Patent Publication Number: US-11040810-B1

Title: Self-opening packaging with child-resistant closure

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure relates to self-opening packaging and to child-resistant closures for self-opening packaging. 
     BACKGROUND 
     As used in the present disclosure, self-opening packaging or self-opening containers incorporate a mechanism that automatically opens a packaging cover or lid when actuated. For example, self-opening containers can include a push-button that automatically opens a lid of the container when the button is pressed, or a sliding actuator that automatically opens a cover of the container when the sliding actuator is displaced. Self-opening containers can embody efficient mechanical designs for opening lids and for accessing components such as internal receptacles. However, conventional self-opening containers generally are easily opened by children, which can be highly problematic in the case of containers of hazardous or age-restricted materials. 
     SUMMARY 
     What is needed are self-opening packaging that includes child-resistant closure. One need is for self-opening packaging for hazardous or age-restricted materials that reduces the risk of children accessing the hazardous or age-restricted materials. An additional need is packaging that combines the safety provided by child-resistant closure for use by children with a convenient self-opening mechanical design for use by adults. 
     A child-resistant self-opening container includes a container body having a front side, left side, right side, container bottom, and top opening. A child-resistant self-opening container incorporates an opening mechanism including a vertically extending linear guide slot at one of the front side, left side, and right side of the container body. The container also incorporates a child-resistant closure mechanism including shift button slidably mounted at the container bottom and a latch mechanism coupled to the shift button. The shift button is configured to be displaced between a first position and a second position, moving the latch mechanism between locked and unlocked configurations. The latch extends above the container bottom within an interior space of the container body. 
     The child-resistant self-opening container includes a lid connected to the container body adjacent the top opening and an inner casing mounted within the container body. The opening mechanism of the container includes a protuberance of the inner casing, which extends through the vertically extending linear guide slot in the container body. The inner casing is slidably mounted to rise and descend within the container body, and the protuberance is slidable within the vertically extending linear guide slot. The inner casing further includes a catch surface at a bottom portion of the inner casing. 
     The child-resistant self-opening container is configured to move the latch mechanism from a locked configuration to an unlocked configuration when the shift button is displaced from the first position to the second position. In the locked configuration, the latch mechanism abuts against the catch surface of the inner casing and prevents rising of the inner casing within the container body. In the unlocked configuration, the latch mechanism does not abut against the catch surface of the inner casing and does not prevent rising of the inner casing within the container body. 
     In an embodiment, the shift button includes a button body, and the latch mechanism comprises a latch pin attached to or integral with the button body. The latch pin includes a tip that abuts against the catch surface of the inner casing when the shift button is at the first position. 
     In an embodiment, the child-resistant closure mechanism further includes a compression spring attached to a button body of the shift button. The compression spring biases the shift button toward the first position and biases the latch mechanism toward the locked configuration. 
     In an embodiment, the child resistant self-opening container includes a first linkage coupling the lid to the inner casing to cause the lid to be opened at the top opening of the container body when the inner casing rises within the container body. In an embodiment, the child resistant self-opening container further includes a second linkage coupling the lid to the container body to guide movement of the lid during the opening of the lid. 
     In an embodiment, a child-resistant self-opening container comprises a container body including a front side, a left side, a right side, a container bottom, and a top opening; wherein one of the front side, left side, and right side defines a vertically extending linear guide slot; a shift button slidably mounted at the container bottom and configured to be displaced between a first position and a second position; and a latch mechanism coupled to the shift button and extending above the container bottom within an interior space of the container body; a lid connected to the container body adjacent the top opening; and an inner casing including a protuberance that extends through the vertically linear guide slot; wherein the inner casing is slidably mounted to rise and descend within the container body and the protuberance is slidable within the vertically extending linear guide slot; and a catch surface at a bottom portion of the inner casing; wherein in the event the shift button is displaced from the first position to the second position, the latch mechanism moves from a locked configuration to an unlocked configuration; wherein in the locked configuration the latch mechanism abuts against the catch surface of the inner casing and prevents rising of the inner casing within the container body, and wherein in the unlocked configuration the latch mechanism does not abut against the catch surface of the inner casing and does not prevent rising of the inner casing within the container body. 
     In an embodiment, a child-resistant self-opening container comprises a container body including a container bottom, a top opening, and a vertically extending linear guide slot; a shift button slidably mounted at the container bottom and configured to be displaced between a first position and a second position; and a latch mechanism coupled to the shift button and extending above the container bottom within an interior space of the container body; an inner casing including a protuberance that extends through the vertically linear guide slot, wherein the inner casing is slidably mounted to rise and descend within the container body and the protuberance is slidable within the vertically extending linear guide slot; and a catch surface at a bottom portion of the inner casing; and a lid hinged to the container body adjacent the top opening, and a linkage coupling the lid to the inner casing to cause the lid to be opened at the top opening of the container body when the inner casing rises within the container body, wherein in the event the shift button is displaced from the first position to the second position, the latch mechanism moves from a locked configuration to an unlocked configuration, wherein in the locked configuration, the latch mechanism abuts against the catch surface of the inner casing and prevents rising of the inner casing within the container body, and wherein in the unlocked configuration, the latch mechanism does not abut against the catch surface of the inner casing and does not prevent rising of the inner casing within the container body. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
       The present disclosure can be better understood by referring to the following figures. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the disclosure. In the figures, reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view from below of a self-opening container with child-resistant closure with lid closed, according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view from below of a self-opening container with child-resistant closure with lid closed, according to another embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view from above of the self-opening container with child-resistant closure with lid closed of  FIG. 1 , according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view from above of a self-opening container with child-resistant closure with lid opened, according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded front perspective view from above of a self-opening container with child-resistant closure, according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 6A  shows left-side, front, and right-side elevation views of a self-opening container with child-resistant closure showing a first stage of a container opening procedure, according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 6B  shows left-side, front, and right-side elevation views of a self-opening container with child-resistant closure showing a second stage of a container opening procedure, according to the embodiment of  FIGS. 6A-6C . 
         FIG. 6C  shows left-side, front, and right-side elevation views of a self-opening container with child-resistant closure showing a third stage of a container opening procedure, according to the embodiment of  FIGS. 6A-6C . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present disclosure is here described in detail with reference to embodiments illustrated in the drawings, which form a part here. Other embodiments may be used and/or other changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. The illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description are not meant to be limiting of the subject matter presented here. 
     Reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings, and specific language will be used here to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended. Alterations and further modifications of the inventive features illustrated here, and additional applications of the principles of the inventions as illustrated here, which would occur to one skilled in the relevant art and having possession of this disclosure, are to be considered within the scope of the invention. 
     A self-opening container includes a container body, a container cover or lid, and an inner casing or receptacle that is slidably mounted in an inner cavity of the container body. The self-opening container incorporates an opening mechanism, which when actuated automatically raises the inner casing and opens the lid to provide access to container contents. Additionally, the self-opening container incorporates a child-resistant closure mechanism, also herein called a CR mechanism, which prevents operation of the opening mechanism when the child-resistant closure mechanism is in a locked configuration. 
     In an embodiment, the opening mechanism includes a linear guide slot (I-shaped aperture) on the container body, and a convex member or protuberance on the inner casing that extends through the linear guide slot to permit sliding movement along the length of the slot. In the present disclosure, these mechanisms are sometimes collectively called the opening slide mechanism. Upward or downward force on the protuberance, such as by pushing or pulling the protuberance, causes the inner casing to slide up or slide down within the container body. In various embodiments, the linear guide slot is located on the left side or right side of the container. In another embodiment, the linear guide slot is located on the front of the container. 
     In various embodiments, in addition to the opening slide mechanism the opening mechanism of the self-opening container further includes linkages or connecting parts that cause the container lid to open in response to upward movement of the inner casing within the container body, and that guide movement of the lid during opening. Coordinated raising of the inner container and opening of the box cover provides enhanced visibility and access to objects within the inner container in order to display or extract these objects. 
     In various embodiments, the self-opening container incorporates a child-resistant closure mechanism that includes a locked configuration and an unlocked or released configuration. In the locked configuration, the child-resistant closure mechanism prevents operation of the opening mechanism, such that upward force on the protuberance does not cause the inner casing to slide up within the container body and does not open the container lid. In the unlocked or released configuration, the child-resistant closure mechanism permits operation of the opening mechanism, such that upward force on the protuberance causes the inner casing to slide up within the container body and causes the container lid to open. In order to access contents of the container, a user must first move the child-resistant closure mechanism to its unlocked configuration, then exert upward force on the protuberance to operate the opening mechanism. 
     In an embodiment, the child-resistant closure mechanism includes a button or bar or other member slidably mounted to the container to move between locked and unlocked positions. In an embodiment, the button or bar is coupled to a latch member (e.g., latch pin), which engages a catch structure of the inner casing when the slide closure mechanism is in its locked position. Herein the button or bar is also called a shift button. In various embodiments, the latch member is integrally formed with the slide closure member or is rigidly fastened to the slide closure member, such that they move together between the locked and unlocked positions, also herein called first and second positions. Sliding movement of the shift button and latch member to their unlocked position disengages the latch member from the catch structure of the inner casing and permits upward movement of the inner casing relative to the container body. 
     In an embodiment, the child-resistant closure mechanism includes a compression spring or other mechanism that biases the child-resistant closure mechanism to its locked configuration. In various embodiments, the child-resistant closure mechanism includes a single shift button. In an embodiment, the single slide closure member is slidably mounted at the bottom of the container. In an alternative embodiment, the child-resistant closure mechanism includes two shift button, In alternative embodiments, one or more shift buttons is slidably mounted at side(s) of the container adjacent the container bottom. 
     In the present disclosure, the self-opening container is also called packaging, box, or container tin. In the present disclosure, the container lid is also called container cover or box cover. The inner casing is also called inner container or receptacle. The linear guide slot and the protuberance on the inner casing collectively are sometimes called opening slide mechanism. The protuberance is sometimes called a slide button. The child-resistant closure mechanism is sometimes called release mechanism. The shift button of the child-resistant closure mechanism is also herein called a shift bar or button body. 
     In various embodiments, the opening mechanism incorporates linkages of the container lid to the inner casing and container body that cause the container lid to open during upward movement of the inner casing. In an embodiment, both side surfaces of the inner casing carry a first linkage to the lid (also called first connecting part) close to the opening slide mechanism that transmits force from the inner casing to the lid to cause the lid to open or close when the opening slide mechanism raises or lowers the inner casing. In an embodiment, the lid carries a second linkage to the container body (also called second connecting part or positioning guide) to guide the movement of the lid during opening or closing the lid. 
     In various embodiments, the lid has no front surface, and the inner casing is a rectangular body with an open inner side. The self-opening container may be formed of various rigid and semi-rigid materials including without limitation metals such as tinplate, aluminum, galvanized iron, stainless steel; engineering plastics; and metal-plastic composites. In an embodiment, the lid, box body, and inner casing are stamped tinplate parts. In an embodiment, edges of the openings are formed as inwardly turned edges. In an embodiment, left and right sides of the container body are hooked by left and right hooks of the lid. 
     In an exemplary embodiment, the container of the present disclosure is employed as a self-opening cigarette box including a child-resistant closure mechanism that hinders access to cigarettes by children. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the self-opening container  100  of the first embodiment includes a box body  110 . The front surface  112  of the box body  110  is provided with an opening slide mechanism  130  including an I-shaped linear guide slot  132  and a slide button  134 . A left side  114  of the container includes a T-shaped positioning guide  140 . In an embodiment, another T-shaped positioning guide is located on the right side, as shown at  340  in  FIG. 3 . The bottom  116  contains a child-resistant closure mechanism  120  including a protuberance or slide button  124  slidably mounted within slot  222 . 
     In an alternative embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the self-opening container  200  include opening slide mechanism  230  including an I-shaped linear guide slot  232  and a protuberance or slide button  234  at the left side  214  of the container. As compared with  FIG. 1 , the arrangement of  FIG. 2  leaves the front  212  of the container body  210  uninterrupted to display indicia, graphics, and the like. The child-resistant closure mechanism  220  including a slide bar  224  slidably mounted within slot  222 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the lid  350  of container  300  is closed, and the protuberance  334  of opening slide mechanism  330  is at its lower extreme, i.e., at a fully closed position. 
     In the container  400  of  FIG. 4 , the lid  450  is opened and the protuberance  434  of opening slide mechanism  430  is at its upper extreme, i.e., the protuberance  434  of the opening slide mechanism  430  has been actuated to a fully open position. The opened lid  450  is pivoted toward the rear of the container, revealing inner case  460 . The first connecting part or first linkage for raising and lowering the lid  450  is shown at the left side of inner case  460  at  464 . 
     Another first connecting part couples the lid to the right side of the inner case  460 , as shown by connectors  558 ,  564  in  FIG. 5 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 5 , the first connecting part includes a connector  558  at a lower portion of each side the lid  550 , which provides a pivotal connection to a connector  564  at an upper portion of each side of inner case  560 . This connection hinges the lid to the container body  410 , so that the lid can swivel during opening, e.g., toward the rear of the container. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , inner container  560  provides an inner lining that is slidably mounted in an interior cavity of container body  510 . Inner container  560  carries a protuberance  534  centrally located on the front surface of inner container  560 , configured to extend through the vertically extending linear guide slot  532  of opening slide mechanism  530  at the front of container body  510 . The inner casing  560  is slidably mounted to rise and descend within the container body  510 , and the protuberance  534  is slidable within the linear guide slot  532 . 
     A second linkage or second connecting part includes T-shaped positioning guides  540  at upper portions of the left and right sides of the lid  510  and follower pins  554  at the left and right sides of the box cover  550 . Each of the T-shaped positioning guides  540  includes a vertical lower section  542  and a transverse upper section  544 . As the lid  550  rises in coordination with the inner case  560 , follower pins  554  first move upwardly through the vertical lower section  542 , then move to one side of the transverse upper section  544  of the T-shaped positioning guides. During opening of container  500  this movement causes the box cover  550  first to move vertically out of the box body  510 , then to swivel to one side, e.g., toward the rear of container  500 . The box cover  550  follows a reverse motion path during closing of container  500 . 
     Child resistant closure  520  with slide button  524  are located at the bottom surface of container body  510 , here shown in phantom. As described with reference to  FIGS. 6A-6C , components of the child resistant closure  520 , some of which are not shown in  FIG. 5 , are configured to interact with a catch structure at the bottom of the inner case  560  to provide locked and unlocked configurations of the CR mechanism. In an embodiment, this catch structure (here shown in phantom) includes a rectangular aperture  580  and a catch surface  584  adjacent the right edge of the rectangular aperture  580 . 
       FIGS. 6A-6C  show several stages of a process for opening a self-opening CR container  600 . These views show somewhat schematically structures of a child-resistant closure mechanism located at the bottom of container body  610  and the bottom of inner container  660 , and show operation of the child-resistant closure mechanism in the process for opening the container  600 . Each of  FIGS. 6A-6C  shows container  600  from several perspectives: a left-side elevation view, a front elevation view, and a right-side elevation view. 
     As shown in  FIG. 6A , the child-resistant closure mechanism includes a button or bar  620 , also herein called a button body, slidably mounted in a slide channel at the bottom of container body  610 . The button body  620  is configured to move between a first position to at the right end of the slide channel and a second position at the left end of the slide channel. A latch pin  622  extends above the button body within the interior of the container body  610 . In an embodiment, the latch pin  622  includes a tip  626  (e.g., substantially triangular structure) at an upper end of the latch pin. In an embodiment shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6A , the catch structure includes an aperture  580  at the bottom of the inner container and a catch surface  584  at the right edge of this aperture that is engaged by the latch pin tip  626  at the first (locked) position of the closure mechanism. In an embodiment, the latch pin  622  and catch structure  680  define a button hook closure mechanism. Additionally, the child-resistant closure mechanism includes a compression spring  628  that biases the button body  620  to its first position with the child-resistant closure mechanism to the locked configuration of  FIG. 6A , in the absence of user action moving the slide button  620  toward the second position. In various embodiments, the CR mechanism may include other structures such as support structures, other actuating members, and other locations adjacent the bottom of the inner container. 
     When the closure button  620  is positioned to the right, as shown in  FIG. 6A , the latch pin tip engages a latch structure of the inner container  660  and prevents the inner container from rising. At the stage shown in  FIG. 6B , the user exerts a force on the slide button toward the left as shown by arrow A. This movement disengages the latch mechanism  622  from the catch structure  680 , and releases the inner container  660  to permit the inner container to rise within the container body  610 . 
     The CR release action shown in  FIG. 6B  is the first user action in the process for opening the self-opening child-resistant container  600 . At the process stage shown in  FIG. 6C , the user continues to exert a force on the child-resistant closure mechanism toward the left to maintain this mechanism in its unlocked configuration, and raises the inner container  660  and opens the container lid  650  using the opening slide mechanism  630 . While maintaining the CR mechanism in its released configuration as shown at arrow B, the user pushes up the slide button  634  to raise the inner case  660  as shown at arrow C. The linkage  640 ,  654  opens the lid  650  as shown at arrows D. 
     In an alternative embodiment, the child-resistant closure mechanism includes two shift buttons respectively located at left and right sides of the container body adjacent the bottom of the container. Each shift button is fixedly coupled to a respective latch mechanism, e.g., via a button body of the shift button. For each shift button, a respective compression spring biases the shift button and respective latch mechanism to a first position. At the first position, each latch mechanism abuts against a respective catch surface of two opposing catch surfaces associated with the inner container to prevent the inner container from rising within the container body, i.e., the locked configuration of the child-resistant closure mechanism. When the user slides both shift buttons to a second position to overcome the compression spring bias, each respective latch mechanism no longer abuts against the respective catch surface and permits the inner container to rise within the container body, i.e., the unlocked configuration of the child-resistant closure mechanism. 
     The foregoing method descriptions and the interface configuration are provided merely as illustrative examples and are not intended to require or imply that the steps of the various embodiments must be performed in the order presented. As will be appreciated by one of skill in the art the steps in the foregoing embodiments may be performed in any order. Words such as “then,” “next,” etc. are not intended to limit the order of the steps; these words are simply used to guide the reader through the description of the methods. Although process flow diagrams may describe the operations as a sequential process, many of the operations can be performed in parallel or concurrently. In addition, the order of the operations may be re-arranged. A process may correspond to a method, a function, a procedure, a subroutine, a subprogram, etc. When a process corresponds to a function, its termination may correspond to a return of the function to the calling function or the main function.