US2048617A - Container for medicinal tablets - Google Patents

Description

IJuly 21, 1936.

F. J. OBRIEN CONTAINER FOR MEDICINAL TABLETS Filed Aug. 26, 1932 V 7 75'; i E i' ijf e i gmc/who@ ITC/QQ Patented July 2l, 1936 PATENT oil-"FICE CONTAINER FOR MEDICINAL TABLETS` Frank J. OBrien, New York, N. Y., assigner to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application August 26, 1932, Serial No. 630,604

1 Claim.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in a container for medicinal tablets.

An object of the invention is to provide a container having a cover-controlled discharge opening for a single tablet, with means for directing and alining the tablets one at a time beneath said opening.

In the drawing- Figure 1 is a plan view of a container embodying the improvements;

Fig. 2 is a sectional View on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the medicinal tablets;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a modified form of container;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line 'I--1 of Fig. 5.

The invention has to do with a container for marketing medicinal tablets, such for example, as aspirin tablets. The container includes a body portion and a closure therefor in which the tablets are placed. The container is especially adapted for tablets which are cylindrical in shape, and which are relatively flat. The container is rectangular in shape and has rounded corners corresponding to the curvature of the tablets. In one corner of the container closure is an opening of suicient size to permit one tablet to freely pass therethrough. There is a cover slide for closing this opening. There is means within the container for insuring that only one tablet at a time can be placed beneath the opening so that when the opening is uncovered, one tablet only will be dispensed or discharged therethrough.

Referring more in detail to the drawing, the container consists of a body portion I having side and end walls 2 which are preferably formed integral therewith. The container also includes a closure 3 for the body portion. As shown, the closure has an integral depending flange 4 which slips over the body portion, and snap lugs 5, 5 may be used for holding the closure firmly on the body portion. Other ways may be used for joining the closure to the body portion, but it is desired that the closure when in closed position shall be firmly secured to the body portion, as it is not intended to remove the closure in order to gain access to the tablets within the container.

In Fig. 4 of the drawing, there is shown in perspective a medicinal tablet which is to be (Cl. G-42) marketed in the container. Said tablet is circular in cross section, and has flat end walls 6, 6 constituting the flat cylindrical tablet. The body portion of the container is rectangular in cross section andHis provided with rounded corners 'I Y 5 which are curved to conform to the circular cross sectional shape of the medicinal tablet. These corners, however, may be otherwise shaped.

Located in one of the walls of the container and preferably in the closure, is an opening 8 10 which is slightly larger in diameter than the diameter of the medicinal tablet, so that the medicinal tablet can freely pass through the opening. The opening is closed by a cover slide 9.

The cover has three openings I0, Illa and Illb. 15 The metal cut out in forming the openings IIJa and IBb is bent downwardly so as to form flanges II underlying the cover slide 9. This forms a trackway on which the slide may be moved. The cover has a raised portion I 2 extending up through the opening which serves as a handle for sliding the cover. These flanges have sufficient frictional grip on the cover so as to hold the cover in a set position. When one desires to obtain a tablet from the container, the cover slide is moved so as to uncover the opening, and the container is then turned with the opening facing downward so that a tablet will fall through the opening.

In order to insure that only one tablet shall be properly alined beneath the opening to fall therethrough, the bottom wall I of the container is provided with a raised portion I3. This raised portion I3, as shown, is substantially U-shaped, having the inner end thereof curved. This raised portion extends only a slight distance up into the container, but a sui'licient distance so that one tablet cannot slide over the top of the raised portion. It is also so dimensioned and positioned relative to the opening 8 that only one tablet can slide along the edge of the raised portion and beneath the opening 8. This insures that the tablets in the container, when the container is turned on edge with the opening at the lowermost point, will roll down beneath the opening and place one tablet only beneath the opening, so that when the container is inverted or tilted, the tablet will drop through the opening.

In Fig. 5 of the drawing, a container of a similar shape and construction is'shown, and the same reference letters have been applied thereto. In this form of the container, however, the bottom wall I is provided with a very shallow depression I4, and secured in said depression I4 is a shell or cup I5. This shell or cup I5 is of substantially the same dimensions as one of the 1 tablets. Itis secured in the depression either by Welding or any other suitable way. The shell is so positioned, that the side thereof is underneath `the edge of the opening 8 so that the shell will insure that only one tabletwill be placed directly V Ying one tablet only beneath theV opening, and that this maybe Vaccomplished by the shaping olf theV container.: The essential features ofr'the inVen-gf;l

" fone medicinal tablet attaV time, means for xedly r Ysecuring saidclosure to said body portion, said tion consist inlthe provisionnof theopening so disposed relative to the side'rwallsof the conture of the` invention resides in some means,

eitherin the construction of thercor'itainerfor'theV inserted part Within the container whichoprat'es to insure that only onetablet atv a time can find Y 5x its way beneath the opening.

2 A l Y It is obvious that the container may be other- Wiseshapedl than thatshovvn in thedrawingthe essential feature V'consisting in providing the openingV and the means Within the container for positioning the Ytablets beneath the opening. Other means Vmay be provided for'closlng the opening; Y Y

Having thusV described the invention, what I claim as new and desirerto secure lby Letters Pat- A container for medicinal tablets, comprising` Y a body portion, aV closure therefor having an opening therethrough dimensioned so as Vto discharge opening being disposed relative to the body por#V tion'` so that the side walls of therbody vportion f will center the Ymedicinal tablet beneath said opening, said closure including a member disposed AWithin'fthe container and slidably mounted thereonY for covering and uncovering the opening inYV the closure, said lsliding member being operable from outsidethe containenfthe bottomandend Walls of said body portion being bent inwardly at on'esideV ofthe opening7 to provide a vertical Wall permitting only one tablet at a time to move beneathsaid opening. l l 'Y Y' L FRANK J. OBRIEN,

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