CA2174695A1

CA2174695A1 - Dispenser package

Info

Publication number: CA2174695A1
Application number: CA002174695A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Djing San Goh
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-04-23
Filing date: 1996-04-22
Publication date: 1996-10-24
Also published as: KR100353759B1; DE29506540U1; DE19680282D2; WO1996033927A1; CN1074378C; RU2202503C2; DE59605720D1; EP0824485B1; JPH08295375A; AU5498996A; EP0824485A1; CN1182401A; KR19980703428A; JP3597928B2

Abstract

A packaging-type tablet dispenser consists of two major sections connected by a thin plastic hinge joint and made in a single injection molding step.
After the box is filled with its intended contents, a closing cap is engaged with the container portion of the dispenser which correctly and automatically positions itself in one of two desired positions: one of which is the closed position and the other of which is a dispensing position. A clearly discernible click noise is generated as the cap is moved to each of the defined positions. The packaging box can be operated single-handedly and the tablets can be seen in the dispensing chamber before being removed.

Description

217~695 DI8PBN8ER P~G~G~

This invention relates generally to packaging, and more particularly to plastic dispensing containers intended for the storage and single dispensing of tablets and especially medicinal tablets and the like.
The packaging box or container of the invention consists of a container with a longitudinal rib in one side, plus a sealing cap incorporating an open dispensing chamber, a surface depression, a barrier protrusion on one side of the surface depression, and a middle rib or protrusion extending from the bottom of the surface depression. The container and the cap are connected by a thin film zone and are manufactured preferably in a single-injection molding step.
Typical plastic or metal containers intended for dispensing of tablets usually consist of two or more individual pieces which are assembled together.
Within these containers, a separation of the individual tablets is difficult and frequently several tablets are inadvertently dispensed at once. The dispensing package disclosed in the present application eliminates these deficiencies. The present application teaches a unitary section container having the two subsections connected by a thin film-type hinge that can be made or formed in a single injection molding process and has the following combined features:
1. The opened dispensing chamber reveals either a single tablet or several tablets intended or ready to be dispensed prior to their actually being dispensed. In other words, prior to their removal from the dispenser, the tablets are clearly visible and held in such a way that they cannot fall unintentionally from the opened dispensing chamber.

~7~695 2. The closing cap serves also as a tablet dispenser.

3. The closing cap centers and locks itself automatically when it is closed after the initial filling of the container.

4. The closing cap in its unopened position may be sealed by means of a perforated label. Such seal is automatically destroyed during or as a result of the first opening of the cap.

5. The closing cap automatically locks itself in the dispensing position during opening in a way that can be felt by the user and with an audible click. The closing cap cannot be opened further than its dispensing position without an intentional use of additional force or without the use of some tool.
The packaging box or dispenser also has rounded corners that are ergonomically designed such that one corner has a large radius of curvature, two corners have smaller radii of curvature, and one corner, which serves as the actuating section of the sealing cap, is provided with a ribbed or otherwise roughened radius to facilitate opening and closing of the cap.
Other characteristics and objects of the invention will be evident from the appended drawings in conjunction with the following description of an example of a packaging box or dispenser conforming to the preferred characteristics and objects of the invention in which:
Figure 1 is a side view, showing major internal structures in phantom, of a packaging box or dispenser in accordance with this invention with the cap shown in its closed and locked position and with a single tablet disposed in the dispensing chamber.
Figure 2 is a side view similar to Figure 1 showing the packaging dispenser of this invention with ~ 217~695 the cap shown in its closed position as well as in its locked-open-and-dispensing position with a single tablet in the dispensing chamber opening ready to be dispensed.
Figure 3 is a side view similar to Figures 1 and 2 showing the packaging dispenser with the sealing cap of the dispenser in its pa~tially-open position but not locked position before the longitudinal rib of the container and the barrier protrusion of the cap have interacted to achieve locking in the half-open dispensing position.
Figure 4 is a side view similar to Figures 1, 2 and 3 showing the packaging dispenser in accordance with this invention with the sealing cap in its full-open position.
Figure 5 is a partially broken-away side view of the packaging dispenser of the invention with the cap in fully closed and locked position as in Figure 1, and showing in subsidiary views, a cross-section A-A of the cap and dispenser, a front view of the cap and dispenser in view B and a bottom view C showing the cap and dispenser.
Figure 6 shows one side of a suitable adhesive label with a perforated zone for sealing the cap and the container in accordance with this invention in the area of a ribbed sealing cap and its side walls.
The package-type dispenser of the invention comprises a main body injection molded as an elongated boxlike container with an opening at one of the small ends plus an integrally molded cap piece having a flexible plastic connection to the top of the opening in the main body portion. Such flexible connection forms an operative hinge between the body section and the cap piece. The cap piece is molded with a gently curved extension on the bottom opposite the hinge piece which extension, when the cap is closed or partially 217469~

closed, contacts or lies closely adjacent to the inside surface of the container section and in effect guides the cap piece accurately into the body section as the cap is swung closed. In one side of the cap there is a dispensing opening or chamber which, when the cap is pulled partially open, is open to the exterior and from which medicinal tablets or the like may be taken or dropped into the user's hand. On the opposite side of the cap is a smaller passage or depression having preferably converging side walls which, when the cap is closed, bracket a securing and stiffening ridge on the inside wall of the dispensing container and having approximately in the center, and preferably spaced somewhat to the side of the actual center, a protrusion that during closing or opening of the cap, rides over the top of the longitudinal stiffening ridge or rib on the inside wall of the container. When the cap is partly open or closed, the stiffening rib or ridge on the inside wall extends between one wall of the smaller passage and the central protrusion, and when it is completely closed, the stiffening rib or ridge is between the other wall of the smaller passage and the extension or protrusion in the middle. As a consequence, the cap tends to be retained in these two positions. In order to pass from the one position to the other, raised portions of the cap must pass across the elevated ridge or rib on the inside surface of the container. Furthermore, in order for the cap to pass from a completely open, unlocked position to the half-open, partially-locked position, a raised section of the cap referred to as the barrier protrusion on one side of the open section or depression in the cap must pass over the elevated central ridge or rib in the container resulting in an audible "click" and a feeling of a snapping action in the fingers of the user. A
similar "click" and feeling of a snapping action occurs --- ~17469!~

as the central protrusion in the central portion of the depression passes over or past the raised ridge on the interior of the dispensing container. The present applicant, therefore, by the use of a simple, easily molded plastic construction, is enabled to provide a very effective and efficient arrangement for opening and closing a tablet-dispensing package having a fully closed and locked configuration, a fully opened configuration, and at least one intermediate partially opened and locked and dispensing configuration which can be escaped or deviated from only by the application of additional force with a portion of the user's hand such as the thumb.
Referring more particularly to the appended drawings, there is seen in Figure 1, partially in phantom, a dispensing package for dispensing medicinal tablets and the like in which a container 1 is provided with a sealing cap 2 having an integral dispensing chamber 3. The dispensing chamber may be seen to have a wider configuration toward the interior of the dispensing container into which it opens plus a smaller opposite end blocked by an outer wall of the cap as well as the inside of a ribbed section 8. Shown in phantom along one inner side of the container 1 is a longitudinal rib or ridge 6, that it will be understood, extends inwardly into the container. See cross-section A-A in Figure S. Other interior structures or the limits of structures are shown in phantom in Figure 1, including a lower, gently curved, sliding extension lo that forms the lower side of the dispensing chamber 3 when the cap is partly open and aids in guiding the lower portion of the cap as it rotates on its plastic hinge 4 into and out of the dispensing container 1. Also shown is an engaging or locking depression 7 which extends from an upper wall 7a of such depression to a lower wall 7b of such -- Z17~69~

engaging or locking depression. The rear portion of the wall 7b is referred to as the barrier protrusion 9.
The ribbed actuating section 8 serves as a thumb or other digit contacting member by which movement of the cap can be initiated or maintained.
Also shown is a central protrusion 11 over which the longitudinal rib 6 rides from a completely closed position of the cap 2 to a half-open (or half-closed position) dispensing position. Rib 6 is shown in Figure 1 between the central protrusion 11 and the upper wall 7a of the engagement depression.
Figure 2 is a side view, partially in phantom, similar to Figure 1, showing the cap 2 in full lines in a half-open position and partially in full lines and partially in dashed lines, or in phantom, in a fully-closed position. A medicinal tablet 17 is shown in the half-open or dispensing position ready to be dispensed by dropping from the dispensing chamber 3 of the cap 2 into the user's hand.
Figure 3 is a side view, partially in phantom, showing the cap 2 passing to full-open position just after the longitudinal rib 6 has passed over the edge of the barrier protrusion 9 which forms one side of the engaging depression 7 in the central portion of which is the central protrusion 11 over which the longitudinal rib 6 passes in going from the fully-closed to a half-open position as the cap 2 rotates.
Figure 4 is a side view, partially in phantom as in Figures 1, 2 and 3, in which the cap 2 has been rotated into a fully-open position suitable for filling or charging the container with tablets. Section 15, clearly shown in Figure 4, constitutes a portion of the container in which one side of such container extends farther out than the other side providing a side section over which the ribbed section 8 may extend with ~174695 _ - 7 -an engaging action serving partially to aid in finally locking the cap 2 in fully closed position. Meanwhile the cut back portion of the opposite side, the edge of which is indicated by the dashed line 15a, leaves a space or position on the side of the closed cap at which an adhesive label can serve to secure the side of the cap to the side of the container.
Figure 5, which includes several sub-views, shows the dispensing container partially broken away to show the internal structure and includes a transverse cross section A-A in which it may be seen that the longitudinal rib 6 preferably has a triangular cross section slanted on one side to more easily accommodate movement of the raised portions of the closure cap toward a closed position. Also included is an end view B of the capped dispenser showing the disposition of the ribbed portion 8,`as well as lower view C, partially in phantom, showing the disposition of the ribbed portion 8 as seen from the bottom. Both such views illustrate how such ribbed portion 8 extends over the sides of the container aiding in maintaining the container in the fully-closed position and enabling the thumb or other digit of the user from contacting the sides of the container when opening or closing the cap.

Figure 6 shows a top view of a suitable label 12 that may be wrapped and adhered over the sides and bottom of the container 1 to not only advertise and enumerate the contents of the container, but also seal the container until the seal is broken by the ultimate user by forcing open the cap 2 of the container 1 as shown in the other views at the same time severing the perforated section 13 of the seal 12 from the rest of the label. In this way, the ultimate user is assured that the dispenser has not previously been opened by someone else.

~17469~

The manner of using the dispenser of the invention is as follows. After the dispensing container is purchased with the seal and label 12 unbroken, the purchaser or other ultimate user will use their thumb or other digit to press upon the ribbed portion 8 whereupon the cap 2 is forced open by rotating it on thin film hinge 4 as shown in the other views at the same time severing the perforated section 13 of the seal 12 from the rest of the label. In this way, the ultimate user is assured that the dispenser has not previously been opened by someone else.
The cap 2 is rotated on its thin plastic hinge 4 until the central extension or protrusion 11 is pushed or forced over the longitudinal rib 6 so such rib is disposed in the space between the extension 11 and the so-called barrier protrusion 9 or inward edge of the locking depression 7 in the half open dispensing position. Tablets which then pass or have passed from the interior of the container into the outer portion of the dispensing depression 3 can then be emptied into the hand of the user. After dispensing of one or more tablets the cap 2 can then be rerotated to the closed position until it is again desired to dispense a tablet or tablets from the dispensing chamber 3. The gently curved lower extension 10 meanwhile guides the cap into and out of the end of the dispensing container to keep the caps aligned with the hinge 4 and prevent rupturing of such hinge as well as forming the lower side of the dispensing chamber 3. When it is desired to completely open the dispensing container to either inspect the inside or to refill with tablets or the like, the cap 2 is forced farther open until the barrier protrusion 9 or edge of the locking depression 7 is forced over the longitudinal rib 6 with an audible click whereupon the longitudinal rib 6 will be essentially in one side of the dispensing channel or chamber 3 where it no longer constricts the movement of the cap which can now be rotated until it is completely folded back against the top of the container. The container can then, as explained, be refilled with tablets, inspected or the like. When the user desires to reclose the cap it can be swung downwardly again until the barrier protrusion or rib 9 along the side of the locking chamber 7 passes over the longitudinal rib 6 establishing the cap 2 in partially closed position. Since the longitudinal rib as shown in Figure 5 Section A-A is preferably triangular in shape, or inclined on the upper side, the force required to move the cap from completely open position to half closed or dispensing position is significantly less than the force required to force the cap from half closed position to fully opened position, thus generally guarding against unintended or accidental full opening of the cap 2 before all the tablets are dispensed. Every time the longitudinal rib 6 of the body of the container 1 passes over either the barrier protrusion 9 along the locking depression or over the central protrusion 11 a force must be exerted to force the protrusions 9 or 11 over such rib structure and an audible click is heard plus a vibration indicating passage of the rib is detected by the hand. Not only may the rib 6 be slanted or inclined on the upper side to allow the cap to be reclosed with less force than is necessary for opening, but the central extension 11 may be lower than the protrusion 9 so that the extension may be more easily overridden by the longitudinal rib than the barrier protrusion 9 may be overridden. Consequently, it is easier to half open the cap to dispensing position than to open it all the way to fully opened position in which position all the remaining tablets, if any, might be spilled out. It is also easier to rotate the closure cap back toward the half closed or completely ~17469~
-closed position from the fully opened position than vice versa.
The dispensing container of the invention as explained briefly above may be manufactured or made by an injection molding process as known to those skilled in the art in which a suitable mold cavity in an outer mold is partially occluded by a mold core leaving a space between the wall of the cavity and the core into which molten plastic is injected to form the walls of the container. At the same time a pair of mold sections defining between them the full shape of the cap on both sides are held together adjacent the top of the mold and plastic injected into such mold sections in a known manner with a connection between them and the mold of the container portion such that the thin plastic hinge 4 is left between the solidified cap and the solidified container section.
It will be recognized from the above that the present invention has provided a very economical yet efficient tablet packaging and dispenser device which can not only be economically formed from injection molded plastic as a unitary plastic container and closure cap, but which is durable and efficient in dispensing tablets using only one hand in almost any environment. The locking arrangement ensures that the dispenser can be opened and closed at will and the user is advised of the operation of the device both by feel and by the sound of the audible clicks as the closure cap is rotated to its various predetermined positions in which it automatically locks, requiring additional force to rotate to another position.
While the present invention has been described at some length and in some particularity with respect to several described embodiments, it is not intended that it should be limited to any such particular embodiments or any particular embodiment, _` 2~7~95 but is to be construed broadly with reference to the appended claims so as to provide the broadest possible interpretation of such claims in view the prior art and therefore to effectively encompass the intended copy of the invention.

Claims

1. A dispensing container comprising two parts, including a container and a sealing cap for such container having an integral open dispensing chamber both parts of said dispensing container being connected with a hinge and where in the side of the container a longitudinal rib having a triangular section is engageable within an engagement depression in the sealing cap and wherein pressure on an external ribbed actuating section of the cap allows the cap to be opened to its dispensing position by pivoting about the hinge as well as to be rotated to a closed position with respect to the container.

2. A dispensing container in accordance with claim 1 wherein the container and the sealing cap with the integral open dispensing chamber are connected with a hinge designed as a thin film hinge and are manufactured in a single-injection molding process.

3. A dispensing container in accordance with claim 1 wherein the sealing cap is provided with a barrier protrusion along the engagement depression which after the longitudinal rib has been overridden and the corresponding depression provides for a special locking position such that the sealing cap is protected from an unintentional full opening with respect to its position on the container.

4. A dispensing container in accordance with claim 1 wherein the sealing cap adjacent the ribbed actuating section is provided with a sliding extension serving to close off the container while in open dispensing position to prevent tablets from falling out.

5. A dispensing container in accordance with claim 4 wherein the sliding extension serves to guide the sealing cap during closing in the container.

6. A dispensing container in accordance with claim 2 wherein the combined sealing cap and container can release only a single tablet after opening of the sealing cap by radial rotation about the hinge.

7. A dispensing container in accordance with claim 6 marked by the fact that prior to the tablet removal out of the dispensing chamber, the tablets are visible and held in such a way that they can not fall out unintentionally from the opened dispensing chamber.

8. A dispensing container in accordance with claim 3 wherein within the engagement depression of the sealing cap there is located a protrusion that divides the depression into two sections which cooperate with the longitudinal rib to lock the sealing cap in two separate positions.

9. A dispensing container in accordance with claim 3 wherein the engagement depression contains a central protrusion which divides the depression into two compartments and which in combination with the longitudinal rib locks the sealing cap during its opening with an audible click into a dispensing position and during closure locks the sealing cap in a sealed closed position with an audible click.

10. A dispensing container in accordance with claim 2 wherein a perforated section of an adhesive label is integrated in the complete packaging container and wherein the adhesive label surrounds and closes off the ribbed actuating section of the sealing cap and adjacent side panels so that the sealing cap and the container are sealed by the perforated section of the label.

11. A dispensing package comprising:
(a) a plastic container body defining an elongated container volume open at one end, (b) a closure cap configured to fit in and close off the open end of the container body, (c) the closure cap being pivotally secured to one side of the end of the closure container, (d) the closure cap incorporating a passage adapted for the dispensing of tablets from the interior of the container body to the exterior when the closure cap is pivotally disposed in a partially open dispensing position, (e) the closure cap incorporating an engagement depression in one side at least a portion of said engagement depression being defined on one side by a barrier protrusion, (f) a retainer protrusion extending from a central portion of the engagement depression in the closure cap, (g) an elevated protrusion extending inwardly from a wall of the container adjacent to the engagement depression in the closure cap in at least some positions of the cap, (h) the elevated protrusion having a height and position such that it extends into the engagement depression on one side of the retainer protrusion and adjacent the side of the depression on the other side when the closure cap is fully closed and on the other side of the retainer protrusion between the retainer protrusion and the barrier protrusion in the partially open dispensing position, (i) the elevated protrusion being disposed on the opposite side of the barrier protrusion from the retainer protrusion when the cap is in full open position.

12. A dispensing package in accordance with claim 11 wherein the container body and closure cap are formed from an integral plastic construction in which the closure cap is pivotally secured to the container body by a thin film hinge extending between the two.

13. A dispensing package in accordance with claim 12 wherein the elevated protrusion extending inwardly from the side of the container body is in the form of a stiffening rib.

14. A dispensing package in accordance with claim 13 wherein the elevated protrusion is inclined inwardly on the side facing the thin film hinge.

15. A dispensing package in accordance with claim 14 wherein the retainer protrusion is lower than the barrier protrusion.

16. A dispensing package in accordance with claim 15 additionally comprising:
(j) a hand digit contact means positioned on the surface of the closure cap at a corner opposite the thin film hinge.

17. A dispensing package in accordance with claim 16 wherein the surface of the hand digit contact means is roughened to facilitate non-slip contact with a hand digit.

18. A dispensing package in accordance with claim 17 wherein the container body is generally rectangular in shape with arcuate ends.

19. A dispensing package in accordance with claim 18 wherein the hand digit contact means is at least as wide as the width of the container body.

20. A package-type dispenser in accordance with claim 12 additionally comprising:
(j) a partially arcuate extension from one side of the closure cap opposite the thin film hinge configured to extend into the container body to form one side of the dispensing passage plus serve as a guide for pivoting of the closure cap into and out of the container body.