Abstract:
A package includes an outer sleeve and a slider for holding a blister pack slidably mounted within the outer sleeve. The outer sleeve includes a wall having an outer panel and an inner panel. The inner panel has a locking edge formed at a terminal end thereof spaced from and facing a closed end of the sleeve. A locking flap is formed at a terminal end of the slider extending in a direction away from a closed end of the outer sleeve for engagement with the said wall of the outer sleeve. The flap has a free edge for engagement with the locking edge of the inner panel to prevent the slider from being removed from the outer sleeve when the slider is fully received within the outer sleeve. The outer panel of the outer sleeve includes a release button at least partially overlapping the flap of the slider when the slider is fully inserted in the outer sleeve, and being pressable so as to disengage the free edge of the slider flap from the locking edge of the outer sleeve wall to permit the slider to be withdrawn from the outer sleeve.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims priority to Great Britain Patent Appln. No. GB 1604411.7 filed Mar. 15, 2016, which is herein incorporated by reference 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Technical Field 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to child resistant packaging, particularly child resistant pharmaceutical packaging. 
         [0004]    2. Background Information 
         [0005]    Pharmaceutical products are frequently supplied in blister packs. A blister pack comprises one or more “blisters” which hold capsules, tablets or other items and whose face is sealed by a foil or other film. The blister contents are dispensed by the user pressing down on the blister, thereby pushing the contents of the blister out through the sealing film. 
         [0006]    Typically, the blister pack is supplied in an external package from which the blister pack must be removed to dispense the blister contents. A problem with blister packs is, however, that the blister&#39;s contents may be dispensed quite easily by children. There have therefore been various proposals for making it more difficult for children to dispense contents from a blister pack. To this end, various mechanisms have been proposed to make it more difficult for a child to remove a blister pack from its external package. Typically such mechanisms comprise a locking mechanism which must be released to allow the blister pack to be accessed. 
         [0007]    The present invention seeks to provide a further package of this type with child resistance. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    According to the invention there is provided a package which comprises an outer sleeve having an open end and a closed end and a slider for holding a blister pack, the slider being slidably mounted within the outer sleeve. The outer sleeve comprises a wall having an outer panel and an inner panel. The inner panel has a locking edge formed at a terminal end thereof, the locking edge being arranged at a spacing from the closed end of the sleeve and facing the closed end of the sleeve. The slider comprises a locking flap for engagement with the wall of the outer sleeve. The locking flap is formed at a terminal end of the slider, extends in a direction away from the closed end of the outer sleeve and has a free edge for engagement with the locking edge of the inner panel of the outer sleeve wall to prevent the slider from being removed from the outer sleeve when the slider is fully received within the outer sleeve. The outer panel of the outer sleeve further comprises a release button which at least partially overlaps the locking flap of the slider when the slider is fully inserted in the outer sleeve, the release button being pressable so as to disengage the free edge of the locking flap from the locking edge of the outer sleeve wall to permit the slider to be withdrawn from the outer sleeve. 
         [0009]    Thus withdrawal of a slide from an outer sleeve is prevented by engagement of opposed locking edges provided on the sleeve and slider. The slider can however be removed by pressing a button on the sleeve to disengage the locking edges 
         [0010]    The inner panel may be hingedly attached to the outer panel, for example at an end thereof. This allows simple and accurate positioning of the inner panel relative to the outer panel. 
         [0011]    The outer sleeve locking edge may be formed as a folded edge. This in effect provides a two ply locking formation which may be more robust. 
         [0012]    The release button may extend from a base region attached to the outer sleeve outer panel towards the closed end of the outer sleeve. However, that is not essential and in other arrangements, the release button may extend in a direction away from the closed end of the sleeve or at an angle thereto, for example perpendicular thereto. What is important is that the button may deflect to move the locking flap out of engagement with the locking edge of the outer sleeve. 
         [0013]    The release button may be hingedly attached to the outer sleeve outer panel wall at the base region through a hinge line. Thus the hinge line may be arranged parallel to the closed end of the outer sleeve or at an angle thereto, for example perpendicular thereto. 
         [0014]    The terminal end of the inner panel of the outer sleeve wall may further comprise a backing tab which at least partially overlaps the base region end of the release button. This may add a degree of resilience to the release button, encouraging the button to return to its original position after being released. 
         [0015]    The locking edge of the outer sleeve may extend inwardly from a first side of the inner panel towards a second side of the inner panel, and the backing tab be arranged in a recess between the locking edge and the second side of the inner panel. 
         [0016]    To avoid interference with the unlocking mechanism, the backing tab may not project beyond the locking edge in a direction towards the closed end of the container. 
         [0017]    The release button may also extend into the recess in the terminal end of the inner panel. 
         [0018]    The wall of the outer sleeve may further comprise a retaining flap formed at the open end of the outer sleeve for engagement with the slider locking flap to prevent full withdrawal of the slider from the outer sleeve. 
         [0019]    In an advantageous arrangement, the retaining flap is formed as a hinged flap released from the inner panel. 
         [0020]    The slider may comprise 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 slider flap extending from the first slider leaf towards the outer sleeve outer panel. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0021]    An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0022]      FIG. 1  shows a package in accordance with the invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 2  shows a blank for constructing the outer shell of the package; 
           [0024]      FIG. 3  shows a blank for constructing the slider of the package; 
           [0025]      FIG. 4  shows a folded blank for the outer shell; 
           [0026]      FIG. 5  shows, schematically a stage in the erection of the outer shell; 
           [0027]      FIG. 6  shows a view of the package with the closed end opened for clarity; and 
           [0028]      FIG. 7  shows the releasing of the slider, again with the closed end opened for clarity. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0029]    With reference to  FIG. 1 , the package  2  comprises an outer shell  4  and an inner slider  6  which is slidably received in the outer shell  4 . The outer shell  4  has a closed end  8  and an open end  10  through which the slider  6  may be inserted into and withdrawn from the outer shell  4 . It has a first or front wall  12  which, as will be described further below, comprises components of a locking mechanism for preventing withdrawal of the slider  6  from the outer sleeve  4  and which comprises an outer panel  16  (visible in  FIG. 1 ) and an inner panel  18  (not visible in  FIG. 1 ). It further comprises a second or rear wall  20 , opposite the first wall  12  and side walls  22 ,  24 . The front and rear walls  12 ,  20  form the main faces of the outer sleeve  4 . It should be understood that the terms front and rear as used are merely relative terms and do not imply any limitation as to function or orientation in use. 
         [0030]    The slider  6  comprises a first leaf  26  and a second leaf  28  which are connected together by a connecting panel  30  at the end adjacent the open end  10  of the outer sleeve  4 . Each leaf  26 ,  28  contains a blister pack as will be described further below. The end of the first leaf  26  remote from the connecting panel  30  comprises a folded up locking flap  32  which forms a further part of the locking mechanism as will be described further below. 
         [0031]    Turning now to  FIG. 2 , the outer shell  4  is formed from a blank  31  of lightweight foldable sheet material such as paperboard. The sheet material may advantageously be tear resistant. Thus in one embodiment paperboard may be coated on one or more sides with a tear resistant plastics material. The blank  31  comprises panels  18 ,  16  which when the blank is erected form the inner and outer panels of the outer sleeve  4 . The outer and inner panels  16 ,  18  are joined about a hinge line  34  formed at what will be the open end  10  of the outer sleeve  4 . The blank  31  further comprises a second wall panel  20 , side wall forming panels  22 ,  24 , a glue panel  33 , an end wall forming panel  36  and glue panels and tabs  38 ,  40 ,  42 . The respective wall forming panels are hingedly connected about respective parallel hinge lines. 
         [0032]    The free end  44  of the inner wall panel  18  comprises a flap  46  hingedly connected to the panel  18  about a hinge line  48 . The free end  44  of the inner wall panel  18  further comprises a backing tab  50  whose purpose will be described further below. 
         [0033]    The end of the inner panel  18  adjacent the hinge line  34  is provided with a cut line  52  which defines a retaining flap  54  whose purpose will be described further below. The retaining flap  54  is provided with an arcuate line of perforations  56  or other weakening means extending from the hinge line  34 . Mirror image perforations  56  are provided in the adjacent region of the outer panel  16 . 
         [0034]    The outer panel  16  comprises, at its end remote from the hinge line  34 , a release button  58 . The release button  58  is hingedly attached to the outer panel  16  about a hinge line  60  and is further defined by a cut line  62 , with one or more frangible bridges  64  of material maintaining it in position before use. The hinge line  60  in this embodiment is generally parallel to the hinge line  68  connecting the outer panel  16  to the end flap  36 , so that in the erected sleeve  4 , the hinge line  60  will extend parallel to the closed end  8  of the outer sleeve  4 . Of course, the hinge line  60  may be arranged at an angle to the closed end  8  in other embodiments. For example, the hinge line may extend perpendicular to the hinge line  68  or at an intermediate angle thereto. In such an arrangement, the hinge line  60  may be arranged towards the adjacent side wall panel  22  to facilitate operation. 
         [0035]    The second wall panel  20  is provided with a flap  70  hingedly attached to the second wall panel  20  about a hinge line  72 . The flap  70  is provided with an arcuate line of perforations  74  or other weakening means extending from the hinge line  72 . Mirror image perforations  74  are provided in the second wall panel  20 . 
         [0036]    The areas in dotted lines on glue panels and tabs  38 ,  40 ,  42 , on glue panel  33 , and on flap  70  and flap  46  indicate areas of adhesive application on the applicable surfaces of the panels, tabs and flaps for use in construction of the outer shell. The wavy lines on panels and tabs  33 ,  42 ,  38  and  40  indicate optional scoring which may be used to facilitate adhesion. 
         [0037]    Turning now to  FIG. 3 , the slider  6  is also formed from a blank  80  of lightweight foldable sheet material such as paperboard. The sheet material may advantageously be tear resistant. Thus in one embodiment paperboard may be coated on one or more sides with a tear resistant plastics material. The blank  80  comprises first and second first leaf panels  26 A,  26 B, first and second second leaf panels  28 A,  28 B and connecting panel  30 . The locking flap  32  is formed at the free end  82  of the first first leaf panel  26 A. 
         [0038]    The first first leaf panel  26 A and first second leaf panel  28 A comprise perforations or other lines of weakness  84  which define a frangible cover  86  for a blister dispensing opening. The second first leaf panel  26 B and second second leaf panel  28 B comprise a series of openings  88  to receive the blisters  130  of a blister pack (not shown). The panels  26 A,  26 B,  28 A,  28 B are folded over about respective hinge lines  90 ,  92  (as illustrated by arrow A) to retain a blister pack blister between the panels, with the blisters  130  of the blister pack protruding from the openings  88  of the second first and second leaf panels  26 B,  28 B and aligned with the frangible covers  86 . 
         [0039]    The construction of the outer sleeve  4  will now be described with reference to  FIGS. 4 and 5 . 
         [0040]    With reference to  FIGS. 2 and 4 , the blank  31  is first folded and glued to form an intermediate blank as shown in  FIG. 4 . The flap  46  attached to the inner panel  18  is folded about hinge line  48  as illustrated by arrow B and glued down to the inner panel  18 . The inner panel  18  is then folded over the outer panel  20  about hinge line  34  as illustrated by arrow C. The inner panel  18  is then glued to the outer panel  20  in a gluing region  94 . This area excludes the flap  54  which, as it is defined by a cut line  52  remains unfolded, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0041]    In the folded and glued state, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the hinge line  48  at the base of flap  46  forms a locking edge  100  which extends inwardly from a first side edge  102  of the inner panel  18  towards the opposed side edge  104 . 
         [0042]    The release button  58  extends into a recess  106  formed in the end of the inner panel  18  between the end  108  of the locking edge  100  and the opposed side edge  104  of the inner panel  18  and does not overlap the locking edge  100 . 
         [0043]    The backing tab  50  of the inner panel extends into the recess  106  and overlaps a base region  110  of the button  58  adjacent the button hinge line  60 . The backing tab  50  is not glued to the release button  58  so as to allow the relative sliding movement between the two components. In other embodiments, however, the backing tab  50  may be glued to the release button  58 . 
         [0044]    The flap  70  on wall panel  20  is folded about hinge line  72  as illustrated by arrow D and glued down to the panel  20 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . This flap  70  does not contribute to any locking activity but simply serves to strengthen the open end  10  of the outer sleeve  4  and provide a folded rather than exposed edge. 
         [0045]    The outer sleeve  4  may then be erected by folding the glued blank about the hinge lines  112 ,  114  (illustrated schematically by arrow E) and retaining flap  54  folded over the inner panel  18 . The sleeve  4  may then be glued into a tubular configuration using the glue panel  33 . The bottom of the sleeve  4  may then be folded over and glued using glue tabs  38 ,  40 ,  42 . The retaining flap  54  is not glued to the inside of the sleeve  4 , but simply projects resiliently into the sleeve  4 . 
         [0046]    The slider  6  may then be inserted into the outer sleeve  4 . This is illustrated schematically in  FIG. 5 , although with the sleeve  4  shown prior to final folding for clarity purposes. 
         [0047]    The locking flap  32  of the slider  6  is folded in the direction of arrow G. The locking flap  32  resiliently engages the inner panel  18  of the outer sleeve wall  12 . As the slider  6  is inserted into the outer sleeve  4 , it will ride along the inner panel  18  until such time as its free edge  120  passes over the locking edge  100  on the inner panel  18 . The resilience of the locking flap  32  then biases the locking flap  32  into contact with the outer panel  16 . It will be understood that should a user then try to withdraw the slider  6  from the outer sleeve  4 , this will be prevented by the engagement of the free edge  120  of the locking flap  32  and the locking edge  100  of the inner panel  18 . This is illustrated in  FIG. 6 . 
         [0048]    Should a user wish to remove the slider  6  from the outer sleeve  4 , he or she must firstly break the perforations  56 ,  74  provided at the open end  10  of the outer sleeve  4 . This creates arcuate recesses in the open end  10  of the outer sleeve  4  so that a user can grip the slider  6 . The user must then press the release button  58  inwardly. Pressing the release button  58  will break the retaining bridges  64  and move the release button  58 . The release button  58  will then contact the locking flap  32  and pivot it inwardly as shown in  FIG. 7 , which disengages the locking edges  100 ,  120  of the inner panel  18  and the locking flap  32  respectively. The slider  6  can then be withdrawn from the outer sleeve  4  to access the blister packs carried by the slider  6 . 
         [0049]    It should be noted that the slider  6  cannot be fully withdrawn from the outer sleeve due to the retaining flap  54 . When the slider  6  is withdrawn from the outer sleeve  4 , the locking flap  32  will engage behind the flap  54  preventing full removal of the slider  6 . The slider  6  can, however, be moved sufficiently far to allow the first and second leaves  26 ,  28  of the slider  6  to be opened (as illustrated in  FIG. 4 ) to allow access to the blisters  130  of the blister packs. The contents of the blisters can then be dispensed through the frangible covers  86  in the slider  6 . 
         [0050]    While the release button  58  has some inherent resilience, it will be appreciated that after repeated use, it may tend to remain depressed. However, the backing tab  50  which underlies the base region  110  of the release button  58  provides additional resilience. This helps ensure that the locking flap  32  will still be able to engage with the locking edge of the inner panel  18  after repeated use. 
         [0051]    It will be appreciated that the above is a description of an exemplary embodiment only and that various modifications can be made to the embodiment without departing from the scope of the invention. 
         [0052]    For example, it may be possible to provide the locking edge  100  of the inner panel  18  as a cut edge rather than a folded edge by omitting the flap  46 . Alternatively, or additionally, the locking edge  120  of the slider could be formed as a folded edge, for example by providing a further panel  32 ′ (shown in phantom in  FIG. 3 ) which can be folded over and glued to the locking flap  32 . 
         [0053]    In a further modification, anti-roll flaps  140  may be attached to the connecting panel  30  of the slider  6  as shown in phantom in  FIG. 3 . These flaps will resist the second slider leaf  28  from rotating relative to the first slider leaf  26  when the slider  6  is within the outer sleeve  4  to prevent a child “rolling” the second leaf  28  out of the outer sleeve  4  and thereby possibly grip the second leaf  28  to pull it fully out of the outer sleeve  4 . 
         [0054]    Rather than using a slider formed from a single piece blank as shown in  FIG. 3 , it will be appreciated that the slider blank may be formed from multiple pieces joined together. For example, a slider blank with two leaves as shown in  FIG. 3  may instead be constructed using two pieces, one providing the first first leaf panel  26 A and the first second leaf panel  28 A, and one providing the second first leaf panel  26 B and the second second leaf panel  28 B. Thus, rather than having panels connected along the hingelines  90 ,  92  as in the  FIG. 3  embodiment, a two piece blank of this type could be obtained by cutting the blank shown in  FIG. 3  along the hingelines  90 ,  92 . 
         [0055]    Also, the slider  6  need not have opposed first and second leaves  26 ,  28  and a single leaf slider may also be used. In such a construction, the slider may be provided with side walls extending upwardly from the slider leaf. Such a slider may similarly be formed from a single piece or multi-piece blank as in the multiple leaf slider embodiments. 
         [0056]    As discussed above, the release button  58  need not be positioned as shown and it may be positioned in any position where it is able to deflect the locking flap  32  of the slider  6 . Thus it may be attached to the outer panel  16  along a side region of the outer panel so as to deflect inwardly from the side. It may also be attached adjacent the closed end  8  of the outer sleeve so as to deflect inwardly from that end. In the former arrangement at least, a backing tab  50  can still be provided as in the earlier embodiment. 
         [0057]    Also, while the locking edge  100  of the inner panel  18  has been shown as extending partially across the end of the inner panel from one side, it may be positioned differently, for example displaced inwardly from the side of the panel, for example centrally of the inner panel  18 . In other embodiments it may extend across the entire end of the inner panel  18 . 
         [0058]    These and other modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.