Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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CHILD DETERRENT PACKAGE
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a package with locking system designed to
deter children from
opening the package.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
House hold products are provided to the consumer in containers with an opening
and, generally with
a closure mechanism. Depending on the product form the container may be for
example a bottle,
box or tub. The present relates to packages with wide openings, in the forms
of tubs and boxes,
suitable for allowing entry of a hand to retrieve product inside. The
containers are thus suitable for
containing products such as unitary doses or powders for example.
Recently unitary dose products, such compressed powder tablets and water-
soluble film pouches
have become more popular as they offer consumers a convenient dosage size
avoiding mis-dosing
and mess. Such containers and closures preferably comprise a locking
mechanism, to increase the
complexity of opening the container so as to deter children from gaining
access to the product
within. Containers on the market today comprise locking systems on the front
face of the container
and closure. However it has been an object of the present study to identify
further ways of securing
the closure to the container.
Particularly, the Applicant has found, that if the materials used are able to
flex, then a closure may
be seen as being too easy to open, even by a child. The applicants have thus
sought to redesign the
package container and closure or lid assembly to improve child deterrence.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention there is provided a child deterrent package
comprising a
container, and a lid assembly having front and back edges and a left and right
side, and comprising
at least three locking devices wherein at least one of said locking devices is
located on the front edge
and at least a second locking device is located on either the left and/or
right side, wherein at least
one locking device is located within proximity of a corner intersection of a
front or back edge with a
left or right sides.
SUMMARY OF THE FIGURES
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Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the frame of the lid assembly
Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the lid of the lid assembly
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The package of the present invention is designed to increase the complexity of
actions necessary to
open to container, so as to deter a child from opening said container. The
container can be any
suitable size or shape. Preferably the container comprises a flange at the
container opening. More
preferably the container comprises a downwardly curving flange. The container
may be made of any
suitable material. Preferably the container comprises polypropylene, high
density and low density
polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene and mixtures thereof.
More preferably the
container comprises polystyrene. The method of manufacturing the container is
not an essential
feature of the present invention, and thus can be made by any convenient
conventional method.
Preferably the container is made by thermoforming. The container comprises an
opening through
which the user may withdraw product. Preferably the opening is sufficiently
large so as to permit
entry of the users hand. The shape of the opening is designed to cooperate
with the lid assembly.
The lid assembly (1) comprises a lid closure feature designed to close the
opening of the container.
The lid assembly comprises front (4) and back (5) edges, and left (6) and
right (7) side. The lid
assembly is preferably square, or more preferably rectangular. When the lid
assembly is
rectangular, the front and back walls form the longer sides thereof. The lid
assembly may be made
using any suitable material. Preferably, the lid assembly comprises
polypropylene, high density and
low density polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate and mixtures thereof.
Most preferably the lid
assembly comprises polypropylene. The lid assembly can be made using any
suitable and
conventional technique. The lid assembly is preferably made by injection
molding.
Preferably the lid assembly comprises a lid (2) and a frame (3). The frame
forms the perimeter of
sides and edges and is designed to cooperate with the opening of the
container. Thus the frame is
preferably square or rectangular in shape. The frame is attachable to the
container using any
suitable technique. In one preferred embodiment, the container, at the
opening, comprises a flange,
preferably a downwardly curving flange. The frame (3) comprises an inverted
'TY shape perimeter,
which cooperates closely with the opening of the container. The frame (3)
preferably further
comprises a friction attachment mechanism, preferably comprising a snap
fitting or bead. The snap
fitting or bead being designed to lock into position under the flange of the
container, thereby
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keeping the frame in place on the container. Said friction attachment may be
located at intermittent
positions around the perimeter of the frame or alternatively it is present
throughout the perimeter.
Said friction attachment firmly locks the frame to the container and is
consequently difficult to
remove. Preferably the lid (2) and frame (3) are hingedly attached along the
back (5) edge of the lid
assembly.
The lid (2) of the lid assembly (1) cooperates with the frame (3) and thus,
preferably has similar
shape. However the lid does not necessarily have to have the identical shape
of the frame. Whether
the lid has the identical shape to the frame or not, however, the lid assembly
as a whole must
cooperate sufficiently so as to close to the opening of the container.
The lid assembly comprises at least three locking devices (8). At least one
locking device (8) is
located on the front (4) and/or back (5) edge. More preferably two or more
locking devices are
located on the front (4) and/or back (5) edge. Where two or more locking
devices are located on
either the front and/or back edge, they may be located at any point along the
edge, proximal or distal
to one another. More preferably the locking devices are located proximate to
one another.
At least one locking device (8) is also located on either the left (6) and/or
right (7) side within
proximity of the intersection of a front or back edge with a side of the lid
assembly (9, 9', 9", 9").
More preferably the present package comprising at least one locking device (8)
on the left (6) and
right (7) sides, both within proximity of the intersection of a front or back
edge with a side of the lid
assembly (9, 9', 9", 9"). In a particularly preferred embodiment the lid
assembly (1) comprises a
frame (3) and lid (2) which are hingedly attached along the back (5) edge, the
front (4) edge
comprises at least one, preferably at least two locking devices (8) and the
left (6) or right (7),
preferably the left (6) and right (7) sides comprise at least one locking
device (8) within proximity of
the intersection (9, 9', 9", 9") of a front or back edge with a side of the
lid assembly.
The applicants have found that the material used to make suitable lids, can be
somewhat flexible.
The flexibility in the material of the lid assembly is useful to the
manufacturer as it permits locking
devices that require force as well as multiple actions to open. For example
the user may have to pull
and lift in order to open the container. This complexity of multiple actions
required makes the
container more difficult to open for a child, but still manageable for an
adult, especially an adult
with limited hand mobility or strength. Preferably the locking device on the
side of lid or lid
assembly is located within the first or last third of the length of the side.
More preferably the locking
device on the side of the lid or lid assembly is located within the first or
last quarter of the length of
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the side. Where locking devices are present on both sides, they may both be
within proximity of the
intersection of the side and front edge or side and back edge, thus presenting
a symmetrical
arrangement of locking devices. Alternatively, the locking devices present on
both sides, may be
arranged asymmetrically, such that one is located with proximity to the
intersection of the side and
front edge and the other is located with proximity to the side and back edge.
The lock is preferably a device of at least two parts, at least one part of
which is located on the lid
assembly. In one embodiment, the locking device on the lid assembly engages
with the container,
more preferably the flange of the container. In an alternative and preferred
embodiment, wherein
the lid assembly comprises the lid and frame, the lid comprises a part of the
locking device which
cooperates with a corresponding area of the frame. The locking device may be
selected from any
known and suitable locking device available to the market. Preferably said
locking device is
selected from the group consisting of a hole (10) and hook (11) latch,
friction latch, hinged latch and
mixtures thereof. A hole (10) and hook (11) latch, consists of a hook (11),
protruding outwardly,
and optionally downwardly, and a corresponding hole (10) such that when fitted
together the hook
and hole can not be disconnected except through forcible flexing the material
of the lid to release the
hook. In this preferred embodiment, it is preferred that the hook is located
on the frame (3) and the
hole is located on the lid (2), however the reverse is also envisaged. A
friction latch comprises a
protrusion bump or bead which connects with the underside of a ridge
protrusion such that when the
lock is in effect the bead is prevented from upward movement. The lid is
opened by forcible flexing
of the lid to overcome the friction. The hinged latch works in a similar
fashion to either previous
locking devices, except that one part is hinged versus the other, and to open
the lock one part is
opened about the hinge.
The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being
strictly limited to the
exact numerical values recited. Instead, unless otherwise specified, each such
dimension is intended
to mean both the recited value and a functionally equivalent range surrounding
that value. For
example, a dimension disclosed as "40 mm" is intended to mean "about 40 mm."
