Dual cavity sliding dispenser

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11021293-B2
Application number	US-201514974739-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2015
Priority date	Dec 1, 2008
Publication date	Jun 1, 2021
Grant date	Jun 1, 2021

Abstract

A dispensing container is provided, the container including an outer shell comprising a top, a bottom, sidewalls extending between the top and bottom, and two ends, at least one end being open; an inner tray, slidably received within the outer shell, comprising at least one storage compartment adapted for storage of a plurality of units of a product to be dispensed, and comprising at least one depressible detent, the detent comprising a raised surface that abuts the outer shell; wherein, in a closed configuration, the detent holds the inner tray within the outer shell, and wherein the at least one detent may be depressed by pressure to allow the inner tray to slide relative to the outer shell.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A dispensing container, comprising:
an outer shell comprising a top, a bottom, a plurality of sidewalls extending between the top and the bottom, and two ends, at least one of the ends being open; and
an inner tray having a longitudinally-extending tray body that defines a longitudinal length and that comprises a top surface and an opposing bottom surface substantially parallel to the top and bottom of the outer shell, the inner tray being slidable along the longitudinal length within the at least one open end of the outer shell, the inner tray comprising:
at least one storage compartment adapted for storage of a plurality of units of a product to be dispensed, and
at least one depressible detent defined on the top surface of the tray body, the depressible detent comprising a raised surface and a releasable locking component;
wherein, in a closed configuration, the raised surface of the depressible detent abuts one of ends of outer shell and the releasable locking component interlocks with a corresponding locking component of the outer shell to hold the inner tray within the outer shell, and wherein the at least one depressible detent may be depressed by pressure such that the raised surface thereof does not abut the one of the open ends of the outer shell and the locking component releases from the corresponding locking component to allow the inner tray to slide relative to the outer shell.

2. The dispensing container of claim 1 , further comprising a retainer plate at least partially overhanging the at least one storage compartment.

3. The dispensing container of claim 1 , wherein the releasable locking component of the depressible detent comprises at least one protrusion and the corresponding locking component of the outer shell comprises at least one aperture configured to receive the at least one protrusion or at least one ridge configured to engage the protrusion in abutting contact such that depressing the depressible detent disengages the protrusion from the aperture or the ridge and permits sliding of the inner tray outwardly from the outer shell.

4. The dispensing container of claim 1 , wherein the releasable locking component of the depressible detent comprises at least one aperture or at least one ridge and the corresponding locking component of the outer shell comprises at least one protrusion configured to engage the aperture or the ridge such that depressing the depressible detent disengages the protrusion from the aperture or the ridge and permits sliding of the inner tray outwardly from the outer shell.

5. A dispensing container, comprising:
an outer shell comprising a top, a bottom, a plurality of sidewalls extending between the top and the bottom, and two opposing open ends; and
an inner tray having a tray body comprising a top surface and an opposing bottom surface, slidably received within the outer shell and extending from each of the open ends thereof, the inner tray comprising:
at least one storage compartment adapted for storage of a plurality of units of a product to be dispensed, and
at least one depressible detent defined on the top surface of the tray body, the depressible detent comprising a raised surface and a releasable locking component;
wherein, in a closed configuration, the raised surface of each depressible detent abuts one of the open ends of the outer shell and the releasable locking component interlocks with a corresponding locking component of the outer shell to hold the inner tray within the outer shell, and wherein depressing the at least one depressible detent at the open ends releases the raised surface thereof from the outer shell and the locking component releases from the corresponding locking component to permit sliding of the inner tray outwardly from the outer shell.

6. The dispensing container of claim 5 , further comprising a retainer plate at least partially overhanging the at least one storage compartment.

7. The dispensing container of claim 5 , wherein the releasable locking component of the depressible detent comprises at least one protrusion and the corresponding locking component of the outer shell comprises at least one aperture configured to receive the at least one protrusion or at least one ridge configured to engage the protrusion in abutting contact such that depressing the depressible detent disengages the at least one protrusion from the at least one aperture or at least one ridge and permits sliding of the inner tray outwardly from the outer shell.

8. The dispensing container of claim 5 , wherein the releasable locking component of the depressible detent comprises at least one aperture or at least one ridge and the corresponding locking component of the outer shell comprises at least one protrusion configured to engage the at least one aperture or at least one ridge such that depressing the depressible detent disengages the at least one protrusion from the at least one aperture or at least one ridge and permits sliding of the inner tray outwardly from the outer shell.

9. A dispensing container, comprising:
an outer shell comprising a top, a bottom, a plurality of sidewalls extending between the top and the bottom, and two opposing open ends;
an inner tray having a tray body comprising a top surface and an opposing bottom surface, slidably received within the outer shell and extending from each of the open ends thereof, the inner tray comprising:
at least two storage compartments separated by a dividing wall and adapted for storage of a plurality of units of a product to be dispensed, and
a depressible detent defined on the top surface of the tray body abutting the outer shell at each of the open ends thereof, each depressible detent comprising a raised surface abutting the top of the outer shell and one or more protrusions proximal to the raised surface and configured to engage at least one ridge in a surface of the top of the outer shell facing the inner tray such that engagement between the depressible detent of the inner tray and the top of the outer shell prevents sliding movement of the inner tray while the inner tray is in a closed and locked position within the outer shell;
wherein depressing each depressible detent disengages the inner tray from the outer shell and permits sliding of the inner tray outwardly from the outer shell, the sliding movement of the inner tray resulting in movement of the detent at one end of the inner tray into the outer shell.

Assignees

• Reynolds Tobacco Co R
• R J R Reynolds Tobacco Company

Inventors

• Bailey Ryan A
• Gelardi John A

Classifications

• B65D2215/04

  requiring the combination of different actions in succession · CPC title

• B65D83/0409

  the dispensing means being adapted for delivering one article, or a single dose, upon each actuation (B65D83/0445 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65D2215/02

  requiring the combination of simultaneous actions · CPC title

• B65D9/08

  of drawer-and-shell type · CPC title

• B65D7/10 Primary

  of drawer-and-shell type · CPC title