US2862637A - Supplementary container for use with receptacle closures - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 2, 1958 H. s. HELDFOND 2,862,637 SUPPLEMENTARY CONTAINER FOR USE WITH RECEPTACLE CLOSURES Filed' March 25, 1956 F'g? 6. r1? 7. Fig? 5.

1 INVENTOR.

Harold SHeJofond M W AH'iy-s United States Patent 2,862,637- SUPPLEMENTARY CONTAINER FoR USE WITH.

RECEPTACLE CLOSURES Harold S. Heldfond, Portland; Oreg.

Application March 23, 1956, Serial No. 573,545

5 Claims. (or. ars -as v My invention relates to a supplementary container for use with receptacles.

Pharmaceutical manufacturers and industry, in general, are ever alert for new ways and means: of not only improving, their products but to also improve the packaging. of their products. Surveys and psychological tests by industry and advertising agencies have clearly shown-that favorable or unfavorable reception of any product by the public is determined not only by the product itself, butalso by the format of its label,the type of container employed and even by the type of closure used on a container. Consequently, anything which increases the consumers desire for and satisfaction" with a'product, whether it is the shape, color, taste, or aroma of the product, or the label-, container, or closure for the container, is obviously Welcomed by the manufacturen distributor and retailer, especially when thebasic costis not materially increased.

It is common knowledge that almost all consumer goodsand products, especially pharmaceuticals, are packaged in one form or another. The utilization of the contents of some of these packaged pharmaceutical and other products often requires the use of a measuring device in order to apportion out the proper quantity, and in the field of pharmaceuticals and prescribed-drugs, predetermined dosages are usually called for. Vitamins, diet aids, and similar types of drugs, whether in pill, capsule or jeltab form, are usually sold in relatively large quantities. Since most vitamins and other types of pharmaceuticals, whether prescribed or ready packed and sold over the counter, are taken in predetermined and prescribed dosages, itis unnecessary and actually inconvenient to carry on ones person the original container, when only a limited dosage is indicated or prescribed. Consequently, a small amount of the vitamins or other drugs are usually transferred from the original container to a compact and much smaller container. While so-called pill boxes are available on the market, it is within the contemplation of my invention to furnish as a part of the original package, a supplementary container for the purpose.

This invention, in its broadest sense, relates to containers having some type of removable closure andin its narrowest application, it relates to a receptacle closure of the'internally threaded type.

The principal object of my invention is to provide, as an adjunct to a receptacle containing drugs or other similar materials to be used by a person in predetermined or prescribed amounts, daily or periodically, a supple mentary orauxiliary containerof convenient and compact size and shape into which the person may transfer a small quantity of the product and carry the same in pocket or purse.

It is within the contemplation and the very essence of my invention to provide, as an adjunct to a standard type of container for pharmaceuticals sold over the counter, or drugs prescribed by a medical practitioner, a s'upplementary container which does not alter the structural characteristic or the over-all appearance of the container of the pharmaceuticals or drugs and yet is readily available to the purchaser for carrying a small amountof pharmaceuticals or drugs-transferred to it from the original containerr y An important object of my invention is to provide a supplementary container in combination'with areceptacle closure which would not decrease the efficiency of the closure or alter its appearance and which could readily be removed from the closure and used as a means for carrying portions of the productcontained in" the receptacle covered by the closure.

A further object of my invention is to provide a sup-- plementary container-for any-standard type-'ofreceptacle" which-isremovably 'p'ositi ofned' upon the receptacle closure, andwhich is readilyavailableto serveas acontainer of a small portion of the contents of thereceptacle, or which" can bexuseclas a measuring mfeans for a' small per-- tion of the" contents or the receptacle.

A still further objectofmy invention is to providea compact, extremely simple and inexpensive means for holding prescribed daily dosages' -or small quantities, of pharmaceutical prod'ilcts and which can also be used to measure a charge o'f'a'd'rug, such asbicarbonate of soda, to form a medicinalbeverage when mixed with'water, the means'beingcomhind with the closure of the receptacle containing the pharmaceuticals or other-products.

A fulland complete understandingof the invention and its objects-and advantages may-be further obtained from a consideration of thefoll'owingdetailed" description, which must be read in connectionwiththe disclosures in the drawings forming a part' hereof and in which:

Fig 1 is a schematic ele'vati onali view, partly broken away, of: a receptacle and its usual' closure cap, and of the sections forming the supplementary container embodying my invention and showing the relative relationship of these elements to each other when telescoped' togethera'nd placed onthe container cap;

Fig. 2- is an elevational view of a supplementary container embodying my-finvention, when its sections are removed from the receptacle closure and positioned with.

respect to each other to form a' compact container;

Fig; 3' is an elevational view, partly broken. away, of amodifi'ed supplementary container embodying my inven.-.-

tion, showing onessection havingalfluted, medial, pe-

ripheral flange thereon and the other section telescopically.

Fig; 5 isa bottom view of the supplementary containershown in Figs; 3 and 4; I

Fig; 6 is an elevational View; ph-rtlysbrokensaway, of still another modified, supplementary container showing one section having'internal corrugations toprovide air ventslbetween' the two sections forming the container;

Fig. 7' is an elevation'al'. view, partly broken-away of the conta ner shown in Fig. .6 with the sections positioned,-

to form the supplementary container; and p a Fig. 8 1s a bott'orn -view ofv thecontainerjshbwn. in F1gs.6and7. I V fl The s'tru'c'turall' details of my invariant as revealed in; the figures shown in-"the' drawing are quite-simple. The contamer as will hereinafterbe" more fully described,

consists basically of two cup-shaped, complementary,

container sections generally designated by reference characters A and B; However, in orderfto-m'or'i fully" explain the relationship ot the supplementary co'ntain'er' composed of sections Arand B, to a.'- common:.type or:

receptacle, it is deemed desirable to fully describe such a receptacle.

Fig. 1 shows a schematic layout of a combined receptacle, closure and supplementary container in which a fancifully represented receptacle in the form of a portion of a bottle is designated by reference numeral 1. This receptacle is intended merely to represent containers in general, since the shape, size, and type of container may vary with the type of product contained therein. The container illustrated comprises a neck 2, having external threads of any desired shape in longitudinal section (not shown).

A primary closure or cap 3 of cylindrical shape is threadably secured to the neck 2 of the receptacle 1. The external surface of closure 3 may be smooth or fluted, knurled or otherwise formed to provide an efficient gripping surface if desired. Furthermore, if the receptacle 1 has a neck 2 requiring a difierent type of closure engagement, the internal peripheral surface of closure 3 may be constructed to meet this condition.

The component sections A and B of the supplementary container are positioned in telescopic relation to each other and to closure 3 as graphically shown at the bottom portion of schematic Fig. l. The inner section A has an internal diameter substantially equal to the external diameter of the cap 3. Preferably these sections and the closure telescope snugly whereby frictionally to prevent accidental dislodgment of the sections from each other and from the closure, but the sections are not so firmly engaged to each other and to the closure as to prevent their manual disengagement. When it is desired to remove a portion of the contents from the container 1 and transfer the same to the supplemental container formed from sections A and B, these sections are easily removable from closure 1 as clearly shown in schematic Fig. 1 and are positioned to form a closed and expansible compartment, as shown in Fig. 2. In this manner, a compact and convenient supplementary container is instantly available and quickly created into which the portion of the ingredients removed from container 1 may be placed.

Since there is a possibility that an air lock or seal may be formed between sections A and B when positioned, as shown in Fig. 2, in view of their relatively close telescopic relationship, it may be necessary to provide some means to vent one or both sections. This can be accomplished by providing perforations 4 in one or both of the sections A and B. However, the same results may be accomplished by modifying section A as shown in Figures 3 to 5 inclusive so as to provide an annular band 5 medially and as an integral part of section A. Longitudinal ribs 6 are formed in band 5 which act as air vents, when section B is telescopically positioned thereupon, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, and thus prevents the creation of an air lock or seal. Furthermore, these ribs 6 define a circle of a radius equal to the internal radius of part B so as to provide an efficient gripping surface for the inner wall of section B to contact and thus prevent the easy dislodgment of section B from section A whether the two sections are positioned as shown in Fig 3 or Fig. 4.

The prevention of an air lock between sections A and B without reducing the expansibility of the supplementary container shown in Figs. 1 and 2, may be accomplished as shown in Figs. 6 to 8 inclusive by providing a plurality of longitudinal ribs 7 within the interior wall of section B, defining a circle of a radius equal to the external radius of part A, so that irrespective of the position of section B in relation to section A, adequate air vents will be provided to avoid the creation of an air seal.

Sections A and B ofthe supplementary container, whether of the type shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or 3 to 5 inclusive, or 6 to 8 inclusive, are preferably composed of a translucent or transparent material fabricated from one of the many plastics, or one of the synthetic resins and the contour assumed by these sections would necessarily be controlled by the external contour of the closure with which sections A and B are cooperatively associated.

The section A may be of such dimensions as to hold a measured or prescribed amount of the material in the receptacle. If such material is a liquid or a powder, the hole 4 in section A Would be omitted.

Having illustrated and described several modifications of my invention it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that other modifications in detail and arrangement thereof are possible. All such modifications as come within the true spirit and scope of the following claims are considered to be a part of my invention.

I claim:

1. The combination comprising a bottle having a cylindrical closure member removably associated therewith, a first cylindrical supplementary container forming section comprising a bottom wall and a continuous peripheral flange, said first supplementary container forming section being inverted over said closure member with its flange surrounding and in frictional retaining engagement with the periphery of said closure member, and a second cylindrical supplementary container forming sec-, tion comprising a bottom wall and a continuous peripheral flange, said second supplementary container forming sesction being inverted over said closure member with its flange surrounding and in frictional engagement with the flange of said first supplementary container forming section, said supplementary container forming sections being removable from association with said bottle, separable from each other, and capable of being telescoped one into the other with their flanges in frictional retaining engagement with each other and their bottom walls opposed to each other whereby to form a separate supplementary container.

2. The combination comprising a bottle having a cylindrical closure member removably associated therewith, a first cylindrical supplementary container forming section comprising a bottom wall and a continuous peripheral flange, said first supplementary container forming section being inverted over said closure member with its flange surrounding and in frictional retaining engagement with the periphery of said closure member, and a second cylindrical supplementary container forming section comprising a bottom wall and a continuous peripheral flange, said second supplementary container forming section being inverted over said closure member with its flange surrounding and in frictional engagement with the flange of said first supplementary container forming section, said supplementary container forming sections being removable from association with said bottle, separable from each. other, and capable of being telescoped one into the other with their flanges in frictional retaining engagement with each other and their bottom walls opposed to each other whereby to form a separate supplementary container, one of said supplementary container forming sections having a plurality of longitudinal ribs formed in the surface of its flange which frictionally engages the flange of the other supplementary container forming section whereby to prevent the formation of an air seal between said sections when engaged with each other in either direction of association.

3. The combination comprising a bottle having a cylindrical closure member removably associated therewith, a first cylindrical supplementary container forming section comprising a bottom Wall and a continuous peripheral flange, said first supplementary container forming section being inverted over said closure member with its flange surrounding and in frictional retaining engagement with the periphery of said closure member, and a second cylindrical supplementary container forming section comprising a bottom Wall and a continuous peripheral flange, said second supplementary container forming section being inverted over said closure member with its flange surrounding and in frictional engagement with the flange of said first supplementary container forming section, said supplementary container forming sections being removable from association with said bottle, separable from each other, and capable of being telescoped one into the other with their flanges in frictional retaining engagement with each other and their bottom walls opposed to each other whereby to form a separate supplementary container, said flanges being loosely interfitting when initially telescoped within one another in either direction, and one of said flanges having an annular b and projecting therefrom and engaging the surface of said other flange in firm frictional engagement when said sections are fully telescoped within one another in either direction of association.

4. The combination comprising a bottle having a cylindrical closure member removably associated therewith, a first cylindrical supplementary container forming section comprising a bottom wall and a continuous peripheral flange, said first supplementary container forming section being inverted over said closure member with its flange surrounding and in frictional retaining engagement with the periphery of said closure member, and a second cylin drical supplementary container forming section comprising a bottom wall and a continuous peripheral flange, said second supplementary container forming section being inverted over said closure member with its flange surrounding and in frictional engagement with the flange of said first supplementary container forming section, said supplementary container forming sections being removable from association with said bottle, separable from each other, and capable of being telescoped one into the other with their flanges in frictional retaining engagement with each other and their bottom walls opposed to each other whereby to form a separate supplementary container, the flange of said first supplementary container forming section having a depth substantially twice that of the flange of said second supplementary container forming section, said flanges being loosely interfitting for the most part when associated with each other in either direction, said first supplementary container forming section having an annular band projecting therefrom intermediate its ends and engaging the lip of said other flange in firm frictional engagement when said members are fully telescoped within one another in either direction of association,

5. The combination comprising a bottle having a cylindrical closure member removably associated therewith, a first cylindrical supplementary container forming section comprising a bottom wall and a continuous peripheral flange, said first supplementary container forming section being inverted over said closure member with its flange surrounding and in frictional retaining engagement with the periphery of said closure member, and a second cylindrical supplementary container forming section comprising a bottom wall and a continuous peripheral flange, said second supplementary container forming section being inverted over said closure member with its flange surrounding and in frictional engagement with the flange of said first supplementary container forming'section, said supplementary container forming sections being removable from association with said bottle, separable from each other, and capable of being telescoped one into the other with their flanges in frictional retaining engagement with each other and their bottom walls opposed to each other whereby to form a separate supplementary container, the flange of said first supplementary container forming section having a depth substantially twice that of the flange of said second supplementary container forming section, said flanges being loosely interfitting for the most part when associated with each other in either direction, said first supplementary container forming section having an annular band projecting therefrom intermediate its ends and engaging the lip of said other flange in firm frictional engagement when said members are fully telescoped Within one another in either direction of association, said band being longitudinally fluted to provide a plurality of channels for the free passage of air in order to prevent the formation of an air seal between said sections when associated with each other in either direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,898,654 Breslauer Feb. 21, 1933 2,076,457 Genone Apr. 6, 1937 2,212,340 Davis Aug. 20, 1940 2,533,159 Yates Dec. 5, 1950

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