Child Resistant Lid and Packaging
Aspects of the invention include a child resistant packaging system that makes use of a container, a protective sleeve and a two part child resistant lid with inner lid and an outer lid that are co-axially aligned. The protective sleeve has a recessed groove that substantially matches a corresponding lip on the container enabling the protective sleeve to retain the container without a stretch fit. Also provided is a sleeve for protecting a container that is constructed from a molded silicone and has a recessed groove for retaining a container.
The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/968,358, filed Dec. 14, 2015. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/968,358 is an application claiming the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/091,750, filed Dec. 14, 2014. The present application is based on and claims priority from these applications, the disclosures of which are hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELDThe present invention is in the field of child resistant lids and associated packaging.
BACKGROUNDExamples of child resistant packaging are common in the form of child resistant pill bottles. Typically, these pill bottles have lids that screw onto a container via standard threads. The child resistant functionality is accomplished via a lid that does not unscrew via a standard left turning motion. Rather the lid is designed to unscrew when two or more motions are performed. Typically these motions are either push and turn, or squeeze and twist.
In the conventional child resistant lids, there are inner and outer lids that are not rotationally fixed relative to one another. This allows an outer lid to twist while the inner lid remains stationary. The requisite steps required to couple the twisting motion of the outer lid to the inner lid are what make the lid child resistant. Conventional models use a plurality of ridges and ramped features on the inside of the outer lid and the top of the inner lid, respectively. These types of features are difficult to produce and require precision molds for the inner and outer lid to work effectively.
Additionally, with conventional lids that use a push and turn approach to child resistance, once a lid is pushed down, the outer and inner lid are coupled. It may be desirable to have a design that would allow for an outer and inner lid to slip relative to one another if sufficient downward pressure is not maintained on the outer lid. Such a system would provide an additional level of resistance to unintended openings.
SUMMARYThe present invention is an article of manufacture that is particularly adapted for storing materials or compounds that require storage in a child resistant package. Other aspects of the invention are directed toward a container system that utilizes a glass container with a lip and a silicone protective sleeve with a recessed groove. Still further aspects of the invention are directed toward a silicone protective sleeve that has a taper and a recessed groove and is adapted for receiving a container.
The plurality of grooves 28 provide an engagement means for the plurality of ribs 32 that are located on the outer lid 20.
In operation, the inner lid 22 is located within the outer lid 20 via the retaining lip 24 and retaining groove 30. The outer lid 20 is constrained to move up and down relative to the inner lid 22 within a fixed range according to the dimension of the locating groove 30. When a user places the lid assembly 12 on a container, the user presses on the outer lid 20 and turns the lid assembly to thread the threads on the inner lid 22 on the threads of the container. When the user pushes down on the outer lid 20, the outer lid 20 moves relative to the inner lid 22 allowing the plurality of ribs 32 to engage the plurality of grooves 28. When the plurality of ribs 32 are engaged with the plurality of grooves 28 the inner lid 22 and outer lid 20 become coupled.
To remove the lid assembly 12 from a container, a user must press down on the outer lid 20 to engage the plurality of ribs 32 with the plurality of grooves 28 thereby coupling the inner lid 22 to the outer lid 20. This allows the user to rotate the inner lid 22 for removal of the lid assembly 12 from the container. As a result of the smooth contours of the outer edge 29 of the inner lid 22 and the smooth contours of the plurality of ribs 32, if positive pressure is not maintained on the lid assembly, the outer lid 20 will tend to move up from the inner lid 22 when rotated which results in decoupling the inner lid 22 from the outer lid 20. Thus, the lid assembly 12 provides a child resistant functionality by requiring a user to apply positive pressure continuously while rotating the lid assembly 12 for the inner lid 22 to rotate.
In some embodiments, a piece of foam or compressible material may be located between the top surface of the inner lid 22 and the inner top surface 34 of the outer lid 20. This material will provide additional child resistant functionality by increasing the force necessary to couple the inner lid 22 and outer lid 20.
Referring to the groove edge 42 in more detail, the groove edge 42 refers to the transition region between the groove bottom 46 and the groove sidewall 44 and the other surfaces of the inner lid 22. The groove edge 42 is smooth such that the transition between the outermost edge 29 of the inner lid 22 and the plurality of grooves 28 is substantially continuous. In practice, this means that in use, relative to the direction of rotation, the plurality of ribs 32 on the outer lid 20 will only contact a ramped or horizontal surface on the inner lid 22.
Referring to
While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is considered presently to be the best mode thereof, those of ordinary skill will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents of the specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. The invention should therefore not be limited by the above described embodiment, method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of the invention.
Claims
1. A protective sleeve for use with a container, the container having a container proximal open top and a container distal closed bottom, the container having a container exterior annular lip nearer to the container proximal open top than to the container distal closed bottom, said protective sleeve comprising:
- (a) a body having a body interior surface and a body exterior surface, a body proximal end and a body distal end opposite said body proximal end, and a body interior annular recessed groove nearer to said body proximal end than to said body distal end;
- (b) said body proximal end being a body open top for receiving the container;
- (c) said body distal end being a closed bottom; and
- (d) said body interior annular recessed groove for receiving the container exterior annular lip of the container.
2. The protective sleeve of claim 1, wherein the container exterior annular lip fits securely within said body interior annular recessed groove when the container is within said protective sleeve.
3. The protective sleeve of claim 1, wherein the container exterior annular lip is nested within said body interior annular recessed groove when the container is nested within said protective sleeve.
4. The protective sleeve of claim 1, wherein said body interior annular recessed groove is C-shaped in cross-section, and when the container is positioned within said protective sleeve an annular upper portion of said body interior annular recessed groove is above the container exterior annular lip and an annular lower portion of said body interior annular recessed groove is below the container exterior annular lip.
5. The protective sleeve of claim 1 further comprising a body exterior annular lip that is annularly coextensive with said body interior annular recessed groove.
6. The protective sleeve of claim 1 wherein said body is a molded tubular silicone body.
7. The protective sleeve of claim 1 wherein said body has an interior taper such that said body proximal is wider than said body distal end.
8. A protective sleeve for use with a container, the container having a container exterior surface, the container having a container proximal open top and a container distal closed bottom, the container having a container exterior annular lip on the container exterior surface, the container exterior annular lip positioned nearer to the container proximal open top than to the container distal closed bottom, said protective sleeve comprising:
- (a) a body having a body interior surface and a body exterior surface, a body proximal end and a body distal end opposite said body proximal end, and a body interior annular recessed groove on said body interior surface nearer to said body proximal end than to said body distal end;
- (b) said body proximal end being a body open top for receiving the container;
- (c) said body distal end being a closed bottom;
- (d) said body interior surface contoured to fit the container exterior surface of the container; and
- (e) said body interior annular recessed groove for receiving the container exterior annular lip of the container;
- (f) wherein the container exterior annular lip fits securely within said body interior annular recessed groove when the container is within said protective sleeve.
10. The protective sleeve of claim 8, wherein the container exterior annular lip is nested within said body interior annular recessed groove when the container is nested within said protective sleeve.
11. The protective sleeve of claim 8, wherein said body interior annular recessed groove is C-shaped in cross-section, and when the container is positioned within said protective sleeve an annular upper portion of said body interior annular recessed groove is above the container exterior annular lip and an annular lower portion of said body interior annular recessed groove is below the container exterior annular lip.
12. The protective sleeve of claim 8 further comprising a body exterior annular lip that is annularly coextensive with said body interior annular recessed groove.
13. The protective sleeve of claim 8 wherein said body is a molded tubular silicone body.
14. The protective sleeve of claim 8 wherein said body has an interior taper such that said body proximal is wider than said body distal end.
15. A protective sleeve for use with a container, the container having a container proximal open top and a container distal closed bottom, the container having a container exterior annular lip nearer to the container proximal open top than to the container distal closed bottom, said protective sleeve comprising:
- (a) a body having a body interior surface and a body exterior surface, a body proximal end and a body distal end opposite said body proximal end, and a body interior annular recessed groove nearer to said body proximal end than to said body distal end;
- (b) said body proximal end being a body open top;
- (c) said body distal end being a closed bottom; and
- (d) a body exterior annular lip that is annularly coextensive with said body interior annular recessed groove.
16. The protective sleeve of claim 15, wherein the container exterior annular lip fits securely within said body interior annular recessed groove when the container is within said protective sleeve.
17. The protective sleeve of claim 15, wherein the container exterior annular lip is nested within said body interior annular recessed groove when the container is nested within said protective sleeve.
18. The protective sleeve of claim 15, wherein said body interior annular recessed groove is C-shaped in cross-section, and when the container is positioned within said protective sleeve an annular upper portion of said body interior annular recessed groove is above the container exterior annular lip and an annular lower portion of said body interior annular recessed groove is below the container exterior annular lip.
19. The protective sleeve of claim 15 wherein said body is a molded tubular silicone body.
20. The protective sleeve of claim 15 wherein said body has an interior taper such that said body proximal is wider than said body distal end.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 3, 2018
Publication Date: May 9, 2019
Inventor: Eric Harvey (Bend, OR)
Application Number: 16/208,494