CHILD RESISTANT CONTAINER

Abstract

A child resistant container that is foldable and comprises a child resistant closure system, wherein the container is capable of storing and securing a variety of objects and substances of different sizes, shapes, and other characteristics. The closure system is adapted for securing the container in a folded position that securely maintains the contents of the container. The closure system generally comprises a cap selectively removable relative to a neck portion of the closure system. The closure system may further comprise a tether for permanently or semi-permanently attaching the cap to the container. The neck portion being adapted for projecting through hole members provided in the container, such that projecting the neck portion through the hole members and fastening the cap to the neck portion selectively secures the container in a folded position.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a container for storing various goods and items that should be kept away from children. The container may include a child resistant cap, which may be attached to the container, and may also be foldable so that it takes up a small footprint when goods are contained therein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Adults frequently store or otherwise transport potentially poisonous or otherwise deleterious contents (e.g., pills) that should be kept away from children. There are many types of child resistant containers that currently exist in the art. For example, a particular type of child resistant closure system in U.S. Pat. No. 5,449,078 relates to a well-known combination of a container and safety cap. Such a container is beneficial to prevent small children who lack the dexterity to open the cap from doing so. However, such a container is for use with only one type of pill at a time.

Sometimes, adults require multiple pill bottles that need to be carried at one time to address various illnesses, maladies, and/or symptoms. When multiple pill bottles must be carried at one time, it is preferable that they be stored in one location. This location is preferably secure, and the goods are not loosely stored in a bag like a purse, or a cabinet. Moreover, some sense of privacy may be desired, and it would be preferable to keep the multiple bottles in a discreet but also secure bag.

Furthermore, sometimes adults must take larger volume medicines that may even come in a liquid form that do not fit in a traditional child resistant lid and bottle type enclosure. If that is the case, adults may want to store the liquid bottle, which may or may not be child resistant, in a larger bag that is also child resistant.

Other times, adults may want to carry items with them that are not medical in nature, but should be kept away from children. For example, some adults may want to carry alcohol to or from restaurants. Some states even require that the bag be child resistant when leaving a restaurant carrying unfinished wine. Obviously, wine does not fit in a traditional child resistant lid and bottle container, so a larger style container may be necessary. Currently, restaurants bag leftover wine bottles to go in rudimentary tamper-proof (to prevent drinking in the car on the way home), but not child resistant containers. Those tamper-proof containers often include tape that easily breaks when the bag is opened so that a law enforcement officer can easily tell if a driver has been drinking in the car.

There have been advances in the art of protection against the danger of small children being able to remove deleterious goods from bags or other containers. However, there is still a need for a closure and a container system that is child resistant and also capable of carrying larger items. The container system should be foldable so that when it is not holding larger items like wine bottles, it may be further foldable and compactable to take up a smaller amount of space.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The child resistant container that is the subject of the present invention makes up for the shortcomings in the prior art. The child resistant container hereof is preferably generally configured as a bag. As such it includes each of a front side and a rear side, as well as a top and a bottom. Like most bags, the top of the child resistant container is open such that various goods, such as those that may be harmful to a child may be inserted into the child resistant container via the opening at its top portion. Like most bags and other containers, the bottom portion of the child resistant container is closed so that goods that are dropped through the opening of the container may fall to the bottom of the container without falling through the container.

Preferably, the front portion of the container is divided into three distinct foldable segments, though in alternative embodiments, more or fewer segments may be provided. In the preferred embodiment, a top section of the child resistant bag is provided with an aperture or hole member that penetrates through each of the container's front and rear portions. When the container is in its unfolded position, the holes near the top portion of the container that extend through each of its front and back side may act as handles to allow a user to carry the container in a bag-like fashion.

On the front of the container, near the center of the container, a neck portion is preferably provided that has a removable cap member that may be removed in ways known and understood in the art. That cap member is preferably attachable to and removable from the neck member in a manner substantially similar to child resistant cap members known in the art. As such, it may require an extra step that cannot be completed by a child such as squeezing the outer portions of the cap member to get it to release from the neck member. In one embodiment, the removable cap may be permanently or semi-permanently attached to the container via a tether.

In use, to collapse the container, the cap member should first be removed from the container and its neck portion. Then, once the contents that should be kept away from children are placed within the container, the top portion of the bag member may be folded downwardly so that the neck portion is able to receive and engage the hole members that penetrate all the way through both of the front and rear portions of the child resistant container. With the goods now secured within the container, the child resistant cap member may be screwed back onto the neck portion. In at least one embodiment, a bottom portion of the container may be folded rearwardly so that the container takes up less space and is even more compact.

With the container in its collapsed form, the container and its contents may be safely and securely stored and/or transported. To remove the contents from the bag, the child resistant cap member should first be removed from the neck portion of the container, before the top portion of the container may be folded. Then, the opening to the container is preferably exposed, and the contents therein may be accessed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the various embodiments of the present invention, reference may be made to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front plan view of a child resistant container constructed according to the teachings of one embodiment of the present invention in its unfolded position;

FIG. 2 is a rear plan view of the child resistant container of FIG. 1 in its unfolded position;

FIG. 3 is an elevation view of the child resistant container of FIGS. 1 and 2 with a cap of the child resistant container screwed onto the container;

FIG. 4 is an elevation view of the child resistant container of FIGS. 1-3 with a cap of the child resistant container unscrewed from the container;

FIG. 5 is a front plan view of the child resistant container of FIGS. 1-4 in process of a first folded position;

FIG. 6 is a front plan view of the child resistant container of FIGS. 1-5 in a first folded position;

FIG. 7 is a front plan view of the child resistant container of FIGS. 1-6 in process of a second folded position;

FIG. 8 is a front plan view of the child resistant container of FIGS. 1-7 in a second folded position;

FIG. 9 is an elevation view of the child resistant container constructed according to the teachings of another embodiment of the present invention with a tethered cap of the child resistant container screwed onto the container;

FIG. 10 is an elevation view of the child resistant container of FIG. 9 with a tethered cap of the child resistant container unscrewed from the container;

FIG. 11 is a front plan view of the child resistant container of FIGS. 9-10 in process of a first folded position;

FIG. 12 is a front plan view of the child resistant container of FIGS. 9-11 in a first folded position;

While the disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawing and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description presented herein are not intended to limit the disclosure to the particular embodiment disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is now be described with reference to the drawing figures, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout. For purposes of clarity in illustrating the characteristics of the present invention, proportional relationships of the elements have not necessarily been maintained in the drawing figures. It will be appreciated that any dimensions included in the drawings are simply provided as examples and dimensions other than those provided therein are also within the scope of the invention.

The description of the invention references specific embodiments in which the invention can be practiced. The embodiments are intended to describe aspects of the invention in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. Other embodiments can be utilized and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The present invention is defined by the appended claims and the description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense and shall not limit the scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

An example embodiment of the present invention is embodied as child resistant container 1, as provided in FIGS. 1-8. Another example embodiment of the present invention, described in greater detail below, is embodied as a child resistant container 1, as provided in FIGS. 9-12. The child resistant container 1 is preferably foldable and collapsible such that it takes up less space after goods have been placed within the container, and it may be placed within another bag or carried alone. The manner in which the container may be folded and made more compact is described in greater detail below. The storage container 1 provided in FIGS. 1-12 is exemplary of only one container size and shape, though in alternative embodiments, the child resistant container 1 may take on a nearly limitless number of sizes and shapes depending on the type of contents for which a container like the container 1 is intended to store. For example, the container 1 can have a volume of between about 0.002 cubic feet and about 9 cubic feet in one embodiment, between about 0.05 cubic feet and about 3 cubic feet in another embodiment, between about 0.098 and about 0.134 cubic feet in a further embodiment.

Turning first to FIG. 1, a front side 5 of the child resistant container 1 is illustrated. In FIG. 1, the child resistant container 1 is shown in its unfolded position. This unfolded position is preferably the position that is used when contents that should be kept from a child are placed into the child resistant container 1. The container 1 may be made from a nearly limitless number of material types, but in the preferred embodiment, it is made of a foldable plastic like polypropylene.

As shown in FIG. 1, the child resistant container 1 may include each of an upper portion 10 and a lower portion 15. The upper portion 10 is preferably able to be opened in a bag-like manner so that medicines, liquids, and other goods may be placed inside of the child resistant container 1. On the other hand, the lower portion 15 is preferably closed so that objects that are placed within the child resistant container 1 fall toward the lower portion 15. There, the goods may rest when they hit the bottom of the child resistant container 1.

While there are a number of ways in which the child resistant container 1 may be folded to take up less space, the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-12 includes multiple sections that are separated by horizontal fold lines, as described in greater detail herein below, but it will be appreciated that such fold lines can be vertical or any orientation relative to the container 1. Near the upper portion 10, the child resistant container 1 includes a first front surface 20 and a second front surface 25. The second front surface is preferably positioned and located between the upper portion 10 and the lower portion 15 of the container 1 near the center of the container 1. The first front surface 20 and the second front surface 25 are preferably separated by a fold line 30. The fold line 30 is illustrated as a midline between the first front surface 20 and the second front surface 25, but in alternative embodiments may be located in a different relative location between the surfaces 20, 25.

A third front surface 35 of the child resistant container 1 is preferably located near the lower portion 15 of the child resistant container 1. The third front surface 35, like the first front surface 20, is separated from the second front surface 25 by a fold line 40. Like the fold line 30, the fold line 40 is illustrated as being a midline between the second front surface 25 and the third front surface 35 such that it splits the surfaces 25, 35 in half so as to be approximately the same size. In alternative embodiments, the fold line 40 may be placed in a different location if the folding mechanism of the child resistant container 1 is altered for the purposes for which the child resistant container 1 is used. As shown in FIG. 1, toward the upper portion 10, the first front surface 20 is preferably provided with a hole member 45 that extends completely through the first front surface 20 to the interior (not illustrated) of the child resistant container 1.

Preferably, a reinforcement ring 50 is provided that circumscribes the hole member 45. The reinforcement ring 50 may be provided as a gasket-type ring member that serves to reinforce the hole member 45 so that with repeated use, the material that makes up the child resistant container 1 is not ripped or torn. The reinforcement ring 50 may be made of a variety of materials including a rubber or plastic gasket, a heat seal, or another foreseeable material.

The second front surface 25 is preferably provided with a cap member 55 that is selectively removable when the child resistant container 1 is in its folded position (see FIG. 8) to access the contents of the child resistant container 1 therein. The manner in which the child resistant container 1 folds into the compact position shown in FIG. 8 will be described in greater detail herein below. Like the hole member 45, the cap member 55 is preferably provided with a reinforcement ring 60 that similarly circumscribes the cap member 55.

Turning now to FIG. 2, a back side 65 of the child resistant container 1 is illustrated. The back side 65 of the child resistant container 1 preferably includes each of a first rear surface 70 and a second rear surface 75. Those surfaces 70, 75 are preferably directly opposite the surfaces 20, 25 and thus are similarly separated by the fold line 30. The back side 65 of the child resistant container 1 also preferably includes a third rear surface 80 located near the lower portion 15 of the child resistant container 1. The third rear surface 80 is preferably separated from the second rear surface 75 by the fold line 40. Similarly, the third rear surface 80 is preferably substantially opposite from the third front surface 35 on the front side 5 of the child resistant container 1.

Like the first front surface 20, the first rear surface 70 is preferably provided with a hole member 85 that extends all the way through the first rear surface 70. Like the hole member 45, the hole member 85 is preferably provided with a reinforcement ring 90 that circumscribes the hole member 85. The reinforcement ring 90, like the reinforcement ring 50, may be provided as a plastic or rubber ring, a heat seal, or any other foreseeable reinforcement to help prevent the material of the child resistant container 1 from tearing.

It should be noted that the holes 45, 85 on the front side 5 and the back side 65 of the child resistant container 1 serve a purpose other than that described below to help close and secure the child resistant container 1 as child resistant. More specifically, the holes 45, 85 may act as handle members to allow a user to carry the child resistant container 1 in a manner substantially similar to a shopping bag when the container 1 is not being used in a child resistant manner. When the child resistant container 1 is used in this shopping bag-like manner, the reinforcement rings 50, 90 also serve more substantially to help protect the material of the child resistant container 1 from ripping when there is an object placed within the container 1 and the container 1 is weighed down.

FIGS. 3 and 4 provide elevation views of the child resistant container 1 looking down at the top portion 10 of the child resistant container 1. As such, in FIGS. 3 and 4, opening 95 is clearly visible. Opening 95 is preferably positioned and located at the top portion 10 of the child resistant container 1 and is expandable to allow goods to be placed within the opening 95 where they are then able to fall to the bottom portion 15 of the container 1 in a bag-like manner.

FIGS. 3 and 4 further illustrate the cap member 55 that was also shown in FIG. 1. In a manner commonly known and understood in the art, the cap member 55 may be removed from a neck portion 100 of the child resistant container 1. In doing so, a user preferably turns the cap member 55 in a counterclockwise direction such that interior threads (not illustrated) of the cap member 55 disengage thread members 105 of the neck member 100. The cap member 55 is preferably of the type that is long known and understood in the art to be child resistant. As such it may require squeezing side portions of the cap 55 to disengage it from the neck member 100.

Turning now to FIGS. 5-8, various steps are shown that may be taken to make the child resistant container 1 child resistant. In FIG. 5, it is presupposed that the goods which are intended to be kept away from children have already been provided within the child resistant container 1.

In order to initiate the process of making the container 1 child resistant, the cap member 55 should first be removed as shown in FIG. 5. The manner in which the cap member 55 is released from the neck portion 100 was described above and may take on a number of different embodiments.

Next, a user should fold the first front surface 20 downwardly across the fold line 30 such that the first front surface 20 approaches the second front surface 25. As this happens, the neck portion 100 of the child resistant container 1 preferably protrudes through the hole members 45, 85 and projects therethrough. This first fold preferably seals the objects contained in the container 1. Preferably, this only occurs when the first front surface 20 has been fully folded so that it abuts the second front surface 25, and the first rear surface 70 faces outwardly from the front side 5 of the child resistant container 1. This configuration is shown and illustrated in FIG. 6. It is at this time that the cap member 55 may be placed over the neck portion 100 which is protruding through the hole member 80. The cap member 55 may be releasably attached to the neck portion 100 in the manner described above. As evidenced in FIG. 6, the child resistant container 1 has preferably now been made child resistant.

In this configuration, an interior portion of the child resistant container 1 is not accessible by means other than by releasing the cap member 55 from the neck portion 100 and unfolding the surface 70 from the surface 25. This action preferably restores the child resistant container 1 to its unfolded position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Turning now to FIGS. 7 and 8, the child resistant container 1 may further be made more compact by performing additional folds. More particularly, the child resistant container 1 may be folded near its bottom portion 15 such that the third rear surface 80 folds upwardly to abut the second front surface 25. When it does so, the third rear surface 80 preferably is folded across the fold line 40. After this fold has taken place, the child resistant container 1 preferably appears in the manner in which it is shown in FIG. 8. It is in this configuration that the child resistant container 1 is preferably in its most compact form. However, because of the flexible nature of the material that makes up the child resistant container 1, depending on the contents of the container 1, side portions 110, 115 of the child resistant container 1 may also be folded inwardly to make the child resistant container 1 even more compact.

When a user wishes to access contents stored within the container 1, he or she simply takes the above steps in reverse order. After he or she does so, he or she may access the contents of the container 1 via the opening 95.

Turning now to FIGS. 9-12, another embodiment of the child resistant container 1 depicted with a tether 120 attached to the cap member 55 via a connection piece 125. The tether is depicted as the same material as the container, a foldable plastic, such as polypropylene, but it will be appreciated that the tether may comprise any suitable material or combination of materials, including, without limitation, string, twine, leather, soft plastic, hard plastic, flexible metals, and the like. FIG. 9 illustrates the child resistant container 1 with the cap member 55 attached thereto so that the container 1 is in a closed position.

In a manner commonly known and understood in the art, the cap member 55, which can be of child resistant construction as discussed above, may be removed from a neck portion 100 of the child resistant container 1. In doing so, a user preferably turns the cap member 55 in a counterclockwise direction such that interior threads (not illustrated) of the cap member 55 disengage thread members 105 of the neck member 100. It will be appreciated that the tether 120 and the connection piece 125 can be adapted to not interfere with such a process of removal. The cap member 55 is preferably of the type that is long known and understood in the art to be child resistant.

With the cap member 55 removed in FIG. 10, the first front surface 20 is depicted unfolded position and the opening 95 of the top portion 10 is viewable from the elevation view in FIG. 10, such that the opening 95 is expandable to allow goods to be placed within the opening 95 where they are then able to fall to the bottom portion 15 of the container 1 in a bag-like manner.

Similar to FIG. 5-6, discussed above, FIGS. 11-12 depict various steps that may be taken to make the child resistant container 1 child resistant. In FIG. 11, it is presupposed that the goods which are intended to be kept away from children have already been provided within the child resistant container 1.

In order to initiate the process of making the container 1 child resistant, the cap member 55 should first be removed as shown in FIG. 11. The manner in which the cap member 55 is released from the neck portion 100 is described above and may take on a number of different embodiments. Further, when the cap member 55 is removed, it may still remain attached to the container 1 via a tether 120.

Next, a user should fold the first front surface 20 downwardly across the fold line 30 such that the first front surface 20 approaches the second front surface 25 and so the neck portion 100 can protrude and project through hole members 45, 85. As discussed in more detail above, this first fold preferably seals the objects contained in the container 1.

FIG. 12 illustrates the first front surface 20 fully folded and abutting the second front surface 25, such that the first rear surface 70 faces outwardly from the front side 5 of the child resistant container 1. Similar to the process discussed above, cap member 55 may be placed over and releasably attached to the neck portion 100. As best illustrated in FIG. 12, when the cap member 55 is releasably attached to the neck portion 100, the tether 120 is positioned in a non-obstructive manner relative to the cap member 55 and the container 1. Moreover, in this position, the tether 120 may operate as a handle to allow a user to easily and effectively carry the container 1 by hand or over his or her shoulder. The length of the tether 120 may vary in various embodiments of the container 1 to provide a variety of handle lengths.

As depicted in FIG. 12, the child resistant container 1 has preferably now been made child resistant, and the interior portion of the child resistant container 1 is not accessible by means other than by releasing the cap member 55 from the neck portion 100 and unfolding the surface 70 from the surface 25.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the various embodiments of the present invention are well adapted to attain all the objectives and advantages hereinabove set forth together with still other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the present structures. It will be understood that certain features and sub-combinations of the present embodiments are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and sub-combinations. Since many possible embodiments of the present invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, it is also to be understood that all disclosures herein set forth or illustrated in the accompanying drawings are to be interpreted as illustrative only and not limiting. The various constructions described above and illustrated in the drawings are presented by way of example only and are not intended to limit the concepts, principles and scope of the present invention.

Many changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications of the present invention will, however, become apparent to those skilled in the art after considering the specification and the accompanying drawings. All such changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to be covered by the invention which is limited only by the claims which follow.

Claims

1. A child resistant container comprising: a container further comprising a first front surface and a second front surface divided by a first fold line; anda closure system mounted to the container;wherein the container is selectively movable between an unfolded position and a first folded position about the first fold line;wherein the closure system is adapted for selectively securing the container in the first folded position.

2. The child resistant container of claim 1, wherein the closure system further comprises a neck portion mounted to the container and a cap that is selectively removable relative to the neck portion.

3. The child resistant container of claim 2, wherein the cap is a child resistant cap.

4. The child resistant container of claim 2, wherein the closure system further comprises a tether attached to the container.

5. The child resistant container of claim 4, wherein the cap is a child resistant cap.

6. The child resistant container of claim 1, wherein the container further comprises a first rear surface.

7. The child resistant container of claim 6, wherein: the first front surface further comprises a first aperture; andthe first rear surface comprises a second aperture.

8. The child resistant container of claim 7, wherein: the closure system further comprises a neck portion mounted to the container and a cap that is selectively removable relative to the neck portion;the first aperture is adapted for receiving the neck portion; andthe second aperture is adapted for receiving the neck portion.

9. The child resistant container of claim 8, wherein the cap is a child resistant cap.

10. The child resistant container of claim 8, wherein the closure system further comprises a tether attached to the container.

11. The child resistant container of claim 10, wherein the cap is a child resistant cap.

12. The child resistant container of claim 8, wherein the first aperture is axially aligned with the second aperture.

13. The child resistant container of claim 12, wherein the cap is a child resistant cap.

14. The child resistant container of claim 12, wherein the closure system further comprises a tether attached to the container.

15. The child resistant container of claim 14, wherein the cap is a child resistant cap.

16. The child resistant container of claim 1 further comprising a third front surface, wherein a second fold line splits the second front surface and the third front surface.

17. The child resistant container of claim 16, wherein the container is selectively movable between the unfolded position and a second folded position.

18. The child resistant container of claim 16, wherein the container is selectively movable between the first folded position and a second folded position about the second fold line.