Tamper-evident Container with Notched Overlapping Zone
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tamper-evident containers, particularly in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic sectors, face challenges in ensuring effective evidence of tampering without compromising production costs or requiring modifications to existing systems.
Innovation Solution
A tamper-evident container design featuring a structurally weakened overlapping zone with notches in the paper material, combined with a safety device that provides visible evidence of tampering attempts, and a process for making such containers using folded and glued sheet material, ensuring minimal production costs and ease of production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a closure system is made securely engaged to prevent opening, then tamper evidence is improved, but the container becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The closure system is divided into separate functional elements: a closure member with a first constraining portion for securing the opening and a second constraining portion for engagement with the container body. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function independently, simplifying the overall design while maintaining security.
Solution Approach 2:
The tamper evidence function is extracted as a separate feature through the removable portion that can be separated from the container following first opening. This extraction allows the evidence mechanism to be independent from the closure system itself, reducing complexity while maintaining reliability.
2Reliability
If a safety device with removable portion is added to provide tamper evidence, then reliability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The safety device with removable portion is merged with the closure system, where the removable portion is integrated into the closure member. This merging allows both the closure function and tamper evidence function to be manufactured as a single unit, reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The removable portion is pre-configured with a weakening portion that allows it to separate automatically following first opening. This preliminary preparation of the separation mechanism eliminates the need for complex activation systems, simplifying manufacturing while ensuring reliable tamper evidence.
3Ease of manufacture
If the container uses folded and glued sheet material, then production cost is reduced, but structural strength may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The container structure applies different quality characteristics to different regions: the overlapping zone has a weakening portion with reduced strength to enable tamper evidence, while other areas maintain full structural strength through proper folding and gluing. This local differentiation allows cost-effective manufacturing without compromising overall container strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The weakening portion is pre-formed during the folding process before the gluing step. This preliminary creation of the weak point allows the container to be manufactured efficiently with standard folding and gluing operations, while the strength of the overall container structure is ensured by proper gluing of the main structural elements.
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 6~7
AI summary
The present invention relates to a tamper-evident container (1) comprising a storage (2) having at least one passage opening (5) delimited by a free edge (6) and configured to put in communication the internal volume (3) of the storage (2) with the external environment; the sheet material of the storage (2) wraps at least partially on itself in order to form an overlapping zone (30) which comprises at least one first constraining portion (31) and one second constraining portion (32) engaged with each other: on the second constraining portion (32) at least one notch (33) is defined, defining a weakening portion of said second constraining portion (32). The container further comprises a closure system (7) made of sheet material engaged at said free edge (6) and movable with respect to the storage (2); the closure system (7) being configured for defining at least one closing condition in which the system (7) itself interdicts the communication between the internal volume (3) of the storage (2) and the external environment and an opening condition in which the system (7) itself enables the communication between the internal volume (3) and external environment. The present invention further concerns a process of making the container (1).