CONTAINER FOR A PACKAGE

Abstract

A container is formed to include an interior product storage region and is configured to engage selectively with a closure to block access to the interior product storage region. The container includes a product-storage basin including a floor arranged generally perpendicular to a central axis of the container and an inner sidewall coupled to an outer perimeter of the floor and arranged to extend upwardly from the floor to define the interior product storage region above the floor and radially inward of the inner sidewall. The container further includes a child-resistant closure retainer coupled to the inner sidewall and configured to retain the closure to the container.

Claims

1. A container formed to include an interior product storage region and configured to engage selectively with a closure to block access to the interior product storage region, the container comprising: a product-storage basin including a floor arranged generally perpendicular to a central axis of the container and an inner sidewall coupled to an outer perimeter of the floor and arranged to extend upwardly from the floor to define the interior product storage region above the floor and radially inward of the inner sidewall, a child-resistant closure retainer coupled to the inner sidewall and configured to retain the closure to the container, the child-resistant closure retainer including a sidewall mount coupled to an outer surface of the inner sidewall and extending radially outward away from the inner sidewall, a sidewall band coupled to a radially-outer end of the sidewall mount and spaced radially from the inner sidewall to provide a clearance gap radially between the inner sidewall and the sidewall band, and a closure-lock tab coupled to the sidewall band and moveable relative to the sidewall band between a closure-retention position spaced a first distance from the outer surface of the inner sidewall and engaged with the closure to block removal of the closure from the container, and a closure-release position spaced a second distance from the outer surface of the inner sidewall, less than the first distance, to allow removal of the closure from the container, and a gap filler coupled to the sidewall band for movement relative to the sidewall band from a molded configuration extending downwardly away from the sidewall band and spaced radially outward from the inner sidewall, to a folded configuration after pivoting relative to the sidewall band toward the inner sidewall to cover the clearance gap between the inner sidewall and the sidewall band and block movement of at least a portion of the sidewall band radially inward as the closure-lock tab moves from the closure-retention position to the closure-release position so that the clearance gap is maintained between the sidewall band and the inner sidewall as the closure is removed from the container.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein the gap filler includes a plurality of tabs spaced circumferentially around the central axis and extending away from the sidewall band.

3. The container of claim 2, wherein each tab included in the plurality of tabs is configured to bend relative to the sidewall band from the molded configuration to the folded configuration.

4. The container of claim 2, wherein each tab is configured to engage with the inner side wall in the folded configuration to block movement of at least a portion of the sidewall band radially inward toward the inner sidewall as the closure-lock tab is moved from the closure-retention position to the closure-release position.

5. The container of claim 2, wherein each tab includes a base end coupled to a lower end of the sidewall band, a first circumferential end coupled to a first end of the base wall, a second circumferential end coupled to a second end of the base wall and spaced circumferentially from the first circumferential end, and a distal end coupled to the first and second circumferential ends and spaced apart from the base end and configured to engage with the inner sidewall in the folded configuration.

6. The container of claim 5, wherein the first and second circumferential ends are angled to extend toward one another as each tab extends from the base end to the distal end.

7. The container of claim 5, wherein the distal end has a radius of curvature with a center coinciding with the central axis of the container in the folded configuration.

8. The container of claim 5, wherein the distal end is formed to include a first notched ledge and the product-storage basin is formed to include a second notched ledge, and the first notched ledge is configured to interlock with the second notched ledge in the folded configuration to retain each tab in the folded configuration and block movement of each tab away from the folded configuration.

9. The container of claim 8, wherein each tab is formed to include a recess in the distal end.

10. The container of claim 2, wherein each tab extends inwardly toward the central axis at an angle of no more than 10 degrees in the molded configuration to pre-orient each tab for movement to the folded configuration.

11. A container formed to include an interior product storage region and configured to engage selectively with a closure to block access to the interior product storage region, the container comprising: a product-storage basin including a floor arranged generally perpendicular to a central axis of the container and an inner sidewall coupled to an outer perimeter of the floor and arranged to extend upwardly from the floor to define the interior product storage region above the floor and radially inward of the inner sidewall, a sidewall band spaced radially outward from the inner sidewall to provide a clearance gap radially between the inner sidewall and the sidewall band, and a gap filler coupled to the sidewall band for movement relative to the sidewall band from a molded configuration integral with the sidewall band and extending downwardly away from the sidewall band, to a folded configuration after pivoting relative to the sidewall band toward the inner sidewall to cover the clearance gap between the inner sidewall and the sidewall band.

12. The container of claim 11, wherein the gap filler includes a plurality of tabs spaced circumferentially around the central axis and extending away from the sidewall band, and wherein each tab included in the plurality of tabs is configured to bend relative to the sidewall band from the molded configuration to the folded configuration.

13. The container of claim 12, wherein each tab includes a base end coupled to a lower end of the sidewall band, a first circumferential end coupled to a first end of the base wall, a second circumferential end coupled to a second end of the base wall and spaced circumferentially from the first circumferential end, and a distal end coupled to the first and second circumferential ends and spaced apart from the base end and configured to engage with the inner sidewall in the folded configuration.

14. The container of claim 13, wherein the first and second circumferential ends are angled to extend toward one another as each tab extends from the base end to the distal end.

15. The container of claim 13, wherein the distal end has a radius of curvature with a center coinciding with the central axis of the container in the folded configuration.

16. The container of claim 13, wherein the distal end is formed to include a first notched ledge and the product-storage basin is formed to include a second notched ledge, and the first notched ledge is configured to interlock with the second notched ledge in the folded configuration to retain each tab in the folded configuration and block movement of each tab away from the folded configuration.

17. The container of claim 16, wherein each tab is formed to include a recess in the distal end.

18. The container of claim 12, wherein each tab extends inwardly toward the central axis at an angle of no more than 10 degrees in the molded configuration to pre-orient each tab for movement to the folded configuration.

19. A method of forming a container comprising: injection molding the container, wherein the container includes: a product-storage basin including a floor arranged generally perpendicular to a central axis of the container and an inner sidewall coupled to an outer perimeter of the floor and arranged to extend upwardly from the floor to define the interior product storage region above the floor and radially inward of the inner sidewall, a child-resistant closure retainer coupled to the inner sidewall and configured to retain the closure to the container, the child-resistant closure retainer including a sidewall mount coupled to an outer surface of the inner sidewall and extending radially outward away from the inner sidewall, a sidewall band coupled to a radially-outer end of the sidewall mount and spaced radially from the inner sidewall to provide a clearance gap radially between the inner sidewall and the sidewall band of the sidewall band, and a closure-lock tab coupled to the sidewall band and moveable relative to the sidewall band between a closure-retention position spaced a first distance from the outer surface of the inner sidewall, and a closure-release position spaced a second distance from the outer surface of the inner sidewall less than the first distance, and a gap-filler formed integrally with a lower end of the sidewall band in a molded configuration, and bending the gap filler relative to the sidewall band to a folded configuration to cover the clearance gap between the sidewall band and the inner sidewall.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the gap filler includes a plurality of tabs coupled to the lower end of the sidewall band and at least partially spaced circumferentially from one another around the central axis of the container, each tab includes a base end coupled to a lower end of the sidewall band, a first circumferential end coupled to a first end of the base wall, a second circumferential end coupled to a second end of the base wall and spaced circumferentially from the first circumferential end, and a distal end coupled to the first and second circumferential ends and spaced apart from the base end and configured to engage with the inner sidewall in the folded configuration, the first and second circumferential ends are angled to extend toward one another as each tab extends from the base end to the distal end, and the distal end has a radius of curvature with a center coinciding with the central axis of the container in the folded configuration, and wherein the tabs are bent to the folded configuration at the same time.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which:

[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a package including a container and a closure configured to engage selectively with the closure to block access to an interior product storage region of the container;

[0009] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the container of FIG. 1 including a product-storage basin defining the interior product storage region, a child-resistant closure retainer coupled to the product-storage basin and configured to retain the closure to the container, and a gap filler coupled to a lower end of the child-resistant closure retainer, and showing the gap filler in a molded configuration where the gap filler is formed integrally with the child-resistant closure retainer and extends downwardly away from the child-resistant closure retainer to expose a clearance gap between a floor of the product-storage basin and a sidewall band of the child-resistant closure retainer;

[0010] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the container of FIG. 1 showing the gap filler in a folded configuration in which the gap filler extends across the clearance gap to cover the clearance gap after the container is formed initially with the gap filler in the molded configuration;

[0011] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the container showing the product-storage basin including the floor and an inner sidewall coupled to a periphery of the floor and arranged to extend upwardly from the floor, and showing the child-resistant closure retainer including a sidewall mount coupled to an outer surface of the inner sidewall, a sidewall band coupled to an outer end of the sidewall mount and spaced radially from the inner sidewall to provide the clearance gap therebetween, and a closure-lock tab coupled to the sidewall band and configured to engage selectively with the closure to block removal of the closure from the container;

[0012] FIG. 5 is a cross section taken along line 5-5 in FIG. 2 showing a portion of the container and the gap filler in the molded configuration after the container is formed initially;

[0013] FIG. 6 is a cross section taken along line 6-6 in FIG. 3 showing a portion of the container and the gap filler in the folded configuration in which the gap filler extends entirely across the clearance gap between the sidewall band and the inner sidewall to cover a lower end of the clearance gap and block access to the clearance gap from a lower end of the container;

[0014] FIG. 7 is a side plan view of the container showing the sidewall band and one of the closure-lock tabs, and showing that the sidewall band is formed to include slots to provide the closure-lock tab in the child-resistant closure retainer, and showing the gap filler including a plurality of tabs extending downwardly from the lower end of the sidewall band in the molded configuration;

[0015] FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 5 showing some of the tabs included in the gap filler in detail and including a distal end formed to include a notched ledge configured to mate with a notched ledge of the inner sidewall in the folded configuration and a recess configured to be used to pry each of the tabs away from the inner sidewall to return the tabs to the molded configuration so that the clearance gap can be accessed by a user for storage of contents;

[0016] FIG. 9 is a top perspective view of the container with the gap filler in the molded configuration;

[0017] FIG. 10 is another top perspective view of the container with the gap filler in the molded configuration;

[0018] FIG. 11 is a bottom perspective view of the container with the gap filler in the molded configuration;

[0019] FIG. 12 is another bottom perspective view of the container with the gap filler in the molded configuration;

[0020] FIG. 13 is a top plan view of the container with the gap filler in the molded configuration;

[0021] FIG. 14 is a bottom plan view of the container with the gap filler in the molded configuration;

[0022] FIG. 15 is a side view of the container with the gap filler in the molded configuration;

[0023] FIG. 16 is a side view of the container with the gap filler in the molded configuration;

[0024] FIG. 17 is a top perspective view of the container with the gap filler in the folded configuration;

[0025] FIG. 18 is another top perspective view of the container with the gap filler in the folded configuration;

[0026] FIG. 19 is a bottom perspective view of the container with the gap filler in the folded configuration;

[0027] FIG. 20 is another bottom perspective view of the container with the gap filler in the folded configuration;

[0028] FIG. 21 is a top plan view of the container with the gap filler in the folded configuration;

[0029] FIG. 22 is a bottom plan view of the container with the gap filler in the folded configuration;

[0030] FIG. 23 is a side view of the container with the gap filler in the folded configuration;

[0031] FIG. 24 is a side view of the container with the gap filler in the folded configuration; and

[0032] FIG. 25 is an exploded assembly view of a comparative package including a container, a closure, and a separately formed gap filler.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] A package 10 includes a closure 12 and a container 14 as shown in FIG. 1. The container 14 is formed to include an interior product storage region 16 configured to store one or more products therein. The closure 12 is removable from the container and is configured to engage selectively with the container to block access to the interior product storage region 16.

[0034] The container 14 includes a product-storage basin 18 and a closure retainer 20 coupled to the product-storage basin 18 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The product-storage basin 18 includes a floor 22 arranged generally perpendicular to a central axis 15 of the container and an inner sidewall 24 coupled to an outer perimeter of the floor 22 and arranged to extend upwardly from the floor 22 to define the interior product storage region 16 above the floor 22 and radially inward of the inner sidewall 24. The closure retainer 20 is coupled to the inner sidewall 24 and is configured to retain the closure 12 to the container 14.

[0035] The closure retainer 20 is at least partially spaced radially from the inner sidewall 24 of the product-storage basin 18 to provide a clearance gap 26 radially between the inner sidewall 24 and a portion of the closure retainer 20. In the illustrative embodiment, the container 14 further includes a gap filler 30 coupled with one of the product-storage basin 18 and the closure retainer 20 and configured to cover the clearance gap 26 for improved aesthetics of the container 14 and to reinforce the closure retainer 20 relative to the product-storage basin 18.

[0036] In the illustrative embodiment, the gap filler 30 is formed integrally with the closure retainer 20 during manufacturing of the container 14. The container 14 is made of a polymeric material, such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, or a combination of such materials, and is formed by injection molding the polymeric material to form the container 14 in a mold. The mold is structured to minimize overhangs so that the container 14 can release from the mold after the polymeric material solidifies in a direction generally along the central axis 15. The gap filler 30 is initially molded in a first configuration, or molded configuration, relative to the product-storage basin 18 where the gap filler 30 is oriented so that release from the mold is possible as shown in FIG. 2. After releasing from the mold, the gap filler 30 is configured to deform relative to the rest of the container 14 to a second configuration, or folded configuration, where the gap filler 30 covers the clearance gap 26. The gap filler 30 is substantially perpendicular to the central axis 15 in the second configuration and overlaps other parts of the container 14 which would typically make release from the mold more difficult due to the gap filler 30 providing a large overhang in the second configuration.

[0037] The closure retainer 20 is a child-resistant closure retainer 20 and includes a sidewall mount 32, a sidewall band 34, and a pair of closure-lock tabs 36, 38 as shown in FIGS. 2-4. The sidewall mount 32 is coupled to an outer surface of the inner sidewall 24 and extends radially outward away from the inner sidewall 24 to an inner surface of the sidewall band 34. The sidewall band 34 is coupled to a radially-outer end of the sidewall mount 32 and is spaced radially from the inner sidewall to provide the clearance gap 26 radially between the inner sidewall 24 and the sidewall band 34. Slots 40 are formed in the sidewall band 34 to form the closure-lock tabs 36, 38.

[0038] The closure-lock tabs 36, 38 are coupled to the sidewall band 34 and are moveable relative to the sidewall band 34 between a closure-retention position and a closure-release position as shown in FIG. 4. In the closure-retention position, the closure-lock tabs 36, 38 are spaced a first distance from the outer surface of the inner sidewall 24 to engage with the closure 12 and block removal of the closure 12 from the container 14. In the closure-release position, the closure-lock tabs 36, 38 are spaced a second distance from the outer surface of the inner sidewall 24 less than the first distance to allow removal of the closure 12 from the container 14. The slots 40 allow the closure-lock tabs 36, 38 to flex inwardly toward the central axis 15 relative to the sidewall band 34. The clearance gap 26 provides spacing for the closure-lock tabs 36, 38 to move between the closure-retention position and the closure-release position.

[0039] The container 14 includes gap-filler means by way of gap filler 30 coupled to the sidewall band 34 for movement relative to the sidewall band 34 from the molded configuration to the folded configuration. In the molded configuration, the gap filler means extends downwardly away from the sidewall band 34 and is spaced radially-outward from the inner sidewall 24. In the folded configuration after pivoting relative to the sidewall band 34, the gap-filler means covers the clearance gap 26 between the inner sidewall 24 and the sidewall band 34 and blocks movement of at least a portion of the sidewall band 34 radially inward as the closure-lock tab 36 moves to the closure-release position so that the clearance gap 26 is maintained between the sidewall band 34 and the inner sidewall 24 as the closure 12 is removed from the container 14.

[0040] The gap filler 30 is coupled at or near a lower end of the sidewall band 34 of the closure retainer 20 as shown in FIGS. 5-7. The gap filler 30 includes a plurality of tabs 42 spaced circumferentially around the central axis 15 and extending downwardly away from the sidewall band 34. Each tab 42 is bendable relative to the sidewall band 34 from the first configuration, as shown in FIG. 5, to the second configuration, as shown in FIG. 6. After pivoting relative to the sidewall band 34, the tabs 42 cover the clearance gap 26 between the inner sidewall 24 and the sidewall band 34. The tabs 42 also reinforce the container 14 by blocking movement of at least a portion of the sidewall band 34 radially inward as the closure-lock tabs 36, 38 move to the closure-release position. In this way, the tabs 42 cover the clearance gap 26 and maintain the clearance gap 26 between the sidewall band 34 and the inner sidewall 24 as the closure 12 is removed from the container 14.

[0041] Each of the tabs 42 includes a base wall or end 50 coupled to the sidewall band 34, a first circumferential wall or end 52, a second circumferential wall or end 54, and a distal wall or end 56 as shown in FIG. 7. The base wall 50 is formed integrally with the sidewall band 34 and provides a hinge or bend point for the tab 42. The base wall 50 has a reduced thickness relative to at least one of the sidewall band or the rest of the tab 42. The first and second circumferential walls 52, 54 are angled to extend toward one another as the tab 42 extends from the base wall 50 to the distal wall 58. Each of the circumferential walls 52, 54 extends along a plane through the central axis 15 in the folded configuration so that they abut against a wall 52, 54 of an adjacent tab 42 in the folded configuration and minimize gaps therebetween. The distal wall 56 interconnects the first and second circumferential walls 52, 54 and has a radius of curvature with a center coinciding with the central axis 15 in the second configuration.

[0042] The circumferential walls 52, 54 are angled and the distal wall 56 is curved to accommodate lost space as the tabs 42 change from the first configuration to the second configuration because the container 14 is circular. If the container 14 has a different shape, such as a square or rectangular shape, some or all of the tabs 42 may have circumferential walls that are not angled and a distal wall that is not curved.

[0043] Each tab 42 has a length sufficient to span the clearance gap 26 at or near a lower end of both the sidewall band 34 and the floor 22 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 8. The distal wall 56 of each tab formed to include a first notched ledge 60 and the product-storage basin 18 is formed to include a second notched ledge 62 as shown in FIG. 8. The first notched ledge 60 is curved with the distal end 56 of each tab and is sized to fit within a space defined above the second notched ledge 62 in the floor 22 and/or inner sidewall 24. The second notched ledge 62 is an annular ring extending circumferentially about the central axis 15 and projects outwardly toward each of the tabs 42. When each tab moves to the second configuration, the notched ledge 60 of the tabs 42 interlock with the notched ledge of the product-storage basin 18 to retain each of the tabs 42 in the second configuration. Each tab 42 may further include a recess 64 that a user can use (i.e. with a fingernail, for example) to return one or more tabs 42 to the first configuration to access the clearance gap 26 for storage.

[0044] In the illustrative embodiment, the tabs 42 are coupled to a lower end or region 70 of the sidewall band 34 as shown in FIG. 8. Each of the tabs 42 is also coupled to a radially inner edge 72 of the lower end 70 and/or an inner surface 73 of the sidewall band 34 and may extend at an inward angle toward the central axis 15 of the container 14 in the molded configuration. When the tabs 42 are moved to the folded configuration, the inner edge 72 may be rounded for increased aesthetics and to reduce sharp edges on the container 14.

[0045] Each of the tabs 42 may vary in thickness as shown in FIG. 8. For example, the tabs 42 may be thinnest at the base end 50 and thickest at or near the distal end 56. Thinning the tabs 42 at the base end 50 may facilitate moving each tab 42 from the molded configuration to the folded configuration while thickening the distal end 56 may reinforce the connection between the notched ledges 60, 62 to further block separation of the distal ends 56 from the product-storage basin 18. The closure retainer 20 may further include a lower lip 74 coupled to the lower end 70 of the sidewall band 34 and that projects downwardly from the lower end 70 and past the floor 22. The lower lip 74 may block structures in the environment (i.e. surfaces the container 14 may rest on or contact when dropped) from contacting the base end 50 of each of the tabs 42 where they are thinnest. The lower lip 74 may also act as a guide for a tool used to change each of the tabs 42 from the molded configuration to the folded configuration during manufacture. In the folded configuration, each of the tabs 42 may be located entirely above a lowermost end of the lower lip 74 such that the tabs 42 will not contact any surface on which the container 14 rests.

[0046] A method of forming package 10 includes forming closure 12 and container 14. Closure 12 and container 14 may be formed by injection molding, thermoforming, blow molding, or any other suitable forming method. The gap filler 30 is molded in the first configuration so that the container 14 can be released from the mold. The method further includes bending each of the tabs 42 inwardly toward the central axis 15. The tabs 42 may extend at a slight angle (i.e. less than 10 degrees) toward the central axis 15 as they extend away from the sidewall band 34 in the first configuration. This pre-orients each tab 42 for movement to the second configuration to limit movement of the tabs in an opposite direction away from the central axis 15. A tool, such as a flat plate or ring can press each tab 42 into place into the second configuration at the same time.

[0047] Once the container 14 is formed and the gap filler 30 is moved to the second configuration, the container 14 can be filled with product and closure 12 can be attached to the closure retainer 20. Labels can be applied over the gap filler 30 and the floor 22 to further block view of the clearance gap 26. Other comparative containers are formed without an integral gap filler and, instead, include a separately formed component that is attached to the container after being formed as shown in FIG. 25. These comparative containers are more difficult to assemble and increase cost for the process as a whole.