Patent Publication Number: US-2021171235-A1

Title: Child-resistant storage container

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present disclosure is directed, in general, to storage containers and, more specifically, to child-resistant storage containers. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Childproof, or child-resistant, packaging, such as that used for prescription medications, has remained remarkably consistent for decades; push and twist, and off pops the top. But there are many products now entering the market that demand new ideas; this is particularly true for the various forms of cannabis, and related products, due to the legalization of medical and recreational marijuana. 
     A child-resistant package is designed to be difficult for children under 5 years of age to open or access the contents within a reasonable time; conversely, the package should not be too difficult for an adult to open. A child-resistant package must be tested to meet the criteria of the Poison Prevention Packaging Act (PPPA), which was first introduced in 1970. The purpose of the PPPA is to protect young children from poisonings or deaths; a list of products that require child-resistant packaging can be found in Title 16, Part 1700, of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations. In addition to the list of products covered by the PPPA, some states have introduced their own legislation with respect to the legalization of medical or recreational marijuana, including packaging requirements. For example, Colorado&#39;s Medical Marijuana Code requires that products be enclosed in packaging that can&#39;t be quickly opened by children, but which doesn&#39;t present a challenge for seniors and disabled persons. Similarly, California, which has legalized recreational marijuana, requires that packaging be tamper-evident—the way bottled water or vitamin bottles might be, with a seal that must be broken. Most any prescription medicine bottle can be modified to comply with those state&#39;s laws and regulations. As the pot industry has grown and expanded into products such as edibles, topicals and concentrates, the need for pot-specific packaging has pushed designers to think of novel ways to be compliant. 
     To meet the demands of the evolving demands for child-resistant packaging, there is a need in the art for novel designs that meet the requirements of the PPPA, and similar legislation, while not adding significantly to total product and packaging costs. Such novel designs should be easily manufacturable and assembled, as well as being attractive and suitable for store displays. 
     SUMMARY 
     To address the deficiencies of the prior art, the invention disclosed herein is directed to a child-resistant storage container. Broadly, the storage container comprises a sleeve having an end opening through which a container can be inserted and an aperture in a side thereof, and a container having outer dimensions substantially equivalent to the inner dimensions of the sleeve and slidably insertable therein. The container has at least one tab proximate a side of the container, the tab operative to automatically extend through the aperture in the sleeve when the container is inserted therein, thereby preventing the removal of the container from the sleeve unless the at least one tab is depressed while pulling the container from the sleeve. 
     In an exemplary embodiment, the sleeve comprises a first sleeve side and an opposing second sleeve side, the first sleeve side having a first aperture therethrough and the second sleeve side having a second aperture therethrough. Correspondingly, the container comprises a first container side and an opposing second container side, the first container side having a first tab formed thereon and the second container side having a second tab formed thereon. The first and second tabs are operative to automatically extend by spring action through the first and second apertures when the container is inserted into the sleeve, preventing the removal of the container from the sleeve unless both tabs are simultaneously depressed while pulling the container from the sleeve. Preferably, a dimension between the tabs is sufficient to preclude simultaneous depression of the tabs by the hand of a small child. 
     Although the principles of the invention can be utilized with other shapes, a simple embodiment can be made with a sleeve and container each having a box shape, wherein a first sleeve side and an opposing second sleeve side comprise parallel planar surfaces, and a first container side and an opposing second container side comprise parallel planar surfaces. In such embodiments, the container can be formed from a flat foldable material comprising: 1) a bottom portion intermediate to the first container side and the opposing second container side, wherein the first and second container sides are foldable to a position orthoganal to the bottom portion; 2) an end container side coupled to an end of the bottom portion and foldable to a position orthoganal to the bottom portion and simultaneously orthogonal to each of the first and second container sides to form one end of the container; and, 3) first and second triangular portions joining the ends of the first and second container sides to the end container side, each of the triangular portions comprising a fold line at a forty-five degree angle from the corner points where the bottom portion joins the first and second container sides and the end container side whereby, when the end container side and the first and second container sides are folded to form one end of the container, the first and second triangular portions extend outwardly to form the first and second tabs. Preferably, a hole through the flat foldable material is provided at each of the corner points, which allows the folded triangular portions to lay flatter to the sides of the container when inserted into said sleeve and to more easily spring outwards through the apertures. 
     In an exemplary embodiment, a position of the aperture(s) along the sleeve is/are proximate a closed end of the sleeve and a position of the tab(s) along the side of the container is/are proximate an end of the container, the tab(s) being proximate to the closed end of the sleeve when the container is fully inserted into the sleeve, wherein the tab(s) automatically extends through the aperture(s) as the container is withdrawn from the sleeve, thereby preventing the removal of the container from the sleeve unless the tab(s) is/are depressed while pulling the container from the sleeve. 
     The storage container can further include a tray insertable into an open side of the container, the tray having an area for storing a product therein; preferably, the area for storing the product is not accessible when the first and second tabs are extended through the first and second apertures of the sleeve but it becomes progressively accessible when both tabs are simultaneously depressed and the container is progressively pulled from the sleeve. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a sleeve constructed from a rigid, foldable material; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a container constructed from a rigid, foldable material; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a tray constructed from a rigid, foldable material; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates the sleeve, container and tray of  FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 , respectively, in their folded, constructed forms and the relative arrangement for assembly; 
         FIGS. 5A-5E  illustrate the operative aspects of the container and sleeve as the container is progressively inserted into the sleeve; and, 
         FIGS. 6A-6D  illustrate the operative aspects of the storage container as the container is progressively opened. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A child-resistant storage container in accordance with the principles of the invention comprises a sleeve having an end opening through which a container can be inserted. Referring first to  FIG. 1 , illustrated is an exemplary embodiment of a sleeve constructed from a rigid, foldable material. The sleeve  100  is illustrated in flat form, with cut and fold lines, which can be folded into a box shape (see  FIG. 4 ); hereinafter, the references to the sleeve surfaces are relative to the sleeve in its folded, box shape. The sleeve  100  has a bottom surface  101 , a top surface  102 , a first sleeve side  103  and an opposing second sleeve side  104 . The first sleeve side  103  has a first aperture  105  and the second sleeve side  104  has a second aperture  106 . A fastening flap  107  is adjacent to second sleeve side  104  and may have an adhesive strip affixed thereto for securing to the inner surface of bottom surface  101  when folded into the box shape; alternatively, other fastening means can be utilized to maintain the sleeve in the folded configuration. The sleeve further comprises end flaps  108 ,  109 ,  110  and  111 ; flaps  108  and  109  are folded inwardly and then overlapped by end flap  110  and  111  to form a closed end of sleeve  100 . The underside of flap  111  may have an adhesive strip (not shown) to secure it to flap  110 , or other fastening means known in the art can be utilized. When folded, the sleeve has an open end opposite the closed end formed by end flaps  108 ,  109 ,  110  and  111 . The first and second sleeve sides  103 ,  104 , can include open end recesses  112  and  113 , respectively, which allow a container slidably inserted into the sleeve to be easily grasped for removal, as will be described hereinafter. 
     A child-resistant storage container in accordance with the principles of the invention further comprises a container for insertion into a sleeve, such as exemplary sleeve  100 . The container should have outer dimensions substantially equivalent to the inner dimensions of the sleeve  100  and be slidably insertable therein. Referring to  FIG. 2 , illustrated is an exemplary embodiment of a container  200  constructed from a rigid, foldable material. The container  200  is illustrated in flat form, with cut and fold lines, which can be folded into a box shape (see  FIG. 4 ); hereinafter, the references to the container surfaces are relative to the container in its folded, box shape. The container has a bottom surface  201  and a first container side  203  and an opposing second container side  204 . The first container side  203  comprises external side portion  203 -A, internal side portion  203 -B, and a bottom portion  203 -C. When folded, the bottom portion  203 -C is secured to bottom surface  201  using an adhesive strip (not shown) affixed thereto; alternatively, other fastening means can be utilized to maintain the container side in the folded configuration. Similarly, the second container side  204  comprises external side portion  204 -A, internal side portion  204 -B, and a bottom portion  204 -C; when folded, the bottom portion  204 -C is secured to bottom surface  201 . 
     A first end of the container  200  comprises end flaps  208 ,  209 , and  210 ; end flap  210  comprises external flap portion  210 -A, internal flap portion  210 -B, and a bottom portion  210 -C. The end flaps  208  and  209  are folded inwardly to be orthogonal to the bottom portion  201  and simultaneously orthogonal to each of the first and second container sides  203 ,  204 . The end flap  210  is then folded over end flaps  208 ,  209 ; bottom portion  210 -C is secured to bottom surface  201  using an adhesive strip (not shown) affixed thereto or other suitable means. 
     A second end of the container  200  comprises an end container side  211  coupled to an end of the bottom portion  201 ; the end container side  211  is foldable to a position substantially orthogonal to the bottom portion  201  and simultaneously orthogonal to each of the first and second container sides  203 ,  204 . First and second triangular portions  212 ,  213  join the ends of the first and second container sides  203  and  204 , respectively, to the end container side  211 . Each of the triangular portions  212 ,  213  comprise a fold line at a forty-five degree angle from the corner points where the bottom surface  201  joins the first and second container sides  203 ,  204  and the end container side  211  whereby, when the end container side  211  and the first and second container sides  203 ,  204  are folded, the first and second triangular portions  212 ,  213  extend outwardly to form first and second tabs (also referred to as  212 ,  213  in  FIG. 5A , et seq.). Preferably, a hole through the flat foldable material is provided at each of the corner points, which allows the folded triangular portions  212 ,  213  to lay closer to the sides of the container  200  when inserted into the sleeve  100 , and to more easily spring outwards through the apertures  105 ,  106  (see  FIGS. 5 -D and  6 -B). 
     The exemplary container  200 , when folded, has an open top; the open top allows for the insertion of a tray for holding a product. Referring to  FIG. 3 , illustrated is an exemplary embodiment of a tray  300  constructed from a rigid, foldable material. The tray  300  is illustrated in flat form, with cut and fold lines, which can be folded into a box shape with a recess for holding a product, such as a vape pen (see  FIG. 4 ). Whereas the principles of the invention are not limited to a particular product, the specifics of tray  300  are not further described herein. Preferably, the area for storing the product in the tray is not accessible when the first and second tabs of container  200  are extended through the first and second apertures of the sleeve  100 , but the product becomes accessible when both tabs are simultaneously depressed and the container is progressively pulled from the sleeve. Those skilled in the art will appreciate how to fold the exemplary tray  300  and to design other suitable trays for insertion into the container  200 . It is noted that the tray  300  can provide additional structural rigidity to the container  200 , thereby allowing for the use of lighter gauge foldable materials for one or both the container  200  and tray  300 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , illustrated are the exemplary sleeve  100 , exemplary container  200 , and exemplary tray  300 , in their folded forms, and the relative arrangement for assembling into a child-resistant storage container. Once the tray  300  is inserted into the container  200 , the container can be slidably inserted into the sleeve  100 ;  FIGS. 5A-5E  illustrate the progressive insertion of container  200  into sleeve  100 . In  FIG. 5A , it can be seen that tabs  212  and  213  initially extend outwardly from the sides of container  200 . In  FIG. 5B , the tabs  212  and  213  are illustrated as folded against the sides of container  200  for insertion into sleeve  100 .  FIG. 5C  illustrates the container  200  partially inserted into sleeve  100 , wherein the tabs  212  and  213  (hidden) are held against the sides of the container  200  by the interior surface of the side walls of sleeve  100 . As the end of container  200  having tabs  212  and  213  (hidden) nears the apertures  105  and  106  (hidden) in sleeve  100 , the tabs are operative to automatically extend therethrough; as shown in  FIG. 5E , the tabs again fold against the side of container  200  as the container is fully inserted into the sleeve and the tabs are substantially past the apertures. 
     Turning now to  FIGS. 6A-6D , illustrated are the operative aspects of the storage container as it is progressively opened. In  FIG. 6A , it can again be seen that the tabs  212  (hidden) and  213  are folded against the sides of the container  200  when fully inserted into the sleeve  100 . As noted supra, the first and second sleeve sides  103  and  104  (hidden), can include open end recesses  112  and  113 , respectively, which allow the container  200  to be easily grasped for removal, as can be seen in  FIG. 6B . As further seen in  FIG. 6B , the tabs  212  (hidden) and  213  automatically extend outwardly through apertures  105  (hidden) and  104 , respectively, as the container is withdrawn from sleeve  100 . The extension of the tabs through the apertures prevents the removal of the container from the sleeve unless they are depressed while continuing to pull the container from the sleeve; as illustrated in  FIG. 6C , that can be accomplished by placing a finger and thumb of a second hand over the apertures to prevent the tabs from extending therethrough as the container  200  is pulled from the sleeve  100 . By doing so, as illustrated in  FIG. 6D , the container  200  can be pulled further from the sleeve to expose the product contained in the tray  300 . In some embodiments, a dimension between the sides of the storage container is sufficient to preclude simultaneous depression of the tabs by the hand of a small child. 
     The foregoing has described an exemplary embodiment of a child-resistant storage container in accordance with the principles of the invention. It should be understood that various changes, substitutions, and alterations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims, and the scope of the claims is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed herein.