Child resistant dispensing closure package

• US 20050199527A1
• Filed: 03/12/2004
• Published: 09/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Paradigm Packaging Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Paradigm Packaging Incorporated
• Inventors: Zats, Aleksey, Nyman, Henry H., Ellis, Douglas
• Granted Patent: US 7,114,619 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 206/540
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 50/046 and such deformation causes the disengagement of locking means, e.g. the release of a pawl-like element from a tooth or abutment, to allow removal of the closure by simultaneous rotation

Abstract

A medicine container includes a child-resistant closure with a tamper-evident feature. The closure includes a plug adapted to be fixed to the container adjacent the open end. The plug has an access opening for enabling removal of material from the container through the open end of the container. A slide is supported on the plug for sliding movement in a first direction relative to the plug between a closed position in which the slide covers the access opening and an open position in which the access opening is uncovered. A child-resistant feature is interposed between the plug and the slide. The closure also includes a tamper-evident feature that permanently indicates breaking of the original seal of the container. The container may have a rectangular configuration including at least one surface large enough for a mailing address label; and a sealable window mailer envelope for receiving the medicine container.

Claims

1. A child-resistant closure for a container having an end, comprising:

a plug adapted to be fixed to the container adjacent the container end, said plug having an access opening for enabling removal of material from the container through the container end;

a slide supported on the plug for sliding movement in a first direction relative to the plug between a closed position in which said slide covers said access opening and an open position in which said access opening is uncovered; and

a child-resistant feature interposed between said plug and said slide.

2. A closure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said slide has a plurality of open positions in which said access opening is uncovered to a greater or lesser extent.

3. A closure as set forth in claim 2 including a retainer for retaining said slide in any selected one of the plurality of open positions.

4. A closure as set forth in claim 3 wherein said retainer comprises a plurality of ratchet teeth on said plug that are engaged by a portion of said slide as said slide moves between the open and closed positions.

5. A closure as set forth in claim 1 further including a child-resistant feature interposed between said plug and said slide.

6. A closure as set forth in claim 5 wherein said child-resistant feature comprises blocking portions that are released in response to said inward pushing force to disengage said blocking portions.

7. A closure as set forth in claim 6 wherein said slide is deformed in response to said inward pushing force

8. A closure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said slide makes a clicking noise when it is being opened and when it is being closed.

9. A closure as set forth in claim 1 further including a tamper-evident feature that permanently indicates breaking of the original seal of said container.

10. A closure as set forth in claim 9 wherein said tamper-evident feature includes a detachable portion that moves with said slide from the closed position to the open position during breaking of the original seal of said container and that does not thereafter return with said slide to the closed position.

11. A child-resistant closure for a container having an end, comprising:

a plug adapted to be fixed to the container adjacent the open end of the container, said plug having an access opening;

a slide supported on the plug for sliding movement relative to the plug between a closed position in which said slide covers said access opening and an open position in which said access opening is at least partially uncovered to enable removal of material from the container through the open end of the container; and

a tamper-evident member adjacent said slide prior to breaking the original seal of the container;

said tamper-evident member moving with said slide when said slide is first moved from the closed position to the open position to break the original seal of the container;

said slide and said tamper-evident member remaining connected with said plug after said tamper-evident member detaches from said slide.

12. A closure as set forth in claim 11 wherein said tamper-evident member is moved along said plug by said slide when said slide moves from the closed position to the open position upon breaking of the original seal of the container, said tamper-evident member remaining spaced apart from said slide when said slide is thereafter moved from the open position to the closed position.

13. A closure as set forth in claim 12 wherein said plug includes a plurality of teeth and said slide has a portion that slides along said teeth during opening movement of said slide thereby producing an audible indication of opening movement and also thereby slightly resisting opening movement to provide a tactile indication of such movement.

14. A closure as set forth in claim 13 wherein said teeth block movement of said tamper-evident member in a direction from the open position to the closed position.

15. A closure as set forth in claim 11 wherein said tamper-evident member is a detachable member that is connected with said slide prior to breaking the original seal of the container, said detachable member detaching from said slide and moving with said slide when said slide is first moved from the closed position to the open position to break the original seal of the container.

16. A closure as set forth in claim 15 wherein said detachable member remains spaced apart from said slide when said slide is thereafter moved from the open position to the closed position.

17. A package comprising:

a medicine container having a generally rectangular configuration including at least one side surface large enough for placement of a mailing address label; and

a sealable mailer envelope for receiving said medicine container, said mailer envelope having a transparent window through which said address label on said container is visible when said container is received in said mailer envelope.

18. A package as set forth in claim 17 wherein said at least one side surface is flat.

19. A package as set forth in claim 17 wherein said rectangular medicine container further has a flat spine surface large enough for placement of medicine identifying information.

20. A package as set forth in claim 17 including a child-resistant closure on an open end of said container, said closure having a push-to-slide configuration.

21. A package as set forth in claim 20 wherein said closure includes a detachable portion that permanently indicates breaking of the original seal of said container.

22. A medicine container with a closure, said closure including a plug adjacent an end of said container, said plug having an access opening for enabling removal of material from the container through the container end, said closure including a slide supported on the plug for sliding movement in a first direction relative to the plug between a closed position in which said slide covers said access opening and an open position in which said access opening is uncovered, and a child-resistant feature on said closure.

23. A container with a closure as set forth in claim 22 wherein said slide is pushed down relative to said plug to enable sliding movement of said slide in the opening direction.

24. A container with a closure as set forth in claim 23 further including a tamper-evident feature.

25. A container with a closure as set forth in claim 24 wherein said tamper-evident feature comprises a member that moves with said slide from the closed position to the open position upon breaking of the original seal of said container.