Special receptacle or package – For ampule – capsule – pellet – or granule – Structure for 'press-out' of content unit
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-11
2001-05-15
Gehman, Bryon P. (Department: 3728)
Special receptacle or package
For ampule, capsule, pellet, or granule
Structure for 'press-out' of content unit
C206S001500, C206S539000, C229S125125
Reexamination Certificate
active
06230893
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a two piece paperboard package that houses a unit dose product on an internal slide card within an outer paperboard shell. This package may have one or more internal or external lock(s) that prevent the slide card from being pulled out without triggering some type of lock release mechanism. This package is focused around providing a child resistant, senior-friendly unit dose package that can be opened and closed numerous times and then finally disposed of.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known in the tablet dispenser art to employ a container which comprises the housing having an opening in its top wall and a drawer which slidably sits in the housing. Exemplary of such prior art is U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,291 ('291) to L. C. Sledge, entitled “Tablet Dispenser”. While the '291 reference employs a locking feature, the locking feature for the package relies on the lock forming an upward button which, when the drawer is closed, extends up through the opening into the wall of the housing. Also, it must be pointed out that the button may be pushed when it is in the relief zone. The relief zone is used to stop the slide drawer from being pulled out. By having this option, the user may choose to disable the child resistant feature of the '291 reference prematurely by pushing the button to release the drawer from the outer shell. Therefore, a more advantageous system, then, would be presented if such a button assembly could be eliminated.
It is also known to employ a unit dose packaging system having a child resistant locking feature. Exemplary of such prior art is commonly assigned, allowed U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/157,292 ('292) to S. B. Johnstone et al. entitled “Unit Dose Packaging System (UDPS) Having a Child Resistant Locking Feature”. While the mechanism of highly advantageous '292 patent application does provide a locking feature, the locking mechanism may be improved to prevent any accidental release of the locking mechanism.
It is apparent from the above that there exists a need in the art for a unit dose packaging system which is able to dispense medications and which at least equals the child resistant characteristics of the known dispensers, particularly that of the advantageous '292 dispenser, but which at the same time reduces the likelihood of accidental release of the locking mechanism.
It is a purpose of this invention to fulfill this and other needs in the art in a manner more apparent to the skilled artisan once given the following disclosure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Generally speaking, this invention fulfills these needs by providing an improved unit dose paperboard package having a locking feature, comprising an outer paperboard sleeve and an inner paperboard slide card lockably retained within said outer sleeve, such that said outer sleeve includes a plurality of side panels operatively connected to each other such that one of the plurality of side panels includes an inner slide card retaining means and a first inner slide card releasing means comprised of a cut-out and a node located substantially adjacent to said cut-out and another of the plurality of side panels includes a second inner slide card releasing means comprised of a release button and the inner slide card includes a plurality of unit dose dispensing means and an inner slide card retaining/releasing means located substantially adjacent to said unit dose dispensing means, wherein the improvement in the package comprises the area of said node being slightly larger than the area of said release button.
In certain preferred embodiments, the inner slide card retaining means are extension panels. Also, the second inner slide card releasing means includes a release button. Finally, the inner slide card retaining/releasing means includes panel extensions.
In another further preferred embodiment, the outer sleeve of the package provides additional protection for the inner slide card, which holds the unit dose product being used. The inner slide portion of the package has a stop feature that connects with a catch feature on the outer sleeve to prevent the user from pulling the inner slide completely away from the outer sleeve. Furthermore, the package is focused around providing a child-resistant, senior-friendly unit dose package that can be opened and closed numerous times and then finally disposed of.
The preferred unit dose package, according to this invention, offers the following advantages: lightness in weight; resistance to tampering; child resistance; senior friendliness; excellent durability; ease of assembly; unit dose protection and excellent economy. In fact, in many of the preferred embodiments, these factors of lightness in weight, tamper resistance, child resistance, senior friendliness, durability, ease of assembly, unit dose protection and economy are optimized to the extent that is considerably higher than heretofore achieved in prior, known unit dose packages.
The above and other features of the present invention, which will become more apparent as the description proceeds, are best understood by considering the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters represent like parts throughout the several views and in which:
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patent: 6047829 (2000-04-01), Johnstone et al.
Gehman Bryon P.
McDaniel T. B.
Reece, IV D. B.
Schmalz R. L.
Westvaco Corporation
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