Patent ID: 6527140
Filing Date: 2003-03-04
Classification: B65D

Abstract:
A tablet dispenser comprising a moulded, upwardly-open body portion of generally circular cross-section, a plurality of flexible, circumferentially spaced tabs integrally moulded with the body portion around the upper end thereof to extend upwardly therefrom whereby gaps are defined between adjacent tabs, a lid portion located on the upper end of the body portion to encase the tabs whereby the tabs underlie the inner surface of the lid portion, the lid portion having an aperture formed therethrough, and co-operating locations means on the body portion and the lid portion so positioned that, on initial assembly of the dispenser, the lid portion is located on the body portion with the aperture in the lid portion overlying a tab to define a closed position of the dispenser, the lid portion being rotatable relative to the body portion from said closed position to an open position in which the aperture in the lid portion is aligned with a gap between two adjacent tabs, characterized in that resilient means react between the body portion and the lid portion such that, to enable relative rotation of the lid portion on the body portion from the closed position to the open position, it is first of all necessary to depress the lid portion against the bias of the resilient means to release the lid portion into a position whereby it can be rotated to the open position, and further characterized in that the co-operating location means comprise, on one of the outer surface of the upper regions of the body portion and the inner surf ace of the lower regions of the lid portion, a plurality of circumferentially spaced first projections, one for each tab each projection having a surface thereto extending at an acute angle to the longitudinal central axis of the body portion, and, on the other of the outer surface of the upper regions of the body portion and the inner surface of the lower regions of the lid portion, at least one second projection having a surface thereto at an angle corresponding to that of the surface on the first projections whereby, on initial assembly of the dispenser, the angled surfaces of the first and second projections abut one another and guide the lid portion to a closed position on the body portion, the first and second projections, in the closed position of the dispenser, being circumferentially aligned and abutting one another to prevent relative rotation between the lid portion and the body portion.