Dispensing container

• US 8,397,945 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2010
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R J Reynolds Tobacco Company (R. J. Reynolds Tobacco)
• Original Assignee: R J Reynolds Tobacco Company (R. J. Reynolds Tobacco)
• Inventors: Gelardi, John A., Bailey, Ryan A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford, Gene O.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kumar, Rakesh
• Application Number:
  US12/814,015
• Publication Number:
  US 20110204074A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 206/538, 206/473, 206/539, 206/534, 206/534.2, 206/486, 221/172, 221/154, 221/197, 221/45, 221/46, 221/246, 221/255, 221/256, 221/268, 220/849, 220/839
• US Class Current: 221/45
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/02 for dispensing rod-shaped articles, e.g. needles packages for cigarettes provided with dispensing means B65D85/1009; dispensers for drinking straws A47G21/184
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/0427 the articles being dispensed by inverting the container each time, by which action movable parts may be displaced by their own weight
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/10 for cigarettes
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/60 for sweets or like confectionery products

Abstract

A container adapted for dispensing a product is provided. The container includes an outer casing body for receiving a dispensing tray. The dispensing tray has an internal storage compartment for storage of a plurality of units of a product to be dispensed, and includes a cover portion defining at least one dispensing aperture through which a stored unit of product is accessible when the outer casing body is in a dispensing position. A sealing member is engaged with one of the outer casing body and the dispensing tray, and is configured to interact with the other of the outer casing body and the dispensing tray to form a seal about an outer peripheral portion of the dispensing tray when the outer casing body is in a closed and locked position. The container includes a locking mechanism that releasably locks the outer casing body in the closed and locked position.

Claims

1. A dispensing container, comprising:

an outer casing body having a cavity therein, the outer casing body having first and second portions cooperatively configured such that the outer casing body is capable of moving between a closed and locked position and a dispensing position, wherein at least one of the first and second portions of the outer casing body include an interior wall facing the interior of the cavity;

a dispensing tray inserted within the cavity of the outer casing body and having an outer peripheral portion configured to conform to the shape of the interior wall of the outer casing body, the dispensing tray comprising an internal storage compartment adapted for storage of a plurality of units of a product to be dispensed;

a cover plate removably secured to the dispensing tray and defining at least one dispensing aperture through which a stored unit of product is accessible from the internal storage compartment of the dispensing tray when the outer casing body is in the dispensing position;

a sealing member operably engaged with one of the interior wall of the outer casing body and the dispensing tray, the sealing member comprising a rib structure configured to form a seal between the interior wall of the outer casing body and the outer peripheral portion of the dispensing tray when the outer casing body is in the closed and locked position, the interior wall of the outer casing body and the outer peripheral portion of the dispensing tray extending substantially parallel to one another with the rib structure extending substantially perpendicularly therebetween in the closed and locked position; and

a locking mechanism operably engaged with the outer casing body and configured to releasably lock the outer casing body in the closed and locked position, wherein the locking mechanism is spaced apart from the outer peripheral portion of the dispensing tray.

2. The dispensing container of claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism comprises at least one protrusion projecting from the second portion of the outer casing body and positioned adjacent to a moveable flap formed in the second portion of the outer casing body, and at least one aperture defined by the first portion of the outer casing body and operatively positioned to engage the at least one protrusion when the outer casing body is in the closed and locked position, such that depressing the flap will effect separation of the at least one protrusion from the at least one aperture and allow separation of the first and second portions of the outer casing body.

3. The dispensing container of claim 1, wherein the dispensing tray is seated within the second portion of the outer casing body, and the first portion of the outer casing body comprises a substantially planar portion and said interior wall extending substantially perpendicular thereto and having an internal surface, the rib structure being integrally formed with and longitudinally extending about the interior wall to form the sealing member.

4. The dispensing container of claim 1, wherein the sealing member is configured to form an interference fit between the interior wall of the outer casing body and the outer peripheral portion of the dispensing tray when the outer casing body is in the closed and locked position.

5. The dispensing container of claim 1, wherein the dispensing tray is integrally formed with the outer casing body.

6. The dispensing container of claim 1, wherein the first and second portions of the outer casing body are hingedly coupled to facilitate movement between the closed and locked position and the dispensing position.

7. The dispensing container of claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a button that is depressed to release the dispensing container from the closed and locked position.

8. The dispensing container of claim 1, wherein the dispensing aperture is sized for passage of a single unit of the product.

9. The dispensing container of claim 1, wherein the internal storage compartment comprises a plurality of products.

10. The dispensing container of claim 1, wherein the product is characterized by a shape selected from the group consisting of pill, tablet, strip, orb, sphere, sheet, coin, cube, bead, ovoid, obloid, bean, stick, and rod.

11. The dispensing container of claim 1, wherein the product is selected from the group consisting of pharmaceutical products, smoking products, smokeless tobacco products, snack products, and confectionary products.

12. The dispensing container of claim 1, wherein the product is a smokeless tobacco product.

13. The dispensing container of claim 1, wherein the product is selected from the group consisting of pharmaceutical products, candies, mints, and gums.

14. The dispensing container of claim 1, wherein the dispensing tray includes at least one wall portion extending toward the cover plate and the cover plate comprises a wall portion that extends toward the dispensing tray, the wall portion of the dispensing tray and the wall portion of the cover plate cooperatively defining a non-linear dispensing pathway configured to direct the product to the dispensing aperture.

15. The dispensing container of claim 1, wherein the dispensing tray further comprises a floor configured to support the units of product thereon such that the dispensing tray substantially encapsulates the units of the product, the floor defining one or more indentations in axial alignment with the at least one dispensing aperture and configured to facilitate removal of one of the units of product.

16. A method of dispensing a product from a container, comprising:

providing a container in a closed and locked position, the container comprising;

an outer casing body having a cavity therein, the outer casing body having first and second portions cooperatively configured such that the outer casing body is capable of moving between a closed and locked position and a dispensing position, wherein at least one of the first and second portions of the outer casing body include an interior wall facing the interior of the cavity;

a dispensing tray inserted within the cavity of the outer casing body and having an outer peripheral portion configured to conform to the shape of the interior wall of the outer casing body, the dispensing tray comprising an internal storage compartment adapted for storage of a plurality of units of a product to be dispensed;

a cover plate removably secured to the dispensing tray and defining at least one dispensing aperture through which a stored unit of product is accessible from the internal storage compartment of the dispensing tray when the outer casing body is in the dispensing position;

a sealing member operably engaged with one of the interior wall of the outer casing body and the dispensing tray, the sealing member comprising a rib structure configured to form a seal between the interior wall of the outer casing body and the outer peripheral portion of the dispensing tray when the outer casing body is in the closed and locked position, the interior wall of the outer casing body and the outer peripheral portion of the dispensing tray extending substantially parallel to one another with the rib structure extending substantially perpendicularly therebetween in the closed and locked position; and

a locking mechanism operably engaged with the outer casing body and configured to releasably lock the outer casing body in the closed and locked position, wherein the locking mechanism is spaced apart from the outer peripheral portion of the dispensing tray;

releasing the locking mechanism so as to effectuate separation of the first and second portions of the outer casing body to the dispensing position; and

removing at least one unit of product from the internal storage compartment.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein releasing the locking mechanism further comprises depressing a moveable flap formed in the second portion of the outer casing body such that depressing the flap effects separation of at least one protrusion from at least one aperture to allow separation of the first and second portions of the outer casing body, the at least one protrusion projecting from the second portion of the outer casing body and positioned adjacent to the moveable flap formed in the second portion of the outer casing body, and the at least one aperture defined by the first portion of the outer casing body and operatively positioned to engage the at least one protrusion when the outer casing body is in the closed and locked position.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the internal storage compartment comprises a plurality of products.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the product is characterized by a shape selected from the group consisting of pill, tablet, strip, orb, sphere, sheet, coin, cube, bead, ovoid, obloid, bean, stick, and rod.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the product is selected from the group consisting of pharmaceutical products, smoking products, smokeless tobacco products, snack products, and confectionary products.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the product is a smokeless tobacco product.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the product is selected from the group consisting of pharmaceutical products, candies, mints, and gums.

30. The method of claim 16, wherein the dispensing tray includes at least one wall portion extending toward the cover plate and the cover plate comprises a wall portion that extends toward the dispensing tray, the wall portion of the dispensing tray and the wall portion of the cover plate cooperatively defining a non-linear dispensing pathway configured to direct the product to the dispensing aperture.

32. The method of claim 16, wherein the dispensing tray further comprises a floor configured to support the units of product thereon such that the dispensing tray substantially encapsulates the units of the product, the floor defining one or more indentations in axial alignment with the at least one dispensing aperture and configured to facilitate removal of one of the units of product.

23. A method of sealing a product in a container, comprising:

providing a container in a dispensing position, the container comprising;

an outer casing body having a cavity therein, the outer casing body having first and second portions cooperatively configured such that the outer casing body is capable of moving between a closed and locked position and a dispensing position, wherein at least one of the first and second portions of the outer casing body include an interior wall facing the interior of the cavity;

a dispensing tray inserted within the cavity of the outer casing body and having an outer peripheral portion configured to conform to the shape of the interior wall of the outer casing body, the dispensing tray comprising an internal storage compartment adapted for storage of a plurality of units of a product to be dispensed;

a cover plate removably secured to the dispensing tray and defining at least one dispensing aperture through which a stored unit of product is accessible from the internal storage compartment of the storage tray when the outer casing body is in the dispensing position;

a sealing member operably engaged with one of the interior wall of the outer casing body and the dispensing tray, the sealing member comprising a rib structure configured to form a seal between the interior wall of the outer casing body and the outer peripheral portion of the dispensing tray when the outer casing body is in the closed and locked position, the interior wall of the outer casing body and the outer peripheral portion of the dispensing tray extending substantially parallel to one another with the rib structure extending substantially perpendicularly therebetween in the closed and locked position; and

a locking mechanism operably engaged with the outer casing body and configured to releasably lock the outer casing body in the closed and locked position, wherein the locking mechanism is spaced apart from the outer peripheral portion of the dispensing tray; and

engaging the locking mechanism such that the first and second portions of the outer casing body enclose the dispensing tray and the sealing member seals the outer casing body to the dispensing tray.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the first portion of the outer casing body comprising a substantially planar portion and said interior wall extending substantially perpendicular thereto and having an internal surface, the rib structure being integrally formed with and longitudinally extending about the interior wall to form the sealing member, wherein said step of engaging the locking mechanism further comprises engaging the locking mechanism such that the rib structure sealably interacts with the outer peripheral portion of the dispensing tray when the outer casing body is in the closed and locked position, the dispensing tray being seated within the second portion of the outer casing body.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the internal storage compartment comprises a plurality of products.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the product is characterized by a shape selected from the group consisting of pill, tablet, strip, orb, sphere, sheet, coin, cube, bead, ovoid, obloid, bean, stick, and rod.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the product is selected from the group consisting of pharmaceutical products, smoking products, smokeless tobacco products, snack products, and confectionary products.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the product is a smokeless tobacco product.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein the product is selected from the group consisting of pharmaceutical products, candies, mints, and gums.

31. The method of claim 23, wherein the dispensing tray includes at least one wall portion extending toward the cover plate and the cover plate comprises a wall portion that extends toward the dispensing tray, the wall portion of the dispensing tray and the wall portion of the cover plate cooperatively defining a non-linear dispensing pathway configured to direct the product to the dispensing aperture.

33. The method of claim 23, wherein the dispensing tray further comprises a floor configured to support the units of product thereon such that the dispensing tray substantially encapsulates the units of the product, the floor defining one or more indentations in axial alignment with the at least one dispensing aperture and configured to facilitate removal of one of the units of product.