Tamper-Evident Container With Segmented Breakable Line
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tamper-evident containers for food delivery often have identification pieces on the outer periphery that can break during normal use, leading to false tampering alarms and affecting business reputation.
Innovation Solution
A tamper-evident container design featuring a loop-shaped breakable line around the periphery, with a force application structure on the lid allowing legitimate users to break the line for opening while leaving evidence of tampering if an illegitimate user attempts to open it.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an identification piece is located on the outer periphery of the lunch container, then tamper evidence can be provided, but the identification piece is likely to break during normal operations causing false tampering alarms
Solution Approach 1:
The breakable line is segmented into multiple sections: a loop-shaped breakable line on the lid's top surface, and a corresponding hollow convex loop on the container body. This segmentation allows the tamper evidence mechanism to be distributed across different locations, reducing the risk of false breakage during normal handling while maintaining reliable tamper detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention moves the breakable line from the outer periphery (2D surface) to the top surface of the lid, creating a three-dimensional arrangement where the breakable line is surrounded by a hollow convex loop. This dimensional change protects the breakable line from lateral impacts during normal operations while maintaining its integrity for tamper detection.
2Reliability
If a loop-shaped breakable line is installed around the periphery of the container, then evidence of tampering can be left at any part of the periphery, but the structure complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the breakable line with the lid's top surface, making them integrally formed. The hollow convex loop on the lid engages with the hollow convex loop on the container body, combining the tamper evidence function with the lid's structural elements. This merging reduces the number of separate components while maintaining comprehensive tamper detection coverage around the periphery.
Solution Approach 2:
The hollow convex loop structure serves multiple functions: it provides the breakable line for tamper evidence, acts as an engagement mechanism between lid and container body, and creates a perimeter barrier that detects tampering at any location. This multi-functionality reduces overall structural complexity while achieving comprehensive tamper detection.
3Ease of operation
If a force application structure is provided in the middle area of the lid, then legitimate users can easily open the container by applying longitudinal force, but the lid structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The force application structure is designed as a self-contained element on the lid's top surface, surrounded by the hollow convex loop. The structure enables users to apply force directly to break the breakable line and open the container without requiring additional tools or complex mechanisms. The lid's structure serves its own opening function through this integrated design.
Data Source
AI summary
A tamper-evident container including: a container body having a first hollow convex loop on a periphery of an opening thereof; and a lid having a second hollow convex loop and a force application structure, where the second hollow convex loop is used to engage with the first hollow convex loop, and a loop-shaped breakable line is provided on a loop-shaped top surface of the second hollow convex loop; where, when an illegitimate user applies a lifting force on any local area of the second hollow convex loop of the lid to make the local area moving upward with a displacement exceeding a threshold, a corresponding local area of the loop-shaped breakable line will be broken to show that the tamper-evident container has been tampered with.