CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/037,550 filed June 10, 2020, and to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/058,766 filed July 30, 2020, the entire disclosure of each of which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0002] The present disclosure relates to packaging, and, in particular, to a safety packaging box, template and assembly.

BACKGROUND [0003] Product packaging can take various forms to satisfy different aesthetic and/or functional attributes. When packaging products that may pose a health or safety concern to certain segments of the population, such as when packaging medication, chemicals, recreational drugs such as tobacco, alcohol, marijuana and/or like consumables, or their derivatives, weapons or related merchandise such as ammunition, and/or other such products that may require adult or supervised handling, additional attention may be applied in the design and manufacture of appropriate packaging to minimize or reduce the likelihood of improper or inappropriate handling by unauthorized or underaged individuals.

[0004] Indeed, safety bottle caps have been commonly used in the packaging of medical pills or capsules, or for containing potentially hazardous fluids or products. [0005] U.S. Patent No. 8,499,936 for a Product Packaging System with Button Lock

Release describes a lockable product package assembly containing an outer sleeve and an inner tray slidably engaged within the sleeve. The outer sleeve includes a tray locking recess disposed in an inner surface of the outer sleeve, whereas the inner tray includes a product portion with a protruding release button and a locking portion. The locking portion of the tray is configured to engage with the tray locking recess so as to prevent sliding movement of the tray relative to the sleeve when the tray is fully inserted into the sleeve, and be released therefrom upon pressing the release button, thereby allowing the inner tray to be pulled from within the sleeve.

[0006] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2018/0257827 describes similar packaging, in which an insert comprises two folded protrusions that can be resiliently depressed to disengage corresponding apertures in a containing sleeve and thereby allow the insert to be pulled out.

[0007] This background information is provided to reveal information believed by the applicant to be of possible relevance. No admission is necessarily intended, nor should be construed, that any of the preceding information constitutes prior art or forms part of the general common knowledge in the relevant art.

SUMMARY

[0008] The following presents a simplified summary of the general inventive concept(s) described herein to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosure. This summary is not an extensive overview of the disclosure. It is not intended to restrict key or critical elements of embodiments of the disclosure or to delineate their scope beyond that which is explicitly or implicitly described by the following description and claims.

[0009] A need exists for a safety packaging box, template and assembly that overcome some of the drawbacks of known packaging, or at least, provides a useful alternative thereto. Some aspects of this disclosure provide examples of such packaging.

[0010] In accordance with one aspect, there is provided a box comprising: a shell having an open end and a push access defined within an opposed end; a drawer in sliding engagement within said shell to slide along a drawer axis through said open end from a closed position to an open position; and a drawer engagement mechanism releasably engaging said drawer within said shell in said closed position, wherein said engagement mechanism is releasable upon applying a substantially perpendicular disengagement pressure to said engagement mechanism, thereby allowing said drawer to be opened upon applying a concurrent axial pressure to said drawer via said access. [0011] In one embodiment, the opposed end is defined by opposed angular end surfaces each comprising a respective said push access such that application of said concurrent axial pressure via each said respective push access produces a resultant sliding pressure along said axis. [0012] In one embodiment, the opposed end is defined by an opposed end surface substantially parallel to said open end.

[0013] In one embodiment, a drawer front face is recessed relative to said open end when in said closed position thereby forming a shell opening lip extending outwardly from said drawer front face to further restrict access to said drawer when in said closed position. [0014] In one embodiment, the drawer front face is defined by an outwardly extending face, and wherein said shell at said open end is correspondingly shaped to extend outwardly beyond said outwardly extending face in defining an outwardly extending shell lip.

[0015] In one embodiment, the outwardly extending face is defined by at least two angularly opposed surfaces forming at least one outwardly extending front face ridge, and wherein said outwardly extending shell lip is shaped to substantially correspond with said angularly opposed surfaces and front face ridge.

[0016] In one embodiment, the drawer further comprises an internal drawer flap concealing a drawer volume when in said closed position, and deployable to reveal said drawer volume only upon said drawer being slid into said open position. [0017] In one embodiment, the internal drawer flap folds back from a drawer front face exposed by said open end.

[0018] In one embodiment, the internal drawer flap comprises adjacent drawer flaps independently deployable in said open position.

[0019] In one embodiment, the drawer engagement mechanism is to prevent said drawer from sliding along said drawer axis and thereby prevent deployment of said internal flap and access to said drawer volume until said drawer engagement mechanism is released. [0020] In one embodiment, the drawer flap is deployable to reveal said drawer volume only upon said drawer being fully slid into said open position.

[0021] In one embodiment, the drawer engagement mechanism comprises a drawer engagement structure biased to engage a corresponding shell engagement structure when in said closed position, and releasable upon applying said substantially perpendicular disengagement pressure thereupon to counter said bias.

[0022] In one embodiment, the drawer engagement structure is integrally formed in a base of said drawer.

[0023] In one embodiment, the drawer engagement structure comprises a biased foldback tab folded and biased to extend from said drawer to engage said shell engagement structure.

[0024] In one embodiment, the shell engagement structure comprises an engagement aperture or ridge defined in a base of said shell.

[0025] In one embodiment, the drawer engagement structure is integrally formed in respective lateral sides of said drawer.

[0026] In one embodiment, the shell engagement structure comprises respective engagement apertures or ridges defined in respective lateral panels of said shell.

[0027] In one embodiment, the drawer engagement structure comprises a biased folded tab folded and biased to extend from said drawer to engage said shell engagement structure. [0028] In one embodiment, the drawer engagement structure comprises two or more drawer engagements structures, wherein said drawer engagement mechanism is only fully disengaged upon simultaneously disengaging each of said two or more drawer engagement structures.

[0029] In one embodiment, the drawer engagement mechanism further engages said shell upon said drawer being fully slid into said open position to obstruct removal of said drawer from within said shell. [0030] In accordance with another aspect, there is provided a box comprising: a shell having an open end; a drawer in sliding engagement within said shell to slide along a drawer axis through said open end from a closed position to an open position, wherein said drawer further comprises an internal drawer flap enclosing a drawer volume when in said closed position, and deployable to reveal said drawer volume only upon said drawer being fully slid into said open position; a drawer engagement mechanism releasably engaging said drawer within said shell in said closed position to prevent said drawer from sliding along said drawer axis and thereby prevent deployment of said internal flap and access to said drawer volume until said drawer engagement mechanism is released. [0031] In one embodiment, the internal drawer flap folds back from a drawer front face exposed by said open end.

[0032] In one embodiment, the internal drawer flap comprises adjacent drawer flaps independently deployable in said open position.

[0033] In one embodiment, the drawer front face is recessed relative to said open end when in said closed position thereby forming a shell opening lip extending outwardly from said drawer front face to further restrict access to said drawer volume when in said closed position.

[0034] In one embodiment, the drawer front face is defined by an outwardly extending face, and wherein said shell at said open end is correspondingly shaped to extend outwardly beyond said outwardly extending face in defining an outwardly extending shell lip.

[0035] In one embodiment, the outwardly extending face is defined by at least two angularly opposed surfaces forming at least one outwardly extending front face ridge, and wherein said outwardly extending shell lip is shaped to substantially correspond with said angularly opposed surfaces and front face ridge. [0036] In one embodiment, the drawer engagement mechanism comprises a drawer engagement structure biased to engage a corresponding shell engagement structure when in said closed position, and releasable upon applying a disengagement pressure thereupon to counter said bias. [0037] In one embodiment, the drawer engagement structure is integrally formed in a base of said drawer.

[0038] In one embodiment, the drawer engagement structure comprises a biased foldback tab folded and biased to extend from said drawer to engage said shell engagement structure.

[0039] In one embodiment, the shell engagement structure comprises an engagement aperture defined in a base of said shell.

[0040] In one embodiment, the drawer engagement structure is integrally formed in respective lateral sides of said drawer. [0041] In one embodiment, the shell engagement structure comprises respective engagement apertures or ridges defined in respective lateral panels of said shell.

[0042] In one embodiment, the drawer engagement mechanism further engages said shell upon said drawer being fully slid into said open position to obstruct removal of said drawer from within said shell while allowing for deployment of said internal drawer flap. [0043] In one embodiment, the shell has a push access defined within an opposed end to said open end thereby allowing said drawer to be opened upon applying an axial pressure to said drawer via said access upon releasing said engagement mechanism.

[0044] In one embodiment, the engagement mechanism is releasable upon applying a substantially perpendicular disengagement pressure to said engagement mechanism, thereby allowing said drawer to be opened upon applying a concurrent axial pressure to said drawer via said access upon releasing said engagement mechanism.

[0045] In accordance with another embodiment, there is provided a template for assembling a box, the template comprising: a shell template defining a top surface panel, a bottom surface panel, and a plurality of edge surface panels, wherein a push access is defined within at least one of said edge surface panels, such that said shell template is foldable to form a shell having an open end, and an opposed closed end having said push access defined therein; a drawer template defining a base panel and respective edge panels foldable to form a drawer shaped and sized to slide and be enclosed within said shell through said open end, and remain accessible therein via said push access; wherein said bottom surface panel of said shell template and said base panel of said drawer template comprise cooperative drawer engagement structures to releasably engage said drawer within said shell when enclosed therein.

[0046] In one embodiment, the cooperative drawer engagement structures comprise a foldable tab defined within said base panel, and a correspondingly located engagement cutout within said bottom surface panel such that said foldable tab is biased to engage said cutout and released under pressure. [0047] In one embodiment, the push access comprises a cutout.

[0048] In one embodiment, each of said top surface panel, bottom surface panel and base panel are hexagonally shaped, wherein said open end is defined by an angular opening, wherein said opposed closed end is defined by an angular pair of said edge surface panels, each one of which having a respective said push access defined therein. [0049] In accordance with another aspect, there is provided a box comprising: a shell having an open end and a push access defined within an opposed end; a drawer in sliding engagement within said shell to slide along a drawer axis through said open end from a closed position to an open position, wherein said drawer further comprises an internal drawer flap enclosing a drawer volume when in said closed position, and deployable to reveal said drawer volume only upon said drawer being fully slid into said open position; and a drawer engagement mechanism releasably engaging said drawer within said shell in said closed position to prevent said drawer from sliding along said drawer axis and thereby prevent deployment of said internal flap and access to said drawer volume until said drawer engagement mechanism is released, wherein said engagement mechanism is releasable upon applying a substantially perpendicular disengagement pressure to said engagement mechanism, thereby allowing said drawer to be opened upon applying a concurrent axial pressure to said drawer via said access. [0050] Other aspects, features and/or advantages will become more apparent upon reading of the following non-restrictive description of specific embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES [0051] Several embodiments of the present disclosure will be provided, by way of examples only, with reference to the appended drawings, wherein:

[0052] Figure l is a top and front perspective view of a safety packaging box having a slide-out drawer shown in a stored position slightly recessed from a front face of the box, in accordance with one illustrative embodiment; [0053] Figure 2 is a top and front perspective view of the safety packaging box of

Figure 1, with the slide-out drawer illustrated in an extended position with internal product containment flaps closed;

[0054] Figure 3 is a top and front perspective view of the safety packaging box of Figure 2, with one of two internal product containment flaps shown as independently deployed;

[0055] Figure 4 is a bottom and rear perspective view of the safety packaging box of Figure 1, illustrating a releasable push-push drawer engagement mechanism engaged in the stored drawer position;

[0056] Figure 5 is a bottom and rear perspective view of the safety packaging box of Figure 4, showing the drawer thereof fully removed from within the box’s outer shell, and further showing a construction of the drawer engagement mechanism;

[0057] Figure 6 is a top and front perspective view of the safety packaging box and drawer of Figure 5, further showing an internal fold-back flap within the outer shell that is engaged by the drawer engagement mechanism when the drawer is in a fully extended position so to prevent the drawer from being fully extracted; [0058] Figure 7 is a top and front perspective view of the safety packaging box of Figure 6, showing a drawer insert removed from within the drawer;

[0059] Figure 8 is a top plan view of a template for assembling the outer shell of the safety packaging box of Figure 1; [0060] Figure 9 is a top plan view of a template for assembling the drawer of the safety packaging box of Figure 1;

[0061] Figure 10 is a top plan view of a template for assembling an optional or interchangeable drawer insert of the safety packaging box of Figure 1;

[0062] Figure 11 is a top and front perspective view of a safety packaging box having a slide-out drawer shown in a stored position slightly recessed from a front face of the box, in accordance with another embodiment;

[0063] Figure 12 is a top and front perspective view of the safety packaging box of Figure 11, with one of two internal product containment flaps shown as independently opened; [0064] Figure 13 is a bottom and rear perspective view of the safety packaging box of

Figure 11, illustrating a releasable push-push drawer engagement mechanism engaged in the stored drawer position;

[0065] Figure 14 is a top and front perspective view of a safety packaging box having a slide-out drawer shown in a stored position substantially flush with a front face of the box, in accordance with another embodiment; and

[0066] Figure 15 is a top and front perspective view of the safety packaging box of Figure 14, with the slide-out drawer illustrated in an extended position to reveal a product contained therein.

[0067] Elements in the several figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be emphasized relative to other elements for facilitating understanding of the various presently disclosed embodiments. Also, common, but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in commercially feasible embodiments are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0068] Various implementations and aspects of the specification will be described with reference to details discussed below. The following description and drawings are illustrative of the specification and are not to be construed as limiting the specification. Numerous specific details are described to provide a thorough understanding of various implementations of the present specification. However, in certain instances, well-known or conventional details are not described in order to provide a concise discussion of implementations of the present specification.

[0069] Various apparatuses and processes will be described below to provide examples of implementations of the system disclosed herein. No implementation described below limits any claimed implementation and any claimed implementations may cover processes or apparatuses that differ from those described below. The claimed implementations are not limited to apparatuses or processes having all of the features of any one apparatus or process described below or to features common to multiple or all of the apparatuses or processes described below. It is possible that an apparatus or process described below is not an implementation of any claimed subject matter.

[0070] Furthermore, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the implementations described herein. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the relevant arts that the implementations described herein may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the implementations described herein.

[0071] In this specification, elements may be described as “configured to” perform one or more functions or “configured for” such functions. In general, an element that is configured to perform or configured for performing a function is enabled to perform the function, or is suitable for performing the function, or is adapted to perform the function, or is operable to perform the function, or is otherwise capable of performing the function.

[0072] It is understood that for the purpose of this specification, language of “at least one of X, Y, and Z” and “one or more of X, Y and Z” may be construed as X only, Y only, Z only, or any combination of two or more items X, Y, and Z (e.g., XYZ, XY, YZ, ZZ, and the like). Similar logic may be applied for two or more items in any occurrence of “at least one ...” and “one or more...” language.

[0073] Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs.

[0074] Throughout the specification and claims, the following terms take the meanings explicitly associated herein, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. The phrase “in one of the embodiments” or “in at least one of the various embodiments” as used herein does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, though it may. Furthermore, the phrase “in another embodiment” or “in some embodiments” as used herein does not necessarily refer to a different embodiment, although it may. Thus, as described below, various embodiments may be readily combined, without departing from the scope or spirit of the innovations disclosed herein.

[0075] In addition, as used herein, the term “or” is an inclusive “or” operator, and is equivalent to the term “and/or,” unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. The term “based on” is not exclusive and allows for being based on additional factors not described, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In addition, throughout the specification, the meaning of "a," "an," and "the" include plural references. The meaning of "in" includes "in" and "on."

[0076] The term “comprising” as used herein will be understood to mean that the list following is non-exhaustive and may or may not include any other additional suitable items, for example one or more further feature(s), component(s) and/or element(s) as appropriate.

[0077] The embodiments, as described herein, provide different examples of a safety packaging box, and various components and assembly thereof, that help prevent or reduce unintended handling or opening by providing one or more safety measures. Accordingly, unintended access by unauthorized or underage individuals to the content(s) of the safety packaging box can be reduced or outright avoided, in some examples.

[0078] As will be appreciated by the skilled artisan upon reference to the following disclosure, the term “box” or “safety packaging box” will be used interchangeably herein to refer to any type of receptacle, compartment, box or enclosure having various external panels, walls or surfaces to define an enclosed packaging volume in which to store, package, ship, transport or otherwise contain a particular product or material. In the illustrated embodiments, a defined opening, or product or material revealing or releasing mechanism, is also included so to provide for external access to this packaging volume, and/or egress of the enclosed product or material therefrom. Accordingly, while the generic term “box” is used throughout the following disclosure, use of such term should not be construed to limit the scope and nature of the present disclosure to a particular type of container or receptacle, or material or manufacturing or assembly process therefor. Indeed, the illustrated embodiments describe various structural features, functions, mechanisms and/or constructions that may be applied or combined using different materials, manufacturing and/or assembly techniques, shapes, geometries or the like, in accordance with different embodiments, that are intended to fall well within the general scope and nature of the present disclosure. Further examples and alternatives will be described below, with reference to the illustrated embodiments.

[0079] With reference to Figures 1 and 2, and in accordance with one exemplary embodiment, a safety packaging box, generally referred to using the numeral 100, will now be described. In the illustrated embodiment, the box 100 comprises an outer shell, in this embodiment a hexagonal outer shell 102, and a correspondingly shaped hexagonal slide- out drawer 104 that can slide between a closed position (as seen in Figure 1), and a fully opened position (as seen in Figure 2), through an open end of the shell 102. Indeed, as will be further described below, a drawer engagement (e.g. locking) mechanism is provided to restrict access to a packaged content of the box while in the closed position, and optionally further limit sliding travel of the drawer beyond the open position shown in Figure 2, thus reducing or obstructing the full extraction or removal of the drawer 104 from the shell 102.

[0080] With added reference to Figure 3, in the illustrated embodiment, the drawer 104 further comprises at least one internal drawer flap, in this embodiment opposed and independently deployable product concealing flaps 106 and 108, that can only be deployed upon the drawer being extended to its fully open position. In this particular embodiment, the internal flaps 106, 108 serve to conceal an internal drawer volume, and thus respective products or materials packaged or contained therein (in this example as provided by a product holding, presentation or securing tray 110 and product-holding apertures or recesses 111, or like structure, as provided, fitted or otherwise integrally formed as part of a drawer insert, as will be described in greater detail below), until the drawer 104 can be fully opened. For example, the flaps 106, 108 in the illustrated embodiment each fold back from a front face 112 of the drawer 104 and are dimensioned so to extend just short of an enclosing front lip 114 of the box’s outer shell 102 when the drawer is slid to its fully opened position, such that the flaps can only be deployed when the drawer reaches this position. Otherwise, the flaps effectively obstruct access to the drawer’s inner packaging volume. In the illustrated embodiment, the flaps 106, 108 each comprise a rear matingly engageable fold-down panel 116 having an engagement tab 118 that matingly engages a corresponding slit 120 formed in a base 122 of the product securing tray 110, and a lateral panel 124 that internally wedges between a side panel 126 of the outer box shell 102 and the tray base 122, when the flap is closed.

[0081] In an alternative embodiment, internal flaps may be folded back from lateral edges of the drawer, or again from a medial wall, to provide a similar effect, as can other flap engagement and product containment or concealment panels, walls or structures be considered without departing from the general scope and nature of the present disclosure. As will be described in greater detail below with reference to Figures 7 and 10, the internal flaps 106, 108 and product holding tray 110 in the illustrated embodiment are integrally formed from a same drawer insert template, though other constructions and assemblies may be considered, as will be appreciated by the skilled artisan, again, without departing from the general scope and nature of the present disclosure.

[0082] In the illustrated embodiment, in order to further frustrate attempts to access the drawer’s inner packaging volume while the drawer is in its closed position, the open end of the box’s outer shell 102 defines an outwardly projecting lip 114 relative to the front face 112 of the drawer 104, namely, the front face 112 of the drawer is effectively recessed relative to the defined shell opening when the drawer is in the closed (and releasably locked) position. In this particular embodiment, the recessed front face 112 of the drawer enhances an obstruction to accessing the drawer’s inner volume when in the closed position, which in some aspects, may counterbalance a somewhat eased accessibility provided by the shell’ s hexagonal shape and thus outwardly extending angular opening. As such, the outwardly extending face 112 of the drawer 104, in this example an angular face defined by angularly opposed surfaces 128 and 130 meeting at a front face ridge 132, when in the closed position, is recessed relative to a correspondingly shaped and dimensioned angular shell lip 114. As will be appreciated by the skilled artisan, a similar design may be applied to similar advantage in a flat or square box opening and drawer design (e.g. see Figure 11), as it can to other rounded or angular outwardly extending box openings and drawer designs, for example, as may be defined for a pentagonal, octagonal or higher order polygonal box designs, and/or rounded variants or alternatives thereto, and also or alternatively including differently shaped or textured box openings and drawer faces. These and other such variants are intended to fall within the general scope and nature of the present disclosure, as should be readily appreciated by the skilled artisan.

[0083] With reference to Figure 4 and 5, the box 100 further comprises a drawer engagement mechanism releasably engaging the drawer 104 when in the closed position, and releasable by invoking a “push-push” mechanism as will be further described herein. In this particular example, the outer shell 102 comprises at least one, and in this example a pair of push access apertures 134 defined within a back face 136 of the shell, namely opposite the shell’s opening. Given the hexagonal geometry of the box 100, these apertures 134 define angularly opposed push accesses to correspondingly shaped and oriented back walls or panels 138 of the enclosed hexagonal drawer 104. Accordingly, the drawer 104 is designed to be pushed forward to slide to its open position by applying, in this example, a concurrent push pressure thereto through the rear push-access apertures 134, whereby a pressure applied concurrently on the angularly opposed drawer back panels 138 can result in a resultant pressure along a drawer slide travel axis.

[0084] However, to restrict, obstruct or frustrate unauthorized or unintended access to the drawer’s inner packaging volume, the drawer can only be pushed forward upon further releasing the drawer’s engagement mechanism. In the illustrated embodiment, this mechanism is released by applying a releasing push pressure to a pair of drawer engagement structures, illustrated here as a pair of engagement tabs 140, that are otherwise biased, extended or deployed to engage a corresponding pair of shell engagement structures, illustrated here as a pair of correspondingly dimensioned engagement apertures 142, defined within a bottom face 144 or panel of the shell 102. In this particular embodiment, the engagement tabs 140 are defined by a pair of foldback tabs folded down from a bottom panel 146 of the drawer 104 that maintain a resilient downward bias such that a front edge 148 of these tabs is aligned in the closed drawer position to releasably engage a correspondingly shaped rear-facing edge 150 of the shell engagement apertures 142. While resiliently biased foldback tabs and corresponding apertures are illustrated in this embodiment, other push-release engagement mechanisms and structures may be considered to fall with the general scope and nature of the present disclosure. For example, a pair of resilient or biased buttons or like protrusions can be considered in lieu of the biased foldback tabs, as can other resiliently biased structures involving resilient materials and/or structures such as spring-back structures or the like. Likewise, deformable or pressure-disengaging recesses can be considered in lieu of engagement apertures. In yet other embodiments, resilient or biased engagement structures may instead form part of the shell’s base to releasably engage corresponding structures, apertures or recesses formed in a base of the drawer, such as through pivoting push-and-release structures or the like.

[0085] Using a drawer-engagement mechanism as described above, an individual seeking to gain access to the box’s inner volume must release the biased drawer engagement tabs 140 from apertures 142 by applying a concurrent upward pressure thereto, while concurrently pushing on the rear panels 138 of the drawer via shell push-access apertures 134. In the illustrated embodiment, given the drawer’s recess relative to the shell’s front lip 114, and internal drawer flaps 106, 108, the individual cannot easily pull the drawer open, even when the drawer engagement mechanism is released, and is rather directed to implement the push-push release mechanism, as intended.

[0086] With added reference to Figure 6, and in accordance with the illustrated embodiment, it is the same edges 148 of foldback drawer engagement tabs 140 that engage corresponding edges 152 of foldback panels 154 folded back internally from the shell opening against the shell base panel 144, to restrict or obstruct full extraction of the drawer 104 from the shell 102 in the open position. This collaborative engagement between edges 148 and corresponding edges 152, ultimately participates in defining the full extent of the drawer’s sliding travel within the shell 102. In this particular embodiment, given the angular hexagonal profile of the shell 102 and drawer 104, a corresponding angularity of edges 148 is set to collaboratively abut, and thus engage, correspondingly angular edges 150 of the drawer engagement mechanism, and angular edges 152 of the drawer extraction limiting mechanism. As will be discussed in greater detail below, while such angularity conveniently mirrors a geometry of the box’s hexagonal shape, which may facilitate production of the box’s various components from geometrically congruent templates and segments thereof, other edge and tab geometries may also or alternatively be considered without departing from the general scope and nature of the present disclosure. For instance, angular foldback tabs 140 could be replaced by a singular or similar squared or rounded tabs folded back to engage a correspondingly and/or collaboratively shaped drawer engagement aperture(s) or structure(s) (e.g. to replace semicircular apertures 140), and likewise abut against correspondingly shaped drawer extraction-limiting foldback edges (e.g. to replace angular edges 152). Such geometrical alternatives may be applied to a similar hexagonal box, or again applied to other box geometries, such as a square or rectangular box geometry as described below with reference to Figures 11 to 13, or other angular, rounded or compound geometries, in each case optionally leveraging or taking advantage of the box’s inherent geometry to facilitate template manufacturing and/or box assembly. [0087] With added reference to Figures 7 to 10, a construction and assembly of the box 100, in accordance with one embodiment, will now be described. In the illustrated embodiment, the box 100 is generally assembled from three components, namely the shell 102, a drawer base 156, and a drawer insert 158, the last two joined to form the drawer 104 illustrated in previous figures. Each of these box components is assembled from a corresponding template, illustrated as box shell template 160 (see Figure 8), drawer base template 162 (see Figure 9), and drawer insert template 164 (see Figure 10).

[0088] With particular reference to Figure 8, the box shell template 160 defines a top surface panel 166, a bottom surface panel 144, and a plurality of edge surface panels including a side fold-over panel 170 adjoining and allowing for the fold-over alignment of the bottom surface panel 144 and top surface panel 166 during assembly. Opposed side affixable panels 172 and 174 meet and overlap during assembly to be affixed and partake in securing the hexagonal shell structure. The template 160 further includes respective pairs of mutually affixable rear angular panels 176, each having a respective aperture defined therein, to be joined during assembly such that these respective apertures align to form the rear push-access apertures 134 as seen in Figures 4 and 5. On the other hand, corresponding front foldback panels 154, 178 fold back to be affixed to the top and bottom panels 166, 144, respectively, both to reinforce the hexagonal shell opening thus formed, but also the latter serving to form the drawer extension limiting edge 152 as shown in Figure 6 and 7. Finally, the pair of shell engagement apertures 142 are formed as cutouts of the bottom panel 144. Additional affixing, foldback and/or the like structural enhancement panels, features and/or structures may also be included, as will be readily appreciated by the skilled artisan, such as structural panels/tabs 180.

[0089] With particular reference to Figure 9, the drawer base template 162 comprises a hexagonal drawer base panel 182 including a Y-shaped cut 184 allowing for the formation of foldback drawer engagement tabs 140 (see Figure 5). The drawer base template 162 further comprises a series of in-folding side panel assemblies 188 designed to form a corresponding series of inter-nesting side panel walls 186 as shown in Figure 7. [0090] With particular reference to Figure 10, the drawer insert template 164 comprises a hexagonal insert base panel 190 having a series of fold down leg panels 192 to be folded in elevating the insert base 190 from the bottom of the drawer base 156 when inserted, a product presentation or securing panel ultimately forming the product securing tray 110 shown in Figure 3 and having its own series of fold down leg panels 196 so to create a gap between the presentation panel 194 and base panel 190 when assembled, and a set of panels foldable to create the product concealing flaps 106, 108, as described above and illustratively shown in Figure 3 (i.e. each comprising a rear matingly engageable fold-down panel 116 and engagement tab 118, and a lateral panel 124). As discussed above with reference to Figure 3, product-holding apertures or recesses 111 are formed in the product presentation tray panel 110, as are mating slits 120 for matingly receiving the engagement tabs 118 therein.

[0091] As will be appreciated by the skilled artisan, the various templates and template features described above are provided solely as an example, and may be varied or altered to produce similar effects and present similar advantages, without departing from the general scope and nature of the present disclosure. For instance, various panel securing, folding and alignment features, as well as various panel alignments, configurations and arrangements may be considered to construct a similar box product, as can various illustrated features be optionally omitted without materially impacting other new and advantageous features of the herein described embodiments.

[0092] Furthermore, different materials may be considered for the manufacture and assembly of a box as described herein. For example, different grades, weights and/or qualities of corrugated or other cardboard materials may be used, as can different foldable polymer or plastic materials be used to similar effect. For example, in some embodiments, a resiliency of the material selected to construct the shell, drawer or other related components may be selected so to permit a sufficient level of bias when folded to enable resilient releasable engagement of the drawer engagement (e.g. locking) mechanism. Such resiliency may be selected to be sufficient from a single panel fold, or again result from a multiply folded engagement structure having enhanced resiliency/bias in combination. Different manufacturing techniques such as the production of score lines to facilitate folding, and/or thickened, coated or otherwise reinforced edges or panels to enhance stability and/or resiliency, may be considered in accordance with different embodiments.

[0093] As noted above, while some advantages may be drawn from the manufacture and assembly of a safety box, as described herein, from one or more foldable/assembly templates, other functionally equivalent box designs may be manufacture/assembled otherwise, for example, by introducing functionally equivalent resilient means such as spring or materially biased buttons, tabs or like structures, or again selecting alternate assembly materials ranging from foldable/malleable sheet materials, to solid materials assembled via appropriate fasteners or the like. [0094] Indeed, while template forming and assembly is described herein as one approach to manufacturing and/or assembly of certain embodiments described herein, other manufacturing and/or assembly approaches may be considered to obtain similar or equivalent results. Indeed, the innovative structural and functional features of the embodiments described herein should not be limited by the illustrated manufacturing and assembly thereof, but rather, should include other such methods for manufacturing and/or assembling boxes, as will be readily appreciated by the skilled artisan.

[0095] With reference to Figures 11 to 13, and in accordance with an alternative embodiment, a safety packaging box, generally referred to using the numeral 200, will now be described. In the illustrated embodiment, the box 200 comprises an outer shell, in this embodiment a square outer shell 202, and a correspondingly shaped slide-out drawer 204 that can slide between a closed position (as seen in Figure 11), and a fully opened position (as seen in Figure 12), through an open end of the shell 202. Indeed, and as similarly described above with reference to the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 to 6, a drawer locking or engagement mechanism is provided to restrict access to a packaged content of the box while in the closed position, and further optionally limit sliding travel of the drawer beyond the open position shown in Figure 12, thus reducing or obstructing the full extraction or removal of the drawer 204 from the shell 202.

[0096] In the illustrated embodiment, the drawer 204 further comprises at least one internal drawer flap, in this embodiment opposed and independently deployable product concealing flaps 206 and 208, that can only be deployed upon the drawer being extended to its fully open position. It will be appreciated that one, two or more flaps may be provided, for example, to correspondingly conceal one, two or more products or materials thereunder, and that, without departing from the general scope and nature of the present disclosure. In this particular embodiment, the internal flaps 206, 208 serve to conceal an internal drawer volume, and thus respective products or materials packaged or contained therein (in this example as provided by a product holding, presentation or securing tray 210 and product holding apertures or recesses 211, or like structure, as provided, fitted or otherwise integrally formed as part of a drawer insert), until the drawer 204 can be fully opened. For example, the flaps 206, 208 in the illustrated embodiment each fold back from a front face 212 of the drawer 204 and are dimensioned so to extend just short of an enclosing front lip 214 of the box’s outer shell 202 when the drawer is slid to its fully opened position, such that the flaps can only be deployed when the drawer reaches this position. Otherwise, the flaps effectively obstruct access to the drawer’s inner packaging volume. In the illustrated embodiment, the flaps 206, 208 each comprise a rear matingly engageable fold-down panel 216 having an engagement tab 218 that matingly engages a corresponding slit 220 formed in a base 222 of the product securing tray 210.

[0097] In the illustrated embodiment, as above, in order to further frustrate attempts to access the drawer’s inner packaging volume while the drawer is in its closed position, the open end of the box’s outer shell 202 defines an outwardly projecting lip 214 relative to the front face 212 of the drawer 204, namely, the front face 212 of the drawer is effectively recessed relative to the defined shell opening when the drawer is in the closed (and releasably locked) position. In this particular embodiment, the recessed front face 212 of the drawer enhances an obstruction to accessing the drawer’s inner volume when in the closed position.

[0098] With particular reference to Figure 13, the box 200 further comprises a drawer engagement mechanism releasably engaging the drawer 204 when in the closed position, and releasable by invoking a “push-push” mechanism, as introduced above. In this particular example, the outer shell 202 comprises at least one, and in this example a pair of push access apertures 234 defined within a back face 236 of the shell, namely opposite the shell’s opening. Accordingly, the drawer 204 is designed to be pushed forward to slide to its open position by applying, in this example, a push pressure thereto through the rear push-access apertures 234.

[0099] However, to restrict, obstruct or frustrate unauthorized or unintended access to the drawer’ s inner packaging volume, the drawer can only be pushed forward upon further releasing the drawer’s engagement mechanism. In the illustrated embodiment, this mechanism is released by applying a releasing push pressure to a pair of drawer engagement structures, illustrated here as a pair of engagement tabs 240, that are otherwise biased, extended or deployed to engage a corresponding pair of shell engagement structures, illustrated here as a pair of correspondingly dimensioned engagement apertures 242, defined within a bottom face 244 or panel of the shell 202. In this particular embodiment, the engagement tabs 240 are defined by a pair of foldback tabs folded down from a bottom panel of the drawer 204 that maintain a resilient downward bias such that a front edge 248 of these tabs is aligned in the closed drawer position to releasably engage a correspondingly shaped rear-facing edge 250 of the shell engagement apertures 242. While resiliently biased foldback tabs and corresponding apertures are illustrated in this embodiment, other push-release engagement mechanisms and structures may be considered to fall with the general scope and nature of the present disclosure, as discussed above. [00100] Using a drawer-engagement mechanism as described above, an individual seeking to gain access to the box’s inner volume must release the biased drawer engagement tabs 240 from apertures 242 by applying a concurrent upward pressure thereto, while concurrently pushing on the rear panels 238 of the drawer 204 via shell push-access apertures 234. In the illustrated embodiment, given the drawer’s recess relative to the shell’s front lip 214, and internal drawer flaps 206, 208, the individual cannot easily pull the drawer open, even when the drawer engagement mechanism is released, and is rather directed to implement the push-push release mechanism, as intended.

[00101] With reference to Figures 14 and 15, and in accordance with an alternative embodiment, a safety packaging box, generally referred to using the numeral 300, will now be described. In the illustrated embodiment, the box 300 comprises an outer shell, in this embodiment a hexagonal outer shell 302, and a correspondingly shaped slide-out drawer 304 that can slide between a closed position (as seen in Figure 14), and a fully opened position (as seen in Figure 15), through an open end of the shell 302. Indeed, and as similarly described above with reference to the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 to 6, a drawer locking or engagement mechanism is provided to restrict access to a packaged content of the box while in the closed position.

[00102] In this particular embodiment, an internal drawer volume contains a product holding, presentation or securing tray 310 defining a series of product-holding apertures or recesses 311, or like structure, as provided, fitted or otherwise integrally formed as part of a drawer insert.

[00103] Further, in the illustrated embodiment, contrary to those described above, the front face 312 of the drawer 304, while in the closed position, is substantially flush with the open end of the shell 302. [00104] The box 300 further comprises a drawer engagement mechanism releasably engaging the drawer 304 when in the closed position, and releasable by invoking a “push- push” mechanism, as introduced above. In this particular example, the outer shell 302 comprises at least one, or as in the examples described above, a pair of push access apertures (not explicitly shown) defined within a back face 336 of the shell, namely opposite the shell’ s opening. Accordingly, the drawer 304 is designed to be pushed forward to slide to its open position by applying, in this example, a push pressure thereto through the rear push-access apertures, as described above.

[00105] However, to restrict, obstruct or frustrate unauthorized or unintended access to the drawer’s inner packaging volume, the drawer can only be pushed forward upon further releasing the drawer’s engagement mechanism. In the illustrated embodiment, this mechanism is released by applying a releasing push pressure to a pair of drawer engagement structures, illustrated here as a pair of engagement tabs 340, that are otherwise biased, extended or deployed to engage a corresponding pair of shell engagement structures, illustrated here as a pair of correspondingly dimensioned engagement apertures 342, defined within respective lateral side faces 344 or panels of the shell 302. In this particular embodiment, the engagement tabs 340 are defined by a pair of fold-down tabs folded down from respective lateral side panels 343 of the drawer 304 that maintain a resilient lateral outward bias such that a front edge 348 of these tabs is aligned in the closed drawer position to releasably engage a correspondingly shaped rear-facing edge 350 of the shell engagement apertures 342. While resiliently biased fold-down tabs and corresponding apertures are illustrated in this embodiment, other push-release engagement mechanisms and structures may be considered to fall with the general scope and nature of the present disclosure, as discussed above. [00106] Using a drawer-engagement mechanism as described above, an individual seeking to gain access to the box’s inner volume must release the biased drawer engagement tabs 340 from apertures 342 by applying a concurrent lateral inward pressure thereto, while concurrently pushing on the rear panels of the drawer 304 via shell push- access apertures (not shown). Depending on a width of the box, opposed lateral pressure on the engagement tabs can be applied by a same hand while a rear axial push is applied to the drawer, whereas for other box dimensions, opposed lateral pressure on the engagement tabs can be applied by respective hands while concurrently pushing (e.g. with thumbs) on rear drawer panels.

[00107] As will be apreciated by the skilled artisan, different substantially perpendicular push-push mechanisms and orientations may be considered in different box configurations, geometries, dimensions and shapes to achieve similar results, and thus, should be considered to fall within the general scope and nature of the present disclosure.

[00108] While the present disclosure describes various embodiments for illustrative purposes, such description is not intended to be limited to such embodiments. On the contrary, the applicant's teachings described and illustrated herein encompass various alternatives, modifications, and equivalents, without departing from the embodiments, the general scope of which is defined in the appended claims. Except to the extent necessary or inherent in the processes themselves, no particular order to steps or stages of methods or processes described in this disclosure is intended or implied. In many cases the order of process steps may be varied without changing the purpose, effect, or import of the methods described.

[00109] Information as herein shown and described in detail is fully capable of attaining the above-described object of the present disclosure, the presently preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, and is, thus, representative of the subject matter which is broadly contemplated by the present disclosure. The scope of the present disclosure fully encompasses other embodiments which may become apparent to those skilled in the art, and is to be limited, accordingly, by nothing other than the appended claims, wherein any reference to an element being made in the singular is not intended to mean "one and only one" unless explicitly so stated, but rather "one or more." All structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the above-described preferred embodiment and additional embodiments as regarded by those of ordinary skill in the art are hereby expressly incorporated by reference and are intended to be encompassed by the present claims. Moreover, no requirement exists for a system or method to address each and every problem sought to be resolved by the present disclosure, for such to be encompassed by the present claims. Furthermore, no element, component, or method step in the present disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element, component, or method step is explicitly recited in the claims. However, that various changes and modifications in form, material, work-piece, and fabrication material detail may be made, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, as set forth in the appended claims, as may be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, are also encompassed by the disclosure.