Patent Application
20180305093
The invention relates generally to child resistant containers that are configured to contain at least one product such as, for example and without limitation, pills and the like. The disclosed concept also relates to methods of opening child resistant containers.
Medication (e.g., without limitation, prescription and non-prescription pills) is often stored in containers. Flip-top containers, for example, which typically include a container body connected to a lid via a hinge, provide one reliable mechanism to store medication. However, known flip-top containers suffer from a number of disadvantages. Among those is that many of the containers are not particularly difficult to open. Why this is problematic is that if the containers can be opened too readily, then children might be able to inadvertently open them and gain access to the medication inside. Ingestion of the medication in even small doses by a child not intended to be the recipient of that medication could cause physical harm and even death. As such, there is a need for an improved child resistant container and method of opening the same.
Accordingly, in one aspect, there is provided a child resistant container for containing at least one product, such as medicine. The child resistant container includes a body, a lid, and a directing portion. The body has an end portion defining an opening leading to an interior of the body. The lid is connected to the body via a hinge, and includes a cover portion and a protrusion extending outwardly therefrom. The cover portion is configured to move between a FIRST position corresponding to the cover portion covering the opening, and a SECOND position corresponding to the cover portion not covering the opening. The directing portion extends from one of the body and the cover portion, and at least partially encloses the protrusion when the cover portion is in the FIRST position. When the cover portion moves from the FIRST position to the SECOND position, the protrusion moves away from the directing portion.
In another aspect, there is provided a method of opening the aforementioned child resistant container. The method includes the steps of inserting a tool between the directing portion and the cover portion, engaging the tool with the protrusion, thereby causing an end of the protrusion to pivot toward the cover portion, and moving the cover portion to the SECOND position, thereby opening the container.
In any embodiment, the tool is a separate component from the container itself (i.e., the tool is not attached to the container). Optionally, in any embodiment, the tool is a thin, substantially planar member such as a credit card or state issued identification (e.g., driver's license, for example). In this way, rather than requiring a special “key” that comes with the container, an adult user can open the container with an implement that adults typically have readily accessible, e.g., a credit card or the like.
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are shown in the enclosed drawings as follows:
As used herein, the word “unitary” means a component that is created as a single piece or unit. Under this definition, a component that includes pieces that are created separately and then coupled together as an assembled unit is not a “unitary” component or body. As employed herein, the statement that two or more parts or components “engage” one another shall mean that the parts exert a force against one another either directly or through one or more intermediate parts or components. As employed herein, the term “number” shall mean one or an integer greater than one.
Container 2 includes a body 10, a lid 30 connected to body 10 via a hinge 32, and a directing portion 50. Body 10 has a base 12, a sidewall 14 extending from base 12, and an end portion 16 located opposite base 12. As shown most clearly in
Continuing to refer to
In the example of
In accordance with the disclosed concept, and in order to provide the aforementioned benefits associated with resistance to being opened by a child, when cover portion 34 moves from the FIRST position to the SECOND position, protrusion 36 moves away from directing portion 50. Specifically, protrusion 36 has a first end 38 and a second end 40. First end 38 extends from cover portion 34, and when cover portion 34 moves from the FIRST position toward the SECOND position, second end 40 pivots toward cover portion 34. Compare, for example, the position of protrusion 36 in
More specifically, as shown in
In order to move protrusion 36 away from directing portion 50, it will be appreciated that simple insertion of a finger will generally not be sufficient, thus further providing benefits in terms of resistance to being opened by a child. Accordingly, directing portion 50 provides these benefits, optionally by including a primary wall portion 52, a secondary wall portion 53, and a number of rib portions 54,56,58 extending from primary wall portion 52 toward cover portion 34. Primary wall portion 52 preferably extends from cover portion 34 and is substantially concave facing cover portion 34. Secondary wall portion 53 extends outwardly from cover portion 34 and may be oriented substantially perpendicular to primary wall portion 52. Rib portions 54,56,58 each also extend from secondary wall portion 53. Each of rib portions 54,56,58 is also preferably spaced from cover portion 34, in order to allow protrusion 36 to be displaced away from directing portion 50, as will be discussed below.
Referring to
As mentioned above, protrusion 36 cannot be readily displaced by simple insertion of a finger between cover portion 34 and directing portion 50. As such, and in order to further minimize the likelihood that a child could open container 2, container 2 is configured to be opened by a tool (e.g., without limitation, a credit card 100 or other suitable thin, substantially planar member, shown in
More precisely, once credit card 100 is inserted, rib portions 54,56,58 will guide credit card 100 down toward engagement with protrusion 36. See, for example, the angle of rib portions 54,56,58. Continued pressing of credit card 100 will result in protrusion 36 being driven toward cover portion 34, thus releasing it from latch portion 20. Once protrusion 36 is released from latch portion 20, a user can simply move cover portion 34 to the SECOND position, as there would no longer be any obstruction to doing so.
It will thus be appreciated that container 2 provides a novel child-resistant mechanism to contain medicine (e.g., pills), while protecting children who might otherwise gain access to contents of a container. Specifically, adults will readily be able to understand that a motion of inserting a relatively thin tool (e.g., credit card 100) between primary wall portion 52 and cover portion 34 to deflect protrusion 36, and then moving cover portion 34 to the SECOND position will provide an opening into interior 18 and thus access to pills 100 located therein. However, to most young children such a motion is not so simple, a feature which advantageously protects them from potentially ingesting the medicine.
Accordingly, a method of opening child resistant container 2 includes the steps of inserting a tool 100 between directing portion 50 and cover portion 34, engaging tool 100 with protrusion 36, thereby causing an end 40 of protrusion 36 to pivot toward cover portion 34, and moving cover portion 34 to the SECOND position, thereby opening container 2. As described herein, tool 100 is preferably a substantially planar member, and, as mentioned above, in one embodiment as provided as a credit card 100.
The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the invention that others can, by applying knowledge within the skill of the art, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments, without undue experimentation, without departing from the general concept of the present invention. Therefore, such adaptations and modifications are intended to be within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments, based on the teaching and guidance presented herein, it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, such that the terminology or phraseology of the present specification is to be interpreted by the skilled artisan in light of the teachings and guidance.
The breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.
This application claims priority from and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/489,032, filed Apr. 24, 2017, and entitled “CHILD RESISTANT CONTAINER RELEASED WITH CARD SWIPE”.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62489032 | Apr 2017 | US |
