US20020175090A1

US20020175090A1 - Theft resistant container for displaying and storing retail products

Info

Publication number: US20020175090A1
Application number: US09/864,299
Authority: US
Inventors: Jose Garcia
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-05-25
Filing date: 2001-05-25
Publication date: 2002-11-28

Abstract

A theft resistant container is disclosed for storing and displaying retail products. The container includes a base and a lid connected to each other by a hinge. The base and lid both have a generally rectangular structure with front and rear edges and a pair of side edges. The base and lid have respective contact areas secured to each other by welding or an adhesive to resist movement of the lid relative to the base. The side edges of the lid each have a lip that overlaps a mating edge of the respective side edges of the base to create a barrier when the container is closed that prevents penetration by a knife blade or the like to tamper with the welded contact areas. A plastic overwrap is placed over the base and the lid, which provides an additional resistance to movement of the lid relative to the base.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to theft resistant containers for displaying and storing retail products. In particular, the present invention relates to plastic containers for displaying and storing audio/video discs, cassettes, and the like, which have a theft resistant seal provided on at least one side of the container to prevent theft of a product from within the container.

2. Description of the Related Art

Retailers have been experiencing a high rate of theft among a group of high-target items, including prerecorded audio products, video products, and video games. Often, an individual will remove the product from the package and return the package to the shelf, while making off with the prerecorded media.

One popular method of removing the disc calls for the individual to slit the overwrap along the bottom seam of the case, pop the disc off of the hub, bend the case to create a slight gap along the bottom joint, and slide the disc through the gap. The display case is then returned to the shelf with the visible sides of the case undisturbed. An unwitting consumer can potentially buy the empty case and not discover the problem until he or she tries to enjoy the product for the first time.

Several retailers and retailer associations have asked the manufacturers of these products as well as suppliers of storage and display devices to develop a low cost solution which will impede the unauthorized removal of products from their cases in the retailer's place of business. Numerous attempts have been made to solve this problem. For example, the product can be stored in a location not readily accessible by the consumer. This can be accomplished by locked display cabinets, displaying product cards or tickets, or displaying empty or dummy products on the shelves. Upon request, employees of the retailer can access the product and deliver it to the consumer. However, this proposed solution has the effect of reducing sales because a barrier is placed between the consumer and the product.

An electronic surveillance device can be applied to the storage and/or display device. However, electronic surveillance devices can be bypassed simply by removing the product from the display device. The individual can then conceal the product and leave the store without triggering the surveillance hardware.

An additional and/or thicker overwrap can be used to cover the storage and/or display device. However, the use of an additional overwrap has several disadvantages including: it requires the addition of more equipment, namely the overwrapper itself and the required handling systems; it consumes valuable factory floor space; it creates significant downtime for the manufacturer's product assembly process; it increases the amount of labor required to assemble the product; the cost of the overwrap material, the additional utilities for operating a high temperature heat tunnel, and the increased management adds to the overall cost; and the additional overwrap can be circumvented in the same manner as the current overwrap. The use of a thicker overwrap has similar disadvantages, including: it increases the cost of the material on a per unit basis; it requires more energy to process; fewer units can be overwrapped for each roll of a given thickness; new process problems may arise due to the thicker wrap material; the clarity of the wrap will potentially suffer; shrink film wrapping systems would be required, which would require more floor space, consume more energy, and incur more downtime than foil-type wrapping machines; and the thicker overwrap can be circumvented in the same manner as the current overwrap. The use of a second, thicker overwrap would have all of these disadvantages without providing any significant improvement in security.

A spine label can be applied along the bottom edge of the case. For example, a label which closely resembles the edge-label applied to the top of the case by most product manufacturers can be applied along the bottom edge of the case. However, the use of an additional spine label has several disadvantages, including: it requires additional capital investment; it consumes valuable factory floor space; it creates significant downtime on the assembly systems; it requires the replenishment and management of the labels, resulting in more downtime and cost; the cost of the labels is significant; and a spine label can be circumvented in the same manner as the current overwrap. The use of a spine label with an additional and/or thicker overwrap would have all of these disadvantages without providing any significant improvement in security.

Devices can be used to make the disc more difficult to remove from the hub. For example, a clip or flange can be added to the case which is secured to the hub of the disc during the assembly process after the product has been inserted in the case. However, this has the following disadvantages: the additional cost of the component and the tooling required to fabricate the component; many unique hub designs are used which will require unique components; this solution cannot be used for cases of products (e.g., VHS cassettes, etc.) which do not have a hub; it requires an additional assembly process, increasing labor costs; it involves increased material management costs; the operation cannot be performed off-line from the assembly process; adding the operation to the assembly equipment increases the downtime of the equipment significantly; and new equipment may be required.

A tamper-evident label can be used to hold the disc in place. However, this has the following disadvantages: the cost of the label; it cannot be used for cases of products (e.g., VHS cassettes, etc.) which do not incorporate a hub; it requires additional assembly process, increasing labor costs; it involves increased material management costs; the operation cannot be performed off-line from the assembly process; adding the operation to the assembly equipment increases the downtime of the equipment significantly; and new equipment may be required.

The display device can be partially or entirely enclosed by a mechanism, such as a blisterpack-style enclosure applied by the product manufacturer or distributor, or a reusable enclosure applied by the retailer or distributor. However, blisterpack-style enclosures have several disadvantages including: the cost of the enclosure is very high; they require an additional assembly process with increased labor costs; they require purchasing new machines to assemble the enclosure; some cases are unique and may require a unique enclosure; the enclosures are bulky and require increased material management costs; shipping containers must be redesigned and may result in the obsolescence of equipment for packing the cases; and the consumer must discard the case, increasing the negative impact of the industry on the environment. The reusable enclosures applied by the retailer or distributor have similar disadvantages, including: the additional cost of the enclosure; it requires an additional process, increasing labor costs at the retailer or distributor; it increases the lead-time to the store shelf; it may require purchasing new machines to assemble the enclosure; some cases are unique and may require a unique enclosure: the enclosures are bulky and require significant storage space; and shipping containers must be redesigned and may result in the obsolescence of the equipment used for packing the cases.

Thus, there is a need in the industry for an improved theft resistant container for storing and displaying retail products.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a theft resistant container for storing and displaying retail products, such as audio/video discs, cassettes, and the like, which does not suffer from the disadvantages described above.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a theft resistant container for storing and displaying retail products that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture, reliable and effective in use, and suitable for use with a variety of retail products.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a container for storing and displaying audio/video discs that does not allow the discs to be removed without disturbing the visible sides of the case.

According to the present invention, a theft resistant container is provided for storing and displaying retail products. The container includes a base and a lid which are connected to each other by a hinge. The base and lid both have a generally rectangular structure with front and rear edges and a pair of side edges. The base and lid have respective contact areas secured to each other by welding or by an adhesive to resist movement of the lid relative to the base. The side edges of the lid each have a lip that overlaps a mating edge of the respective side edges of the base to create a barrier when the container is closed that prevents penetration by a knife blade or the like to tamper with the welded contact areas. A plastic overwrap is placed over the base and the lid to provide an additional resistance to movement of the lid relative to the base. Other features and variations of the theft resistant container of the present invention are disclosed.

According to a broad aspect of the present invention, a theft resistant container for retail products is provided comprising: a base having a first contact area, a lid connected to the base by a hinge, the lid having a second contact area, and the first and second contact areas being secured to each other to resist movement of the lid about the hinge relative to the base.

According to another broad aspect of the present invention, a theft resistant container containing a retail product is provided, the container comprising: a base having a generally rectangular structure with front and rear edges and a pair of side edges, the base having a first contact area formed on at least one of the front and side edges thereof; a lid having a generally rectangular structure with front and rear edges and a pair of side edges, the lid having a second contact area formed on at least one of the front and side edges thereof, the rear edge of the lid being connected to the rear edge of the base by a hinge; the first and second contact areas being secured to each other to resist movement of the lid relative to the base; and a plastic overwrap covering the base and the lid, the plastic overwrap providing an additional resistance to movement of the lid relative to the base.

According to another broad aspect of the present invention, a method of making a theft resistant container is provided, comprising the steps of: providing a base having a generally rectangular structure with front and rear edges and a pair of side edges; providing a lid having a generally rectangular structure with front and rear edges and a pair of side edges, the rear edge of the lid being connected to the rear edge of the base by a hinge; welding at least one of the side edges of the base to at least one of the side edges of the lid to thereby resist movement of the lid relative to the base; and covering the base and the lid with a plastic overwrap that provides an additional resistance to movement of the lid relative to the base.

Numerous other objects of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in this art from the following description wherein there is shown and described preferred embodiments of the present invention, simply by way of illustration of the modes best suited to carry out the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other different embodiments, and its several details are capable of modification in various obvious aspects without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description should be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more clearly appreciated as the disclosure of the invention is made with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings: [0022]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a plastic clamshell container being formed with a theft prevention seal along two sides. [0023]
FIG. 2 is a cross sectional side view of a portion of the plastic container shown in FIG. 1 with a knife blade contact area indicated. [0024]
FIG. 2A is a cross sectional side view of a portion of the plastic container showing a plastic overwrap having been applied over the base and the lid. [0025]
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the plastic container of FIG. 1 in a closed position and being held by a pair of hands. [0026]
FIG. 4 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 3 with the front edges of the plastic container being pulled outward to open the container. [0027]
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an open plastic container according to the present invention showing energy directors used to form theft prevention seals along the sides of the container. [0028]
FIG. 6 is a plan view of the open plastic container shown in FIG. 5. [0029]
FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of a top edge of the plastic container of FIG. 6, as taken along line [0030] 7-7 in FIG. 6.
FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of a bottom edge of the plastic container of FIG. 6, as taken along line [0031] 8-8 in FIG. 6.
FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view of the top and bottom edges of the plastic container in an engaged position. [0032]
FIG. 10 is a cross section view of the top and bottom edges of a plastic container according to another embodiment wherein an energy director is provided for creating a weld joint between the top and bottom edges. [0033]
FIG. 11 is a cross section view of the top and bottom edges of a plastic container according to another embodiment wherein a disc guard is provided for preventing the disc from sliding out. [0034]
FIG. 12 is a cross section view of the top and bottom edges of a plastic container having an energy director along the lip of the container lid for creating a weld joint between the top and bottom edges.[0035]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A theft resistant plastic container for storing and displaying retail products according to preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. [0036] 1 to 12 of the accompanying drawings.
The theft [0037] resistant container 10 of the present invention has a base 111 and a lid 12 which are connected to each other by a hinge 13. The base 111 and lid 12 are formed of polypropylene or other suitable material, for example, which is typically used for containers that store and display audio/video discs and the like.
The [0038] base 11 has a generally rectangular plate structure 14 with front and rear edges 15, 16 and a pair of side edges 17, 18. The front edge 15 and the side edges 17, 18 extend perpendicularly from the plate structure 14 to form a recess into which a retail product can be placed. The front edge 15 of the base 11 has a finger grip structure 19 formed therein to facilitate opening the container 10. If the retail product is an audio/video disc, such as a CD or DVD, a recess 20 and a hub 21 are provided on the plate structure 14 to hold the disc within the container 10, as shown in FIG. 5. A plurality of finger depressions 22 are spaced around the recess 20 to facilitate popping the disc off of the hub 21 when the container 10 is opened.
The [0039] lid 12 has a generally rectangular plate structure 23 that corresponds to the dimensions of the base 11. The lid 12 has front and rear edges 24, 25 and a pair of side edges 26, 27. The front edge 24 and the side edges 26, 27 of the lid 12 extend perpendicularly from the plate structure 23 to form a recess to accommodate a portion of the retail product placed in the recess of the base 11. The front edge 24 of the lid 12 has a finger grip structure 28 formed therein to facilitate opening the container 10. The rear edge 25 of the lid 12 is connected to the rear edge 25 of the base 11 by the hinge 13 The base 11, lid 12, and hinge 13 can be formed in a single integral piece by a conventional plastic molding process. Alternatively, the base 11 and lid 12 can be formed as two separate components which are connected together by a conventional hinge structure.
The [0040] front edge 15 and side edges 17, 18 of the base 11 have contact areas 29, 30, 31 that are engaged with corresponding contact areas 32, 33, 34 formed on the front edge 24 and side edges 26, 27 of the lid 12. The theft resistant seal of the present invention is created by welding or otherwise securing the lid 12 to the base 11 at selected locations along the contact areas 29-34 when the case is closed. This can be done, for example, by melting the lid 12 and base 11 together along the contact areas 29-34 by introducing a mechanical energy which in turn creates thermal energy, or by introducing thermal energy directly.
In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the [0041] contact areas 29, 30 comprise engaging surfaces that extend along the lengths of the side edges 17, 18 of the base 11, and the contact areas 32, 33 comprise engaging surfaces that extend along the lengths of the side edges 26, 27 of the lid 12. The engaging surfaces 32, 33 of the lid 12 are secured to the engaging surfaces 29, 30 of the base 11 after the container 10 is closed with the retail product inside. The engaging surfaces 29, 30 and 32, 33 can be secured together by ultrasonic welding as explained below, or by a suitable adhesive. Additional engaging surfaces can be provided along the lengths of the contact areas 31 and 34 at the front edges 15 and 24 of the base 11 and the lid 12, respectively, and secured together in a similar manner after the container 10 is closed.
The weld between the contact areas [0042] 29-34 of the base 11 and the lid 12 can be created effectively by supporting one side 35 of the container 10 against a stationary, rigid brace 36 and introducing an energy transfer mechanism 37, such as an ultrasonic horn, to the opposite side 38 of the container 10 where it makes contact with the outside edge of the container 10 directly above the areas intended to be welded and applies a preset amount of mechanical force to pre-load the weld areas. The energy transfer mechanism 37 actuates and vibrates at a high frequency, usually around 20,000 hertz. This motion is transferred down through the walls of the container causing the energized side 35 of the container 10 to vibrate at a high frequency. Since the opposite side 38 of the container 10 is held more rigidly, the affected contact surfaces 29-34 between the lid 12 and the base 11 move with respect to each other at a high frequency. The friction between the affected contact surfaces 29-34 resists the relative movement of the two mating parts. When sufficient friction is encountered, some of the mechanical energy is converted to thermal energy and the affected contact surfaces 29-34 of both the lid 12 and the base 11 begin to melt. The horn 37 is energized for a preselected duration, and upon completion, the horn 37 continues to apply the prescribed amount of mechanical pressure long enough for the melted plastic to solidify. Once the plastic has solidified, a mechanical joint 39 has been created between the lid 12 and the base 11, which provides a theft resistant seal.
As shown in FIG. 2A, a [0043] plastic overwrap 40 is applied to cover the base 11 and the lid 12. The plastic overwrap 40 can be applied in a known manner using a cigarette-style wrapping machine, a shrink film wrapping machine, or the like. The plastic overwrap 40 can be a high-clarity plastic wrap with a functional tear-strip, which is preferred by several producers of audio, video, and video game products. The plastic overwrap 40 can be applied either before or after the welded joint 39 is formed between the lid 12 and the base 13. The plastic overwrap 40 functions to protect the container 10 and to resist opening of the container 10 to remove the product until the overwrap 40 is removed.
The welded mechanical joint [0044] 39 formed between the lid 12 and the base 11 is sufficiently strong to create a seal between the lid 12 and the base 11 which is difficult to overcome without pulling the container 10 open via the finger grips. For an individual to open the case via the finger- grips 19, 28, the tear-strip and the plastic overwrap 40 must be removed or slit along at least two edges. The common method of theft in which an individual slits the overwrap along the bottom seam of the case, pops the disc off of the hub, bends the case to create a slight gap along the bottom joint, and slides the disc through the gap, is severely impeded. The strength of the welded joint 39 keeps the container 10 sealed as the individual tries to create a gap at the bottom, top, and/or side of the container 10.
As shown in the cross section view of FIG. 2, the side edges [0045] 17, 18 and front edge 15 of the base 11 and the side edges 26, 27 and front edge 24 of the lid 12 each have stepped profiles that cooperate with each other to conceal and protect the respective engaging surfaces and weld joint 39 from tampering. The side edges 17, 18 and front edge 15 of the base 11 each have a lip 41 that overlaps a mating portion of the side edges 26, 27 and front edge 24 of the lid 12. Alternatively, the lip 41 can be formed on the side edges 26, 27 and front edge 24 of the lid 12 to overlap mating portions of the side edges 17, 18 and front edge 15 of the base 11. A sloped surface 42 is formed on the base 11 between the upper edge 43 of the lip 41 and the welded surface 39, and a corresponding sloped surface 44 is formed on the lid 12. The sloped surfaces 42, 44 provide a self-alignment function when the lid 12 is moved to a closed position over the base 11. A knife blade contact area 45 is formed around an outer periphery of the interface between the lid 12 and the base 11. The lip 41 creates a plastic barrier when the container 10 is closed that prevents a knife blade 46 or the like from contacting the welded joint 39. As a result, the welded joint 39 does not have to be strong enough to overcome the cutting force of the knife blade 46. This allows utilizing a weaker weld 39 which makes it easier for the legitimate user to overcome by opening the container 11 in the proper manner via the finger- grips 19, 28.
The welded joint [0046] 39 can be overcome by an individual removing the plastic over-wrap 40 and opening the container 10 via the finger- grips 19, 28, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The legitimate user who removes the over-wrap 40 and attempts to completely open the container 10 has a mechanical advantage over the individual who is covertly attempting to create a gap between the lid 12 and the bottom 11 without removing the wrap 40 and pulling the case 10 open via the finger grips 19, 28. This is because the legitimate user is using the mechanical advantages of the container opening operation to apply sufficient leverage to overcome the strength of the weld 39.
The location of the welded joint [0047] 39 can impact the effect of the mechanical leverage an individual applies when opening the case 10. For example, if a welded joint 39 with a strength of ten Newtons is located near the opening side of the case 10 a distance of 0.125 m from the hinge 13, an individual will have to apply a 12.5 Nm moment to overcome the welded joint 39 and open the case 10. If the same weld is located 0.025 m from the hinge 13, only a 2.5 Nm moment is required to overcome the welded joint 39. This invention takes advantage of that relationship. A stronger weld can be created by moving the location of the welded joint 39 closer to the hinge 13 and increasing the amount of leverage an individual can exert when opening the case 10. This makes the theft resistant seal created by the welded joint 39 much easier for a legitimate user to overcome.
Two major independent variables which contribute to the strength and the size of the welded joint [0048] 39 are the amplitude of the vibration and the amount of time the energy is applied. These parameters can be controlled by an ultrasonic welder's control unit which is standard on most ultrasonic welders. Another important variable is the design of the mating parts of the lid 12 and the base 11 in the location where the weld joint 39 is desired. The design of these features can help determine the amount of energy the case 10 can absorb before undesirable deformation of the product occurs. It also determines the amount of surface area joining the two welded pieces. As shown in FIGS. 10 and 12, energy directors 47, 48 can be added to the lid 12 or the base 11 of the container 10 to help optimize this relationship.
Depending on the type of container being welded, it may be necessary to weld one, two, or three sides of the [0049] container 10. Additionally, the energy will transfer through the over-wrap 40 to the affected weld areas. This allows welding the container 10 before or after the edge-label and overwrap 40 have been applied, creating the flexibility of placing the operation anywhere on a packaging line.
A pair of [0050] support ribs 49, 50 can be provided at spaced locations along each of the side edges 17, 18 of the base, as shown in FIGS. 6 to 9. The support ribs 49, 50 function to resist inward movement of the side edges 17, 18 of the lid 12 when the container 10 is closed. For example, with the container 10 closed, the support ribs 49, 50 will help prevent breaking the welded joint 39 between the lid 12 and the base 11 by an individual pushing the side edges 17, 18 of the lid 12 inward. A pair of corner posts 51, 52 can also be provided at the respective front corners of the base 11 to further strengthen the container 10.
As shown in FIGS. 10 and 12, the joint along the side edges and/or the front edge of the [0051] container 10 can be created by ultrasonically welding the respective contact areas of the lid 12 and the base 11 together. Energy directors 47, 48 can be provided on the contact areas of the lid 12 and/or the base 11 to control the strength and position of the welded joint 39. The energy directors 47, 48 can function to cause a weak weld to form at the welded joint 39 that is easy to overcome by the consumer when opening the container. The welded joint 39 is preferably made to yield when a torsional load is placed on the joint 39, such as occurs during normal opening of the container 10.
As shown in FIG. 1, a [0052] disc guard projection 53 can be provided which protrudes from a side edge 17, 18 of the base 11 toward the lid 12 a predetermined distance h. The disc guard projection 53 is constructed to prevent the product contained within the container 10 from sliding out unless the container 10 is opened by at least the distance h. A first pair of disc guard projections 53 can be provided at spaced locations on a first side edge 17 of the base, and a second pair of disc guard projections 53 can be provided at spaced locations on a second side edge 18 of the base 11. The respective pairs of disc guard projections 53 are spaced apart a sufficient distance to prevent the product contained within the container 10 from sliding out unless the container 10 is opened by at least the distance h. For example, if the product is a disc with a diameter d, the disc guard projections 53 on each side edge 17, 18 can be placed close to the opening and hinge sides of the container 10 with a separation slightly less than the distance d. The disc guard projections 53 will provide the container with substantial resistance to theft, even if the theft resistant seal described above is not used.
The theft [0053] resistant container 10 of the present invention can be used to discourage the removal of products from a variety of containers placed on retailers' shelves. The container 10 can be in the form, for example, of VHS clamshell cases and other optical media clamshell cases. The theft resistant seal 39 can be created by using a process other than ultrasonic welding, such as directly applying heat to create the welded joint 39 between the lid 12 and the base 11, or applying an adhesive. Alternatively, the mechanical or thermal energy can be introduced from another direction to create a weld along the wall of the lid 12 or the base 11.
The present invention offers the following advantages over the alternatives described above in the background of the invention: it allows storing the retail product on the display shelf, it does not significantly increase the cost of the container on a per unit basis (minor tool modifications are The only cost incurred by the manufacturer of the case); it requires relatively little energy to create the closure; it requires no replenishment of materials; ultrasonic welding is a proven process used in thousands of plastic assembly applications; it has no impact on wrap clarity; no wrap or wrap equipment changes are required; it can be performed before or after the product is wrapped; it can be integrated on existing assembly equipment; off-line systems can be employed; it is effective at preventing the case from being slit with a knife; additional product handling systems are not required; it creates less downtime on assembly systems because it requires no additional material handling; only a minimal amount of downtime is required by the welder; an in-line process does not increase the amount of labor required to assemble the product; an off-line system can be added anywhere in the case assembly process and does not require interrupting an assembly process; no additional material means no material management costs; the welder is only activated for a fraction of second, creating low utility costs; it consumes little (off-line) or no (in-line) additional floor space; it does not require the introduction of additional material, saving the cost of the material and the cost to manage the material; tooling to fabricate a component is not necessary; it is applicable to many different cases with unique patented designs; it is applicable to other products cases (VHS cassettes, etc.) which do not incorporate a hub; it requires no assembly process, creating no labor cost increase; it requires no external enclosure; all product shipping cartons and case packing equipment are unaffected; there is nothing for the consumer to discard, thus there is no impact on the environment; and there are no product lead-time increases. [0054]
It will be appreciated that the present invention is not limited to the exact constructions that have been described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. For example, the various shapes and designs of the retail products to be kept in the container disclosed herein are illustrative, and the container may be changed as necessary to accommodate products having other shapes and designs. Accordingly, other embodiments and variations not described herein are to be considered within the scope of this invention as defined by the following claims. [0055]

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A theft resistant container for retail products, comprising:

a base having a first contact area;

a lid connected to said base by a hinge, said lid having a second contact area; and

said first and second contact areas being secured to each other to resist movement of said lid about said hinge relative to said base.

2. The theft resistant container according to claim 1, wherein said first and second contact areas are secured to each other by welding.

3. The theft resistant container according to claim 1, wherein said first and second contact areas are secured to each other by adhesive.

4. The theft resistant container according to claim 1, wherein said base has a first pair of side edges that extend along respective sides of said base, said lid has a second pair of side edges that extend along respective sides of said lid, said first contact area comprising a first pair of engaging surfaces formed on said first pair of side edges, respectively, and said second contact area comprising a second pair of engaging surfaces formed on said second pair of side edges, respectively.

5. The theft resistant container according to claim 4, wherein said first pair of engaging surfaces extend along a length of said first pair of side edges of said base, and said second pair of engaging surfaces extend along a length of said second pair of side edges of said lid, said first pair of engaging surfaces being secured to said second pair of engaging surfaces to resist movement of said lid about said hinge relative to said base.

6. The theft resistant container according to claim 4, wherein said side edges of said base and said lid each have stepped profiles that cooperate with each other to conceal and protect the respective engaging surfaces from tampering.

7. The theft resistant container according to claim 4, wherein said side edges of one of said lid and said base each have a lip that overlaps a mating edge of the side edges of the other of said lid and said base, said lip creating a barrier when the container is closed that prevents a blade from contacting said first and second contact areas.

8. The theft resistant container according to claim 4, wherein said base has front and rear edges that extend between respective ends of said first pair of side edges to form a generally rectangular shape, said lid has front and rear edges that extend between respective ends of said second pair of side edges to form a generally rectangular shape, and said hinge connects the rear edge of said base to the rear edge of said lid.

9. The theft resistant container according to claim 8, wherein said first contact area comprises a third engaging surface formed on said front edge of said base, and said second contact area comprises a third engaging surface formed on said front edge of said lid.

10. The theft resistant container according to claim 9, wherein said third engaging surfaces of said base and said lid extend along respective lengths of the front edges of said base and said lid, and said third engaging surfaces of said base and said lid are secured together to resist movement of said lid about said hinge relative to said base.

11. The theft resistant container according to claim 9, wherein said front edges of said base and said lid each have stepped profiles that cooperate with each other to conceal and protect the third engaging surfaces from tampering.

12. The theft resistant container according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second contact areas has an energy director to facilitate an ultrasonic weld between said first and second contact areas.

13. The theft resistant container according to claim 1, further comprising a plastic overwrap covering said base and said lid, said plastic overwrap resisting movement of said lid about said hinge relative to said base.

14. A theft resistant container containing a retail product the container comprising:

a base having a generally rectangular structure with front and rear edges and a pair of side edges, said base having a first contact area formed on at least one of said front and side edges thereof;

a lid having a generally rectangular structure with front and rear edges and a pair of side edges, said lid having a second contact area formed on at least one of said front and side edges thereof, said rear edge of said lid being connected to said rear edge of said base by a hinge;

said first and second contact areas being secured to each other to resist movement of said lid relative to said base; and

a plastic overwrap covering said base and said lid, said plastic overwrap providing an additional resistance to movement of said lid relative to said base.

15. The theft resistant container as set forth in claim 14, wherein said first and second contact areas comprise engaging surfaces extending along the lengths of said side edges of said base and said lid, respectively, said engaging surfaces being secured to each other by welding.

16. The theft resistant container as set forth in claim 14, wherein said first and second contact areas comprise engaging surfaces extending along the lengths of said side edges of said base and said lid, respectively, said engaging surfaces being secured to each other by an adhesive.

17. The theft resistant container as set forth in claim 14, wherein said side edges of one of said lid and said base have a lip that overlaps a mating edge of the respective side edges of the other of said lid and said base, said lip creating a barrier when the container is closed that prevents a blade from contacting said first and second contact areas.

18. The theft resistant container as set forth in claim 14, wherein at least one of said first and second contact areas has an energy director to facilitate an ultrasonic weld between said first and second contact areas.

19. The theft resistant container as set forth in claim 14, further comprising a first pair of disc guard projections protruding from spaced locations on a first side edge of said base toward said tip, and a second pair of disc guard projections protruding from spaced locations on a second side edge of said base toward said lip, said disc guard projections being constructed to prevent a disc-shaped product contained in said container from sliding out of said container when said first and second contact areas are separated less than a predetermined distance.

20. The theft resistant container as set forth in claim 14, wherein said container is a plastic clamshell case and said retail product is an optical media.

21. A method of making a theft resistant container, comprising the steps of:

providing a base having a generally rectangular structure with front and rear edges and a pair of side edges;

providing a lid having a generally rectangular structure with front and rear edges and a pair of side edges, said rear edge of said lid being connected to said rear edge of said base by a hinge;

welding at least one of said side edges of said base to at least one of said side edges of said lid to thereby resist movement of said lid relative to said base; and

covering said base and said lid with a plastic overwrap that provides an additional resistance to movement of said lid relative to said base.

22. The method of making a theft resistant container according to claim 21, wherein said welding step comprises supporting one of said base and said lid against a stationary surface and contacting the other one of said base and said lid with an energy transfer mechanism that applies a high frequency vibration to create a weld between engaging surfaces of said base and said lid.