Patent Application
20190241331
This invention relates to the field of packaging methodology that specifies a “latching device” associated with an “enclosure” such as bags, boxes and/or blister packs for packaging commodities determined or classified as dangerous to a child as specified or required by regulatory authorities requiring “Child-Resistant” Packaging.
There is a problem for those who manufacture, cultivate and/or distribute commodities requiring child-resistant packaging to comply with state and/or federal regulatory codes. When choosing an enclosure such as a bag, box and/or a blister pack, regardless of choice, the choices becomes very difficult to identify from the many types of enclosures available since they may, or may not, satisfy regulations that stipulates child resistant packaging. For example, present day child resistant “bags” mostly relate to some type of a bag zipper “lock” arrangement that remains attached to the bag that may or may not be CR certified. While the arrangement maybe declared “Child Resistant”, it will not, by any measure, be “Tamper Evident” since the intended end-user has no way of knowing if the enclosure had been opened prior to them receiving it. This is an on-going problem for a re-sealable “child resistant safety enclosure” for either bags, boxes and/or blister packs when packaged with a commodity that requires packaging meeting the provisions of the PPPA. While they may meet the requirements for Child resistance, by design and in general, they are not Tamper Evident when associated with a process to unlock or unlatch as a procedure to gain access to a package commodity. This then extrapolates to the fact that most present-day bags having a zipper with a locking arrangement to achieve a “Child-Resistance enclosure” have no built in “tamper evident” feature that indicates to the end user that the enclosure had been previously “opened” or tampered with. Specifically, there is little or no system in place to indicate that currently available enclosure such as bags, boxes and/or a blister packs had been previously opened the “first time” since, by design, they have no built in “tamper evidence” feature. More specifically, present day re-sealable child resistant enclosures, including bags, boxes and/or blister packs having no “tamper evidence” feature, present a significant risk that could present a danger, due to tampering, to an adult or child.
The system has a latching device, which includes tamper evidence features that combines with an enclosure so designed to replace present day packaging methodology. The system specifies a commodity of choice that may or may not be dangerous to a child to be packaged within the enclosure to include a box, bag and/or a blister pack that will always , prior to attachment of the latching device, have a tamper evidence feature that is discernable to the end user if the system has been tampered with to gain access to the package therein as an enclosure of choice.
One primary aspect of the system as an invention, has an objective for the latching device to be “attached” to an “enclosure of Choice” to include but not limited to bags, boxes and/or blister packs having a “method” to be “latched” to each other. Un-latching by the end-user will require “hand-resistance” the “first time” to “unlatched” to gain access to a commodity as packaged within the enclosure and will require breaking of the “seal” associated with the latching device. Breaking of the “seal” will automatically be a “Tamper Evident” procedure in that the enclosure cannot be opened the first time without breaking the seal and a hand-resistant effort to un-latch the latching device that requires a “method” to provide a relatively easy “unlatching” procedure belonging to an adult when the enclosure is “latched” to the latching device. The “method”, as a procedure, would be complicated for a child by requiring a dedicated mindset, simultaneously coordinated with the dexterity of two-hands to “unlatch”. Whereas the coordination would not statistically belong to a child having intent to gain access to a commodity declared dangerous but would be acceptable to an adult having a commodity declared as valuable that that could or could not be declared as dangerous or non-dangerous.
Another aspect of the system having the latching device requiring the “method” as a procedure to “latch” and “unlatched” to the enclosure of choice, regardless of chosen type, has the purpose for the latching device to have a “first-time procedure to “unlatch” from the enclosure of Choice when packaged with a commodity declared dangerous to a child. The “method” would be “tamper evident” traceable to the “breaking” of the “seal” associated with the latching device, which requires mental and physical effort to “break” the “first time” that cannot be repeated as a the “second-time”.
Even another aspect of the system as an invention, is to increase an elevated complexity in terms of a mental and physical effort for a child to hand manipulate “unlatching” of the latching device as “latched” to any type enclosure of choice when packaged with a dangerous commodity. The complexity would be a required “hand resistance” to “unlatch” and open” the enclosure that requires a systematized procedures to perform that would be easy for an adult but difficult for a child.
Another aspect of the system is provide a new concept for packaging a commodity such as jewelry, cash and estate items that cannot be declared dangerous to a child but having a value to an adult requiring the security provided by the built in tamper evident feature of the system.
A further aspect of the system as an invention is for the enclosure regardless of type selected to include a bag, a box and/or a blister pack which each will be made from a strong tough material such as a polymer film so designed to be “Child-Resistant” to tear, destroy or obliterate by a child having a dedicated intent to obtain a dangerous commodity as packaged therein.
Even a further aspect of the system as an invention that specifies a “method” to provide a relatively easy “unlatching” procedure belong to an adult when the enclosure is “latched” to the latching device. The “method” as a procedure would be complicated to a child requiring a dedicated mindset simultaneously coordinated with a dexterity of two-hands to “unlatch” that would be relatively easy for an adult. The coordination would not statistically belong to a child having a dedicated intent to gain access to a dangerous commodity as packaged therein.
Another aspect of the system as an invention, whereas the enclosure, regardless of type chosen, is designed with “apertures” having a specific “hole-shape”. The “hole-shape” is always located in the vicinity of the open end of the enclosure regardless of type enclosure selected. In accordance with the concepts of this invention, the enclosure is so designed to facilitate “latching” and “unlatching” from the latching device requiring a “method” including a “systematized procedure” that would be easy for an adult. The procedure would be difficult to a child for which the Method has a dedicated intent to increase a child safety.
Even another aspect of the system as an invention, the latching device is designed with an built in “external tab” designed as a breakable “seal” that must be broken to open the enclosure of choice the first time. The “seal” aligns with or matches an “internal hook” and the “hook” is so arranged in a manner to match or align with an “aperture” associated with “top opening end” of the enclosure of Choice. This provides a “latching” and “unlatching” arrangement between the latching device and the enclosure which requires a “method” requiring a “systematized procedure” requiring a dedicated mindset with coordinated dexterity of two-hands to break the “seal” . The “seal” must be broken in order to depress the “hook” to “unlatch” the enclosure from the latching device. Accordingly, this “procedure” will indicate the commodity, as packaged in the enclosure, had not been tampered with from the time the enclosure has first been closed. Therefore any commodity packaged with the enclosure will remain “closed” and “sealed” the entire time until the enclosure is then “opened” by the intended “end-user”.
These and other objects, advantages and features of this invention will be apparent from the following description taken with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention.
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A system for packaging a commodity within an enclosure includes a latch device. The latch device and the enclosure will always remain independent to each other until a the commodity is within the enclosure. Through-holes are located on the top side of the enclosure, and the latch device aligns with the through-holes located on the top side of the enclosure, locking the enclosure when hand manipulated by an adult to an un-locked position giving access to a the packaged commodity. The unlocking procedure will be difficult for a child but easy for an adult.
The latch device includes a tamper evidence feature designed as a “seal” and, if broken, will give evidence that an attempt has been made to open the child resistant device to the un-locked position for the purpose of gaining access to a commodity as packaged within the enclosure.
In one preferred form, the enclosure includes a polymer resin that remains flexible in a manner having at least one resistant feature to manipulate in open position such as a zipper for bags and undercuts for a blister pack which regardless of type enclosure selected, each will have through-holes strategically located on top side of the enclosure by which to receive and accommodate the latching device.
The tamper evidence/child resistant latching device has located male members that match the enclosure strategically located through-holes that the latching device can be permanently attached thus providing a tamper evidence feature that directly aligns with a through-holes located on the top side of the enclosure and when hand manipulated to an un-locked position and removed will give access to a the packaged commodity that, by procedure and intent, will be difficult for a child but easy for an adult to manipulate.
The child resistant latching device including a tamper evidence feature that functions as a “seal” so that when hand-broken can or will facilitates opening of an enclosure that is packaged with a commodity that might be dangerous to a child for which as a procedure is certifiable under CFR Part 1700 (Poison Prevention Packaging).
In a system according to present invention, the latch device must be properly installed after the commodity is placed within the enclosure. Someone must properly install the latch device on the enclosure after the commodity is enclosed.
From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is well adapted to attain all of the ends and objectives hereinabove set forth, together with other advantages which are inherent to the apparatus.
It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.
As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the figures of the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
