Technical field

The present invention relates to a child-resistant package and to a package blank, such as a carton blank, useful for construction of a child-resistant package. Child-resistant packages are needed for products that are considered dangerous to children if they gain free or unsupervised access to the product, such as pharmaceuticals or household chemicals.

Background of the invention

Child-resistant packages refer generally to packages which, to be opened, require steps that would not be immediately apparent to a child. Child-resistant packages make it harder for children to extract hazardous materials, such as pharmaceuticals, from a package.

There is a need for a child-resistant package, which can be prepared with low costs from a single blank of carton, which has a simple construction, is relatively easy to open by adults and which retains the child-resistant properties after numerous opening and re closing of the package.

Summary of the invention

The present invention comprises a child-resistant package comprising an outer casing and an inner casing arranged slidably within the outer casing and being movable between a closed position and an open position wherein immediate opening of the package from the closed position to the open position is prevented. The child-resistant properties are retained after numerous opening and re-closing of the package, and the package can be folded from a single blank of carton. The package can be produced in automated assembly machines with low costs and consistent child-resistant quality.

The child-resistant package of the present invention comprises an outer casing and an inner casing. The inner casing is arranged slidably within the outer casing and is movable between a closed position of the package and an open position of the package. In the open position of the package the inner casing that may contain the product, for example a medicament, can be separated from the outer casing. The outer and inner casings are typically in the form of a box, which is open at one end.

When the package blank is folded to the form of the package, the inner casing and the outer casing around the inner casing are formed. The inner casing is in connection with the outer casing until the package is opened for the first time. The inner and outer casings are in connection with each other via at least one set of contacting bridges formed between the edges of an outer and an inner connecting panel. Therefore, the package blank forms one blank sheet. The contacting bridges form a line of weakness. The top or bottom wall of the outer casing is provided with at least one release flap having a hinged structure. Pushing the release flap inward breaks the line of weakness and the connection between the inner and the outer casing thereby splitting the package into two separate casings.

After the package has been split into two separate casings by pressing the release flap for the first time, the immediate opening of the package is prevented by a locking mechanism. The locking mechanism comprises a locking button, which is formed in the inner casing between two cut away areas at the longitudinal comer between the inner sidewall and the inner connecting panel of the inner casing. The locking button has a sufficient resilience such that it can be pushed down from an upper position to a lower position, and when no force is put on the locking button, it is again urged upwards. In the closed position of the package, the locking button is overlapping with a locking aperture provided in the outer casing such that locking button retains its upper position and forms together with the locking aperture a latch type locking of the package. To open the package the user pushes the locking button and simultaneously pulls the inner casing such that the inner casing slidably moves within the outer casing and is finally separated therefrom. To ensure correct operation of the locking button the locking aperture is provided in a corner indent wall, which forms an inwardly flattened area at the longitudinal comer between the top wall and the sidewall of the outer casing. When the inner casing is moved from the opened position to a closed position, the locking button is pushed down by the surface of the flattened indent wall of the outer casing or, alternatively, the locking button rises the flattened comer indent wall upwards, until the locking button overlaps the locking aperture whereby the locking button engages with the locking aperture forming the latch type locking. This arrangement ensures that the locking mechanism retains the child-resistant properties after numerous opening and re-closing of the package. Thus, according to one aspect, the present invention provides a child-resistant package comprising an outer casing and an inner casing arranged slidably within the outer casing and being movable between a closed position and an open position wherein immediate opening of the package from the closed position to the open position is prevented, the outer casing comprising an outer top wall, an outer bottom wall, a first and a second outer sidewall, an outer back wall and a first connecting panel next to the second outer sidewall; the inner casing comprising an inner top wall, an inner bottom wall, a first and second inner sidewall, an inner front wall and a second connecting panel next to the first inner sidewall; wherein

- the corner between the outer top wall and the first outer sidewall is provided with a comer indent wall having a locking aperture; the outer top or bottom wall comprises at least one release flap; the comer between the first inner sidewall and the second connecting panel comprises a locking button formed between two cut away areas, whereby the locking button and the locking aperture are overlapping in the closed position; a set of contacting bridges are provided between the edges of the first connecting panel and the second connecting panel and arranged such that the release flap at least partly overlap with the set of contacting bridges in the closed position.

According to one embodiment, the comer indent wall of the package is defined by two opposing, mirror image, symmetrical arcuate fold lines branching from and interrupting the longitudinal fold line which is separating the outer top wall and the first outer side wall.

According to another embodiment, the first and the second connecting panels next to the second outer sidewall and next to the first inner sidewall, respectively, extend to about halfway of the width of the package such the edges of the outer and inner connecting panels are adjacent to each other. According to still another embodiment, at the area around the locking button, the second connecting panel and the first inner sidewall comprise an arcuate resilience providing cut.

According to still another embodiment, the inner top wall comprises at least one opening, which at least partly overlaps with the set of contacting bridges in the closed position.

The package blank comprises creasing lines (fold lines) needed in order that the package can be formed by folding. The creasing lines can be provided to the carton board, for example, by applying sufficient pressure to reduce the thickness of the material in the desired location such that the board can be easily folded along the creasing line without damaging the carton material. The package of the present invention is suitably made from a carton board having a weight between 200 and 600 g/m ² and which may be coated at least on the one side with a polymer having a thickness between 10 - 150 pm.

Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1 is a plan view of the package blank in an unfolded state according to one embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a package in a folded state according to one embodiment of the invention wherein the package is in a closed position.

Detailed description of the invention

The package according to one embodiment of the invention is illustrated below by way of example, with reference to Figures 1 and 2.

Fig. 1 shows one embodiment of the child-resistant package according to the invention in an unfolded state, i.e. a package blank. Fig. 2 shows the package in folded state.

The package comprises an outer casing (1) and an inner casing (2), which are connected together by contacting bridges (19) forming a line of weakness. The outer casing comprises the outer top wall (3) followed by a first outer sidewall (5), an outer bottom wall (4), a second outer sidewall (6) and a first connecting panel (8). The outer top wall (3) forms the first side edge of the blank in Fig. 1. An outer back wall and the back end of the package is formed by the flaps (7) extending from the outer top wall (3) and the outer bottom wall (4), and by the corresponding flaps extending from the sidewalls (5, 6). A single supporting flap, which is to be folded inside of the package, extends from the outer bottom wall (4) at the front end of the package. The walls of the blank are separated by longitudinal creasing lines such that the package can be formed by folding. The first connecting panel (8) of the outer casing and the second connecting panel (11) of the inner casing are separated from each other by cutting, except in the area of connecting bridges (19). The connecting bridges (19) form a line of weakness connecting the first (8) and the second (13) connecting panel together. Fig. 1 shows an embodiment comprising two sets of connecting bridges (19) positioned near the front and back end of the first connecting panel (8). The front end of the first and second outer sidewall (5, 6) comprise a arcuate cut away area (26) to help the user to grab and pull the inner casing away of the outer casing. An adhesive strip is suitably added, for example, on the outer surface of the first connecting panel (8) such as to fix it to the inner surface of the outer top wall (3) during folding. Similarly, an adhesive strip is suitably added to the surface of one of the flaps (7) to close the back end of the outer casing.

The inner casing (2) comprises an inner top wall (9) followed by second inner sidewall (12), an inner bottom wall (10), a first inner sidewall (11) and a second connecting panel (13) next to the first inner sidewall (11). An inner front wall (25) is formed by the flaps extending from the inner top wall (23) and the inner bottom wall (10), and by the corresponding flaps extending from the sidewalls (11, 12). The inner front wall (25) also form the front end of the package. A support wall (24) next to the inner top wall (9) forms the second side end of the blank. The first and the second connecting panels (8,

13) extend to about halfway of the width of the package such the edges of the first and second connecting panels (8, 13) are adjacent to each other. Again, the walls are separated by creasing lines such that the package can be formed by folding. An adhesive strip is suitably added, for example, on the inner surface of the second connecting panel (13) such as to fix it to the outer surface of the inner top wall (9) during folding. Similarly, an adhesive strip is suitably added to the surface of one of the flaps of the inner front wall (25) to close the front end of the inner casing. In order to enable the user to separate the inner and outer casing when the package is opened for the first time, the outer top wall (3) is provided with a release flap (16) having a hinged structure which is best seen in Fig. 2. In the embodiment shown in the Figures, two release flaps (16) are provided on the outer top wall (3) and positioned symmetrically near the front and back end of the outer top wall (3). When the package is in the folded state in a closed position, as shown in Fig. 2, the release flaps (16) overlap with the two sets of contacting bridges (19) which are positioned just below the release flaps (16). At the same time, the inner top wall (9) comprises openings (23) which overlap the contacting bridges (19) and are positioned just below the contacting bridges (19). Pressing the release flaps (16) inwards breaks the line of weakness of the contacting bridges (19) thereby splitting the package into inner and outer casings. The openings (23) give a clearance for the inward movement of the release flaps (16).

In order to prevent the immediate opening of the package from the closed position to the open position after the inner casing has been detached from the outer casing, as explained above, the package is provided with a further locking means. The locking means comprises a locking button (17) provided between the first inner sidewall (11) and the second connecting panel (13) of the inner casing. The locking button (17) is formed between two cut away areas (18) at the longitudinal comer between the first inner side wall (11) and the second connecting panel (13).

When the package is folded together, a longitudinal gap below the locking button (17) is provided between the first inner sidewall (11) and the support wall (24) to give clearance for the inward movement of the locking button (17) when pressed. Said gap is formed by an arrangement of the support wall (24). The support wall (24) extends in its longitudinal direction from the end of the package to a position, which is between front end of the package and the cut away area (18) when the package is folded. As shown in Fig. 1, the front end of the support wall (24) is cut a small distance inside the inner top wall (9) such that the creasing line (fold line) between the support wall (24) and the inner top wall (9) can be formed in a position which is a small distance from the side edge of the inner top wall (9) thus said gap being formed when the package is folded. Moreover, the second connecting panel (13) and the first inner side wall (11) at the area around the locking button (17) comprise an arcuate resilience-providing cut (22) to provide the locking button (17) with sufficient resilience such that it can be pushed down from its upper position to its lower position, while it again retains its upper position when no force is put on it. The locking button (17) of the inner casing (2) interacts with a locking aperture (15) of the outer casing (1) to form a latch type locking of the package. The locking aperture (15) is cut in a corner indent wall (14) which is provided at the longitudinal comer between the outer top wall (3) and the first outer sidewall (5) of the outer casing

(1). In the closed position of the package the locking button (17) is overlapping with a locking aperture (15) provided in the outer casing, best seen in Fig. 2. The comer indent wall (14) is formed by two opposing, mirror image, symmetrical arcuate fold lines (20) branching from and interrupting the longitudinal fold line (21) which is separating the outer top wall (3) and the first outer side wall (5). When the package is folded, the comer indent wall (14) forms a flattened or inwardly bent portion of the comer between the outer top wall (3) and the first outer sidewall (5). Thus, in the embodiment shown in the Figures, the corner indent wall (14) in the folded package forms a surface, which is in about 45° angle in relation to the plane of the outer top wall (3) and the first outer sidewall (5). The locking button (17), overlapping with the locking aperture (15), is in its upper position thus preventing pulling the inner casing (2) out of the outer casing (1). The locking can be released by pressing the locking button (17) and simultaneously pulling the inner casing

(2) which appear in the cut away area (26) such that the inner casing (2) slidably moves within the outer casing (1) and is finally separated therefrom.

Providing the locking aperture (15) in the flattened or inwardly bent area of the comer indent wall (14) ensures correct operation of the locking button (17). When the inner casing (2) is moved from the opened position to a closed position, the locking button (17) is pushed down by the surface of the flattened comer indent wall (14) or, alternatively, the locking button (17) rises the flattened comer indent wall (14) upwards, until the locking button (17) overlaps the locking aperture (15) whereby a latch type locking of the package is completed.