Tamper Evident Cardboard Container With Frangible Locking Flap
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for tamper-evident containers made of lightweight foldable materials like cardboard or paperboard that can prevent malicious opening and tampering, especially for pharmaceutical products, as existing solutions do not adequately ensure security after the container is filled and before it is purchased or obtained by an end user.
Innovation Solution
The container features ramped side edges for locking slots, a frangible line of weakness such as perforations or partial thickness cuts, an opening tab, and a refastenable re-closure arrangement with cooperating parts, including locking tabs and adhesive tabs to secure the closure flaps, ensuring that once opened, the container cannot be resealed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If the container uses lightweight foldable sheet material, then the container weight is reduced, but the tamper evidence capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The container incorporates a frangible line of weakness that segments the structure into separable parts. This line of weakness includes perforations or partial thickness cuts that allow the container to be easily opened but cannot be resealed, providing tamper evidence while maintaining lightweight construction
Solution Approach 2:
The container includes pre-formed locking slots defined by ramped side edges of closure flaps that engage with side wall panels before sealing. This preliminary structural arrangement ensures that once the container is opened by breaking the frangible line, the locking mechanism cannot be re-engaged, providing irreversible tamper evidence
2Ease of operation
If the container includes a frangible line of weakness, then the ease of opening is improved, but the security against tampering deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The frangible line of weakness is pre-formed with perforations or partial thickness cuts at specific locations to facilitate easy opening. Simultaneously, the locking slots are pre-configured with ramped side edges that create an irreversible engagement mechanism, ensuring that opening the container destroys the ability to resecure it
Solution Approach 2:
The frangible line of weakness is designed to fail in a controlled manner during opening, converting the potential harm of easy opening into the benefit of clear tamper evidence. The destruction of the frangible line and locking mechanism during opening provides visible proof that the container has been accessed
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the container includes locking slots with ramped side edges, then the anti-tampering capability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The closure mechanism is segmented into discrete functional elements: closure flaps with ramped side edges that define locking slots, side wall panels with engaging surfaces, and a frangible line of weakness. Each element performs a specific function, and their simple geometric forms reduce manufacturing complexity while providing effective anti-tampering capability
Data Source
Figure 1~6
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A tamper evident container (2) made from cardboard, paperboard or other lightweight foldable sheet material comprises a container body (6) comprising a first pair of opposed side wall panels (8, 10) and a second pair of side wall panels (12, 14), the side wall panels (8, 10, 12, 14) being hingedly attached to each other about respective side wall fold lines (16). A lid (22) is hingedly attached to one side wall panel (8) of the first pair of opposed side wall panels (8, 10) about a lid fold line (26). First and second closure flaps (28, 30), are hingedly attached to a respective one of the second pair of opposed wall panels (12, 14) about respective closure flap fold lines (32, 34) so as to define respective locking slots (36, 38) between a side edge of the respective closure flaps (28, 30) and the other side wall panel (10) of the first pair of side wall panels (8, 10). The lid (22) comprises a lid panel (50) hingedly attached at a proximal edge (52) to the one side wall panel (8) of the first pair of side wall panels (8, 10) about the lid fold line (26). It further comprises a locking flap (56) comprising a first locking flap panel (58) hingedly attached at a proximal edge (60) to a distal edge (62) of the lid panel (50) about a frangible line of weakness (64) and a second locking flap panel (66) hingedly attached at a proximal edge (68) to a distal edge (70) of the first locking flap panel (58) about a locking flap fold line (72). It is folded about the locking flap fold line (72) so as to lie behind and in a face to face relationship with the first locking flap panel (58). A distal end (74) of the second locking flap panel (66) comprises at least one free edge forming a locking edge (76). The locking flap (56) is insertable into the locking slots (36, 38) such that the at least one locking edge (76) of the second locking flap panel (66) engages behind the side edges of the closure flaps (36, 38) so as to lock the lid (22) in position.