Child-resistant single pill dispenser

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11230426-B2
Application number	US-201816607137-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 19, 2018
Priority date	Apr 25, 2017
Publication date	Jan 25, 2022
Grant date	Jan 25, 2022

Abstract

A child-resistant dispenser includes a housing ( 110 ); and a slider ( 150 ) disposed on the housing and configured to slide from a closed position to a dispensing position, the slider comprising a movable engagement portion ( 148 ) that engages a stop ( 122 ) on the housing, wherein the engagement between the movable engagement portion and the stop restricts movement of the slider to the dispensing position and the movable engagement portion is configured to disengage from the stop in response to a release force applied to the slider.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A child-resistant dispenser comprising:
a housing; and
a slider disposed on the housing and configured to slide from a closed position to a dispensing position, the slider comprising a movable engagement portion that engages a stop on the housing,
wherein the engagement between the movable engagement portion and the stop restricts movement of the slider to the dispensing position and the movable engagement portion is configured to disengage from the stop in response to a release force applied to the slider,
wherein the housing comprises a dispensing chute, and the dispenser is configured to dispense a single unit of product from the dispensing chute when the slider is in the dispensing position,
wherein the slider comprises a protrusion that restricts additional product from moving to a dispensing location in the dispensing chute when the slider is in the dispensing position, and
wherein the dispensing chute comprises a recess for accommodating a single unit of product, and the recess is aligned with the protrusion when the slider is in the closed position.

2. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a first sloping wall that intersects the dispensing chute at a first location and a second sloping wall that intersects the dispensing chute at a second location and the first location is offset relative to the second location to orient product for entering the dispensing chute.

3. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the dispenser is a handheld dispenser.

4. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the dispenser is configured for single-handed dispensing.

5. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the dispenser is configured to dispense in response to a combined inward and upward force applied to the slider by a hand.

6. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the movable engagement portion disengages from the stop by moving outward from the housing.

7. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the slider is configured to slide along rails on the housing.

8. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the slider is configured to slide to the dispensing position in response to application of a dispensing force applied to the slider when the movable engagement portion is disengaged from the stop, and the slider is restricted from sliding to the dispensing position in response to application of the dispensing force to the slider when the movable engagement portion is engaged with the stop.

9. The dispenser of claim 8 , wherein the dispenser is configured such that the release force and the dispensing force are applied at a single location on the slider.

10. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the slider comprises a pivoting member and the movable engagement portion is located at an end of the pivoting member.

11. The dispenser of claim 10 , wherein the slider comprises a main body and the pivoting member is resiliently affixed to the main body such that the pivoting member is biased toward engagement with the stop.

12. The dispenser of claim 11 , wherein the main body and the pivoting member are formed as a unitary piece.

13. The dispenser of claim 11 , wherein the slider comprises a connection between the main body and the pivoting member that is configured to twist as the pivoting member pivots.

14. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the dispenser is pre-filled.

15. The dispenser of claim 14 , further comprising packaging encasing the housing and the slider.

16. A method of dispensing a unit of product from a dispenser that comprises a housing and a slider disposed on the housing, the method comprising:
moving at least a portion of an engagement portion of the slider to release an engagement between the slider and the housing that prevents the slider from moving to a dispensing position; and
while the engagement is released, moving the slider along a side of the housing to from a closed position to the dispensing position in which a single unit of product is dispensed,
wherein the housing comprises a dispensing chute, and the dispenser is configured to dispense a single unit of product from the dispensing chute when the slider is in the dispensing position,
wherein the slider comprises a protrusion that restricts additional product from moving to a dispensing location in the dispensing chute when the slider is in the dispensing position, and
wherein the dispensing chute comprises a recess for accommodating a single unit of product, and the recess is aligned with the protrusion when the slider is in the closed position.

17. A child-resistant dispenser comprising:
a housing; and
a slider disposed on the housing and configured to slide from a closed position to a dispensing position, the slider comprising a movable engagement portion that engages a stop on the housing,
wherein the engagement between the movable engagement portion and the stop restricts movement of the slider to the dispensing position and the movable engagement portion is configured to disengage from the stop in response to a release force applied to the slider
wherein the slider comprises a pivoting member and the movable engagement portion is located at an end of the pivoting member,
wherein the slider comprises a main body and the pivoting member is resiliently affixed to the main body such that the pivoting member is biased toward engagement with the stop, and
wherein the slider comprises a connection between the main body and the pivoting member that is configured to twist as the pivoting member pivots.

Assignees

• Bayer Healthcare Llc

Inventors

• Martin Joseph
• Schmidt Eric
• Petit Robert G

Classifications

• B65D83/0409 Primary

  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

• B65D43/20

  linearly slidable · CPC title

• B65D2583/0454

  Flat container with slide cover, i.e. the thickness of the container is slightly more than the thickness of one article · CPC title

• B65D2583/0477

  the container is maintained in the same position during the dispensing of several successive articles or doses · CPC title