U.S. patent application number 11/649466 was filed with the patent office on 2008-07-10 for container useful for holding multiple articles of manufacture.
Invention is credited to Matthew T. Coe, Hung Mach.
Application Number | 20080164259 11/649466 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39593383 |
Filed Date | 2008-07-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080164259 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Coe; Matthew T. ; et
al. |
July 10, 2008 |
Container useful for holding multiple articles of manufacture
Abstract
A container for holding multiple articles of manufacture which
includes at least one storage area for holding the multiple
articles of manufacture, a first cover portion operatively
associated with a second cover portion wherein the first and second
cover portions are adapted to reversibly enclose the at least one
storage area therebetween; and a locking mechanism for releasably
securing the first and second cover portions together to block
access to the at least one storage area. The locking mechanism
includes at least one first member located on the first cover
portion wherein the at least one first member is adapted for
reversible locking engagement with corresponding at least one
second member located on the second cover portion and at least one
movable stop abutting against at least one of the first and second
members to maintain the respective locking engagement therebetween
whereby at least one movable stop is adapted to move to a
non-abutting position to allow the at least one of the first and
second members to be disengaged from the other to open access to
the at least one storage area.
Inventors: |
Coe; Matthew T.; (Annandale,
NJ) ; Mach; Hung; (Fort Lee, NJ) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DUANE MORRIS, LLP;IP DEPARTMENT
30 SOUTH 17TH STREET
PHILADELPHIA
PA
19103-4196
US
|
Family ID: |
39593383 |
Appl. No.: |
11/649466 |
Filed: |
January 4, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/520 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61J 1/035 20130101;
B65D 83/0463 20130101; B65D 50/06 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/520 |
International
Class: |
B65D 25/00 20060101
B65D025/00 |
Claims
1. A container for holding multiple articles of manufacture, the
container comprising: at least one storage area for holding the
multiple articles of manufacture; a first cover portion operatively
associated with a second cover portion; said first and second cover
portions reversibly enclosing the at least one storage area
therebetween; and a locking mechanism for releasably securing the
first and second cover portions together, said locking mechanism
comprising: at least one first member located on the first cover
portion, said at least one first member in reversible locking
engagement with corresponding at least one second member located on
the second cover portion; and at least one movable stop abutting
against at least one of said first and second members to maintain
the respective locking engagement therebetween, said at least one
movable stop adapted to move to a non-abutting position to allow
the at least one of said first and second members to be disengaged
from the other, whereby the first and second cover portions are
released to open access to the storage area.
2. The container of claim 1 wherein the at least one storage area
is defined by at least one article holding tray.
3. The container of claim 2 wherein the article holding tray is
configured to hold a blister pack.
4. The container of claim 3 further comprising means for reversibly
fastening the blister pack to the article holding tray.
5. The container of claim 4 wherein the fastening means comprises:
a clip hingedly connected to the article holding tray, said clip
being movable between a fastened position within the storage area
and a release position; and at least one fastening tab extending
from storage area of the article holding tray, said at least one
fastening tab releasably engaged to the clip in the fastened
position for retaining the blister pack in place.
6. The container of claim 2 wherein: the first cover portion is
hingedly connected to the at least one article holding tray; and
the second cover portion is hingedly connected to the at least one
article holding tray and disposed at the opposed side from the
first cover portion.
7. The container of claim 6 wherein the first and second cover
portions are configured to moved to a position abutting one another
to yield a hand holdable portion comprised of bother the first and
second cover portions.
8. The container of claim 7 further comprising means for releasably
binding the first and second cover portions in the abutting
position.
9. The container of claim 8 wherein the binding means comprises: a
pair of projections on the first cover portion; and a corresponding
pair of recesses disposed in the second cover portion, said
recesses being configured for receiving and reversibly retaining
the projections through a snap-in engagement therebetween.
10. The container of claim 6 wherein: the first member of the
locking mechanism comprises a pair of flexible spring latches each
movable to an unlatched position; the second member of the locking
mechanism comprises a pair of keeps each adapted to cooperate with
the respective flexible spring latch in a latched position for
releasable engagement therebetween, wherein the engagement is
released upon urging the flexible spring latches from the latched
position to the corresponding unlatched position; and the movable
stop comprises an abutting member having opposed end portions each
abutting a corresponding flexible spring latch engaged to the
respective keep to prevent movement to a corresponding unlatched
position, said abutting member hingedly movable to the non-abutting
position in which the end portions of the abutting member disengage
from the flexible spring latches to allow movement from the latched
position.
11. The container of claim 10 wherein the pair of flexible spring
latches are normally biased away from one another in the latched
position, said pair of flexible spring latches being resiliently
movable toward one another to the unlatched position and effect
disengagement from the corresponding keeps.
12. The container of claim 11 wherein the end portions of the
abutting member includes opposed projections extending therefrom
each configured for contact with the corresponding spring
latches.
13. A container for holding multiple articles of manufacture, the
container comprising: at least one storage area for holding the
multiple articles of manufacture, each of said at least one storage
area defined by at least one article holding tray for holding a
blister back; and means for reversibly fastening the blister pack
to the article holding tray.
14. The container of claim 13 wherein the fastening means
comprises: a clip hingedly connected to the article holding tray,
said clip being movable between a fastened position within the
storage area and a release position; and at least one fastening tab
extending from storage area of the article holding tray, said at
least one fastening tab releasably engaged to the clip in the
fastened position for retaining the blister pack in place.
15. The container of claim 13 further comprising: a first cover
portion hingedly connected to the at least one article holding
tray; and a second cover portion hingedly connected to the at least
one article holding tray and disposed at the opposed side from the
first cover portion.
16. The container of claim 15 wherein the first and second cover
portions are configured to moved to a position abutting one another
to yield a hand holdable portion comprised of bother the first and
second cover portions.
17. The container of claim 16 further comprising means for
releasably binding the first and second cover portions in the
abutting position.
18. The container of claim 17 wherein the binding means comprises:
a pair of projections on the first cover portion; and a
corresponding pair of recesses disposed in the second cover
portion, said recesses being configured for receiving and
reversibly retaining the projections through a snap-in engagement
therebetween.
19. A container for holding multiple articles of manufacture, the
container comprising: at least one storage area for holding the
multiple articles of manufacture; a first cover portion operatively
associated with a second cover portion; said first and second cover
portions reversibly enclosing the at least one storage area
therebetween wherein the first and second cover portions are
configured to moved to an open position abutting one another to
yield a hand holdable portion.
20. The container of claim 19 further comprising means for
releasably binding the first and second cover portions in the
abutting position.
21. The container of claim 20 wherein the binding means comprises:
a pair of projections on the first cover portion; and a
corresponding pair of recesses disposed in the second cover
portion, said recesses being configured for receiving and
reversibly retaining the projections through a snap-in engagement
therebetween.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to containers for
holding articles of manufacture, and more particularly to a
container designed to prevent inadvertent and unsupervised access
by young children to articles of manufacture such as medication
contained therein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] A range of containers have been devised in packaging for
different articles of manufacture including pharmaceutical
products, household products, food products, stationery supplies,
fasteners, and the like. Small articles are typically grouped
together in one container for reasons of efficiency. Containers
also typically provide both a storage function and a dispensing
function for the articles of manufacture contained therein.
Containers may desirably provide protection against tampering,
contamination (aseptic), and physical impact. The design and
appearance of a container may also factor in aesthetics as well as
utilitarian features to encourage potential consumers to purchase
the product.
[0003] One group of articles of manufacture that frequently
utilizes containers is composed of pharmaceutical products, which
are manufactured and distributed in a range of forms depending on
the mode of administration. A number of pharmaceutical products are
commonly available as solid dosage form products including pills,
capsules, tablets, lozenges and the like. Such solid dosage form
products are typically packaged in pill case type of containers.
These pill cases generally hold a plurality of solid dosage form
products, which can be serviced by the user as needed. Depending on
the type of pill case, the solid dosage form products may be stored
loosely as an agglomeration in a bottle container, or discretely in
blister packs.
[0004] Blister packs are a type of packaging that are
non-reclosable, and generally used to discourage product tampering
or to facilitate dispensing of pills to the user. A blister pack
typically includes a thin resilient sheet, normally of a polymeric
material such as molded polyvinyl chloride (PVC), in which hollows
or "blisters" are formed, all facing away from one side of the
sheet. The blisters accommodate the solid dosage form products. A
frangible foil laminate is hermetically attached to the sheet to
enclose the blisters and retain the products therein. The PVC is
transparent so the product can be seen and easily examined. The
products are removed from the pack either by peeling the foil back
or pushing the blister to force product to break the foil. One
specialized form of a blister pack is a strip pack. Although
blister packs provide ease of dispensing, they lack the
child-resistant or child safety features necessary to prevent
inadvertent ingestion of the products contained therein by
unsupervised children.
[0005] It is known that pharmaceutical products can be potentially
harmful articles of manufacture especially if administered
incorrectly or inadvertently taken by unsupervised children. For
this reason, several attempts have been made to design containers
that can securely hold pharmaceutical products out of children's
reach. Such child safety containers are usually designed to hold
the solid dosage form products loosely as an agglomeration. These
child safety containers are made to prevent inadvertent access by
children, and reduce the risk of ingestion of such products without
adult supervision. The child safety containers must also be
constructed to provide the intended users prompt access and ease of
use including the elderly and physically limited adults. A number
of these child safety containers have been especially designed for
holding pharmaceutical products. However, current child resistant
pill cases are often bulky, unreliable, difficult to operate, or
too complicated to fabricate and assemble in a cost effective
manner.
[0006] Accordingly, it would be desirable to make a container,
preferably in the form of a pill case, designed to prevent
inadvertent access of articles of manufacture including solid
dosage form products such as pills, tablets, capsules, lozenges and
the like to young children, while facilitating ready access for
intended users. It would be desirable to make a pill case that is
operable for users with limited finger dexterity such as elderly or
arthritic patients with improved handling. It would further be
desirable to make a pill case that may be configured to provide
child safety protection for blister packs, and to accommodate and
retain them in a more effective and secure manner. It would be
especially desirable to provide a pill case that is simple to
manufacture and assemble, while providing enhanced security
features.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The present invention is generally directed to a container
useful for accommodating and dispensing articles of manufacture.
Preferably, the container of the present invention is in the form
of a pill case, where the articles of manufacture may be selected
from pharmaceutical products including solid dosage form products
such as pills, lozenges, tablets, capsules, and the like. The pill
case of the present invention may be adapted either to hold loose
forms of articles of manufacture, or to hold blister packs
discretely packaging such articles of manufacture. The present
invention is composed of minimal components, and is both simple and
cost effective to fabricate and implement.
[0008] The pill case of the present invention includes a novel
locking mechanism as a safety feature adapted to prevent young
children from opening and inadvertently gaining access to the
articles of manufacture or the blister packs packaging the same.
The locking mechanism of the present invention can be operated with
ease to facilitate access to the intended users especially those
with limited finger dexterity such as the elderly or arthritic
patients. In a preferred form of the present invention, the pill
case is configured to accommodate and securely retain blister packs
for subsequent dispensing of the packaged articles of manufacture
to the intended user, while preventing unsupervised access by
children.
[0009] The pill case of the present invention may include one or
more pill holding trays reversibly attached at one end to move
pivotally in a book-like manner. Each pill holding tray may be
adapted to receive multiple pills, which may be matched with a
particular dosage regimen particularly suited to the user. The use
of multiple trays can therefore accommodate long-term
prescriptions. The pills can be secured to the tray in a variety of
ways including through the use of blister packs. The pills are
individually stored in the blister packs each of which can fit
within the tray and may be readily removed therefrom.
[0010] Each of the trays may further include a novel fastening
mechanism as an enhanced feature for securely retaining the blister
pack thereto. The fastening mechanism contacts and operatively
engages the blister pack to prevent sliding, shifting or
misalignment within the tray. In this manner, the contents of the
blister packs can be readily dispensed from the trays with less
effort and difficulty. The fastening mechanism may be disengaged
from the tray to facilitate removing and replacing the blister
pack.
[0011] Finally, the pill case of the present invention may further
include a hand holdable portion formed therefrom, when the pill
case is in the open position, to enhance gripping and control by
the user during dispensing.
[0012] In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a
container for holding multiple articles of manufacture, the
container comprising:
[0013] a storage area for holding the multiple articles of
manufacture;
[0014] a first cover portion operatively associated with a second
cover portion; said first and second cover portions reversibly
enclosing the storage area therebetween; and
[0015] a locking mechanism for releasably securing the first and
second cover portions together, said locking mechanism comprising:
[0016] a first member located on the first cover portion, said
first member in reversible locking engagement with a second member
located on the second cover portion; and [0017] a movable stop
abutting against said first member to maintain the locking
engagement between the first and second members, said movable stop
adapted to move to a non-abutting position to allow the first
member to be disengaged from the second member prior to releasing
the first cover portion from the second cover portion to gain
access to the storage area.
[0018] In a preferred form of the present invention, the first and
second cover portions are hingedly secured to one another.
[0019] In another aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a container for holding multiple articles of manufacture,
the container comprising:
[0020] a tray comprising a storage area adapted for accommodating a
blister pack containing the multiple articles of manufacture;
[0021] a first cover portion operatively associated with a second
cover portion; said first and second cover portions reversibly
enclosing the tray and storage area therebetween; and
[0022] a fastening mechanism comprising at least one clasp
configured for extending through the blister pack to prevent
lateral movement within the storage area and a clamp hingedly
attached to the tray, said clamp being movable to a fastened
position against the blister pack wherein the clamp engages the at
least one clasp to secure the blister pack in place.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] The following drawings are illustrative of embodiments of
the present invention and are not intended to limit the invention
as encompassed by the claims forming part of the application.
[0024] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container with the top
cover in an open position for one embodiment of the present
invention;
[0025] FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the container with the
locking mechanism in the locked state in accordance with the
present invention;
[0026] FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of the container of FIG. 2
with the locking mechanism in the unlocked state in accordance with
the present invention;
[0027] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the container with the pill
holding trays open for access in accordance with the present
invention;
[0028] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the container of FIG. 4 from
an opposite side in accordance with the present invention;
[0029] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the container with the top
and bottom covers cooperating to form a handle in accordance with
the present invention;
[0030] FIG. 7 is an assembly view of the container in accordance
with the present invention;
[0031] FIG. 8 is an exploded assembly view of one of the pill
holding trays of the container with a blister pack in accordance
with the present invention;
[0032] FIG. 9 is a side assembly view of the pill holding tray of
FIG. 7 in accordance with the present invention;
[0033] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a container with the top
cover in an open position for a second embodiment of the present
invention;
[0034] FIG. 11 is a front elevation view of the container of FIG.
10 with the locking mechanism in the locked state in accordance
with the present invention; and
[0035] FIG. 12 is a front elevation view of the container of FIG.
10 with the locking mechanism in the unlocked state in accordance
with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0036] The present invention is directed to a container for holding
articles of manufacture. The container of the present invention is
preferably in the form of a pill case, where the articles of
manufacture may be selected from pharmaceutical products including
solid dosage form products such as pills, lozenges, tablets,
capsules, and the like. The pill case of the present invention may
be adapted either to hold loose forms of articles of manufacture,
or to hold blister packs of such articles of manufacture. The
present invention is composed of minimal components, and is both
simple and cost effective to fabricate and implement.
[0037] The pill case of the present invention includes a locking
mechanism designed to prevent young children from opening and
inadvertently gaining access to the potentially harmful articles of
manufacture or the blister packs containing the same.
Concomitantly, the locking mechanism of the present invention can
be readily operated to facilitate access of the pill case to the
intended users including those with limited finger dexterity such
as the elderly and arthritic patients. The locking mechanism of the
present invention requires a dual step action to initiate
disengagement and opening of the present pill case. In a preferred
form of the present invention, the pill case is configured to
accommodate and securely retain blister packs from which dispensing
of the packaged articles of manufacture to the intended user can be
accomplished.
[0038] In one embodiment of the present invention, there is
provided a container for holding multiple articles of manufacture.
The container of the present invention comprises a pill holding
portion for holding the multiple articles of manufacture; a first
cover portion operatively associated with a second cover portion,
wherein the first and second cover portions reversibly enclose the
pill holding portion therebetween; and a locking mechanism for
releasably securing the first and second cover portions together to
prevent access to the pill holding portion.
[0039] The locking mechanism of the present invention comprises a
first lock member located on the first cover portion, wherein the
first lock member is in reversible locking engagement with a second
lock member located on the second cover portion, and a movable stop
abutting against the first lock member to maintain the locking
engagement between the first and second lock members, wherein the
movable stop is adapted to move to a non-abutting position to allow
the first lock member to be disengaged from the second lock member
prior to releasing the first cover portion from the second cover
portion to gain access to the pill holding portion.
[0040] In another embodiment of the present invention, the pill
case of the present invention may include one or more pill holding
trays attached to one another to move pivotally in a book-like
manner as will be described hereinafter. Each pill holding tray may
be adapted to receive multiple pills, which may be matched with a
particular dosage regimen particularly suited to the user. The use
of multiple trays can therefore accommodate long-term
prescriptions. The pills can be secured to the trays in a variety
of ways including the use of blister packs. The pills are
individually stored in the blister packs each of which fit within
the tray and may be readily removed therefrom.
[0041] Each of the trays may further include a fastening mechanism
for securely retaining the blister pack thereto as will be
described herein. The fastening mechanism contacts and operatively
engages the blister pack in a manner to prevent displacement,
sliding, shifting or misalignment within the tray. The fastening
mechanism may be disengaged from the tray to facilitate removal and
replacement of the blister pack.
[0042] Finally, the pill case of the present invention may further
include a hand holdable portion formed therefrom, when the pill
case is in the open position, to enhance gripping and control by
the user during dispensing.
[0043] It will be understood that the present invention may be
adapted to accommodate, store and dispense a variety of articles of
manufacture including chewing gum, confections, nutraceutical
products, and the like. Accordingly, the term "pill" as used herein
shall include not only pills of a variety shapes and sizes but all
forms of dispensable products or articles of manufacture such as
medications which can effectively be housed in the container of the
present invention including tablets, capsules, lozenges, caplets
and the like. For illustrative purposes, reference hereinafter will
be to a pill case for dispensing pills. Accordingly, all references
to a "pill case" shall likewise mean a case or container, which can
accommodate any form of articles of manufacture.
[0044] Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a container in the form
of a pill case identified generally by reference numeral 10 for one
embodiment of the present invention. Although the pill case of the
present invention can be readily modified to hold multiple pills in
an agglomeration such as in a bottle container, the pill case 10 is
constructed to hold multiple pills packaged in a blister pack as
will be described hereinafter. The pill case 10 includes a top
cover 12, a bottom cover 14 and a pill holding portion 16 located
therebetween, each hingedly connected to one another. The top and
bottom covers 12 and 14 are capable of moving separately from the
pill holding portion 16. In particular, the top and bottom covers
12 and 14 benefit from an ample range of motion via hinges 18 and
20, respectively. The pill case 10 is fabricated from a suitable
rigid, resilient material, preferably from a polymer material
including plastic such as polypropylene through any conventional
methods including j processes of extrusion or cast molding.
[0045] The pill holding portion 16 comprises a first pill holding
tray 22 and a second pill holding tray 24, each including a
plurality dispensing apertures 26 disposed therein. The first and
second pill holding trays 22 and 24 can be hingedly opened in a
clam-like manner (as shown best in FIGS. 3, 4, 5, and 6). The pills
(not shown) are accommodated and stored in the pill holding portion
16, and can be dispensed through the dispensing apertures 26 from
blister packs as will be described hereinafter. The pill holding
portion 16 is protected from access by securing the top and bottom
covers 12 and 14 to one another via a latch assembly 28. It will be
understood that the latch assembly 28 of the present invention may
be readily modified by one of ordinary skill in the art to
accommodate bottle-type containers.
[0046] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the latch assembly 28 is shown
in the locked and unlocked positions, respectively. The latch
assembly 28 is composed of two main portions. The first portion of
the latch assembly 28 is structurally associated with the bottom
cover 14, and comprises a dual latch member 30 having a pair of
flexible spring latches 32 extending upwardly therefrom as best
shown in FIG. 3. The base of the dual latch member 30 is mounted to
the front edge of the bottom cover 14. The flexible spring latches
32 each further include a finger tab 31 providing a lever for the
user's finger. The flexible spring latches 32 are normally biased
toward the side direction, and can be urged towards the center by
the action of the user's fingers on the finger tabs 31.
[0047] The second portion of the latch assembly 28 is structurally
associated with the top cover 12, and includes an abutting member
36 having a pair of projections 38 each extending away from an
upper portion thereof, and a pair of opposing keeps 34 defining a
recess 35, each mounted to the front edge of the top cover 12 on
either side of the abutting member 36, proximate the projections
38, respectively, as best shown in FIG. 3. The upper portion of the
abutting member 36 is adapted to be moved into a recessed area (not
shown) in the top cover 12 upon sufficient application of force
thereon as will be further described hereinafter.
[0048] As shown best in FIG. 2, the flexible spring latches 32 are
adapted to engage and fasten to the respective keeps 34 when the
top and bottom covers 12 and 14 are in the closed position.
Concurrently, the keeps 34 are configured to receive and securely
retain the spring latches 32 in the recesses 35. The abutting
member 36 is normally biased into a position where the projections
38 are pressed against the corresponding flexible spring latches 32
to prevent release of the latches 32 from the respective keeps 34.
In the locked position, the latch assembly 28 secures the top and
bottom covers 12 and 14 against the pill holding portion 16 and
prevents inadvertent access to the pills. The latch assembly 28 can
be disengaged only through a two-step procedure. The two-step
procedure comprises the first step of pressing the abutting member
36 towards the pill case 10 to disengage the projections 38 from
the latches 32, and the second step of urging the latches 32
towards one another to disengage the latches 32 from the
corresponding keeps 34 and permitting the pill case 10 to be
opened. This two-step procedure substantially reduces the risk of
opening the pill case 10 by small children.
[0049] Through the two-step procedure, the intended user can
disengage the latch assembly 28 and open the top and bottom covers
12 and 14 to gain access to the pill holding portion 16 of the pill
case 10. The two-step procedure is designed to thwart attempts by
unintended users (i.e., small children) to open the pill case 10,
thereby greatly minimizing or preventing injury or even death. The
projections 38 can be disengaged from the respective flexible
spring latches 32 by urging the upper portion of the abutting
member 36 into the recess (not shown) in the top cover 12. This
moves the projections 38 away from the respective flexible spring
latches 32, and allows the flexible spring latches 32 to move
freely. The flexible spring latches 32 can thereafter be released
from the corresponding keeps 34 by urging the flexible spring
latches 32 inwardly on the finger tabs 31. Once released, the top
and bottom covers 12 and 14 can be moved freely to permit access to
the pill holding portion 16.
[0050] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the pill case 10 is shown with
the pill holding portion 16 in an open position. As will be
explained hereinafter, the pill holding trays 22 and 24 may be
permanently affixed to the pill case 10 or detachable as desired.
The number of pill holding trays is not limited to two, and thus
may comprise more than two pill holding trays for larger pill
holding capacity, if desired. The pill holding trays 22 and 24
include a concave area 40 for receiving a blister pack 42, and are
each movable about a resilient hinge 44 disposed therebetween. Each
aperture 26 is sized to correspond to the size of the pill
contained within the blister card 42.
[0051] The blister pack 42 includes a plurality of hollows or
blisters 46 containing the pills (not shown) positioned to match
with the dispensing apertures 26 of the tray 22 and 24 (see FIG.
5). The blister pack 42 is positioned in the concave area 40 with
the frangible foil side down, and the blisters 46 oriented away
from the dispensing apertures 26. To dispense a pill, the user
simply presses down on the selected blister 46, which forces the
pill through the frangible foil and the respective dispensing
aperture 26. It will be understood that the number and shape of the
pill holding trays, the assignment and configuration of the
dispensing apertures are not limited to the embodiment shown
herein, and can be varied depending on the capacity and
configuration of the corresponding blister pack.
[0052] The pill holding trays 22 and 24 each further include a
fastening assembly 48 adapted for securely retaining the blister
pack 42 in place. The fastening assembly 48 comprises a clip 50
pivotally attached to the corresponding tray 22 or 24 through a
hinge 52, and multiple fastening tabs 54 located on the tray 22 or
24 for securing the clip 50 against the corresponding tray 22 or
24. The clip 50 is configured to engage the fastening tabs 54 to
securely retain the blister pack 42 against the corresponding tray
22 or 24. The clip 50 may be subsequently disengaged from the
fastening tabs 54, and moved about the hinge 52 to permit easy
removal and replacement of the blister pack 42 as will be further
described hereinafter. The fastening assembly 48 provides a more
secure retainment of the blister pack 42 in the trays 22 and 24,
and prevents unwanted displacement, shifting, rolling, formation of
bubbles or folds in the blister pack 42 that would otherwise hamper
the dispensing of the pills.
[0053] Referring to FIG. 6, when the pill case 10 is in the open
state, the top and bottom covers 12 and 14 are configured to fasten
to one another to form a hand-holdable portion or handle 56. In
this arrangement, the first and second pill holding trays 22 and 24
are positioned at substantially the same level for enhanced
visibility of the contents and improved ease of dispensing. The top
and bottom covers 12 and 14 include inner surfaces 58 that are
modified or treated to provide an enhanced gripping area. In this
manner, the hand-holdable portion 56 provides the user with
improved hand-holdability as the user attempts to dispense a pill
from the blister pack 46.
[0054] As best shown in FIG. 5, the pill case 10 includes a pair of
projections 60 located on the outer surface of the top cover 12 and
a corresponding pair of recesses 62 located on the outer surface of
the bottom cover 14 for receiving and reversibly retaining the
corresponding projections 60 through a snap-in engagement
therebetween. The projections 60 can be disengaged from the
recesses 62 simply by pulling the top and bottom covers 12 and 14
away from one another.
[0055] Referring to FIG. 7, an assembly view of the pill case 10 is
shown. The pill case 10 includes an inner portion 64 comprising a
pair of connecting areas 66 and 68. Each connecting area 66 and 68
includes a pair of connecting slots 70 adapted for receiving and
retaining a corresponding connecting projection 74 located on the
pill holding trays 22 and 24 through a snap-in engagement. The
number of connecting areas can be varied depending on the number of
pill holding trays contemplated for attachment.
[0056] Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, the pill holding tray 22 is
shown with a blister pack 42. The clip 50 is moved to an extended
position away from the tray 22. The blister pack 42 is placed into
the concave area 40 with the blisters 46 oriented in the upward
direction. The blister pack 42 includes multiple slots 76
positioned and sized to permit the insertion of the fastening tabs
54 therethrough. The fastening tabs 54 prevent the movement of the
blister pack 42 in the lateral directions, and ensure that the
blisters 46 are aligned with the dispensing apertures 26. Once the
blister pack 42 is in place, the clip 50 is moved about the hinge
52 to the top portion of the blister pack 42. The fastening tabs 54
engage the clip 50 along inner edge portions 78 for secure snap-in
coupling. In this manner, the clip 50 securely retains the blister
pack 42 flush against the concave area 40 to facilitate dispensing,
and keeps the blister pack 42 from rolling or forming bubbles or
folds, that may otherwise hamper dispensing.
[0057] Referring to FIG. 10, a pill case 80 is shown for a second
embodiment of the present invention. The pill case 80 is similar in
most features with the pill case 10 of the previous embodiment of
the present invention. The pill case 80 includes a latch assembly
82 shown for an alternate embodiment of the child safety locking
mechanism of the present invention. The latch assembly 82 operates
in a similar manner as the latch assembly 28 of the previous
embodiment, and requires a two-step action to initiate
disengagement for access.
[0058] Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, the latch assembly 82 is shown
in the locked and unlocked positions, respectively. Similar to the
previous embodiment, the latch assembly 82 is composed of two main
portions. The first portion of the latch assembly 82 is
structurally associated with the bottom cover 14, and comprises a
dual latch member 84 having a pair of flexible spring latches 86
extending upwardly therefrom as shown in FIG. 12. The base of the
dual latch member 84 is mounted to the front edge of the bottom
cover 14. The flexible spring latches 86 each further include a
latch end 87 oriented towards the pill case 80 and a finger tab 88
providing a lever for the user's finger. The flexible spring
latches 86 are normally biased toward the side direction, and can
be urged towards the center by the action of the user's fingers on
the finger tabs 88. In this manner, the latch ends 87 are movable
towards one another upon urging by the user.
[0059] The second portion of the latch assembly 28 is structurally
associated with the top cover 12, and includes an abutting member
90 having a pair of edge portions 92 each extending away from an
side portion thereof, and a pair of opposing keeps 94 (as shown
best in FIG. 12) each defining a recess 95, each mounted to the
front edge of the top cover 12 on either side of the abutting
member 90, proximate the edge portions 92, respectively, as shown
in FIG. 12. The keeps 94 are configured to receive and securely
retain the corresponding latch ends 87 of the spring latches 86 in
the recesses 95. The latch ends 87 can be released from the
recesses 95 of the keeps 94 by moving the latch ends 87 towards
each other and out of the corresponding recess 95. However, this
movement is normally blocked by the presence of the abutting member
90. In order to allow the latch ends 87 to move freely, the upper
portion of the abutting member 90 is adapted to be moved into a
recessed area (not shown) in the top cover 12 upon sufficient
application of force thereon as will be further described
hereinafter.
[0060] As shown best in FIG. 11, the flexible spring latches 86 are
adapted to engage and fasten to the respective keeps 94 when the
top and bottom covers 12 and 14 are in the closed position. The
abutting member 90 is normally biased into a position where the
edge portions 92 are pressed against the corresponding flexible
spring latches 86 to prevent any inward movement and subsequent
release of the latch ends 87 of the latches 86 from the respective
keeps 94. In the locked position, the latch assembly 82 secures the
top and bottom covers 12 and 14 against the pill holding portion 16
and prevents inadvertent access to the pills.
[0061] The latch assembly 28 can be disengaged only through a
two-step procedure. The two-step procedure comprises the first step
of pressing the abutting member 90 towards the pill case 10 to
disengage the edge portions 92 from the latches 86, and the second
step of urging the latches 86 towards one another to disengage the
latch ends 87 from the corresponding keeps 94 and permitting the
pill case 10 to be opened. The keeps 94 includes a ramped surface
96 (as best shown in FIG. 12) for easing re-engagement of the latch
ends 87 of the latches 86 with the corresponding keeps 94 when the
pill case 80 is returned to the closed position. In this manner,
the user can re-close the pill case 80 with ease and thereby
allowing the latch assembly 82 to re-engage automatically. This
two-step procedure substantially reduces the risk of opening the
pill case 10 by small children.
[0062] The foregoing discussion discloses and describes merely
exemplary embodiments of the present invention. One skilled in the
art will readily recognize from such discussion, and from the
accompanying drawings and claims, that various changes,
modifications and variations can be made therein without departing
from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the
following claims.
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