Patent Publication Number: US-11661248-B2

Title: Backward-folded opening-resistant container structure

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/368,773 filed on Jul. 6, 2021. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a container, and more particularly to a backward-folded opening-resistant container structure that is resistant against opening and is unrestorable upon opening. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
     Various plastic containers that are made through vacuum forming are available, including lower cases, cups, or bowls, for packaging food to keep the food fresh in supermarkets. Such products are generally made of clear materials, allowing general consumers to observe food therein in purchasing products in order to eliminate unnecessary arguing and quarrels after the sale. However, to inspect the food contained in such a container is intact and fresh, some consumers may open, without permission and authorization, the plastic container to directly inspect the food, and often, such products are not or cannot be restored to the original condition after such opening. This would lead loss of freshness for the food contained in the plastic container, and the plastic container is damaged and the outside appearance is affected. Further, if it is not timely recognized that the package container has been opened, the food contained therein may get deteriorating and this would cause a waste of food and is also an economic burden of the shops. In view of the above, the present invention aims to provide a backward-folded opening-resistant container structure, which achieves the purpose of opening preventing, opening recognizing, and unrestorability upon opening, in order to alleviate or overcome the drawbacks of the prior art and to improve the performance thereof. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the above drawbacks, the present invention provides a backward-folded opening-resistant container structure, which comprises: a first casing member, a second casing member combinable with the first casing member, wherein the first casing member is provided, on an outer side thereof, with a foldable member, which has an end connected to the outer side of the first casing member and comprises an insertion trough and an engaging member; and the second casing member is provided, on an outer side thereof, with a grip portion, the grip portion comprising a notch; and a break-away unit, which comprises a planar portion and a fastening portion, the planar portion having an outer side that is connected by means of a perforation line to the notch, the fastening portion comprising a hollow cylindrical body having an end that comprises an opening, the opening having an outer side connected to the planar portion, wherein the insertion trough is correspondingly combinable with the fastening portion and the foldable member is foldable to have the engaging member inserted into the opening, so that when the first casing member and the second casing member are separated, the perforation line is broken and the break-away unit detaches from the second casing member. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of the present invention in an opened state. 
         FIG.  2    is a perspective view showing a portion of the first embodiment of the present invention in an enlarged form. 
         FIG.  3    is a perspective view showing a fastening portion received in an insertion trough according to the present invention. 
         FIG.  4    is a schematic view, continuing from  FIG.  3   , showing a foldable member being folded. 
         FIG.  5    is a perspective view, continuing from  FIG.  4   , showing an engaging member being combined with an opening. 
         FIG.  6    is a perspective view showing the present invention in a closed state. 
         FIG.  7    is a schematic view, continuing from  FIG.  5   , illustrating a break-away unit being detached and separated from a notch. 
         FIG.  8    is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of the present invention in a closed state. 
         FIG.  9    is a perspective view showing the second embodiment of the present invention in an opened state. 
         FIG.  10    is a perspective view showing a portion of the second embodiment of the present invention in an enlarged form. 
         FIG.  11    is a schematic view, continuing from  FIG.  10   , showing a foldable member being folded. 
         FIG.  12    is a perspective view, continuing from  FIG.  11   , showing an engaging member being combined with an opening. 
         FIG.  13    is a schematic view, continuing from  FIG.  12   , illustrating a break-away unit being detached and separated from a notch. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     For easy description of the contents of the present invention, and the effectiveness achieved thereby, an embodiment is provided, with reference being had to the attached drawings. As shown in  FIGS.  1  and  2   , the present invention provides, in a first embodiment, a backward-folded opening-resistant container structure, which comprises: 
     a first casing member  10 ; 
     at least one foldable member  20 , which has an end connected to an outer side of the first casing member  10  and comprises an insertion trough  21  and an engaging member  22 , a folding portion  23  that is made elastic being included between the insertion trough  21  and the engaging member  22 ; 
     a second casing member  30 , which has an interior that includes a receiving space  31  in communication with the outside, the first casing member  10  being combinable with the second casing member  30  in a detachable manner, in order to close the receiving space  31 , the second casing member  30  having a top from which at least one grip portion  32  extends outward in a horizontal direction, the grip portion  32  comprising a notch  321 ; and a break-away unit  40 , which comprises a planar portion  41  and a fastening portion  42 , the planar portion  41  having an outer side that is connected by means of a perforation line  43  to the notch  321  ( FIG.  6   ). 
     Referring to  FIGS.  2 - 6   , the fastening portion  42  includes a hollow cylindrical body having an end that includes an opening  421 . The opening  421  has an outer side that is connected to the planar portion  41 . The insertion trough  21  has a width that is greater than the fastening portion  42 , so that when the first casing member  10  is combined with the second casing member  30 , the fastening portion  42  is received in the insertion trough, and the foldable member  20  is then folded to have the engaging member  22  fit into and engaging with the opening  421  so as to be securely retained together to form a closed and thus protected state. 
     Further, the insertion trough  21  is not in contact with the fastening portion  42  and the function achieved thereby is equivalent to positioning and also protection of the fastening portion  42  from being pushed, squeezed, or damaged by an external force. 
     Referring to  FIG.  7   , when the first casing member  10  is separated from the second casing member  30 , the perforation line  43  is broken, so that the break-away unit  40  is detached from the second casing member  30 , and at the same time, the folding portion  23  of the foldable member  20  causes an outward spring-back movement as being popping up. Since the folding portion  23  possesses certain elasticity, it is not possible to have the break-away unit  40  securely retained back onto the notch  321  through application of an external force. In this way, tamper-proofing can be achieved to allow a user to identify if the container has been opened. 
     Referring to  FIGS.  8 - 13   , a second embodiment of the present invention is shown. 
     Major components and structures of the instant embodiment are generally similar to those of the previous embodiment, so that repeated description will be omitted therein. 
     In the instant embodiment, the foldable member  20  is not limited to be connected to the first casing member  10  or the second casing member  30 , and the insertion trough  21  of the foldable member  20  is made simplified, so that when the first casing member  10  and the second casing member  20  are combined, it only needs to have the engaging member  22  of the foldable member  20  engaging with and thus securely retained in the opening  421 . When the first casing member  10  and the second casing member  20  are separated, the perforation line  43  is broken and at the same time, the folding portion  23  of the foldable member  20  springs back outwards for being popping up, and as such it is also effective in preventing the break-away unit  40  to fix back to the notch  321  through application of external forces. In this way, a user may easily identify if the container has been opened or not.