Hinged Lid With Tamper-Evident Shield For Paperboard Containers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Food containers made from paperboard with seamed sidewalls and rolled lips often suffer from inadequate strength at the upper open end, leading to potential collapse and spillage, and existing solutions for sealing and tamper evidence are costly and inconvenient.
Innovation Solution
A hinged lid structure with a collar, ring, and tamper-evident shield member that provides structural rigidity and secure attachment to the container, featuring a removable tab for easy opening and a molded design for economic production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a membrane is sealed to the upper portion of the container to provide sealing and tamper evidence, then sealing effectiveness and tamper evidence are improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the lid structure with integrated tamper-evident features directly molded into the plastic lid itself, eliminating the need for separate membrane components. The breakable seal and tamper-evident flaps are formed as integral parts of the lid, merging multiple functions into a single structure that provides sealing, tamper evidence, and structural reinforcement without additional manufacturing steps or materials.
2Reliability
If a membrane is sealed to the upper portion of the container to provide tamper evidence, then tamper evidence capability is improved, but user convenience deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates dynamic, movable elements including breakable seals that fracture upon opening and flexible tamper-evident flaps that can move between covering and exposed positions. These dynamic features automatically indicate tampering through their physical state changes, providing reliable tamper evidence while requiring minimal user action to operate - users simply lift the lid and the tamper-evident features respond automatically.
3Ease of manufacture
If the upper open end of the paperboard receptacle is left as-is, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but structural strength deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite structure by combining the paperboard receptacle with a rigid plastic lid assembly that includes integrated reinforcement elements. The plastic collar and lid structure act as a composite reinforcement system that strengthens the inherently weak upper open end of the paperboard container, providing structural support while maintaining the simplicity of the original paperboard manufacturing process for the receptacle itself.
4Reliability
If a complex lid structure with multiple components is used to provide strengthening and tamper evidence, then functional requirements are met, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple previously separate components (lid, reinforcement collar, tamper-evident seal, and flaps) into a single integral plastic structure molded as one piece. This unified design eliminates the need for assembling multiple separate parts, reducing manufacturing complexity and assembly steps while maintaining all required functions of strengthening, sealing, and tamper evidence in a single integrated component.
Data Source
AI summary
A hinged lid structure is provided that is configured for attachment to a paperboard receptacle. The lid structure includes a tamper evident shield structure that requires breaking at least a portion of the shield structure away to effect exposure of a portion of the lid structure to a user to effect opening of the lid structure. The lid structure also includes a plurality of peripherally spaced apart webs for providing structural rigidity to the lid structure and therefore additional strength the upper open end of the receptacle it is attached to.