Abstract:
A safety container incorporates a slidable locking pin with an integral but separately lockable locking tab. The locking pin is internally biased by an integral S-spring which, in cooperation with the lid on the container, urges the pin to slide in a slideway in the lid of the container. The locking pin may be locked into a closed position, however, by rotation of the locking tab into a flexed position. In this position, the locking tab cannot slide within a mating slot in the hinge lid and thus the locking pin cannot slide in the slideway in the lid. Alternatively, the locking tab may be rotated into a non-flexed position in which the locking tab can be urged to penetrate the mating slot in the lid and allow the locking pin to slide in the slideway in the lid. By use of the locking pin, the safety container can be set to require the user to engage in at least distinct hand motions in order to open the container.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to safety containers. More specifically, this invention relates to safety containers of the type having removable lids that are intentionally designed to be difficult for children to open in order to gain access to the contents of the container. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Pharmaceutical manufacturers, pharmacists, and others have long sought to provide safety containers for contents such as drugs and other potentially dangerous contents. The object of their search has been to provide a container that can be opened readily by an adult but not by a child. 
     One safety container that has existed for some time is the “push-and-twist” container. The push-and-twist container requires that the person opening the container push down rather forcefully on the cap of the container and simultaneously twist the cap to unscrew it and move it to a position where it can be lifted off of the container. 
     One problem with the push-and-twist type of container is that the twist cap entirely separates from the container when the container is opened. The cap can be lost, and in any event, the separate cap requires effort to locate and place the cap back onto the container body in order to close the container. In addition, when the user has multiple such containers open, as is often the case for elderly persons who often must take more than one type of drug at a time, the user can mix-up the lids and place the wrong cap on the wrong container or, because of the effort required to keep track of the disparate caps and replace them on the correct container, simply leave the caps off of their containers. These types of mix-ups or failure to even close the containers defeats the very purpose of putting a safety cap or lid on the container at all. 
     Another problem with the push-and-twist container is that it requires only one pushing and twisting motion in order to open the container. A child need only figure out that one push-and-twist motion in order open the container or others like it. 
     Yet another problem with the push-and-twist container is that it has only one mode of closing and opening. Many people, however, rarely if ever have children in their homes. At the same time, they may be weak or suffer from coordination difficulties that render it difficult and perhaps even impossible to perform the push-and-twist motion. Even in the case of a healthy adult, the user may not want, and have no need to utilize, any more than minimal safety features on a particular safety container. For these and other reasons, these types of users may have no need, desire, or ability to themselves repeatedly engage in the substantial push-and-twist effort required to utilize the push-and-twist container. For these types of users, the push-and-twist and similar types of safety containers do not provide an adequate solution to the problem of providing a container that will be relatively securely closed when not in use, depending on the needs of the user. 
     One solution to these types of problems is the hinge-lid safety container, such as that shown is U.S. Pat. No. 4,146,146, entitled “Safety Containers” (“the &#39;146 patent”). Because the hinged lid is secured to the container by the hinge, the cap is not lost, misplaced, or difficult to position adjacent the opening of the container when closing the container. 
     With the device shown in the &#39;146 patent the lid is opened by inserting a sufficiently long fingernail into a relatively small and hidden slot in a locking pin slidably mounted in the lid, and then pulling, with the finger nail, the pin out of its force-fit engagement with the upper lip of the container in order move the pin away from the force-fit engagement and the lid to rotate into the open position. The &#39;146 device is often easier for many seniors and others to use than the twist-and-pull container because, once the pin is pulled out and the cap is opened, the cap may be opened and relatively securely closed without resetting the pin. 
     The following prior art reflects the state of the art of which applicant is aware and is included herewith to discharge applicant&#39;s acknowledged duty to disclose relevant prior art. It is stipulated, however, that none of these references teach singly nor render obvious when considered in any conceivable combination the nexus of the instant invention as disclosed in greater detail hereinafter and as particularly claimed. 
     
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 PATENT NO. 
                 ISSUE DATE 
                 INVENTOR 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 3,860,135 
                 January 14, 1975 
                 Yung, et al. 
               
               
                 3,924,768 
                 December 9, 1975 
                 Lemons 
               
               
                 4,146,146 
                 March 27, 1979 
                 Mar 
               
               
                 4,257,537 
                 March 24, 1981 
                 Uhlig 
               
               
                 4,535,903 
                 August 20, 1985 
                 Franchi 
               
               
                 5,460,288 
                 October 24, 1995 
                 Balzeau 
               
               
                 5,682,910 
                 November 4, 1997 
                 Kizawa, et al. 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The applicant has discovered that one way to render a container less likely to be opened by children is to preferably require two independent finger motions, at least one of which preferably requires some dexterity, preferably in addition to a third cap removal motion. The applicant has further discovered that a safety container should offer a capable adult the option of defeating certain safety features or steps that are unnecessary for containers used in, for example, a home unoccupied and not visited by children. 
     The applicant has invented a safety container having a locking pin slidably mounted in the container cover or lid to move between a locking and opening position. The lid has a tab detent or slot, and the locking pin has locking tab that is moveable between (i) an opening position in which the tab locking tab can move or slide into the detent to allow the pin to move with respect to the lid, and (ii) a locking position in which the tab cannot sufficiently penetrate the detent and allow motion of the pin with respect to the lid. 
     Preferably, the locking tab is rotatable in a plane perpendicular to the slide plane of the locking pin, and the lid is hinge mounted on the container. Preferably, the locking tab is resilient, and flexes about the periphery of a tab protuberance upon movement of the locking tab between its opening and lock-out position. Preferably, the locking pin includes automatic spring-biasing of the pin toward locking position. Most preferably, the spring is S-shaped, molded integrally with the locking pin, and has an end that engages the cover in order to bias the locking pin toward the locking position. 
     Preferably, the locking pin automatically slides into position to secure the lid in a securely closed position on the container by a single closing motion of the user&#39;s hand pushing the lid toward the container body. 
     The present invention may be utilized to safely contain pharmaceuticals. It also may be used to more safely contain other types of hazardous materials, such as cleaning fluids or powders. 
     There are a number of other aspects of the present invention. They will become apparent as the specification proceeds. It is to be understood, however, that the scope of the present invention is to be determined by reference to the accompanying claims and not by whether all aspects of the invention summarized herein are included in a given embodiment. 
     OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a better, more versatile, easily manufactured, and economical safety container. 
     It is an advantage flowing from the present invention that it provides a container that is more easily utilized by senior citizens and others not requiring use of all safety features at all times. 
     It is yet an additional advantage of the present invention that it is less likely to be openable by children, particularly when all safety features are employed by the person who dispenses and by the adult who maintains or uses the container. 
     It is another advantage of the present invention that an adult may adjust the safety container so that it is easier to open and close, and re-open and close, etc., when access to the container by children is not a concern. 
     Conversely, another advantage is that the container may later be readjusted to again provide the highest level of safe closure (vis a vis children) when and if access by children becomes a concern. 
     Yet another advantage is that the present invention may be opened without actually completely separating the cap from the container and perhaps losing the cap or misplacing it with the wrong cap. 
     An additional advantage is that the user is less likely to fail to re-close the present container. 
     A further advantage is that present invention does not require great dexterity on the part of an adult or the use of a fingernail in order to open and close the cap. 
     A related advantage is that the present invention can be set to require two separate finger motions in order to then perform yet a third motion in order to open the container. This renders the cap quite difficult for children, and people who may not appreciate the danger of misuse of the contents, to gain access to the contents of the container without the aid of a capable adult. 
     It is also an advantage of the present invention that the cover or lid locking mechanism automatically locks the lid in closed position on the container with one simple hand motion and without need for difficult pushing and/or twisting motions by the user. 
     The present invention thus provides a safer, economical, easily manufactured, easily used, and versatile container for potentially hazardous materials. 
     There are other objects and advantages of the present invention. They will become apparent as the specification proceeds. It is to be understood, once again, that the scope of the present invention is to be determined according to the accompanying claims and not by whether a given embodiment achieves all the objects and advantages recited herein. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The applicant&#39;s preferred embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the applicant&#39;s preferred safety container; 
     FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of the top of the cover or lid of applicant&#39;s preferred container showing how a person may use a thumb or other finger to rotate the locking tab toward the unlocked or open position; 
     FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of the top of the lid in applicant&#39;s preferred safety container, with the locking tab in the open or unlocked position; 
     FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of the upper portion of the applicant&#39;s preferred container showing how a person may use a thumb or finger in a second motion, separate from the first motion of FIG. 3, to push and slide the locking pin into an open position; 
     FIG. 5 is a partial perspective view of the upper section of the applicant&#39;s preferred embodiment showing how the safety lid is hinge mounted on the upper lip of the preferred container; 
     FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view of the cover shown in FIG. 6 prior to assembly of the separated locking pin into the pin slot in the lid; 
     FIG. 7 is a partial perspective of the lid of the applicant&#39;s preferred embodiment, with a portion of the uppermost planar top section removed to show the interior structure of the lid and the associated spring-loaded locking pin; 
     FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view of the lid of FIG. 1 taken along section line  8 — 8  of FIG. 1, with the locking tab in the locking position rather than in the open position as shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 9 is a partial sectional top view of the lid shown in FIG. 6, showing the locking tab in the unlocked or open position as also shown in FIG.  6  and the locking pin pushed to slide into the open or unlocked position. 
     FIG. 10 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along section line  10 — 10  of FIG. 1 but with the lid slightly opened and the locking pin returned to its free state, spring-biased position; 
     FIG. 11 is a partial cross-sectional view of the lid shown in FIG. 10 but with the lid being rotated by the user downwardly into force fit alignment with the lip of the container; 
     FIG. 12 is a partial cross-sectional view of the lid of FIG. 11 but with the lid being rotated even closer into the locked or sealed position on the container lip; 
     FIG. 13 is a partial cross-sectional view of the lid of FIG. 12 but with the lid being rotated into closed contact with the lip of the container, immediately prior to the locking pin returning to its spring-biased, locked position; and 
     FIG. 14 is a partial cross-sectional view of the lid of FIG. 13, with the locking pin and lid in the spring biased, closed, and locked position. 
    
    
     The following detailed description of the preferred embodiment uses spatially orienting terms such as “upper,” “lower,” and “bottom” for example. It is to be understood that such terms are used for convenience by reference to the structure shown in the drawings and do not in themselves limit or require a particular orientation of the structure in space. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to FIG. 1, the applicant&#39;s preferred safety container, generally  10 , has a generally box-shaped container body  12  and a hinged, generally rectangular lid  14  for safely closing the container  10  and opening it to remove material (not shown) or insert material into the container  10 . The container body  12  is integral and has four generally rectangular sides  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22  ( 20 ,  22  shown in FIG. 5) extending from a generally rectangular floor or bottom side  24 . 
     The hinged lid  14  has a locking pin  26  slidably mounted along the plane of the lid  14  in a slideway  27  (shown in FIG. 5) on the underside  25  (shown in FIG. 5) of the lid  14 . The locking pin  26  has a finger actuation pad  28  on one end of the locking pin  26  opposite a T-lock  30  on the other end of the locking pin  26 . The T-lock  30  retains the lid  14  in its closed position, as shown FIG. 1, when the T-lock abuts mating, opposing locking necks  32 ,  34  in the upper lip, generally  36 , of the central container body  12 . In this fashion, the lower edge  38  of the hinged lid  14  securely abuts the lid  36  to seal the container  10 . The “T” lock  30  is contoured as an isosceles trapezoid with the equal sides canted upwardly and inwardly. The locking necks  32 ,  34  are complementally formed. Collectively lock  30  and neck  32 ,  34  define a dovetail lock having considerable strength. 
     Referring now to FIG. 2, the hinge lid  14  has an actuation pad channel  42  penetrating the upper surface  44  of the lid  14  adjacent the slideway  27 . The actuation pad  28  may slide in the pad channel  42  when the locking pin  26  is mounted in the slideway  27 . 
     The pad channel  42  has two opposing, parallel channel sides  46 ,  48  interconnected by a pad abutment or stop edge  50  perpendicular to the opposing channel sides  46 ,  48 . The portion of the upper surface  44  of the lid  14  immediately adjacent the pad abutment  50  has a semicircular or half-moon, concave finger access depression  52  centered on the abutment  50  between the two channel sides  46 ,  48 . The access depression  52  has a locking tab detent or slot  54  extending perpendicularly from the interior edge  56  of the abutment  50  through the axial center of the depression  52 . 
     The locking pin  26  has a rotatable locking tab  29  extending vertically upwardly from the middle of the central portion  40  of the locking pin  26  adjacent the finger actuation pad  28  on the pin  26  and also adjacent the locking tab slot  54 . The locking tab  29  must be aligned with the opposing tab slot  54  in order for the finger pad  28  and associated locking tab  29  to move toward the abutment  50 . In order to so align the locking tab  29 , the user can use a finger to rotate and translate the locking tab  29  so that it is generally co-planar with the tab slot  54 , as shown in FIG.  3 . 
     With this orientation of the locking tab  29  and the tab slot  54 , the locking tab  29  can penetrate the tab slot  54  when, as shown in FIG. 4, the user undertakes a second finger motion, pushing the finger pad  28  on the locking pin  26  toward the pad abutment  50 . By thus pushing the pad  28  and associated pin  26  to slide in the slideway  27  (shown in FIG.  5 ), the opposite T-lock end  30  is forced outwardly from engagement with the upper lip  36 . As a result, the user can then use yet a third hand motion—the other hand—to rotate the non-hinged, opening end  59  of the hinge lid  14  radially upwardly, as shown in FIG. 5, away from the container lip  36 . In this fashion, the user opens the container  10  and gains access to the interior  60  of the container  10  and container body  12 . 
     With continuing reference to FIG. 5, the lid  14  has a stepped lip ridge  62  extending perpendicularly from the plane of the underside  25  of the lid  14 . The lip ridge  62  is spaced inwardly from the peripheral side edge  64  of the lid  14  so that the ridge  62  provides a force-fit against the interior side walls, e.g.,  66 ,  68 , of the container  12 . Toward this end, the interior side walls  66 ,  68  have a mating stepped upper interior lip ridge  70  embodied as an interiorly peripherally circumscribing gasket, preferably formed from santoprene, adapted to force-fit align with the stepped lip ridge  62  as the lid  14  is closed on the container  12 , as shown in FIG. 1 (see FIG. 11 also). 
     Referring to FIG. 5, the lid  14  is permanently mounted on the container body  12  by a hinge  72  on the hinged side  75  of the lid  14  opposite its opening end  59 . The structure and operation of the hinge  72  may include biasing so that the lid starts to rotate open once the lock  30  is clear of the necks  32 ,  34 . 
     The locking pin slideway  27  extends from the underside  38  of the lid  14  perpendicularly between the opening end  59  and the hinged side  75  of the lid  14  to abut and penetrate the stepped lip ridge  62  at each of the two opposing ends  76 ,  77  ( 77  shown in FIG. 6) of the slideway  27 . The T-lock end  30  thus extends through the opening-side slideway passage  74  penetrating the stepped lip ridge  62  on the opening end  59  of the hinge lid  14 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 6, the locking pin  26  is an integral, unitary structure molded preferably from acetal for strength, resilience, and flexibility of the thinner sections in the structure. The locking pin  26  has two parallel, opposing guide rails  78 ,  80  extending perpendicularly from the actuation pad  28 . 
     Two interior support rails  82 ,  84  extend respectively from and between the opposing guide rails  78 ,  80 . The interior support rails  82 ,  84  also extend substantially parallel to the guide rails  78 ,  80  and beyond the guide rail ends  86 ,  88  opposite the intersection or junction  90  of the guide rails  78 ,  80  with the actuation pad  28 . The support ends  94 ,  96  of the support rails  82 ,  84  that extend past the guide rail ends  86 ,  88  perpendicularly intersect, join, and support the transversely extending T-lock  30 . 
     An S-shaped spring member  92  having a plurality of “S” shaped serpentine bends extends from the T-lock  30  toward the actuation pad  28  intermediate the opposing support rails  82 ,  84 . The S-body  101  of the S-spring  92  lies between and in a plane parallel to the support rails  82 ,  84 . A spring lip  99  extends perpendicularly from the plane of the S-spring  92  at the spring end  98  of the S-spring  92  opposite the fixed end  100  of the S-spring extending from the T-lock  30  spring end  98  securely abuts pad neck  112 . The spring lip or stop  99  also is perpendicular to the plane of the locking tab  29  and adjacent and parallel to the interior edge  102  of the actuation pad  28 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 8, the slideway  27  has two central, parallel opposing sides  104 ,  106  providing a central side boundary, generally  108 , for the slideway  27 . The opposing slideway sides  104 ,  106  are parallel to, and slidably abut, the mating guide rails  78 ,  80  on the locking pin  26  when the locking pin  26  is mounted in the slideway  27 . 
     The slideway  27  also has a widened actuation pad passage section  110  co-extensive with, as shown in FIG. 2, the actuation pad channel  42  in the upper surface  44  of the lid  14 . The widened pad passage section  110  of the slideway  27  is therefore at the end of the central side boundary  108  adjacent the hinged end or side  75  of the lid  14 . The junction of the narrower central side boundary  108  and the widened actuation pad passage  110  provides an integrally molded pad neck  112  that is: (i) perpendicular to the sides of slideway sides  104 ,  106  and the adjacent sides  114 ,  116 , respectively, of the actuation pad passage  110 , and (ii) parallel to the interior edge  102  of the actuation pad  28  when the locking pin  26  is mounted in the slideway  27 . 
     The slideway  27  also has a widened T-lock passage section  118  at the end of the central side boundary  108  adjacent the opening end or side  59  of the lid  14 . The junction of the narrower central side boundary  108  and the widened actuation T-lock passage  118  provides integrally molded, opposing guide rail necks  120 ,  121  extending perpendicularly from, and interconnecting, the sides of slideway sides  104 ,  106  and the adjacent sides  122 ,  124 , respectively, of the T-lock passage  118 . 
     The guide rail ends  86 ,  88  have (i) thin web spring supports  126 ,  128  transversely interconnecting the ends  86 ,  88 , respectively, with their associated support rails  96 ,  94 ; and (ii) angled necks  130 ,  132  extending respectively from the support springs  126 ,  128  transversely outwardly from their mating guide rails  80 ,  78 , respectively. When the locking pin  26  is mounted in the slideway  27  without any deformation of the S-spring  92 , the angled necks  130 ,  132  thus abut and fixedly grip the guide rail neck  120 ,  121 , acting as unidirectional insertion barbs, thwarting removal of the locking pin  26 . Note the locking pin  26  is initially installed as shown in FIG. 6 by sliding the pin  26  from right to left. The web spring supports  126 ,  128  resiliently flex in when the locking pin  26  is slide-mounted (installed) into the slideway  27  by inserting and sliding the T-lock end  30  of the locking pin  26  into the slideway  26 , which forces the angled necks  130 ,  132  to flex toward each other by flexion of their associated web spring supports  126 ,  128  as the angled necks penetrate and slide through the central slideway boundary  108  and thereafter expand into widened necks  120 ,  121 . 
     Still referring to FIG. 8, when the locking pin  26  is mounted in the slideway  27 , the spring lip  99  abuts and is fixed to the exterior of the pad neck  112 . The pad neck  112  thus restrains the spring lip  99  from entering the central slideway boundary  108 . As a result, the spring-biasing provided by the integral S-spring  92  naturally urges or biases the integral angled necks  130 ,  132  toward abutting engagement with their respective guide rail necks  121 ,  120 , which in turn biases the integral actuation pad  28  outwardly and spaced from the slideway boundary  108  and stop edge  50 . Similarly, the S-spring  92  simultaneously biases the T-lock  30  into locking, force-fit engagement with the opposing, inwardly angled locking edges  32 ,  34 , respectively, in the container lip  36  (see also FIG.  5 ). When the spring  92  is pushed as in FIG. 9, it expands and stretches storing energy which causes the spring to want to retract to the FIG. 8 position. 
     With continuing reference to FIG. 8, the locking tab  29  resiliently flexes about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the S-spring  92 . The locking tab  29  is thus flexed or bent into an angled, lock-out position (by the finger motion described above with reference to FIG. 2) and retained in the lock-out position by a tab protuberance  138  extending outwardly thereby defining a locking tab retainer, in the direction of the locking tab  29 , from the rounded periphery of the junction of the guide rail  80  and the integral support rail  96 . In the lock out position shown in FIG. 8, the flexed locking tab  29  cannot penetrate, as shown in FIG. 3, the locking tab slot  54  in the hinged lid  14 . As a result, the T-lock  30  is locked in interlocking relationship with the locking edges  32 ,  34  in the lip  36  of the container body  12 . The lid  14  is thereby locked in the closed position, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 1. 
     Referring now to FIG. 9, the locking tab  29  may be rotated (as shown in FIG. 2) into the straightened or non-flexed position, by pushing the tab  29  to flex around, and thus resiliently move past, the tab protuberance or stop  138 . In its non-flexed position, the resilient locking tab  29  is aligned with, as shown in FIG. 3, the mating tab slot  54 . In this alignment of the locking tab  29  into an open position, the user may employ a firm second hand motion, such as shown in FIGS. 3 and 9, to push against the actuation pad  28  and thereby: (i) expand (stretch) the S-spring  92 , (ii) slide the locking tab  29  into the tab slot  54 , and (iii) push the T-lock  30  outwardly from force-fit engagement with the lip  36  of the container and its associated locking edges  32 ,  34 . With yet another hand motion (not shown), the user may grasp and rotate the opening end or side  59  of the hinged lid  14  radially upwardly about the hinge (not shown in FIG. 9) so that the lid is in its open position as shown in FIG.  5 . As mentioned earlier, the hinge may have a memory or other biasing mechanism that causes it to open the lid partially or totally as shown in FIG.  5 . 
     Upon opening of the container  10  as shown in FIG. 5, the user may release or cease applying force against the actuation pad  28 . In that event, the biasing force provided by the integral S-spring urges the actuation pad  28 , the T-lock  30 , and their associated integral structures into the slideway  27  back to the free state position of the locking pin  26  (as shown in FIG. 7) in which the angled necks, e.g.,  130 , on the guide rails, e.g.,  80 , abut their associate guide rail necks or abutments, e.g.,  121  (see also FIG.  8 ). 
     Referring now to FIG. 10, when the hinged lid  14  is slightly open and the T-lock  30  is in the free state position, the T-lock  30  is located immediately above and adjacent the locking edges, e.g.,  34 , on the container body  12 . The hinge lid  14  may be easily closed by means of a single hand motion downwardly on the upper surface  15  of the hinged lid  14  as shown in FIGS.  10  through FIG.  14 . 
     With reference to FIG. 11, as the hand (not shown) pushes downwardly on the upper surface  15  of the lid  14 , the interior sloped surface  144  of the T-lock  30  engages the oppositely sloped periphery  148  of the adjacent locking edge, e.g.,  34 . With reference now to FIG. 12, the continuing downward force of the hand (not shown) on the upper surface  15  of the lid  14  forces the spring-biased T-lock  30  to slide along mating locking edge or neck  34  and thus move the T-lock  30  outwardly from the slideway  27  within the lid  14 . 
     With reference now to FIGS. 12,  13 , and  14 , the continued downward force of the hand (not shown) on the upper surface  15  of the lid  14  continues to force the spring-biased T-lock  30  to continue to slide along the mating locking edge  34  outwardly from the slideway  27  until, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the T-lock no longer is in contact with the locking edges, e.g.,  34 , and is S-spring-biased to automatically slide quickly back into the slideway  27 . When, as shown in FIGS. 14 and 1, the spring-biased T-lock and associated structures thus slide back into the slideway  27  (not shown in FIG.  1 ), the opposing lateral sides  150 ,  152  (not shown in FIG. 14) respectively force-fit abut and lockingly engage the mating locking edges  32 ,  34  respectively, in the upper lip  36  of the container body  12 . 
     It can thus be seen that the applicant&#39;s preferred embodiment  10  may initially be dispensed to a user with the locking tab  29  flexed in the lock-out position as shown in FIG.  8 . In order to open the preferred container, the user must first comprehend and have the dexterity to rotate the flexed locking tab  29  into the non-flexed, open position as shown in FIG.  9 . The user must then also comprehend and have the strength and dexterity to force the internally biased actuation pad  28  to slide into the slideway  27  and thus push the T-lock  30  out of its force-fit locking and closing engagement with the opposing mating locking edges  32 ,  34 . Only then can the user open the hinge lid  14  by rotating it upwardly with yet another hand motion. If dexterity is lacking, the user can press the actuation pad  28  against a table edge to move the pad  28 . 
     It can also be seen that the user can then, if desired, leave the locking tab  29  in its non-flexed, open position as shown in  3 . The user can thus more easily and quickly open and close the container  10  with the single, quick closing motion described above with reference to FIGS. 10-14 and without altering the position of the locking tab  29 . Alternatively, the user can utilize the locking tab  29  by re-positioning it in the flexed, lock-out position of FIG. 8 after each closing of the container  10 . 
     It can also be seen that, as shown in all the Figures, this substantial functionality is achieved with a single integral locking pin  26  (as shown in FIG. 6) interacting with associated structure in the molded hinge lid  14 . This integral pin  26  is relatively easy and economical to manufacture and install in the container slideway  27 ; and the remaining components of the container  10  are also relatively easy and economical to manufacture and assemble. 
     It is to be understood that, in the foregoing detailed description and accompanying drawings, the applicant has described and shown in detail how to make and use the applicant&#39;s preferred embodiment. It is to be understood, however, that the scope of the applicant&#39;s invention is to be determined by the accompanying claims.