Apparatus for and method of shipping a child-resistant medicate container

• US 8,359,816 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2011
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Juno Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: Juno Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Guschke, Thomas, Lee, Richard M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Durand, Paul R
• Application Number:
  US13/114,214
• Publication Number:
  US 20110289884A1
• Time in Patent Office: 616 Days
• Field of Search: 534/47, 534/48, 534/50, 534/51, 534/67, 534/11, 531/74, 531/70
• US Class Current: 53/411
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/03 for pills or tablets containers for pills or tablets with special dispensing means therefor B65D83/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/04 Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine, e.g. programmed dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 7/20 by folding-down preformed flaps
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2577/043 arranged side by side
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 77/003 Articles enclosed in rigid or semi-rigid containers, the whole being wrapped
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 77/0413 the inner and outer containers being rigid or semi-rigid and the outer container being of polygonal cross-section formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks, e.g. carton
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 77/0453 the inner container having a polygonal cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/0409 the dispensing means being adapted for delivering one article, or a single dose, upon each actuation B65D83/0445 takes precedence

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.

Claims

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 housing defining a front sidewall, an opposing rear sidewall, a right sidewall, an opposing left sidewall, the at least one child-resistant medicate container further including 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, a cover being slidably attached to the housing and surrounding at least a portion of each of the front, rear, right and left sidewalls of the housing, the cover 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 at least one 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 at least one medicate to be dispensed from the at least one child-resistant medicate container, a first projection extending outwardly from one of the right and left sidewall and a groove formed in a portion of the cover, the groove extending outwardly beyond an outer periphery of the aperture, the groove being sized and shaped to receive at least a portion of the projection therein when the cover is in the second position;

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.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

filling the at least one child-resistant medicate container with a specified type and specified amount of medicate prior to inserting the at least one child-resistant medicate container into the package.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

applying at least three distinct labels to at least a portion of at least one of the front and rear sidewalls of the at least one child-resistant medicate container prior to inserting the at least one child-resistant medicate container into the package, wherein each label is placed at a separate location on at least a portion of the at least one of the front and rear sidewalls so the labels do not overlap on the at least one child-resistant medicate container.

4. A method of shipping at least one child-resistant medicate container via a carrier, the method comprising:

providing or obtaining at least one child-resistant medicate container including a housing defining a front sidewall, an opposing rear sidewall, a right sidewall an opposing left sidewall, the at least one child-resistant medicate container further including 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, a cover being slidably attached to the housing and surrounding at least a portion of each of the front, rear, right and left sidewalls of the housing, the cover 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 at least one 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 at least one medicate to be dispensed from the at least one child-resistant medicate container;

applying a label on the front sidewall of the at least one child-resistant medicate container;

applying a label on the rear sidewall of the at least one child-resistant medicate container;

applying a label on the cover of the at least one child-resistant medicate container;

creating or obtaining a flat-rate shipping package from a carrier;

inserting the at least one child-resistant medicate container into the package;

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

causing the closed package to be shipped or transported by the carrier at a flat-rate.