Medicine container and cover therefor

Abstract: A medicine container has side walls (16) which have wave portions (16a), and end walls (20) which are angular with respect to the side walls (16). Therefore, the medicine container can be easily and readily grasped and retained whilst dispensing its contents. The medicine container also has a flange (30) which extends from the walls (16, 20). A cover member (40) is attached to the flange (30). The cover member (40) has tab portions (60) which extend from the flange (30) and which can be grasped for easy opening of the medicine container to dispense its contents.

Description: Small disposable containers are employed to contain medicines which are in the form of pills, capsules and the like. Such a container is shown in US-A-4,860,899. Customarily, such disposable containers are of rigid material and are relatively small in physical size due to the fact that the pills and/or capsules therein are small and/or few in number. Furthermore, due to the fact that the containers are disposable, the cost is maintained at a minimum when the containers are small in physical size. Due to the fact that the medicine containers are small in physical size, a person who receives the medicine may encounter difficulty in grasping and retaining a container for removal of the pills or capsules from the container. Such a medicine container must be covered in order to maintain the pills and capsules within the container and to keep the pills and capsules clean. An object of this invention is to provide a medicine container for pills, capsules and the like in which the container is small in physical size but which may be easily grasped and retained by a person as the pills and capsules are dispensed from the container. An additional object of this invention is to provide such a medicine container which includes a cover member which seals the container and which may be easily removable from the container by a person for dispensing the medicine from the container. US-A-3,078,986, EP-A-398316 and JP-A-59199463 disclose containers which are closed by covers provided with grasping tabs. FR-A-1,330,654 discloses a container, closed by a cover, which has walls provided with wave formations. According to the present invention, there is provided a medicine container of the type disclosed in US-A-4,860,899, as defined in claim 1. The invention also provides a method of producing a small disposable medicine container as defined in claim 5. In one embodiment of the present invention, the substantially straight portion of each of the end walls has a relatively flat surface which is at an acute angle with respect to a side wall. Preferably, the flat surfaces of the end walls are substantially parallel one with respect to the other. Also, preferably, the flat surfaces of the end walls are at an angle of between fifteen (15) and seventy-five (75) degrees with respect to the side walls. This configuration of the end wall portions, and the curved or waved configuration of the side walls, enables a person readily and easily to grasp and retain the container as the person's thumb and finger or fingers engage any two or more of the walls. The cover may comprise a plurality of layers of paper or paper-like material. A top layer of the cover has a lower surface which is coated with releasable adhesive material. Adhesively attached to the lower surface of the top layer is an attachment layer. The attachment layer has a portion which has generally the same dimensions and configuration as the flange which encompasses the opening in the container. The opening-encompassing portion of the attachment layer has a lower surface which is coated with a bonding type of adhesive. The opening-encompassing portion of the attachment layer is thus secured to the flange by means of the bonding type of adhesive. Also, attached to the top layer is a pair of spaced-apart tab parts which extend from the flange which encompasses the opening in the container. Attached to the top layer and encompassed by the opening-encompassing portion of the attachment layer is a lid layer which covers the opening in the container. The lid layer has a shape substantially the same as the shape of the opening in the container and extends between the side walls and end walls. However, the lid layer has a plurality of protuberant parts which rest upon the flange which encompasses the opening in the container. When it is desired to open the container, two or more of the walls of the container are grasped by a person's thumb and one or two fingers. Then one of the tab parts of the top layer is grasped and the top layer is lifted from the attachment layer. The attachment layer remains adhesively attached to the flange of the container as the top layer is released from the attachment layer. The lid layer which is adhesively attached to the top layer is moved from the opening in the container as the top layer is released from the attachment layer. In order that the invention may be more readily understood, one embodiment thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a medicine container and cover therefor, constructed in accordance with this invention. FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the cover, taken substantially on line 2-2 of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a perspective top view showing the container of FIG. 1 with the cover attached to the container. FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the container, taken substantially on line 4-4 of FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the procedure of opening the container by removal of a major portion of the cover. This figure also illustrates the manner in which the container may be grasped during opening of the container. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the container in an open condition and showing a major portion of the cover removed from the container. This view also illustrates another method by which the container may be grasped during opening thereof. FIG. 7 is a perspective view which shows a container of this invention with the major portion of the cover removed and showing a condition in which the lid layer of the cover fails to release from the container and remains in enclosing relationship over the opening of the container. FIG. 8 is a perspective view which illustrates a procedure by which the lid layer of the cover is removed from the container when the lid layer fails to release from the container with the major portion of the cover. FIG. 9 is a perspective view which illustrates another procedure by which the lid layer of the cover is removed from the container when the lid layer fails to release from the container with the major portion of the cover. A container 12 embodying this invention is shown as a small disposable box-like member which is adapted to contain medicine, such as pills, capsules and the like. The container 12 comprises a pair of side walls 16. Each of the side walls 16 has a plurality of wave portions 16a. The container 12 also comprises a pair of relatively straight, flat end walls 20 which are joined to the side walls 16 by curved walls 22. Preferably, the end walls 20 are substantially parallel, one with respect to the other. The end walls 20 are shown as being at an angle of approximately thirty (30) or sixty (60) degrees with respect to the side walls 16. However, the end walls 20 may be at any angle with respect to the side walls 16. Preferably, the end walls 20 are at an angle of between fifteen (15) degrees and seventy-five (75) degrees with respect to the side walls 16. Joined to the walls 16, 20, and 22 is a bottom wall 26. The walls 16, 20, and 22 and the bottom wall 26 are of rigid material, such as a plastics material or the like. Extending laterally from the walls 16, 20, and 22 at the upper portions thereof is a flange 30. The flange 30 encompasses the opening in the container 12 formed by the walls 16, 20, and 22, and has edge portions 30a which are substantially parallel to the end walls 20. The flange 30 is shown as having generally a constant width around the container 12. The flange 30 has side edges 30b which are substantially parallel to the side walls 16. A cover 40 of paper or paper-like material closes the container 12. The cover 40 includes a top layer 42, which has a lower surface 42L which is coated with a releasable adhesive material. The cover 40 also includes an opening-encompassing attachment layer 48 which has dimensions and a configuration which are generally the same as the dimensions and configuration of the flange 30 of the container 12. The attachment layer 48 has a lower surface 48L which is coated with a bonding adhesive. Adhesively attached to the top layer 42 and extending through the attachment layer 48 is a lid layer 52. The lid layer 52 is not attached to the attachment layer 48 but is closely emcompassed by the attachment layer 48. The lid layer 52 has protuberant portions 52a, 52b, and 52c at the periphery of the lid layer 52. The lid layer 52 is shown as having a pair of curved cuts 58 therein, for a purpose discussed below. Also, adhesively attached to the top layer 42 are tabs 60. The tabs 60 are at opposed portions of the top layer 42. The lower surface 48L of the attachment layer 48 is adhesively bonded to the flange 30 of the container 12. When the attachment layer 48 is secured to the flange 30 the tabs 60 are adjacent the edges 30a of the flange 30 and extend therefrom. When the cover 40 is upon the container 12, the lid layer 52 closes the opening in the container 12 which is formed by the walls 16, 20, and 22. The attachment layer 48 has recesses 64 above the surface of the flange 30. As the attachment layer 48 is secured to the flange 30 and as the lid layer 52 closes the opening in the container 12, the protuberances 52a, 52b, and 52c of the lid layer 52 are positioned within the recesses 64 of the attachment layer 48 and the protuberances 52a, 52b, and 52c lie upon the flange 30. Shown within the container 12 in FIGS. 5 and 6 is medicine in the form of pills 72. When it is desired to dispense the pills 72 from the container 12, the side walls 16 of the container 12 may be engaged by a person's thumb 76 and fingers 78, as illustrated in FIG. 5. Due to the fact that the side walls 16 include the waves 16a, the side walls 16 are readily and easily grasped for firmly retaining the container 12. Also, if desired for dispensing the pills 72, the end walls 20 may be engaged by a person's thumb 76 and fingers 78 as illustrated in FIG. 6. Also, if desired, any one or more of the walls 16 and 20 may be grasped for firmly retaining the container 12 for dispensing the pills 72 from the container 12. Due to the fact that the tabs 60 extend from the edges 30a of the flange 30, either of the tabs 60 can be easily grasped. For uncovering the container 12, one of the tabs 60 is grasped, as illustrated in FIG. 5, and the top layer 42 is released and lifted from the attachment layer 48. The attachment layer 48, which is sealingly adhesively attached to the flange 30 remains attached to the flange 30. With the top layer 42, the lid layer 52 is lifted from the container 12, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6. The curved cuts 58 in the lid layer 52 permit the lid layer 52 to be readily flexed and aid in removing the lid layer 52 from the container 12 with removal of the top layer 42 from the attachment layer 48. Thus, the container 12 is opened, and the contents thereof can be removed from the container 12. As stated above, the attachment layer 48 and the lid layer 52 are attached to the top layer 42 by a releasable adhesive. In some instances, the lid layer 52 does not release from the container 12 as the top layer 42 is lifted from the attachment layer 48 and from the container 12. Thus, in such situations the lid layer 52 remains in closing relationship to the container 12 as shown in FIG. 7. When this situation occurs, a problem in opening the container 12 might exist. However, the lid layer 52 can be easily removed from the container 12 by forcing an edge portion of the lid layer 52 downwardly into the container 12, as illustrated in FIG. 8. As shown in FIG. 8, the edge portion of the lid layer 52 having the protuberance 52a is forced downwardly into the container 12. When this occurs, the edge of the lid layer 52 which has the protuberances 52b and 52c is pivoted upwardly due to the fact that the protuberances 52b and 52c are resting upon the flange 30. This pivotal action is illustrated in FIG. 8. When this occurs, either the protuberance 52b or 52c can be grasped and the lid layer 52 is then easily removed from the container 12. If the lid layer 52 fails to release from the container 12 when the top layer 42 is released from the attachment layer 48, there is another method of removal of the lid layer 52. This alternative method of removing the lid layer 52 from the container 12 is illustrated in FIG. 9. One of the protuberances 52a, 52b, or 52c, herein shown as the protuberance 52a, is lifted from the attachment layer 48 and from the flange 30 and grasped. Thus, the lid layer 52 is easily removed from the container 12. Thus, it is understood that the medicine container 12 embodying this invention has the cover 40 which is sealingly attached to the flange 30. Therefore, the contents of the container 12 are sealed and maintained in a clean condition. The container 12 can be easily opened for dispensing the contents thereof. The container 12 can be readily grasped and firmly retained by a person for dispensing the contents of the container 12. A tab 60 which extends from the end walls 20 can be readily grasped. Then the top layer 42 of the cover 40 is readily removed from the container 12 for dispensing the contents of the container 12. When the top layer 42 is removed from the attachment layer 48, the attachment layer 48 remains firmly secured to the flange 30. Thus, evidence is provided against the possibility of tampering with the contents of the container 12. If the lid layer 52 should inadvertently remain upon the container 12 after removal of the top layer 42, the lid layer 52 can be easily removed from the container 12. Although the preferred embodiment of the medicine container and cover therefor of this invention has been described, it will be understood that within the purview of this invention various changes may be made in the form, details, proportion and arrangement of parts, the combination thereof, and the mode of use, which generally stated consist in a structure and a method within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims: A small, disposable medicine container having a box-like body (12) provided with a bottom wall (26), a pair of end walls (20), a pair of side walls (16), and a cover (40), each of the end walls (20) including a substantially flat portion which is at an angle with respect to the side walls (16), the container being sufficiently small to be held by its side and/or end walls between the thumb and one or more fingers of one hand, characterised in that the side walls (26) and the end walls (20) are substantially rigid, in that a flange (30) is integral with the side walls (16) and with the end walls (20) and extends laterally therefrom, the flange (30) having an edge portion (30a) which is substantially parallel to the substantially flat portion of an end wall (20) and spaced therefrom, in that the cover (40) includes a top cover layer (42), an attachment layer (48) and a lid layer (52), the top cover layer (42) including a tab element (60), the attachment layer (48) being configured to encompass the opening in the container formed by the side and end walls, and being attached to the flange (30), the top cover layer (42) being releasably attached to the attachment layer (48), the lid layer (52) being encompassed by the attachment layer (48), and being attached to the top cover layer (42), with the tab element (60) extending from the flange (30), whereby the tab element (60) may be grasped and whereby the top cover layer (42) is releasable from the attachment layer (48) and the lid layer (52) is removable from the container with removal of the top cover layer (42) from the attachment layer (48), and in that at least one of the side walls (16) includes a wave portion (16a) by means of which the side wall (16) can be firmly engaged and the container manually grasped and retained between the thumb and one or more fingers of one hand during removal of the top cover layer (42) and dispensing of the contents of the container. The medicine container as claimed in claim 1, in which the lid layer (52) includes a plurality of protuberances (52a)(52b)(52c) which rest upon the flange (30), whereby the lid layer (52) can be pivoted about one of the protuberances (52a) (52b)(52c) and whereby the lid layer (52) can be readily grasped and removed from the medicine container if the lid layer (52) fails to be removed from the container with removal of the top layer (42). The medicine container as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the attachment layer (48) has generally the same dimensions and configuration as the dimensions and configuration of the flange (30) and is adhesively bonded to the flange (30). The medicine container as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, in which the substantially flat portion of each end wall (20) is at an acute angle to a side wall (16). A method of producing a small disposable medicine container, comprising forming a generally box-like member having a pair of substantially rigid side walls (16) and a pair of substantially rigid end walls (20), and a bottom wall (26), forming in each of the end walls (20) a substantially straight portion which is at an angle with respect to the side walls (16), forming a wave portion (16a) into at least one of the side walls (16), whereby the wave portion (16a) of the wall (16) can be firmly engaged for manually grasping the medicine container and for manually retaining the medicine container for dispensing the contents of the medicine container, the method including forming a flange (30) integral with the walls (16)(20) and extending laterally therefrom, forming a top cover layer (42) including a tab (60), forming an attachment layer (48) which is configured to encompass the opening in the container formed by the side and end walls, attaching the attachment layer (48) to the flange (30), forming a lid layer (52), positioning the lid layer (52) within the attachment layer (48), whereby the lid layer (52) is encompassed by the attachment layer (48), attaching the lid layer (52) to the top cover layer (42), with the tab (60) extending from the flange (30), whereby the tab (60) may be grasped and whereby the top cover layer (42) is releasable from the attachment layer (48) and the lid layer (52) is removable from the container with removal of the top cover layer (42) from the attachment layer (48). The method as claimed in claim 5, which includes forming the lid layer (52) with a protuberance (52a)(52b)(52c), and positioning the lid layer (52) within the attachment layer (48) with the protuberance (52a)(52b)(52c) resting upon the flange (30), whereby the lid layer (52) can be pivoted about a protuberance (52a)(52b)(52c) and whereby the lid layer (52) can be grasped and removed from the box-like container (12) if the lid layer (52) is not removed with removal of the top layer (42).

Inventors: EATON ROLLAND, EATON, ROLLAND
Applicants: EATON FORMS CORP, EATON FORMS CORPORATION
Application year: 1990
Main classification: B65D77
IPC codes: B65D17, B65D77