US20070045150A1 - Child resistant container and method of using the same - Google Patents
Child resistant container and method of using the same Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20070045150A1 US20070045150A1 US11/463,764 US46376406A US2007045150A1 US 20070045150 A1 US20070045150 A1 US 20070045150A1 US 46376406 A US46376406 A US 46376406A US 2007045150 A1 US2007045150 A1 US 2007045150A1
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- United States
- Prior art keywords
- tray
- drawer
- housing
- child
- resistant container
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
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Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D83/00—Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents
- B65D83/04—Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents for dispensing annular, disc-shaped, or spherical or like small articles, e.g. tablets or pills
- B65D83/0445—Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents for dispensing annular, disc-shaped, or spherical or like small articles, e.g. tablets or pills all the articles being stored in individual compartments
- B65D83/0463—Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents for dispensing annular, disc-shaped, or spherical or like small articles, e.g. tablets or pills all the articles being stored in individual compartments formed in a band or a blisterweb, inserted in a dispensing device or container
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D2215/00—Child-proof means
- B65D2215/02—Child-proof means requiring the combination of simultaneous actions
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a child-resistant container and more specifically to an easily refillable child-resistant container for storing a removable blister pack having an arrangement of blisters each of which contains a tablet or capsule.
- blister packs are commonly utilized as physician samples for specific drugs and are not always packaged in a child-resistant package/container. The designer of such blister packs is confronted with conflicting requirements.
- the blister pack should be child-resistant and at the same time able to be opened without unreasonable difficulty.
- Typical blister packs are known to be difficult for some adults to open while still failing to be a deterrent for unsupervised children.
- blister packs are often utilized to help users keep track of their daily dosage of medication, which is taken over long periods of time.
- a child-resistant container for storing blister packs provides a second layer of safety.
- the container should require a degree of perception and manual dexterity above the abilities of unsupervised children attempting to gain access to the contents of the blister pack and should also be easy for adults to use.
- a container requiring the coordinated use of both hands and the simultaneous application of a force to both a latch and a lock assembly to gain access to the blister pack such as the container of the invention disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/941,588 filed on Sep. 14, 2004, which was published under U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2005/0115862 A1 and is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein, provides the requisite level of protection.
- the manufacturing process requires additional steps to secure the blister pack to the child-resistant container. For instance, holes within the blister pack must be precisely aligned with corresponding holding pins. This step could become time consuming due to the precision required to properly install the blister pack.
- Other manufacturing processes require that an adhesive be applied to the blister pack to secure the blister pack to the container. The application of an adhesive is not only time consuming but also poses a risk of potentially harmful chemical reactions between the adhesive and the medicine contained within the blister pack.
- blister pack holding child-resistant containers Another disadvantage of currently available blister pack holding child-resistant containers is that the blister packs are not quickly replaceable. In the case of the use of holding pins, a user must detach the old pack and align a new pack with the pins. In the case of the use of adhesives, the user must detach the pack and apply new adhesive for a new pack. Both of these options do not provide for quick replacement of blister packs.
- the present invention is directed to a child-resistant container for holding at least one item.
- the container includes a housing having upper and lower walls and at least one open side between the upper and lower walls.
- the container also includes a tray having a drawer slideably positioned therein.
- the drawer is for containing the item.
- the tray is pivotably connected to the housing at a pivot joint for movement between a first position in which the tray and the drawer are contained in the housing for preventing access to the item and a second position in which the tray extends through the open side of the housing for exposing the drawer and the item.
- FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a child-resistant container in a first (closed) position in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention
- FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the child-resistant container of FIG. 1 showing the tray in a second (open) position;
- FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the child-resistant container of FIG. 2 ;
- FIG. 4 is an exploded, top perspective view of the child-resistant container of FIG. 1 ;
- FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective view of the child-resistant container of FIG. 1 without a base;
- FIG. 6 is a greatly enlarged view of a latch assembly of the child-resistant container of FIG. 1 ;
- FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a locking mechanism of the child-resistant container of FIG. 1 ;
- FIG. 8 is a top elevation view of a child-resistant container without a top of an alternate embodiment engaged with a drawer key in accordance with the first preferred embodiment of the present invention
- FIG. 9 is a top perspective view of the child-resistant container in a first (closed) position in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 10 is a top perspective view of the child resistant container of FIG. 9 showing the tray in a second (open) position;
- FIG. 11 is a partially exploded, top perspective view of the child-resistant container of FIG. 9 ;
- FIG. 12 is a bottom perspective view of the child-resistant container of FIG. 9 showing a keyhole and a key;
- FIG. 13 is a partially broken away, top perspective view of a pivot member of the child-resistant container of FIG. 9 engaged with the key of FIG. 12 .
- FIGS. 1-8 a first preferred embodiment of a child-resistant container 10 in accordance with the present invention.
- the container 10 of the first preferred embodiment is for containing at least on item, such as a blister pack (not shown) having an arrangement of blisters, each containing a medication dose or tablet (not shown).
- a blister pack typically includes a generally transparent top layer and a generally opaque rear layer that is bonded to the top layer such that moisture or other foreign matter is unable to penetrate the blister pack.
- the rear layer of the blister pack is rupturable such that the medication dose may be urged through the rear layer by applying a force, generally perpendicular to the top layer, to the medication dose.
- the top layer is typically constructed of a polymeric material and the rear layer is typically constructed of a foil-type material or a laminate with at least one layer of foil therein.
- contents or items other than tablets or capsules can be contained in the container 10 of the present invention.
- contents or items other than tablets or capsules can be contained in the container 10 of the present invention.
- liquid or granular pharmaceuticals, contact lenses suspended in liquid or similar items potentially hazardous to children or adults can be safely contained in a readily accessible and convenient manner using the container 10 of the present invention.
- the first preferred embodiment of the container 10 is discussed below as having a tray 20 for holding a blister pack, those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate from this disclosure that the present invention is not limited to containers for containing blister packs.
- the container 10 may be used to contain other contents without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
- the necessary changes to the container 10 to accommodate contents other than a blister pack would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art when considered in combination with this disclosure. Accordingly, for brevity, the below disclosure is directed to a container 10 for blister packs having an arrangement of tablets with the understanding that the invention is not limited to containing blister packs or tablets.
- the container 10 includes a housing 18 , a tray 20 , a latch 22 , and a lock assembly 24 .
- the housing 18 has a generally rectangular shape.
- the housing 18 may be cylindrically shaped, triangularly shaped, cubically shaped or the like without departing from the scope of the present invention.
- the rectangular-shaped housing 18 has first, second, third, and fourth corners 18 a, 18 b, 18 c, 18 d, each of which has a generally arcuate shape.
- the first corner 18 a preferably has a radius of curvature greater than the second, third and fourth corners 18 b, 18 c, 18 d and is adjacent to the second and fourth corners 18 b, 18 d.
- first corner 18 a having the greater radius of curvature enables a user to readily ascertain the orientation of the container 10 .
- the artisan will also understand that there are numerous other methods that may be employed to enable the user to determine the orientation of the container 10 , such as a faceted corner or the use of a textured surface.
- the invention is not limited to the use of generally arcuate corners, one of which having a distinguishable difference in its radius of curvature over others, as the sole method for determining orientation.
- the housing 18 has a base or lower wall 26 , a top or upper wall 28 , at least one closed side 30 and at least one open side 32 .
- the base 26 and top 28 have semi-circular cutouts 110 that join to form outermost edges of circular keyholes 94 which will be described in more detail below.
- the cutouts 110 could be of other shapes and sizes so long as a key (described below) is capable of fitting through the cutout portion.
- the at least one closed side 30 extends between the base 26 and the top 28 along a first portion 34 of a perimeter 36 of the base 26 .
- the at least one open side 32 extends between the base 26 and the top 28 along a second portion 38 of the perimeter 36 of the base 26 and at least from the fourth corner 18 d to the first corner 18 a.
- the at least one closed side 30 comprises a base component 30 a and a top component 30 b.
- the base component 30 a extends upwardly from the base 26 and the top component 30 b extends downwardly from the top 28 .
- inside portions of the walls 40 a of the base component 30 a of the at least one closed side 30 has a rabbet 42 a with an inwardly projecting lip 44 a.
- the bottom edge 40 b of the top component 30 b of the at least one closed side 30 has a rabbet 42 b with an outwardly projecting lip 44 b for mating in a snap fit connection with the corresponding rabbet 42 a and lip 44 a of the wall inside portion 40 a of the at least one closed side 30 .
- the base component 30 a further includes a female component 47 a ( FIG. 4 ) that mates with a male component 47 b ( FIG. 5 ) of the top component 30 b for further securing the base component 30 a and the top component 30 b.
- the female and male components 47 a, 47 b are sized such that a close frictional fit is formed when the two mate.
- the base component 30 a and the top component 30 b of the at least one closed side 30 are preferably formed as an integral part of the base 26 and top 28 , respectively.
- the base component 30 a and the top component 30 b may be secured to each other by a variety of other well known fastening methods such as an interference fit, screws, adhesives or the like.
- the base component 30 a and the top component 30 b need not be formed as an integral part of the base 26 and top 28 , respectively, but rather may be separate structures secured to the base 26 and top 28 , respectively, by the methods discussed above without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
- a pivot 46 extends between the base 26 and the top 28 through the tray 20 .
- the pivot 46 is preferably positioned proximal to the fourth corner 18 d of the housing 18 and comprises a first cylindrical structure 46 a and a second cylindrical structure 46 b.
- the first cylindrical structure 46 a is integral with the base and extends upwardly from the base 26 .
- the second cylindrical structure 46 b is integral with the top 28 , extends downwardly from the top 28 and engages the first cylindrical structure 46 a in peg-in-hole like union.
- the pivot 46 may be any of a variety of well known connectors that provide for angular displacement between the connected structures, such as a hinge, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
- the tray 20 preferably has a shape that generally corresponds to the shape of the base 26 and is preferably generally rectangular in shape.
- the tray 20 is pivotably connected to the housing 18 .
- the tray 20 has a pivot hole 48 therethrough that is journaled with the pivot 46 to form a pivot joint.
- the tray 20 is pivotable between a first (or closed) position 50 ( FIG. 1 ) in which the tray 20 is in the housing 18 for preventing access to the item or blister pack and a second (or open) position 52 ( FIG. 2 ) in which the tray 20 extends through the at least one open side 32 of the housing 18 for exposing a drawer 80 and the item or blister pack, as described in more detail hereinafter.
- the tray 20 has at least one side 54 that extends upwardly along a first portion 56 of the perimeter 58 of the tray 20 and that corresponds to the at least one open side 32 of the housing 18 .
- the perimeter 58 forms a hollow space 59 at the mid-portion of the tray 20 .
- the at least one side 54 preferably, but not necessarily, extends around the entire perimeter of the tray 20 .
- the tray 20 further includes a retention or restraint bar 90 extending over the drawer 80 for restricting movement or securing a blister pack as will be described below.
- the retention bar 90 is substantially centered within the hollow space 59 and extends from a first portion top 56 a to a rear portion 57 .
- the tray 20 includes top and bottom ridges 96 , 98 located on inside sidewalls 47 of the tray 20 .
- top and bottom ridges 96 , 98 form a channel 91 on each side of the tray 20 and each channel 91 is aligned with keyholes 94 that extend through the rear portion 57 and the perimeter 58 of the tray 20 .
- keyholes 94 that extend through the rear portion 57 and the perimeter 58 of the tray 20 .
- the latch 22 comprises a flexible member 64 associated with the tray 20 and a notch 66 associated with the housing 18 .
- the flexible member 64 has a first end 64 a that is integral with the at least one side 54 of the tray 20 and a second end 64 b that has an outwardly projecting tang 68 .
- the flexible member 64 is elastically biased outwardly.
- the notch 66 is in an inwardly facing surface of the at least one closed side 30 of the housing 18 .
- the notch 66 is proximal to the first corner 18 a of the housing and is positioned for releasably engaging the tang 68 when the tray 20 is in the first position 50 ( FIG. 1 ).
- the outwardly facing surface of the latch 22 preferably, but not necessarily, is a textured surface.
- the latch 22 may be one of a variety of well known latching devices, such as a slider or a snap without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
- the child-resistant container 10 also includes a removable drawer 80 sized to fit within the tray 20 .
- the drawer 80 includes a front wall 84 , a rear wall 88 and two opposing sidewalls 86 .
- the walls 84 , 86 , 88 surround a center portion 83 having access holes 60 for individual blisters of the blister pack. In the preferred embodiment, four rows and six columns of access holes 60 are present but one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the quantity and locations of the access holes 60 could vary depending on the configuration of the blister pack.
- the walls 84 , 86 , 88 extend sufficiently above the center portion 83 such that individual blisters would be at equal height or lower than the walls 84 , 86 , 88 .
- the rear wall 88 includes an opening 89 at or near the center for the retention bar 90 to fit within.
- the center portion 83 includes open space 81 aligned with the opening 89 between the front and rear walls 84 , 88 to accommodate the retention bar 90 and prevent the retention bar 90 from interfering with individual blisters.
- Side extensions 87 extend from each sidewall 86 along the entire length of the outside portions of the sidewalls 86 .
- Each side extension 87 includes a distal end consisting of a triangular shaped latch 82 .
- Each latch 82 is sized to fit within the keyholes 94 .
- the side extensions 87 are shaped and sized so that they are slidably engageable with the channels 91 of the tray 20 .
- the drawer 80 further includes inwardly extending ribs 85 that extend from the rear wall 88 and the front wall 84 .
- the ribs 85 are sufficiently spaced from the center portion 83 top surface so that the base of a blister pack can fit underneath the ribs 85 .
- One with ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the quantity and location of the ribs 85 could vary so long as the blister pack could be secured properly.
- the drawer 80 is loaded with a blister pack by placing the blister pack in the center portion 83 of the drawer 80 and securing the blister pack by placing the edges of the blister pack underneath the ribs 85 .
- the drawer 80 is then inserted into the tray 20 by placing the latches 82 of the side extensions 87 into the channel 91 and pushing the drawer 80 through the channels 91 and into the keyholes 94 until the latch 82 engages pins 92 ( FIG. 8 ) within the keyhole 94 of the tray 20 .
- the drawer 80 is capable of being loaded into the tray 20 when the tray 20 is in both the first and second positions 50 , 52 .
- the pins 92 are cylindrical and extend from the tray 20 .
- the latches 82 could extend beyond the tray 20 and engage with pins that extend from the top 28 or base 26 instead of the tray 20 .
- the drawer 80 is releasably interlocked to the tray 20 by at least one latch via engagement of the latches 82 to the pins 92 .
- the drawer 80 is releasable from the tray 20 by engaging a drawer key 100 through the keyholes 94 into the housing 18 to release the latches 82 from the pins 92 .
- the drawer key 100 includes a main body or base 102 having a first side 106 a and a second side 106 b sized to fit at least partially around two opposing closed sides 30 of the child-resistant container 10 .
- the main body 102 also includes at least a first extension 104 a and preferably a second extension 104 b for engagement with the keyholes 94 .
- the first extension 104 a and the second extension 104 b are tapered such that the tapered ends match the tapered ends of the latches 82 .
- One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the first and second extensions 104 a, 104 b could be shaped in other ways so long as sufficient force could be transferred to the tapered surfaces of the latches 82 .
- the drawer 80 is released from the tray 20 by applying the drawer key 100 to the child-resistant container 10 .
- the first and second extensions 104 a, 104 b are aligned with the keyholes 94 and pushed toward the container 10 so that the first and second extensions 104 a, 104 b contact the tapered portions of the latches 82 .
- This causes elastic deformation of the latches 82 and removes the latches 82 from the pins 92 , thereby forcing the drawer 80 out of the tray 20 .
- the drawer 80 may then be quickly replaced by a substitute drawer having a new blister pack if needed.
- the lock assembly 24 is connected to the housing 18 and preferably comprises a flexible upper tab 24 a.
- the upper tab 24 a is preferably formed from a partial cutout in the top 28 and has a first end 72 a integral with the top 28 of the housing 18 and a second free end 72 b.
- the upper tab 24 a is elastically biased outwardly and displaceable inwardly.
- the lock assembly 24 is movably mounted to the top wall 28 of the housing 18 and includes an arm 25 that extends downwardly from an upper tab 24 a with a hook-shaped member 25 a at a distal end.
- the lock assembly 24 is movable between a locking position and a release position.
- the lock assembly 24 engages and locks the tray 20 within the housing 18 when the tray 20 is in the retracted position and the lock assembly 24 is in the locking position.
- the lock assembly 24 further includes a cam surface 25 b and a shoulder 25 c on the tray 20 .
- the cam surface 25 b and shoulder 25 c are integrally molded into the side 54 of the tray 20 adjacent a corner of the tray 20 .
- the cam surface 25 b moves the lock assembly 24 from the locking position to the release position as the tray 20 pivots from the exposed position toward the retracted position.
- the lock assembly 24 engages the shoulder 25 c when the tray 20 is in the retracted position, thereby locking the tray 20 in the retracted position.
- the upper tab 24 a is depressed toward the tray 20 , thereby moving the hook-shaped member 25 a out of engagement with the shoulder 25 c, the latch 22 is actuated and the tray 20 is released to pivot toward the open position upon the application of a torque to the tray 20 .
- the cam surface 25 b contacts the hook-shaped member 25 a, moving the upper tab 24 a from the locking position to the release position.
- the resilient upper tab 24 a urges the hook-shaped member 25 a to the locking position, thereby engaging the hook-shaped member 25 a with the shoulder 25 c and locking the tray 20 in the retracted position.
- the upper tab 24 a of the lock assembly 24 may include an ornamental design such as a star or a target applied to its outer surface to direct the user's attention to the location of the upper tab 24 on the container 10 . Additionally, preferably, but not necessarily, the top 28 of the container 10 may bear other markings to provide guidance to the user regarding how to operate the device.
- the ornamental design on the upper tab 24 a is not limited to a star or target and may take on nearly any ornamental shape or pattern that provides an indication to a user for actuating the locking assembly 24 .
- the tray 20 is secured in the first position 50 by the latch 22 and the lock assembly 24 and is angularly displaceable from the first position 50 toward the second position 52 upon the simultaneous application of an inwardly directed force to the flexible member 64 of the latch 22 and the upper tab 24 a of the lock assembly 24 and a torque to the tray 20 .
- the above-disclosed components of the container 10 are fabricated from die-formable polymeric materials.
- die-formable polymeric materials including but not limited to metals such as aluminum or stainless steel may be used without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.
- the container 10 is preferably ergonomically designed for simplicity of use as follows.
- the container 10 with the tray 20 in the first or closed position 50 is grasped in the left hand with the at least one closed side 30 facing the palm of the user's hand, the top 28 facing upwardly and the left thumb placed over the upper tab 24 a of the lock assembly 24 .
- the index finger of the user's right hand is placed on the flexible member 64 of the latch 22 .
- To open the container 10 the user simultaneously applies with the left thumb and right index finger an inwardly directed force to the upper tab 24 a and the flexible member 64 respectively and a torque to the tray 20 .
- the force applied to the upper tab 24 a causes the upper tab 24 a to be displaced inwardly and thereby transfer the force to the arm 25 which, in turn, is displaced downwardly and outwardly to withdraw the arm 25 a from the shoulder 25 c and unlock the tray 20 .
- the application of the inwardly directed force to the flexible member 64 causes an inward displacement of the flexible member 64 , which in turn causes the withdrawal of the tang 68 from the notch 66 in the at least one closed side 30 of the housing 18 .
- the simultaneous withdrawal of the arm 25 a and the tang 68 frees the tray 20 for angular displacement about the pivot 46 .
- the application of the torque to the tray 20 pivots the tray 20 from the first (closed) position 50 to the second (open) position 52 .
- the user may remove a tablet from a blister of an already contained blister pack.
- the application of a reverse torque to the tray 20 returns the tray 20 to the closed position 50 .
- the tray 20 is returned to the closed position 50 , in the absence of the force applied to the upper tab 24 a and the flexible member 64 , the tang 68 is inserted in the notch 66 and the arm 25 a is inserted in the shoulder 25 c due to the biased positioning of the latch 22 and the lock assembly 24 .
- the child-resistant container 11 includes parts that are identical to the child-resistant container 10 of the first embodiment and will not be discussed in detail for convenience.
- the container 11 includes a housing 18 that is identical to the container 10 of the first embodiment except that the rear of the housing does not include cutouts for circular keyholes but instead includes a triangular keyhole 132 on the base 26 .
- a removable tray 20 ′ is sized to fit within the housing 18 .
- the tray includes a front wall 140 , a rear wall 142 , a left wall 144 and a right wall 146 that surrounds a center portion 148 having access holes 60 ′ for use with blister packs.
- access holes 60 ′ for use with blister packs.
- seven columns and four rows of evenly spaced access holes 60 ′ are present but one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the quantity and locations of the access holes could vary depending on the configuration of the blister pack.
- the walls 140 - 146 are of sufficient height such that the center portion 148 lies beneath the peaks of the walls 140 - 146 and such that individual blisters would be at equal height or lower than the walls 140 - 146 .
- the front and rear walls 140 , 142 include ribs 85 that are identical to those described in the first embodiment.
- the tray 20 ′ also includes a pivot member 164 located at the corner that joins the front wall 140 and the left wall 144 .
- a portion of the left wall 144 extends inwardly to form a first section 120 .
- a second section 122 having a distal end contact surface 122 a extends outwardly from the left wall 144 and forms a first gap 150 between the first section 120 and the second section 122 .
- the second section contact surface 122 a is sufficiently concave to form an arc of a circle and faces the front wall 140 .
- a third section 124 having a curved surface 124 b extends from the front wall 140 and is sufficiently curved such that a distal end 124 a of the third section 124 substantially faces the rear wall 142 and forms a substantially triangular second gap 152 between the second section 122 and the third section 124 .
- the curved surface 124 b of the third section 124 has an arc substantially equal to the arc of the contact surface 122 a.
- a substantially cylindrical pivot hole 48 ′ is formed between the curved surface 124 b of the third section 124 and the contact surface 122 a of the second section 122 and is sufficiently sized to fit a first cylindrical structure 46 a of the housing 18 .
- the base 26 of the housing 18 includes a keyhole 132 substantially aligned with the second gap 152 .
- the keyhole 132 is sized to fit a key 130 having a handle 130 a, an extension 130 b and a contact portion 130 c having a distal end 134 .
- the keyhole 132 as well as the cross-section of the contact portion 130 c of the key 130 , are identically substantially triangular and sized such that the contact portion 130 c would fit within the keyhole 132 .
- the key contact portion 130 c is sized such that the cross-section of the contact portion 130 c is slightly larger than the triangular second gap 152 .
- the movable tray 20 is inserted into the housing 18 and the pivot member 164 is snap-fitted onto the first cylindrical structure 146 into a first (closed) position 50 ′.
- the cylindrical structure 46 a travels through the second gap 152 and expands the space within the gap 152 until the cylindrical structure 46 a rests within the pivot hole 48 ′ at which time the gap 152 returns to its original dimensions.
- the removable tray 20 ′ is capable of being pivotably removed from the housing 18 into a second (open) position 52 ′. Referring to FIG. 13 , to remove the tray 20 ′, the key 130 is inserted through the keyhole 132 and the second gap 152 while the tray 20 ′ is in the first position 50 ′.
- the key 130 expands the space of the second gap 152 between the second and third members 122 , 124 such that the second member 122 moves toward and within the first gap 150 and the contact surface 122 a of the second member 122 disengages from the cylindrical structure 46 .
- a user then engages the lock assembly 24 and latch 22 as described in paragraphs [0043] and [0044] to pull the tray 20 ′ so that the cylindrical structure 46 travels through the expanded second gap 152 and the tray 20 ′ is removed from the housing 18 .
- the keyhole 132 , the key contact portion 130 c and the second gap 152 could take on other shapes and sizes so long as the key contact portion 130 c is capable of fitting in and expanding the second gap 152 .
- the material of the second and third sections 122 , 124 is sufficiently flexible such that the second gap 152 is expandable but also sufficient in strength such that the stress applied to the members 122 , 124 by the key 130 does not cause fracture of the sections 122 , 124 .
Abstract
A child-resistant container which holds at least one item. The container includes a housing having upper and lower walls and at least one open side between the upper and lower walls. The container also includes a tray having a drawer slideably positioned in the tray. The drawer is for containing the item. The tray is pivotably connected to the housing at a pivot joint for movement between a first position in which the tray and the drawer are contained in the housing for preventing access to the item and a second position in which the tray extends through the open side of the housing for exposing the drawer and the item.
Description
- This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/707,010, filed Aug. 10, 2005.
- The present invention relates to a child-resistant container and more specifically to an easily refillable child-resistant container for storing a removable blister pack having an arrangement of blisters each of which contains a tablet or capsule.
- Many pharmaceutical products such as tablets and capsules are packaged in blister packs to deter children from obtaining and ingesting the products, to provide a small quantity of medication in a cost effective package and to allow for compliance throughout the medication cycle. In addition, blister packs are commonly utilized as physician samples for specific drugs and are not always packaged in a child-resistant package/container. The designer of such blister packs is confronted with conflicting requirements. The blister pack should be child-resistant and at the same time able to be opened without unreasonable difficulty. Typical blister packs are known to be difficult for some adults to open while still failing to be a deterrent for unsupervised children. In addition, blister packs are often utilized to help users keep track of their daily dosage of medication, which is taken over long periods of time.
- A child-resistant container for storing blister packs provides a second layer of safety. To be effective the container should require a degree of perception and manual dexterity above the abilities of unsupervised children attempting to gain access to the contents of the blister pack and should also be easy for adults to use. A container requiring the coordinated use of both hands and the simultaneous application of a force to both a latch and a lock assembly to gain access to the blister pack, such as the container of the invention disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/941,588 filed on Sep. 14, 2004, which was published under U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2005/0115862 A1 and is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein, provides the requisite level of protection.
- Although the container of the above-referenced U.S. Patent Application solves the problems mentioned above, several disadvantages still exist in the child-resistant containers. Namely, the manufacturing process requires additional steps to secure the blister pack to the child-resistant container. For instance, holes within the blister pack must be precisely aligned with corresponding holding pins. This step could become time consuming due to the precision required to properly install the blister pack. Other manufacturing processes require that an adhesive be applied to the blister pack to secure the blister pack to the container. The application of an adhesive is not only time consuming but also poses a risk of potentially harmful chemical reactions between the adhesive and the medicine contained within the blister pack.
- Another disadvantage of currently available blister pack holding child-resistant containers is that the blister packs are not quickly replaceable. In the case of the use of holding pins, a user must detach the old pack and align a new pack with the pins. In the case of the use of adhesives, the user must detach the pack and apply new adhesive for a new pack. Both of these options do not provide for quick replacement of blister packs.
- Thus, a need exists for a child-resistant container capable of easy installation and removal of blister packs.
- Breifly stated, the present invention is directed to a child-resistant container for holding at least one item. The container includes a housing having upper and lower walls and at least one open side between the upper and lower walls. The container also includes a tray having a drawer slideably positioned therein. The drawer is for containing the item. The tray is pivotably connected to the housing at a pivot joint for movement between a first position in which the tray and the drawer are contained in the housing for preventing access to the item and a second position in which the tray extends through the open side of the housing for exposing the drawer and the item.
- The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the invention, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings embodiments which are presently preferred. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.
- In the drawings:
-
FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a child-resistant container in a first (closed) position in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the child-resistant container ofFIG. 1 showing the tray in a second (open) position; -
FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the child-resistant container ofFIG. 2 ; -
FIG. 4 is an exploded, top perspective view of the child-resistant container ofFIG. 1 ; -
FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective view of the child-resistant container ofFIG. 1 without a base; -
FIG. 6 is a greatly enlarged view of a latch assembly of the child-resistant container ofFIG. 1 ; -
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a locking mechanism of the child-resistant container ofFIG. 1 ; -
FIG. 8 is a top elevation view of a child-resistant container without a top of an alternate embodiment engaged with a drawer key in accordance with the first preferred embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 9 is a top perspective view of the child-resistant container in a first (closed) position in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 10 is a top perspective view of the child resistant container ofFIG. 9 showing the tray in a second (open) position; -
FIG. 11 is a partially exploded, top perspective view of the child-resistant container ofFIG. 9 ; -
FIG. 12 is a bottom perspective view of the child-resistant container ofFIG. 9 showing a keyhole and a key; and -
FIG. 13 is a partially broken away, top perspective view of a pivot member of the child-resistant container ofFIG. 9 engaged with the key ofFIG. 12 . - Certain terminology is used in the following description for convenience only and is not limiting. The words “right,” “left,” “lower” and “upper” designate directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The words “inwardly” and “outwardly” refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the child-resistant container and designated parts thereof. The terminology includes the words above specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import.
- Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein like numerals indicate like elements throughout, there is shown in
FIGS. 1-8 a first preferred embodiment of a child-resistant container 10 in accordance with the present invention. Thecontainer 10 of the first preferred embodiment is for containing at least on item, such as a blister pack (not shown) having an arrangement of blisters, each containing a medication dose or tablet (not shown). One having ordinary skill in the art will realize that the blister pack typically includes a generally transparent top layer and a generally opaque rear layer that is bonded to the top layer such that moisture or other foreign matter is unable to penetrate the blister pack. The rear layer of the blister pack is rupturable such that the medication dose may be urged through the rear layer by applying a force, generally perpendicular to the top layer, to the medication dose. The top layer is typically constructed of a polymeric material and the rear layer is typically constructed of a foil-type material or a laminate with at least one layer of foil therein. - Those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate from this disclosure that contents or items other than tablets or capsules can be contained in the
container 10 of the present invention. For example, liquid or granular pharmaceuticals, contact lenses suspended in liquid or similar items potentially hazardous to children or adults can be safely contained in a readily accessible and convenient manner using thecontainer 10 of the present invention. Accordingly, while the first preferred embodiment of thecontainer 10 is discussed below as having atray 20 for holding a blister pack, those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate from this disclosure that the present invention is not limited to containers for containing blister packs. - The
container 10 may be used to contain other contents without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The necessary changes to thecontainer 10 to accommodate contents other than a blister pack would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art when considered in combination with this disclosure. Accordingly, for brevity, the below disclosure is directed to acontainer 10 for blister packs having an arrangement of tablets with the understanding that the invention is not limited to containing blister packs or tablets. - Referring to
FIGS. 1-4 , thecontainer 10 includes ahousing 18, atray 20, alatch 22, and alock assembly 24. Thehousing 18 has a generally rectangular shape. However, those of skill in the art will appreciate from this disclosure that thecontainer 10 of the present invention is not limited to a container having a housing of any particular shape. For example, thehousing 18 may be cylindrically shaped, triangularly shaped, cubically shaped or the like without departing from the scope of the present invention. Preferably, the rectangular-shapedhousing 18 has first, second, third, andfourth corners first corner 18 a preferably has a radius of curvature greater than the second, third andfourth corners fourth corners first corner 18 a having the greater radius of curvature enables a user to readily ascertain the orientation of thecontainer 10. The artisan will also understand that there are numerous other methods that may be employed to enable the user to determine the orientation of thecontainer 10, such as a faceted corner or the use of a textured surface. Thus the invention is not limited to the use of generally arcuate corners, one of which having a distinguishable difference in its radius of curvature over others, as the sole method for determining orientation. - The
housing 18 has a base orlower wall 26, a top orupper wall 28, at least oneclosed side 30 and at least oneopen side 32. Thebase 26 and top 28 havesemi-circular cutouts 110 that join to form outermost edges ofcircular keyholes 94 which will be described in more detail below. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that thecutouts 110 could be of other shapes and sizes so long as a key (described below) is capable of fitting through the cutout portion. The at least oneclosed side 30 extends between the base 26 and the top 28 along afirst portion 34 of aperimeter 36 of thebase 26. The at least oneopen side 32 extends between the base 26 and the top 28 along asecond portion 38 of theperimeter 36 of thebase 26 and at least from thefourth corner 18 d to thefirst corner 18 a. Preferably the at least oneclosed side 30 comprises abase component 30 a and atop component 30 b. Thebase component 30 a extends upwardly from thebase 26 and thetop component 30 b extends downwardly from the top 28. Referring toFIG. 4 , inside portions of thewalls 40 a of thebase component 30 a of the at least oneclosed side 30 has arabbet 42 a with an inwardly projectinglip 44 a. Thebottom edge 40 b of thetop component 30 b of the at least oneclosed side 30 has arabbet 42 b with an outwardly projectinglip 44 b for mating in a snap fit connection with the correspondingrabbet 42 a andlip 44 a of the wall insideportion 40 a of the at least oneclosed side 30. Thebase component 30 a further includes afemale component 47 a (FIG. 4 ) that mates with amale component 47 b (FIG. 5 ) of thetop component 30 b for further securing thebase component 30 a and thetop component 30 b. The female andmale components - Those having ordinary skill in the art will understand from the present disclosure that the
base component 30 a and thetop component 30 b of the at least oneclosed side 30 are preferably formed as an integral part of thebase 26 and top 28, respectively. The artisan also will understand that thebase component 30 a and thetop component 30 b may be secured to each other by a variety of other well known fastening methods such as an interference fit, screws, adhesives or the like. Further, the artisan will understand that thebase component 30 a and thetop component 30 b need not be formed as an integral part of thebase 26 and top 28, respectively, but rather may be separate structures secured to thebase 26 and top 28, respectively, by the methods discussed above without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. - Referring to
FIGS. 5 and 8 , apivot 46 extends between the base 26 and the top 28 through thetray 20. Thepivot 46 is preferably positioned proximal to thefourth corner 18 d of thehousing 18 and comprises a firstcylindrical structure 46 a and a secondcylindrical structure 46 b. The firstcylindrical structure 46 a is integral with the base and extends upwardly from thebase 26. The secondcylindrical structure 46 b is integral with the top 28, extends downwardly from the top 28 and engages the firstcylindrical structure 46 a in peg-in-hole like union. Those skilled in the art will understand from this disclosure that thepivot 46 may be any of a variety of well known connectors that provide for angular displacement between the connected structures, such as a hinge, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. - Referring to
FIG. 4 , thetray 20 preferably has a shape that generally corresponds to the shape of thebase 26 and is preferably generally rectangular in shape. Thetray 20 is pivotably connected to thehousing 18. Preferably thetray 20 has apivot hole 48 therethrough that is journaled with thepivot 46 to form a pivot joint. Thetray 20 is pivotable between a first (or closed) position 50 (FIG. 1 ) in which thetray 20 is in thehousing 18 for preventing access to the item or blister pack and a second (or open) position 52 (FIG. 2 ) in which thetray 20 extends through the at least oneopen side 32 of thehousing 18 for exposing adrawer 80 and the item or blister pack, as described in more detail hereinafter. Thetray 20 has at least oneside 54 that extends upwardly along afirst portion 56 of theperimeter 58 of thetray 20 and that corresponds to the at least oneopen side 32 of thehousing 18. Theperimeter 58 forms ahollow space 59 at the mid-portion of thetray 20. Those having ordinary skill in the art will understand from this disclosure that the at least oneside 54 preferably, but not necessarily, extends around the entire perimeter of thetray 20. - The
tray 20 further includes a retention orrestraint bar 90 extending over thedrawer 80 for restricting movement or securing a blister pack as will be described below. Theretention bar 90 is substantially centered within thehollow space 59 and extends from afirst portion top 56 a to arear portion 57. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the location and orientation of theretention bar 90 could vary so long as the blister pack is capable of being properly secured. In addition, thetray 20 includes top andbottom ridges tray 20. The top andbottom ridges channel 91 on each side of thetray 20 and eachchannel 91 is aligned withkeyholes 94 that extend through therear portion 57 and theperimeter 58 of thetray 20. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that thechannel 91 could be formed in other ways or could be eliminated without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. - Referring to
FIG. 6 , thelatch 22 comprises aflexible member 64 associated with thetray 20 and anotch 66 associated with thehousing 18. Theflexible member 64 has afirst end 64 a that is integral with the at least oneside 54 of thetray 20 and asecond end 64 b that has an outwardly projectingtang 68. Theflexible member 64 is elastically biased outwardly. Thenotch 66 is in an inwardly facing surface of the at least oneclosed side 30 of thehousing 18. Thenotch 66 is proximal to thefirst corner 18 a of the housing and is positioned for releasably engaging thetang 68 when thetray 20 is in the first position 50 (FIG. 1 ). The outwardly facing surface of thelatch 22 preferably, but not necessarily, is a textured surface. Those skilled in the art will understand from the present disclosure that thelatch 22 may be one of a variety of well known latching devices, such as a slider or a snap without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. - Referring to
FIG. 4 , the child-resistant container 10 also includes aremovable drawer 80 sized to fit within thetray 20. Thedrawer 80 includes afront wall 84, arear wall 88 and two opposingsidewalls 86. Thewalls center portion 83 havingaccess holes 60 for individual blisters of the blister pack. In the preferred embodiment, four rows and six columns of access holes 60 are present but one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the quantity and locations of the access holes 60 could vary depending on the configuration of the blister pack. Thewalls center portion 83 such that individual blisters would be at equal height or lower than thewalls rear wall 88 includes anopening 89 at or near the center for theretention bar 90 to fit within. Thecenter portion 83 includesopen space 81 aligned with theopening 89 between the front andrear walls retention bar 90 and prevent theretention bar 90 from interfering with individual blisters.Side extensions 87 extend from eachsidewall 86 along the entire length of the outside portions of thesidewalls 86. Eachside extension 87 includes a distal end consisting of a triangular shapedlatch 82. Eachlatch 82 is sized to fit within thekeyholes 94. Theside extensions 87 are shaped and sized so that they are slidably engageable with thechannels 91 of thetray 20. Thedrawer 80 further includes inwardly extendingribs 85 that extend from therear wall 88 and thefront wall 84. Theribs 85 are sufficiently spaced from thecenter portion 83 top surface so that the base of a blister pack can fit underneath theribs 85. One with ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the quantity and location of theribs 85 could vary so long as the blister pack could be secured properly. - In operation, the
drawer 80 is loaded with a blister pack by placing the blister pack in thecenter portion 83 of thedrawer 80 and securing the blister pack by placing the edges of the blister pack underneath theribs 85. Thedrawer 80 is then inserted into thetray 20 by placing thelatches 82 of theside extensions 87 into thechannel 91 and pushing thedrawer 80 through thechannels 91 and into thekeyholes 94 until thelatch 82 engages pins 92 (FIG. 8 ) within thekeyhole 94 of thetray 20. Thedrawer 80 is capable of being loaded into thetray 20 when thetray 20 is in both the first andsecond positions pins 92 are cylindrical and extend from thetray 20. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that other shapes could be substituted. In addition, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that thelatches 82 could extend beyond thetray 20 and engage with pins that extend from the top 28 orbase 26 instead of thetray 20. - Referring to
FIG. 8 , thedrawer 80 is releasably interlocked to thetray 20 by at least one latch via engagement of thelatches 82 to thepins 92. Thedrawer 80 is releasable from thetray 20 by engaging adrawer key 100 through thekeyholes 94 into thehousing 18 to release thelatches 82 from thepins 92. Thedrawer key 100 includes a main body orbase 102 having afirst side 106 a and asecond side 106 b sized to fit at least partially around two opposingclosed sides 30 of the child-resistant container 10. Themain body 102 also includes at least afirst extension 104 a and preferably asecond extension 104 b for engagement with thekeyholes 94. Thefirst extension 104 a and thesecond extension 104 b are tapered such that the tapered ends match the tapered ends of thelatches 82. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the first andsecond extensions latches 82. - In operation, the
drawer 80 is released from thetray 20 by applying thedrawer key 100 to the child-resistant container 10. The first andsecond extensions keyholes 94 and pushed toward thecontainer 10 so that the first andsecond extensions latches 82. This causes elastic deformation of thelatches 82 and removes thelatches 82 from thepins 92, thereby forcing thedrawer 80 out of thetray 20. Thedrawer 80 may then be quickly replaced by a substitute drawer having a new blister pack if needed. - Referring to
FIGS. 1-5 and 7, thelock assembly 24 is connected to thehousing 18 and preferably comprises a flexibleupper tab 24 a. Theupper tab 24 a is preferably formed from a partial cutout in the top 28 and has afirst end 72 a integral with the top 28 of thehousing 18 and a secondfree end 72 b. Theupper tab 24 a is elastically biased outwardly and displaceable inwardly. Referring toFIG. 7 , thelock assembly 24 is movably mounted to thetop wall 28 of thehousing 18 and includes anarm 25 that extends downwardly from anupper tab 24 a with a hook-shapedmember 25 a at a distal end. Thelock assembly 24 is movable between a locking position and a release position. Thelock assembly 24 engages and locks thetray 20 within thehousing 18 when thetray 20 is in the retracted position and thelock assembly 24 is in the locking position. Thelock assembly 24 further includes acam surface 25 b and ashoulder 25 c on thetray 20. In the preferred embodiment, thecam surface 25 b andshoulder 25 c are integrally molded into theside 54 of thetray 20 adjacent a corner of thetray 20. Those skilled in the art will understand from the present disclosure that other methods may be used to lock thetray 20 in thefirst position 50 such an outwardly biased bolt slideable within a bore in the top 28 of thehousing 18 without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. - In operation, the
cam surface 25 b moves thelock assembly 24 from the locking position to the release position as thetray 20 pivots from the exposed position toward the retracted position. Thelock assembly 24 engages theshoulder 25 c when thetray 20 is in the retracted position, thereby locking thetray 20 in the retracted position. To release thetray 20 from the retracted position, theupper tab 24 a is depressed toward thetray 20, thereby moving the hook-shapedmember 25 a out of engagement with theshoulder 25 c, thelatch 22 is actuated and thetray 20 is released to pivot toward the open position upon the application of a torque to thetray 20. When returning thetray 20 to the retracted position from the open position, thecam surface 25 b contacts the hook-shapedmember 25 a, moving theupper tab 24 a from the locking position to the release position. When the hook-shapedmember 25 a clears thecam surface 25 b, the resilientupper tab 24 a urges the hook-shapedmember 25 a to the locking position, thereby engaging the hook-shapedmember 25 a with theshoulder 25 c and locking thetray 20 in the retracted position. - The
upper tab 24 a of thelock assembly 24 may include an ornamental design such as a star or a target applied to its outer surface to direct the user's attention to the location of theupper tab 24 on thecontainer 10. Additionally, preferably, but not necessarily, the top 28 of thecontainer 10 may bear other markings to provide guidance to the user regarding how to operate the device. The ornamental design on theupper tab 24 a is not limited to a star or target and may take on nearly any ornamental shape or pattern that provides an indication to a user for actuating the lockingassembly 24. - Those having ordinary skill in the art will understand from the above disclosure that the
tray 20 is secured in thefirst position 50 by thelatch 22 and thelock assembly 24 and is angularly displaceable from thefirst position 50 toward thesecond position 52 upon the simultaneous application of an inwardly directed force to theflexible member 64 of thelatch 22 and theupper tab 24 a of thelock assembly 24 and a torque to thetray 20. - Preferably, but not necessarily, the above-disclosed components of the
container 10 are fabricated from die-formable polymeric materials. However, a wide variety of well-known materials including but not limited to metals such as aluminum or stainless steel may be used without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. - The
container 10 is preferably ergonomically designed for simplicity of use as follows. Thecontainer 10 with thetray 20 in the first orclosed position 50 is grasped in the left hand with the at least oneclosed side 30 facing the palm of the user's hand, the top 28 facing upwardly and the left thumb placed over theupper tab 24 a of thelock assembly 24. The index finger of the user's right hand is placed on theflexible member 64 of thelatch 22. To open thecontainer 10, the user simultaneously applies with the left thumb and right index finger an inwardly directed force to theupper tab 24 a and theflexible member 64 respectively and a torque to thetray 20. The force applied to theupper tab 24 a causes theupper tab 24 a to be displaced inwardly and thereby transfer the force to thearm 25 which, in turn, is displaced downwardly and outwardly to withdraw thearm 25 a from theshoulder 25 c and unlock thetray 20. - The application of the inwardly directed force to the
flexible member 64 causes an inward displacement of theflexible member 64, which in turn causes the withdrawal of thetang 68 from thenotch 66 in the at least oneclosed side 30 of thehousing 18. The simultaneous withdrawal of thearm 25 a and thetang 68 frees thetray 20 for angular displacement about thepivot 46. With both theupper tab 24 a and theflexible member 64 inwardly displaced, the application of the torque to thetray 20 pivots thetray 20 from the first (closed)position 50 to the second (open)position 52. - When the
tray 20 is in theopen position 50, the user may remove a tablet from a blister of an already contained blister pack. The application of a reverse torque to thetray 20 returns thetray 20 to theclosed position 50. When thetray 20 is returned to theclosed position 50, in the absence of the force applied to theupper tab 24 a and theflexible member 64, thetang 68 is inserted in thenotch 66 and thearm 25 a is inserted in theshoulder 25 c due to the biased positioning of thelatch 22 and thelock assembly 24. - Referring to
FIGS. 9-13 , a second preferred embodiment of a child-resistant container 11 is shown. The child-resistant container 11 includes parts that are identical to the child-resistant container 10 of the first embodiment and will not be discussed in detail for convenience. Thecontainer 11 includes ahousing 18 that is identical to thecontainer 10 of the first embodiment except that the rear of the housing does not include cutouts for circular keyholes but instead includes atriangular keyhole 132 on thebase 26. - Referring to
FIG. 11 , aremovable tray 20′ is sized to fit within thehousing 18. The tray includes afront wall 140, arear wall 142, aleft wall 144 and aright wall 146 that surrounds acenter portion 148 havingaccess holes 60′ for use with blister packs. In the preferred embodiment, seven columns and four rows of evenly spaced access holes 60′ are present but one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the quantity and locations of the access holes could vary depending on the configuration of the blister pack. The walls 140-146 are of sufficient height such that thecenter portion 148 lies beneath the peaks of the walls 140-146 and such that individual blisters would be at equal height or lower than the walls 140-146. The front andrear walls ribs 85 that are identical to those described in the first embodiment. Thetray 20′ also includes apivot member 164 located at the corner that joins thefront wall 140 and theleft wall 144. A portion of theleft wall 144 extends inwardly to form afirst section 120. Asecond section 122 having a distalend contact surface 122 a extends outwardly from theleft wall 144 and forms afirst gap 150 between thefirst section 120 and thesecond section 122. The secondsection contact surface 122 a is sufficiently concave to form an arc of a circle and faces thefront wall 140. Athird section 124 having acurved surface 124 b extends from thefront wall 140 and is sufficiently curved such that adistal end 124 a of thethird section 124 substantially faces therear wall 142 and forms a substantially triangularsecond gap 152 between thesecond section 122 and thethird section 124. Thecurved surface 124 b of thethird section 124 has an arc substantially equal to the arc of thecontact surface 122 a. A substantiallycylindrical pivot hole 48′ is formed between thecurved surface 124 b of thethird section 124 and thecontact surface 122 a of thesecond section 122 and is sufficiently sized to fit a firstcylindrical structure 46 a of thehousing 18. - Referring to
FIGS. 12 and 13 , thebase 26 of thehousing 18 includes akeyhole 132 substantially aligned with thesecond gap 152. Thekeyhole 132 is sized to fit a key 130 having a handle 130 a, anextension 130 b and acontact portion 130 c having adistal end 134. Thekeyhole 132, as well as the cross-section of thecontact portion 130 c of the key 130, are identically substantially triangular and sized such that thecontact portion 130 c would fit within thekeyhole 132. Referring toFIG. 13 , thekey contact portion 130 c is sized such that the cross-section of thecontact portion 130 c is slightly larger than the triangularsecond gap 152. - In operation, the
movable tray 20 is inserted into thehousing 18 and thepivot member 164 is snap-fitted onto the firstcylindrical structure 146 into a first (closed)position 50′. During the snap-fitting process, thecylindrical structure 46 a travels through thesecond gap 152 and expands the space within thegap 152 until thecylindrical structure 46 a rests within thepivot hole 48′ at which time thegap 152 returns to its original dimensions. Theremovable tray 20′ is capable of being pivotably removed from thehousing 18 into a second (open)position 52′. Referring toFIG. 13 , to remove thetray 20′, the key 130 is inserted through thekeyhole 132 and thesecond gap 152 while thetray 20′ is in thefirst position 50′. The key 130 expands the space of thesecond gap 152 between the second andthird members second member 122 moves toward and within thefirst gap 150 and thecontact surface 122 a of thesecond member 122 disengages from thecylindrical structure 46. A user then engages thelock assembly 24 and latch 22 as described in paragraphs [0043] and [0044] to pull thetray 20′ so that thecylindrical structure 46 travels through the expandedsecond gap 152 and thetray 20′ is removed from thehousing 18. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that thekeyhole 132, thekey contact portion 130 c and thesecond gap 152 could take on other shapes and sizes so long as thekey contact portion 130 c is capable of fitting in and expanding thesecond gap 152. In the preferred embodiment, the material of the second andthird sections second gap 152 is expandable but also sufficient in strength such that the stress applied to themembers sections - It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. It is understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but it is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.
Claims (7)
1. A child-resistant container for holding at least one item, the container comprising:
a housing having upper and lower walls, at least one open side between the upper and lower walls;
a tray having a drawer slideably positioned therein, the drawer for containing the item, the tray being pivotably connected to the housing at a pivot joint for movement between a first position in which the tray and the drawer are contained in the housing for preventing access to the item and a second position in which the tray extends through the open side of the housing for exposing the drawer and the item.
2. A child-resistant container according to claim 1 , wherein the tray has at least one restraint bar extending over the drawer and restricting movement of the at least one item when the drawer is inserted in the tray.
3. A child resistant container according to claim 1 , wherein the drawer is releasably interlocked to the tray.
4. A child-resistant container according to claim 3 , wherein the drawer is releasably interlocked to the tray by at least one latch.
5. A child-resistant container according to claim 4 , further including a drawer key positionable into a key hole in the housing, wherein portions of the drawer key extend into the housing to release the at least one latch.
6. A child-resistant container according to claim 5 , wherein the drawer key comprises:
a base;
at least one extension extending from the base into the key hole and into the housing.
7. A child-resistant container according to claim 5 , wherein the drawer key partially surrounds the housing when the portions of the drawer key extend into the housing.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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US11/463,764 US20070045150A1 (en) | 2005-08-10 | 2006-08-10 | Child resistant container and method of using the same |
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US11/463,764 US20070045150A1 (en) | 2005-08-10 | 2006-08-10 | Child resistant container and method of using the same |
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US11/463,764 Abandoned US20070045150A1 (en) | 2005-08-10 | 2006-08-10 | Child resistant container and method of using the same |
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EP (1) | EP1912880A1 (en) |
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US20100038278A1 (en) * | 2007-03-12 | 2010-02-18 | Sanofi-Aventis | Blister protection sleeve including automatic locking means that can be unlocked by torsion |
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US20100252478A1 (en) * | 2009-04-01 | 2010-10-07 | Berry Plastics Corporation | Child-resistant package with pivotable blister card |
US20100264054A1 (en) * | 2009-04-21 | 2010-10-21 | Berry Plastics Corporation | Child-resistant multi-blister card case |
US20110067363A1 (en) * | 2008-04-09 | 2011-03-24 | Merck Serono Sa | Child-resistant medication container |
US20110226765A1 (en) * | 2008-12-09 | 2011-09-22 | Meadwestvaco Corporation | Package for securing a multi-pack traveler component |
US20120160727A1 (en) * | 2009-06-23 | 2012-06-28 | Kraft Foods Global Brands Llc | Pivotal product packaging |
US20120199581A1 (en) * | 2006-12-12 | 2012-08-09 | Meadwestvaco Corporation | Packaging |
US20130008818A1 (en) * | 2006-01-18 | 2013-01-10 | Alk-Abello A/S | Container for a blister package |
US20160101891A1 (en) * | 2008-12-01 | 2016-04-14 | R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company | Dual cavity sliding dispenser |
US9801501B1 (en) * | 2016-10-04 | 2017-10-31 | Vision Home Products, Inc. | Tray holder |
US10683137B2 (en) | 2018-10-10 | 2020-06-16 | Berlin Packaging, Llc | Container tray assembly with child resistant sleeve |
US10730671B2 (en) | 2017-03-07 | 2020-08-04 | JohnsByrne Company | Child resistant packaging |
USD897831S1 (en) | 2018-10-10 | 2020-10-06 | Berlin Packaging, Llc | Container tray assembly with child resistant sleeve |
CN113133936A (en) * | 2020-01-20 | 2021-07-20 | 江南大学 | Safe medicine box for children |
US11535432B2 (en) | 2017-03-07 | 2022-12-27 | JohnsByrne Company | Child resistant packaging |
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US20080283434A1 (en) * | 2007-05-17 | 2008-11-20 | Gelardi John A | Selectably Lockable Case |
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US20070235368A1 (en) * | 2006-01-09 | 2007-10-11 | Anderson Packaging, Inc. | Child-Resistant, Senior-Friendly Unit Dose Container |
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US20130008818A1 (en) * | 2006-01-18 | 2013-01-10 | Alk-Abello A/S | Container for a blister package |
US8939281B2 (en) * | 2006-12-12 | 2015-01-27 | Meadwestvaco Corporation | Packaging |
US20120199581A1 (en) * | 2006-12-12 | 2012-08-09 | Meadwestvaco Corporation | Packaging |
US8297436B2 (en) * | 2007-03-12 | 2012-10-30 | Sanofi | Blister protection sleeve including automatic locking means that can be unlocked by torsion |
US20100038278A1 (en) * | 2007-03-12 | 2010-02-18 | Sanofi-Aventis | Blister protection sleeve including automatic locking means that can be unlocked by torsion |
US20100181335A1 (en) * | 2007-07-20 | 2010-07-22 | Mead Westvaco Corporation | Dispenser |
US7806270B2 (en) | 2007-08-16 | 2010-10-05 | Anderson Packaging, Inc. | Child-resistant, senior-friendly unit dose container |
US20090045096A1 (en) * | 2007-08-16 | 2009-02-19 | Anderson Packaging, Inc. | Child-Resistant, Senior-Friendly Unit Dose Container |
US7987629B2 (en) * | 2007-09-28 | 2011-08-02 | Technicide, Inc. | Rodent bait station |
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US7617935B2 (en) | 2008-01-10 | 2009-11-17 | Anderson Packaging, Inc. | Reusable child-resistant, senior friendly unit dose container |
US20090178948A1 (en) * | 2008-01-10 | 2009-07-16 | Anderson Packaging, Inc. | Reusable Child-Resistant, Senior Friendly Unit Dose Container |
US20110067363A1 (en) * | 2008-04-09 | 2011-03-24 | Merck Serono Sa | Child-resistant medication container |
AU2009235185B2 (en) * | 2008-04-09 | 2014-04-10 | Merck Serono Sa | Child-resistant medication container |
US8672134B2 (en) * | 2008-04-09 | 2014-03-18 | Merck Serono Sa | Child-resistant medication container |
US11932471B2 (en) * | 2008-12-01 | 2024-03-19 | R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company | Dual cavity sliding dispenser |
US20160101891A1 (en) * | 2008-12-01 | 2016-04-14 | R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company | Dual cavity sliding dispenser |
US20210245919A1 (en) * | 2008-12-01 | 2021-08-12 | R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. | Dual cavity sliding dispenser |
US11021293B2 (en) * | 2008-12-01 | 2021-06-01 | R.J.R. Reynolds Tobacco Company | Dual cavity sliding dispenser |
US20110226765A1 (en) * | 2008-12-09 | 2011-09-22 | Meadwestvaco Corporation | Package for securing a multi-pack traveler component |
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US20100252478A1 (en) * | 2009-04-01 | 2010-10-07 | Berry Plastics Corporation | Child-resistant package with pivotable blister card |
US8220636B2 (en) | 2009-04-21 | 2012-07-17 | Berry Plastics Corporation | Child-resistant multi-blister card case |
US20100264054A1 (en) * | 2009-04-21 | 2010-10-21 | Berry Plastics Corporation | Child-resistant multi-blister card case |
US8646611B2 (en) * | 2009-06-23 | 2014-02-11 | Kraft Foods Global Brands Llc | Pivotal product packaging |
US20120160727A1 (en) * | 2009-06-23 | 2012-06-28 | Kraft Foods Global Brands Llc | Pivotal product packaging |
US9801501B1 (en) * | 2016-10-04 | 2017-10-31 | Vision Home Products, Inc. | Tray holder |
US10730671B2 (en) | 2017-03-07 | 2020-08-04 | JohnsByrne Company | Child resistant packaging |
US11535432B2 (en) | 2017-03-07 | 2022-12-27 | JohnsByrne Company | Child resistant packaging |
USD897831S1 (en) | 2018-10-10 | 2020-10-06 | Berlin Packaging, Llc | Container tray assembly with child resistant sleeve |
US10683137B2 (en) | 2018-10-10 | 2020-06-16 | Berlin Packaging, Llc | Container tray assembly with child resistant sleeve |
CN113133936A (en) * | 2020-01-20 | 2021-07-20 | 江南大学 | Safe medicine box for children |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
JP2009504520A (en) | 2009-02-05 |
CN101282888B (en) | 2011-05-11 |
WO2007021787A1 (en) | 2007-02-22 |
EP1912880A1 (en) | 2008-04-23 |
CN101282888A (en) | 2008-10-08 |
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Legal Events
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Owner name: WEST PHARMACEUTICAL SERVICES, INC., PENNSYLVANIA Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:HUFFER, JON;HAGER, GARRETT;MAIETTA, MICHAEL;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:018496/0672;SIGNING DATES FROM 20060914 TO 20061001 |
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