EP1973797B1 - Sliding child safety feature - Google Patents

Sliding child safety feature Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP1973797B1
EP1973797B1 EP07716698A EP07716698A EP1973797B1 EP 1973797 B1 EP1973797 B1 EP 1973797B1 EP 07716698 A EP07716698 A EP 07716698A EP 07716698 A EP07716698 A EP 07716698A EP 1973797 B1 EP1973797 B1 EP 1973797B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
container
latch portion
guard
lid
latch
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Not-in-force
Application number
EP07716698A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP1973797A4 (en
EP1973797A2 (en
Inventor
Jean-Pierre Giraud
Michel Zbirka
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
CSP Technologies Inc
Original Assignee
CSP Technologies Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by CSP Technologies Inc filed Critical CSP Technologies Inc
Publication of EP1973797A2 publication Critical patent/EP1973797A2/en
Publication of EP1973797A4 publication Critical patent/EP1973797A4/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1973797B1 publication Critical patent/EP1973797B1/en
Not-in-force legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D50/00—Closures with means for discouraging unauthorised opening or removal thereof, with or without indicating means, e.g. child-proof closures
    • B65D50/02—Closures with means for discouraging unauthorised opening or removal thereof, with or without indicating means, e.g. child-proof closures openable or removable by the combination of plural actions
    • B65D50/04—Closures with means for discouraging unauthorised opening or removal thereof, with or without indicating means, e.g. child-proof closures openable or removable by the combination of plural actions requiring the combination of simultaneous actions, e.g. depressing and turning, lifting and turning, maintaining a part and turning another one

Definitions

  • the invention relates to child-safe closures for containers, intended to be opened relatively easily by an adult but with much more difficulty by a young child.
  • Prior-art child safety feature designs typically employ a cap and container, which are separate from each other. It has been found desirable in the consumer and pharmaceutical industries to offer product packages with a unitary container and cap assembly (i.e., a flip-top lid). Since the cap and container are unitary, that is, in some way remain attached (even when opened) the cap cannot be misplaced when the container is opened. This promotes the maintaining of the container in a closed state at all times, except when contents are added or removed from the container.
  • An aspect of the invention is a container having a base, a lid that can be opened or closed, first and second latch portions, and a guard.
  • the base has an opening, and the lid is configured to cover the opening when closed.
  • One of the latch portions is associated with the base, and the other latch portion is associated with the lid.
  • the second latch portion is positionable to engage the first latch portion when the lid covers the opening, and is movable to disengage the first latch portion.
  • the guard is associated with the second latch portion and normally is in a blocking position or centre position keeping the second latch portion engaged with the first latch portion.
  • the guard is movable laterally, relative to the first latch portion, from its blocking position or centre position to a releasing position allowing the second latch portion to disengage the first latch portion.
  • the guard is biased towards its blocking position or centre position.
  • the guard and second latch portion are relatively immovable In normal operation of the latch. In other embodiments the two are relatively movable parts in normal operation of the latch.
  • Fig. 1 is a perspective, schematic view of a container including the latching mechanisms of the present Invention.
  • Fig. 2 is a schematic front elevation, with underlying parts shown In phantom section, of one embodiment of the invention according to claim 1. sometimes referred to here as the Silde, Push Latch, and Lift Embodiment.
  • the latch Is engaged and guarded.
  • Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 , showing the guard displaced laterally to the left. The latch is still engaged but not guarded against disengagement.
  • Fig. 4 is a section taken along section line 4-4 of Fig. 2 .
  • Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 of an alternative embodiment of the latch mechanism.
  • Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing an alternative embodiment. The latch is engaged and guarded.
  • Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 3 of another embodiment of the guard.
  • the latch is engaged but not guarded against disengagement.
  • Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 2 of another embodiment sometimes referred to here as the Slide and Lift Embodiment.
  • the latch is engaged and guarded.
  • Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 , but with the guard displaced laterally to an unlatched position.
  • Fig. 10 is a section taken along section line 10-10 of Fig. 8 .
  • the invention is broadly defined to Include all embodiments included by the words of the claim, read without reference to the specification. This description provides representative embodiments of the invention. All variations of those embodiments reasonably witnin the words of the claim are contemplated to be protected.
  • the present invention relates to a child safety feature for a unitary container that incorporates a sliding mechanism that prevents the movement of a latch or lid.
  • a sliding mechanism that prevents the movement of a latch or lid.
  • a "child-resistant" cap or closure for a container means that the cap or closure was tested in the following manner.
  • the child-resistant package cannot be opened by at least 85% of those children prior to a demonstration to them of the proper means of opening the package; and still cannot be opened by at least 80% of those children after they receive a demonstration of the proper means for opening the package.
  • at least 90% of those adults must be capable of opening the package.
  • the package is designed so that it may be re-closed, it can be re-closed by at least 90% of those adults but still cannot be opened by at least 85% of children to whom no demonstration of the prosper method of opening the package has been given, nor by 80% of those children after a demonstration has been made.
  • the invention is a closed container used to house a product where it is desirable to provide a child safety feature.
  • the container can be opened and reclosed.
  • the container is filled with product and has an opening for product removal, which is smaller than the overall perimeter of the container.
  • the lid is opened.
  • there is a sliding element In order to provide the Child Safety Feature, there is a sliding element. In the closed position, the sliding element interfaces with a feature on the Lid that does not allow the lid to be opened.
  • the use of a sliding element allows for freedom in the aesthetic design of the container.
  • the location of the sliding element of the container can be, for example, on the front or the sides of the container as desired.
  • the feature that blocks the lid is located on the sliding element. The user actuates the slider at a distal end and not directly with the feature that blocks the movement of the Lid.
  • a sliding element that in Position 1, referred to as the 'Home Position', blocks the movement of a feature on the lid.
  • a slider moves from one side to the other side.
  • the slider incorporates a means (spring element) of returning the slider to the Home Position after being depressed.
  • the spring functionality is an integral part of the slider part design. As the slider is moved to one side or the other, it no longer blocks the movement of the feature on the lid, allowing it to be opened. The slider can be moved to one side of the other to allow right or left handed use.
  • the Lid has a flexible element, a latch, which is depressed to move past a locking feature of another part of the container.
  • a rib on the latch that blocks the movement when the sliding element is in the Home Position.
  • the sliding element is moved to one side, the rib is not obstructed, so the latch of the Lid can be pushed in to clear the feature on the other part of the container.
  • the sliding element is released it returns to the Home position.
  • the lid is simply closed and the latch deflects away the locking feature as it closes. The locking feature springs back, securing the Lid in the closed position.
  • the container 20 has an outside 22 and an inside 24, a base 26 having an opening 28 and a movable lid 30 configured to cover the opening 28 when closed.
  • the container 20 is shown latched closed in Figs. 1-4 by a latching mechanism 32 located in or near the fronts 34 and 36 of the base 26 and lid 30.
  • the latching mechanism 32 includes first latch portion 40, a second latch portion 42, and a guard 44.
  • the first latch portion 40 is associated with one of the base and the lid 30 (in the illustrated embodiment it is associated with the base).
  • the second latch portion 42 is associated with the other of the base and the lid 30 (in the illustrated embodiment it is associated with the lid 30).
  • the first and second latch portions 40 and 42 can be reversed, if desired.
  • the second latch portion 42 is positionable in the position shown in Figures 1-4 , to engage the first latch portion 40 when the lid 30 covers the opening.
  • the illustrated first latch portion 40 has a downward facing abutment 46 ("downward” here meaning facing away from the direction in which the lid 30 opens, and not necessarily referring to the orientation of the container relative to its surroundings).
  • the illustrated second latch portion 42 has an upward facing abutment 48 (“upward” here meaning facing in the direction in which the lid 30 opens, and not necessarily referring to the orientation of the container 20 relative to its surroundings).
  • the abutments 46 and 48 overlap and thus interfere, preventing the lid 30 from opening.
  • the second latch portion 42 has an inwardly projecting abutment or rib 50 that engages or disengages the guard 44, as explained below.
  • the first latch portion 40 also overlaps the second latch portion 42 in the sense that the first latch portion 40 is at least partially outboard (relative to the container), or to the left as shown in Fig. 4 , of the second latch portion 42.
  • the container 20 in addition to the latching mechanism 40, also has a secondary snap-fit latch 52 defined by a rib on an inner cover 54 of the container and a facing groove in a projection 56 of the lid 30.
  • this snap-fit latch 52 provides a seal between the base 26 and the lid 30 when the container 20 is closed.
  • the guard 44 is a separate part from the latch portions 40 and 42 in the embodiment of Figs. 1-4 .
  • the guard 44 is associated with the second latch portion 42 and normally is in a blocking position, as shown in Fig. 2 , keeping the second latch portion 42 engaged with the first latch portion 40.
  • the guard 44 is laterally elongated from left to right, generally "E" shaped as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 , and has first and second laterally spaced portions or projections 60 and 62, here near the ends of the guard 44, and a central portion or projection 64.
  • a channel is defined in one of the base 26 and the lid 30 in which the guard 44 is slidable.
  • the channel is defined in the base 26 between the front wall 34 and an outside flange of the inner cover 54.
  • Fig. 5 shows an alternative embodiment 66 of the guard.
  • the guard 66 has an outwardly projecting abutment 68 located adjacent to the second latch portion 42 and having the same function as the abutment 64 shown in Fig. 4 .
  • Figures 6 and 7 show additional embodiments of the guard and the cooperating structure mounted in the channel in which it slides.
  • the guard 72 includes lateral portions 60 and 62 exposed at the ends of the channel for pushing the guard laterally in either direction.
  • the guard 72 also has a pair of lugs 74 and 76 positioned to limit the travel of the guard 72 laterally by engaging the stops 78 and 80 at the normal extremities of travel of the guard 72.
  • the guard 72 has integral sliding fingers 82 and 84 that bear against the abutment fingers 88 and 90 mounted in fixed relation to the channel.
  • the guard 72 has a projection 64 overlapping and registered with the abutment 50 of the second latch member 42 in an area of partial registration 92.
  • the fingers 82 and 88 and the fingers 84 and 90 respectively cooperate to normally center the guard 72, with the projection 64 and abutment 50 biased into at least partial registration, unless a sufficient force is applied to either lateral portion 60 or 62 to displace the projection 64 and the abutment 50 out of registration.
  • the guard 100 has similar construction to the guard 72 of Fig. 6 , except that the sliding travel of the guard 100 is limited by the engagement of the slots 102 and 104 of the guard 100 with the pegs 106 and 108 fixed with respect to the slot in which the guard 100 slides.
  • the guard 100 is displaced to the left in Fig. 7 , so the sliding finger 82 is out of contact with the abutment finger 88.
  • the sliding finger 84 has engaged and deformed the abutment finger 90 to the left, providing a bias tending to return the guard 100 to its centered position when the lateral portion 62 is no longer pushed to the Left, as by a user disabling the guard 100 to open the container.
  • Figs. 1-7 work as follows.
  • the container 20 is closed and the latch is guarded as shown in Fig. 2 .
  • the guard 44 is biased into the centered position shown in Figs. 2 and 4 .
  • the abutment or rib 50 of the second latch portion 42 and the central portion 64 of the guard 44 are in at least partial registration.
  • the central portion 64 blocks the rib 50, preventing the latch portions 40 and 42 from being disengaged.
  • Fig. 1 shows that the first and second laterally spaced portions 60 and 62 are accessible from outside the container 20, and can be manipulated to move the guard 44 laterally relative to the first latch portion 40.
  • the guard 44 can thus be slid laterally from its blocking position to a releasing position allowing the second latch portion 42 to disengage the first latch portion 40.
  • the guard 44 is slidable laterally in opposed directions from its blocking position to a first releasing position In one direction and a second releasing position in the other direction.
  • the rib 50 and the central portion 64 are no longer in even partial registration.
  • the latching mechanism 32 can then be released at the same time as the bias is maintained on the guard 44.
  • the second latch portion 42 is disengaged from the first latch portion 40 by displacing the abutment 48 of the second latch portion 40 Inboard, or to the right in Fig. 4 , as the lid 30 is raised.
  • This displacement of the abutment 48 can be executed, when opening the container, by pressing the exposed end of the latch portion 42 inwardly to clear the first latch portion 40 until the barb or cam 110 bears against the inside surface 112 of the latch portion 40.
  • the latch portion 40, 42, or both are made of resilient material, so no separate springs or other parts are needed to allow the latch to function. This is conventional construction for molded plastic parts, for example.
  • the second latch portion 42 is movable (when the guard 44 is displaced, as shown in Fig. 3 ) to disengage the first latch portion 40.
  • the portion of the second latch portion 42 defining the abutment 48 is movable to the right as shown in Fig. 4 .
  • the lid has a feature that engages the sliding element directly.
  • the second latch portion moves laterally, no longer engages the lid 30, and the lid can be opened.
  • the unlatching action is thus a lateral release in this embodiment, instead of an inward release.
  • the sliding element is released, it returns to the home position.
  • the feature on one of the slide or on the lid is chamfered or angled so that the sliding element is again pushed to one side by the closing force, allowing the feature on the lid to pass. Then the sliding element returns to the home position, engaging the feature on the lid and blocking the opening movement of the lid.
  • the "slide and lift" embodiment is illustrated schematically in Figs. 8-10.
  • the guard 120 and the second latch portion 122 are relatively substantially immovable. While they could be two separate parts joined together, in this embodiment the guard 120 and the second latch portion 122 are integral portions of one part.
  • the guard 120 is again laterally slidable, and biased to its home or center position, as in previous embodiments.
  • the second latch portion 122 has a downward-facing abutment 124
  • the lid 126 has an upward-facing abutment 128 defined by the first latch portion 130. Lateral sliding of the guard 120 carries the second latch portion 122 out of alignment with the first latch portion, directly disengaging the latch. The lid 126 can then be raised without interference between the abutments 124and 128.
  • the top of the second latch portion 122 is relieved by a chamfer 132.
  • the chamfer 132 is engaged by the first latch portion 130 as the lid 126 is closed, biasing the slide to the left, though not as far as shown in Fig. 9 , until the first latch portion 130 passes below the second latch portion 122 and the lid is closed. At that point the chamfer 132 is no longer engaged, and the guard 120 returns to its home or centered position shown in Fig. 8 .
  • the parts that compose the container 20 can, for example, be made of a thermoplastic material.
  • barrier materials such as high density polyethylene, polypropylene, or cyclo-olefin copolymers could be used.
  • non-barrier materials might also be used.
  • Non-barrier thermoplastic materials include polystyrene, polyester terephtalate, or polyvinyl chloride.
  • the slider may be made of different materials. By making it out of a thermoplastic material such as polycarbonate or polystyrene, spring features as illustrated in the Figures can be incorporated directly into the design, eliminating the need for additional components and assembly work.
  • a thermoplastic material such as polycarbonate or polystyrene
  • the slider preferably is assembled to the container 20 so that it is not readily removable by a user.
  • the present invention relates to a container 20 that is moisture-tight and resealable.
  • the term “resealable” means that the container 20 can be opened/reopened and closed/reclosed a numerous amount of times (e.g. more than 5 times) and still retain its moisture-tight properties.
  • moisture tight means the moisture ingress of the container 20 is less than about 1500 micrograms/day of water, determined by the following test method: (a) place approximately one gram of molecular sleve In the container and record the weight; (b) close the resealable mechanism; (c) place the sealed container In an environmental chamber at conditions of 80% relative humidity and 22 deg. C (72 deg.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Closures For Containers (AREA)
  • Lock And Its Accessories (AREA)
EP07716698A 2006-01-17 2007-01-17 Sliding child safety feature Not-in-force EP1973797B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US76003306P 2006-01-17 2006-01-17
US80393906P 2006-06-05 2006-06-05
PCT/US2007/001185 WO2007084528A2 (en) 2006-01-17 2007-01-17 Sliding child safety feature

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1973797A2 EP1973797A2 (en) 2008-10-01
EP1973797A4 EP1973797A4 (en) 2010-03-03
EP1973797B1 true EP1973797B1 (en) 2013-02-27

Family

ID=38288190

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP07716698A Not-in-force EP1973797B1 (en) 2006-01-17 2007-01-17 Sliding child safety feature

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (1) US20090200307A1 (ja)
EP (1) EP1973797B1 (ja)
JP (1) JP5047991B2 (ja)
CN (1) CN101370715B (ja)
CA (1) CA2637576A1 (ja)
WO (1) WO2007084528A2 (ja)

Families Citing this family (14)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN101370715B (zh) * 2006-01-17 2012-01-11 Csp技术公司 滑动儿童安全部件
WO2008030920A2 (en) † 2006-09-06 2008-03-13 Csp Technologies, Inc. Non-round moisture-tight re-sealable containers with round sealing surfaces
US9327041B2 (en) * 2008-03-05 2016-05-03 Symmetry Medical Manufacturing, Inc. Medical instrument sterilization container and method
US20140209604A1 (en) * 2013-01-28 2014-07-31 Valentin Leung Pop-up Push Lid
CN103144827B (zh) * 2013-03-14 2015-05-06 苏州良才物流科技股份有限公司 围板箱取件口门窗定位卡板机构
JP6471555B2 (ja) * 2015-03-18 2019-02-20 凸版印刷株式会社 蓋開閉機構
CA3082081A1 (en) * 2017-11-09 2019-05-16 Csp Technologies, Inc. Container apparatus, methods for opening containers and zipper member for a container apparatus
USD899247S1 (en) * 2018-07-27 2020-10-20 Pollen Gear Llc Access-resistant holder
USD918714S1 (en) * 2018-07-27 2021-05-11 Pollen Gear Llc Access-resistant holder
USD917279S1 (en) * 2018-07-27 2021-04-27 Pollen Gear Llc Access-resistant holder
US11691793B2 (en) * 2018-12-17 2023-07-04 Promontory Holdings, LLC Container with latch
USD911833S1 (en) * 2019-07-30 2021-03-02 More Agency, Inc. Child-resistant package
USD878197S1 (en) * 2019-10-08 2020-03-17 Dragon Chewer Llc Child resistant slide box
US11440714B2 (en) * 2020-11-17 2022-09-13 E-Link Plastic & Metal Industrial Co., Ltd. Lockable and moisture-proof pill box

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US4048051A (en) * 1976-12-21 1977-09-13 Nutrilite Products, Inc. Box with child resistant closure
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US4718567A (en) * 1987-04-01 1988-01-12 Polytop Corporation Child resistant dispensing closure
US4893734A (en) * 1988-08-24 1990-01-16 Chlystun Walter K Resealable closure and container employing same
US5040691A (en) * 1989-12-13 1991-08-20 Anchor Hocking Packaging Company Child-resistant, easy opening package
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CN101370715B (zh) * 2006-01-17 2012-01-11 Csp技术公司 滑动儿童安全部件

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2007084528A2 (en) 2007-07-26
EP1973797A4 (en) 2010-03-03
US20090200307A1 (en) 2009-08-13
JP2009523671A (ja) 2009-06-25
WO2007084528A3 (en) 2008-01-17
CA2637576A1 (en) 2007-07-26
CN101370715B (zh) 2012-01-11
JP5047991B2 (ja) 2012-10-10
CN101370715A (zh) 2009-02-18
EP1973797A2 (en) 2008-10-01

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