Child-resistant safety package

Abstract

A package includes an outer sleeve and a slider for holding a blister pack slidably mounted within the outer sleeve. The outer sleeve has a locking edge. The slider has a locking flap extending in a direction away from the closed end of the outer sleeve for engagement with the wall of the outer sleeve. The flap has a free edge which provides a pair of locking edges for engagement with the locking edge of the outer sleeve wall. The outer sleeve has a release button which may be pressed to deflect the slider flap away from the wall of the outer sleeve and enable the free edge of the slider flap to slide past the locking edge to allow the slider to be withdrawn from the outer sleeve.

Claims

1. A package comprising: an outer sleeve having an open end and a closed end; a slider for holding a blister pack, the slider being slid ably mounted within the outer sleeve; the outer sleeve comprising a wall having a set of one or more locking edges arranged on the interior of the wall at a spacing from the closed end of the sleeve and facing the closed end of the sleeve; the slider comprising a locking flap formed at a terminal end of the slider and extending in a direction away from the closed end of the outer sleeve for engagement with the said wall of the outer sleeve, the flap having a free edge which provides a locking edge for engagement with the or each locking edge of said set of one or more locking edges of the outer sleeve wall to thereby prevent the slider from being withdrawn from the outer sleeve in a locked position; wherein the outer sleeve further comprises a release button, wherein pressing of the release button deflects the slider flap away from said wall of the outer sleeve so as to enable the free edge of the slider flap to slide past the or each locking edge of the set of one or more locking edges of the outer sleeve thereby allowing the slider to be withdrawn from the outer sleeve; wherein the release button is arranged such that it is operable to deflect the flap in such a manner only when the slider is inserted into the outer sleeve to a position intermediate its locked position and a fully inserted position in which the slider is fully inserted into the outer sleeve.

2. The package of claim 1, wherein the intermediate position is between a closed position in which an end of the slider is aligned with the open end of the sleeve and the fully inserted position.

3. The package of claim 1, wherein the sleeve and/or slider are provided with an indication of the intermediate position.

4. The package of claim 3, wherein the indication comprises a marking on the sleeve against which a marking on the slider or an end wall of the slider should be aligned.

5. The package of claim 4, wherein the outer sleeve further comprises removable tabs at its open end for providing one or more finger notches to provide access to an end of the inserted slider, and wherein the marking is provided adjacent a finger notch.

6. The package of claim 1, wherein, in the fully inserted position, the button if depressed, will not engage with the flap at all, or not engage sufficiently therewith that pressing on the button will deflect the flap substantially.

7. The package of claim 1, wherein the slider locking flap comprises a recess in a distal edge which aligns with a portion of the release button, the release button being capable of entering the recess.

8. The package of claim 1, wherein, when the slider is in the locking position so that the locking edges of the slider and the outer sleeve wall engage, pressing of the release button is not effective to disengage the locking edge of the slider from the or each locking edge of the set of one or more locking edges of the outer sleeve wall to permit further withdrawal of the slider from the outer sleeve.

9. The package of claim 1, wherein the locking edge of the slider flap does not overlap the release button when the slider is in a position relative to the outer sleeve such that the locking edges of the slider and outer sleeve wall are engaged or overlaps a base region of the release button, such that the release button is unable to deflect the flap to an extent necessary to disengage the locking edges.

10. The package of claim 1, wherein the release button is hingedly attached to the outer sleeve wall at the base region through a hinge line.

11. The package of claim 10, wherein the hinge lime is arranged towards the closed end of the sleeve.

12. The package of claim 1, wherein the outer sleeve wall has an outer panel and an inner panel, the set of one or more locking edges of the outer sleeve wall being formed at a terminal end of the inner panel, wherein the inner panel is not secured to the sleeve outer wall adjacent the one or more locking edges, whereby the slider flap is configured to engage under the one or more locking edges.

13. The package of claim 1, wherein the wall of the outer sleeve further comprises a retaining flap formed at the open end of the outer sleeve for engagement with the slider flap to prevent full withdrawal of the slider from the outer sleeve, wherein the retaining flap is formed as a hinged flap released from the inner panel.

14. The package of claim 1, wherein the locking flap is hingedly connected to a panel of the slider about a fold line, and a tongue is connected to the slider panel about the same fold line, the tongue extending away from the outer sleeve wall having the set of one or more locking edges toward an opposite wall of the outer sleeve.

15. The package of claim 14, wherein the tongue is released from a panel of the locking flap.

16. The package of claim 1, wherein the slider comprises a first leaf holding a first blister pack and remote from the wall of the outer sleeve, a second leaf holding a second blister pack and adjacent the wall of the outer sleeve, the first leaf and second leaf joined at an end adjacent the open end of the outer sleeve, the locking flap extending from the first slider leaf towards the outer sleeve wall.

17. The package of claim 1, wherein the release button is arranged such that if the button is pressed with the slider fully inserted in the sleeve, and the slider then withdrawn from the sleeve, the slider flap rides up over the outside of a distal end of the release button.

18. The package of claim 1, wherein the release button extends from a base region attached to the outer sleeve towards the open end or the closed end of the outer sleeve.

19. The package of claim 1, wherein the slider is configured to be withdrawn from the sleeve by a predetermined amount before the free edge of the slider flap engages the or each locking edge of the set of one or more locking edges of the outer sleeve, the predetermined amount being insufficient for a user to access the blister pack.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Some preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a blank for constructing the outer sleeve of a package in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a stage in the erection of the blank of FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a further stage in the erection of the blank of FIG. 1;

(5) FIG. 4 shows the substantially fully erected outer sleeve obtained from the blank of FIG. 1;

(6) FIG. 5 illustrates a blank for providing a slider in accordance with one embodiment for a package of the invention

(7) FIG. 6 shows a stage in the erection of the blank of FIG. 8;

(8) FIG. 7 shows the fully erected outer sleeve and slider prior to engagement;

(9) FIG. 8 corresponds to FIG. 7, but showing hidden detail;

(10) FIG. 9 shows the outer sleeve and slider assembled to form a package in accordance with the invention, showing hidden detail;

(11) FIG. 10 shows the package of FIG. 9, in an unlocking position;

(12) FIG. 11 shows the same as FIG. 10, but from a different view; and

(13) FIG. 12 shows an alternative outer sleeve.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(14) FIG. 1 illustrates a blank 2 in the flat for providing the outer sleeve of a package in accordance with the invention. The blank is of paperboard or other foldable sheet material as known in the packaging art. It will be appreciated that certain glue flaps may be provided with perforations to aid glue penetration and thus facilitate adhesion. FIG. 1 shows the blank from the top side in the flat which will provide the interior of the sleeve.

(15) The blank includes a first panel 4 and a second panel 6 for providing first and second opposed facing panels of the sleeve. The blank comprises a third panel 8 for providing one sidewall of the sleeve, and a fourth panel 10 for providing an opposed sidewall thereof. The first and second panels 4, 6 are connected via first and second fold lines 3, 5 to opposed side edges of the third panel 8. A glue flap 12 is connected to the second panel 6 along a third fold line 7. The fourth panel 10 is connected along a fourth fold line 9 to the first panel 4.

(16) A fifth panel 14 is connected along a fifth fold line 11 to the first panel 4. A distal flap 16 is connected along a sixth fold line 13 to the fifth panel 14. A flap 18 is connected along a seventh fold line 15 to the second panel 6.

(17) The blank also includes an array of flaps 22 for providing a closed bottom end to the outer sleeve. The array of flaps includes a flap 20 which provides the bottom end wall of the sleeve.

(18) Some particular features of the panels will now be described.

(19) The first panel 4 includes a release button 24 connected to the first panel 4 via frangible bridges which are broken on first use of the package by a user to enable the release button to be deflected inwardly toward the interior of the sleeve. The release button is hingedly connected to the panel 4 along a hinge line 26 at the base of the button.

(20) The fifth panel 14 includes a cutline 28 which defines a flap 30.

(21) A cutout 32 also is provided between the flap 30 and the fifth panel 14.

(22) The first and second panels 4, 6 are also provided with removable tabs 36, 38 defined by arcuate lines of weakness 40, 42, which extend into the flap 30 defined in the fifth panel 14 and the flap 18 respectively. The tabs 36, 38 may be of any shape, for example D shaped as shown or semi-circular. Preferably the tabs 36, 38 are elongated in a direction along the sleeve 14.

(23) Erection of the outer sleeve from the blank of FIG. 1 will now be described. For ease of reference, the surface of the blank, and the panel/flaps thereof visible in FIG. 1 will be referred to as the interior surface thereof, with the opposite surface of the blank (and the panels/flaps thereof) being referred to as the exterior surface.

(24) In a first step, as shown in FIG. 2, the distal flap 16 is folded about the sixth fold line 13 (in the direction shown in FIG. 1) and glued onto the interior of the fifth panel 14. This defines a double ply locking edge 50. The flap 18 is folded about the seventh fold line 15 and glued to the interior of the second panel 6. This defines a locking edge 56 on the interior of the second panel 6.

(25) In a second step, as shown in FIG. 3, the fifth panel 14 is folded about the fifth fold line 11 (in the direction shown on FIG. 2) on to the inner surface of the first panel 4 and glued in position. In this way the double ply edge 50 defines a double ply locking edge associated with the inner surface of the wall 104 of the sleeve. An end region 52 of the fifth panel 14 may not be glued to the inner surface of the first panel 4 for reasons which will be described further below.

(26) The wall of the sleeve includes inner and outer panels defined by the panel 14 and the panel 4 respectively. The flap 30 is released from the panel 14, and is folded so as to be positioned as shown in FIG. 3, such that it extends towards the end of the first panel 4 which will correspond to the closed end of the sleeve.

(27) The glue flap 12 is then adhered to the interior surface of the fourth panel 10 to provide a partially erected sleeve as shown in FIG. 4. The array of flaps 22 are then folded and glued to provide a closed bottom end of the sleeve, resulting in a fully erected sleeve 100 as shown in FIG. 7. The sleeve has a first wall 104 which has the locking features for preventing withdrawal of the slider by more than a predetermined amount associated with the inner surface thereof. The wall is defined by the inner panel provided by the panel 14 and the outer panel, provided by the first panel 4. The panel 4 provides a facing panel of the sleeve. An opposite second wall is provided by the panel 6, which provides an opposite facing panel of the sleeve, while the panel 20 provides an end wall 106 of the sleeve. The first and second walls therefore provide main faces of the outer sleeve.

(28) It will be appreciated that the sequence of operations involved in producing the sleeve may be varied, and the above described method is only exemplary. For example, the different panels and/or flaps may be folded in a different order and/or simultaneously. The lines of weakness 40, 42 define tabs which may be removed by a user to define notches in the upper edge of the facing panels of the sleeve as the first stage of opening the package as described below.

(29) FIG. 8 shows the arrangement of the flap 30 at the open end of the sleeve 100 in more detail, showing how it extends back toward the closed end of the sleeve.

(30) A blank 60 in the flat for providing a slider 102 of the package 100, and its erection to provide the slider, will now be described.

(31) FIG. 5 illustrates the blank 60 from the interior surface thereof. The blank 60 includes a first panel 62, a second panel 64, a third panel 66 and a fourth panel 68. The first and fourth panels 62, 68 are connected along a first fold line 61, while the second and third panels 64, 66 are connected along a second fold line 63. A fifth panel 70 is connected along respective third and fourth fold lines 65, 67 to the first and second panels 62, 64 respectively. Optional flaps 72, 74 (shown in dotted lines) may extend from the side edges of the fifth panel 70, and are connected thereto along fifth and sixth fold lines 69, 71. A flap 76 is connected to the end of the first panel 62 opposite that which is connected to the fifth panel 70, and is connected thereto along the seventh fold line 75. A distal flap 78 is connected along an eighth fold line 77 to the flap 76. A cut out 79 is provided along the eighth fold line 77 defining respective recesses 81 in the flap 76 and distal flap 78 respectively.

(32) The slider 102 provides a carrier for a blister pack. The first and second panels 62, 64 are provided with a number of pairs of semi-circular removable tabs 84, 86 defined by perforations. Each pair of tabs must be removed by the user to define a circular dispensing opening in order to dispense the content of a blister. This provides added child resistance. Of course, different shaped tabs may be used, and a single tab may be used to cover a single opening. The third and fourth panels 66, 68 include a plurality of openings 88 to receive the blisters of a blister pack.

(33) The flap 76 optionally includes a cutline 80 (shown in dotted lines) which will define a tongue 82 hingedly connected to the first panel 62 along a portion of the seventh fold line 75.

(34) The erection of the blank 60 to provide a slider 102 will now be described with reference to FIGS. 5, 6 and 7.

(35) The distal flap 78 is folded in the direction shown in FIG. 5 on to the interior of the flap 76 and glued in place. The area of the flap 76 that will define the tongue 82 is left free from glue. This defines a double ply flap 92, as shown in FIG. 6 whose folded edge provides a double ply locking edge. As can be seen from FIG. 6, a recess 91 is defined in the fold line between two locking edge portions 90a, 90b.

(36) Blister packs (not shown), are then placed on the inner surfaces of the first and second panels 62, 64, with the flat surface of the blister packs facing the panels, and the dispensing parts of the blister pack overlying the positions of the dispensing openings that will be provided in the panels 62, 64 on removal of the pairs of tabs 84, 86 defining covers.

(37) The fourth panel 68 is then folded over the first panel 62 in the direction shown in FIG. 5, and heat sealed or glued in position to trap the blister pack between the first and fourth panels. Likewise, the third panel 66 is folded over the first panel 64 in the direction shown in FIG. 5, and heat sealed or glued in position to trap a blister pack between the second and third panels. The blisters of the blister packs extend through the openings 88 in the third and fourth panels. The resulting partially erected blister pack carrier is as shown in FIG. 6 (blister packs not shown for clarity). The blister pack carrier has first and second panels, 94, 96 formed from the first and fourth, and second and third panels of the blank respectively.

(38) Next, as shown in FIG. 7, which illustrates the erected slider 102, the double ply flap 92 made up of the flaps 76, 78 is folded in the direction shown in FIG. 10 toward the surface of the first panel 94. The tongue 82 defined by the cutline 80 (if present) may be folded toward the opposite surface of the panel 94. The partially erected slider of FIG. 6 is also folded in the direction shown in FIG. 10 about the third and fourth fold lines 65, 67 to fold the second panel 96 over the first panel 94, and define an end wall 70 of the slider. The tabs 72, 74 (if present) may be folded back along the sides of the blister pack carrier toward the end having the double ply flap 92.

(39) As with the outer sleeve, the sequence of operations in erecting the slider from the blank may be varied, and the above process is merely exemplary.

(40) Assembly of the outer sleeve 100 and the slider 102 will now be described.

(41) The slider 102 is inserted into the open top end of the sleeve 100 with the double ply flap 92 leading as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. The flap 92 faces the first facing panel 4 having the release button 24 and the flap 30 at the top end thereof. Once the double ply flap 92 has been inserted past the flap 30, the flaps will interact with one another to prevent complete withdrawal of the slider from the sleeve. This is described in more detail below. The tongue 82 (if present) may engage the locking edge 56 provided by the flap 18 associated with the second facing panel 6. This provides a further level of child resistance making it more difficult to disengage the cooperating retaining flaps 92, 30. The tongue 82 may also act to bias the first panel upwardly.

(42) FIG. 8 is illustrates the operation of the lock for preventing complete removal of the slider from the sleeve in more detail. FIG. 8 also illustrates the components of the sleeve 104 which provide the lock for preventing withdrawal of the slider 102 from the sleeve 104. These features include the locking edge 50 defined by the flap 16 and the fifth panel 14, and the release button 24. This lock has a line of engagement indicated X-X defined by the position of the locking edge 50.

(43) The slider 102 is slid into the sleeve 100 as shown in FIG. 9. Either substantially as, or at some point before reaching the position shown in FIG. 9, in which the fifth panel 70 of the slider 102 lies in the plane of the open end 120 of the outer sleeve 104, the double ply flap 92 of the slider 102 passes over the double ply locking edge 50 of the sleeve 104. This may produce an audible click indicating to a user that the package is locked. The locking engagement may therefore occur at some point before the slider 102 reaches the position of FIG. 9, meaning that in certain embodiments, the slider 102 can be withdrawn a limited amount from the position shown in FIG. 9 so that the slider 102 protrudes from the sleeve 104. However, the amount by which the slider 102 protrudes from the sleeve 104 is insufficient for a use to gain access to the contents of the slider 102.

(44) In the closed position of the package shown in FIG. 9, the slider 102 is not fully located fully within the sleeve 104 and there is a space D between the fold line 75 at the base of the double ply panel 92 of the slider 102 and the end wall 20 of the outer sleeve 104. The end wall 70 of the slider 102 closes the top end of the slider 104. The tabs 72, 74 (if present) are within the slider 102, and provide an additional level of child resistance by acting to inhibit outward rolling of the end wall 70 of the slider. This may help to prevent a child obtaining access to blisters by rolling out the end wall 70 of the slider 102.

(45) The condition shown in FIG. 9 is the condition in which the package 100 would be shipped to a user by a manufacturer.

(46) In order to gain access to the content of the blister pack, several steps need to be taken by the user.

(47) First the user must remove the removable tabs 36, 38 to provide elongated finger notches 130 in the top end of the facing panels 4, 6 of the sleeve to enable the top end of the slider 102 to be gripped. If the user now tries to pull the slider from the sleeve, the slider 102 will only be able to move only a relatively small distance out of the sleeve 104 before the locking edges 90a, 90b of the double ply flap 92 of the slider engages against the double ply locking edge 50 of the sleeve 104. This distance is insufficient to provide access to the blisters. As the end region 52 of the inner panel 14 of the sleeve wall is not glued to the inner wall, if a user pulls very hard on the slider 102, then the locking edges 90a, 90b may slide under the double ply locking edge 50, thereby more firmly engaging one with the other, making it harder to withdraw the slider 102.

(48) In order to be able to withdraw the slider 102, the user must depress the release button 24. Initially this will involve breaking the frangible line of weakness 26 to allow the release button 24 to be deflected into the slider. However, this step will only be effective to allow the slider 102 to be withdrawn further from the sleeve 104 if performed with the slider 102 at a particular position relative to the sleeve 104.

(49) The package is thus constructed such that the slider 102 must be in a particular position relative the sleeve 104 in order for the release button to function to deflect the locking edges 90a, 90b of the flap 92 inwardly to allow it to clear the locking edge 50 as the slider 102 is withdrawn from the sleeve 104.

(50) In order to permit withdrawal of the slider 102 by an amount sufficient to gain access to the blister pack, rather counter-intuitively, the slider 102 must be inserted further into the sleeve 104, as shown in FIG. 10. This position may be a position intermediate a position in which the slider 102 is fully inserted in the sleeve 104, and the locking position.

(51) In a fully inserted position, the button 24 if depressed, will not engage with the flap 92 at all, or may not engage sufficiently therewith that pressing on the button 24 will not deflect the flap 92, thereby preventing disengagement of the locking edges 90a, 90b, 50. The presence of the recess 91 in the flap 92 may facilitate this non-engagement of the button 24 with the flap, the recess 91 optionally being aligned with the button 24 when the slider 102 is in the closed position.

(52) If the slider is in a locked position with the locking edges 90a, 90b, 50 of the slider 102 and sleeve 104 engaged, pressing the release button 24 inwardly will not deflect the locking edges 90a, 90b of the slider flap 92 out of abutment with the double ply locking edge 50. In this position, the base of the release button 24 is unable to deflect to the extent necessary to disengage the locking edges 90a, 90b of the slider flap 92 from the locking edge 50 of the sleeve 104.

(53) In order to open the package and obtain access to the content of the blister packs, the user must first slide the slider 102 to a position intermediate the fully inserted position and the locked position, before pressing the release button 24. Such a position is shown in FIG. 10. In this position, the end wall 70 of the slider 102 lies within the sleeve 104. However, the slider 102 is still accessible for gripping purposes through the notches 130 formed by the removal of the tabs 36, 38. In this position, the release button 24 overlaps the flap 92 and pressing the release button 24 will deflect the flap 92 and its locking edges 90a, 90b inwardly, so that the locking edges 90 of the slider 102 may clear the locking edge 50 of the sleeve as the slider is further withdrawn. The withdrawal should be effected relatively quickly such that the flap 92 does not spring back into contact with the locking edge 50 as it is withdrawn. FIG. 11 shows the same as FIG. 10, but from a different view.

(54) To assist the use in movement of the slider 102 to the appropriate position, the sleeve 104 and/or slider 102 may be provided with suitable alignment markings. For example, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the sleeve 104 may have a marking 150 on one or more sides of the notch 130 with which a marking on one of the slider panels 94, 96 or the end wall 70 of the slider should be aligned. In the embodiment illustrated, the marking 150 is simply a line provided on the sleeve on one or both sides of the finger notch 130. However, other markings, such as colored regions of the sleeve 104 may be provided as appropriate.

(55) The slider 102 may then be slid out of the sleeve 104 until the slider flap 90 engages the retaining flap 30 at the open end of the sleeve. In this position, the tongue 82 may also engage the locking edge 56 provided by flap 18 to further assist with retaining the slider 102 in the sleeve 104, and to prevent disengagement of the retaining flaps. The top panel 96 of the slider 102 will be positioned completely outside the sleeve 104 such that it may be folded back to provide access to the blister pack provided therein and in the lower panel 94. In order to dispense the content of a blister, the user must first remove the removable tabs 84, 86 covering each dispensing opening in the panels 94, 96 to enable the content of a blister to be pressed out of the blister pack.

(56) The user may then refold the slider, and slide it back into the sleeve until it is in the closed position illustrated in of FIG. 9, until it is desired to access the content of the slider again. As mentioned above, the act of closing the package 100 may produce an audible click when the flap 92 passes over the locking edge 50, indicating to the user that the package is locked.

(57) If the user inadvertently pushes the slider 102 fully into the sleeve 104, as discussed above the package cannot be opened and the user will have to move the slider 102 to the desired intermediate positions in which the release button 24 overlaps or sufficiently the slider flap 92 to be able to deflect it as required to allow the slider flap locking edges 90a, 90b to clear the locking edge 50 of the sleeve 104.

(58) It will be appreciated that various modifications to the above arrangements may be made within the scope of the invention. The shape of the dispensing openings, and any covers, or segments therefor where applicable, may be selected as desired e.g. depending upon the shape of the blister contents, and need not be of the shapes illustrated. Further it should be understood that the various panels referred to herein may be formed from one or more sub panels. In addition it is envisaged that the sleeve and/or slider might be provided using separate blanks attached to one another, rather than from single piece blanks.

(59) An alternative embodiment is shown schematically in FIG. 12.

(60) In this embodiment, the release button 24 is connected to the sleeve 104 by means of a hinge line 26 which faces towards the open end of the sleeve 104. A tab 34 is defined in the fifth panel 14 of the sleeve 104 and a cut out provided in the distal flap 16 such that when the sleeve blank is erected, the tab 34 lies under the button 24 at its hinge line 26. This provides some additional resilience to the release button 24. Providing the cutout created a pair of locking edges 52 on the sleeve 104. Also, the slider 102 in this embodiment is provided a continuous locking edge 90 as opposed to a pair of locking edges 90a, 90b as in the earlier embodiment. In this embodiment, if the slider 102 is pushed too far into the sleeve 104 and the button then depressed, the flap 92 may engage over the depressed button 24 and abut the fold line 26 when the slider is withdrawn, preventing movement of the slider 102 past the button.

(61) It will also be recognized that when the slider 102 is in its locked position within the sleeve 104, there may be some degree of overlap between the release button and the slider flap 92. However, that overlap will be at the base end of the release button meaning that there will be insufficient movement generated to release the slider flap 92.

(62) It will be appreciated that other embodiments may be envisaged which function in the same manner as the illustrated embodiment, allowing the package to be opened only when the user slides the slider to an intermediate position between a fully inserted position and a locked position in which the locking edges of the slider and sleeve are engaged. For example, rather than providing a central release button, the release button may be laterally offset towards one side or the other of the sleeve panel 4. The button need not be oriented such that the hinge line defining the button is parallel to the closed end of the sleeve. The locking edge(s) of the sleeve need not extend parallel to the closed end of the sleeve. It will be appreciated that arrangements using a central or offset release button may be selected as desired e.g. depending upon preferences for the resulting package, the needs of a user etc.