Dispensing container
First Claim
1. A dispensing container, comprising:
- an outer casing body having a cavity therein and an open end;
a dispensing tray adapted for sliding movement within the cavity of the outer casing body between a closed and locked position and a dispensing position, the dispensing tray comprising an internal storage compartment adapted for storage of a plurality of units of a product to be dispensed, a dispensing window through which a stored unit of product is accessible when the dispensing tray is in the dispensing position, and a stop adapted for engaging the outer casing body to prevent removal of the dispensing tray from the cavity of the outer casing body; and
a locking mechanism adapted for releasably locking the dispensing tray in the closed and locked position, the locking mechanism comprising one or more protrusions projecting from the outer casing body into the cavity and positioned adjacent to a moveable flap formed in the outer casing body, and one or more recesses carried by the dispensing tray and operatively positioned to engage the one or more protrusions when the dispensing tray is in the closed and locked position, such that depressing the flap will effect separation of the one or more protrusions from the one or more recesses and allow sliding movement of the dispensing tray within the outer casing body;
wherein the storage compartment of the dispensing tray has a floor facing the moveable flap of the outer casing body in which at least one opening extends longitudinally in the direction of travel of the dispensing tray, and wherein the outer casing body comprises at least one longitudinally extending ridge operatively positioned to move into engagement with the at least one opening of the storage compartment as the dispensing tray slides from the dispensing position to the closed and locked position, the at least one longitudinally extending ridge being positioned to contact a unit of stored product adjacent to the floor of the storage compartment while moving into engagement with the at least one opening.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A container for dispensing a product is provided, the container including an outer casing body having a cavity; a dispensing tray adapted for sliding movement within the cavity of the outer casing body between a closed and locked position and a dispensing position, the dispensing tray having an internal storage compartment for storage of a plurality of units of a product to be dispensed, a dispensing window, and a stop for engaging the outer casing body to prevent removal of the dispensing tray from the cavity; and a locking mechanism for releasably locking the dispensing tray in the cavity, the locking mechanism including protrusions projecting from the outer casing body into the cavity and positioned adjacent to a moveable flap formed in the outer casing body, and recesses carried by the dispensing tray and positioned to engage the protrusions when the dispensing tray is in the closed and locked position.
103 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A dispensing container, comprising:
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an outer casing body having a cavity therein and an open end; a dispensing tray adapted for sliding movement within the cavity of the outer casing body between a closed and locked position and a dispensing position, the dispensing tray comprising an internal storage compartment adapted for storage of a plurality of units of a product to be dispensed, a dispensing window through which a stored unit of product is accessible when the dispensing tray is in the dispensing position, and a stop adapted for engaging the outer casing body to prevent removal of the dispensing tray from the cavity of the outer casing body; and a locking mechanism adapted for releasably locking the dispensing tray in the closed and locked position, the locking mechanism comprising one or more protrusions projecting from the outer casing body into the cavity and positioned adjacent to a moveable flap formed in the outer casing body, and one or more recesses carried by the dispensing tray and operatively positioned to engage the one or more protrusions when the dispensing tray is in the closed and locked position, such that depressing the flap will effect separation of the one or more protrusions from the one or more recesses and allow sliding movement of the dispensing tray within the outer casing body; wherein the storage compartment of the dispensing tray has a floor facing the moveable flap of the outer casing body in which at least one opening extends longitudinally in the direction of travel of the dispensing tray, and wherein the outer casing body comprises at least one longitudinally extending ridge operatively positioned to move into engagement with the at least one opening of the storage compartment as the dispensing tray slides from the dispensing position to the closed and locked position, the at least one longitudinally extending ridge being positioned to contact a unit of stored product adjacent to the floor of the storage compartment while moving into engagement with the at least one opening. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A dispensing container, comprising:
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an outer casing body having a cavity therein and an open end, the outer casing body comprising a first surface comprising a moveable flap accessible from the exterior of the container, one or more protrusions projecting from the outer casing body into the cavity and positioned adjacent to the moveable flap, and at least one longitudinally extending ridge; and a dispensing tray adapted for sliding movement within the cavity of the outer casing body between a closed and locked position and a dispensing position, the dispensing tray comprising an internal storage compartment adapted for storage of a plurality of units of a product to be dispensed and having a floor facing the first surface of the outer casing body, the floor comprising at least one opening extending longitudinally in the direction of travel of the dispensing tray, wherein the at least one longitudinally extending ridge of the outer casing body is operatively positioned to move into engagement with the at least one opening of the storage compartment as the dispensing tray slides from the dispensing position to the closed and locked position, a dispensing window through which a stored unit of product is accessible when the dispensing tray is in the dispensing position, a dispensing chamber accessible through the dispensing window and adjacent to the storage compartment, a stop adapted for engaging the outer casing body to prevent removal of the dispensing tray from the cavity of the outer casing body, and a locking plate having one or more recesses therein, the one or more recesses of the locking plate operatively positioned to engage the one or more protrusions of the outer casing body, wherein the storage compartment is defined in part by a moveable retention tab having a first section extending substantially parallel to the floor of the storage compartment and a second section extending substantially perpendicular to the first section and forming a barrier between the storage compartment and the dispensing chamber, the retention tab operatively configured to deflect toward the floor of the storage compartment. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of dispensing a product from a container, comprising:
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providing a container in a closed and locked position, the container comprising an outer casing body having a cavity therein and an open end, the outer casing body comprising a first surface comprising a moveable flap accessible from the exterior of the container, one or more protrusions projecting from the outer casing body into the cavity and positioned adjacent to the moveable flap, and at least one longitudinally extending ridge; and a dispensing tray adapted for sliding movement within the cavity of the outer casing body between a closed and locked position and a dispensing position, the dispensing tray comprising an internal storage compartment adapted for storage of a plurality of units of a product to be dispensed and having a floor facing the first surface of the outer casing body, the floor comprising at least one opening extending longitudinally in the direction of travel of the dispensing tray, wherein the at least one longitudinally extending ridge of the outer casing body is operatively positioned to move into engagement with the at least one opening of the storage compartment as the dispensing tray slides from the dispensing position to the closed and locked position, a dispensing window through which a stored unit of product is accessible when the dispensing tray is in the dispensing position, a dispensing chamber accessible through the dispensing window and adjacent to the storage compartment, a stop adapted for engaging the outer casing body to prevent removal of the dispensing tray from the cavity of the outer casing body, and a locking plate having one or more recesses therein, the one or more recesses of the locking plate engaged with the one or more protrusions of the outer casing body, wherein the storage compartment is defined in part by a moveable retention tab having a first section extending substantially parallel to the floor of the storage compartment and a second section extending substantially perpendicular to the first section and forming a barrier between the storage compartment and the dispensing chamber, the retention tab operatively configured to deflect toward the floor of the storage compartment; depressing the moveable flap of the outer casing body such that the locking plate deflects away from the one or more protrusions of the outer casing body and disengages the protrusions from the recesses in the locking plate; while maintaining the moveable flap of the outer casing body in the depressed state, sliding the dispensing tray into a dispensing position wherein the dispensing window is accessible from the exterior of the container; removing at least one unit of the product from the dispensing chamber, if present; sliding the dispensing tray into the closed and locked position, the at least one longitudinally extending ridge engaging a unit of product adjacent to the floor of the storage compartment as the dispensing tray slides toward the closed and locked position and urging the unit of product under the retention tab and into the dispensing chamber, the retention tab deflecting toward the floor of the storage compartment as the dispensing tray slides toward the closed and locked position such that only the unit of product engaged by the at least one longitudinally extending ridge is removed from the storage compartment; depressing again the moveable flap of the outer casing body such that locking plate deflects away from the one or more protrusions of the outer casing body and disengages the protrusions from the recesses in the locking plate; while maintaining the moveable flap of the outer casing body in the depressed state, again sliding the dispensing tray into a dispensing position wherein the dispensing window is accessible from the exterior of the container; and removing at least one unit of product from the dispensing chamber. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification