GB1590000A - Compartmented container - Google Patents

Abstract

The package has a bottom part which is divided into individual chambers by radial partitions (5). Furthermore, the package has a lid (1) which can be fitted onto the bottom part (2) and has a removal aperture (17) which can be moved into communication with each of the chambers of the bottom part. A cutout (6) in the circumferential side wall (4) of the bottom part is provided for each chamber and, by rotation of the lid (1), the removal aperture (17) moves into congruence with a selected cutout. The lid is held rotatably on the bottom part (2) by the engagement of a rib (8) on the side wall (4) of the bottom part (2) in a groove (18) on the inside of the side wall (16) of the lid. The package thus consists of only two easily producible parts, and selective access to items of the contents in the individual chambers of the package can easily be gained. The package is suitable primarily for storing items of contents, such as tablets and pills. <IMAGE>

Description

(54) COMPARIMENTED CONTAINER (71) We, UNILEVER LIMITED, a dom- pany organised under the laws of Great Britain, of Unilever House, Blackfriars, London EC4, England, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a compartmented container having a number of discreet compartments and particularly to a package suitable for containing and dispensing products such as pills, tablets or the like the container having a base divided into a number of discreet compartments and a lid having a dispensing aperture which can be brought into a dispensing position to dispense product from any of the compartments as desired.

According to the present invention there is provided a compartmented container having a circular base member with an upstanding side wall and a pluality of radial dividing walls dividing the base member into a number of discreet compartments, an opening in the side wall for each of the compartments, and a lid having a top wall and a downwardly extending side wall, and a dispensing opening in the side wall of the lid, the side wall of the base member between the openings being larger than the dispensing opening in the lid, and means for retaining the lid on the base member whilst permitting relative rotational movement of the lid with respect to the base member between open positions in which the dispensing opening is aligned with an opening in the base member and closed positions in which the dispensing opening is aligned with the side wall of the base member between the openings in the side wall of the base member.

There is thus provided a container having only two individual components and which can dispense selected contents without removing the lid. The lid can be simply rotated relative to the base member until the dispensing opening is aligned with the desired compartment and the container can be subsequently closed by a small relative rotation of the lid until the dispensing opening in the lid is in a position approximately half way between two compartments where the dispensing opening is obscured by the wall portion between the openings in the side wall of the base member.

To facilitate rotational registration of the lid in the open and closed positions on the base depressions and protrusions forming stop means can be' provided on the lid and base member which inter-engage to hold the lid in the open and closed positions. Conveniently the depressions and protrusions can comprise ribs on the inside of the side wall of the lid and grooves on the outside of the side wall of the base member the distribution of the ribs on the lid being double that of the grooves in the base member. In this way the lid is provided with positive positions both in the open positions when the dispensing opening is aligned with an opening in the base member and also in the intermediate closed positions between each of the open positions when all the openings in the base member are closed by the side wall of the lid.This greatly facilitates the ease with which the user can remove from time to time the con tents of one of the compartments and then reclose the container.

To enable the user to readily identify the nature and/or number of contents in each of the compartments the lid is preferably of a transparent material. A label can be secured to the underside of the base member and preferably the base member is provided with a downwardly projecting annular rib on which the con tainer rests to protect the label from damage by rubbing. The annular rib can engage with a depression in the top wall of the lid of another container when the containers are stacked one upon the other thus serving to centralise the containers when they are so stacked.

The radial dividing walls between each of the compartments can be higher at the periphery of the container than at the centre, the contour of the lid following the upper edges of the dividing walls with a clearance therebetween small enough to prevent the contents of the compartments from becoming mixed. This contour of the lid can conveniently form the depression in the lid which is engaged by the annular rib of the base member of another container when the container are stacked one upon the other.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the base and lid of a package showing the lid removed from the base; Figure 2 is a side view of the lid partially in section and Figure 3 is a side view of the base member partially sectioned along the line III-III in Figure 1.

Referring to Figures 1 and 3 there is shown a lid 1 and a base 2 which two parts together form the container. The base 2 has a circular bottom wall 3 and peripheral side wall 4 and is divided into six discreet compartments by radial dividing walls 5. The side wall 4 is provided with openings 6 adjacent its upper edge for each of the compartments, the openings 6 being equally spaced from one another leaving intermediate side wall portions 7. Each intermediate side wall portion 7 is provided with a ridge 8 to form a discontinuous ridge around the base parallel with the upper edge 9 of the side wall. The outside of each intermediate side wall portion 7 is also provided with an axially extending groove 10 in the region of the dividing wall S and parallel therewith.Dividing walls 5 are higher at 5a where they meet the side wall of the base than they are at the centre, the upper edge 9 of the side wall being aligned with the high part Sa of the dividing walls.

The underside of the bottom wall 3 of the base is provided with an annular rib 11 which contacts a supporting surface on which the base is stood. Within the rib a label 12 can be secured to the base and be protected from damage by rubbing by the rib 11 when the package is stood on its base.

When containers are stacked one above the other the rib 11 engages in a recess in the lid of a container below it to centralise the containers with one another.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2 the lid 1 has a flat central portion 10 and is shaped at 14 and 15 to follow the contour of the dividing walls. When in position on the base the clearance between the underside of the lid and the upper edges of the dividing walls is small enough to prevent the contents of the separate compartments from becoming mixed.

The lid has a side wall 16 in which a dispensing opening 17 is formed having a width substantially corresponding to the width of the openings 6 in the side wall of the base but narrower than the intermediate side wall portions 7 of the base.

A groove 18 is formed on the inside of the lid side wall 16 extending around the lid and interrupted only by the dispensing opening 17.

The groove 18 cooperates with the ridge 8 on the base to retain the lid in position on the base whilst allowing it to rotate so that the dispensing opening 17 can be brought into alignment with any one of the openings 6 in the base to allow the contents of the selected compartment to be removed as desired. The lid can also be rotated to a closed position in which the dispensing opening 17 in the lid overlie an intermediate side wall portion 7 of the base.

To facilitate alignment of the dispensing opening 17 in an open position aligned with an opening 6 or in a closed position aligned with an intermediate side wall portion 7 ridges 19 are provided on the inside of the side wall of the lid which engage with the grooves 10 in the intermediate side wall portions of the base.

Twice the number of ridges are provided on the lid as there are grooves on the base less one such ridge which would be positioned where the dispensing opening is situated.

The container is particularly suitable for containing tablets or pills, the compartmented base allowing the tablets to be sensibly divided into single doses. The container can also be advantageously employed for buttons, hooks and the like.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A compartmented container having a circular base member with an upstanding side wall and a plurality of radial dividing walls dividing the base member into a number of discreet compartments, an opening in the side wall for each of the compartments, and a lid having a top wall and a downwardly extending side wall, and a dispensing opening in the side wall of the lid, the side wall of the base member between the opening being larger than the dispensing opening in the lid, and means for retaining the lid on the base member whilst permitting relative rotational movement of the lid with respect to the base member between open positions in which the dispensing opening is aligned with an opening in the base member and closed positions in which the dispensing opening is aligned with the side wall of the base member between the openings in the side wall of the base member.

2. A compartment container according to Claim 1 comprising stop means formed by depressions and protrusions on the lid and base member which inter-engage to hold the lid in the open and closed positions.

3. A compartmented container according to Claim 2 in which the depressions and protrusions comprise ribs on the inside of the side wall of the lid and grooves on the outside of the side wall of the base member the distribution of the ribs on the lid being double that of the grooves in the base member.

4. A compartmented container according to any one of the preceding claims in which the base member is provided with a downwardly projecting annular rib on which the container rests.

5. A compartmented container according to any one of the preceding claims in which the radial dividing walls between each of the compartments are higher at the periphery of the container than at the centre, the contour of the lid following: the upper edges of the dividing walls with a clearance therebetween small enough to prevent the contents of the compart

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (6)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. Figure 1 is a perspective view of the base and lid of a package showing the lid removed from the base; Figure 2 is a side view of the lid partially in section and Figure 3 is a side view of the base member partially sectioned along the line III-III in Figure 1. Referring to Figures 1 and 3 there is shown a lid 1 and a base 2 which two parts together form the container. The base 2 has a circular bottom wall 3 and peripheral side wall 4 and is divided into six discreet compartments by radial dividing walls 5. The side wall 4 is provided with openings 6 adjacent its upper edge for each of the compartments, the openings 6 being equally spaced from one another leaving intermediate side wall portions 7. Each intermediate side wall portion 7 is provided with a ridge 8 to form a discontinuous ridge around the base parallel with the upper edge 9 of the side wall. The outside of each intermediate side wall portion 7 is also provided with an axially extending groove 10 in the region of the dividing wall S and parallel therewith.Dividing walls 5 are higher at 5a where they meet the side wall of the base than they are at the centre, the upper edge 9 of the side wall being aligned with the high part Sa of the dividing walls. The underside of the bottom wall 3 of the base is provided with an annular rib 11 which contacts a supporting surface on which the base is stood. Within the rib a label 12 can be secured to the base and be protected from damage by rubbing by the rib 11 when the package is stood on its base. When containers are stacked one above the other the rib 11 engages in a recess in the lid of a container below it to centralise the containers with one another. Referring now to Figures 1 and 2 the lid 1 has a flat central portion 10 and is shaped at 14 and 15 to follow the contour of the dividing walls. When in position on the base the clearance between the underside of the lid and the upper edges of the dividing walls is small enough to prevent the contents of the separate compartments from becoming mixed. The lid has a side wall 16 in which a dispensing opening 17 is formed having a width substantially corresponding to the width of the openings 6 in the side wall of the base but narrower than the intermediate side wall portions 7 of the base. A groove 18 is formed on the inside of the lid side wall 16 extending around the lid and interrupted only by the dispensing opening 17. The groove 18 cooperates with the ridge 8 on the base to retain the lid in position on the base whilst allowing it to rotate so that the dispensing opening 17 can be brought into alignment with any one of the openings 6 in the base to allow the contents of the selected compartment to be removed as desired. The lid can also be rotated to a closed position in which the dispensing opening 17 in the lid overlie an intermediate side wall portion 7 of the base. To facilitate alignment of the dispensing opening 17 in an open position aligned with an opening 6 or in a closed position aligned with an intermediate side wall portion 7 ridges 19 are provided on the inside of the side wall of the lid which engage with the grooves 10 in the intermediate side wall portions of the base. Twice the number of ridges are provided on the lid as there are grooves on the base less one such ridge which would be positioned where the dispensing opening is situated. The container is particularly suitable for containing tablets or pills, the compartmented base allowing the tablets to be sensibly divided into single doses. The container can also be advantageously employed for buttons, hooks and the like. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A compartmented container having a circular base member with an upstanding side wall and a plurality of radial dividing walls dividing the base member into a number of discreet compartments, an opening in the side wall for each of the compartments, and a lid having a top wall and a downwardly extending side wall, and a dispensing opening in the side wall of the lid, the side wall of the base member between the opening being larger than the dispensing opening in the lid, and means for retaining the lid on the base member whilst permitting relative rotational movement of the lid with respect to the base member between open positions in which the dispensing opening is aligned with an opening in the base member and closed positions in which the dispensing opening is aligned with the side wall of the base member between the openings in the side wall of the base member.

2. A compartment container according to Claim 1 comprising stop means formed by depressions and protrusions on the lid and base member which inter-engage to hold the lid in the open and closed positions.

3. A compartmented container according to Claim 2 in which the depressions and protrusions comprise ribs on the inside of the side wall of the lid and grooves on the outside of the side wall of the base member the distribution of the ribs on the lid being double that of the grooves in the base member.

4. A compartmented container according to any one of the preceding claims in which the base member is provided with a downwardly projecting annular rib on which the container rests.

5. A compartmented container according to any one of the preceding claims in which the radial dividing walls between each of the compartments are higher at the periphery of the container than at the centre, the contour of the lid following: the upper edges of the dividing walls with a clearance therebetween small enough to prevent the contents of the compart

ments from becoming mixed.

6. A compartmented container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.