[0001] This invention relates to a cover protected against fraudulent opening for an angular
box having an outwards and downwards directed projecting edge which cooperates with
a bulge directed to the box over the entire circumference.
[0002] Boxes of flexible plastic material are often used for packaging and offering foodstuffs
for sale and, in particular when these boxes contain ice cream, attempts to open these
boxes fraudulently are regularly observed. This happens for example when these boxes
are displayed in refrigerated counters. Fraudulently opening such boxes is usually
done by children.
[0003] Although fraudulent manipulations of the cover occur especially in the above described
field, the invention is directed to a cover and angular box pertaining thereto which
provides a very satisfying solution permitting the fraudulent manipulation of a cover
to be established, whatever may be the content of the box.
[0004] To realize this object in accordance with the invention, the cover according to the
invention comprises corner portions which are connected to the remaining portion so
that they can be teared off from this remaining portion and which are extended downwards
by a hook-shaped projection directed towards the box which catch behind said projecting
edge of the box when the cover is lifted between two corners.
[0005] Still according to the invention, said corner portions are connected in such a manner
to the remaining portion of the cover that they can be teared off from the cover by
removing the corner pieces from the box without bringing said hook in contact with
said downwards directed projecting edge.
[0006] Other details and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the
following description of a cover for an angular box protected against fraudulent opening
according to the invention. This description is only given by way of example and does
not limit the scope of the invention. The reference numerals relate to the figures
annexed hereto.
[0007] Figure 1 is a cross-section through the wall of an angular box and cover pertaining
thereto. According to the invention, the cross-section is taken at one of the corners
of cover and box.
[0008] Figure 2 is a cross-section through the wall of the box and the cover pertaining
thereto, the cross-section being taken on any place between the corners of said box.
[0009] The cover 1 illustrated in these figures is destined for being snapped over a more-angular
box destined for packaging and offering foodstuffs for sale. Over the entire circumference,
the cover 1 shows along the inner side, i.e. the side directed towards the wall 2
of the box, a continuous bulge 3 which is situated in the closed position behind the
lowermost edge 4 of an outwards and downwards directed outerwall 5 of the box. This
outerwall 5 fits closely to the wall 2 thereof.
[0010] A cover of flexible material having such a profile fits therefore easily onto a box
of the above described type. Such a closure is generally known and applied.
[0011] In order to prevent the cover now from being opened in a fraudulent way, whereby
the product packed up in this box could be touched or at least in order to show the
fraudulent manipulation of the cover, the cover comprises at each of its corners downwards
extended corner portions 6 connected to the remaining portion of the cover so that
they can be teared off, more particularly along a tear or weakened line 7.
[0012] These corner portions which can be teared off comprise a hook-shaped projection 8,
somewhat above the lowermost portion of the removable corner portion.
[0013] In case of an attempt to lift the cover between two corners of this cover, this would
not work since the hook-shaped projection 8 will catch then inevitably underneath
the lowermost edge 10 of the outerwall 5 of the box. Consequently, an attempt to lift
the cover in this way is therefore foiled because the hook-shaped projection 8 prevents
the cover from being removed from the box at the corner portions thereof.
[0014] For opening the box in a regular way, at least two corner portions 6 are removed
from the cover. This is easy to do since these corner portions are connected to the
cover 1 so that they can be teared off on the already mentioned tear or weakened line
7. Removing a corner portion by tearing it off is done by exerting a traction onto
its lowermost portion, just underneath the hook-shaped projection 8 or at the same
level, more particularly more or less according to arrow 11 of figure 1. By exerting
a traction according to arrow 11 onto at least two corner portions, these portions
will tear off and the cover can be removed in a normal way. After removal of the corner
portions, the cover can still be used.
[0015] From the hereabove given description of a cover protected against fraudulent opening
according to the invention, it appears that this can be used faultlessly for detecting
a fraudulent attempt to open boxes.
[0016] However, the invention is not strictly limited to the hereabove described embodiment
and many modifications could be applied thereto without leaving the scope of the present
patent application.
1. A cover protected against fraudulent opening for an angular box having an outwards
and downwards directed projecting edge which cooperates with a bulge directed to the
box over the entire circumference, characterized in that the cover according to the
invention comprises corner portions (6) which are connected to the remaining portion
of the cover (1) so that they can be teared off from this remaining portion and which
are extended downwards by a hook-shaped projection (8) directed towards the box which
catch behind said projecting edge (5) of the box when the cover is lifted between
two corners.
2. A cover according to claim 1, characterized in that said corner portions (6) are connected
in such a manner to the cover (1) that they can be teared off from the cover by removing
the corner portions (6) from the box (1) without bringing said hook-shaped projection
(8) in contact with said downwards directed lowermost edge (10).
