Patent Grant
8087540
The present invention relates to containers and methods of use thereof. More particularly, the invention relates to containers that provide dispensing or dosing of the stored product.
Various types of containers for dispensing solid objects, particularly solid products 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. Exemplary consumable products that are often packaged in such containers include pharmaceutical compositions, oral tobacco products, snacks, mints, gums, breath strips, candy, and the like.
Certain consumable products, such as pharmaceutical products, require containers having a certain level of child resistance. Traditionally, pills have been packaged in a bottle having a cap that can only be removed by applying downward pressure while twisting the cap. However, this type of child resistance has certain disadvantages. For example, if a child does manage to open the bottle, immediate access is provided to the entire contents of the bottle. Further, if an adult user fails to place the cap in the properly secured position, there is no secondary mechanism for preventing access by a child.
In addition to child resistance, another desirable feature for certain containers is the ability to dispense a metered amount of a product. In other words, it can be highly desirable for the container to control dispensing such that only a defined number of stored product units, such as only a single unit, is dispensed each time the container is opened. Metered distribution of a product can be advantageous as a further level of child resistance as it prevents unrestricted access to the entire contents of the container, and as a means to improve sanitation because such a container negates the need to touch numerous units within the container in order to obtain a single desired unit.
Exemplary containers that provide a locking mechanism for enhancing child-resistance of a container can be found, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,863,175 to Gelardi; U.S. Pat. No. 6,913,149 to Gelardi et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,976,576 to Intini; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,216,776 to Gelardi, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
There remains a need in the art for a container for storing and dispensing a product capable of combining various advantageous features, such as child resistance, metered dispensing, and convenient size.
The present invention provides a container that, in certain embodiments, combines child-resistance with metered dispensing, and which can be provided in a convenient handheld size. The type and form of the product to be stored and dispensed can vary, but rod-shaped products are particularly well-suited for use with the containers of the invention.
In one aspect, the invention provides a dispensing container comprising an outer casing having an open end, a top, a bottom, sidewalls extending between the top and bottom, and an interior compartment. The container also includes an inner tray slidably received within the interior compartment of the outer casing and comprising a storage compartment configured to store a plurality of units of product to be dispensed, and a dispensing trough in communication with the storage compartment, the inner tray extending outwardly from the open end of the outer casing and configured for sliding movement between a closed and locked position and a dispensing position. The dispensing trough comprises an aperture sized and configured to allow a single unit of product to exit the dispensing trough at one end thereof and a slot at the opposing end thereof. The outer casing further comprises a rib extending into the interior compartment and positioned to enter the slot of the dispensing trough as the inner tray slides between the dispensing position and the closed and locked position, the rib sized and configured to engage a unit of product within the dispensing trough as the inner tray slides towards the closed and locked position and urge the unit of product through the aperture of the dispensing trough.
The container may further comprise a locking mechanism adapted for releasably locking the inner tray in the closed and locked position within the outer casing, the locking mechanism comprising a depressible button in the top or bottom of the outer casing and a flexible locking plate attached to the inner tray, the depressible button being positioned to engage and deflect the flexible locking plate of the inner tray when depressed. The locking plate of the inner tray can include an aperture and the outer casing can include a projection adjacent to the depressible button and operatively positioned to engage the aperture of the locking plate when the inner tray is in the closed and locked position. In one embodiment, the projection has a beveled surface facing toward the open end of the outer casing.
In certain embodiments, the container further comprises a flexible tab extending into the dispensing trough adjacent to the aperture in the dispensing trough, the tab operatively positioned to engage a unit of product as the unit of product exits the dispensing trough. The inner tray of the container may also include a stop adapted for engaging the outer casing to prevent removal of the inner tray from the outer casing.
The inner tray can also include a raised surface adapted for grasping by a container user, the raised surface positioned to abut the top of the outer casing when the inner tray is in the closed and locked position. To further facilitate opening of the container, certain embodiments include a depression defined between the inner tray and the bottom of the outer casing when the inner tray is in the closed and locked position, the depression sized and configured to aid grasping of the inner tray.
In one embodiment, the container includes a recess in the outer casing sized and configured for receiving at least a portion of a unit of product dispensed from the dispensing container.
The storage compartment of the inner tray is preferably sized to accommodate a plurality of products. The products to be dispensed can have a variety of shapes, including pill, tablet, sphere, sheet, coin, cube, bead, ovoid, obloid, bean, stick, and rod. The types of products to be dispensed can also vary, and may include pharmaceutical products, smoking products, smokeless tobacco products, snack products, and confectionary products (e.g., candies, mints, and gums).
In another embodiment, the dispensing container comprises an outer casing having an open end, a top, a bottom, sidewalls extending between the top and bottom, and an interior compartment; as well as an inner tray slidably received within the interior compartment of the outer casing and comprising a storage compartment configured to store a plurality of units of product to be dispensed, and a dispensing trough in communication with the storage compartment, the inner tray configured for sliding movement between a closed and locked position and a dispensing position. The dispensing trough comprises an aperture sized and configured to allow a single unit of product to exit the dispensing trough at a first end of the dispensing trough facing the open end of the outer casing, and the dispensing trough further comprises a slot at an opposing end thereof. The container also includes a locking mechanism adapted for releasably locking the inner tray in the closed and locked position within the outer casing, the locking mechanism comprising a depressible button in the bottom of the outer casing, a projection extending from the bottom of the outer casing into the interior compartment proximal to the depressible button, and a flexible locking plate attached to the inner tray and facing the bottom of the outer casing. The flexible locking plate includes an aperture sized and configured to engage the projection when the inner tray is in the closed and locked position, and the depressible button is positioned to deflect the flexible locking plate of the inner tray away from the projection when depressed. A portion of the inner tray extends outwardly from the open end of the outer casing and comprises a raised surface adapted for grasping by a container user, the raised surface positioned to abut the top of the outer casing when the inner tray is in the closed and locked position. The outwardly-extending portion of the inner tray further comprises a bottom member that abuts the bottom of the outer casing, a depression sized and configured to aid grasping of the inner tray being defined between the bottom member of the outwardly-extending portion of the inner tray and the bottom of the outer casing. The outer casing further comprises a rib extending into the interior compartment from the bottom of the outer casing and positioned to enter the slot of the dispensing trough as the inner tray slides between the dispensing position and the closed and locked position, the rib sized and configured to engage a unit of product within the dispensing trough as the inner tray slides towards the closed and locked position and urge the unit of product through the aperture of the dispensing trough.
In another aspect, the invention provides a method of dispensing a product from a container, comprising providing a dispensing container according to any of the embodiments set forth herein with the inner tray in the closed and locked position; sliding the inner tray into the dispensing position; guiding a unit of product into the dispensing trough while the inner tray is in the dispensing position; sliding the inner tray into the closed and locked position such that, during said sliding step, the rib of the outer casing engages the slot of the dispensing trough and contacts the unit of product, urging the unit of product through the aperture in the dispensing trough and preventing further units of product from entering the dispensing trough; and removing the unit of product extending from the aperture in the dispensing trough. The dispensing container may further comprise a locking mechanism adapted for releasably locking the inner tray in the closed and locked position within the outer casing, the locking mechanism comprising a depressible button in the top or bottom of the outer casing and a flexible locking plate attached to the inner tray, the depressible button positioned to engage and deflect the flexible locking plate of the inner tray when depressed. Where such a locking mechanism is present, the method of dispensing a product further comprises depressing the button to unlock the dispensing container prior to sliding the inner tray into the dispensing position.
Having thus described the invention in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:
The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to certain preferred embodiments. These embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Indeed, the invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. As used in the specification, and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an”, “the”, include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
The container embodiments described in the present application can be used to store and dispense any solid products, but are particularly well-suited for products designed for oral consumption. Exemplary consumable products include pharmaceutical products such as pills and tablets, cigarettes and other smoking products, smokeless tobacco products, candies, mints, gums and other confectionary products, snacks, and the like.
Exemplary tobacco products include pelletized tobacco products (e.g., compressed or molded pellets produced from powdered or processed tobacco, such as those formed into the general shape of a coin, cylinder, bean, pellet, sphere, obloid, cube, bead, or the like), extruded or cast pieces of tobacco (e.g., as strips, films or sheets, including multilayered films formed into a desired shape), products incorporating tobacco carried by a solid substrate (e.g., where substrate materials range from edible grains to inedible cellulosic sticks), extruded or formed tobacco-containing rods or sticks, tobacco-containing capsule-like materials having an outer shell region and an inner core region, straw-like (e.g., hollow formed) tobacco-containing shapes, sachets or packets containing tobacco (e.g., snus-like products), pieces of tobacco-containing gum, and the like.
Exemplary smokeless tobacco compositions that can be packaged in the containers of the invention are set forth in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,376,586 to Schwartz; U.S. Pat. No. 3,368,567 to Speer; U.S. Pat. No. 4,513,756 to Pittman et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,606,357 to Dusek et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,821,749 to Toft et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,167,244 to Kjerstad; U.S. Pat. No. 5,387,416 to White; U.S. Pat. No. 6,668,839 to Williams; US 2005/0244521 to Strickland et al.; US 2006/0191548 to Strickland et al.; US 2007/0186942 to Strickland et al.; US 2008/0029110 to Dube et al.; and US 2008/0029116 to Robinson et al. Examples of tobacco-containing gum are set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,624,269 to Story et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,975,270 to Kehoe; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,802,498 to Ogren. Various manners or methods for packaging smokeless tobacco products are set forth in US 2004/0217024 and US 2006/0118589 to Amarp et al.; WO 2005/016036 to Bjorkholm; WO 2006/034450 to Budd; WO 2007/017761 to Kutsch et al.; and WO 2007/067953 to Sheveley et al. All of the above-cited references are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
Smokeless tobacco compositions utilized as the product contained in the containers of the invention will often include such ingredients as tobacco (typically in particulate form), sweeteners, binders, colorants, pH adjusters, fillers, flavoring agents, disintegration aids, antioxidants, oral care additives, and preservatives. See, for example, US 2007/0186941 to Holton et al., which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
The size and shape of the product to be stored and dispensed can vary. Exemplary product shapes include pills, tablets, spheres, strips, films, sheets, coins, cubes, beads, ovoids, obloids, cylinders, bean-shaped, sticks, or rods. Cross-sectional shape of the products can vary, and exemplary cross-sectional shapes include circles, squares, ovals, rectangles, and the like. The dimensions of the product will often vary depending on its shape. In one embodiment, the product is rod-shaped with a length in the range of about 50 to about 100 mm (more typically about 60 to about 80 mm) and a diameter of about 2 mm to about 8 mm (more typically about 3 mm to about 6 mm).
The shape of the outer surface of the containers of the invention can vary. Although the container embodiments illustrated in the drawings have certain contours, containers with other exterior surface designs could also be used. For example, the sides or edges of the containers of the invention could be flattened, rounded, or beveled, and the various surfaces or edges of the container exterior could 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.
The dimensions of the containers described herein can vary without departing from the invention. However, in preferred embodiments, the containers of the invention can be described as having a size suitable for handheld manipulation and operation. Exemplary dimensions for such handheld embodiments include lengths in the range of about 25 mm to about 200 mm, more typically about 50 mm to about 150 mm, and most often about 80 mm to about 120 mm. Exemplary widths include the range of about 10 mm to about 100 mm, more typically about 20 mm to about 80 mm, and most often about 30 mm to about 60 mm. As used herein, length and width refer to the major dimensions of the container that define the major plane of the container. Exemplary depths for handheld container embodiments of the invention range from about 5 mm to about 50 mm, more typically about 8 mm to about 30 mm, and most often about 10 mm to about 20 mm.
The number of solid product units stored in the containers of the invention can also vary, depending on the size of the container and the size of the product units. Typically, the number of stored product units will vary from about 5 to about 100, more typically about 10 to about 50, and most often about 15 to about 30.
The material of construction of the container can also vary. Exemplary materials include metal, wood, and synthetic plastic materials. Polymeric materials that can be extruded and/or molded into desired shapes are typically utilized, such as polyethylene, polystyrene, polyamide, and the like.
In certain embodiments, the containers of the invention combine several advantageous features, such as child-resistance and metered dispensing of a product. In particular, certain embodiments of the containers of the invention include a child-resistant locking mechanism that releasably locks an inner tray of the container in a closed and locked position. The locking mechanism can be released and a product dispensed using a series of manipulations including, for example, depressing a locking button and sliding an inner tray to expose the product to be dispensed. The containers of the invention provide, in certain embodiments, metered dispensing of the product by providing a dispensing trough sized for passage of a single unit of the product so that only a single unit of product can enter the dispensing trough at one time.
Certain preferred embodiments of the invention are described herein as providing metered dispensing of a single unit of product, which can be, for example, a single consumable unit of a smokeless tobacco product, a single consumable unit of a confectionary or snack product, or a single dosage unit of a pharmaceutical product. However, the invention encompasses embodiments where the product is dispensed in greater amounts, such as a plurality of units. For example, the dispensing aperture and dispensing trough described herein could be sized to provide space for more than one unit of product if desired.
Referring to
The inner tray 28 also includes a raised surface 52 shaped in a manner that corresponds to a cutout in the top 14 of the outer casing 12. The raised surface 52 is sized and configured for abutting contact with the corresponding shaped cutout in the top 14 of the outer casing 12. Although the illustrated embodiment of the raised surface 52 has a semi-circular leading edge that abuts the outer casing 12, any cross-sectional shape can be utilized without departing from the invention. The raised surface 52 provides a convenient location for the user to place a finger for grasping the inner tray in order to slide the tray from the outer casing 12.
As shown in
While in the closed and locked position, the locking plate 42 is positioned overlying the flexible button 40. As a result, depressing button 40 toward the interior of the container 10 will result in engagement with the locking plate 42. Sufficient flexing of the locking plate 42 toward the interior of the inner tray 28 will cause disengagement of the projection 46 from the aperture 66 within the locking plate 42. Once the aperture 66 is clear of the projection 46, the user can freely slide the inner tray 28 toward the dispensing position.
As also shown in
As set forth in the appended figures, both the inner tray 28 and the outer casing 12 can be manufactured in two pieces that are adapted for connection to form the final design. Any means for connecting multiple pieces of a container could be used without departing from the invention. In the illustrated embodiment, the inner tray 28 comprises a slot 74 at one end of the top portion 36 that engages a tab 72 in the bottom portion 56 of the inner tray. The illustrated embodiment of the top 14 and bottom 16 of the outer casing can be connected through interaction between slots on the top (not shown) and corresponding tabs 78 on the bottom. The slots and the tabs 78 are preferably located on interior walls 80 present in both the top 14 and the bottom 16, which also serve to guide the sliding movement of the inner tray 28 within the outer casing 12.
As part of the final packaging process, once the dispensing containers of the invention are filled with the desired product, the containers can be over-wrapped or over-sealed with a film material, or shrink-wrapped with such a material. The outer packaging material useful in accordance with the present invention can vary. Typically, the selection of the packaging material is dependent upon factors such as aesthetics, transparency, comfort of handling, desired barrier properties (e.g., so as to provide protection from exposure to oxygen or radiation, or so as to provide protection from loss of moisture), or the like. The packaging material preferably has the form of a film, such as a laminated film (e.g., a co-extruded laminated film). Representative materials that can be used to provide components or layers of film materials or laminated films include polyvinyl chloride, ethylene vinyl acetate co-polymer, oriented polypropylene, linear low density polyethylene, polyvinylidene dichloride, polyester terephthalate, ethylene methacrylic acid co-polymer, metallacene linear low density polyethylene, cellulosic materials (e.g., cellophane), and the like. Exemplary packaging materials can be plastic/metal films, plastic/metal films that are paper coated, plastic laminate films, or the like. US 2008/0029116 to Robinson et al. discloses examples of suitable packaging materials.
Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which these inventions pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the inventions are not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments 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.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 194197 | Villaret | Aug 1877 | A |
| 533044 | Bingham | Jan 1895 | A |
| 889568 | Albrecht | Jun 1908 | A |
| 1701565 | Hammett | Feb 1929 | A |
| 1837722 | McAtree | Dec 1931 | A |
| 1963025 | Mackie | Jun 1934 | A |
| 2090530 | Guffey et al. | Aug 1937 | A |
| 2645336 | Waber et al. | Jul 1953 | A |
| 2769565 | Sottile | Nov 1956 | A |
| 3563412 | James | Feb 1971 | A |
| 3696917 | Levi | Oct 1972 | A |
| 3761009 | Resenberg | Sep 1973 | A |
| 3782584 | Swenson et al. | Jan 1974 | A |
| 3895737 | Phillips | Jul 1975 | A |
| 4007828 | Mayled | Feb 1977 | A |
| 4057145 | Wray et al. | Nov 1977 | A |
| 4076117 | Wisdom et al. | Feb 1978 | A |
| 4113098 | Howard | Sep 1978 | A |
| 4154365 | Lorca | May 1979 | A |
| 4275819 | Perez | Jun 1981 | A |
| 4278185 | Perez | Jul 1981 | A |
| 4284204 | Carey, Jr. | Aug 1981 | A |
| 4364488 | Anjou | Dec 1982 | A |
| 4437579 | Obland | Mar 1984 | A |
| 4561544 | Reeve | Dec 1985 | A |
| 4572376 | Wrennall | Feb 1986 | A |
| 4611727 | Graff | Sep 1986 | A |
| 4705165 | Thieke | Nov 1987 | A |
| 4741435 | Clarke | May 1988 | A |
| 4939860 | Ackeret | Jul 1990 | A |
| 4967909 | McKibben | Nov 1990 | A |
| 5080222 | McNary | Jan 1992 | A |
| 5082137 | Weinstein | Jan 1992 | A |
| 5108006 | Tieke et al. | Apr 1992 | A |
| 5174471 | Kozlowski et al. | Dec 1992 | A |
| 5275291 | Sledge | Jan 1994 | A |
| 5657901 | Farside | Aug 1997 | A |
| 5782359 | McAllister et al. | Jul 1998 | A |
| 5816441 | Farside | Oct 1998 | A |
| 5897025 | Flewitt et al. | Apr 1999 | A |
| 5909822 | George et al. | Jun 1999 | A |
| 5915560 | George et al. | Jun 1999 | A |
| 6050449 | Kanj | Apr 2000 | A |
| 6131765 | Barry et al. | Oct 2000 | A |
| 6155454 | George et al. | Dec 2000 | A |
| 6267265 | Issa | Jul 2001 | B1 |
| 6382460 | Gonzalez | May 2002 | B1 |
| 6460693 | Harrold | Oct 2002 | B1 |
| 6527138 | Pawlo et al. | Mar 2003 | B2 |
| 6564967 | Stringfield et al. | May 2003 | B1 |
| 6641031 | Evans et al. | Nov 2003 | B2 |
| 6758338 | Lien | Jul 2004 | B2 |
| 6863175 | Gelardi | Mar 2005 | B2 |
| 6913149 | Gelardi et al. | Jul 2005 | B2 |
| 6976576 | Intini | Dec 2005 | B2 |
| 7159720 | Pearson | Jan 2007 | B2 |
| 7216776 | Gelardi | May 2007 | B2 |
| 7287666 | De Laforcade | Oct 2007 | B2 |
| 7320413 | Fusi | Jan 2008 | B2 |
| 7533785 | Smith | May 2009 | B2 |
| 7584843 | Kutsch et al. | Sep 2009 | B2 |
| 7740132 | Oono et al. | Jun 2010 | B2 |
| 7946450 | Gelardi et al. | May 2011 | B2 |
| 20020175195 | Cole | Nov 2002 | A1 |
| 20030106900 | Storz | Jun 2003 | A1 |
| 20040074917 | McHutchinson | Apr 2004 | A1 |
| 20040217024 | Arnarp et al. | Nov 2004 | A1 |
| 20050011773 | Intini | Jan 2005 | A1 |
| 20050173272 | Lemmons, IV | Aug 2005 | A1 |
| 20050183981 | Gelardi | Aug 2005 | A1 |
| 20060060480 | Budd | Mar 2006 | A1 |
| 20060118589 | Arnarp et al. | Jun 2006 | A1 |
| 20060124658 | Coe et al. | Jun 2006 | A1 |
| 20060243611 | Wu | Nov 2006 | A1 |
| 20070068960 | Valentine et al. | Mar 2007 | A1 |
| 20070131704 | Ahedo et al. | Jun 2007 | A1 |
| 20070163911 | Gelardi | Jul 2007 | A1 |
| 20070246382 | He | Oct 2007 | A1 |
| 20070246383 | He | Oct 2007 | A1 |
| 20070277299 | Kroon | Dec 2007 | A1 |
| 20080029110 | Dube et al. | Feb 2008 | A1 |
| 20080029116 | Robinson et al. | Feb 2008 | A1 |
| 20080142535 | Adler et al. | Jun 2008 | A1 |
| 20090200332 | Intini | Aug 2009 | A1 |
| 20090223989 | Gelardi | Sep 2009 | A1 |
| 20100084424 | Gelardi | Apr 2010 | A1 |
| 20100133140 | Bailey et al. | Jun 2010 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 180 218 | Oct 1935 | CH |
| 74 27 559 | Dec 1974 | DE |
| 769822 | Sep 1934 | FR |
| 2 042 476 | Sep 1980 | GB |
| WO 9948391 | Sep 1999 | WO |
| WO 2004035404 | Apr 2004 | WO |
| WO 2004037657 | May 2004 | WO |
| WO 2005016036 | Feb 2005 | WO |
| WO 2005028316 | Mar 2005 | WO |
| WO 2005030606 | Apr 2005 | WO |
| WO 2005035390 | Apr 2005 | WO |
| WO 2007017761 | Feb 2007 | WO |
| WO 2007067953 | Jun 2007 | WO |
| WO 2007070867 | Jun 2007 | WO |
| WO 2008070032 | Jun 2008 | WO |
| WO 2009055547 | Apr 2009 | WO |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20100264157 A1 | Oct 2010 | US |
