GB1580950A - Dispensing containers - Google Patents

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO DISPENSING CONTAINERS (71) We METAL BOX LIMITED, a British Company, of Queens House, Forbury Road, Reading RGI 3JH, Berkshire, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- The present invention relates to dispensing containers for dispensing medicinal tablets for example.

According to the invention, there is provided a dispensing container, comprising an open topped box defining an elongate opening, each of two opposite side walls of the box which extend longitudinally of the opening having a longitudinally extending groove or fridge, a channel-shaped elongate cover having transversely extending flanges along side walls thereof, the flanges engaging respective ones of the grooves or ridges to constrain the cover for sliding movement in the longitudinal direction across the open top of the box but to allow a predetermined amount of play between the cover and the box and normal to the plane of the open top, biasing means biasing the cover away from the box to take up the said play, and abutment means located in said grooves or ridges to limit sliding movement of the cover relative to the box when the play is taken up, the abutment means extending transversely of the grooves or ridges by an amount less than said predetermined play whereby when the cover is displaced against the biasing force the abutment means no longer obstructs sliding movement of the cover relative to the box.

Tablet dispensing containers embodying the invention, will now be described, by way of example, with reference to rthe diagrammatic drawings accompanying the provisional Specification, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of one of the tablet dispensing containers Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view to an enlarged scale of the container of Figure 1 when open to dispense a tablet; Figure 3 is a side elevation of a liner housed in the container of Figures 1 and 2; Figure 4 is a plan view of the liner of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a perspective view of another one of the tablet dispensing containers; Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view to an enlarged scale of the container of Figure 5 when open to dispense a tablet; Figure 7 is a front elevation of the container of Figure 5 with the cover removed; Figure 8 is an exploded section through the container of Figure 5;; Figure 9 is a fragmentary side elevation of another container with the cover shown sectinned; Figure 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of yet another one of the containers when open to dispense a tablet; and Figure II is a part cut away front elevation of the container of Figure 10.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the tablet dispensing container to be described in conjunction with Figures 1 to 3, is arranged to house a flat pack of tablets such as pain killer tablets. The container in conjunction with the flat pack has the facility of enabling the tablets to be dispensed one by one and is designed to be child resistant.

The container shown in Figures 1 to 3, has a body portion 12 in the form of a tall slim open-topped box of plastics material housing a flat pack of tablets. An elongate slidable cover 14 of sheet metal is arranged to close the elongate opening 18 in the top of the body portion 12.

The cover 14 is channel-shaped in crosssection with inwardly directed flanges 14a at the extermities of the flee ends. The two opposite longitudinally extending walls 1 2a of the botiy portion. that is those walls which extend the whole length of the opening, define a pair of externally-facing grooves 16 which extend parallel to the longitudinal direction of the opening and lie adjacent the opening 18.

These grooves 16 are engaged by the flanges 14a of the cover 14 so that the cover 14 is constrained for sliding movement over the opening 18. Each groove 16 is generally 'V' shaped in cross-section with one face 16a extending at right angles to the wall 12a in which it lies and the other face 1 6b extending at an angle to the same wall 12a but directed from the base of the groove 16 away from the opening 18. The spacing between the facing ends of the flanges 14a when the cover is in a relaxed state separate from the box is arrang ed to be equal to or slightly less than the separation between the bases of the two groom es 16. An abutment 20 is located at each end of each groove 16 and extends from the face 16a transversely of the groove 16 to partially obstruct the groove 16.

The distance between the opening 18 and that face 20a of each abutment 20 which lies remote Irom the opening 18 is arranged to be less than the distance between the inner base face of the channel shaped cover 14 and the facing surface of the flanges 14a when in the relaxed state.

Each flange 14a on the cover 14 is arranged to extend a distance along the cover corresponding to the distance between facing ends of the two abutments 20 in the same groove.

In operation with the cover in place on the body portion 12, the flanges engage respective grooves 16 and are biased by the cam action of the sloping faces 16b of the grooves 16 and under the natural resilience of the cover 14 into engagement with the faces 1 6a of the grooves.

The cover as a whole is thereby biased away from the opening 18 to a limiting position defined by the faces 16a In this position the opposite longitudinal ends of each flange 14a engage or lie adjacent respective abutments 20.

In this condition the sliding of the cover 14 longitudinally of the opening 18 is prevented by the abutments 20. Equally the cover 14 cannot be lifted off the opening because the flanges engage the grooves.

To uncover the opening the cover must be first displaced towards the body portion so that the flanges 14a slide down the sloping faces 1 6b away from the faces 16a until they pass the lower faces 20a of the abutments.

The cover 14 can then be displaced longitudinally of the opening past the abutments to par- tially expose the opening. Upon releasing the cover the latter is biased away from the opening 18 to an intermediate limiting position in which the flanges 14a engage the faces 20a of the abutments. A tablet can now be extracted from the pack in the body portion by tipping the whole to allow the tablet to fall out under gravity.

The necessary manipulation thus required to open the dispenser are unlikely to be performed by a child playing with the dispenser especially since the normal actions of a child would be to pull and slide rather than press and slide.

To shut the container the cover is slid in the sense to reclose the opening and the flanges will ride on the abutments 20a until they have cleared them.

Thereupon under the natural resilience of the cover and the cam action of the sloping faces 16b, the cover will be lifted until the flanges 14a are again brought into contact with the respective faces ]6a.

The cover is now in its original, fully lifted, position and is locked by the abutments 20 against longitudinal displacement.

The flat pace 22 shown in more detail in Figures 3 and 4, is of conventional design and takes the form of a board blank which has been folded into a flat rectangular parcel to contain an array of tablets. An orifice 24 is provided in one side of the fat pack adjacent one conifer. The orifice is of such size that only one tablet can pass at a time. Tablets are brought to the orifice 24 by shaking, and extracted from the orifice under gravity by inverting the pack 22. A second similar orifice 26 is provided in the opposite side adjacent the opposite corner.

The pack is inserted into the container with one of the orifices located directly under the cover. The sliding of the cover in the approrriate direction will expose the orifice in the pack to allow a tablet to be withdrawn, but because the cover still partially covers the opening the flat pack will be retained in the container by the cover.

In the container shown in Figures 5 to 8 parts similar to those shown in Figures I to 4 are similarly referenced.

As shown in Figure 6, the cover 14 is identical in construction to the cover of Figure 2.

The grooves 36 in the wall are 'U'-shaped rather than 'V' shaped and therefore do not have any cam action effect on the cover 14. Each groove has two parallel sides and the flanges 14a of the cover are biased into engagement with the side closet to the opening 18 by the spring action produced by the rim of the body 1 2 surrounding the opening as will now be described.

A longitudinally extending slot 30 is moulded into each wall 12a of the body 12 between the groove 36 and the opening 18. The rim of the wall 12a and the slot 30 are so profiled that in the relaxed state they define a bowed spring member 32 (see Figure 7) which, when the cover 14 is mounted on the body portion 12 with the flanges engaging the grooves, is fo ced against its own resilience to reduce the width of the slot 30. The spring member 32 thus urges the cover in a direction away from the opening and this ensures that the flanges of the cover engage the near side walls of their corresponding grooves. As with the container of Figures I and 2, abutments 20 are provided to prevent the cover from being displaced longi tudinally.

To open the cover the cover must first be pressed downwardly as in the case of the container of Figures I to 4 before it can be displaced longitudinally.

No pack correspnding to the pack 22 of Figures 3 and 4 is provided for this second embodiment, although one may be provided if desired.

Correspondingly, the pack 22 may be omitted from the first embodiment.

In the container shown in Figures 9 parts similar to those in Figures 5 to 8 are similarly referenced.

In Figure 9 the cover in addition to having a structure as shown in Figure 6 has a lip 14d at one axial end. When the cover closes the opening, the lip 14d closes the gap between the rim of the body portion and the cover at that axial end. The rim of the body portion is built up at the opposite axial end to reduce the gap between the rim of the body portion and the cover at that axial end.

In addition the abutments 20 at the latter axial end are extended to close the respective grooves 1 6 completely.

It will be appreciated that with this arrangement the cover can only be displaced in one of the two opposite longitudinal directions to open the container.

In the container shown in Figures 10 and 11, parts similar to those in Figures 5 to 8 are similarly referenced. AS shown in Figures 10 and 11, the cover is of plastics rather than metal and the spring member 32 is replaced by a bowed spring member 42 which is integrally moulded on the inner face of the base of the cover 14 and has opposite free ends (one of which is visible in Figure 10) slidably engaging the rims of the two walls 12a. The spring member 42 acts in a manner similar to integral spring member 32 of Figure 7.

It will be appreciated that the spring member 42 also acts to close the gap between the cover and the rim of the container at opposite longitudinal ends thereof when the cover closes the opening 18.

In a modification of the described embodiments the abutment or abutments 20 of each groove 16 is or are replaced by a series of abutments which are spaced at regular intervals along the groove. The flanges 14a are correspondingly formed with gaps which accomodate the abutments when the cover is in its lifted condition. On depression of the cover the flanges 1 4a are disengaged irom the abutments so as, as before, to allow the cover to be slid open for dispensing.

In a further modification of each of the described embodiments, (which may be applied to the previous modification if desired), the cover is held permanently captive on the body portion so that it cannot be slid off even when depressed sufficiently for the flange 14a to pass beneath the faces 20a of the abutments 20 as described above. This holding captive of the cover is achieved by further abutments which partially or wholly close respective ones of the grooves 16 part way along the lengths of the grooves. The further abutments are accomodated within full or partial depth gaps in the flanges 14a. In relation to the length of the further abutments, these gaps are of a greater length which allows a desired limiting sliding movement of the cover between its closed position and a position and a position which allows a tablet to be dispensed.As before, this sliding movement has, at least initially, to be accompanied by depression of the cover to enable the flanges 14a to pass beneath the faces 20a.

When the described containers have been loaded with tablets they are encased in a Cellophane (Registered Trade Mark) wrapper.

Instead of the grooves being located in the external surface of the two longitudinally extending walls they can be located in the internal surfaces thereof. The cover will then of course need to have outwardly rather than inwardly directed flanges and slots will need to be provided in the transversdly extending end walls of the body to allow the side walls of the cover to pass.

Wl-IATWE CLAIM IS 1 A dispensing container, comprising an open topped box defining an elongate opening, each of two opposite side walls of the box which extend longitudinally of the opening having a longitudinally extending groove or ridge, a channel-shaped elongate cover having transversely extending flanges along side walls thereof, the flanges engaging respective ones of the grooves or ridges to constrain the cover for sliding movement in the longitudinal direction across the opening top of the box but to allow a predetermined amount of play between the cover and the box and normal to the plane of the open top, biasing means biasing the cover away from the box to take up the said play, and abutment means located in said grooves or ridges to limit sliding movement of the cover relative to the box when the play is taken up, the abutment means extending transversely of the grooves or ridges by an amount less than said predetermined play whereby when the cover is displaced against the biasing force the abutment means no longer obstructs sliding movement of the cover relative to the box.

2. A container according to claim 1, wherein the biasing means comprises the resilience of the cover acting on a surface of the groove or ridge which is inclined to the plane of the longer tudinally extending wall in a sense two provide the cover with a reaction having a component in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the open top.

3. A container according to claim 1, wherein the biasing means is provided by a usually bowed resilient portion of the rim of the box but which is displaced towards the open top against its resilience by the cover when the cover is made to engage the grooves or ridges.

4. A container according to claim 1, wherein the biasing means comprises a bowed leaf spring mounted on the cover and arranged to slidingly engage the rim of the box.

5. A container according to any preceding claim, wherein the abutment means comprises a plurality of projections located at regularly spaced intervals along each groove or ridge and wherein each flange is provided with a plurality of recesses which are arranged to accommodate respective ones of the projections when the cover is displaced away from said box to take up said play.

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

Claims (13)

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

   at one axial end. When the cover closes the opening, the lip 14d closes the gap between the rim of the body portion and the cover at that axial end. The rim of the body portion is built up at the opposite axial end to reduce the gap between the rim of the body portion and the cover at that axial end.

   In addition the abutments 20 at the latter axial end are extended to close the respective grooves 1 6 completely.

   It will be appreciated that with this arrangement the cover can only be displaced in one of the two opposite longitudinal directions to open the container.

   In the container shown in Figures 10 and 11, parts similar to those in Figures 5 to 8 are similarly referenced. AS shown in Figures 10 and 11, the cover is of plastics rather than metal and the spring member 32 is replaced by a bowed spring member 42 which is integrally moulded on the inner face of the base of the cover 14 and has opposite free ends (one of which is visible in Figure 10) slidably engaging the rims of the two walls 12a. The spring member 42 acts in a manner similar to integral spring member 32 of Figure 7.

   It will be appreciated that the spring member 42 also acts to close the gap between the cover and the rim of the container at opposite longitudinal ends thereof when the cover closes the opening 18.

   In a modification of the described embodiments the abutment or abutments 20 of each groove 16 is or are replaced by a series of abutments which are spaced at regular intervals along the groove. The flanges 14a are correspondingly formed with gaps which accomodate the abutments when the cover is in its lifted condition. On depression of the cover the flanges 1 4a are disengaged irom the abutments so as, as before, to allow the cover to be slid open for dispensing.

   In a further modification of each of the described embodiments, (which may be applied to the previous modification if desired), the cover is held permanently captive on the body portion so that it cannot be slid off even when depressed sufficiently for the flange 14a to pass beneath the faces 20a of the abutments 20 as described above. This holding captive of the cover is achieved by further abutments which partially or wholly close respective ones of the grooves 16 part way along the lengths of the grooves. The further abutments are accomodated within full or partial depth gaps in the flanges 14a. In relation to the length of the further abutments, these gaps are of a greater length which allows a desired limiting sliding movement of the cover between its closed position and a position and a position which allows a tablet to be dispensed.As before, this sliding movement has, at least initially, to be accompanied by depression of the cover to enable the flanges 14a to pass beneath the faces 20a.

   When the described containers have been loaded with tablets they are encased in a Cellophane (Registered Trade Mark) wrapper.

   Instead of the grooves being located in the external surface of the two longitudinally extending walls they can be located in the internal surfaces thereof. The cover will then of course need to have outwardly rather than inwardly directed flanges and slots will need to be provided in the transversdly extending end walls of the body to allow the side walls of the cover to pass.

   Wl-IATWE CLAIM IS 1 A dispensing container, comprising an open topped box defining an elongate opening, each of two opposite side walls of the box which extend longitudinally of the opening having a longitudinally extending groove or ridge, a channel-shaped elongate cover having transversely extending flanges along side walls thereof, the flanges engaging respective ones of the grooves or ridges to constrain the cover for sliding movement in the longitudinal direction across the opening top of the box but to allow a predetermined amount of play between the cover and the box and normal to the plane of the open top, biasing means biasing the cover away from the box to take up the said play, and abutment means located in said grooves or ridges to limit sliding movement of the cover relative to the box when the play is taken up, the abutment means extending transversely of the grooves or ridges by an amount less than said predetermined play whereby when the cover is displaced against the biasing force the abutment means no longer obstructs sliding movement of the cover relative to the box.
2. 2. A container according to claim 1, wherein the biasing means comprises the resilience of the cover acting on a surface of the groove or ridge which is inclined to the plane of the longer tudinally extending wall in a sense two provide the cover with a reaction having a component in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the open top.
3. 3. A container according to claim 1, wherein the biasing means is provided by a usually bowed resilient portion of the rim of the box but which is displaced towards the open top against its resilience by the cover when the cover is made to engage the grooves or ridges.
4. 4. A container according to claim 1, wherein the biasing means comprises a bowed leaf spring mounted on the cover and arranged to slidingly engage the rim of the box.
5. 5. A container according to any preceding claim, wherein the abutment means comprises a plurality of projections located at regularly spaced intervals along each groove or ridge and wherein each flange is provided with a plurality of recesses which are arranged to accommodate respective ones of the projections when the cover is displaced away from said box to take up said play.
6. 6. A container according to any preceding

   claim, including stops which extend the whole extent transversely of each said groove or ridge to limit the extent of relative longitudinal displacement between the cover and box and thereby hold the cover captive on the box.
7. 7. A container according to any preceding claim, wherein the grooves or ridges extend along tlic internal suil'accs of the longitudinal walls of the box and wherein the flanges of the cover are directed outwardly of the cover.
8. 8. A container according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the grooves or ridges extend along the external surfaces of the longi- tudinal walls of the box and wherein the flanges of the cover are directed inwardly towards each other.
9. 9. A container according-to any preceding claim. wherein the box and the cover are both of plastics.
10. 10. A dispensing container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.
11. 11. A dispensing container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 5 to 8 of the accompanying drawings.
12. 12. A dispensing container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 9 of the accompanying drawings.
13. 13. A dispensing container stabstantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 10 and 11 of the accompanying drawings.