APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF SHIPPING A CHILD-RESISTANT MEDICATE CONTAINER
First Claim
1. A method of shipping at least one child-resistant medicate container via a carrier, the method comprising:
- a) providing or obtaining at least one child-resistant medicate container including a front sidewall, an opposing rear sidewall, a right sidewall, an opposing left sidewall, and at least one locking mechanism, each of the front and rear sidewalls defining a plane such that the plane of the front sidewall and the plane of the rear sidewall extend generally parallel to each other, each of the right and left sidewalls defining a plane such that the plane of the right sidewall and the plane of the left sidewall extend generally parallel to each other, the right sidewall extending generally perpendicularly to the front sidewall;
b) creating or obtaining a flat-rate shipping package from a carrier;
c) inserting the at least one child-resistant medicate container into the package;
d) closing the package to enclose the at least one child-resistant medicate container within the package so that the package is generally flat and acceptable by the carrier for flat-rate shipping; and
e) causing the closed package to be shipped or transported by the carrier at a flat-rate.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of shipping at least one child-resistant medicate container via a carrier includes providing or obtaining at least one child-resistant medicate container including a front sidewall, and an opposing rear sidewall, a right sidewall, an opposing left sidewall, and at least one locking mechanism. The method also includes creating or obtaining a flat-rate shipping package from a carrier, inserting the at least one child-resistant medicate container into the package, and closing the package to enclose the at least one child-resistant medicate container within the package so that the package is generally flat and acceptable by the carrier for a flat-rate shipping. The method also includes causing the closed package to be shipped or transported by the carrier at a flat-rate.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method of shipping at least one child-resistant medicate container via a carrier, the method comprising:
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a) providing or obtaining at least one child-resistant medicate container including a front sidewall, an opposing rear sidewall, a right sidewall, an opposing left sidewall, and at least one locking mechanism, each of the front and rear sidewalls defining a plane such that the plane of the front sidewall and the plane of the rear sidewall extend generally parallel to each other, each of the right and left sidewalls defining a plane such that the plane of the right sidewall and the plane of the left sidewall extend generally parallel to each other, the right sidewall extending generally perpendicularly to the front sidewall; b) creating or obtaining a flat-rate shipping package from a carrier; c) inserting the at least one child-resistant medicate container into the package; d) closing the package to enclose the at least one child-resistant medicate container within the package so that the package is generally flat and acceptable by the carrier for flat-rate shipping; and e) causing the closed package to be shipped or transported by the carrier at a flat-rate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of shipping at least two child-resistant medicate containers via a carrier, the method comprising:
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a) providing or obtaining at least one child-resistant medicate container including a front sidewall, an opposing rear sidewall, a right sidewall, an opposing left sidewall, and at least one locking mechanism, each of the front and rear sidewalls defining a plane such that the plane of the front sidewall and the plane of the rear sidewall extend generally parallel to each other, each of the right and left sidewalls defining a plane such that the plane of the right sidewall and the plane of the left sidewall extend generally parallel to each other, the right sidewall extending generally perpendicularly to the front sidewall; b) at least partially filling each of the at least two child-resistant medicate containers with a specified type and specified amount of medicate; c) dispensing or laying a first packaging material on a surface; d) placing each of the at least two child-resistant medicate containers onto the first packaging material; e) spacing apart each of the at least two child-resistant medicate containers on the first packaging material by a predetermined distance; f) dispensing or laying a second packaging material to at least partially cover each of the at least two child-resistant medicate containers between the first and second packaging material; g) sealing the first and second packaging material together to form a closed package that encloses each of the at least two child-resistant medicate containers therebetween; and h) causing the closed package to be shipped or transported by the carrier at a flat-rate. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. An apparatus for shipping or transporting at least one child-resistant medicate container via a carrier at a flat rate, the apparatus comprising:
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a top surface and an opposing bottom surface, the top and bottom surfaces each defining a plane such that the plane of the top surface and the plane of the bottom surface extend generally parallel to each other, the top and bottom surface being spaced-apart a predetermined distance; a front sidewall and an opposing rear sidewall, the front and rear sidewalls each defining a plane such that the plane of the front sidewall and the plane of the rear sidewall extend generally parallel to each other, the planes defined by the front and rear sidewalls extending generally perpendicularly to the planes defined by the top and bottom surfaces; a right sidewall and an opposing left sidewall, the right and left sidewalls each defining a plane such that the plane of the right sidewall and the plane of the left sidewall extend generally parallel to each other, the planes defined by the right and left sidewalls extending generally perpendicularly to the planes defined by the top and bottom surfaces and the front and rear sidewalls; at least one opening extending through the top surface, the at least one opening being sized and shaped to receive at least a portion of at least one child-resistant medicate container therein. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A combination of at least one child-resistant medicate container and an apparatus for shipping or transporting the at least one child-resistant medicate container via a carrier at a flat rate, the combination comprising:
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the at least one child-resistant medicate container including; a housing having an open first end and an opposing closed second end, the housing at least partially enclosing a storage cavity, the housing including a top segment fixedly attached to and extending from a bottom segment, a portion of the bottom segment being located proximate the closed second end of the housing and a portion of the top segment being located proximate the open first end of the housing, each of the bottom segment and the top segment including a generally flat first sidewall and an opposing generally flat second sidewall that define the storage cavity, each sidewall defining a plane and each plane extending generally parallel with respect to the remaining planes, the planes defined by the first and second sidewalls of the bottom segment being spaced-apart a greater distance than a distance between the planes defined by the first and second sidewalls of the top segment; and a cover movably attached to the housing and surrounding at least a portion of the first and second sidewalls of the top segment of the housing, one of the cover and the top segment of the housing including an aperture formed in a sidewall thereof, the cover being movable between a first position in which the aperture is substantially blocked to prevent medicate from being dispensed from the at least one child-resistant medicate container and a second position in which the aperture is at least partially open to allow the medicate to be dispensed from the at least one child-resistant medicate container; the apparatus including; a top surface and an opposing bottom surface, the top and bottom surfaces each defining a plane such that the plane of the top surface and the plane of the bottom surface extend generally parallel to each other, the top and bottom surface being spaced-apart a predetermined distance; a front sidewall and an opposing rear sidewall, the front and rear sidewalls each defining a plane such that the plane of the front sidewall and the plane of the rear sidewall extend generally parallel to each other, the planes defined by the front and rear sidewalls extending generally perpendicularly to the planes defined by the top and bottom surfaces; a right sidewall and an opposing left sidewall, the right and left sidewalls each defining a plane such that the plane of the right sidewall and the plane of the left sidewall extend generally parallel to each other, the planes defines by the right and left sidewalls extending generally perpendicularly to the planes defined by the top and bottom surfaces and the front and rear sidewalls; and at least one opening extending through the top surface, the at least one opening being sized and shaped to receive at least a portion of the at least one child-resistant medicate container therein. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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Specification