The invention is in the field of containers, and in certain embodiments relates to a container used to contain and dispense medical gloves.
Medical gloves, such as, examination gloves, are used in a variety of settings, including clinical and emergency medical service (“EMS”) settings. Such gloves are typically packaged and dispensed from disposable containers, each container holding a quantity of gloves. Medical gloves are available in various materials, colors, and sizes. With this variety of options available for gloves, it is important that the containers are clearly labeled so that the user can easily determine what types of gloves are in the container. As an example, some patients or users may have an allergy to latex, so it would be very important to indicate on the container of gloves whether the gloves are composed of a latex material. In many settings, a selection of gloves may be made available for users. For example, several different sizes of gloves may be required to accommodate users who require different glove sizing. Conventional medical glove containers are labeled with indicia on the outside of the container, for example, on the top and side panels of the container.
Conventional medical glove containers have a rectangular cross section and have a perforated opening panel on the top side of a rectangular container of gloves. Gloves are dispensed from the box by removal of the opening panel, which allows the user to reach into the container and pull individual gloves out of the container through the opening. In clinical settings, the indicia printed on the glove containers may be easily visible as the containers are laid out on a flat table or on a shelf. When the perforated oval opening of the glove container is removed, the indicia are still visible on the top, ends, or sides of the container.
In EMS (ambulatory, fire, or other first responder) settings, however, glove containers may be inserted into an ambulance console with the short end of the container facing outward and the other sides of the container obscured by the console. When EMS personnel wish to remove a glove from the container, they may but tear the exposed end of the box off the container to access the gloves inside the box. Once the end of the container has been removed, there are no indicia clearly visible to the EMS personnel that communicate information about the gloves within the container, because no other sides or ends of the container are visible. Because of the nature of EMS work, personnel often do not have the time to remove the containers from their stowed position to read the indicia on the intact portion of the container.
Generally, it has now been found that a container that comprises a top panel, a bottom panel, first and second side panels, first and second outer end panels, optionally and first and second inner end flaps proximal the first and second outer end flaps, may be provided. When one of the end portions is torn away to reveal the contents of the container, at least one tab or flap containing visual indicia that indicates a characteristic of the contents of a container will remain attached to the container. For example, at least one of the first and second inner end flaps include perforations separating the inner end flaps into first and second removable portions and first and second fixed portions respectively. In use, the first and second removable portions may be torn away from the end flaps along the perforations, thereby exposing the contents of the container while the first and second fixed portions remain attached to the first and second side panels of the container. The first and second fixed portions include visible indicia conveying information about the contents of the gloves, for example, the size of the gloves contained in the container. In this manner, the container is open to allow gloves to be removed from the end of the container, but the first and second fixed portions and their corresponding visible indicia remain attached to the container and functioning as tabs or flaps that remain visible to the user.
In another embodiment, a container blank is provided. The blank generally comprises panel portions corresponding to the panels of the container described above, and is suitable for folding into a container as described herein.
In another embodiment, a method of forming the glove container described above is provided. This method comprises providing a blank made from a foldable material, such as cardboard, and folding the container to assemble it into a finished container. The container may then be filled with examination gloves and deployed for use in the field.
In another embodiment, a method of accessing gloves is provided. The method generally comprises providing a glove container and removing an end portions thereby creating an access point for the gloves and leaving a tab or flap with visual indicia conveying information about the contents of the gloves.
In general a glove container having a top panel, bottom panel, first and second side panels, and first and second outer end panels is provided. In the illustrated embodiments, optional inner end panels may be included. The first outer end panel may be torn away from the container to reveal a first inner end panel. The first inner end panel may be torn away from the container to reveal first and second inner end flaps. The first and second inner end flaps interlock with one another and cooperate with the first inner end panel to provide rigidity. The first and second inner end flaps include first and second removable portions and first and second fixed portions respectively. The first and second removable portions of the first and second inner end flaps may be removed to reveal the contents of the container. The first and second fixed portions of the first and second inner end flaps remain attached and include visual indicia to provide information about the contents of the gloves in the container.
The container may be formed of a foldable cardboard or other cardstock material. The container may be assembled in part using glue, and the panels may include interlocking tabs and hooks to maintain the assembly of the container. The container may include artwork and other indicia indicating the contents of the container. The container may be formed from a blank of foldable material. The blank of foldable material may be printed with necessary indicia and artwork, and processed to include fold lines about which the various panels of the container may be folded. Conventional techniques may be used to cut the blank from a blank sheet and create the fold lines and subsequently to assemble and fill the container.
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The visual indicia 62, 65 on the first and second inner end flaps 52 and 53 can correspond to any relevant information regarding the contents of the container. The visual indicia may relate to the material properties of the contents, sizing information regarding the gloves, the color of the gloves, or any other information that would be useful regarding the contents of the glove container. The indicia may contain the same information as the other indicia on the container (e.g. size and material) or may contain less or different information (e.g. size only). In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the first and second removable portions 60 and 64 may be glued together by an adhesive material instead of connected in an interlocking fashion. However, the interlocking configuration may be advantageous in certain applications because the interlocking feature eliminates the need for adhesive on this portion of the cardstock material. Moreover, the adhesive may not be appropriate in damp environments and may make it more difficult to collapse the container for purposes of discarding the container after the container is emptied of its contents. In another embodiment, the first and second removable portions may simply be folded in proximity to one another rather than being connected by any interlocking features or adhesive.
In another embodiment, the container may include only a first or second inner end flap connected to one of the first or second side edges 54 or 55 that extends partly or fully across the end of the container, in which case a single removable portion and a single fixed portion is located proximate the end of the container.
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The opposite end of container 19 is similarly configured and may include a removable outer end panel and removable inner end panels and inner end flaps similar to those described above.
As with the first inner end panel 44, the second inner end panel 73 may include visible indicia 68 providing information about the contents of the container. In addition, the second inner end panel 73 may be lifted from the glove container 19, and instead of tearing away this panel, the second inner end panel 73 away from the glove container 19 the second inner end panel may remain attached to the container for purposes of re-closing the container.
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Once the blank 100 has been cut from the blank sheet 85, the container may be assembled by folding the various panel portions along the fold lines and filling the container with gloves. Adhesive may be applied to one or both of the side tabs 102, 103 to secure them to one another. In use, the outer and inner end panels are removed or folded away and the inner end flaps are removed to allow access to the contents of the container, leaving the fixed portions as tabs or flaps.
Also encompassed in an embodiment is a set of glove container, each of the glove containers containing a plurality of gloves, the gloves having at least one different characteristic from box to box. For instance, a set of glove containers may comprise gloves that are otherwise identical but of different sizes (for instance, the set of glove containers may include small, medium, large, extra-large, and double-extra-large gloves). Each of the containers is a container as described hereinabove, and preferably is otherwise structurally identical. A set of containers may be sold as a package or may be formed in situ via the placement of plural glove containers in a single vehicle or in a single enclosed room.
The illustrated glove container is believed to provide a container that is advantageous in EMS or other settings where a typical glove container including indicia only on the outside panels of the container may not be suitable. It is contemplated that the box may be suitable for contents other than gloves in some embodiments.
Uses of singular terms such as “a,” “an,” are intended to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms. Any description of certain embodiments as “preferred” embodiments, and other recitation of embodiments, features, or ranges as being preferred, or suggestion that such are preferred, is not deemed to be limiting. The invention is deemed to encompass embodiments that are presently deemed to be less preferred and that may be described herein as such. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended to illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention. Any statement herein as to the nature or benefits of the invention or of the preferred embodiments is not intended to be limiting. This invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited herein as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. No unclaimed language should be deemed to limit the invention in scope. Any statements or suggestions herein that certain features constitute a component of the claimed invention are not intended to be limiting unless reflected in the appended claims. Neither the marking of the patent number on any product nor the identification of the patent number in connection with any service should be deemed a representation that all embodiments described herein are incorporated into such product or service.