  (FIG.  1 ). Perimeter flange  20  extends around the perimeter of the opening into the cavity  19  of container  18 . Cover  12  includes a perimeter portion  12   a , which serves as the tamper indicator for the resealable package. Tamper indicator  12   a  is adhered to substrate  28 , which can function as a display card for the package, such that flange  20  is trapped between cover  12  and display card substrate member  28 . 
     Cover  12  is preferably a film of flexible material, such as a coated paper or relatively thin cardboard, or a plastic material. Preferably, cover  12  is made of a coated paper. 
     In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the entire undersurface of cover  12 , including its tamper indicating perimeter portion  12 , is coated with a permanent adhesive layer  13 . The specific adhesive used will be selected as a function of the materials, which it must adhere. It must adhere permanently, as distinguished from releasably and resealably, to the material of cover  12  and display card substrate  28 . For the material used in the preferred embodiment, adhesive  13  is preferably a general-purpose hot melt adhesive with high initial tack and excellent ultimate adhesion. The adhesive should demonstrate good resistance to water, ultraviolet light, solvents, and deplasticizers. 
     In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, cover  12  comprises additional layers of material  14  and  16 . Layer  14  is a flexible film material, which can be of any of the materials described for cover  12 . Preferably, layer  14  is coated paper. Its undersurface is entirely coated with an adhesive layer  15 , except under tab portion  14   b . The absence of adhesive under  14   b  provides a composite tab  12   b - 14   b  which facilitate opening the cover. Adhesive  15  must be selected so that it is releasably, resealably adhered to the surface of perimeter flange  20 , but will be permanently adhered to the material of film layer  14 . Since container  18  is preferably vacuum-formed of a plastic material, preferably polyvinylchloride (PVC), and since layer  14  preferably comprises coated paper, we have found that an ultra removable acrylic adhesive is a suitable adhesive. It is designed to be easily removable from a wide variety of surfaces, excluding high surface energy substrates. It has a peel adhesion (TLMI method) of less than 0.3 lbs./in. (53 N/m), an application temperature from about 40° F. to about 110° F., a service temperature from about −20° F. to above 155° F. 
     Layer  14  is configured so that it covers the entire adhesive coated surface of cover  12 , except for the tamper indicating perimeter portion  12  thereof. Adhesive layer  13  permanently adheres film layer  14  to cover  12 . Layer  14  includes a tab  14   b  which underlies and is permanently adhered to tab  12   b  of layer  12 . 
     Adhesive coated layer  14  is itself partially covered by a third, covering film layer  16 , which can be of any of the materials described for cover  12 . Film  16  is made of a plastic, such as PVC, in the preferred embodiment. Its dimensions are such that it is generally coextensive with the opening into the cavity  19  of container  18 . When applied to the adhesive layer  15  on film layer  14 , it covers the central portion of adhesive layer  15 , but leaves the perimeter portion exposed. It is the exposed perimeter portion of releasable, resealable adhesive layer  15 , which releasably and resealably adheres to the upper surface of flange  20  on container  18 . 
     Substrate display card  28  is made of typical display card material. Cardboard is used in the preferred embodiment. Substrate display card  28  includes an opening  30  through which the cavity portion  19  of package  18 . Flange  20  of container  18  extends beyond the perimeter of opening  30  in display card  28 , such that it seats against the surface of display card  28 . The dimensions of container flange  20 , relative to the dimensions of cover  12 , including tamper-indicating perimeter  12   a,  are such that tamper-indicating portion  12   a  of cover  12  extends beyond the perimeter of container flange  20 . When cover  12 , including its adhered layers  14  and  16 , is assembled with package  18  and display card  28 , protective layer  16  prevents any material contained within the cavity  19  of package  18  from coming into contact with the releasable, resealable adhesive layer  15  on intermediate film layer  14 . The perimeter portion of intermediate film layer  14  is releasably and resealably adhered to flange  20  of container  18 , while the tamper indicating portion  12  of cover  12  extends beyond the perimeter of flange  20  and engages and is adhered to the surface of display card  28 . Container flange  20  is thus trapped between cover  12  and display card  28 , and is held in place against display card  28  by the adherence of the tamper indicating perimeter portion  12  of cover  12  to display card  28 . 
     Tamper indicating perimeter portion  12  of cover  12  is separable from the remainder of cover  12 , preferably by the provision of a perforation line between tamper indicating perimeter portion  12  and the remainder of cover  12 . The perforation extends all the way around cover layer  12 , spaced slightly inwardly from its perimeter, except that the perforation terminates on either side of tab  12   b.  This facilitates lifting the cover at tab  12   b - 14   b,  and separating the cover from the permanently adhered perimeter portion  12   a.  Cover  12  preferably includes a tab portion  12 , which overlies a notch  29  in cover  28 . When one wishes to open container  18 , one engages tab  12  with one&#39;s thumb, and peels cover  12  away from container  18 . Because adhesive layer  13  is permanently adhered to display card  28 , while adhesive layer  15  is releasably, resealably adhered to container flange  20 , the lifting or peeling of cover  12  away from container flange  20  causes the tamper indicating perimeter portion  12  of cover  12  to break away from the remainder of cover  12 . As a result, a user has a visible indication that container  18  has been opened. Further, container  18  is then separable from card  28 , and thereafter serves as an independent resealable container. 
     With reference to FIG. 7, whether or not advertising or another design is placed on protective layer  16 , a visual display article  23 , preferably a display card, may be spaced within the cavity  19 . Optionally, the visual display article may be adhered to either the inner surface or the outer surface of the cavity  19 . The visual display article may contain advertising or similar material. The visual display article is not necessary and, in some instances may be preferably omitted so that the product contained within the tray may be viewed and examined by a purchaser. 
     Another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 3 using identical reference numerals for identical elements and prime numerals for elements that are slightly varied. In this embodiment, adhesive  13 ′ is about the perimeter of the undersurface of cover  12 . It does extend inwardly from the perimeter of cover  12  such that layer  14  is adhered by adhesive  13 ′ to cover  12 . Likewise, the undersurface of layer  14  is coated with adhesive layer  15 ′ about the perimeter of its undersurface. Applying adhesive  15 ′ in this pattern obviates the need to use protective layer  16  to prevent material contained within the cavity  19  of package  10  from coming into contact with adhesive. There is no adhesive to come into contact with in the central portion of layer  14 . 
     Once a purchaser has purchased the product or products contained in the resealable tamper evident package  10 , to open the package (see FIGS.  4 - 6 ), the purchaser merely grasps the pull tab  26  of the flange  20  and pulls the container, protective layer and adhered layers  14  and  16  away from the backing. In doing so, the perforation along the perimeter of the layer  14  is broken demonstrating that the product has been opened. If the purchaser notices that the perforation has previously been broken, this demonstrates that the product inside may have been removed or otherwise tampered with. Once removed from the substrate, the substrate may be discarded and the container, protective layer and adhered layers  14  and  16  to allow the purchaser to repeatably access the contents of the tray. The releasable, resealable adhesive and/or the releasable, resealable adhesive and the permanent adhesive operate to allow the user to repeatably open the cover  12 , access the contents of the container, and re-adhere the cover to the flange of the container. When a visual display article is used, the visual display article may also function to describe the contents of the tray to the purchaser after the substrate has been discarded. 
     FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional, perspective view of yet another alternative embodiment in which no display card  28  is utilized. Container  30  is preferably vacuum-formed of a plastic such as PVC to include a recess or well  31  and a top perimeter flange  32 . As with the covers described above, the cover for container  30  is a composite of three layers of material,  42 ,  44  and  46 . Layer  42 , like cover layer  12 , is preferably a film of flexible material, such as coated paper, relatively thin cardboard, or a plastic material, most preferably a coated paper. It includes a perforation near its perimeter to create a separable portion  42   a,  which is comparable to separable portion  12   a  of cover layer  12 . Also as with cover layer  12 , the undersurface of layer  42  is entirely covered with a permanent adhesive  43 . 
     Adhered to layer  42  by permanent adhesive layer  43  is layer  44 , which like layer  14  is either a plastic film or, more preferably, a layer of coated paper. As with layer  14  in FIG. 1, layer  44  covers the entire undersurface of layer  42 , except for the tamper evident portion  42   a  thereof. Layer  44  also includes a tab portion  44   b  which underlies tab portion  42   b.  Layer  44  is entirely coated on its undersurface by a releasable, resealable adhesive layer  45 , except that releasable resealable adhesive layer  45  does not extend into tab portion  44   b.  The composite tab  42   b,    44   b  thus provides a tab which can be used to lift the composite cover from container  30 . 
     Layer  46  is comparable to layer  16 , and is configured to overlie only the opening portion of container  30 . In this way, it prevents the contents of container  30  from adhering to the adhesive layer  45  which underlies material layer  44 . 
     In use, the composite cover  42 ,  44 ,  46  is adhered to the upper flange or rim  32  of container  30 , with product located in recess or well  31 . To access the contents of the container, one lifts the cover at tab  42   b - 44   b , and peels the cover back, thus causing the cover to separate from portion  42   a  which is permanently adhered to flange  32  of container  30 . Container  30  can then be resealed by simply pressing the separated portion of the cover back down onto flange  32 , with the releasable, resealable, adhesive layer  45  adhering to perimeter flange  32 . 
     The solutions offered by the invention herein have thus been attained in an economical, practical, and facile manner. While preferred embodiments and example configurations have been shown and described, it is to be understood that various further modifications and additional configurations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It is intended that the specific embodiments and configurations disclosed are illustrative of the preferred and best modes for practicing the invention, and should not be interpreted as limitations on the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims and it is to be appreciated that various changes, rearrangements and modifications may be made therein, without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.