Child resistant package with slidable tray section

ES 2 282 452 T3

DESCRIPTION

Child-resistant container with slide-out tray section.

Technical field

The present invention relates to a container comprising a sleeve with an essentially parallelepipedic shape, as well as an insert that can be inserted into the sleeve and withdrawn from it in a sliding direction through an opening in the sleeve, such that the sleeve comprises four longitudinal walls that are essentially parallel to the sliding direction.

Background

In containers with dangerous contents, especially pharmaceutical preparation containers, it is desirable to prevent young children, when they do gain access to the container, from gaining access to its contents. In the packaging field, various solutions have been proposed to solve this problem.

Document EP 1 002 744 A1 describes a carton with a child lock system, having an outer box and an inner sliding part. The sliding part is prevented from being removed out of the box unless a locking system has been deactivated by pressing a release button. The locking system works by virtue of a tab or lug existing on the sliding part, which comes into contact with an existing shoulder inside the box. The shoulder is formed by virtue of an inner cardboard lining, glued to an outer layer and provided with a cutout. A disadvantage of this construction is that, for the locking system to work, it relies on the shoulder being of sufficient height, by virtue of the thickness of the cardboard inner lining. The locking function is thus made dependent on the selection of a material thick enough for the box. A material that is too thin may result in the safety of the lock being compromised. Furthermore, the construction is likely to lead to the shoulder being reduced by wear with repeated use, and its function impaired after a number of container openings.

Patent document PCT / SE01 / 02496 describes a container provided with a locking arrangement to prevent young children from opening the container and gaining access to its contents. The package comprises a sleeve into which an insert part can be inserted. The insert part is provided with a locking lug which, by contact with a stop lug designed inside the sleeve, prevents the insert part from being withdrawn or pulled out of the sleeve. In order to make the stop lug located in the path of the locking lug, in the direction of removal or withdrawal out of the insertion part, the stop lug is provided with a protruding part which, when leaning against one of the walls of the sleeve causes the stop tab to be positioned at an angle to the wall, such that it protrudes into the path of the locking tab. In order to remove the insert, it is necessary for the user to manipulate or maneuver the locking tab so that the locking tab is moved so that it is located outside of the stop tab area in the removal or removal direction. retreat out.

A problem with the solution of the document PCT / SE01 / 024496 is that the projecting part existing in the stop lug carries difficulties in the manufacture of the container. In the usual case where the sleeve is manufactured from a blank or blank of cardboard, the protruding part is manufactured by punching and stamping the blank, such that a shaped portion is formed on the blank. bowl. This has to take place before the sleeve is glued to itself. During gluing, the glued surfaces are pressed against each other in an automated procedure. In this regard, special care must be taken with the protruding part produced by punching, so that the latter is not flattened. Both the stop tab and the bonding surfaces are produced at the edge of the cardboard blank, which means that the stop tab is located in immediate proximity to the bonding surfaces. In this regard, the pressure bonding step of the gluing process becomes even more difficult.

The package of PCT / SE01 / 02496 comprises a locking tab that is produced by bending the insert blank. In the inserted position of the insert part in the sleeve, the locking tab extends inside the container, essentially from the bottom wall to the top wall of the container. The locking lug is maneuvered by means of a maneuvering lug located on the upper side of the container, where the locking lug has a free end.

A problem with this solution is that, in the case that the container has been designed in such a way that it is relatively high, that is, the distance between the lower wall and the upper wall is large, the locking tab is long. This then has a lower resistance, due to the fact that it has a large buckling length. There is then a high risk that, instead of being bent in the intended way when the maneuver takes place, the locking lug will be deformed by buckling. Another problem is that the locking tab is relatively bulky, which makes it necessary for the container to be made larger than its contents require.

A further problem with the design of the locking tab according to PCT / SE01 / 02496 is as follows. The locking tab is arranged such that it extends from the bottom of the container and through it, at an angle to its walls. The angle is necessary because the maneuvering with the locking tab occurs from the top side of the container and, when the locking tab is maneuvered, it is pivoted around its attachment to the insertion part, in such a way that the angle is modified. In the case where the container is designed so that it is relatively tall, the angle of the locking lug makes it necessary for the container to also be sufficiently wide. This imposes limits on the design possibilities of the container. The problem is even more evident in the case where two locking lugs are used in the manner proposed in PCT / SE01 / 02496. The locking tabs are then positioned side-to-side in the transverse direction of the package and, when it is to be

In manufacturing a tall container, a large width is required in order to accommodate the two long, angled locking lugs and provide sufficient movement space for them.

Summary

One purpose of the present invention is to produce a container that resists access by children to its contents and that avoids the problems described above.

It is a specific purpose of the present invention to produce a container that resists access by children to its contents and whose manufacture is simplified in relation to the prior art.

It is a specific purpose of the present invention to produce a container that resists access by children to its contents and whose gluing, in the manufacture of the same, is simplified in relation to the prior art.

It is furthermore a particular purpose of the present invention to produce a container that resists access by children to its contents, so that this opposition function is not impaired in the case of repeated opening of the container.

It is, moreover, a specific purpose of the present invention to produce a container that resists access by children to its contents and in which great flexibility is provided with regard to the design of the container, without being see their role in opposing access by children impaired.

These purposes are achieved by means of a container of the type referred to in the introduction, which is characterized in that the sleeve is provided with a first stop tab or lug extending from a first to a second longitudinal wall. , such that the lug is partially separated from the first longitudinal wall and the second longitudinal wall, because the insert has a first locking edge, so that the insert piece, upon contact of the first locking edge with the first stop lug, is prevented from moving out of the sleeve, and because the first locking edge can, by elastic deformation of a part of the insert piece by means of maneuvers by a user, be moved in such a way as to make it possible to move it beyond the first stop lug.

The abutment lug provided according to the invention has the result that it is located within the walls of the sleeve, in the sliding direction of the insert, without a special protruding part having to be arranged on the lug of the sleeve. stop so that the latter is located at a certain distance from the walls of the sleeve. Since the requirement for a projecting part is thus eliminated, it is possible to simplify the manufacture of the sleeve as well.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is further characterized in that the longitudinal walls of the sleeve comprise an upper wall, a lower wall, a first side wall and a second side wall, which, in the inserted state of the insert, they are located essentially parallel to and close to the inner wall and the first side wall, respectively, of the sleeve, in such a way that the first locking edge is formed in the first lateral part, because the first longitudinal wall and the second longitudinal wall between which the first stop lug extends, are, respectively, the first lateral wall and the wall upper side, because the first side wall is provided with a first hole, through which said maneuvers can take place, with elastic deformation occurring, at least partially, in the first side part, in such a way that at least a part of it moves away from the first side wall. By virtue of the preferred embodiment, the means located in the insert and which act to carry out the locking function, have been designed in the lateral part of the insert, in such a way that a construction or structure is obtained. robust, in particular in the case where the lateral part extends along a significant part of the bottom part and is attached thereto along a significant part of its length. The fact that the side part is located, in the inserted state of the insert, essentially parallel and close to the first side wall of the sleeve, means that the means located on the insert and which act to effect the locking function, they do not occupy an appreciably large amount of space in the package.

Another advantage of the preferred embodiment is that the side part of the insert, with the means located on the insert and acting to carry out the locking function, is oriented parallel to the side of the container, which means that the container can be made with high side walls, without its other dimensions having to be taken into consideration.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is also characterized in that the sleeve is manufactured from a cardboard blank or blank, in that the first side wall comprises at least parts of two cardboard portions of the cardboard blank, of such that one of the cardboard portions, on the side wall, is located inside the other cardboard portion, because the first hole is constituted by an internal hole made in the internal cardboard portion, and by an external hole, made in the external cardboard portion, and because there is a pivoting flange arranged in the internal cardboard portion, in such a way so that the flange, in a closed position, in the plane of the first side wall, extends, at least partially, outside the extension area of ​​the external hole. This means that the flange can, by means of a pressure with a finger, exerted from the outside of the container, be pivoted inwards so that, by contact with the lateral part of the insert, it guides the latter away from the insert. side wall. The solution according to the preferred embodiment further implies that the flange cannot be pivoted outwards because it is larger than the external hole.

Description of the figures

The invention will be described in detail in the following with reference to the drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a container according to a preferred embodiment of the invention,

- Figure 2 shows another perspective view of the container of Figure 1,

- Figure 3 shows a previous or pair piece3

ES 2 282 452 T3 manufacturing order for a part of the container shown in Figure 1,

- Figure 4 shows a perspective view of a part of the container that has been manufactured from the manufacturing blank shown in Figure 3, and in it certain hidden parts have been drawn with broken lines,

- Figure 5 shows in perspective a part cut away and separated from the part of Figure 4,

- Figure 6 shows a perspective view of a part of the container shown in Figure 1,

- Figure 7 shows a manufacturing blank for the part shown in Figure 6,

- Figure 8 shows a cross section of a part of the container shown in Figures 1 and 2,

- Figure 9 shows a manufacturing blank for a part of a container according to an alternative embodiment of the invention,

- Figure 10 shows in perspective a cut away and separated part of a part of the container that has been manufactured from the manufacturing blank of Figure 9, and

Figure 11 illustrates a cross section of a part of a container comprising a container part that has been manufactured from the blank shown in Figure 9.

Detailed description

Figure 1 shows a package 1 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. The container comprises a sleeve 2 of essentially parallelepipedic shape, as well as an insert 3, intended to house the contents of the container. Sleeve 2 and insert 3 are preferably made by folding and gluing premade pieces of cardboard material (see below). The insert 3 can be inserted into the sleeve 2 and extracted or withdrawn from it in a sliding direction S, indicated by a double arrow in Figure 1, through an opening 4 in the sleeve 2. Figure 1 shows the container 1 in the fully inserted state of the insert. Figure 2 shows the container 1 in a state partially removed from the insert 3, such that access to the contents of the container is possible.

The sleeve 2 comprises four longitudinal walls that are essentially parallel to the sliding direction S. The longitudinal walls consist of an upper wall 2a, a lower wall 2b, a first side wall 2c and a second side wall 2d, such that the upper wall 2a and first side wall 2c are visible in Figures 1 and^2.

In the opening 4, the side walls 2c and 2d each have gripping notches or notches 5, through each of which the insert 3 can be gripped with a finger in order to be pulled out. The width of the container is preferably designed in such a way that the insert 3 can only be grasped by people who have hands large enough for it. This means that young children cannot reach the width of the container by using a thumb / index finger grip in order to extract the insert 3 to the outside.

At one of its ends, the insert 3 preferably has a beam-shaped portion 6 which is produced by bending a blank or insert blank (see below). The beam has such rigidity that it is impossible or extremely difficult for a child to deform the end of the insert and thus reach the contents of the package.

At the opening 4, the sleeve 2 preferably has two tabs or lugs which are bent inward essentially parallel to the upper wall 2a and the lower wall 2b, respectively (see below). This means that an upper edge and a lower edge, located in the opening 4, are reinforced, which makes it impossible or difficult for children to tear open the sleeve 2 at these edges in order to reach the contents of the package.

Figure 3 shows a sleeve blank 2 'made of cardboard, which is formed into sleeve 2 by bending and gluing. As can be seen in Figure 3, the sleeve blank 2 'comprises the two lugs 21, 22, which, as mentioned above, reinforce the sleeve opening 4 by being essentially bent in parallel. with the upper wall 2a and with the lower wall 2b, respectively.

The sleeve blank 2 'comprises a first portion 2a', intended to form the upper wall 2a of the sleeve, and a second portion 2b ', intended to form the lower wall 2b of the sleeve. A third portion 2c 'and a fourth portion 2c "are intended to form the first side wall 2c of the sleeve, such that the fourth portion 2c" is intended to be located within the third portion 2c'. In a corresponding way, a fifth portion 2d 'and a sixth portion 2d "are adapted to form the second side wall 2d of the sleeve.

A seventh portion 7a 'and an eighth portion 7b' are adapted to form a first stop tab or lug 7a and a second stop tab or lug 7b, respectively, which act to effect locking of insert 3 in sleeve 2, which is described in more detail below. As can be seen in Figure 3, the portions 7a ', 7b' that are to form stop lugs have an essentially triangular shape, such that one of the points or vertices of the triangle is located on a free longitudinal edge existing in the fourth portion 2c "and sixth portion 2d", respectively. The seventh portion 7a 'and the eighth portion 7b' protrude outside the free longitudinal edge of the fourth portion 2c "and the sixth portion 2c", respectively, and are intended to be bent by respective lines 7a ", 7b", within of said free edges.

Alternatively, the portions that are intended to form stop lugs may have a shape other than triangular, eg, rectangular.

Once the sleeve blank has been bent, the fourth portion 2c "and the sixth portion 2d" are bent such that their free longitudinal edges are positioned at the junction between the top wall 2a, and the first side wall 2c. and the second side wall 2d, respectively, of the sleeve. The seventh portion 7a 'and the eighth portion 7b' are then bent in such a way that they lie at an angle with the upper wall 2a and with the first side wall 2c and the second side wall 2d, respectively, of the sleeve; they then form the first stop lug 7a and, respectively4

ES 2 282 452 T3 mind, the second stop lug 7b. Each stop lug is therefore attached to the respective side wall and forms an angle with respect to it when abutting against the top wall.

Figure 4 shows the sleeve, folded together and glued, in which certain hidden parts have been drawn in broken lines. The first stop lug 7a and the second stop lug 7b are located inside the sleeve, at respective vertices formed by the top wall 2a, and the first side wall 2c and the second side wall 2d, respectively. The first stop lug 7a and the second stop lug 7b are also located at a certain distance from the rear or rear wall 2e of the sleeve 2.

Figure 5 shows, for the sake of clarity, a part of the sleeve 2 cut away and cut away, in perspective and at a certain angle from below. The second stop lug 7b extends from the inside of the second side wall 2d to the inside of the top wall 2a. The stop lug 7b therefore extends at a certain angle with the walls 2a and 2d of the sleeve, in such a way that at least a part of the sleeve is located in a part of the area for the movement of the insert. 3 in the sliding direction S. As described in greater detail below, the stop lug 7b acts in contact with the insert 3 in order to prevent the latter from being withdrawn until it is removed from the sleeve 2. The fact that the stopper lug 7b extends into the walls of the sleeve and is separated from them, ensures that its operation is not sensitive to the wear of the same after repeated use. In addition, a solution is achieved in which the stop lug is separated from the walls of the sleeve without the need for means, such as a protruding part, specifically intended for this purpose.

As can be seen in Figure 5, the stop lug 7b is also arranged at a certain angle with respect to the sliding direction S of the insert 3, in such a way that the part of the stop lug located closest to the opening 4 of the sleeve is positioned closer to the walls 2a, 2d of the sleeve than the other parts of the stop tab. By virtue of this, when the insert is inserted into the sleeve, the parts of the insert 3 intended for locking, which are described in greater detail below, can, by elastic deformation in contact with the stop lug 7b , surpass the latter and "make an elastic jump" back after having surpassed it. This design of the stop lug 7b also implies that it is very strong and can withstand large forces when attempts are made to extract it without performing an unlocking maneuver, as described below.

Figure 6 shows the insert 3, and Figure 7 shows a blank or blank 3 'for manufacturing an insert by bending and, where appropriate, gluing. The insert blank comprises portions 6 'for making the aforementioned beam.

The insert 3 comprises a bottom part 3a, a first side part 3b and a second side part 3c. In the inserted state of the insert, the side parts 3b, 3c are positioned essentially parallel and close to the side walls 2c, 2d of the sleeve 2. The side parts 3b, 3c extend essentially in the sliding direction S, intended to be inserted into the cuff 2. These are attached to the bottom portion 3a and are oriented essentially at right angles to it.

Each side part 3b, 3c has a notch 8a, 8b. A first locking edge 9a and a second locking edge 9b, respectively, have been formed in the notches. In the inserted state of the insert, the locking edges 9a, 9b are located slightly closer to the rear wall 2e of the sleeve than the stop lugs 7a, 7b and, if attempts are made to remove the insert outside the sleeve, this is prevented by the fact that the side parts 3b, 3c come into contact, in the area of ​​the locking edges 9a, 9b, with the first stop lug 7a and with the second stop lug 7b, respectively.

As can be seen in Figure 3, the sleeve blank 2 'has holes 10a', 10b ', referred to in the following as external holes 10a', 10b ', and located in the third portion 2c. 'and in the fifth portion 2d', as well as holes 10a ", 10b", referred to below as internal holes 10a ", 10b", and located in the fourth portion 2c "and in the sixth portion 2d ". The internal holes 10a ", 10b" are each covered by a flange 101 which, on an essentially rectilinear edge of the respective internal hole, is attached to the sleeve blank in such a way that the flange is pivotal about to the rectilinear edge.

In the finished state of the sleeve 3, the first side wall 2c and the second side wall 2d comprise parts of the third and fourth portions 2c ', 2c ", and of the fifth and sixth portions 2d', 2d", respectively. In this regard, the third portion 2c 'and the fifth portion 2d' are located outside the fourth portion 2c "and the sixth portion 2d", respectively. The flanges 101 and the external holes 10a ', 10b' are adapted, in terms of size, such that the flanges 101 extend outside the area of ​​the respective external hole 10a ', 10b', such that they are pivotable only towards inside the container. The tabs are then prevented from being displaced outside the package and thus being damaged.

As can be seen in Figures 1, 2 and 4, the internal holes 10a ", 10b" and the external holes 10a ', 10b' form, in the folded and finished sleeve 2, a first hole 10a and a second hole 10b, located on the first side wall 2c and on the second side wall 2d, respectively. The package is designed such that a user can grasp the package through by means of a thumb / index finger grip. The user can then press with a finger in each of the holes 10a, 10b in order to move the tabs 101 inwards and, inside the sleeve, press the lateral parts 3b, 3c of the insert in such a way that these, at least in the area of ​​the locking edges, are elastically deformed so that they are inclined towards the inside of the sleeve 2, which can be seen in Figure 8 (in which only one of the parts has been shown lateral, the 3c). The locking edges 9a, 9b are then moved away from the side walls 2c, 2d of the sleeve. Of this for5

ES 2 282 452 T3 ma, the locking edges 9a, 9b are extended, as seen in the sliding direction S of the insert 3, outside the extension area of ​​the stop lugs 7a, 7b, and the piece The insertion insert can, by means of a thumb / index finger grip through the grip notches 5 (previously described with reference to Figures 1 and 2), with the other hand of the user, be withdrawn or extracted from the sleeve.

In an alternative embodiment, the external holes may each be covered by a cover that is attached to the side wall by means of a perforation. It is then possible, once the cover has been totally or partially removed, to see if the container is broken or if an attempt has been made to gain access to its contents.

In another alternative embodiment, the container may have been designed without tabs being arranged on the insert in the holes to maneuver the parts for locking.

The width of the container is preferably designed in such a way that persons with small hands, for example children, cannot reach through the container with their thumb and index finger in order to perform maneuvers in the locking with the locking edges 9a, 9b. Opening the container therefore requires the use of two hands the size of a normal adult.

The design of the locking portions in the longitudinal side portions of the insert results in a robust construction or frame that presents a large amount of material behind the locking edge, and therefore a reduced risk of the insert is forcibly removed, for example by a child. As an alternative, however, use can also be made of special locking lugs which are bent upward from the bottom part 3a of the insert 3 or another part of the insert, and which, by contact with the lugs of stop 7a, 7b, prevent the insert from being pulled out of the sleeve 2.

A container with two locking arrangements, each of which includes its own locking edge and stop tab, has been described above. Alternatively, a container can be provided with only a locking edge and a stop tab.

Figure 9 shows a sleeve blank 2 'for a sleeve for a container according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention. The sleeve blank 2 'comprises a first portion 2a', intended to form the upper wall 2a of the sleeve (compare Figure 4), and a second portion 2b ', intended to form the lower wall 2b of the sleeve. A third portion 2c 'and a fourth portion 2c "are intended to form the first side wall 2c of the sleeve, such that the fourth portion 2c" is intended to be located inside the third portion 2c'. In a corresponding way, a fifth portion 2d 'and a sixth portion 2d "are adapted to form the second side wall 2d of the sleeve.

A seventh portion 7a 'and an eighth portion 7b' are adapted to form a first stop lug 7a and a second stop lug 7b, respectively, which act to effect the locking of insert 3 in sleeve 2 , which is described in more detail later. As can be seen in Figure 3, the portions 7a ', 7b' that are to form stop lugs have an essentially triangular shape, such that one of the points or vertices of the triangle is located on a respective line 23, 24 in around which the fourth portion 2c "and the sixth portion 2d" are intended to bend, respectively. In each of the seventh portion 7a 'and the eighth portion 4b', the sleeve blank 2 'is provided with a through slit or cut 25, 26. When the fourth portion 2c "and the sixth portion 2d" are bent, the seventh portion 7a 'and the eighth portion 7b' are bent around the lines 27, 28 in the opposite direction, such that when the sleeve is bends until it joins itself and sticks, respective stop lugs are formed consisting of two planes located at the junction of the upper wall with the respective side walls.

Figure 10 shows a cut away and cut away portion of the finished sleeve 2, and one, 7b, of the stop lugs in accordance with the alternative embodiment of the invention. Figure 11 shows how, as a consequence of finger pressure by a user, the side parts 3b, 3c of the sleeve (Figure 11 shows only the second side part 3c) are, at least in the area of the locking edges, elastically deformed such that they are inclined inwardly of the sleeve 2. This results in the locking edges 9a, 9b being displaced away from the side walls 2c, 2d of the sleeve. In this way, the locking edges 9a, 9b come to extend, viewed according to the sliding direction S of the insert, out of the area of ​​the extension of the stop lugs 7a, 7b, and the insert can, for means of a thumb / index finger grip by the grip notches 5 (which has been described above with reference to Figures 1 and 2) with the other hand of the user, being pulled out of the sleeve.

In a special embodiment, the stop lugs extend from the side walls of the sleeve to the bottom wall. The parts located on the insert for locking the insert inside the sleeve have then been arranged at the bottom of the insert, for example in the form of locking edges located on a free edge of the insert, near the bottom wall of the sleeve.