Unit dose packaging system (UDPS) with child-resistant lock function with focused push button

Abstract

To provide a unit dose packaging system.SOLUTION: The unit dose paperboard package includes: an outer paperboard sleeve; and an inner paperboard slide card lockably retained within the outer sleeve. The outer sleeve includes a plurality of panels. The panels are operably connected to one another such that the upper panel of the plurality of panels includes an inner slide card retention opening and an inner slide card release button defined on the upper panel. The inner slide card includes an inner slide card retention release panel. The slide card release button includes a longitudinally extending tab defined by a cutout in the sleeve, with a tab root between the ends of the cutout and a movable tab edge on the opposite side of the tab root. The card retention opening extends longitudinally beyond the movable tab edge in a first direction but does not extend longitudinally beyond the tab root in a second direction opposite to the first direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] [CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS] This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 624,853, filed February 1, 2018, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0002] The present disclosure relates to unit dose packaging systems (UDPS), and more particularly to child-resistant UDPS. [Background technology]

[0003] Child-resistant unit dose packaging systems require pressing a button or tab on the outer sleeve to release the blister pack from the sleeve. Once the blister is free of the sleeve, the dose can be removed from the blister by pressing the dose. The multiple steps required to actually obtain the product from the blister can discourage and / or deter a child from attempting to remove the product from the blister pack.

[0004] In conventional child-resistant unit dose packaging systems, the blister pack can be released from the sleeve by pressing near or near the actual button, which in some designs may not meet more stringent childproof standards. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Conventional techniques have been deemed satisfactory for their intended purposes. However, improved unit dose packaging systems are continually being sought. The present disclosure provides a solution to this need. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The unit dose paperboard package with locking feature includes an outer paperboard sleeve and an inner paperboard slide card lockably retained within the outer sleeve, the outer sleeve including multiple panels operably connected to one another such that an upper panel of the multiple panels includes an inner slide card retention opening and an inner slide card release button defined therein. The inner slide card includes one or more unit dose dispensing blisters and an inner slide card retention and release panel located adjacent to the one or more unit dose dispensing blisters. The slide card release button includes a longitudinally extending tab defined by a notch in the sleeve, with a tab root between opposite ends of the notch and a movable tab edge opposite the tab root. The card retention opening extends longitudinally past the movable tab edge in a first direction but does not extend longitudinally past the tab root in a second direction opposite the first direction.

[0007] The longitudinally extending tab can have a longitudinal length extending from the movable tab edge to the root of the tab, and the card retention opening can extend longitudinally from the movable tab edge toward the root less than half the length of the tab. The card retention opening can terminate at either lateral end in laterally extending wing portions. The top panel can include multiple layers connected together, for example along fold lines, with the card retention opening defined as an opening in an inner layer of the multiple layers and the tab of the sliding card release button defined in an outer layer of the multiple layers.

[0008] The card retention opening can include a capture edge configured to engage the inner slide card retention and release panel to prevent removal of the slide card without pressing the button, and the inner slide card retention opening can include a button edge opposite the capture edge, the button edge matching the contour of a movable tab edge of the slide card release button. The notch defining the longitudinally extending tab can include a pair of spaced-apart longitudinally extending side portions defining lateral edges of the longitudinally extending tab, and the button edge of the card retention opening matches the movable tab edge and matches a portion of the lateral edges of the tab. The lateral portions of the notch defining the longitudinally extending tab can each terminate in a U-shaped terminal end. The inner slide card retention and release panel can be hingedly attached to the inner slide card along a fold line and includes a capture edge opposite the fold that engages the capture edge of the slide card retention opening to prevent removal of the inner slide card unless the button is pressed. The button and card retention opening may be configured such that pressing directly on the button releases the inner slide card, and pressing near the button rather than on the button prevents the inner slide card from being released.

[0009] A blank for an outer paperboard sleeve for a unit dose paperboard package includes a plurality of panels operatively connected to one another to form a sleeve for receiving an inner slide card with one or more unit dose dispensing blisters, an upper panel of the panels including an inner slide card retaining opening and an inner slide card release button defined thereon, the upper panel including the card retaining opening and the release button with the longitudinally extending tab described above.

[0010] These and other features of the systems and methods of the present disclosure will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the drawings.

[0011] In order that those skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains will readily understand, without undue experimentation, how to make and use the disclosed devices and methods, preferred embodiments thereof will be described in detail herein below with reference to several figures. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a unit dose paperboard package constructed in accordance with the present disclosure, showing the outer sleeve and inner slide card assembled with the inner slide card housed within the sleeve. [Figure 2] 2 is a perspective, partial cross-sectional view of the sleeve and inner slide card of FIG. 1 showing the inner slide card deployed from the sleeve to access its contents. [Figure 3] 2 is a perspective partial cross-sectional view of the sleeve of FIG. 1 showing the sleeve without the inner slide card. [Figure 4] 4 is a plan view of a blank for the sleeve of FIG. 3 showing a panel with buttons and card-retaining openings. [Figure 5] 2 is a partially cutaway plan view of a portion of the sleeve of FIG. 1 showing the button with the card retaining opening shown partially in hidden lines; [Figure 6] 2 is a perspective view of the inner slide card of FIG. 1 showing the retention and release panel of the inner slide card. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Reference will now be made to the drawings, in which like reference numerals identify like structural features or aspects of the present disclosure. For purposes of explanation and illustration, and not limitation, a partial view of an exemplary embodiment of a package according to the present disclosure is shown in FIG. 1 and generally designated by the reference character 100. Other embodiments of packages according to the present disclosure, or aspects thereof, are provided in FIGS. 2-6, as discussed below. The systems and methods described herein can be used to prevent access to contents in unit dose packaging systems for medications and the like, such as for childproofing purposes.

[0014] U.S. Patent No. 6,047,829 is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. It provides a description of a unit dose packaging system (UPDS), provides a description of how such a package is formed from paperboard blanks that are assembled into an outer sleeve, provides a description of how to form an inner slide card, and provides a description of how to assemble the inner slide card into the outer sleeve and provide a locking mechanism for the inner slide card in a closed position and a mechanism to prevent complete removal of the inner slide card from the outer sleeve or shell.

[0015] 1, a unit dose paperboard package 100 with a locking feature according to the present disclosure includes an outer paperboard sleeve 102 and an inner paperboard slide card 104 lockably retained within the outer sleeve 102. In the closed position shown in FIG. 1, a button 120 must be depressed to unlock the slide card 104 to access the contents of the slide card 104 in the open position shown in FIG. 2. In this open position, the contents of the inner slide card 104, for example, contained within a plurality of unit dose dispensing blisters 108 of the slide card 104, are accessible, but the slide card 104 cannot be completely removed from the sleeve 102 due to a second locking mechanism, described below, that retains the slide card 104 at the open end of the sleeve 102.

[0016] 3, sleeve 102 includes multiple panels, e.g., panels 110, 112, 114, and 116, operatively connected to one another, such that top panel 110 includes an inner slide card retention opening 118 (shown in hidden lines in FIG. 3) defined therein and an inner slide card release button 120. Top panel 110 includes multiple layers 122 and 124 connected together with multiple panels 110, 112, 114, and 116 along fold line 130, e.g., as shown in FIG. 4, which illustrates a blank 101 for forming sleeve 102. Card retention opening 118 is defined as an opening, e.g., a cutout, in inner layer 124 of top panel 110. A longitudinal crease 125 is formed in the underside of top panel 110 as oriented in Figure 4, extending toward card retention opening 118 located below button 120 when sleeve 102 is assembled as shown in Figure 3. Slide card release button 120 includes a longitudinally extending tab 126 defined by a notch 128 in outer layer 122 of top panel 110 of sleeve 102.

[0017] 5, tab 126 includes a tab root 132 between ends 134 of notches 128. Tab 126 includes a movable tab edge 136 opposite root 132 of tab 126. The notches 128 that define longitudinally extending tab 126 include a pair of spaced-apart, longitudinally extending side portions 138 that define lateral edges of longitudinally extending tab 126. Side portions 138 of notch 128 each terminate in a U-shaped terminal end 140.

[0018] The longitudinally extending tab can have a length L extending longitudinally from the movable tab edge 136 to the root 132 of the tab 126, e.g., along the longitudinal axis A. The card retention opening 118 extends longitudinally past the movable tab edge 136 in a first direction, as shown by length d1 in FIG. 5 , but does not extend longitudinally past the root 132 of the tab 126 in a second direction opposite the first direction, as shown by length d2 in FIG. 5 . The card retention opening 118 extends longitudinally from the movable tab edge 136 toward the root 132 less than half the length L of the tab 126, i.e., d2<0.5L. For example, d2 can be 40% of L. The card retention opening 118 terminates at either lateral end in laterally extending wing portions 142.

[0019] 6, the inner slide card 104 includes an inner slide card retention and release panel 146 located adjacent to the unit dose dispensing blister 108. The inner slide card retention and release panel 146 is hingedly attached to a main panel 150 of the inner slide card 104 along a fold line 148. The retention and release panel 146 includes a catch edge 152 opposite the fold line 148 that engages with a catch edge 154 (identified in FIG. 5) of the slide card retention opening 118 to prevent removal of the inner slide card 104 unless the button 120 is depressed. The inner slide card 104 also includes a second panel 156, which contains an additional unit dose dispensing blister 108, and is connected to the main panel 150 by the fold line 158.

[0020] 5, inner slide card retention opening 118 includes a button edge 160 opposite capture edge 154. Button edge 160 matches the contour of movable tab edge 136 of slide card release button 120 and a portion of lateral edge 138 of tab 126. Button 120 and card retention opening 118 are configured such that when button 120 is in the closed, locked position shown in FIG. 1, pressing button 120 directly releases inner slide card 104, so that the inner slide card can be opened to the open position shown in FIG. 2, for example, by lowering capture edge 152 of inner slide card 104 and moving it away from capture edge 154 of sleeve 102. Pressing near button 120 rather than at button 120, for example, at area 162 shown schematically in FIG. 5, prevents release of the inner slide card.

[0021] When in the open position shown in FIG. 2 , the extension panel 164 of the sleeve 102 interlocks with the retention and release panel 146 of the slide card 104, preventing complete removal of the slide card 104 from the sleeve 102. This is described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,829. One of ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure and U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,829 will readily understand how to assemble the blank 101 of FIG. 4 into the sleeve 102, how to assemble the slide card 104, and how to install the slide card 104 within the sleeve 102 so that when in the locked position, directly pressing the improved button 120 unlocks access to the slide card 104 in accordance with this disclosure. Because directly pressing the button 120 is required to release the inner slide card 104, this provides a more focused button press, improved prevention of unintentional release, and improved child resistance compared to conventional configurations. The button and opening configurations disclosed herein are also stronger and less likely to break when pressed very hard compared to conventional configurations.

[0022] The methods and systems of the present disclosure, as described above and shown in the drawings, provide unit dose packages with superior properties, including child resistance and durability. While the devices and methods of the present disclosure have been shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and / or modifications can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0023] 100 unit dose paperboard package 101 Blank 102 outer paperboard sleeve 104 Inner Cardboard Slide Card 108 unit dose dispensing blisters 110 Top Panel Panel 112 114 Panel 116 Panels 118 Inner slide card retention opening 120 Inner slide card release button 122 Outer layer 124 Inner layer 125 Wrinkles 126 tabs 128 Cut 130 folds 132 base 134 End 136 Movable tab edge 138 Lateral part, lateral edge 140 Termination 142 Wing section 146 Inner slide card retention release panel 148 creases 150 Main Panel 152 Capture Edge 154 Capture Edge 156 Second Panel 158 creases 160 Button edge 162 areas 164 Extension Panel A longitudinal axis d1 length d2 length L length

Claims

1. 1. A unit dose paperboard package having a locking feature, comprising: an outer paperboard sleeve and an inner paperboard slide card lockably retained within the outer sleeve, the outer sleeve including a plurality of panels operatively connected to one another such that an upper panel of the plurality of panels includes an inner slide card retention opening and an inner slide card release button defined thereon; the inner slide card includes one or more unit dose dispensing blisters and an inner slide card retention and release panel located adjacent to said one or more unit dose dispensing blisters; a sliding card release button including a longitudinally extending tab defined by a notch in a sleeve with a root of the tab between opposite ends of the notch and a movable tab edge opposite the root of the tab, wherein the card retention opening extends longitudinally past the movable tab edge in a first direction but does not extend longitudinally past the root of the tab in a second direction opposite the first direction;

2. 2. The package of claim 1, wherein the longitudinally extending tab has a length extending longitudinally from the movable tab edge to the root of the tab, and the card retention opening extends longitudinally from the movable tab edge toward the root less than half of the length of the tab.

3. 3. A package according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the card-retaining opening terminates at either lateral end thereof in laterally extending wing portions.

4. 4. The package of claim 1, wherein the top panel includes multiple layers, the card retention opening being defined as an opening in an inner layer of the multiple layers, and the tab of the slide card release button being defined in an outer layer of the multiple layers.

5. 5. The package of claim 1, wherein the card retention opening includes a capture edge configured to engage with the inner slide card retention release panel so that the slide card cannot be removed without depressing a button, and the inner slide card retention opening includes a button edge opposite the capture edge, the button edge matching the contour of the movable tab edge of the slide card release button.

6. 6. The package of claim 5, wherein the notches defining the longitudinally extending tab include a pair of spaced apart longitudinally extending side portions defining lateral edges of the longitudinally extending tab, and wherein the button edges of the card retaining opening mate with the movable tab edges and with portions of the lateral edges of the tab.

7. 7. The package of claim 1, wherein the side portions of the notches defining the longitudinally extending tabs each terminate in a u-shaped terminal end.

8. 8. The package of claim 1, wherein the inner slide card retention release panel is hingedly attached to the inner slide card along a fold line and has a capture edge on the opposite side of the fold line that engages with a capture edge of a slide card retention opening to prevent the inner slide card from being removed unless a button is pressed.

9. 9. The package of claim 1, wherein the button and card retention opening are configured such that pressing the button directly releases the inner slide card, and pressing near the button rather than on the button prevents the inner slide card from being released.

10. 1. A blank for an outer paperboard sleeve for a unit dose paperboard package, comprising: a plurality of panels operatively connected to one another to form a sleeve for receiving an inner slide card having one or more unit dose dispensing blisters, an upper panel of said panels including an inner slide card retention opening and an inner slide card release button defined thereon; the sliding card release button includes a longitudinally extending tab defined by a notch in the sleeve, with a tab root between opposite ends of the notch and a movable tab edge opposite the tab root, the card retention opening extending longitudinally past the movable tab edge in a first direction but not extending longitudinally past the tab root in a second direction opposite the first direction;

11. 11. The blank of claim 10, wherein the longitudinally extending tab has a length extending longitudinally from the movable tab edge to the root of the tab, and the card retention opening extends longitudinally from the movable tab edge toward the root less than half of the length of the tab.

12. 12. A blank according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the card-retaining opening terminates at either lateral end thereof in laterally extending wing portions.

13. 13. The blank of any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the top panel includes multiple layers connected together by respective folds, an inner card retention opening defined as an opening in an inner layer of the multiple layers, and the tab of the slide card release button defined in an outer layer of the multiple layers.

14. 14. The blank of claim 10, wherein the card retention opening includes a capture edge configured to engage with an inner slide card retention release panel so that the slide card cannot be removed without depressing a button, and the card retention opening includes a button edge opposite the capture edge, the button edge matching the contour of the movable tab edge of the slide card release button.

15. 15. The blank of claim 14, wherein the notches defining the longitudinally extending tab include a pair of spaced apart longitudinally extending side portions defining lateral edges of the longitudinally extending tab, and wherein the button edges of the card retaining openings mate with the movable tab edges and with portions of the lateral edges of the tabs.

16. 16. The blank of any one of claims 10 to 15, wherein the lateral portions of the incisions defining the longitudinally extending tabs each terminate in a u-shaped terminal end.

17. 17. The blank of claim 10, wherein the button and card retention opening are configured such that an inner slide card retention release panel hingedly attached to the inner slide card along a fold line and having a capture edge on the opposite side of the fold line can engage with the capture edge of the slide card retention opening to prevent removal of the inner slide card unless the button is pressed.

18. 18. The blank of any one of claims 10 to 17, wherein the button and card retention opening are configured such that pressing directly on the button releases the inner slide card, and pressing near the button rather than on the button prevents release of the inner slide card.

Images