US20080164259A1

US20080164259A1 - Container useful for holding multiple articles of manufacture

Info

Publication number: US20080164259A1
Application number: US11/649,466
Authority: US
Inventors: Matthew T. Coe; Hung Mach
Original assignee: ONE WORLD DESIGN and Manufacturing GROUP Ltd
Current assignee: ONE WORLD DESIGN and Manufacturing GROUP Ltd
Priority date: 2007-01-04
Filing date: 2007-01-04
Publication date: 2008-07-10

Abstract

A container for holding multiple articles of manufacture which includes at least one storage area for holding the multiple articles of manufacture, a first cover portion operatively associated with a second cover portion wherein the first and second cover portions are adapted to reversibly enclose the at least one storage area therebetween; and a locking mechanism for releasably securing the first and second cover portions together to block access to the at least one storage area. The locking mechanism includes at least one first member located on the first cover portion wherein the at least one first member is adapted for reversible locking engagement with corresponding at least one second member located on the second cover portion and at least one movable stop abutting against at least one of the first and second members to maintain the respective locking engagement therebetween whereby at least one movable stop is adapted to move to a non-abutting position to allow the at least one of the first and second members to be disengaged from the other to open access to the at least one storage area.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to containers for holding articles of manufacture, and more particularly to a container designed to prevent inadvertent and unsupervised access by young children to articles of manufacture such as medication contained therein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A range of containers have been devised in packaging for different articles of manufacture including pharmaceutical products, household products, food products, stationery supplies, fasteners, and the like. Small articles are typically grouped together in one container for reasons of efficiency. Containers also typically provide both a storage function and a dispensing function for the articles of manufacture contained therein. Containers may desirably provide protection against tampering, contamination (aseptic), and physical impact. The design and appearance of a container may also factor in aesthetics as well as utilitarian features to encourage potential consumers to purchase the product.
One group of articles of manufacture that frequently utilizes containers is composed of pharmaceutical products, which are manufactured and distributed in a range of forms depending on the mode of administration. A number of pharmaceutical products are commonly available as solid dosage form products including pills, capsules, tablets, lozenges and the like. Such solid dosage form products are typically packaged in pill case type of containers. These pill cases generally hold a plurality of solid dosage form products, which can be serviced by the user as needed. Depending on the type of pill case, the solid dosage form products may be stored loosely as an agglomeration in a bottle container, or discretely in blister packs.
Blister packs are a type of packaging that are non-reclosable, and generally used to discourage product tampering or to facilitate dispensing of pills to the user. A blister pack typically includes a thin resilient sheet, normally of a polymeric material such as molded polyvinyl chloride (PVC), in which hollows or “blisters” are formed, all facing away from one side of the sheet. The blisters accommodate the solid dosage form products. A frangible foil laminate is hermetically attached to the sheet to enclose the blisters and retain the products therein. The PVC is transparent so the product can be seen and easily examined. The products are removed from the pack either by peeling the foil back or pushing the blister to force product to break the foil. One specialized form of a blister pack is a strip pack. Although blister packs provide ease of dispensing, they lack the child-resistant or child safety features necessary to prevent inadvertent ingestion of the products contained therein by unsupervised children.
It is known that pharmaceutical products can be potentially harmful articles of manufacture especially if administered incorrectly or inadvertently taken by unsupervised children. For this reason, several attempts have been made to design containers that can securely hold pharmaceutical products out of children's reach. Such child safety containers are usually designed to hold the solid dosage form products loosely as an agglomeration. These child safety containers are made to prevent inadvertent access by children, and reduce the risk of ingestion of such products without adult supervision. The child safety containers must also be constructed to provide the intended users prompt access and ease of use including the elderly and physically limited adults. A number of these child safety containers have been especially designed for holding pharmaceutical products. However, current child resistant pill cases are often bulky, unreliable, difficult to operate, or too complicated to fabricate and assemble in a cost effective manner.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to make a container, preferably in the form of a pill case, designed to prevent inadvertent access of articles of manufacture including solid dosage form products such as pills, tablets, capsules, lozenges and the like to young children, while facilitating ready access for intended users. It would be desirable to make a pill case that is operable for users with limited finger dexterity such as elderly or arthritic patients with improved handling. It would further be desirable to make a pill case that may be configured to provide child safety protection for blister packs, and to accommodate and retain them in a more effective and secure manner. It would be especially desirable to provide a pill case that is simple to manufacture and assemble, while providing enhanced security features.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is generally directed to a container useful for accommodating and dispensing articles of manufacture. Preferably, the container of the present invention is in the form of a pill case, where the articles of manufacture may be selected from pharmaceutical products including solid dosage form products such as pills, lozenges, tablets, capsules, and the like. The pill case of the present invention may be adapted either to hold loose forms of articles of manufacture, or to hold blister packs discretely packaging such articles of manufacture. The present invention is composed of minimal components, and is both simple and cost effective to fabricate and implement.
The pill case of the present invention includes a novel locking mechanism as a safety feature adapted to prevent young children from opening and inadvertently gaining access to the articles of manufacture or the blister packs packaging the same. The locking mechanism of the present invention can be operated with ease to facilitate access to the intended users especially those with limited finger dexterity such as the elderly or arthritic patients. In a preferred form of the present invention, the pill case is configured to accommodate and securely retain blister packs for subsequent dispensing of the packaged articles of manufacture to the intended user, while preventing unsupervised access by children.
The pill case of the present invention may include one or more pill holding trays reversibly attached at one end to move pivotally in a book-like manner. Each pill holding tray may be adapted to receive multiple pills, which may be matched with a particular dosage regimen particularly suited to the user. The use of multiple trays can therefore accommodate long-term prescriptions. The pills can be secured to the tray in a variety of ways including through the use of blister packs. The pills are individually stored in the blister packs each of which can fit within the tray and may be readily removed therefrom.
Each of the trays may further include a novel fastening mechanism as an enhanced feature for securely retaining the blister pack thereto. The fastening mechanism contacts and operatively engages the blister pack to prevent sliding, shifting or misalignment within the tray. In this manner, the contents of the blister packs can be readily dispensed from the trays with less effort and difficulty. The fastening mechanism may be disengaged from the tray to facilitate removing and replacing the blister pack.
Finally, the pill case of the present invention may further include a hand holdable portion formed therefrom, when the pill case is in the open position, to enhance gripping and control by the user during dispensing.
In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a container for holding multiple articles of manufacture, the container comprising:
a storage area for holding the multiple articles of manufacture;
a first cover portion operatively associated with a second cover portion; said first and second cover portions reversibly enclosing the storage area therebetween; and
a locking mechanism for releasably securing the first and second cover portions together, said locking mechanism comprising:

- a first member located on the first cover portion, said first member in reversible locking engagement with a second member located on the second cover portion; and
- a movable stop abutting against said first member to maintain the locking engagement between the first and second members, said movable stop adapted to move to a non-abutting position to allow the first member to be disengaged from the second member prior to releasing the first cover portion from the second cover portion to gain access to the storage area.

In a preferred form of the present invention, the first and second cover portions are hingedly secured to one another.
In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a container for holding multiple articles of manufacture, the container comprising:
a tray comprising a storage area adapted for accommodating a blister pack containing the multiple articles of manufacture;
a first cover portion operatively associated with a second cover portion; said first and second cover portions reversibly enclosing the tray and storage area therebetween; and
a fastening mechanism comprising at least one clasp configured for extending through the blister pack to prevent lateral movement within the storage area and a clamp hingedly attached to the tray, said clamp being movable to a fastened position against the blister pack wherein the clamp engages the at least one clasp to secure the blister pack in place.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following drawings are illustrative of embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the invention as encompassed by the claims forming part of the application.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container with the top cover in an open position for one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the container with the locking mechanism in the locked state in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of the container of FIG. 2 with the locking mechanism in the unlocked state in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the container with the pill holding trays open for access in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the container of FIG. 4 from an opposite side in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the container with the top and bottom covers cooperating to form a handle in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 7 is an assembly view of the container in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 8 is an exploded assembly view of one of the pill holding trays of the container with a blister pack in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a side assembly view of the pill holding tray of FIG. 7 in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a container with the top cover in an open position for a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a front elevation view of the container of FIG. 10 with the locking mechanism in the locked state in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 12 is a front elevation view of the container of FIG. 10 with the locking mechanism in the unlocked state in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a container for holding articles of manufacture. The container of the present invention is preferably in the form of a pill case, where the articles of manufacture may be selected from pharmaceutical products including solid dosage form products such as pills, lozenges, tablets, capsules, and the like. The pill case of the present invention may be adapted either to hold loose forms of articles of manufacture, or to hold blister packs of such articles of manufacture. The present invention is composed of minimal components, and is both simple and cost effective to fabricate and implement.
The pill case of the present invention includes a locking mechanism designed to prevent young children from opening and inadvertently gaining access to the potentially harmful articles of manufacture or the blister packs containing the same. Concomitantly, the locking mechanism of the present invention can be readily operated to facilitate access of the pill case to the intended users including those with limited finger dexterity such as the elderly and arthritic patients. The locking mechanism of the present invention requires a dual step action to initiate disengagement and opening of the present pill case. In a preferred form of the present invention, the pill case is configured to accommodate and securely retain blister packs from which dispensing of the packaged articles of manufacture to the intended user can be accomplished.
In one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a container for holding multiple articles of manufacture. The container of the present invention comprises a pill holding portion for holding the multiple articles of manufacture; a first cover portion operatively associated with a second cover portion, wherein the first and second cover portions reversibly enclose the pill holding portion therebetween; and a locking mechanism for releasably securing the first and second cover portions together to prevent access to the pill holding portion.
The locking mechanism of the present invention comprises a first lock member located on the first cover portion, wherein the first lock member is in reversible locking engagement with a second lock member located on the second cover portion, and a movable stop abutting against the first lock member to maintain the locking engagement between the first and second lock members, wherein the movable stop is adapted to move to a non-abutting position to allow the first lock member to be disengaged from the second lock member prior to releasing the first cover portion from the second cover portion to gain access to the pill holding portion.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the pill case of the present invention may include one or more pill holding trays attached to one another to move pivotally in a book-like manner as will be described hereinafter. Each pill holding tray may be adapted to receive multiple pills, which may be matched with a particular dosage regimen particularly suited to the user. The use of multiple trays can therefore accommodate long-term prescriptions. The pills can be secured to the trays in a variety of ways including the use of blister packs. The pills are individually stored in the blister packs each of which fit within the tray and may be readily removed therefrom.
Each of the trays may further include a fastening mechanism for securely retaining the blister pack thereto as will be described herein. The fastening mechanism contacts and operatively engages the blister pack in a manner to prevent displacement, sliding, shifting or misalignment within the tray. The fastening mechanism may be disengaged from the tray to facilitate removal and replacement of the blister pack.
Finally, the pill case of the present invention may further include a hand holdable portion formed therefrom, when the pill case is in the open position, to enhance gripping and control by the user during dispensing.
It will be understood that the present invention may be adapted to accommodate, store and dispense a variety of articles of manufacture including chewing gum, confections, nutraceutical products, and the like. Accordingly, the term “pill” as used herein shall include not only pills of a variety shapes and sizes but all forms of dispensable products or articles of manufacture such as medications which can effectively be housed in the container of the present invention including tablets, capsules, lozenges, caplets and the like. For illustrative purposes, reference hereinafter will be to a pill case for dispensing pills. Accordingly, all references to a “pill case” shall likewise mean a case or container, which can accommodate any form of articles of manufacture.
Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a container in the form of a pill case identified generally by reference numeral 10 for one embodiment of the present invention. Although the pill case of the present invention can be readily modified to hold multiple pills in an agglomeration such as in a bottle container, the pill case 10 is constructed to hold multiple pills packaged in a blister pack as will be described hereinafter. The pill case 10 includes a top cover 12, a bottom cover 14 and a pill holding portion 16 located therebetween, each hingedly connected to one another. The top and bottom covers 12 and 14 are capable of moving separately from the pill holding portion 16. In particular, the top and bottom covers 12 and 14 benefit from an ample range of motion via hinges 18 and 20, respectively. The pill case 10 is fabricated from a suitable rigid, resilient material, preferably from a polymer material including plastic such as polypropylene through any conventional methods including j processes of extrusion or cast molding.
The pill holding portion 16 comprises a first pill holding tray 22 and a second pill holding tray 24, each including a plurality dispensing apertures 26 disposed therein. The first and second pill holding trays 22 and 24 can be hingedly opened in a clam-like manner (as shown best in FIGS. 3, 4, 5, and 6). The pills (not shown) are accommodated and stored in the pill holding portion 16, and can be dispensed through the dispensing apertures 26 from blister packs as will be described hereinafter. The pill holding portion 16 is protected from access by securing the top and bottom covers 12 and 14 to one another via a latch assembly 28. It will be understood that the latch assembly 28 of the present invention may be readily modified by one of ordinary skill in the art to accommodate bottle-type containers.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the latch assembly 28 is shown in the locked and unlocked positions, respectively. The latch assembly 28 is composed of two main portions. The first portion of the latch assembly 28 is structurally associated with the bottom cover 14, and comprises a dual latch member 30 having a pair of flexible spring latches 32 extending upwardly therefrom as best shown in FIG. 3. The base of the dual latch member 30 is mounted to the front edge of the bottom cover 14. The flexible spring latches 32 each further include a finger tab 31 providing a lever for the user's finger. The flexible spring latches 32 are normally biased toward the side direction, and can be urged towards the center by the action of the user's fingers on the finger tabs 31.
The second portion of the latch assembly 28 is structurally associated with the top cover 12, and includes an abutting member 36 having a pair of projections 38 each extending away from an upper portion thereof, and a pair of opposing keeps 34 defining a recess 35, each mounted to the front edge of the top cover 12 on either side of the abutting member 36, proximate the projections 38, respectively, as best shown in FIG. 3. The upper portion of the abutting member 36 is adapted to be moved into a recessed area (not shown) in the top cover 12 upon sufficient application of force thereon as will be further described hereinafter.
As shown best in FIG. 2, the flexible spring latches 32 are adapted to engage and fasten to the respective keeps 34 when the top and bottom covers 12 and 14 are in the closed position. Concurrently, the keeps 34 are configured to receive and securely retain the spring latches 32 in the recesses 35. The abutting member 36 is normally biased into a position where the projections 38 are pressed against the corresponding flexible spring latches 32 to prevent release of the latches 32 from the respective keeps 34. In the locked position, the latch assembly 28 secures the top and bottom covers 12 and 14 against the pill holding portion 16 and prevents inadvertent access to the pills. The latch assembly 28 can be disengaged only through a two-step procedure. The two-step procedure comprises the first step of pressing the abutting member 36 towards the pill case 10 to disengage the projections 38 from the latches 32, and the second step of urging the latches 32 towards one another to disengage the latches 32 from the corresponding keeps 34 and permitting the pill case 10 to be opened. This two-step procedure substantially reduces the risk of opening the pill case 10 by small children.
Through the two-step procedure, the intended user can disengage the latch assembly 28 and open the top and bottom covers 12 and 14 to gain access to the pill holding portion 16 of the pill case 10. The two-step procedure is designed to thwart attempts by unintended users (i.e., small children) to open the pill case 10, thereby greatly minimizing or preventing injury or even death. The projections 38 can be disengaged from the respective flexible spring latches 32 by urging the upper portion of the abutting member 36 into the recess (not shown) in the top cover 12. This moves the projections 38 away from the respective flexible spring latches 32, and allows the flexible spring latches 32 to move freely. The flexible spring latches 32 can thereafter be released from the corresponding keeps 34 by urging the flexible spring latches 32 inwardly on the finger tabs 31. Once released, the top and bottom covers 12 and 14 can be moved freely to permit access to the pill holding portion 16.
Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the pill case 10 is shown with the pill holding portion 16 in an open position. As will be explained hereinafter, the pill holding trays 22 and 24 may be permanently affixed to the pill case 10 or detachable as desired. The number of pill holding trays is not limited to two, and thus may comprise more than two pill holding trays for larger pill holding capacity, if desired. The pill holding trays 22 and 24 include a concave area 40 for receiving a blister pack 42, and are each movable about a resilient hinge 44 disposed therebetween. Each aperture 26 is sized to correspond to the size of the pill contained within the blister card 42.
The blister pack 42 includes a plurality of hollows or blisters 46 containing the pills (not shown) positioned to match with the dispensing apertures 26 of the tray 22 and 24 (see FIG. 5). The blister pack 42 is positioned in the concave area 40 with the frangible foil side down, and the blisters 46 oriented away from the dispensing apertures 26. To dispense a pill, the user simply presses down on the selected blister 46, which forces the pill through the frangible foil and the respective dispensing aperture 26. It will be understood that the number and shape of the pill holding trays, the assignment and configuration of the dispensing apertures are not limited to the embodiment shown herein, and can be varied depending on the capacity and configuration of the corresponding blister pack.
The pill holding trays 22 and 24 each further include a fastening assembly 48 adapted for securely retaining the blister pack 42 in place. The fastening assembly 48 comprises a clip 50 pivotally attached to the corresponding tray 22 or 24 through a hinge 52, and multiple fastening tabs 54 located on the tray 22 or 24 for securing the clip 50 against the corresponding tray 22 or 24. The clip 50 is configured to engage the fastening tabs 54 to securely retain the blister pack 42 against the corresponding tray 22 or 24. The clip 50 may be subsequently disengaged from the fastening tabs 54, and moved about the hinge 52 to permit easy removal and replacement of the blister pack 42 as will be further described hereinafter. The fastening assembly 48 provides a more secure retainment of the blister pack 42 in the trays 22 and 24, and prevents unwanted displacement, shifting, rolling, formation of bubbles or folds in the blister pack 42 that would otherwise hamper the dispensing of the pills.
Referring to FIG. 6, when the pill case 10 is in the open state, the top and bottom covers 12 and 14 are configured to fasten to one another to form a hand-holdable portion or handle 56. In this arrangement, the first and second pill holding trays 22 and 24 are positioned at substantially the same level for enhanced visibility of the contents and improved ease of dispensing. The top and bottom covers 12 and 14 include inner surfaces 58 that are modified or treated to provide an enhanced gripping area. In this manner, the hand-holdable portion 56 provides the user with improved hand-holdability as the user attempts to dispense a pill from the blister pack 46.
As best shown in FIG. 5, the pill case 10 includes a pair of projections 60 located on the outer surface of the top cover 12 and a corresponding pair of recesses 62 located on the outer surface of the bottom cover 14 for receiving and reversibly retaining the corresponding projections 60 through a snap-in engagement therebetween. The projections 60 can be disengaged from the recesses 62 simply by pulling the top and bottom covers 12 and 14 away from one another.
Referring to FIG. 7, an assembly view of the pill case 10 is shown. The pill case 10 includes an inner portion 64 comprising a pair of connecting areas 66 and 68. Each connecting area 66 and 68 includes a pair of connecting slots 70 adapted for receiving and retaining a corresponding connecting projection 74 located on the pill holding trays 22 and 24 through a snap-in engagement. The number of connecting areas can be varied depending on the number of pill holding trays contemplated for attachment.
Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, the pill holding tray 22 is shown with a blister pack 42. The clip 50 is moved to an extended position away from the tray 22. The blister pack 42 is placed into the concave area 40 with the blisters 46 oriented in the upward direction. The blister pack 42 includes multiple slots 76 positioned and sized to permit the insertion of the fastening tabs 54 therethrough. The fastening tabs 54 prevent the movement of the blister pack 42 in the lateral directions, and ensure that the blisters 46 are aligned with the dispensing apertures 26. Once the blister pack 42 is in place, the clip 50 is moved about the hinge 52 to the top portion of the blister pack 42. The fastening tabs 54 engage the clip 50 along inner edge portions 78 for secure snap-in coupling. In this manner, the clip 50 securely retains the blister pack 42 flush against the concave area 40 to facilitate dispensing, and keeps the blister pack 42 from rolling or forming bubbles or folds, that may otherwise hamper dispensing.
Referring to FIG. 10, a pill case 80 is shown for a second embodiment of the present invention. The pill case 80 is similar in most features with the pill case 10 of the previous embodiment of the present invention. The pill case 80 includes a latch assembly 82 shown for an alternate embodiment of the child safety locking mechanism of the present invention. The latch assembly 82 operates in a similar manner as the latch assembly 28 of the previous embodiment, and requires a two-step action to initiate disengagement for access.
Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, the latch assembly 82 is shown in the locked and unlocked positions, respectively. Similar to the previous embodiment, the latch assembly 82 is composed of two main portions. The first portion of the latch assembly 82 is structurally associated with the bottom cover 14, and comprises a dual latch member 84 having a pair of flexible spring latches 86 extending upwardly therefrom as shown in FIG. 12. The base of the dual latch member 84 is mounted to the front edge of the bottom cover 14. The flexible spring latches 86 each further include a latch end 87 oriented towards the pill case 80 and a finger tab 88 providing a lever for the user's finger. The flexible spring latches 86 are normally biased toward the side direction, and can be urged towards the center by the action of the user's fingers on the finger tabs 88. In this manner, the latch ends 87 are movable towards one another upon urging by the user.
The second portion of the latch assembly 28 is structurally associated with the top cover 12, and includes an abutting member 90 having a pair of edge portions 92 each extending away from an side portion thereof, and a pair of opposing keeps 94 (as shown best in FIG. 12) each defining a recess 95, each mounted to the front edge of the top cover 12 on either side of the abutting member 90, proximate the edge portions 92, respectively, as shown in FIG. 12. The keeps 94 are configured to receive and securely retain the corresponding latch ends 87 of the spring latches 86 in the recesses 95. The latch ends 87 can be released from the recesses 95 of the keeps 94 by moving the latch ends 87 towards each other and out of the corresponding recess 95. However, this movement is normally blocked by the presence of the abutting member 90. In order to allow the latch ends 87 to move freely, the upper portion of the abutting member 90 is adapted to be moved into a recessed area (not shown) in the top cover 12 upon sufficient application of force thereon as will be further described hereinafter.
As shown best in FIG. 11, the flexible spring latches 86 are adapted to engage and fasten to the respective keeps 94 when the top and bottom covers 12 and 14 are in the closed position. The abutting member 90 is normally biased into a position where the edge portions 92 are pressed against the corresponding flexible spring latches 86 to prevent any inward movement and subsequent release of the latch ends 87 of the latches 86 from the respective keeps 94. In the locked position, the latch assembly 82 secures the top and bottom covers 12 and 14 against the pill holding portion 16 and prevents inadvertent access to the pills.
The latch assembly 28 can be disengaged only through a two-step procedure. The two-step procedure comprises the first step of pressing the abutting member 90 towards the pill case 10 to disengage the edge portions 92 from the latches 86, and the second step of urging the latches 86 towards one another to disengage the latch ends 87 from the corresponding keeps 94 and permitting the pill case 10 to be opened. The keeps 94 includes a ramped surface 96 (as best shown in FIG. 12) for easing re-engagement of the latch ends 87 of the latches 86 with the corresponding keeps 94 when the pill case 80 is returned to the closed position. In this manner, the user can re-close the pill case 80 with ease and thereby allowing the latch assembly 82 to re-engage automatically. This two-step procedure substantially reduces the risk of opening the pill case 10 by small children.
The foregoing discussion discloses and describes merely exemplary embodiments of the present invention. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from such discussion, and from the accompanying drawings and claims, that various changes, modifications and variations can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

Claims

1. A container for holding multiple articles of manufacture, the container comprising:

at least one storage area for holding the multiple articles of manufacture;

a first cover portion operatively associated with a second cover portion; said first and second cover portions reversibly enclosing the at least one storage area therebetween; and

a locking mechanism for releasably securing the first and second cover portions together, said locking mechanism comprising:

at least one first member located on the first cover portion, said at least one first member in reversible locking engagement with corresponding at least one second member located on the second cover portion; and

at least one movable stop abutting against at least one of said first and second members to maintain the respective locking engagement therebetween, said at least one movable stop adapted to move to a non-abutting position to allow the at least one of said first and second members to be disengaged from the other, whereby the first and second cover portions are released to open access to the storage area.

2. The container of claim 1 wherein the at least one storage area is defined by at least one article holding tray.

3. The container of claim 2 wherein the article holding tray is configured to hold a blister pack.

4. The container of claim 3 further comprising means for reversibly fastening the blister pack to the article holding tray.

5. The container of claim 4 wherein the fastening means comprises:

a clip hingedly connected to the article holding tray, said clip being movable between a fastened position within the storage area and a release position; and

at least one fastening tab extending from storage area of the article holding tray, said at least one fastening tab releasably engaged to the clip in the fastened position for retaining the blister pack in place.

6. The container of claim 2 wherein:

the first cover portion is hingedly connected to the at least one article holding tray; and

the second cover portion is hingedly connected to the at least one article holding tray and disposed at the opposed side from the first cover portion.

7. The container of claim 6 wherein the first and second cover portions are configured to moved to a position abutting one another to yield a hand holdable portion comprised of bother the first and second cover portions.

8. The container of claim 7 further comprising means for releasably binding the first and second cover portions in the abutting position.

9. The container of claim 8 wherein the binding means comprises:

a pair of projections on the first cover portion; and

a corresponding pair of recesses disposed in the second cover portion, said recesses being configured for receiving and reversibly retaining the projections through a snap-in engagement therebetween.

10. The container of claim 6 wherein:

the first member of the locking mechanism comprises a pair of flexible spring latches each movable to an unlatched position;

the second member of the locking mechanism comprises a pair of keeps each adapted to cooperate with the respective flexible spring latch in a latched position for releasable engagement therebetween, wherein the engagement is released upon urging the flexible spring latches from the latched position to the corresponding unlatched position; and

the movable stop comprises an abutting member having opposed end portions each abutting a corresponding flexible spring latch engaged to the respective keep to prevent movement to a corresponding unlatched position, said abutting member hingedly movable to the non-abutting position in which the end portions of the abutting member disengage from the flexible spring latches to allow movement from the latched position.

11. The container of claim 10 wherein the pair of flexible spring latches are normally biased away from one another in the latched position, said pair of flexible spring latches being resiliently movable toward one another to the unlatched position and effect disengagement from the corresponding keeps.

12. The container of claim 11 wherein the end portions of the abutting member includes opposed projections extending therefrom each configured for contact with the corresponding spring latches.

13. A container for holding multiple articles of manufacture, the container comprising:

at least one storage area for holding the multiple articles of manufacture, each of said at least one storage area defined by at least one article holding tray for holding a blister back; and

means for reversibly fastening the blister pack to the article holding tray.

14. The container of claim 13 wherein the fastening means comprises:

15. The container of claim 13 further comprising:

a first cover portion hingedly connected to the at least one article holding tray; and

a second cover portion hingedly connected to the at least one article holding tray and disposed at the opposed side from the first cover portion.

16. The container of claim 15 wherein the first and second cover portions are configured to moved to a position abutting one another to yield a hand holdable portion comprised of bother the first and second cover portions.

17. The container of claim 16 further comprising means for releasably binding the first and second cover portions in the abutting position.

18. The container of claim 17 wherein the binding means comprises:

a pair of projections on the first cover portion; and

19. A container for holding multiple articles of manufacture, the container comprising:

at least one storage area for holding the multiple articles of manufacture;

a first cover portion operatively associated with a second cover portion; said first and second cover portions reversibly enclosing the at least one storage area therebetween wherein the first and second cover portions are configured to moved to an open position abutting one another to yield a hand holdable portion.

20. The container of claim 19 further comprising means for releasably binding the first and second cover portions in the abutting position.

21. The container of claim 20 wherein the binding means comprises:

a pair of projections on the first cover portion; and