Patent Application
20220104543
The present disclosure relates to child-resistant containers and methods of making same for oral products made or derived from tobacco, incorporate tobacco, or may be tobacco-free and are intended for human consumption.
Tobacco may be enjoyed in a so-called “smokeless” form. Particularly popular smokeless tobacco products are employed by inserting some form of processed tobacco or tobacco-containing formulation into the mouth of the user. See, for example, the types of smokeless tobacco formulations, ingredients, and processing methodologies set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 1,376,586 to Schwartz; U.S. Pat. No. 3,696,917 to Levi; U.S. Pat. No. 4,513,756 to Pittman et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,528,993 to Sensabaugh, Jr. et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,624,269 to Story et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,991,599 to Tibbetts; U.S. Pat. No. 4,987,907 to Townsend; U.S. Pat. No. 5,092,352 to Sprinkle, III et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,387,416 to White et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,668,839 to Williams; U.S. Pat. No. 6,834,654 to Williams; U.S. Pat. No. 6,953,040 to Atchley et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,032,601 to Atchley et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,694,686 to Atchley et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,810,507 to Dube et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,819,126 to Strickland et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,861,728 to Holton, Jr. et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,901,512 to Quinter et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 8,168,855 to Neilsen et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 8,336,557 to Kumar et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 8,469,036 to Strickland et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 8,627,828 to Strickland et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 8,940,344 to Crawford et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 9,155,772 to Gao et al.; and U.S. Pat. Pub. Nos. 2004/0020503 to Williams; 2007/0062549 to Holton, Jr. et al.; 2008/0029116 to Robinson et al.; 2008/0029117 to Mua et al.; 2008/0173317 to Robinson et al.; 2008/0196730 to Engstrom et al.; 2009/0065013 to Essen et al.; and 2013/0206153 to Beeson et al.; PCT Pub. Nos. WO 04/095959 to Arnarp et al.; and WO 100/134,444 to Atchley; each of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Representative smokeless tobacco products that have been marketed include those referred to as CAMEL Orbs, CAMEL Strips and CAMEL Sticks by R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company; GRIZZLY moist tobacco, KODIAK moist tobacco, LEVI GARRETT loose tobacco and TAYLOR'S PRIDE loose tobacco by American Snuff Company, LLC; KAYAK moist snuff and CHATTANOOGA CHEW chewing tobacco by Swisher International, Inc.; REDMAN chewing tobacco by Pinkerton Tobacco Co. LP; COPENHAGEN moist tobacco and RED SEAL long cut by U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company; and Taboka by Philip Morris USA.
Representative types of snuff products, commonly referred to as “snus,” which may comprise pasteurized or heat treated tobacco products, are manufactured in Europe, particularly in Sweden, by or through companies such as Swedish Match AB, Fiedler & Lundgren AB, Gustavus AB, Skandinavisk Tobakskompagni A/S and Rocker Production AB. Snus products available in the U.S.A. have been marketed under the trade names such as CAMEL Snus Frost, CAMEL Snus Original and CAMEL Snus Spice by R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. Snus products, such as CAMEL Snus Original, are commonly supplied in small teabag-like pouches. The pouches are typically a nonwoven fleece material, and contain about 0.4 to 1.5 grams of pasteurized tobacco. These products typically remain in a user's mouth for about 10-30 minutes. Unlike certain other smokeless tobacco products, snus products typically do not require expectoration by the user. Other pouch types of smokeless tobacco products include those marketed as COPENHAGEN Pouches, SKOAL Bandits, SKOAL Pouches, REVEL Mint Tobacco Packs by U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company; and MARLBORO Snus by Philip Morris USA.
Various types of containers for dispensing moistened solid components, particularly components intended for human consumption, are known in the art. Such containers are often characterized by a hand-held size that can be easily stored and transported. For example, snus products have been packaged in tins, “pucks” or “pots” that are manufactured from metal or plastic. See, for example, those types of containers generally disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,098,421 to Foster; U.S. Pat. No. 4,190,170 to Boyd and U.S. Pat. No. 8,440,023 to Carroll et al.; and U.S. Patent Pub. Nos. 2010/0065076 to Bergstrom et al.; 2010/0065077 to Lofgreen-Ohrn et al.; 2012/0024301 to Carroll et al. and 2012/0193265 to Patel et al.; each of which is incorporated by reference herein. Yet other types of containers for smokeless types of tobacco products are set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 8,458,996 to Bried et al.; D574,709 to Crotts et al. and D649,284 to Patel et al.; U.S. Patent Pub. Nos. 2008/0202956 to Welk et al., 2010/0012534 to Hoffman, 2010/0018883 to Patel et al., and 2014/0197054 to Pipes et al.; as well as the various types of containers referenced in U.S. Patent Pub. No. 2013/0206153 to Beeson et al.; each of which is incorporated by reference herein. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 8,567,597 to Gibson et al. discloses a compartment container for snus, and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
A desirable feature for certain containers is the incorporation of child-resistant features that make it difficult for children to open or otherwise access the contents of the container, thereby reducing the risk of poisoning in children via the ingestion of potentially hazardous items. However, such features may increase the cost and complexity of the container and the manufacturing thereof.
In various implementations, the present disclosure relates to child-resistant containers having a base or body portion and a cover or lid, where the cover, the body portion, or both include structure to make it difficult for a child to separate the cover and the body portion, thereby reducing the risk of children accessing the contents of the container. However, typical adults will have sufficient strength to separate the cover and body portion. In addition, the container may include a visual and/or tactical cue to assist an adult with opening.
The present disclosure includes, without limitation, the following example implementations.
Example Implementation 1: A child-resistant container including a body portion defining a first internal space accessible via a first opening and a second internal space accessible via a second opening, the body portion comprising a bottom wall separating the first and second internal spaces; a primary sidewall disposed about a peripheral edge of the bottom wall and extending upwardly and downwardly from the peripheral edge of the bottom wall; a secondary wall comprising an upper edge and a lower edge, the secondary wall coupled to an outer surface of the primary wall and spaced outwardly therefrom and defining a channel between the primary and secondary walls such that one or more portions of the secondary wall flexes relative to the primary wall upon application of a force thereto; a first cover configured to securely and removably engage the first opening of the body portion, wherein the first cover is removable by flexing one of the one or more portions of the secondary wall inwardly to expose an edge of the first cover; and a second cover configured to securely and removably engage the second opening of the body portion, wherein the second cover is removable by flexing one of the one or more portions of the secondary wall inwardly to expose an edge of the second cover.
Example Implementation 2: A child-resistant container including a body portion defining a first internal space accessible via a first opening and a second internal space accessible via a second opening, the body portion comprising a bottom wall separating the first and second internal spaces; a primary sidewall disposed about a peripheral edge of the bottom wall and extending upwardly from the peripheral edge of the bottom wall to define the first internal space and downwardly from the peripheral edge of the bottom wall to define the second internal space; a secondary wall comprising an upper edge and a lower edge, the secondary wall coupled to an outer surface of the primary wall and spaced outwardly therefrom and defining a channel between the primary and secondary walls such that two portions of the secondary wall flex relative to the primary wall upon application of a force thereto; a first cover configured to securely and removably engage the first opening of the body portion, wherein the first cover is removable by flexing one of the two portions of the secondary wall inwardly to expose an edge of the first cover; and a second cover configured to securely and removably engage the second opening of the body portion, wherein the second cover is removable by flexing the other one of the two more portions of the secondary wall inwardly to expose an edge of the second cover.
Example Implementation 3: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein a first portion of the secondary wall comprises a first tab configured to flex inwardly relative to the upper edge of the secondary wall so as to expose the edge of the first cover and a second portion of the secondary wall comprises a second tab configured to flex inwardly relative to the lower edge of the secondary wall so as to expose an edge of the second cover.
Example Implementation 4: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein the secondary wall is coupled to the primary wall via a lateral extension extending outwardly from the primary wall and about a perimeter of the body portion.
Example Implementation 5: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein the lateral extension does not extend about the perimeter of the body portion in an area corresponding to the one or more portions of the secondary wall so that the one or more portions float relative to the primary wall.
Example Implementation 6: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein the lateral extension couples to the secondary wall proximate a vertical midline of an inner surface of the secondary wall.
Example Implementation 7: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein an inner surface of the secondary wall comprises a retention mechanism configured to engage a mating structure on the first or second cover to secure the cover to the body portion.
Example Implementation 8: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein an inner surface of the secondary wall comprises two retention mechanisms, a first retention mechanism configured to engage a mating structure on the first cover and a second retention mechanism configured to engage a mating structure on the second cover to secure the first and second covers to the body portion.
Example Implementation 9: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein the secondary wall is coupled to the primary wall via a lateral extension extending outwardly from the primary wall and about a perimeter of the body portion.
Example Implementation 10: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein the lateral extension comprises a first reverse compound bend disposed at the first portion of the secondary wall corresponding to the first tab and coupled to an upper edge of the first tab and a second reverse compound bend disposed at the second portion of the secondary wall corresponding to the second tab and coupled to a lower edge of the second tab.
Example Implementation 11: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein the secondary wall further comprises a third portion of the secondary wall comprising a third tab configured to flex inwardly relative to the upper edge of the secondary wall so as to expose the edge of the first cover and a fourth portion of the secondary wall comprises a fourth tab configured to flex inwardly relative to the lower edge of the secondary wall so as to expose an edge of the second cover.
Example Implementation 12: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein the lateral extension further comprises a third reverse compound bend disposed at the third portion of the secondary wall oriented opposite of the first portion of the secondary wall and corresponding to the third tab and coupled to an upper edge of the third tab and a fourth reverse compound bend disposed at the fourth portion of the secondary wall corresponding to the fourth tab and coupled to a lower edge of the fourth tab.
Example Implementation 13: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein the lateral extension comprises a plurality of non-contiguous segments.
Example Implementation 14: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein the primary wall comprises a top edge and a bottom edge and the bottom wall is disposed proximate the bottom edge of the primary wall.
Example Implementation 15: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein the first internal space comprises a first volume and the second internal space comprises a second volume that is less than the first volume.
Example Implementation 16: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein each of the first and second covers comprises a top wall; a primary sidewall extending downwardly from a peripheral edge of the top wall; and an inner sidewall extending downwardly from the top wall and spaced inwardly from the primary sidewall, wherein the primary and inner sidewalls define a receptacle configured to engage at least a portion of the primary wall of the body portion.
Example Implementation 17: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein each of the first and second covers engages the body portion via an interference fit or a snap fit.
Example Implementation 18: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein each of the first and second covers further comprises an outer sidewall extending outwardly from the peripheral edge of the top wall and configured to sit substantially flush with an outer surface of the secondary wall of the body portion when engaged.
Example Implementation 19: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein the outer sidewalls and the primary sidewalls define a plurality of gaps spaced equidistant about a perimeter of the first and second covers.
Example Implementation 20: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein a portion of the plurality of gaps are located so as to correspond to the locations of the one or more portions of the secondary wall that flex relative to the primary wall upon application of a force.
Example Implementation 21: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein the container comprises a polygonal shape and the gaps are located to align with corners of the polygonal shape.
Example Implementation 22: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein the primary wall of the body portion defines a generally cylindrical shape and the secondary wall defines a generally prismatic shape, such as a hexagon.
Example Implementation 23: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein a lower edge of each of the first and second covers abuts the upper and lower edges, respectively, of the secondary wall of the body portion when the covers are engaged with the body portion.
Example Implementation 24: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein the secondary wall returns to an unflexed position after removal of the force.
Example Implementation 25: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations further comprising an alignment mechanism.
Example Implementation 26: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein the alignment mechanism comprises a plurality of grooves formed in an outer surface of the primary sidewall and disposed about a perimeter thereof and a plurality of mating ribs disposed on an inner surface of the first and second covers.
Example Implementation 27: A child-resistant container including a body portion defining an internal space accessible via an opening, the body portion comprising a bottom wall and a sidewall extending upwardly from a peripheral edge of the bottom wall, wherein the sidewall comprises: a primary wall extending along a perimeter of the bottom wall and having an inner surface and an outer surface and an upper rim defining the opening; and a secondary wall spaced outwardly from and at least partially surrounding the outer surface of the primary wall thereby defining an open channel between the primary and secondary walls, the open channel extending along a perimeter of the body portion, wherein the secondary wall comprises an upper edge and a lower edge and the secondary wall is coupled to the primary wall along a portion of the lower edge and a remaining portion of the lower edge is spaced apart from the primary wall so as to define a gap between the lower edge of the secondary wall and the primary wall proximate the peripheral edge of the bottom wall, such that a portion of the secondary wall flexes relative to the primary wall upon application of a force thereto; and a cover configured to securely and removably engage the body portion.
Example Implementation 28: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein the cover is removable by flexing a portion of the secondary wall inwardly to expose an edge of the cover.
Example Implementation 29: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein the portion of the lower edge coupled to the primary wall is coupled thereto via non-contiguous segments so as that the remaining portion of the lower edge of the secondary wall define a plurality of gaps between the lower edge and the primary wall.
Example Implementation 30: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein the cover comprises a top wall, a primary sidewall extending downwardly from a peripheral edge of the top wall, and an inner sidewall extending downwardly from the top wall and spaced inwardly from the primary sidewall, wherein the primary and inner sidewalls define a receptacle configured to engage at least a portion of the primary wall of the body portion.
Example Implementation 31: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein the cover engages the body portion via an interference fit or a snap fit.
Example Implementation 32: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein the cover further comprises an outer sidewall extending outwardly from the peripheral edge of the top wall and configured to sit substantially flush with an outer surface of the secondary wall of the body portion when engaged.
Example Implementation 33: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein an inner surface of the secondary wall comprises a retention mechanism configured to engage a mating structure on the cover to secure the cover to the body portion.
Example Implementation 34: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein the secondary wall returns to an unflexed position after removal of the force.
Example Implementation 35: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations further comprising an alignment mechanism.
Example Implementation 36: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein the alignment mechanism comprises a plurality of grooves formed in an outer surface of the primary sidewall and disposed about a perimeter thereof and a plurality of mating ribs disposed on an inner surface of the cover.
Example Implementation 37: A child-resistant container including a body portion defining an internal space accessible via an opening and a cover configured to securely and removably engage the body portion. The body portion has a bottom wall and a sidewall extending upwardly from a peripheral edge of the bottom wall, where the sidewall includes a primary wall extending along a perimeter of the bottom wall and having an inner surface and an outer surface and an upper rim defining the opening, and a secondary wall spaced inwardly from and at least partially surrounding a portion of the inner surface of the primary wall thereby defining a channel between the primary and secondary walls, where the secondary wall has a first vertical edge, a second vertical edge, a top horizontal edge, and a bottom horizontal edge and the secondary wall is coupled to the primary wall along the first and second vertical edges, thereby defining a top gap between the top horizontal edge of the secondary wall and the primary wall proximate the upper rim and a bottom gap between the bottom horizontal edge of the secondary wall and the primary wall proximate the peripheral edge of the bottom wall, such that a portion of the primary wall flexes relative to the secondary wall upon application of a force thereto (i.e., when pressed).
Example Implementation 38: A child-resistant container including a body portion defining an internal space accessible via an opening and a cover configured to securely and removably engage the body portion. The body portion comprises a bottom wall and a sidewall extending upwardly from a peripheral edge of the bottom wall, the sidewall extending along a perimeter of the bottom wall and having an inner surface and an outer surface and an upper rim defining the opening, wherein a portion of the sidewall comprises a gap extending along a length of the sidewall and between the inner and outer surfaces, such that the gap defines a channel running from an area proximate the upper rim to an area proximate the peripheral edge of the bottom wall, such that the outer surface of the sidewall flexes relative to the inner surface of the sidewall upon application of a force thereto.
Example Implementation 39: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein the primary wall returns to an unflexed position after removal of the force.
Example Implementation 40: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein the sidewall returns to an unflexed position after removal of the force.
Example Implementation 41: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein the cover comprises a top wall and a sidewall extending downwardly from and about a peripheral edge of the top wall.
Example Implementation 42: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein the sidewall of the cover engages with at least a portion of the sidewall of the body portion.
Example Implementation 43: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein the cover is removable by flexing a portion of the primary wall aligning with the secondary wall inwardly to expose an edge of the sidewall of the cover.
Example Implementation 44: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein the cover engages the body portion via an interference fit or a snap fit.
Example Implementation 45: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein an outer surface of the cover sidewall is configured to sit substantially flush with the outer surface of the sidewall of the body portion when engaged.
Example Implementation 46: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein at least a portion of the cover sidewall and a portion of the body portion sidewall abut when engaged.
Example Implementation 47: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein the sidewall of the body portion comprises a plurality of secondary walls, each spaced inwardly from and at least partially surrounding a portion of the inner surface of the primary wall, the secondary walls and the primary wall defining a plurality of channels therebetween, wherein each secondary wall comprises a first vertical edge, a second vertical edge, a top horizontal edge, and a bottom horizontal edge and each secondary wall is coupled to the primary wall along their respective first and second vertical edges, thereby defining top gaps between the top horizontal edges of the secondary walls and the primary wall proximate the upper rim and bottom gaps between the bottom horizontal edges of the secondary walls and the primary wall proximate the peripheral edge of the bottom wall, such that the portions of the primary wall flex relative to the plurality of secondary walls upon application of the force thereto.
Example Implementation 48: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein the secondary walls are spaced equidistant about a perimeter of the body portion.
Example Implementation 49: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein a plurality of portions of the sidewall each comprise a gap extending along a length of the sidewall and between the inner and outer surfaces, such that each gap defines a channel running from an area proximate the upper rim to an area proximate the bottom wall and the outer surfaces of the plurality of portions of the sidewall flex relative to the inner surface of the sidewall upon application of the force thereto.
Example Implementation 50: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein the portions of the sidewall comprising a gap are spaced equidistant about a perimeter of the body portion.
Example Implementation 51: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein the cover further comprises an inner ring extending downwardly from the top wall and spaced inwardly from the sidewall, wherein the cover is configured to provide an interference fit between the cover and the sidewall of the body portion.
Example Implementation 52: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein the inner ring comprises a plurality of non-contiguous segments.
Example Implementation 53: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein the cover comprises a top wall, an outer sidewall extending downwardly from a peripheral edge of the top wall, and an inner sidewall extending downwardly from the top wall and spaced inwardly from the outer sidewall, wherein the outer and inner sidewalls define a receptacle configured to engage at least a portion the sidewall of the body portion via an interference fit.
Example Implementation 54: A child-resistant container comprising a body portion defining an internal space accessible via an opening and a cover configured to securely and removably engage the body portion. The body portion comprises a bottom wall and a sidewall extending upwardly from a peripheral edge of the bottom wall. The cover comprises a top wall, an outer sidewall extending downwardly from a peripheral edge of the top wall, and an inner sidewall extending downwardly from the top wall and spaced inwardly from the outer sidewall, wherein the outer and inner sidewalls define a receptacle configured to engage at least a portion of the sidewall of the body portion via an interference fit.
Example Implementation 55: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein the inner sidewall comprises a plurality of non-contiguous segments.
Example Implementation 56: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein the cover further comprises a plurality of buttresses spaced about an inner perimeter of the inner sidewall and coupled to the top wall.
Example Implementation 57: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein the buttresses are spaced equidistant about the inner perimeter of the inner sidewall.
Example Implementation 58: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein the sidewall of the body portion comprises an inner surface and an outer surface and an upper rim defining the opening, a portion of the sidewall of the body portion comprises a gap extending along a length of the sidewall and between the inner and outer surfaces, such that the gap defines a channel running from an area proximate the upper rim to an area proximate the peripheral edge of the bottom wall, such that the outer surface of the sidewall flexes relative to the inner surface of the sidewall upon the application of a force thereto.
Example Implementation 59: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein the sidewall of the body portion comprises a primary wall extending along a perimeter of the bottom wall and having an inner surface and an outer surface and an upper rim defining the opening and a secondary wall spaced inwardly from and at least partially surrounding a portion of the inner surface of the primary wall thereby defining a channel between the primary and secondary walls, wherein the secondary wall comprises a first vertical edge, a second vertical edge, a top horizontal edge, and a bottom horizontal edge and the secondary wall is coupled to the primary wall along the first and second vertical edges, thereby defining a top gap between the top horizontal edge of the secondary wall and the primary wall proximate the upper rim and a bottom gap between the bottom horizontal edge of the secondary wall and the primary wall proximate the peripheral edge of the bottom wall, such that a portion of the primary wall flexes relative to the secondary wall upon the application of a force thereto.
Example Implementation 60: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein one or both of the body portion or the cover(s) comprises a transparent or translucent material.
Example Implementation 61: The container of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations further comprising a hatch disposed within the cover. The hatch may span over approximately one half of the top wall or surface of the cover or, in some implementations, substantially the entire surface or top wall of the cover.
Example Implementation 62: A method for manufacturing a child-resistant container comprising providing a body portion of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein the body portion defines an internal space accessible via an opening; and providing a cover of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein the cover is configured to engage the body portion so as to cover the opening and enclose the internal space.
Example Implementation 63: A method for manufacturing a child-resistant container comprising providing a body portion defining an internal space accessible via an opening, the body portion comprising a bottom wall and a sidewall extending upwardly from a peripheral edge of the bottom wall; and providing a cover configured to securely and removably engage the body portion so as to cover the opening and enclose the internal space, wherein the cover comprises a top wall, an outer sidewall extending downwardly from a peripheral edge of the top wall, and an inner sidewall extending downwardly from the top wall and spaced inwardly from the outer sidewall, wherein the outer and inner sidewalls define a receptacle configured to engage at least a portion the sidewall of the body portion via an interference fit.
Example Implementation 64: The method of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein the cover comprises a top wall, an outer sidewall extending downwardly from a peripheral edge of the top wall, and an inner sidewall extending downwardly from the top wall and spaced inwardly from the outer sidewall, wherein the outer and inner sidewalls define a receptacle configured to engage at least a portion the sidewall of the body portion via an interference fit.
Example Implementation 65: The method of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein the body portion or the cover are manufactured via injection molding.
Example Implementation 66: The method of any preceding example implementation, or any combination of any preceding example implementations, wherein at least one of the body portion or the cover comprises a polypropylene.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will be apparent from a reading of the following detailed description together with the accompanying figures, which are briefly described below. The present disclosure includes any combination of two, three, four or more features or elements set forth in this disclosure, regardless of whether such features or elements are expressly combined or otherwise recited in a specific example implementation described herein. This disclosure is intended to be read holistically such that any separable features or elements of the disclosure, in any of its aspects and example implementations, should be viewed as combinable, unless the context of the disclosure clearly dictates otherwise.
It will therefore be appreciated that this Brief Summary is provided merely for purposes of summarizing some example implementations so as to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosure. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that the above described example implementations are merely examples and should not be construed to narrow the scope or spirit of the disclosure in any way. Other example implementations, aspects and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of some described example implementations.
Having thus described aspects of the disclosure in the foregoing general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying figures, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:
Some implementations of the present disclosure will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying figures, in which some, but not all implementations of the disclosure are shown. Indeed, various implementations of the disclosure may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the implementations set forth herein; rather, these example implementations are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.
Unless specified otherwise or clear from context, references to first, second or the like should not be construed to imply a particular order. A feature described as being above another feature (unless specified otherwise or clear from context) may instead be below, and vice versa; and similarly, features described as being to the left of another feature else may instead be to the right, and vice versa. Also, while reference may be made herein to quantitative measures, values, geometric relationships or the like, unless otherwise stated, any one or more if not all of these may be absolute or approximate to account for acceptable variations that may occur, such as those due to engineering tolerances or the like.
As used herein, unless specified otherwise or clear from context, the “or” of a set of operands is the “inclusive or” and thereby true if and only if one or more of the operands is true, as opposed to the “exclusive or” which is false when all of the operands are true. Thus, for example, “[A] or [B]” is true if [A] is true, or if [B] is true, or if both [A] and [B] are true. Further, the articles “a” and “an” mean “one or more,” unless specified otherwise or clear from context to be directed to a singular form. Furthermore, it should be understood that unless otherwise specified, the terms “data,” “content,” “digital content,” “information,” and similar terms may be at times used interchangeably. Additionally, where multiples of the same components are described, the multiples may be referred to individually (e.g., ##a, ##b, ##c, etc.) or collectively (##).
Example implementations of the present disclosure are generally directed to containers used to store various solid products, but are particularly well-suited for products designed for oral consumption. Exemplary consumable products that are often packaged in such containers include a wide variety of consumer products, including tobacco products of the type that have a smokeless form. Various forms of suitable smokeless tobacco products are those types products set forth and described generally in U.S. Patent Pub. Nos. 2012/0193265 to Patel et al. and 2013/0206153 to Beeson et al.; which are incorporated by reference herein. Of particular interest, are exemplary tobacco products that include tobacco formulations in a loose form, such as moist snuff products. Other exemplary types of smokeless tobacco products include the types of products set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 2012/0024301 to Carroll et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. Exemplary loose form tobacco used with the containers of the present disclosure may include tobacco formulations associated with, for example, commercially available GRIZZLY moist tobacco products and KODIAK moist tobacco products that are marketed by American Snuff Company, LLC. Exemplary snus forms of tobacco products are commercially available as CAMEL Snus by R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company.
The shape of the outer surface of the containers of the disclosure can vary. Although the container embodiments illustrated in the drawings have certain contours and shapes, containers with other exterior and interior surface designs also can be suitably adapted and used. For example, the sides or edges of the containers of the disclosure can be flattened, rounded, or beveled, and the various surfaces or edges of the container exterior can be concave or convex. Further, the opposing sides, ends, or edges of the container can be parallel or non-parallel such that the container becomes narrower in one or more dimensions. See, for example, the types of containers, components, component arrangements and configurations, and constructions thereof set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 8,458,996 to Bried et al., U.S. Pat. No. 8,910,781 to Pipes et al., and D649,284 to Patel et al.; U.S. Patent Pub. No. 2010/0018883 to Patel et al; as well as the various types of containers referenced in U.S. Patent Pub. No. 2013/0206153 to Beeson et al.; each of which is incorporated by reference herein.
The shapes and sizes of the containers described herein can vary without departing from the disclosure. In certain embodiments, the containers can be described as having a cylindrical shape suitable for handheld manipulation and operation; however, other multi-sided shapes (e.g., hexagonal, octagonal, etc.) are contemplated and considered within the scope of the disclosure. Exemplary dimensions for such handheld generally cylindrical embodiments include diameters in the range of about 50 mm to about 100 mm, and more typically about 60 mm to about 80 mm. Exemplary wall thicknesses include the range of about 0.5 mm to about 1.5 mm, and more typically about 0.8 mm to about 1.4 mm. Exemplary depths for handheld container embodiments of the present disclosure range from about 5 mm to about 50 mm, more typically about 8 mm to about 30 mm, and most often about 15 mm to about 25 mm. An exemplary general outward appearance of the container is comparable in many regards to that which has been used for commercially available GRIZZLY and KODIAK products that are marketed by American Snuff Company, LLC.
Further, the size of the containers described herein may be changed. For example, the containers may be sized for promotional purposes by providing either increased or decreased dimensions. For example, the dimensions of the containers may be scaled upwardly or downwardly by certain multipliers. By way of further example, the dimensions of the container may be scaled upwardly or downwardly by a multiple of about 1 to about 10 times. In this regard, whereas a conventional container according to embodiments of the present disclosure may be configured to store about 1.2 ounces of a tobacco-containing material, an oversized container may be configured to store, for example, 2.4 ounces or 7.2 ounces of the tobacco containing material. In specialty markets the containers may define a larger cylindrical configuration having a diameter from about 100 mm to about 125 mm (e.g., about 114 mm) and a depth from about 30 mm to about 50 mm (e.g., about 38 mm). Accordingly, the dimensions and capacities disclosed herein are provided for example purposes only and may be modified to suit particular purposes.
The body portion 102 includes a bottom wall 108 and a sidewall 110 extending upwardly from, and about, a peripheral edge 106 of the bottom wall 108. The sidewall 110 has a top edge or upper rim 112 that in turn defines an opening 114 through which the contents of the container 100 may be accessed. The material of construction of the body portion 102 may vary to suit a particular application. Exemplary materials include metal, synthetic plastic materials, and cellulosic materials (e.g., cardboard). Polymeric materials that can be extruded and/or molded into desired shapes are typically utilized, such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, polyamide, and the like. In some implementations, the body portion may comprise a translucent or transparent material to allow a user to view the contents. The body portion 102 may be manufactured via injection molding, blow molding, thermoforming, extrusion, bonding, machining, or combinations thereof, as known to a person of skill in the art.
The cover 104 includes a top wall 116 (or 116a depending on configuration) and a sidewall 118 that extends downwardly, and about, a peripheral edge 120 of the top wall 116. In some implementations, the top wall 116 spans the entire area bounded by its peripheral edge 120, while in other configurations, the top wall 116 does not span the entire area and forms a frame for accepting an outer lid 116a secured thereto, as shown in
As shown in
The channel configuration allows the primary sidewall 110 to be flexed inwardly (i.e., pressed towards the secondary wall 126) upon application of a force to the outer surface 110b, thereby providing access to an edge 138 of the cover 104 to assist in removing the cover 104. See
In another implementation of a flex feature 124, the sidewall 110 is a continuous wall having the aforementioned inner and outer surfaces 110a, 110b and including one or more gaps therebetween and extending along a length of the sidewall 110, thereby forming the channel(s) 132. Similar to the flex feature 124 described above the channel 132 extends essentially the entire height of the body portion 102 with an upper gap or opening of the channel 132 disposed proximate the upper rim 112 of the body portion and a lower gap or opening of the channel 132 disposed proximate the peripheral edge of the bottom wall 108.
Referring to
To remove the cover 104, a user applies a force (F) to the outer surface 110b of the sidewall (i.e., depresses the sidewall 110) at the flex feature 124, thereby exposing the bottom edge 138 of the cover sidewall 118, as shown in
Generally, the cover 504 of
As shown in
In various implementations, the inner ring or sidewall 542, 542′ has a height greater than the height of the sidewall 518 (i.e., the inner ring extends further from the top cover than the sidewall), however the height of the inner ring 542, 542′ may be about the same or even less than the height of the sidewall 518 to suit a particular application. In some implementations, the height of the inner ring may vary along its length. Additionally, the cover may include one or more buttresses 548 (or similar structure) spaced about an inner perimeter of the inner ring 542, 542′ and coupled to the top wall 516. The buttresses 548 may be spaced equidistant about the inner perimeter of the inner ring.
As shown in
The container 700 includes first and second covers 704a, 704b configured to be securely, but removably, coupled to the body portion 702 so as to enclose their respective internal spaces 740. As shown in
As shown in the figures, the body portion 702 of the container 700 includes a bottom wall 708 separating the first and second internal spaces 740, a primary sidewall 710 disposed about a peripheral edge 706 of the bottom wall 708 and extending upwardly (defining the first internal space 740a) and downwardly (defining the second internal space 740b) therefrom, and a secondary wall 726 comprising an upper edge 721a and a lower edge 721b. The secondary wall 726 is coupled to an outer surface of the primary wall 710 and spaced outwardly therefrom to define a channel between the primary and secondary walls 710, 726 such that one or more portions 724 of the secondary wall flexes relative to the primary wall upon application of a force thereto.
As further shown in the figures, the container 700 includes the first cover 704a configured to securely and removably engage the first opening 714a of the body portion 702, where the first cover is removable by flexing one of the one or more portions of the secondary wall 726 inwardly to expose an edge 738a of the first cover 704a. Similarly, the second cover 704b is configured to securely and removably engage the second opening 714b of the body portion 702 so that the second cover 704b is removable by flexing one of the one or more portions 724 of the secondary wall 726 inwardly to expose an edge 738b of the second cover 704b.
With reference to
Referring to
In the depicted implementation, the sidewall 710 is the primary wall and the secondary wall 726 surrounds the primary wall 710 and has an upper edge 721a and a lower edge 721b that are recessed relative to the top edge 712a and the bottom edge 712b of the primary sidewall 710. The secondary wall 726 is coupled to the outer surface of the primary wall 710 via the one or more lateral extensions 762 and spaced outwardly therefrom and so as to define a channel 732 between the primary and secondary walls such that one or more portions (or flex features) 724 of the secondary wall flex relative to the primary wall upon application of a force thereto. Generally, the channel 732 allows the secondary wall 726 to be flexed inwardly (i.e., pressed towards the primary wall 710) upon application of a force to certain portions thereof (i.e., the flex features 724 described below), thereby providing access to an edge 738 of either cover 704 to assist in removing the cover 704. See
As disclosed above, the secondary wall 726 includes at least one flex feature 724 that assists in separating the covers 704 from the body portion 702, but provides sufficient resistance to the covers 704 and body portion 702 being separated by a child. The flex feature 724 may be formed in the primary wall 710 in different manners. In the depicted implementation, the container 700 includes four (4) flex features 724 disposed about the perimeter thereof, with two (2) configured for removal of the first cover 704a and two (2) configured for the removal of the second cover 704b. As shown, one of each of the flex features 724 are disposed proximate one another on generally opposing sides of the container 700 (see
The first flex feature 724a of the secondary wall 726 comprises a first tab 764a configured to flex inwardly relative to the upper edge of the secondary wall 726 so as to expose the edge of the first cover. Generally, the first tab 764a is defined by a pair of vertical slits 766 that extend from the upper edge 721a of the secondary wall 726 to proximate the lower edge 721b of the secondary wall so as to be hingedly coupled to the secondary wall 726 at the lower edge 721b thereof. The third flex feature 724c is disposed 180 degrees from and in opposition to the first flex feature 724a so that it may be actuated (e.g., pressed) simultaneously with the first flex feature 724a. The third flex feature 724c is essentially identical to the first flex feature insofar as it comprises a third tab 764c defined by a pair of vertical slits 766 that extend from the upper edge 721a of the secondary wall 726 to proximate the lower edge 721b of the secondary wall so as to be hingedly coupled to secondary wall 726 at the lower edge 721b and configured to flex inwardly relative to the upper edge of the secondary wall so as to expose the edge 738 of the first cover 704a.
The second flex feature 724b of the secondary wall 726 comprises a second tab 764b configured to flex inwardly relative to the lower edge 721b of the secondary wall so as to expose the edge of the second cover. Generally, the second tab 764b is defined by a pair of vertical slits 766 that extend from the lower edge 721b of the secondary wall 726 to proximate the upper edge 721a of the secondary wall so as to be hingedly coupled to the secondary wall 726 at the upper edge 721a thereof. The fourth flex feature 724d is disposed 180 degrees from and in opposition to the second flex feature 724b so that it may be actuated (e.g., pressed) simultaneously with the second flex feature 724b. The fourth flex feature 724c is essentially identical to the second flex feature insofar as it comprises a fourth tab 764d defined by a pair of vertical slits 766 that extend from the lower edge 721b of the secondary wall 726 to proximate the upper edge 721a of the secondary wall so as to be hingedly coupled to the secondary wall 726 at the upper edge 721a and configured to flex inwardly relative to the lower edge of the secondary wall so as to expose the edge of the second cover.
In the depicted implementation, the cover further comprises an outer sidewall 768 extending outwardly from the peripheral edge 720 of the top wall 716 and configured to sit substantially flush with an outer surface of the secondary wall 726 of the body portion 702 when engaged. The outer sidewall 768 and the primary sidewall 718 define a plurality of gaps 770 spaced equidistant about a perimeter of the cover (see
Referring to
To remove one of the covers 704, a user applies a force (F1) to an outer surface of the secondary wall 726 (i.e., presses the secondary wall 726) at one or more flex features 724, thereby exposing the edge 738 of the cover primary sidewall 718, as shown in
As shown in the figures, the body portion 802 of the container 800 includes a bottom wall 808 separating the first and second internal spaces 840, a sidewall 810 disposed about a peripheral edge 806 of the bottom wall 808 and extending upwardly (defining the first internal space 840a) and downwardly (defining the second internal space 840b) therefrom, and a secondary wall 826 comprising an upper edge 821a and a lower edge 821b. The secondary wall 826 is coupled to an outer surface of the primary wall 810 and spaced outwardly therefrom to define a channel between the primary and secondary walls 810, 826 such that one or more portions 824 of the secondary wall flexes relative to the primary wall 810 upon application of a force thereto.
As further shown in the figures, the container 800 includes the first cover 804a configured to securely and removably engage the first opening 814a of the body portion 802, where the first cover is removable by flexing one of the one or more portions of the secondary wall 826 inwardly to expose an edge 838a of the first cover 804a. Similarly, the second cover 804b is configured to securely and removably engage the second opening 814b of the body portion 802 so that the second cover 804b is removable by flexing one of the one or more portions 824 of the secondary wall 826 inwardly to expose an edge 838b of the second cover 804b.
With reference to
Referring to
In the depicted implementation, the sidewall 810 is the primary wall and the secondary wall 826 surrounds the primary wall 810 and has an upper edge 821a and a lower edge 821b that are recessed relative to the top edge 812a and the bottom edge 812b of the primary wall 810. The secondary wall 826 is coupled to the outer surface of the primary wall 810 via one or more lateral extensions 862 and spaced outwardly therefrom so as to define a channel 832 between the primary and secondary walls such that one or more portions (or flex features) 824 of the secondary wall flex relative to the primary wall upon application of a force thereto. Generally, the channel 832 allows the secondary wall 826 to be flexed inwardly (i.e., pressed towards the primary wall 810) upon application of a force to certain portions thereof (flex features 824 described below), thereby providing access to an edge 838 of either cover 804 to assist in removing the cover 804. See
As disclosed above, the secondary wall 826 includes at least one flex feature 824 that assists in separating the covers 804 from the body portion 802, but provides sufficient resistance to prevent the covers 804 and body portion 802 from being separated by a child. The flex feature 824 may be formed in the secondary wall 826 in different manners. In the depicted implementation, the container 800 includes two (2) flex features 824 disposed proximate one another and on one side of the container 800 (see
Referring to
To remove one of the covers 804, a user applies a force (F1) to an outer surface of the secondary wall 826 (i.e., presses the secondary wall 826) at one or more flex features 824, thereby exposing the edges 838 of the cover primary sidewalls 818, as shown in
The container 900 includes a cover 904 configured to be securely, but removably, coupled to the body portion 902 so as to enclose the internal space 940. As shown in
As shown in the figures, the body portion 902 of the container 900 includes a bottom wall 908, a sidewall 910 disposed about a peripheral edge 906 of the bottom wall 908 and extending upwardly (defining the internal space 940), and a secondary wall 926 comprising an upper edge 921a. The secondary wall 926 is coupled to an outer surface of the primary wall 910 and spaced outwardly therefrom to define a channel 932 between the primary and secondary walls 910, 926 such that one or more portions 924 of the secondary wall flexes relative to the sidewall 910 upon application of a force thereto. As further shown in the figures, the container 900 includes the cover 904 configured to securely and removably engage the opening 914 of the body portion 902, where the cover is removable by flexing one of the one or more portions of the secondary wall 926 inwardly to expose an edge 938 of the cover 904.
Referring to
In the depicted implementation, the sidewall 910 is the primary wall and the secondary wall 926 surrounds the primary wall 910 and has an upper edge 921 that is recessed relative to the top edge 912 of the primary wall 910. The secondary wall 926 is coupled to the outer surface of the primary wall 910 via one or more lateral extensions 962 and spaced outwardly therefrom and so as to define a channel 932 between the primary and secondary walls such that one or more portions (or flex features) 924 of the secondary wall flex relative to the primary wall upon application of a force thereto. In the depicted implementation, the lateral extension 962 extends from the peripheral edge 906 of the bottom wall 908; however, in some implementations, the secondary wall 926 extends directly from the bottom wall 908 and may be formed as a single piece therewith.
Generally, the channel 932 allows the secondary wall 926 to be flexed inwardly (i.e., pressed towards the primary wall 910) upon application of a force to certain portions thereof (i.e., flex features 924 described below), thereby providing access to an edge 938 of the cover 904 to assist in removing the cover 904. See
As disclosed above, the secondary wall 926 includes at least one flex feature 924 that assists in separating the covers 904 from the body portion 902, but provides sufficient resistance to prevent the covers 904 and body portion 902 from being separated by a child. The flex feature 924 may be formed in the secondary wall 926 in different manners. In the depicted implementation, the container 900 includes two (2) flex features 924 disposed proximate one another and on one side of the container 900 (see
Referring to
To remove the cover 904, a user applies a force (F1) to an outer surface of the secondary wall 926 (i.e., presses the secondary wall 926) at one or more flex features 924, thereby exposing the edge 938 of the cover, as shown in
In some implementations, the top walls 1016, 1116 include recesses 1078, 1178 disposed about the openings 1052, 1152 and configured to receive the hatches 1054, 1154. Additionally, the hatches 1054, 1154 may include stiffening ribs 1056, 1156 or similar structures disposed on a bottom or interior surface of the hatches to add strength thereto and/or enhance the interface between the hatch 1054, 1154 and the recesses 1078, 1178. The hatches 1054, 1154 may be provided as alternative methods of accessing the contents of the body portion without removing the covers 1004, 1104 and may include their own child-resistant feature (e.g., flush mounting, interference fit, stiffness of the hinge mechanisms, etc.).
The additional implementations of the containers 700, 800, 900 described above may be manufactured from any of the materials or by any of the methods described herein.
In various implementations of the containers described herein, the containers may include additional features, such as a barrier film or membrane configured to cover the opening in the body portion, thereby enclosing the internal space. By way of example, the barrier film may comprise a foil or a film (e.g., a polymer film) and/or may contain a material selected and configured to be substantially fluid-impervious so as to prevent the flow of fluids from the internal space to an external environment or allow the transmission of gasses therethrough (e.g., diffusion of oxygen into the internal space) to maintain the freshness of the tobacco-containing material by supporting the health of aerobic microbes within the tobacco-containing material. Another feature that may be included is a vent mechanism disposed in the body portion, the cover, or both to help regulate an internal pressure or other environmental condition within the container.
Many modifications and other implementations of the disclosure will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated figures. Therefore, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not to be limited to the specific implementations disclosed herein and that modifications and other implementations are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/012,908, titled, CHILD RESISTANT CONTAINER FOR TOBACCO-CONTAINING PRODUCTS, filed on Sep. 4, 2020, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 17012908 | Sep 2020 | US |
| Child | 17464979 | US |
